As the autumn sun disappeared behind the treetops, I stepped carefully out in front of the old hunting cabin, which was hidden in a hollow among young fir trees. The large group of infantry that occupied the nearby clearing was still there, with their tents pitched near my woods. Their guards kept watch all around, but fortunately, they were too lazy to search these thick bushes for any danger. Despite my growing thirst, I resisted the urge to approach the boisterous river. I retreated into the dense undergrowth and waited patiently for nightfall.
I sat on a worn bench inside a cabin that served as a refuge for weary hunters. The barren interior of the cabin, with its musty air and leaky roof, offered little comfort. Fortunately, I was outside the village that day when I noticed ominous smoke rising in the distance. Panic set in as I realized mercenaries had set up camp in the fields surrounding the forest where I had spent the night hiding from the light rain. Two weeks had already passed since I had sought solace in this hidden spot, surviving solely on the apples that I had carried to market to sell. There wasn't much of them left now…
Overwhelmed, I buried my face in my hands and let out a heavy sigh.
I walked cautiously through the moonless, shadowy forest, taking cover behind towering tree trunks and dense bushes. The thick foliage blocked any hint of low-growing plants beneath the giant trees. Eventually, I approached the river, where soldiers had placed anchors in preparation for a wooden bridge that would allow them to easily cross the roaring river.
Several soldiers gathered around the fires on both sides. They will be blinded by the flames. They won't be able to see that far upriver in the dark. I quickly twisted my hair into a tight bun on top of my head and looked around.
Giving myself courage, I put down my woolen wrap and pulled my long skirt from my hips. After a final look around, I quickly took off my embroidered blouse and hurried toward the water.
I slipped into the river and found stability on the larger rocks. I welcomed the cold water against my skin. With each sip, I quenched my thirst, allowing the river to wash away the sweat and grime clinging to me. Eager to ward off the biting cold, I sought shelter beneath the trees' comforting shade, trembling uncontrollably as my body struggled to warm up.
As I cautiously made my way back to the hunting cabin, a clap of thunder echoed through the air, accompanied by a light rain. I nimbly evaded a passing patrol and found solace among the towering fir trees. However, my heart raced as a blue haze emerged on the distant horizon. I sighed and crawled under the bushes for safety. To my surprise, the military camp was eerily quiet. Strange thoughts crossed my mind as I silently slipped through the half-open door.
But I immediately stepped back. I smelled fresh blood. Lots of blood. As dawn approached, I could make out a foreign silhouette taking shape in the corner. In front of the bench were abandoned high winter boots, and next to them were a sheepskin hat and a well-worn leather coat.
When I looked at the beast, I was captivated by his eyes. His eyes emitted a subtle, mesmerizing scarlet glow. With each blink of his long lashes, he seemed to acknowledge his unsettling appearance knowingly.
'I can't run away from him.' I realized immediately. I exhaled deeply, resigned to my fate, and slowly closed the door. Outside, the sun was shining, slowly pushing higher into the sky. In the darkness, his eyes stood out like radiant fireflies, captivating my attention. He remained still, refusing to budge from his position.
"Are you hurt, sir?" I asked quietly.
"It's not my blood. Leave the formalities." He answered in a low, muffled voice.
"Do you want mine, too?" I asked again, strangely calm.
He grinned and nodded. "I do. You smell better than all the others I've tasted today." But I won't. I'm so full, I could puke."
"Please do it quickly when it comes." I asked him quietly, adding, "Good night."
As I moved across the hut, he remained completely oblivious to my presence and didn't utter a single word. I settled into a more comfortable position and pulled my skirt closer around me. Mornings in this place were particularly chilly, especially if you remained still.
As the rain grew stronger, I found myself dozing off against the wall of the hut. Wrapped in tattered rags and my own skirt, I fell asleep. Suddenly, shouts and the sound of galloping hooves jolted me awake. Startled and disoriented, I hastily got up, my heart racing. It was still early morning. What was going on?
"Shh..." came from the bench. His back rested comfortably against the rough-hewn planks of the hut as he tried to rest.
'So beautiful,' flashed through my mind when I saw him better. I nodded and crouched back in the corner.
"Did you have a pleasant dream? I feel..." He took a deep breath and chuckled. "I can smell you." He growled.
I frowned, but I decided to let his question go unanswered. How could he possibly smell me? I had literally washed a few hours ago.
A few hours later, I heard the distant barking of dogs. It was still raining lightly. I stood up and stepped outside.
I walked out the door and bent down to a murky puddle that had formed in a hollow under one of the fir trees. I took a slow drink and listened to the surrounding noise. All the voices were distant, and the dogs' barking was fading.
Trying to make as little noise as possible, I tiptoed back to the cabin and settled into the corner again, hoping to remain unnoticed.
"Entertain me, woman. I'm bored." He said suddenly, sitting up and stretching his arms high behind his head as he yawned.
I turned to face him with an amused smile and was about to say something cheeky, but I held back.
"We can play a game," I suggested, realizing that even while sitting down, his hands were almost touching the rafters. I wouldn't stand a chance; he'd snap my neck like kindling if I tried to resist. I had to admit that there was something beautiful about his rough face.
"U-m..." He shook his head and continued to look at me with those hungry eyes of his. He probably can't be hungry again, right?
"Give it a chance, please." I quickly stood up and stepped out of the hut to avoid any objections he might have. I gathered a handful of rocks and a couple of sticks, then returned to my spot inside the hut stealthily. I carefully poured the pebbles onto the floor and broke the sticks into smaller pieces. I leaned back and explained the rules of the game.
"What are you going to play for?" He asked, pulling a gold bracelet with green stones from his pocket as he sat down across from me. Without much thought, I took the ring off my finger and put it next to the gold bracelet.
"Married?" He asked, dragging a stone.
"Widow," I replied, looking at the faint line on my finger. "He died years ago. He was a good man, but marriage didn't bring me any joy."
He bared his sharp teeth in a smile and shook his head.
It was a long game; we were in no hurry.
I paused. He had set a trap for me. I pulled my hand back, frowning at the board. "Don't distract me," I grumbled as I pulled a different stick than I'd originally planned. He had the manners of a soldier and probably knew this game very well. He let me explain the rules only to check for any alterations.
"Your empty belly is distracting us both." "I'm going to bed. Leave it, woman. We'll finish this later." He rolled back onto the bench.
Exhausted, I slumped into the corner and fell into a deep slumber that lasted until evening. When I woke up, he had vanished along with his possessions. The gentle drizzle continued, creating puddles near the hut and flowing inside, soaking the floor. As I reached for another apple, a sigh escaped me, filled with a mix of resignation and longing for freedom.
I stretched out on the bench, ready to jump up at any moment if he came back, to make room for him. But he didn't come. Exhausted from my long fast, I fell asleep before dawn.
I was abruptly awakened by an unfamiliar sensation of warmth enveloping me, reminiscent of the comforting embrace of my bedsheets. However, a distinct metallic aroma greeted my senses, causing me to freeze in fear. In a surprising act of kindness, he draped his coat over me to keep me warm. As I cautiously sat up, I stole a glance over my shoulder at the sleeping monster beside me. It became evident that he was unusually tall, with broad shoulders that didn't quite fit the width of the bench.
He was handsome up close. His short, tousled hair, disheveled by a warm hat now discarded on the ground, added to his charm. Despite being squeezed onto a narrow bench with him, I marveled at how he managed not to smother me. I stealthily stood up and tried to get to the other side of the hut but froze in surprise. In my place was a small bundle of linen. Next to it were a few mud-covered carrots and about a dozen walnuts. I looked back at him, utterly confused.
When I met his gaze, he greeted me with a mischievous grin. His hand, which had been shielding his eyes, now rested comfortably behind his head.
"Just say thank you and eat," he said. He said, then turned his back to me to get into a more comfortable position. Without thinking, I walked over to him and kissed him under his ear as if he were a mere human.
I picked up the carrots from the ground and quickly went outside. After cleaning them in a nearby puddle, I leaned against the corner of the hut and basked in the gentle midday sun, savoring each bite at a leisurely pace.
"You know I'm going to kill you eventually, right?" He asked me when I came back. He was sitting on the bench, frowning.
I nodded. "I'm not naive. But there's no point in dwelling on it now. Just do it when you have to." I knelt in the middle of the room and waited for him to join me.
We played and exchanged a few words here and there.
"Why didn't you remarry?" he asked suddenly.
I looked up at him and said, "I finally found myself in a position where I could choose my husband. I wanted to find someone I could truly love."
He grinned and took a stick from me. Smiling at how easily he had fallen for my trap, I picked up the three stones lined up in a row.
"Show me again." He said after a moment of frowning at the board.
I returned the sticks and pebbles to their original positions and recreated my last move.
"So I have the last two rocks?"
"We can call it a draw. I have two as well," I suggested, trying not to make him angry. I suggested, trying not to anger him.
"Okay. Let's trade our wins. Now, I'll have the sticks." He said this and reached for the ring. He put it on the second knuckle of his little finger and started picking twigs.
My eyes followed his movements. "Those are the biggest hands I've ever seen," I thought, looking back down.
"I'm glad you're enjoying the game," I said, gathering the stones together.
"I'd rather have a different kind of fun, but I don't know how long I'll be stuck here. This will have to do." He replied, stacking his sticks in their original places. "What are you going to play for now?" He asked, digging through his pockets again.
"Do we have to bet on anything?" I asked quietly, reaching for my bracelet. I raised it to my eyes and said, "I don't have anything to match something like that." I added, trying the strap on my wrist.
"It's on the neck." He explained, "That's a necklace. That piece of gold meant nothing to me. I've got tons of stuff like that."
I lifted the delicate necklace to my neck and fastened it at the nape. It perched high on my neck and felt pleasantly cold. I touched the cool metal and looked up at the same moment he lowered his eyes to the board.
"Let's play for the bench." I pointed behind his back. "The winner will sleep there tonight."
He stopped searching his pockets and gave me an amused look.
"That's my bench." He said in such a serious tone that I was startled.
"But I really—"
"I'm sure you have something else to offer." He continued, not letting me interrupt.
"I have nothing but my clothes and my body. I'm not going to lose either of them to you in a stupid game." I said angrily, but I was only met with his amused chuckle and his burning gaze.
"Hm," he shrugged. "I'm all right with the bench."
Happy that I had talked him into it, I nodded and rested my palm on one of the nuts. It cracked, and I picked out the kernels.
"Let's make this a little more complicated," I said, taking one of his sticks and placing a half-shell in its place. "That's your general. If I pick him up, I win, no matter how many soldiers are left. Here's mine." I placed the shell with the stone inside it with my pawns.
We continued playing until the sun dipped below the horizon and immersed the forest in darkness. Using the last three sticks, he skillfully removed the shell from my possession. Then, he stood up and relieved his tense muscles.
I got the impression that he was just buying time, waiting for nightfall. Without another word, he retrieved his hat and jacket from the ground and vanished. I unwrapped the cheese and started eating. Glancing through the thick foliage toward the campsites, I felt uneasy as I observed the numerous sentries and flickering fires.
They all stayed out of the tall trees right next to the fire pits. It could be a great chance; it's not even that cold today. I'll make it. I cautiously approached the river, where the sounds of labor echoed from the bridge. Exhausted workers toiled throughout the night, their hammering and chopping resounding through the air as they desperately tried to escape the shore. I undressed quickly and jumped into the cold water, shivering uncontrollably as I took a quick sip. I scrubbed off the dirt clinging to my body before putting on my clothes again; my lips had turned a pale shade of blue from the cold.