I looked deep into those dark amber eyes and they looked almost human, had an air of curiously about them, also had wariness in them. As if I was strange for just existing. This made look to the other features that surrounded those eyes, a hairy face, a nose almost Wolf like, big pointy ears and...were those horns?

I should be afraid right? But in that instance I too regarded him as being strange for just existing, I mean he looked like something right out of a fairy tale. Certainly not Prince charming no, look at him and I presume it's a he because he is dressed in trousers 3or4 sizes to small for him and a shirt also too small for his large frame almost completely unbuttoned and some kind of cloak hanging behind him. And that "the world is mine for taking because I am" air about him I chalked up as masculinity. Made me concluded this was a male.

He would definitely be the villain and I the idiot that wondered into an unknown part of a dark forest and got eaten. Did I mention he has fangs? Teeth that were definitely made for tearing.

But I still wasn't afraid no, I had questions. Where was he from, what exactly is he, how and why does he exist. My curiosity turned into amazement as I studied him.

"What are you...?" We both said at the same time. Mine a soft whisper. His a very deep rumble

Author's Note

©All Rights Reserved

This book is purely a work of fiction and created by me. Any characters or scenes resembling any work out there or anyone, are purely coincidental.

                             ***

Thank you so much for choosing to read this.

I am an aspiring writer and this the first time ever I've dared to put something out and I'm determined to see it through. I've been and still am an active reader tho.

I urge you to go on this journey with me🙏🙎 😉

So please feel free to comment, leave me suggestions, questions and all that. The is a learning process for me.

I hope you enjoy it, thank you again! ❤❤❤

PS this story was inspired by the illustration  done by Artemii Myasnikov a Russian artist, I am a huge fan.

You can check of this other illustrations on Disney princesses on bored panda. Through the link below👇

https://www.boredpanda.com/warrior-disney-princesses-illustration-artemii-myasnikov/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Newsletter

This story is basically about unlikely first loves, what was your first love like? Did it sneak up on you? Making you fall even before you realized it.. Or did you face it head on? Was it terrifying or exciting?! $

I remember mine *sigh*$iy was... interesting... definitely sneaked up on me hehe. Story for another day, remind me to tell it sometime.😸

But do feel free to share your experiences with me, I would love to read and hear them with my minds ears.

Let's wish Isabel luck as she begins her adventure.👌👌

This story is set in the preindustrial ear, oh yeah horses and a whole lot of open spaces and little villages surrounded by forests.

  The night was windy and the air aridly cold but it didn't bother me, I liked the cold air in my hair.

As I looked up at the sky excitedly with my Father's old binoculars in one hand and with a star map I'd roughly copied from a very old astronomy book in my other hand. I was going to find Orion, it was most visible at this time of the year.

I take in my surroundings again, the vegetation wasn't very thick here not as thick as the forest west of here. Our little village was surrounded by sparse vegetation. With a big river north of the forest.

I liked the night, everything look more mysterious and prettier at night and the stars and the moon were a lot more visible at night.

The wind ruffled the thick blanket I had around my shoulders. I had come out in my night dress, my sturdy winter boots and my blanket. As I settle on the ground I pick up a stone to hold my map in place on the ground and placed it. With my blanket wrapped around me like a robe and binoculars in my hands I look up. Then back at my map then up again, I was looking for Rigel and Betelgeuse the brightest stars in the constellation.

There they are! The two other stars at the other corners form a rough quadrangle as I connect them. I was in luck his head was also visible!

I sat there for there for so long, my legs were starting to cramp up. Musing about Orion, in Greek mythology he was a great supernatural hunter. I bet he had countless adventures in his day, went to many interesting places. His life must have been really interesting.

Unlike life in our little village where nothing really ever happened.

I got to see Mrs Bernard's goat give birth last week, but that wasn't really interesting albeit a little disgusting.

Gazing at the sky with my binoculars I saw a star shoot across the sky, I immediately wished upon it ; "I wish to go on grand adventure, like Orion".

The wind picked up for what must have been the umpteenth time and it was strong enough to pull my map and fling it in the direction of the forest.

I immediately got up and went after it without thinking. When I caught up to it, I hadn't really gone far but I was in the forest now. It was darker here than it was under the night sky. And the different sounds coming from different creatures of the night were more distinct and audible.

Then it all went silent, as if the forest waited  on something dangerous in anticipation. Ahead of me I heard very faint movement, movement from something on two legs.

I called out uneasily, "whose there?!" And abruptly as if i had imagined it the movement seized and the night creatures sang again almost in relief. A few paces ahead of me I saw a shinny object on the forest floor. Curiously, I moved towards it and picked it up. It look like a very fancy gold button or cufflink? I don't know, it had something that looked very much like an eagle engraved on it. This interests me enough to want to keep it, maybe I can find a book about the eagle like creature I know there was a name for it...ah yes! A Griffin.

With my map in hand I returned to my spot and picked up the binoculars and my blanket not really feeling the bite of the cold. I decided the safely of my home was preferable and daylight had its benefits.

  Waking at dawn I feel refreshed despite my short night's rest. I dress and go about our little cottage straightening it out just a little to make it look more presentable. I pick up books from the ground, table tops and put them back in the little book shelf. My father must have been up reading again, as one of our oil lamps was still lit on his study table with numerous books scattered about.

He liked reading - studying anything concerning the business world and the economy. He was a very successful merchant until misfortune struck and he lost everything in the China seas. Well except his mind, he was still a brilliant man.

We moved from the city to the village because we could not afford living there anymore.

That was eight years ago, when I was thirteen years old. The loss of his business was not the only misfortune we faced.

He lost his wife and I lost my mother. Needless to say, the change of scenery helped us both cope.

The only thing I miss about the city were the big bookstores and libraries.

We have one in the village, but it was small and I've  read every book available.

Which reminded me, the librarian John, one of the few in this village that understands the importance of books. Told me he was expecting new ones from the city. New books! That thought excited me, so I hurriedly finished my chores and made breakfast. And soon I made my way into the village to get meat and bread for lunch and hopefully a new book about the most wonderful adventure ever, or a book about griffins any would be equally exciting.

After getting meat and stopping at the Baker's for bread on my way to the library I ran into Gabriel and his companion, how wonderful.

Despite me declining his advances more than a million times, he however still had the confidence and motivation to keeping coming after me. 

"Bella..." He said with the affection one would accord to their pet cat or rabbit. I didn't like the way he was looking at me, I never did. It was akin to the way you'd look at merchandise you just had to have so you come ready to haggle.

I didn't like being called Bella either and especially not by him. I don't need a pet name, I've never considered myself needing that type of attention or affection.

"I've told you, my name is Isabel not Bella" I said, striving to be polite to him.

"You look like a Bella, isn't she the must beautiful girl you've ever seen Tommy? " "Oh yes..." His companion chimes.

He's a smallish man with whiskers wearing a coat a little too big for him. A hand me down from Gabriel perhaps?

"So don't you think a creature as beautiful as she, should be with a creature equally as beautiful as me?"

He said showing off his jawline and his chest swelling.

I guess he could be considered attractive. He was really tall with a heavy build. Dark hair and even darker eyes. He was uncannily pale didn't have that dark hued skin akin to the villagers which made him stand out more.

Don't get me wrong he was very desired by the young women and even some married women. Sure he was strong and a good hunter. But his wit only favoured him when he was talking about himself. Other topics considered he was pretty slow.

"No it doesn't!" I retort my patience slipping.

"You'll be mine Bella" he says to me with a toothy grin.

"Even if you don't know it yet." I, at the end of my stick just roll my eyes and walked away thinking gods above, please grant me my wish. So that I can be away from this pompous human at least.

I arrived at the library and found John's little daughter perched on a tall stool at the reception counter of the little library.

"Hello Isa!" She said in her adorable high pitched voice, pretty little thing that she was. Because I visit the library so often, I had gotten well acquitted with the little girl. So much so that I didn't mind her calling me Isa, short for Isabel of course.

"Hi... Mary" I said smiling back at her, the little girl's joy was very infectious.

"Where's your papa?" I ask, "in the back he is putting away some old books to make room for the new!" She offers quickly.

"He said to yell if anyone needs him" and so she proceeded to yell; "PAPA! ISA IS HERE!" "Coming!" He says from somewhere behind the book shelves that line up at the end of the little space that was the village library.

A short stocky man with a bushy beard emerges from the back room with a wide smile on his face, his coffee black eyes identical to that of his daughter. They  were seasoned with age and knowledge but still same as his daughter's.

"Isabel! You look well. How is your dear father?" "He is well thank you and how is your wife"? "Did the recipe I found to help ease her nausea work?"

"Oh! It most certainly did, bless you! She eats properly now. If I knew better and were I in her shoes I will very much not want to have another baby!"

"Oh I'm happy she feels better" I laugh lightly. "If I also knew better I'd must certainly agree with you. But alas, I think our ignorance favours us."

"Because I think it is worth it in the end." I said to him looking pointedly at Mary. He too then looked at her, with so much love in his eyes. The sight almost intimate to look upon.

"It most certainly is worth it Isabel."

"What's worth it?" Mary pipes up looking at both me and her father this makes us both laugh loud which increased Mary's confusion.

After chatting some more about our families, John showed me the new books.

I told him about the button or was it a cufflink? With the Griffin engraved on it.

We talked about different myths that surrounded griffins, depicted as very dangerous and scary creatures but the served as guardians of treasures unimaginable. That stood out most; they were guardians.

"Ooh I think I remember a very old  story, a lot older than me. My mother told me when I was a little boy."

About a man that was very considerate and always took pity on the poor. He treated people alike and never despised anyone.

He was esteemed by the gods and men because of his good nature.

So much so, that the goddess that gives life approached him and bestowed upon him the greatest and most priceless treasure ever.

She made him Guardian and keeper of the most precious treasure that ever existed and also gave him the ability to bless people with that treasure or take it away from them completely. He passed this responsibility and the ability down his bloodline and to them alone.

And they to their sons, each to his living heir.

Being a generous man with a good heart he blessed those in need of this treasure freely and kept it way from the wicked. This delighted the gods and they made him more prosperous. In fact, more prosperous than any man or king that ever lived .

And so were his sons , and the ones after them because they followed in his footsteps. The Griffin became their family crest, for they were indeed the powerful guardians of the most valuable treasure.

But there came a generation, where a descendant of that good man forgot his calling and who he was meant to be. Because he neglected the teachings of his Fathers.

Where they were good natured and kind. He was arrogant and foul.

For he was a very vain man indeed.

He was self absorbed, valued only the prettiest of things and things that brought him pleasure.

So instead of blessing those in need he denied them what they needed most. He didn't lack for anything for he still had the wealth of his Fathers before him. But yet he grew greedy and his riches grew from his misuse of the treasure and his ability.

So he gave only to those who agreed with him, the wicked who perversely used the blessing he gave.

He forgot completely the source of his ability and never learnt his responsibility. The gods grew angry with him with each passing day, they tried to warn him but tried in vain.

Until at dusk, he was visited by the goddess of life herself in all her glory.

She cursed him and this descendants. Saying since you like to look upon yourself so much; to you and anyone else that lays their eyes upon you. You will be the most hideous creature that ever existed.

She took away his ability and gave it away saying; his descendants will continue to turn into hideous creatures when they come of age.

Suffer they will for your iniquities whether they deserve it or not. To serve as a reminder never again to follow your path.

Until they find a maiden willing to help them find and restored the ability and priceless treasure They've lost.

So he retreated deep into the forest, where he locked himself and his family up, endlessly searching for a way to break the curse.

Generations after him remained cursed because of the sin of their Father. With their only hope for redemption in an unknown maiden who would care enough to want to help restore what was lost.

John's story had put me in a trance, because I didn't realise how late it had gotten. I was leaning on the counter and Mary was laying across her Father's laps sound asleep.

"Oh dear gods above! It is passed noon" I said with a start when I noticed the sun was no longer directly overhead, it was on its way to setting in the east.

I grabbed a book from the new arrivals without really looking at it. And said my goodbyes to John, sending my regards to his wife.

"That was a great story, really it was. I'd like to stay and hear more about it. But I've got to get home and make my Father a late lunch, the poor man."

John just smiled knowingly and waved me off, being careful not to disturb the little angel in his laps.

And with that I was out of the library and quickly making my way home.

On my way home, crossing the village square. I could not resist taking a look a the book I'd taken from the library, I wondered what it was about.

Going over the synopsis quickly, I gathered it was about romance. I considered romance ridiculous sometimes but it was rather entertaining to read and I won't deny some very deep part of me longed for it.

My attention was captured by the heroine, who seemed more a more not be like the traditional damsel in distress. That's remarkable, women were always made out to be "the damsel in distress" in romance novels.

So immersed I was in reading my book that I was walking slowly now, with all my attention not on the road but completely in the book.

Until I ran into something, "ummph" or rather, someone.

I look up from my book, to find a very pretty swanlike face.

A very angry swan this one, staring daggers at me.

I tell you the truth, nose beak like, thin lips, a slender long neck. With her hands akimbo painted a perfect picture of a swan in it's moment of righteous anger.