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Stephanie lay on the straw sack that was her bed and stared at the ceiling.
She was really lucky. Her room consisted only of the sack, but it was a room of her own. A room where she could hear her parents arguing, but didn't have to watch.
Her father was a witchfinder.
And since witches didn't stray into their little village, Stephanie enjoyed his absence most of the time.
Which only made it worse when he popped in for a job because it was unfortunately on the way.
Her mother had never put it that way, but Stephanie knew that she looked forward to her husband's arrival with dread.
"I don't take orders, woman!"
Stephanie pursed her lips. It hadn't taken long for her father to start shouting.
At least the neighbors had something to gain from his presence. Although they would probably prefer not to be woken during their few hours of sleep.
"You're not taking her with you!" her mother yelled back.
And oh, it was about Stephanie. Her mother only started screaming when it came to her daughter.
"She's coming with me, don't talk back! The girl's just lying around here. It'll do her good to work. And she can feed the monster!"
"You're not bringing her anywhere near those creatures and witches! She's my daughter, dammit!"
A bang echoed through the house. Fist on wood.
Dad didn't like it when Mum swore. He didn't like it when Steph swore either. He had proved that often enough.
"She's just a child," her mother cried now.
Stephanie wanted to jump up and help her, but her presence always only made the arguments worse. As if she was bad luck.
"Crystal, wake up," her father sounded annoyed, but at least not angry anymore, "She's almost fifteen. Either she slowly learns how to work or we find her a husband. And let's be honest, it's going to be hard to find a man who doesn't want to smack that stubborn girl."
Stephanie didn't want a husband. But becoming a witchfinder didn't sound very appealing either. Couldn't she just become a healer like her mother? Her mother always made sure everyone forgot their aches and pains from demanding fieldwork. That sounded nice and she always paid attention when her mother explained something.
"If she doesn't come home safe, you don't have to come back," were her mother's last words.
The door to Stephanie's apartment was pushed open.
"Come on, daughter," grumbled her father, "We have to go. I've got a monster that's certainly worth a few gold coins to the king. And since time is money, you can save your sleep for later."
He went outside.
Her mother hastily packed some things for Stephanie in a bag and handed it to her.
The hug was very brief, but Stephanie could still feel her mother's tears.
"I'll come home safely," she promised.
Her mother said nothing, but Steph could see clearly that her mother didn't believe a word she said.
That scared Stephanie more than the monster in the cage that her father pulled onto the trailer.
It was a pure shadow with fangs and sharp teeth. The red eyes promised pure murderous lust.
The funny thing was, Stephanie would rather have joined the monster than sit next to her father on the carriage block.
"Hurry up!" he demanded gruffly.
Stephanie took a deep breath and sat down next to him.
She would return to her mother. After all, she had promised.
Neither monsters, her father nor a husband would be able to stop her.
The journey progressed in silence.
Stephanie knew that she was only allowed to speak to her father when she was asked. The rule was stupid, but at the moment it suited her. She didn't feel the slightest desire to talk to Arthur Brown.
It didn't help that a monster couldn't take its hungry eyes off her and her father and kept poking at the cage as if it would finally open for the hundredth time.
Stephanie tried to ignore all of this. Instead, she looked at the dark forest where they were now. And then the vast cornfield when they were outside again.
The sun was slowly rising and the horizon was turning pink.
"If you want to see something weird, turn around, girl."
Stephanie recognized an order from her father when she heard it, so she turned.
At first, she only saw the huddled monster. But when a ray of sunlight fell on it, the shadows retreated. The claws disappeared. It shrank. The teeth became smaller.
There was no longer a monster in the cage, just a girl.
A little girl with pitch-black hair, a dirty dress and a tear-streaked face.
She made herself very small in the corner furthest away from her dad.
In fact, Stephanie had never seen anything so disgusting in her entire life. And she had never hated her father so much.
The girl looked up briefly and their eyes met.
Stephanie smiled gently, but the girl just winced and looked away immediately.
Oh yes, Stephanie really hated her father for seeing a child her age and deciding she was a monster just because she looked like one at night.
And with the hatred came a resolve.
She would be a hero and rescue the girl!
Stephanie waited until her father had disappeared behind the bushes before she began to speak.
"I'm Stephanie. What's your name?"
The girl just huddled into a smaller heap of misery.
"Don't worry, I'll get you out of this. I just need to get my dad's key and then I'll get you out the next chance I get. We just have to be quick. We'll reach Gotham in two days and then you and I won't stand a chance. King Bruce really doesn't like magic."
"Leave me alone"
The three words were spoken so quietly that Stephanie almost didn't hear them.
"If I do this, you'll be dead in two days. So no, we're going through with this. Whether you like it or not."
"I'm a monster."
Stephanie's heart broke. What had her father done?
"No. Don't listen to Dad. You're just a child. And you don't deserve the cage or death. I won't let you!"
The girl looked up and her look was pure despair, "Not your dad. Everyone says it. I'm a monster. You saw me last night!"
Her father reappeared as Stephanie just wrinkled her nose.
She tried to convey only one message with her gaze:
I'm still going to set you free!
For the first time in her life, fate seemed to be on Stephanie's side.
At lunchtime, her father stopped on a side street and threw a cloth over the cage.
"If anyone asks, you say you've loaded peas," her father said, "But no one ever comes by here.
Stephanie was happy to believe that. It was an overgrown forest path that they had turned off the main road onto.
"I'll be back in an hour and you'd better not do anything stupid until I get back."
"Where are you going?"
Her father growled, "Something to drink, not that it's any of your business, nosey brat."
He pointed in the direction the main road would have led.
"There's an inn over there and I'm going for a drink."
He tossed her his necklace and Stephanie caught it in surprise.
"You take care of the key. We don't want a pickpocket stealing it from me. They're getting braver and braver, those cowardly bastards."
With that, he disappeared and no longer saw the grin that spread across Stephanie's face.
Who would have thought that her father's alcohol consumption would one day have a positive effect.
Stephanie clutched the key to her chest, overjoyed.
It was the best thing that could have happened to her.
She sent a big mental thank you to all the gods who were listening.
"Come out, please," Stephanie had been pleading for two minutes now.
She was starting to get nervous. She still had plenty of time before her father returned, but the sooner they left, the better the chances that her father wouldn't discover her again.
After all, he was still a witchfinder and you should never underestimate them!
But the girl cowered in the far corner.
When Stephanie had tried to climb into the cage with her, she had only started sobbing, which was why Stephanie had quickly given up on the endeavor.
"If we don't leave now, they'll kill you!"
Stephanie winced at the despair in her own voice.
But finally the girl looked up.
"Then at least everyone will be safe from me."
Stephanie could only shake her head, "You don't understand! They'll burn you. While you're still alive. You'll feel your skin melting into the wood. That's what everyone says! That's why you have to stay away from magic, so you don't end up on the pyre."
She had heard the words a thousand times from everyone and internalized them.
"I didn't choose this!" the prisoner hissed.
For the first time, she showed an emotion other than fear and it was so refreshing that it left Stephanie speechless.
"My father turned me into this because his master needed a guard dog."
The words had started out angry, but had given way to tears again.
So Stephanie ignored her common sense and stepped into the cage.
The girl was so upset that she only noticed Stephanie when she pulled her out of the cage.
Only when they were outside did she start to struggle.
Stephanie moaned. The confusion could have gone on longer.
"If you climb back into that cage, then I will tell King Bruce that my father is a magician who has cast a spell on you and that you are just an innocent girl. Then my father will be executed and it will be your fault."
The threat didn't come from logic or slyness. Stephanie simply didn't know what else to do.
And even if the plan wouldn't work once the sun went down, she was willing to try. Simply because she was stubborn and really didn't want to see this girl dead.
With her father's life on her conscience, she could probably manage. She hardly knew him and when he was around, he was never friendly. But the life of an innocent who was simply afraid? No, she would never be able to cope with that.
Stephanie had a brief moment where she wondered if that made her crazy or cruel, but then the girl finally nodded.
"All right," she whispered, "Now what?"
Stephanie grinned and took the delicate hand in hers.
"Now we run!"
The wind hit her blonde hair in the face, but that didn't matter. Because it carried her forward.
Strengthened her back.
The ground beneath her feet was so soft that it didn't hurt when she jumped over tree trunks with her new friend.
Birds chirped and the sun always greeted her when it was cold for a moment.
It was as if the forest was welcoming her.
Stephanie had never felt so free in her entire life.
Her lungs ached from running, but she didn't want to stop.
Nature lay before her, lay behind her, was all that existed and she only wanted to go deeper.
Into the safety of the forest and away from her father.
A gentle tug on her arm, made Stephanie come to an abrupt stop.
She shook the curls out of her face and the thoughts from a minute ago faded.
Confused, she looked at the girl holding her sides, panting.
"Break," she croaked, but there was a glow on her face, as if she had felt the same as Stephanie.
"I'm sorry," Stephanie took a gasping breath now too, "I'm just so happy you're free."
That I'm free.
"Cass."
"What?" asked Stephanie, looking up sharply.
"Cass," Cass repeated confidently, "That's my name. Cassandra. But friends call me Cass."
"Cass," Stephanie repeated with wonder in her voice. She had earned the name and would cherish it.
They walked on more slowly and only stopped twice.
Once to pick berries.
The second time was because Stephanie saw a yellow flower that she absolutely had to put behind Cass's ear.
The girl had beamed so brightly and had red cheeks that she looked like pure life.
At that moment, Stephanie had a realization. You only have a realization like that once or twice in a lifetime, she thought. It was like deciphering a rule of the universe.
The realization was as follows: Stephanie Brown and Cassandra would stay together forever for the rest of both their lives, and no force of the earth or the gods would be able to tear them apart.
Cass hadn't gotten the memo, because as the sun hung lower and lower, she suddenly announced, "We have to split up."
Stephanie laughed, "Good one. Go on."
She sensed that Cass was serious, but it hurt so much that she could only laugh at it.
"You don't understand," Cass stomped her foot angrily, "I'm dangerous."
"No," Stephanie contradicted, "You're just defending yourself. I'm in no danger."
Cass threw an acorn at her, which missed its target by meters.
"As soon as the sun goes down, I won't know you're my friend and not prey. That's when the monster comes out!"
She sounded desperate, but Stephanie's hug was immediately shaken off.
"You're not a monster!" Stephanie disagreed vehemently.
"Not right now!"
"Never!"
They screamed and the birds flew away. Left them alone in the cold forest.
Every positive feeling was gone.
"If you don't want to be with me, at least be honest."
Stephanie couldn't stop a tear from escaping the corner of her eye.
"But I do want to be with you," Cass sounded no less defeated.
"Then stay," Stephanie looked up pleadingly.
Cass looked at her with love in her gaze and then her eyes turned red.
The sun had set.
The transformation happened as quickly as the disentanglement.
Goosebumps spread across Stephanie's arms as she was now able to see the claws up close.
But she stopped.
That was Cass. Her friend. Her innocent friend.
And how she would refuse to be afraid of her own friend!
"Hey, Cass," she smiled at the creature of pure darkness.
Her yellow flower stuck to the head and was the point of her focus.
"It's getting late. Perhaps we should find shelter?"
The creature growled and straightened to its full height.
Stephanie swallowed, but didn't lose the smile.
Cass wouldn't hurt her.
And then she was thrown against a tree.
Her side exploded in pain and her vision momentarily turned glassy, but then she was back.
Lying on the ground, she heard the creature growl.
But that didn't matter. Because in front of her was the yellow flower.
Cass must have lost it in the attack.
Claws dug into Stephanie's right arm and side.
She screamed, but that didn't matter either.
All that mattered was the flower.
As if in a trance, she took the flower with her left hand and placed it behind the ear of the creature, which looked at her with a hungry gaze.
"Yellow is your color," Stephanie smiled weakly.
Why was she weak?
The creature sniffed, its gaze lost its murderousness and was suddenly just sad.
Cass let out a howl.
"Are you crying again?" Steph laughed sadly, "I think it's much nicer when you laugh. Your tears break one's heart. Breaks my heart."
It was becoming difficult to form a thought. Her body was cold and numb.
And it was wet around her.
Wet? Ah, her blood.
Cass howled again.
And suddenly Stephanie was lifted up.
Cass ran with her in her arms and Stephanie smiled as nature sang her song of freedom once more.
It was so nice to run.
And it was over far too quickly.
Stephanie looked around in confusion.
In front of her, the beautiful sight of a lifetime.
A lake in the middle of the forest. Silver in the moonlight and as soft as velvet.
Cass let out another howl and slowly let Stephanie down.
Even if she'd had the strength to fight back, she wouldn't have wanted to.
Stephanie smiled.
The song of freedom grew louder.
Nature, no, the lake, was crying out for her.
She was let into the water, and the water welcomed her.
Took her gently from her friend's arms and carried her out deeper.
The lake greeted Stephanie as if she were an old friend and healed her wounds.
Healed her soul.
Welcomed her as part of the lake.
Stephanie smiled beneath the surface of the water.
She was the Lady of the Lake.
And on the land, she could see her friend. She laid there and kept watch.
The Lady of the Lake and the Watchdog from the Darkness.
They would stay together for all eternity, even if they were separated by the elements.
Stephanie could not leave the lake and Cass could not enter it.
But that didn't matter.
They were together and that was all that mattered.