About Werewolves

Elizabeth

I didn’t know how I got away from him, but I managed to run towards the house. I was holding tremblingly the skin of my neck he just bit as I went inside my chambers.

“Elizabeth, are you fine?” my mother asked me from the other room. “Why are you panting?”

“I-I’m okay, mother!” I said.

I desperately went to the mirror and looked at the wound the man had just bitten. It looked disgusting and messed up because of the scattering of blood. I cursed under my breath as I fumbled my clothes from my small closet, trying to find a cloth or something.

When I grabbed an unused dress, I pressed it to my wound. I was silently groaning in pain because my mother would be furious if she knew that I used my magic to tend a werewolf. She strictly told me to never use my healing powers because it is dangerous.

“Bloody hell,” I cursed again.

I went to the bathroom and washed down the blood. The water helped my blood to stop flowing. I then repeated my incantation song but made sure that it was almost a whisper so that my mother will not hear it.

I inhaled deeply when I was done and the excruciating pain I felt ago magically vanished. Slowly as possible, I removed my hand, expecting the wound not to be visible anymore.

“Oh, hell no,” I said as I faced the mirror outside the privy.

I was surprised when I could still see the bite mark on my left neck from the werewolf. I don’t even know why! Every time I use my power to heal a wound, there will be no mark!

What do I do now? It is unexplainable! How does this happen?

I closed my eyes and breathed in and out. I should calm down so I can find an answer.

Should I tell Mother?

No, it would infuriate her. Shit!

Ah! I would tell Nikita!

Ugh, but her mouth is so careless she would end up telling Mother!

But wait… there might be someone who could… help me!

The next day, while I was dressing up with a wool dress and a pair of boots, I made sure that the scarf I circled my neck shrouded the bitten mark. I glared at my reflection in the mirror.

I swear! If I see that sanctimonious werewolf again, I will not hesitate to kill him with my own hands!

But… how do I kill a werewolf when I don’t even know about them?

What I just inexplicably know is that a long time ago, there was a war between mortals and werewolves. Maybe the werewolves tried to dominate the whole world and then the mortals just saved the day as the novelist would always write in the books.

I didn’t care about the monsters and beasts outside the kingdom, because I have never gone outside, too! I am a domestic villager and a simple woman who only wants to live a normal, ordinary life. Oh, that sounds from the books, though, huh?

But anyway, I have to get to my senses because I still have an agenda to be solved immediately before I lose my mind over a stupid werewolf’s mark.

“Elizabeth?”

I was stopped from walking outside the house when I heard my mother from my back before I could even turn the doorknob. I shut my eyes tightly, realizing that it is so wrong timing that I could get caught by her.

“Ummm, yes, mother?” I asked nervously, still not turning my back to face her behind me.

“Where are you going?” she asked, her tone sounding so confused.

“J-Just going to the public park with Nikita,” I reasoned out.

“With a scarf on your neck?”

“It is cold.”

“But don’t you think it is too much?”

Argh. Can’t she just let me go now?

“Ummm,” I said, looking up to find a good excuse. “I… I am going on a date!”

I heard her gasp. “Really? You’re going on a date?” she excitedly said. “Then I am so happy for you-“

“Haha! Yeah, so can I go now?”

“But-“

I did not let my mother finish off her sentence because I had already gone out of the house and started walking to the road.

I am sorry, mother. I don’t want to hear your preaching if I told you what happened last night!

My eyes were circling as the scarf from my neck was flailing on my chest. The villagers were greeting me enthusiastically, and I reciprocated my politeness and grace. When my feet dragged me to the public market, the person I was trying to find emerged in my vision.

“Your Highness!” I called out.

He turned his back after he was conversing with his horseman. I could see his face lightening up as if he saw an amusing thing. Is my face a big deal? I don’t know. I keep hearing compliments from other people, but I do think that appearances don’t matter. It is from the goodness of one’s heart and intentions.

“My lady, Elizabeth,” Prince Vio said when he approached me and slightly bowed in front of me. “I am astonished to “

He was about to repeat the line he keeps saying every time we meet, but I already cut him off.

“I am also astonished to see you, Your Highness,” I said and bowed at him politely. “But I want to talk to you about something, umm, intriguing.”

“Oh, I would love to answer you. What do you want to know about?”

I smiled. “About werewolves," I said. "There are things that I am curious about them. Would you like to share some information about them?"

"Well, if that is what my lady wants, why would I refuse you?" the prince replied. "If you would consent, I would like to bring you to the palace and regale you there."