Stumbled Upon (Enya then Open I assume)

[Benjamin Benson]

18th day of Undecimber
Year LV
7.25

Benjamin Benson stood in the outpost, gun held snugly to his shoulder as he watched the woods. There wasn’t any sign or sound of the Gewin that night and it was something that truly disappointed the young blacksmith. He wanted to take a shot at one…to at least wound it in some form or fashion; he didn’t even care how, just that they would learn to fear him, as they should. It was the darkness in Benjamin that felt this way, the one that wanted revenge almost more than he could stand. He could care less about anything else…just as long as revenge was exacted and the creature that killed his father was dead. A life for a life. That’s what the law called for. So that’s why he stood in there. The sun slowly rising as the shadows descended, running from the light of the Sun.

With dawn it mean the Gewin would momentarily be at bay for another day, which meant that Benjamin was free to leave the outpost and return to the smithy for a quick sleep and then work. It was how it always worked when he volunteered. How Master Cleaver put up with his behavior was anyone’s guess, and there were rumors filtering around the village, in such a small place there were always rumors. He threw one strap of the gun over his shoulder as he descended the ladder, shutting the trap door and securing it to make sure no one would be ambushed if one were to try to sneak into the outpost. It wasn’t something that he was overly concerned with, but it was still something he did out of habit. So he secured the door and then descended, dropping from the last few rungs to hit the ground with an audible thud.

The walk back to the village was a rather long journey, okay not that long, but it was one in which he always took time to think. A time for reflection over the night’s failure or achievement…in most cases it was failure, okay so in all cases so far it had been failure. Sooner or later though they’d try to get by him and then he would get to kill one. He just had to be patient his time would come. The long walk seemed to take hours instead of the twenty-minute walk that it truly was. Stepping into the village, the sun was still fairly low in the Eastern sky and the village was not yet quite awake. So as he moved toward the smithy he couldn’t stop the gasp that came from his lips.

There was a shocking surprise in store for the town the moment they all awoke. A body was lying in the middle of the walkway…in the middle of the village. It was of a girl…a very injured girl. Benjamin dropped the gun to the ground, as he quickly bent down to listen to see if the girl was still breathing. It was a faint sound, but at least it was a sound. Strong arms slipped under the girl’s body as he picked her up, his eyes moving around the village, quite unsure who would be able to help the poor bleeding girl. Deciding that the Nine Wands Inn and Pub would be his best option for help, so he headed into the building with the girl in his arms. “I need some assistance!” he shouted as he slipped through the doors.

[Enya Ayre]

Enya had known something was wrong the minute she’d stepped into the woods. A darkness seemed to hang over it like a heavy shroud, making Enya feel pressed in and nervous. But still she had ploughed on with her father, determined to find the plant which could save the lives of many of her townsfolk. They had searched for three days without any success, heading deeper and deeper into the forest, and Enya was becoming tired. Her father noticed this, and suggested that they rested for the night before continuing their search, and she agreed thankfully.

She would never forgive herself for what happened next.

Although she couldn’t recall much of the attack, one thing remained very plainly in her head – the fact that she couldn’t save her father. One of the…creatures had set upon her the moment it had spotted her. All she remembered of the attack was intense pain, and the strange smell of blood, spilling from her wounds and soaking her dress. She was released from the excruciating attack fairly soon, thankfully, but was left with many severe injuries, and felt extremely lightheaded from loss of blood. But this was all forgotten when she saw her father, mutilated and lying like a cast aside doll on the forest floor. Moving over to him, she spotted some of the ugly red patches which distinguished the plague, and had looked on in horror.

It hadn’t taken long for his pain to end, but she had rested her head on his chest, crying and screaming that he couldn’t leave her. Eventually, she had come to her senses, and left him, wandering blindly through the forest, everywhere seeing dark forms rushing about through a haze of blood and grief, making her frightened and uncoordinated, therefore finding it difficult to make her way through the thick trees.

Just as she had convinced herself that she was going to die in the forest, the light ahead seemed to become distinctly brighter. She didn’t know how she had found the power to carry on, but finally she had broken free of the trees and spied a small village. She somehow managed to walk to the centre of the village, because exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she was swallowed by blackness.

***

Enya found herself stirring once or twice, only to be consumed by blackness again. In these moments of conciousness, she felt herself being carried, and heard voices. She moaned, unable to voice any of the fevered words rushing through her head. Strange images began to run through her mind, of being in the woods, being chased, being attacked. In her mind's eye she saw her father, being attacked and left covered in blood, dying. With a jolt, she regained conciousness, panicked and gasping, wild eyes darting around, trying to become aware of her surroundings. She felt that she was lying on something...and she could vaguely see the figure of a tall man - this didn't give her any comfort, and she began to babble in her feverish panic.

"No! Stop it...don't let them...please, no!"

Her panicked words tumbled out in a rush, and she curled up, sobbing and afraid.

[Eli Emory Fayne]

Eli was sipping from his glass of red wine, lost in thought. The pub owner he had briefly spoken to might conceive this to be a celebration of having finished his long journey from England to America, but that was as far from the truth as could be. Although the reason for his visit to the secluded little town called Benevolence was an exciting one, he now feared it might have been a big mistake. Popular tales and gossip aside, what fact have I come across to validate my being here? he pondered.

Not that he had needed a realistic reason before his departure - he had been overly joyous to have found a reason at all. Quite frankly the prospect of deciding on a wife, following his father's footsteps by becoming a lawyer at his ever expanding firm and settling down to start a family of his own had scared him half to death. In his opinion he was way too young to stop thinking about himself and way too ambitious to forget what he had seen during his travels through Europe not one year ago.So much left to see, taste, experience, he had told himself. To waste my knowledge in a law firm would be the utmost torture if not the utmost madness!

But those thoughts were long ago and far away. Seeing the village, a normal village like any other he had ever seen, and walking its carefully paved streets had presented him with the first doubts. inhabitants he met on his way to his lodgings were cheerful and chatty, greeting him with fond politeness. There seemed to be no sign of fear or anxiety; all life was perfectly at ease. This observation made him uncomfortable. How could a quiet little place like this be haunted by dangerous creatures of the night?

He shook his head in discontent as he headed over to the pub. With slight amusement displayed on his lips he read the name on the heavy wooden sign. “Nine Wands Inn? Maybe they really do believe in fairy tales here…,” he muttered, still unsure what to make of it all. His studies of literature and history had provided him with reliable enough proficiency to tell fantasy and fiction apart, even if the storytellers themselves were too often convinced of the accuracy of their tales. Yet he tried to keep an open mind and let the experiences that awaited him in this strange new town wash over him, gently. After all, not all myths are based on speculation and imagination. Some, he had witnessed firsthand, were true.

Little did he know, he would find out the nature of this tale that very afternoon. He had barely finished his drink when a man’s voice called out from the entrance of the establishment. It sounded like someone was in need of help. Serious help. Quickly Eli abandoned his chair to examine the situation further. By the time he had placed the cold coins on the counter and had turned around, however, he saw the man was already inside the pub. With a startled expression on his elegant face, he drew nearer to the table a few feet away from him. Atop it lay the body of a young girl, covered in blood. To his horror the girl appeared to be conscious; proclaiming loud and confused half-sentences. She had several very nasty looking wounds that nearly caused Eli to turn his head away. But his curiosity and empathy diverted this reaction.

“Dear God, is she alright,” he uttered, shaming himself for the poor choice of words.
Of course she is not alright, she looks positively petrified… and appears to have been mauled by some kind of canine creature. A shiver went down his spine as he realized his suspicions that had led him to this place might just have been confirmed.

[Mercy Bell]

There was sudden mayhem in the tavern. Ben Benson entered with a very slight, and very mangled young woman in his arms. Gasps and exclamations preceded a general rush for a better view, and soon most everyone had crowded around the girl as she was laid out on the table. A single serving wench had the wherewithal to find some linen and press it into some of the girl's more major wounds, including the one at her neck.

A chair scraped back finally and murmurs circulated, heads turning to look behind as a man cleared his throat. All who saw fell silent, stepping aside. John Bell, a gentle and self-assured man with a protruding belly and strong arms, calmly made his way through the crowd to look at the girl.

After a moment of careful examination of her state, he looked up at Benjamin Benson, who stood to the right of him, and gave a curt nod. Mr. Bell hardly ever dealt with the blacksmith's apprentice; he had a certain amount of respect for the man, but trusted him not one bit. Then, he turned to the man immediately to his left, whom he did not recognise. He was a young man, but looked sturdy enough, and was dressed respectably.

"Sir, would you please assist Mr. Benson and I in moving this young lady to my buggy by holding her linens in place? He had already begun to gently move his hands beneath her knees, thinking that as careful movement as possible was needed. Without looking up, he said to another man nearby, "Jameson, fetch Dr. Placid and tell him to come quickly to my home."

[Benjamin Benson]

The girl had only been on the table for a few moments before she began waking. Suddenly she began panicking, her voice rising above the quiet sounds of the early morning tavern. Benjamin was taken off guard. He didn’t know what to say as he moved to her side, a hand gently resting on her arm, trying to sooth her as she curled into a ball, panic and fear obviously gripping her. He knew what this reaction was…he had been there before. The memory of his father floated before his eyes for a moment and it kept him from the reality of the girl. He was lost in his own mind until her feverish words of panic shouted out to him, draining his mind off the memory and returning him to the present.

A man began to speak near Benjamin and he looked over, his eyebrows arching. He didn’t know this man, but his words seemed to be rather obvious. Of course she wasn’t all right. She’d just had a brush with the wolves. She would never be all right. None that came into contact with them were ever all right. He knew that personally, but that wasn’t a discussion he was going to get into right now. He had to get this girl some help and it didn’t look like anyone in the Inn knew medicinal skills. Benjamin was about ready to take the girl and take off for a different place when John Bell stood. His presence drew everyone’s attention, as it always did. Even Benjamin met his eyes…knowing it would be rude if he looked away from him.

Benjamin didn’t object when Mr. Bell spoke. It was not a question anyway, it was a demand and Benjamin was not going to fight it. He quickly, but carefully, placed his hands under the girl’s shoulders and head, supporting her as much as he could as Mr. Bell grabbed her knees. They had to be careful now. She was awake and freaking out. Benjamin wasn’t even sure if moving her was the best idea, but he wasn’t going to argue with Mr. Bell. The man had every reason to take control of the situation and Benjamin could hardly believe that he’d listen to him at all. Benjamin was still considered an outsider by many and outsiders weren’t to be trusted. At least that’s what he had picked up.

Taking steps with her was not the easiest thing in the world. Benjamin gathered it was easier to move her by himself than it was with someone else. It was more jumbled, awkward. Benjamin didn’t know when Mr. Bell would move and then with the other man holding the girls linens, it was harder than ever to figure out how they were going to step and when. It was rather frustrating to tell the truth, but Benjamin could not stop moving. He had to help her. It was like the deep memory and pain of what happened to him was vying to get out…to find whatever it was that had harmed this girl. Maybe it was the same creature that had taken his father. If so…well then Benjamin now had another reason to go after it. It needed to be stopped…forever.

[Mercy Bell]

Mr. Bell directed the movements, as awkward as they were, until they had managed to move to girl outside and load her safely across the seat of the buggy. He then gestured to Ben, indicating without words for him to ride hanging onto the side, before climbing into the buggy beside the injured girl and taking the reins. He nodded to the other young man, with a small smile (the man seemed a gentleman, after all) that said that he was welcome to ride along as well.

Without waiting for either man to take the initiative, the aged farmer flicked the reins and began to slowly turn the buggy about in the street. "Jump along, Mr. Benson. I will need help moving her again, I've nothing but females at the farm," He called, unwilling to wait.

Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Bublé

[Enya Ayre]

Enya could hear voices. Worried, commanding, concerned…all around her, but she couldn’t make any sense of them. As she regained some consciousness, she somehow forced herself not to cry out anymore – but she her breath was coming in short gasps, her heart was pounding, and the pain coursing through her was like nothing she had ever felt before. Amongst the confusion, just for a moment, she felt someone’s hand resting upon her arm. Normally, she would have shied away from this, especially in her current state. But the touch was oddly comforting, and she took several deep breaths to try and calm herself down. The hand moved, and she felt the same strong arms support her head as someone lifted her legs and transported her…somewhere. She didn’t like being moved around like this, to unknown places…but wherever she was, it was better than being in the forest, she reasoned, forcing her fevered thoughts away a little. However, thinking of the forest made her suddenly realised what the source of the pain was – the savage attack from the…beings that had killed her father. Her eyes flew open as she was overcome with further pain as she involuntarily moved, and realisation gripped her.

She was alone.

In her troubled, agitated thought process, she had almost forgotten that her father lay dead and mutilated in the forest. Wherever she was, she was probably with complete strangers. This thought shoved any remaining calm away and she suddenly felt the desire to see who she was with. Unwise as it was for her to move, these rational thoughts were simply not present in the girl’s head at the moment. Using an arm to push herself up, she managed to catch a glimpse of the figures of two men, and she managed to ascertain that she was on some kind of cart, before an agonising pain shot through her side. She let out an ear-piercing scream, before letting herself fall and realising that she must have frightened the men, whoever they were.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” she said, closing her eyes tight and turning her head away from the two men, trying to fight down the embarrassment, pain and fear she felt.