The Alabaster Doe & The Amber Wolf

Entry for 'A Romance Contest' Short Story

There was always a pause in his step as he crouched in the shadows. Too much was on the line now for any mess ups, and if he did so, it would cost his life. It wouldn’t be pretty as far as his death was concerned. Not when it involved the Nobility with their sleazy attitude and desires. It was one thing to die a petty death from some poor farmer, another by the blade of a scorned lover of high lineage. Hester would prefer neither outcome in all cases of the situation, so he made sure to stick to the darkness of the trees. It was getting later and later than what he had agreed upon to meet. The cause for patience was becoming slim and he wanted nothing to do with wasted breath.

A slight stir among the bushes caught his ear, but with trained reflexes honed from decades long danger, he had a hunch what would appear. A beautiful, almost glowing, alabaster doe. Its' perked ears twisted and turned in all directions, flicking at the slightest whisper of wind. Its enormous ebony eyes blinked slowly and purposely as it lowered its long and graceful neck to the pool of liquid crystal below. Hester wasn’t surprised at this otherworldly scene, despite the many tales of the ‘Pale Doe’ being quite remorseful in tone. His partner was far behind schedule...however it was not regrettable, as it was finally his time to strike.

The spectral like doe form shifted slightly in the air as Hester shivered from a sudden drop in temperature. The breath from the creature tendrilled like smoke from its perfectly moist, pink nose. Lifting its head slightly, it began to sniff the air but for a moment. Content that no threat was to be detected, it resumed to scavenging the partially snow crusted, leafy ground. He was as silent as he could as he pulled his arm back in a straight line. His hand clutched what appeared to be nothing and a dim spark of dark crimson as the tip of a arrow appeared into a solid point. He kneeled as low as he could to the earth and his fingers held onto the magical string for several seconds as Hester took a deep inhale.

Hester knew if this missed he would be dead soon; a powerful thrum and the arrow launched itself into the view of his quarry. There wasn't even a squeal as the tip lodged between the animal’s eyes and sparkling translucent blood erupted. Painless ending for a beautiful creature, yet he did not enjoy the kill at all. He stood from the brushes and walked to the slightly shimmering corpse and the blank eyes seemed to stare back with an eerie calmness. Grimacing was a typical facial expression Hester made to the point it was instinctual now.

“Poor thing didn’t suffer I guess. Real shame you were the one I had to kill…” Looking down at the creature was the only real thing that could be done at this point. Hester scanned his surroundings with a sharp eye and the atmosphere was still chilly for some reason. Hester’s keen amber eyes darted to every possible source of movement that seemed suspicious. “Must be my imagination at this point. I need to take this damn thing to that fool I suppose.”

With a stoop, the carcass was lifted gently and the hole in its head leaked profusely onto his shoulder. The tongue fell out and saliva dripped from it. “Gross as usual. Why am I doing this again?” Though asking himself wouldn’t get him paid, it was just another job.

Sighing at the lonely mood of the forest night, Hester began to walk to the camp set up not far away. The lightly dusted earth gave way in small crunches. The corpse would need to be frozen properly, as he couldn’t give this treasure over warm and rotting. The power he had used was a old sort, one that was often belonging to those of higher status and title.

Those thoughts that began to worm into his mind were quickly brushed away however. While the weight of the doe wasn’t overly concerning, he wouldn’t be able to protect himself should the need arise. Hester had really hoped his 'partner' would’ve at least make it a point of not being late.

“Oi there! See you got the deer? Awfully odd looking.” The voice was rather pitched in comparison to Hester’s gruff vocals, but he grunted in answer with his displeasure obvious. “Hey now, that’s not way to respond to me is it?”

“You never showed up. I’ll be up charging, you’re welcome.” The other figure snorted in disgust but said nothing in response. The campfire was glowering as if eager to lick up the dripping blood. Hester sighed and let the body fall to the ground with a soft thump in the thin snow, and sat heavily. “For someone whose so important you’re pretty eager to take the credit in the end.”

The form that stood before Hester was donned in a wool cloak, a gaudy ruby locket clasp on the front showing several priceless jewels as the light bounced the shattering reflections around their neck. Hester could tell that the person was holding their tongue as they knew very well the price for even knowing his ilk, let alone hanging around a dead man with nothing to lose.

“Your kind are always trying to make us, your betters, tremble before you. Absolutely disgusting.” They turned away in frustration. He could see them trembling but more or less from anger, and from the bitter cold the night provided.

“Yeah and?” A small smirk danced upon his unshaven face though his angular features just made him seem to sneer instead. Small icicles had frosted over his thick chin hair, making him look especially rugged. “Once you get all the fame and fortune for this dead thing, well, you know the rest.” Hester patted the white form of the animal, as if making a point. “All in a day’s work huh? How about you cough up the rest of the payment then?”

“We agreed on when I get the ring to-”

“We agreed when I say so, eh?” Abruptly cutting their words off in midsentence. They proceeded made a slight popping sound with their mouth in annoyance. “Take me to her already.”

—

It wasn’t a impressive castle, but it did tower over any regular building under it. Hester casually carried a large cotton bag with the quarry inside it, as to not attract further attention he was already getting. It was a typical day of course and no one bothered to really care to look at him. However, the other that walked in front was as stiff as a board and seemed to be trembling quite hard.

“Must be pretty humbling to walk amongst your people like this and not on your mount.” He chuckled.

“Shut UP don’t talk to me.” They continued forward in a strict marching pace.

“You know something? I really don’t like you.” He made a obvious display of his displeasure from the hooded person’s brush off. “Come to think of it, you never even told me your name.”

“You don’t need too. I didn’t hire you to speak. Know your place!” Hester simply rolled his eyes all too used to this treatment.

“That’s the wrong way just as a heads up.” The hooded person stood in place with a halt and glared their hidden face at Hester. He turned abruptly and the person who was his ‘partner’ had to back track slightly to catch up. Hester took no time in consideration for the other to catch up. He had things to do and it wasn’t going to be delayed by some snooty brat.

“I-I knew that!” Obviously not, thought Hester in a amused mental image. Was this fella really cut out to be someone who was bound to be married into a Higher Family? “I was…just scouting ahead, that’s all. I don’t need some dirty mercenary to worry over me!” Once more with the insults, this kid was certainly of a special breed.

The out of the way shop had a open door and friendly aura, as a old woman was slowly sweeping the front of it. Her crouched over posture and although weathered face showed her years, she looked up from the ground and immediately waved. Her wrinkled hands gripped the broom tightly when she say the cloaked figure however. Hester knew the old woman was suspicious as is, but he figured the feisty widow was all too aware of this being common place with him.

“Another one, Hester? Really now.” She placed the old bristled broom to the side. Her voice was a deep croak like a bullfrog despite her frail looking body. “This one is a good catch isn’t it?” She squinted her deep socketed eyes and small pinpricks of light could only be seen in her beady pupils. “Now whose this bumbling idiot in front of you?”

“How dare you old wench! I should have you-”

“Stop your blabbering, no one cares.” Hester pushed past the dumfounded person and sat the large bag in front of her. “Need this ready to go by tomorrow. Kid has a promise need done. Then she’ll pay me.” He paused for a moment as the lady’s mood instantly perked up. “Oh by the way, how’s the shoulder? Still recovering from that troll the other day? Can’t have you hurting yourself too much, Mrs. Aeron.” The woman that went by Mrs. Aeron immediately blushed bright crimson and partially turned away out of feigned embarrassment.

“Ah come now lad, that was nothing a little lady like me couldn’t handle.” He laughed in response. His deep voice carried throughout the corner and he placed a gentle hand on her good shoulder. “You spoil me. Hester.”

“Are you serious right now? A damn troll? Am I suppose to accept some granny did something like that?!” The girl it appeared, to have been growing rather impatient with the two out of anxiety. It sounded more like jealously, mixed with disbelief. Mrs. Aeron’s face crinkled deeply like a potato sack and started to huff as she was going to approach the young noble girl. Hester could feel sweat building upon his brow as he was delicately holding her back.

“Listen here you pup! I don’t care who you are! If it wasn’t for him I’d tear you a new hole!”

“Try me grandma!” They made to reach for a hidden weapon when she realized it was missing. Her face turned beet color as her weapon was left behind to avoid being possibly arrested. Her plan to make Hester seem like he had kidnapped her when she was done…so much for that. “Or, uh, maybe not.” She grumbled and faced away from the two, folding her arms and biting her cheek in frustration. Hester could do little but make a flat expression as Mrs. Aeron shook her fist.

After several minutes of further bantering, all three entered the immaculately clean work shop. Mrs. Aeron held the bag with the doe tightly on her good side. She seemed to struggle as the bag was rather heavy and unwieldy. Hester could tell she was having a hard time as every footfall made a deep thump.

“Mrs. Aeron please, you don’t need to carry that.” He tried to reach for it but she immediately walked faster and slammed it on the wooden counter.

“You said you need this preserved, eh?” She made to untie the knot.

“…Yes.” The girl said in a short response.

“Damn this is heavy as ever. You said this was a deer, Hester?” She finally untied it and something shot out of the opening and began to wave around in the air. “My goodness.” Not at all flustered the old woman snapped the bag’s lips together on the pale human arm that popped out. The hand attached to the arm made a strange form with its delicate fingers, one that looked like a duck’s beak. A muffled sound came from inside the bag. The hand made movements like a duck's mouth as it spoke.

“Hello, my name is Amalia." The hand turned to Hester with a quick jab. "I don’t take kindly to be shot and taken against my will.” Everyone was dead silent for what seemed like several minutes. “Did you hear me? Release me please, I’m asking kindly.”

“Whelp, there goes my sanity yet again.” The hooded girl leered in disbelief with her remark. Mrs. Aeron popped loose the strings and the arm lead to a equally as pale, but bare woman. She sat crouched on the counter and smiled without a single drop of malice. She hopped off and stood about a foot below Hester’s nose. Long silver hair bounced over her chest which was thankfully, all covered in a thick mane of dense fur. Yet there was no apparent animal features, other than two small antlers that stuck out like nubs on the top the short woman’s head.

Mrs. Aeron scowled at the indecency and produced a pair of hefty scissors, to which she began quickly cutting holes out of the cotton bag. She rushed over and shoved it onto the naked woman’s head, and glittering skin. The sack had now become a makeshift choice of clothing. This was what Hester only knew as a ‘demi-human’, a type of race that shared human and animal type qualities. Though he had a tough time telling her age, she looked mature but was acting unusually gleeful for the situation.

“Have some common decency and keep that on little lady. I won’t be having any issues ya’ hear me little fawn?” The old lady’s eyes were nearly squeezed shut from the lack of grace she was being confronted with.

“I am not a child, I am Doe!” She made a snooty looking face and puckered her delicate pink lips. Big black pupil-less eyes twinkled in Hester’s direction and she smiled with a slight look like that of a playful kitten. “Hester was it?” Doe said with a rather accentuated questioning tone. She then looked over at the noble in a cloak and she frowned rather deeply, her face cast down in irritation nearly immediately. “You’re a bad person telling a nice man to kill a girl.” There wasn’t much to be said other than the floorboard's creaking. Doe returned to her upbeat personality as she turned back to Hester. “You wanted a reward, right? That’s why this stinky Noble had you kill me, right?”

—

It went without saying the Noble refused to let go of the situation and continued to demand explanation as Mrs. Aeron took the girl, who appeared in her early twenties, to get cleaned up and talked to in the back. Hester was shocked at the situation, but not overly worried either. He just wanted his pay and be done with it. Seemed there was no real way of getting what his client wanted now, but they had agreed so she had to pay up.

“No.” The noble girl said bluntly. “Absolutely not. I wanted the antler’s of that THING not a totally undressed grown woman out of a cloth bag!” They shrieked loudly. “You will not get anything from me!”

“Oh? Do you happen to know that many people go missing this time of year when winter is just around the corner? I heard they often wind up falling into frozen lakes and sometimes eaten by giant bears." The Nobel girl's face couldn't be seen but a small shudder ran through her body, "Not to be found until their bones reappear in spring.” Hester leaned on the store’s side and rubbed his chin with a turned away face, as if pondering the issue. “It’s not too unusual for people to ask for protection during this rough season.”

“You’re despicable. Bullying me, of all people!” She grasped at her head and started shaking as if in a sudden spasm. “I need those antlers, I can’t give him my hand if there’s no ring!” There really wasn’t anything that could be done in this situation. Hester did his job as asked, delivered the goods and from there it wasn’t of his concern. That was the agreement. “What do you plan on doing then?” She asked shrilly.

He sighed once more and stood up from his leaning posture. The noble girl had been going on for awhile now. He was about to speak when the door swung open, and out stepped Doe.

“Hi there friend!” Her sparkling blank gaze rested on Hester. He hadn’t noticed before, but a prominent burnt on star now adorned her forehead, where he had shot the woman dead center. He lowered his arms, not even sure what to make of the dress Mrs. Aeron had put on Doe. It wasn’t frilly by any means, but it was neatly hemmed and obviously crafted by hand. The woman’s arms were slender and elegant, so the long wrist sleeves flowed gracefully as she made a little wave. The pink bow in her diamond white hair was rather unnecessary but Mrs. Aeron appeared to have gotten over any anger, as she now followed behind and was fixing the lacing that was yet undone in the back.

“Is this really needed, Mrs. Aeron? I mean-” He was cut off shortly. The old woman raised a veined hand and silenced him. Doe looked with a quizzical stare at the woman, and blinked. She finished tying the strings and clasped her hands together as if admiring a new born baby. Doe purposely moved some of her translucent white hair behind her softly furred ears. She looked suddenly quite timid as she knew how Hester was looking a little too long.

A disgruntled sigh was all he gave as he turned away. The way this strange demi-human was getting on his last nerves. Though it was a bit odd in his opinion that any of this was occurring. Why was this even happening to him? He had not signed up to be a baby sitter for some strange creature.

—

It wasn’t long after that Doe began learning about the world and its inhabitants, the strange foods and clothing and the other things she never knew were of any importance. She developed a habit of sticking close to Hester, much to his chargrin, and he would have to more than usually remove Doe from clinging to his arm. At first the demi-human garnered interest, as they were not typical in this side of the city but far removed from not being welcomed. Doe was typically distracted by the vendors that lined the streets if anything, only kept in line by Hester’s growing disdain.

“Oh! What is this lumpy…fruit?” Her wide eyed stare fixated on what she thought was some sort of fresh fruit, while in reality it was merely a loaf of baked bread. She opened her petite mouth wide and began to to chew and tears sprung, they leaked down her dimpled pink flushed cheeks. “SO GOOD!”

“For the love of,” Doe had already scampered away from him and he tossed several coins at the shocked bread seller, “she’s new here, my apologies mister.” He tucked his hands into deep pockets, a small touch of strained restraint was showing as a vessel was popping out of his forhead. “Why me?” Moaning, Hester followed after Doe with great reluctence and felt both kinds of anger and amusement about the strange series of events that were going on. She was twirling around and gained several small children’s attention with her makeshift dancing.

“What are these little humans doing, Hester? They’re adorabale!” She was trying to follow their movements but was quickly getting dizzy from spinning around to follow. “I see pretty stars!” Doe stumbled around until Hester was behind her. He placed a hand on top of her head to brace Doe. “What’s the matter? Oh, you’re prolly too big to dance arn’t you?” Hester merely continued to walk past Doe and stared into a blank space. “You’re no fun…where’s that nasty girl that was with us, by the way?” Doe skipped without missing a beat to every word she sung aloud.

“She went home empty handed. And I am left unpaid.” He snarled to himself, but Doe seemed oblivious to his irritation. “The hells am I to do with you though? Mrs. Aeron knows I hate being left with…others.” Though she was of the demi-human status, Hester wasn’t sure exactly want to even consider her as. He had seen her die, he had killed this thing with his own magic arrow.

Yet the deer, now proclaiming herself aptly named ‘Doe’, strode next to him as if nothing had ever happened. Hester glanced at the girl and was surprised how young she looked, even though it was obvious her age was just below his own. If he hadn’t known Doe was an adult, he’d have easily mistaken her as a young child.

“You look lonely.” She said this without pause nor teasing “Let me hold your arm!” She grabbed at his arm and with surprising strength yanked him forward in a odd gesture of affection. “You won’t be without someone now!”

“That’s great.” He muttured under his breath. Being raised as he was, Hester couldn’t treat anyone with disrespect others without feeling like trash. Her warm body brushing up against him made Hester highly uncomfortable, but there was little he could do. No one was even caring to look as it wasn’t illegal to commoners to have relations as theirs, but he still was uneasy with the thought of this whole situation. “I need to ask you a serious question, think you can do that much?” Doe’s slightly elongated ears perked up as if waiting for him to ask.

“Tell me, tell me!” Doe tugged at his arm once more making him wobble slightly, she was outrageously strong for such a tiny being.

“Arn’t you the least bit upset? About me killing you. I was going to hack you to pieces.”

“That’s it?” Doe said with a wide smile. “I don’t think you quite understand silly. I was waiting for you.” Hester stopped walking and Doe jerked forward at his sudden stop. “Is that so hard to beleive?”

“You were waiting…for me?” His amber hued eyes turned full attention on Doe, suddenly very concerned. Doe pouted as if this was a silly conversation.

“Hester,” hearing his name come out of the lips of the demi-human made him quiver unpleasently, “don’t tell me you never heard the tale of the Woeful Doe?” Hester hesitated. He did know that story, he had been thinking about it when stalking the deer. She tugged at him to continue walking, which he did at a pace of her command.

“I recall, yes. It said nothing about a woman however.” At least not to his understanding, did it though?

“You’re really blunt for such a keen hunter, mister.” She flashed a pearly grin and stood in front of him, abruptly halting both their progress forward. Where had they ended up? He was so absent-mindedly walking he found himself in front of a small Inn. “At the end, the Doe finds her true love in a unexpected place.” Hester scrunched his brows in a confused manner. “With a human whose eyes shown like a pale moon of course!

—

“So let me get this straight. You wanted to die?”

“Yup!” Doe said with enthusiasm. Hester had decided to book a place to stay at the Inn called ‘Head Cheese Inn’, and was now officially broke. Doe insisted on sharing a room with him so that did lighten the pay slightly, but still left him deeply unsettled by her attitude. They were sitting opposite of each other, Doe on her bed and Hester on his.

The last thing he wanted was to actually have a bed with her in it. This whole thing was too much for Hester to accept, he wanted nothing to do with any of this. Not the strange deer woman, not having been paid, and now he wasn’t even sure he’d be able to withstand his own frustration.

“Hester, why do you look so lonely?” Again with this question. She placed her small hands in her lap as she sat lightly on the bed in front of him. He had taken off his main wares and wore a t-shirt and pants. His boots remained on as he never enjoyed feeling barefooted in tight situations. “You didn’t answer last time, have you figured out why now?”

“Look,” he rubbed the back of his dark scruffy hair and sighed deeply, “I get what you’re asking is out of curiosity but listen to me for a moment.” He proceeded to sit in the edge of the bed of his own bed. He quickly scanned the room to make sure it was safe before he continued. “What are you? Are you really the Woeful Doe from the tale?”

“Answering me with a question is unfair.” Doe made a obnoxious whine and her frown was contagious as he did the same facial expression.

“Answer me and I’ll answer yours, sound fair then?”

“Fine then, you better though!” Her short legs dangled over the bed and she closed her eyes for a moment, reading herself to speak. “As I’ve told you, yes I’m that ‘Woeful Doe’ you keep asking. Though I’m not sure why you insist on asking when I’ve told you several times!”

“Fine, fine, so be it.” Hester groaned as he buried his face into his rough hands.

“Great! Now tell me why you’re such a loner!” Doe bounced on the bed joyfully as she spoke. He could hear the springs creak as she bounced up and down excitedly. He looked up from inside his hands at her, trying very hard not to be irked at the innocence. She did take the hint as he sat up, and cleared his throat. She looked exactly like a dog trying to wait for a treat.

“My…mother, let’s put it that way, was a widow. She had only me, her son, doing things that were unfortunately not the nicest.” Doe nodded and kept staring intently, “Well one day, there was a person that mother had taken in to take care of expenses. Gradually over time, the money it took to keep up the situation were…taken.”

“Oh that’s terrible! Why would they do that?” Doe said in a trembling voice.

“Not everyone is as nice as me, not everyone as forgiving either.” He looked down to the planks of wood that covered the floor. “So they killed her and took me as compensation.” He was really not interested in talking further but the deer woman’s eyes bore into him.

“Can I ask one more question, Hester?” She said in a small voice.

“Sure.” Could she at least not be so honestly upset by the simple fact he told her barely anything?

“Well if it’s not too much to ask…” she twirled her long hair as if contemplating really hard about her next words.

“I’ll love you so you’re never alone again, if it’s not too much to ask!”
--

All Words: 4544

Prompt: Winter Romance/Love