My Envied Lady: Chapter 5

Chapter 5
"She's the black wolf!" Exclaimed Johan, "Why is she in human form, while the others are not?"

"If I recall correctly," said Papa Smurf, "They revert to their original form when severely wounded or killed. This girl was probably born human, the others probably were born as wolves."

"I didn't know werewolves attacked other wolves," said Peewit.

"They do. In fact, since they assume to form of direwolves for reasons that the legends don't say, it was the direwolf packs that were hunted mercilessly, whether they bore the Curse of Lycaon or not. "

"I'm sure it's an interesting story Papa Smurf, but what are we going to do about a sleeping werewolf in my castle?" demanded the King, bringing everyone back to the most immediate concern.

"Papa Smurf says this is the result of a curse, your Majesty. She may an innocent unable to control herself," Johan offered. He hoped it was true. Despite what she had done, there was no way he or anyone in the court could bring themselves to executing an unconscious young woman, but they also could not set her free with a mere pardon. They would at least have to find some way to question her.

"Johan's right," said Peewit, "Remember that time I got turned into a dog?"

"Or when my cousin Gerard was changed into a stag?" Sabina added.

"Hmph. Those times were different. Innocent or not, I'm not going to be convinced she isn't dangerous."

"I have an idea," interrupted Papa Smurf. "The binding charms Handy and I constructed can keep a dead werewolf from reviving, or keep a living one from using its powers, like shapeshifting. If we put the charm on her, she will become like a normal human woman."

"So that charm will cure her?" asked Peewit.

"I don't know that there is a cure for being a werewolf, Peewit. And we still don't know anything about her. Werewolves don't age or die like humans do; this "girl" could be hundreds of years old and not remotely human anymore. But it's worth a try. Handy, fetch the charms from Feathers!"

"Yes, Papa Smurf!" he said and ran to the bird.

The charms themselves looked like small silver coins with strange, angular writing on one side, and a bound, stylized wolf on the other. Papa Smurf sent Sabina to get a red ribbon and when she returned with it, he tied it and the charm around the girl's neck. Anointing it with some kind of liquid, he spoke some words in the same language as was on the scroll. The charm shone like a beacon, then faded back to normal.

"That's all?" asked the King.

"That's all, but you might want to keep her in a cell when she wakes up, until you know whether she is a friend or foe. We need to go and bind those other wolves before nightfall," Papa Smurf replied.

Binding the other wolves was fairly simple. Papa Smurf assured their friends that they would have no more trouble from the wolves once they were buried on the other side of a river, and to send word immediately if the black wolf girl turned out to be trouble.

The rest of the evening was relatively uneventful. Johan and peewit took turns checking on the girl, Johan because he had nothing better to do, Peewit because he saw her as his responsibility. Sabina got into trouble for sneaking away from her duties and allowing herself to be around a "savage beast." She was not seen for the rest of the night.

By the time the sun rose, the girl had woken up.

Her guards fetched Johan, Tremaine and the King to come interrogate her, though the guards were clearly afraid of her. They found the girl rattling the door of her cell, snarling. Peeking inside, Johan saw her eyes still blazed yellow, and her hair waist-length hair was disheveled, giving her a feral appearance. She noticed him staring at her, and her yellow eyes widened with recognition.

The charm around her neck flashed again. I bet she's trying to change, he thought, remembering Papa Smurf's words.

"You, girl. What is your name? We don't want to have to hurt you," said the King.

"What have you done with the others? How did you do this to me?" She snarled, her throat scratchy and hoarse.

"You're currently under arrest for murder, girl, you need to answer our King. We don't want to keep calling you "girl", what is your name?" Tremaine replied, his arms crossed.

She was silent for a long time, and glared at them before speaking.

"They call me the Maenad, and I was only doing what I was ordered to do." She finally said, still glaring at them all.

"Maenad…who ordered you?" asked Johan. He was right, there was someone else working behind the scenes!

"I won't say. Not until you tell me what you did with the others. Did you kill them all, or did you drug, bind and imprison them, too?"

"They're all dead," said Tremaine. "You survived." He did not wish to give her the details. "If you were coerced, we want to help you."

The Maenad slumped against the side of her cell and gave a bitter laugh. "Barbarians want to help me. Incredible."

The humans looked puzzled.

"I was paid to attack your men... Silence, Three Fangs, Donatus, Albrecht and myself. I don't know who our employer was; another of our kind was the go-between. And don't think I'll tell you who he is. I'd be as good as dead if he were to find out, that is, unless your "help" is to kill me first."