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“Just don’t go through the woods to the south,” the shopkeeper told Will, making sure he heard her and understood.
It wasn’t the first time Will had been given these instructions while in town, and he was growing more frustrated by the lack of answers every minute.
“Please,” he said, making eye contact to gain some sympathy despite the sharp pain and flood of random emotions that rushed into his head, “tell me why everyone tells me not to enter those woods.”
The woman’s expression softened, as people were prone to do when Will used this trick. He knew he had what people described as doe eyes, and they were hard to say no to. He hated doing it, and employed this trick only when necessary. If there was danger in the woods, he thought this a fine time to wheedle some information out of an unsuspecting woman.
“Alright,” the woman said, smiling indulgently, as if he were a child who had asked to stay up an hour after they were meant to be in bed, “just because you ought to know if you’re traveling round here.”
Will smiled thankfully, nodding for her to continue.
“No one goes into those woods and comes out alive,” she told him, shaking her head with a regretful sigh, “Newcomers are the only ones who still do it, ‘cause we all know better.”
Will frowned, puzzled by this information.
“Is there a band of murderers in the woods?” he asked, honestly not sure what to expect as an answer. It seemed too simple, and yet the only reasonable conclusion.
The woman shook her head and pressed an apple into his hands, as if the only thing she could think to do while talking to him was offer him food.
“A monster,” she stated, and she truly believed it. There wasn’t a hint of doubt. “We never see it, unless we’re the unlucky or simpleminded person who crossed that tree line, but we hear it sometimes. And we hear the screams of anyone who goes into the woods. I’m telling you this because you’re a sweet boy, and I don’t want you poking around in the trees ‘cause you’re curious and no one will give you a straight answer.”
Will nodded, but he was sure there was something else going on. She didn’t seem afraid, even as she told him of hearing screams from the woods and losing people to some unseen monster that had no mercy.
“Do you not fear it will come into the village?” he asked, “surely it must stray from the trees on occasion.”
The woman laughed softly and shook her head, handing him a loaf of bread as if she had no knowledge of her own actions.
“Of course not,” she said, “The monster stays where it belongs, and we do the same. It’s always been that way. We don’t need to fear it will come out, because we know it does not.”
Will was absolutely bewildered. Surely, they didn’t just allow this to happen. They were being held prisoner by a beast, and they didn’t find it in the least upsetting. If anything, she seemed amused by the idea that anyone would be worried about something she considered a constant.
“Why are you traveling through?” the woman asked, pulling Will out of his musings, “we don’t get too many travelers in our little town.”
Will tried for another smile, but fell short of being truly friendly.
“Just wanted a change of scenery,” he lied, “looking for a bit of adventure, I suppose.”
The woman tisked, but accepted his payment for the food he had decided to purchase, along with what she had pushed into his hands while she spoke.
“Well, don’t be getting any ideas about adventure in these parts,” she told him sternly, “you won’t find anything but trouble if you do. You’re a nice young man, and you should be on your way quick as you can if you have an ounce of brain in you.”
Will thanked her and headed out of the shop to find a place to sleep for the night. He had no intentions of causing trouble, that being exactly what he was trying to avoid by leaving Wolf Trap. He just wanted to get supplies and a good night’s rest and be on his way to the next town along the road. He didn’t suppose he’d ever really settle anywhere again, but that was fine with him.
As Will walked, he looked to the south and saw the tops of the infamous trees above the houses. They didn’t seem unusual in any way, but he hadn’t expected them to. What did surprise him was the spires of a caste, visible over the trees and far in the distance. Close enough that surely the residents were citizens of this town, but far enough into the trees to have some peace and quiet guaranteed.
But, supposedly, no one could enter those woods and survive. The castle couldn’t be somehow outside the bounds of the forest, yet there it stood. And Will knew intuitively that someone lived there.
---
“Good mornin’ to ya,” the innkeeper greeted as Will came down the stairs, before the sun came up as was his habit, “can I do anything for ya, or are ya just a mornin’ person?”
Will smiled wryly, knowing he was likely to make an odd impression on these people before he left town.
“I’m just a morning person, I suppose,” he said, electing not to get into the whole business of his nightmares and light sleep, “but I am curious about a few things if you could help me.”
The innkeeper spread his hands in a welcoming, benevolent offering of a gesture, smiling brightly as if he had just been waiting for Will to ask him to help.
“I’ll do what I can, though I’m not a bookish type so I don’t know how much help I can be.”
Will nodded and sat on a barstool.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with books or that kind of smarts,” he promised, “it’s a localized thing, and I think you’d be the most likely person to have the facts.”
The innkeeper raised his eyebrow, but bid Will to continue.
“I was wondering about those woods in the south,” Will said, knowing he could be going down a trail hard to come back from, but too curious for his own good.
The innkeeper’s expression darkened, and he pressed his lips together until they lost their color.
“Someone like you ought keep away from those woods,” he said, his tone as dark as his expression had grown, “naught but trouble among those trees. If yer as smart as ya sound, you should know better than to mess with things ya don’ understand.”
Will tipped his head curiously, fascinated by the way this man had reacted.
“But why?” he asked, “why should I avoid the woods? No one seems willing to tell me, except to say that I should stay away. Do you expect me not to be curious after all that?”
The innkeeper sighed and shook his head.
“I shoulda known you was the curious type when I first laid eyes on ya. They always have the same look in their eyes, and they never listen. If ya want ta live, stay outta the south woods. There’s something hiding there, and it doesn’t much like company,” he said sternly, “If ya have ta know fer sure, just walk by the outside. You won’t hear a single bird or squirrel in those woods. Not even the crickets dare chirp in that place. Ain’t natural fer any place ta be that still.”
Will nodded, finally having a bit of a plan set out. But there was still something he wanted to ask.
“And what of the castle in those woods? Who lived there?”
The innkeeper frowned, confusion creasing his brow.
“There’s no castle that way, sure not in those woods, boy. Nothing can live there, and there ain’t a person who would dare try.”
Will watched the man for any hint of deception, but could tell the man truly believed there was no castle in the south woods. It was as puzzling as anything else he had learned, because it was easily visible from the town. Probably even from the front step of this very inn. Yet the man didn’t believe it existed.
“Thank you for talking to me,” Will said, standing up and heading to the door, “I don’t expect I’ll be staying in town long. I have business down the road.”
Will was sure the man didn’t believe that for a second, but he waved as Will left the inn regardless, apparently not wanting to pry into Will’s personal life. Will appreciated that.
Will walked down the dark road, the sky only barely starting to brighten at the edges. He looked towards the south and could see the dark outline of the castle, still there despite apparently not really existing. There was even a light in one of the high windows, perhaps another early riser like Will having lit a candle. Will made his way toward the woods, soaking in the atmosphere of the waning night.
Will had always been somewhat strange, having flashes of insight he couldn’t explain, and preferring the company of animals to humans, but he had worked to fit in. It had worked pretty well until just a month before, when he had found it necessary to begin his journey.
Will had always seen more than others, and more than he wanted to in most cases. But he had never actually seen something as large as a castle that others couldn’t.
Will found himself on the borders of the south woods, staring out into the vast darkness, as silent as the grave and twice as like the void. He was fascinated by it, finding that the innkeeper had been right about the quality of the silence in the woods. It was as if every living thing was frightened of drawing the attention of something far more dangerous than anything humans knew about.
Will looked up above the trees, just able to see the top spire of the castle above the dark leaves. It was a black silhouette against the cobalt sky, something that could easily be missed if one didn’t know to look for it.
The fact that the castle hadn’t disappeared or turned out to not have been there in the first place, settled Will’s mind that it really was there and simply not visible to the townsfolk. He wasn’t sure why he could see it, if there was any reason other than the fact that he was strange, but he was certain he was the only one.
Will turned his eyes back down to the intense darkness of the trees, still not penetrated by light despite the slowly rising sun that was starting to cast a purple and golden glow around the rest of the world.
Will stared into the darkness for a few long minutes until it shifted.
A pair of bright crimson eyes opened, glowing out at Will. Despite the natural reaction one would expect when they found out they were being watched by something with glowing red eyes that couldn’t otherwise be seen, Will felt no fear at all. He simply stared back, wondering if this might be the beast that frightened the town so.
“What kind of creature might you be?” Will wondered aloud, not expecting the beast to answer.
The eyes blinked, and Will thought they might have drawn a bit closer before they disappeared again. Just as they vanished, the sun broke over the horizon and flooded the world with light again. Will could make out the trees and underbrush of the forest, though there were no creatures in sight.
Will only lingered for a moment longer before heading back into town. He thought he might be able to make someone just drunk enough to talk to him, but he would have to wait until that evening. He had other things to occupy his time, though nothing as exciting.
---
“You’re the boy asking about the south woods?”
Will looked up from where he had been studying a few knives at a market stall. The man standing next to him was staring intently, as if Will might vanish if he even so much as blinked.
Will sighed, wondering why on earth everyone in this town was determined to call him a boy, despite his actual age. He wasn’t about to start correcting people, not wanting to get into any kind of confrontation, but he worried someone else wanted to get into it with him regardless.
“I have asked about them, yes,” he answered, feigning disinterest, “but I am currently shopping for a new knife.”
The man seemed a bit surprised, whether by Will’s attitude or by the fact that he had willingly admitted to the accusation he couldn’t tell.
“You’d best not be poking around in things you don’t understand,” the man said, though he seemed a bit deflated by the unexpected response to his inquiry, “men who don’t know when to stop end up six feet under.”
Will nodded, turning his attention back to the knives in order to dismiss the man and end the conversation. He had heard variations of that sentiment over his travels plenty, and they no longer even so much as gave him pause. He always saw danger before it was really a threat to him, and he almost always saw the way to avoid it. Threats were all empty when he could see that someone wasn’t even capable of causing him harm.
“I’ll watch myself plenty,” Will said, when the man lingered, confused, “but I don’t think you’ll be getting rid of me as easy as that. Thanks for the warning.”
The man wandered away, speechless, and Will felt eyes on him. He knew the small confrontation had been witnessed by plenty of townsfolk, but he had hoped it would be amusing more than anything else. He had hoped they wouldn’t be suspicious of him, but he knew they thought he was strange and best left alone.
That would make his plan a bit harder.
Will eventually made his selection of a few knives, having lost and broken a few on his travels. He paid for them, ignoring the suspicious and bewildered expression of the man he was buying them from.
Will wandered through town for a time, not destination set. He was looking for someone who might get a bit more specific about why everyone feared the woods for him. He believed he would know such a person when he saw one.
Will almost didn’t notice her at first. She was sitting against the trunk of a tree at the end of a street, her face hidden behind a book that she seemed to be either writing or drawing in. Will stopped in his tracks when he noticed her, his intuition telling him she was the one he needed to talk to. She was young, barely an adult if that, but she had a glow of intelligence about her that he hadn’t seen in anyone else in the town thus far.
Will walked over and sat near her, allowing some room for both his comfort and hers. She only glanced up once, and continued working. Will still couldn’t see into the book, but her movements made him believe she was drawing rather than writing.
“What are you working on?” he asked after a moment, when she hadn’t told him to leave.
“A portrait,” she answered simply, then glanced back up at him.
The way she looked at him, not trying to meet his eyes, but rather looking directly at his hairline before looking back down at her drawing, made Will sure she was drawing him.
“You don’t happen to be drawing my portrait, do you?” he asked, startling her into looking up for real this time.
“How would you know that?” she asked, sounding a bit frightened, “you haven’t seen it.”
Will shook his head.
“No,” he agreed, “I haven’t seen it, but if you show it to me, I’ll tell you how I knew.”
The girl deliberated for a moment before sighing and turning the book to show him.
The sketch was very good. Will recognized how own lips and brow, though she had not drawn his eyes to her own satisfaction yet. The graphite had been erased at least twice where his eyes would be. He wondered when she had seen him before now, especially well enough to draw even that much of him so well. He was impressed she had been able to slip past him until now.
“It’s very good,” he said, nodding to the picture, “having a little trouble with the eyes?”
The girl’s cheeks turned slightly pink and she pulled the book back towards herself protectively.
“I don’t usually struggle so much,” she replied defensively, as if Will had been mocking her.
“No, I don’t think you do,” Will assured her, small facts falling into place in his head despite having no clear origin.
He was sure she was like him. At least more like him than anyone else in the village. She could see more, though maybe not as much as he could.
“You said you’d tell me how you knew,” she said, clearly trying to change the subject.
Will nodded with a smile.
“I knew because when you looked at me, you didn’t see me. You saw all the little details that make up what I look like. You were starting on my hairline.”
The girl’s blush darkened slightly, but she nodded.
“My name is Will Graham,” Will offered, hoping she would become a bit more comfortable with him. He knew she could tell him what he wanted to know, just so long as he could get her to talk.
“I’m Abigail Hobbs,” she replied, “Why have you been asking about the woods?”
Will sighed and tipped his head back to look at the sky. A breeze blew a handful of white clouds toward the east.
“I didn’t set out to ask,” he told her, “but from the moment I set foot in this town, it’s been shoved down my throat not to go in. Makes a man wonder what all the fuss is about.”
Abigail nodded, making a soft sound of understanding.
“They can be like that,” she said, peering at Will as if he fascinated her, “are you satisfied with what you’ve learned?”
Will huffed a laugh and shook his head.
“All I know is the people here believe a monster lives there, and no one has entered and lived. At least, according to rumor. I don’t suppose you could elaborate on that.”
Will watched as Abigail internally debated, likely torn between her own curiosity and the things she had been taught.
At length, curiosity won the battle, though weakened by the fight.
“There is a monster,” she stated slowly, but with confidence, “and people have seen it. I’ve seen it. It lets someone see it every so often, to show that it’s still there. It pretends to be a man, wears the face of one, but changes shape when the victim steps foot between the trees. No one can escape if they go into the woods.”
Will listened, seeing that Abigail was not lying about a single detail. She believed every word she was saying, and he was intrigued.
“What about the castle?” he asked.
Abigail turned white as snow, and her hand reflexively balled into a fist. Will almost didn’t even need her to answer, because her reaction told him everything he needed to know.
“There’s no castle,” she said, a slight tremor in her voice which was even more telling.
Will smiled.
“You can see it too,” he said, “maybe not all the time, but you know it’s there. You’ve been told it’s not there, and they’ve made sure you at least half believe it. But you still know it’s there. You know more than you let anyone know, because it’s dangerous to know this stuff when you live here.”
Abigail looked down at her sketchbook, her lips pressed together against a slight tremble that had started while Will was talking. She looked afraid, but Will was sure she would feel better if she talked to him a bit about all of this. It was the fact that she was having to keep it all a secret that was really causing her stress. She wanted to be able to talk about it, and keeping it all inside was driving her crazy.
Will knew exactly how that felt.
“I’m not about to get you in trouble, Abigail,” Will promised, lowering his voice so it was soft and less likely to be overheard, “I just want to find out why I can see a castle that everyone here thinks doesn’t exist. If you know anything, it would help me out.”
Abigail took a deep, steadying breath.
“Alright,” she said, almost whispering so Will had to lean closer to hear her, “I did some research last year, because I was about to go crazy from all of this. I don’t know everything, but I know some.”
Will didn’t reply, knowing silence would be enough encouragement for her to continue.
“There used to be a family that lived in that forest,” she said, “a wealthy family, and they lived in that castle. They were basically the founders and owners of the entire town. About sixty years ago, all mention of them stopped in any records. Nothing. All maps after that point don’t include the castle at all. It’s like they never existed. I did find one record, in a bit of a story book, that had a theory about what happened to them. It’s weird, though.”
Will nodded thoughtfully.
“There’s likely a seed of truth in the center of the story,” he told her, “so I’d like to hear it so I can try to parse out what that is.”
Abigail studied Will for a moment, and Will wondered exactly what she saw when she looked at him. He could see people’s emotions when he looked at them, but he had a feeling Abigail’s ability was a bit different than his.
“It said the family took in a stranger, who killed all the adults and fed the parents to their own children, turning them into cannibals and monsters. The children changed into horrific creatures and killed the stranger, but they are no longer human. They haunt the woods around the castle, now, and have cast a spell to hide their castle. It didn’t go into specifics about anything, really, it was more of a footnote.”
Will nodded.
“Thank you,” he said, genuinely, “You’ve been even more help than I could have expected. I owe you one. Just let me know if I can do anything for you.”
Abigail smiled, but there was a touch of sadness in the expression.
“I think I’ll save that promise for some time in the future, but I’ll hold you to it. You’re not going to go into the woods now, are you?” she asked.
Will huffed a laugh and shrugged.
“Not likely,” he said, though he felt it was more likely than not that he would end up trying, “I’m not in the habit of risking my life, even if it might just be a fairytale.”
Abigail didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t try to talk him out of whatever his future decisions may be. Will thought it was likely she was just as curious as he was, and she might be using him as a test subject, to see what happened if someone like them went into the woods. It was smart of her, because it was always safer to let someone else make a mistake and then learn from it than to make the mistake yourself. He didn’t begrudge her for letting him be the one to be in danger while she sat and observed. He’d been the canary for many a mine in his life to that point.
Will made his goodbye to Abigail and headed back to the inn to gather a few things.
He wasn’t artistically inclined as Abigail was, but he had his own set of talents that he could use on things only he could see.
---
Will skirted near the edge of the woods, wondering what the threshold was for surviving. If he stepped over the border of the tree line for only a moment, then stepped back to safety, would the creature still hunt him down and kill him? Or would he have to commit to walking through the woods for a ways in order to earn the wrath of the beast? Could he watch the woods safely from beyond the trees, or would the creature take offense to that as well?
Will had a small pack with him, holding his knives and things he always took with him when he went through woods instead of staying on the roads. He didn’t really plan to go into the woods today, had been periodically walking along the tree line a few times every day for the past week, but he thought he just might. He had been feeling more drawn to the woods every day, and that was why he hadn’t left town yet. He was too curious about the woods to leave them behind without going in.
Will heard someone run towards him, and he turned to see who it might be. He wasn’t entirely surprised to see it was Abigail, though the look on her face gave him reason to pause.
“You have to hide!” Abigail said quickly, as soon as she was near enough to say it without shouting. She was glancing around as if she was being followed. “A few guys are after your skin. They say you’re bringing bad luck to the town by lurking near the trees. They’re on their way right now.”
Will knew it was possible she was simply growing impatient and wanted him to try going into the woods, but he also knew he had been making people nervous, and he wouldn’t be surprised if she was actually telling him the truth.
Will turned and looked into the woods, catching a glimpse of movement, then turned back to Abigail.
“I’m going in,” he decided, and saw as she paled slightly, “I’d rather risk it with whatever lives in the woods than know my fate if I stay. If I come back alive, I doubt the townsfolk will bother me much.”
Abigail nodded, biting her lip nervously.
“That’s probably true, but you won’t come back,” she said, “no one ever does.”
Will smiled and shrugged.
“I’ll risk it anyway,” he said, “I’ve never been too good at all that self-preservation stuff. And at least I’ll discover the truth before I die.”
Will heard a few more sets of running feet coming towards them, and he knew Abigail hadn’t been lying to him. She looked up at him and nodded, a silent agreement that she would let him do what he was planning to do.
Will turned and darted into the trees, ignoring the shouting he heard from behind him as he dove into the darkness created by the thick canopy of leaves above him.
---
Will walked through the trees, following a desire path that had likely been carved by deer or other fauna. He had yet to see any such animals, or even hear them walking through the brush, but they must be there somewhere. The mere fact that a desire path existed meant an animal had been walking this way often enough to leave a trail.
“Are you lost?”
Will turned to the sound of the voice, not allowing himself to seem frightened or startled. The voice was near, though Will hadn’t heard anyone walk up, and it was accented in a way that was not native to the area he was in. He came face to face with a man, standing in the path behind him.
The man was dressed in well made, well tailored clothes, and didn’t seem to have a single hair out of place or speck of dirt on his person. If that didn’t make him stand out, being in the woods as he was, the pair of ebony antlers that rose from his skull would have. Will could tell the man was a creature masquerading as a human, so he played along for the time.
“No,” he replied calmly, “I’m not lost. Why would you ask?”
The creature tipped his head, smiling softly.
“The only men I have come across in these woods were those who were lost,” he said, as if it were entirely obvious, “I have never met a soul who comes here without being lost in one way or another.”
Will nodded, agreeing with the creature both because he suspected it was the truth and because it would be unwise to disagree with them before gauging how dangerous they were.
“I suppose that makes sense. I’ve been warned not to enter these woods. I hear there is something that makes men be lost to them if they ever do.”
The man tipped it’s head curiously, his dark eyes glinting red as they caught a ray of sun that had percolated down through the leaves. Will found himself rooted to the spot, unable to look away from this creature pretending to be a man.
Will had chosen his words carefully, not betraying anything that could cause the creature to think he knew more than anyone else, though leaving room to elaborate should he find reason to trust the man. He had heard many tales of fae twisting words for their own purposes, and he had always had a talent for precision when it came to speaking.
“Indeed,” the creature agreed, taking a step closer, perhaps to see if Will would retreat from him or stand his ground. Will didn’t move. “Though if you have been warned against it, and have reason to believe the rumors are true, why would you wander into these woods and disregard it all?”
Will shrugged.
“I have never been very good at taking advice from others,” he said, “and I have heard a story about these woods that interested me enough that I felt it worth the risk.”
The creature smiled, and its teeth were too sharp. Fangs instead of canines, making Will sure this was the beast he had been warned about. It pretended to be a man. That was what Abigail had said.
“I am intrigued, now,” the creature said, stepping forward again, so his shoes nearly touched Will’s, “would you tell me this story?”
Will tipped his head up at the creature, careful not to look up at the antlers lest the creature realize the disguise was not working. He smiled as if nothing were wrong.
“Only if you’ll do something for me in return,” he said.
The creature raised an eyebrow, but their eyes shone red again and Will was sure they were now hooked. He had made the creature curious enough to agree to this condition at least, and he was sure he would be spared until the story was over. If he made it a good enough story, he could barter for more time as well.
“Whatever would you ask of me?” the creature asked.
Will huffed a soft laugh, as if that should have been obvious, and he saw another spark of interest in the eyes of the beast.
“I’d like you to lead me to the castle,” he said.
---
Will was actually enjoying the story he was telling. It was far more detailed than what Abigail had offered, because he was sure the length of the story would have some bearing on how long he was allowed to live, but he had always had an overactive imagination, so it was easier than he had expected. If he ventured a guess, he thought the creature leading him deeper into the woods was also enjoying it.
The creature had not offered a name for Will to refer to it by, perhaps not realizing that was common for people to do or perhaps because Will had not offered his own name first. Regardless, Will did want to be able ot call it by some name or another. But he wasn’t about to offer his own name to a creature of magic. He wasn’t that stupid.
“The stranger smiled, his wicked gash of a grin filled with dark and dying teeth. The children shrank back away from him, but tried to hide their fear to appear brave in the face of a danger they could not name. The man extended his hands to them, and the older child saw blood from the tips of his fingers to the cuffs of his sleeves. The child knew his parents were dead, because they would never let the man do this if they had not died.”
The expression on the creature’s face was pensive, though mostly unreadable. Will wondered how close he might be coming to the truth, and what that might mean for his survival.
“The stranger asked the children not to fear him, but to go with him to the kitchen, where he had made food for them all. Just he and the kids, no adults allowed. The older child agreed, not because he wanted to see what the man had done, but because he knew the stranger would harm them if he refused. The stranger led them into the kitchen, grinning all the while, even as the children shuddered and whimpered with fear.”
Will looked up at the antlers sprouting from the man’s head. They hadn’t so much as brushed a leaf of a tree, though the man didn’t seem to be acting any differently than Will himself. He wondered if there was some magical quality to them that kept their presence from being noticed by someone who couldn’t see them, or if it would even make a difference.
“What the children saw in the kitchen made them scream with horror, even through their decision to remain quiet. Their parents and the servants were all dead, their blood soaking into and staining the floor where the cook had once made them the most wonderful treats and feasts. The stranger had taken flesh from their parents, and was cooking it on the stove, and the smell made their mouths water despite themselves because of their hunger. The stranger smiled when they screamed, as if they were sharing in some joke.”
The creature’s mouth tipped down in the barest hint of a frown, almost unnoticeable. Will wondered if it was because he was near to the truth or because he was far from it. He didn’t often meet people as hard to read as this person suit was.
“The moment the flesh passed their lips, and they tasted the meat of their parents, a change began in the children. Their teeth sharpened, and their eyes glowed red. The stranger, in his insanity, laughed when he saw it, even as the two beasts turned their new claws and teeth onto him.”
Now, there was a hint of a smile, and Will thought he had likely just told a slightly embellished version of the truth for that portion of the tale.
“The grief and anger of the children put a curse on the castle, hiding it from the sight of any strangers that could possibly cause them harm again. And the children roamed the woods surrounding their home, crying out in anguish and tearing apart anyone who dared to cross the boundary of their territory. Never again would they be tricked by a man who claimed to have no ill will. Their trust had been destroyed forever.”
Will saw the front gate of the castle ahead of them through the trees, and he wondered what would happen to him now. He hadn’t thought past getting to the castle or the end of his story. The fact that the two aligned so well seemed serendipitous.
“This tale was told in hushed voices, to children around the hearth at night, to keep them from straying far from home or wandering into the woods that belong to the creatures born from tragedy. Few believe it to be true, after all the years, but no one dares to enter the woods unless they are not from the area. Those who do not know better, or are foolish enough to ignore the warnings.”
Once they had entered the clearing around the castle, the creature turned to Will with a curious smile.
“So,” he said, his accented voice smooth and enticing, “are you ignorant or foolish?”
Will tipped his head.
“Neither,” he said, earning a flash of crimson in the creature’s eyes again, “I’m just curious. When one can see more, it’s impossible to be either ignorant or foolish about these things. If I doubted my own intelligence when I decided to enter these woods, I disregarded the notion when an antlered man agreed to lead me through them.”
The creature raised its eyebrows, and understanding dawned in his expression.
“I did not have you fooled for a moment,” the creature said, a hint of wonder in his tone.
Will smiled.
“What I’d like to know now, is how close I was to relating the truth of the tale,” he said, “I gather I was close at least some of the time. I had little to work with.”
The creature stepped up close to Will and breathed in deeply, his nose almost touching Will’s hair. Will stayed still, aware that he mustn’t insult the creature in any way if he wanted to survive this.
“You are entirely unique,” the creature said, “I wonder what other miracles reside within your skull.”
Will wasn’t sure how he was meant to reply to that.
“Are you smelling me?” wasn’t exactly what he had meant to say, but it escaped his lips anyway.
The creature huffed a soft laugh.
“Yes. Does that bother you?”
The frank and honest way he said it had Will shaking his head.
“No, I suppose not. What did you find?”
The creature hummed, turning toward the castle and beckoning Will to follow.
“You are unlike any other human I have ever met. If you will join me, I can tell you where your tale differs from reality.”
Will deliberated for a moment, but he felt a familiar pull in his chest that meant he was supposed to go with the creature. He always followed such tugs, though he wondered if they were to be trusted. He would not have been running away from his previous home if not for such obedience to his own nature, after all.
Will followed.
The castle was old, likely far older than what Abigail would believe. Despite its obvious age, the place appeared to be well cared for. As they crossed the threshold into the large foyer, candles flared to life to light their way. Will was fascinated, and looked all around as they walked down the hall. He didn’t even take a moment to wonder where they were headed, until the creature opened a door and revealed the large kitchen.
Will felt his heart drop, a sliver of fear chilling the blood in his veins.
He wondered if the creature meant to eat him, or at least kill him here.
Will could see a few large brown stains on the floor, and remembered his own version of events that he had told the creature. If he had been right, those stains were the remnants of his parents. Their blood had stained the floor in the kitchen.
“So much of your tale was accurate that I wondered briefly if you had somehow been here,” the creature said, staring down at the dried blood, “though of course I know where every person who had been there is now. The part you did not say, because you have no way of knowing it, is what happened to my younger sister.”
Will couldn’t say anything. He didn’t trust his voice or his tongue. He just stared at the creature, who was not returning the gaze but instead looking sadly down at what remained of his family.
“I am the only survivor of that day,” the creature said, “though I’m sure it could be argued that I am not truly alive, or that this is not truly living, how I spend my days. I accepted the flesh of my parents first, to appease the man who had killed them. When I began to feel the change, I decided he would not survive me and escape back into the world. I was not quick enough, and he had seized Mischa before I could lunge at him. He slit her throat and dropped her to the floor as I tore out his jugular. I could not save her.”
Will swallowed hard, sure he would not survive this day either. The creature before him had no reason to spare him, and in fact had every reason to kill Will.
“There was nothing in this world I loved more than my sister,” the creature continued, “even my parents were second tier in my eyes. Losing Mischa was the catalyst behind the grief that hides this castle from the eyes of all the world.”
The creature looked back up at Will, eyes flashing red with curiosity.
“All except you. Nothing is hidden from your eyes, and that is fascinating. Even my disguise is transparent to you, though there has never been a soul to see my true form when I deign to hide it. I know there is one who has glimpsed the castle a handful of times, but never has anyone seen through my facade.”
Will didn’t know what to do, so he shrugged.
“You’re right. Nothing is hidden from my eyes. I’ve always been able to see what no one else can. And I know things I am not meant to know. It has been the cause of many problems in my life.”
The creature smiled.
“I imagine so,” he agreed, “and I imagine you believe to be in the midst of just such a problem at this moment.”
Will nodded.
The creature huffed another soft laugh.
“You needn’t fear. Despite my better judgement, I believe the world to be a more interesting place with you in it. I have no intention of killing you. At least not today. If you ever attempt to kill me, or lead a hunt into these woods to do so, I will not hesitate to change my mind. Do you understand?”
Will shook his head.
“I don’t think you have any reason to keep me alive,” he admitted, “and I know several reasons you should kill me.”
The creature smiled.
“That is true,” he said, “but I find myself inclined to disregard reasons in the indulgence of my own desires. I am oddly fond of you, despite all reason. I have no desire to harm you.”
Will considered that. He hadn’t expected it, but he supposed he should be glad. At least he wasn’t going to die.
“Can I know your name?” he asked, not sure it was the right thing to do, but wanting to know anyway.
The creature nodded, a spark of mischief in his eyes as well.
“If you will give me yours in return,” he said, “in the interest of fairness.”
Will deliberated. He knew it was not wise to give any creature of magic your name, but he also knew this creature didn’t seem to follow the usual rules. If he refused to give him his name, the creature may well decide to kill him despite his earlier statements.
“Alright,” Will said, “I’ll tell you my name.”
The creature nodded, smiling a bit.
“My name is Hannibal Lecter.”
Will allowed that information to process and be filed away in his mind before he offered his own.
“I’m Will Graham,” he replied.
The creature grinned widely, again revealing his sharp fangs.
“Will, then,” he said, “what else would you ask of me? I’m sure you had some purpose for asking to be brought to my home.”
Will laughed, mostly at himself.
“Actually, I was mostly just trying to keep you from killing me when I asked to be brought here. I was curious, of course, because I wanted to know about the monster all the townsfolk believe haunts the woods. But I didn’t have any plan for what would happen when I found the answers.”
Hannibal hummed and walked back to where Will was standing.
“Allow me to pour some wine for the both of us, then,” he said smoothly, taking Will’s arm in his hand and leading Will back to the hall, “I’m afraid I don’t have any food to offer that would appeal to your tastes, but wine is something I keep stocked for my own enjoyment.”
Will allowed himself to be led, feeling safe in the presence of this creature despite everything he knew about him.
---
“I didn’t think I’d be seeing you again.”
Will smiled at the innkeeper, seeing the way the man was a bit frightened of him now.
“And why is that?” Will asked, wanting to know if he would tell the truth.
“A few fellows said they saw you heading into the south woods,” the innkeeper replied defensively, “and I told you no one ever survives that.”
Will laughed.
“Yeah. I remember. Funny how that works. No, I think your fellows must have been mistaken. Did they hear me scream afterwards?”
The innkeeper looked mildly offended by that question, as if his “fellows” were the most trusted source of information around. Will hoped that wasn’t true, but wouldn’t say anything about it.
“No,” the innkeeper admitted, “but they didn’t stick around to find out. Those woods are no good.”
Will nodded.
“Well, I’m clearly not dead, so do you think I really went into those woods?” he asked, honestly curious if the man would be able to understand what had happened.
“No,” the man said slowly, “I s’pose you musn’t’ve. I just can’t figure who they would have seen, if not you.”
Will shrugged with a grin.
“Maybe it was a ghost, trying to get them to follow,” he offered.
The innkeeper wasn’t amused by that, but seemed too spooked to give Will a tongue lashing about it.
Will ran into several people that day that looked at him like he was a ghost. The only person who seemed happy to see him was Abigail, though she didn’t want to be seen speaking with him.
“Did you see the beast? How did you escape? Did you find the castle? What was it like?”
Will held up a hand to stop her rapid fire questions.
“Nothing,” he told her, “I didn’t find anything, or see anything. I just wandered around in the woods until I figured the men would have lost interest, then I came back out. That’s it.”
Abigail deflated slightly, disappointed and not entirely convinced he was telling the truth.
“You were gone for nearly a day,” she accused, “you were wandering that entire time?”
Will shrugged.
“I slept up in a tree, but other than that, yes. I didn’t find anything more than some trees.”
Abigail stared at him, but apparently didn’t find anything in his expression that betrayed his lie. She sighed and shook her head.
“I can’t imagine why you’re alive,” she confessed, “The beast never lets anyone survive. What’s different about you?”
Will shrugged.
“No clue, but hey, at least I’m not dead.”
Abigail laughed and nodded.
“I guess so,” she agreed, “it’s the darndest thing, but I suppose you’re right. Well, I guess the townsfolk are going to have to amend their ghost story from now on.”
Will grinned.
“I suppose so.”
---
Will sat near the woods, listening to the deep silence from the trees as well as the distant noise from the town.
Will felt he was overstaying his welcome in the town. Their hospitality had run out the moment Will had returned from the woods a few weeks ago. Since then, Will had returned to the woods every day, though he had only risked walking through the trees three times. Each time he had ventured into the woods, he had felt a calm sense of safety fall over him, though Hannibal had not appeared until Will said his name.
They had talked, toured the castle, and shared wine each time Will had visited. Each time Will called for him, Hannibal appeared more pleased to see him. Will sensed that Hannibal had been lonely for many years, and he thought their conversations were helping to heal those old wounds. He hoped so, at least.
The townsfolk feared Will, but not enough that they would not drive him out sooner or later. He was well aware of that, and that he should not be staying so long in one place regardless, but he didn’t want to leave. He knew he should continue on his journey to escape his past, but he had found a sense of belonging with Hannibal in those woods, and he didn’t want to let it go.
Will heard a group of men approaching, and he considered running away into the woods, but he didn’t move. He wanted to know what they meant to do, and he knew he could only get away with visiting the woods if no one saw him do it. If they ever saw him walk freely in and out of those woods, he would be driven out of town or killed.
“You freak,” a man called, clearly addressing Will.
Will looked up and saw that nearly all the men in the village had gathered. Perhaps he was about to be driven out regardless of the care he had taken.
Even the innkeeper was there, which wasn’t much of a surprise.
“If you mean to speak with me, the least you could do is call me by my name,” Will said calmly, the crowd growing quiet when he spoke, as if he were a preacher that presided over them with his sermons.
The man who had addressed him initially grew red in the face with anger, and again was the one to speak.
“We don’t consider beasts of magic to be worthy of names,” he said, as if that was an insult that even the most proud men would find devastating, “and it’s clear you are, or you’re dealing with one.”
Will tipped his head curiously, meeting the man’s eyes and suppressing the impulse to wince at the pain and emotions that flooded his head.
“Is that so?” he asked, keeping his tone even, “and what makes you think that? Have I been paying for my room an board with enchanted gold coins that return to my pocket after a few moment? Have I bewitched you all into allowing me to rule over you? Perhaps I have been selling potions to the young women here to earn them the love of their desired young man. Please, do enlighten me. What magic have I performed that would convince you I am a fae?”
Will saw the frustration build in the man, and it was mildly amusing. Will knew they had no evidence that he held any power more than they, but he also knew they were convinced of it regardless.
“You have been visiting the south woods, and dealing with the beast who lives there,” the man said, though his words lacked conviction. Will guessed they hadn’t ever seen him enter the woods, but merely found it suspicious that he spent time near them.
Will smiled lightly, maintaining eye contact with the man.
“I’ve always felt more at home among trees than among people,” he mused, seeing how his calm demeanor was making the men behind the leader uncomfortable, “and perhaps now you can see why. I’ve never been run out of town by a group of trees. They are generally more accepting than that. But if you think I have been dealing with a beast in any way that would cause harm to befall this town, then you’re more simple than I thought.”
There was a low murmur or confusion among the men, but the leader latched on to the loophole Will had left in his words.
“But you have been dealing with it,” he said, “in one way or another.”
Will considered how he should answer that, knowing whatever hold he had over the men would be broken the moment he outright lied. There were rules to his abilities, he had discovered over the years.
“If it would cause no harm, why do you care?” he asked, “if it will not hurt you or this town, what use is there in becoming angry about it?”
Another murmur, but the leader grew angry.
“Have you been visiting the beast in the woods?” he demanded.
And that was where Will’s ability hit a wall. He wouldn’t be able to lie without repercussions, and he couldn’t deflect because the question was so direct. Before then, the men hadn’t really asked him a question, though he had been obliged to reply to them anyway. There had been room to work. Now, he was backed into a corner.
“Yes,” he confessed, keeping his tone even despite the anxiousness that was building under his skin, “I have seen the beast and not been killed.”
A cry of surprise and anger sprang up among the men, and Will knew the conversation portion of this interaction was coming to an end. He moved to stand up, but was struck in the side of the head by a stone. He hadn’t thought they would throw rocks at him just yet, but he was knocked sideways by the blow and his vision faded slightly. He heard the men advancing toward him, and he turned toward the woods.
Will wasn’t far from the tree line, but the men were not far from him. They were all still walking, and he was lying on the ground. They would reach him before he could reach the woods.
“Hannibal!” he cried, feeling hands grip his ankle and begin dragging him back away from the trees. He clawed at the ground, trying not to be taken even as he knew it was futile. He didn’t expect to survive this. He felt the murder in their hearts, and he knew they meant to kill him rather than let him escape to the woods again.
A boot connected with the side of Will’s head, and the world went black. The last thing he was aware of was a feral growl as his body went limp.
---
There was a soft light from a candle, and Will realized he was in a large, comfortable bed. His head ached, and his thoughts were slow, but he remembered being attacked and losing consciousness. He didn’t understand what had happened leading to him being here, in a bed, instead of buried six feet underground.
“Will, can you hear me?”
Will turned his head to follow the sound, causing his skull to scream with pain. He found the source of the voice, and he smiled in relief.
“Hannibal,” he sighed happily.
Hannibal smiled, though Will could see lingering concern in his eyes.
“Yes, Will,” Hannibal said softly, “It’s me. You’re safe now. How do you feel?”
Will took stock of his own body, aware of a mild ache in his ankle, his arms and fingers, not to mention the throbbing in his head.
“I feel like I was being dragged across the ground before getting kicked in the head,” he replied, earning a soft huff of a laugh from Hannibal, “how did I get here?”
“I am glad you are able to think clearly,” Hannibal said, “and I came when you called. Of course I came to you, Will. I will always come when you call.”
Will thought about that, wincing at a fresh stab of pain in his head.
“Did you kill them?” he asked, “the men who attacked me?”
Hannibal hesitated for a moment, no longer smiling.
“A few of them,” he answered, “I allowed some to escape so they may spread the word. No one will dare lay a hand on you after this. I promise.”
Will smiled, laying his head back on the soft pillows.
“I guess I’ll have to leave town anyway,” he said, “they already didn’t like me. I would feel guilty if I stayed and made them frightened all the time. I had hoped to stick around for a while longer. I haven’t been able to so much as take a breath for more than a year.”
Hannibal frowned.
“You are planning to leave,” he said, as if he didn’t believe it completely, “and go somewhere far away from here. From me.”
Will looked at him again, feeling a deep ache in his chest. He reached out with one hand, and Hannibal took it with an air of reverence.
“I’ve been running from my past this whole time,” he told Hannibal softly, “I knew it was only a matter of time before it caught up to me if I stayed. I didn’t expect to find anything to make me want to stay.”
Hannibal lifted Will’s hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the palm.
“Will,” he said, his tone so pleading and raw it shook Will to his core, “I have been alone for so many years. Please do not leave me now. I can protect you. I can care for you. No one can reach you here.”
Will closed his eyes against the tears that threatened to come because of the sorrow that flowed out of Hannibal and into him. He mourned the fact that they would have to be parted, but he didn’t think there was any way to avoid it.
“Hannibal, I don’t think that will work,” he said sadly, “The townsfolk aren’t about to let me stick around, and I don’t want to bring the people chasing me into this mess either.”
Hannibal stood up, slowly letting Will’s hand slip from his own.
“We can discuss this more as you heal,” he said, sounding a bit terse, “but you must eat something. I will be back shortly.”
Hannibal left the room, and Will was left to wonder what on earth he would bring back. Hannibal had said he didn’t have any food that was fit for Will, and Will didn’t imagine he had popped into town for groceries since then.
When Hannibal returned, he held a bowl of soup and steamed and smelled heavenly. He helped Will to sit up, and insisted on feeding it to him despite Will’s ability to do it himself.
“I’m not an invalid,” Will said.
Hannibal smiled as he lifted the spoon.
“Indeed not,” he agreed, “but you are injured, and my guest. I hope you will indulge me.”
And Will didn’t see any real reason to object, so he opened his mouth and allowed himself to be fed.
After the first few spoonfuls of the soup, Will realized the ache in his skull was lessening rapidly, and was already almost gone. He wondered if Hannibal had made some sort of magic soup that healed him quickly.
When the bowl was nearly half empty, Will felt a kind of itch in his scalp, and he frowned.
“What is the matter?” Hannibal asked, though he didn’t seem all that concerned.
Will lifted one of his hands and felt along the crown of his head, jumping in surprise when his fingers grazed something solid and bonelike that he knew had never been there before.
“Hannibal,” he said slowly, “what’s in the soup?”
Hannibal grinned, his fangs glinting in the candle light.
“Only that which would otherwise go to waste,” he said.
Will’s mind offered up the image of a man with a red face, angry at Will for not confessing to witchcraft.
Will cursed aloud, closing his eyes and trying to make sense of this all.
“You’re making me into something like you,” he said, not as horrified as he knew he should be, “you’re making me into a cannibal and a beast.”
Hannibal studied Will with vapid curiosity, as if not knowing what to expect.
“It is only cannibalism if you are equals, Will, and I find it hard to imagine that anyone can be your equal. You mustn’t feel guilty about this, Will. You are becoming what no one else can. What you were always meant to be. You will not be harmed by foolish men again. You will have power over them. Neither of us need be alone again.”
Will opened his eyes and met Hannibal’s gaze, not feeling any pain even as the emotions flooded his skull. Hannibal’s expression was sincere and desperate, begging Will not to be angry. Begging Will to accept this as it was, and to stay with him. Begging to not be left alone again.
Will reached out and gripped Hannibal’s suit, hauling him to the bed and into a violent kiss that felt as if they were devouring each other. Hannibal’s hands fell to Will’s hips, pulling them closer to each other and holding on as if Will might vanish at any moment.
Will could feel all the loneliness Hannibal had felt over the years, the agony at having failed to protect his sister, and the determination to protect Will now. Hannibal refused to fail again, even if that meant keeping Will here against his will.
“That was a dirty trick,” Will accused when they broke apart for air, though he didn’t let go of Hannibal’s clothes, “but I’m not angry in the least. I didn’t know you could change me in this way, but I think it’s just about the best thing to have ever happened to me. For the first time in my life, I actually feel like I belong here.”
Hannibal smiled, and his eyes shone with unshed tears as he pulled Will into a crushing embrace.
Will generally avoided physical contact with people, but from the first time Hannibal had touched Will, taking his arm to lead him out of the kitchen, Will had known Hannibal was the one person he would not pull away from. He felt as if they fit together, as if they had been made to fit together, in a way that no one else in the world could.
“You do belong here, Will,” Hannibal said, “from the moment I first saw you, I knew you were meant to find me here. I knew this would be the result.”
Will smiled.
“I’ll take the rest of that soup, now,” he said, and Hannibal huffed a laugh.
---
“Just don’t go into the south woods.”
Abigail sketched the new stranger as the innkeeper gave them the customary warning. The man scowled in confusion and asked for an explanation, which came from the innkeeper in the same vague and confusing way as always.
“Fine. I don’t care about some monster in the woods anyway,” the man said, “I’m looking for a man named Will Graham. He has dark hair and light eyes, and he always stirs up trouble. Do you know who I’m talking about?”
Abigail saw the innkeeper frown, and she knew why. He didn’t want to talk about Will. Will had stirred up plenty of trouble here, that was for sure, but there was more trouble to be had if anyone talked about it.
“Well, I might have seen a fella like that a few months back, but I can’t rightly say,” the innkeeper admitted, “you’d have to ask around a bit. I don’t see much of what happens around here.”
The man huffed in frustration and stalked out of the inn, not even seeing Abigail as she finished his portrait. They never did. Except Will, but he was a different case in every way.
Abigail walked toward the south woods, knowing she could get in trouble if anyone saw her, especially her father, but she wanted to talk to Will.
She called for him from a few yards away from the tree line, still not daring to enter the woods despite his promise she would be safe. He emerged from the trees, looking just the way he had when she had last seen him, only he smiled with genuine happiness and glowed with life.
“Hey, Abigail,” Will said, “what can I do for you?”
Abigail smiled.
“I just thought you might want to know there’s a man looking for you in town,” she said.
Will tipped his head curiously, much like animals did when trying to gauge a threat.
“Yeah? What’s he look like?” Will asked.
Abigail handed over her sketchbook, open to the page with her most recent sketch. Will looked at the drawing and nodded.
“That’s him. You’re very good at portraits, Abigail. You should try selling them.”
Abigail laughed and shook her head.
“No one around here would pay for one,” she said, “but if I ever manage to leave this place, then maybe I’ll try it. What do you want me to do about him?”
Will considered it for a moment, glancing back to the woods every so often.
“Send him my way,” he said eventually, smiling wickedly, “you can even show him my picture if you have to convince him. I don’t think he’ll bother you again after I have a chance to deal with him.”
Abigail smiled and nodded. She knew the man wouldn’t bother anyone ever again if Will got a hold of him. She was a girl after her father’s heart, and didn’t care if she was sending the man to his death. It was a town philosophy to keep trouble as far away as possible, and sending it into the woods was a way to ensure it never came back.
“Sounds like a plan,” she said, “tell Hannibal I say hi. I know he doesn’t want to talk to me, but maybe someday he’ll change his mind.”
Will laughed, and as he tossed his head back a bit, Abigail thought she caught a glimpse of antlers rising from his skull.
“He has nothing against you, Abigail,” Will told her, “he’s just a bit stuck in his ways. He doesn’t think he needs any friends other than me.”
Abigail nodded again, glancing toward the trees and catching a brief glimpse of red eyes glowing from the dark.
“Alright. See you soon,” she said.
Will waved as she left, then disappeared back into the trees, where he seemed more at home than he ever had when around people. Abigail was happy for him. He seemed genuinely happy.
Abigail turned the pages of her sketchbook back to the portrait of Will, the eyes finally finished. After Will had started living in the woods, she had been able to see his eyes properly for the first time, and she had drawn them correctly the moment she went back to the portrait.
The man looking for Will would be easy to convince to go into the woods. He wasn’t as smart as Will, but he was determined to find him. Abigail would only have to show him the sketch and suggest Will had wandered into the woods in order to get him to follow.
And then the trouble would be away from the town.
Abigail thought it would be fun.