The Beloved Beast

Part 21-The Cure

Time stood still for Tanya as she and Marina sat together, bound in a strange bond of love and kinship. That was how Ray found them when he came in search of her. "Come, Tanya, we have to leave," he prodded her. She nodded, getting up to her feet. "No. I want the girl to stay a day more here. You may leave Beta Ray if you wish to do so," Marina spoke emphatically. "I won't go anywhere without her," Ray stressed. "Then you are welcome to stay too," Marina smiled.

 They all went inside to a hearty breakfast, after which Emma took her and Ray around to show the castle. It was beautifully architectured using stone and wood which were sourced from the locality. Colorful stained glass added a quaint charm to its Gothic style. Though some modern changes had been made by subsequent residents, it was clear that vastly it was still as it might have been some centuries ago. Later, Tanya sat with Marina listening to the stories about Myra's childhood. She let the old lady ramble on and on, more to herself than to anyone else. She recounted how she had found the girl, a human, abandoned as a baby. Bringing her to the castle, she had raised her as a daughter, to find that she had no interest in learning witchcraft. Her short but sad life made Tanya sympathize with this woman who had loved her unconditionally. "Now, child, you go and rest for the journey, and I shall search for a way to get out of that curse," Marina said, pulling out a heavy tome from a pile of books. Tanya got up and with a kiss on her cheek, Marina let her go."Thank you, Ray, for what you did last night. Without your help, we would have been returning at the moment empty-handed."

 They were sitting in the garden, sipping tea and biting into small tea cakes, in the company of Sabine and Emma. "It was Emma's idea that I try my luck. She was sure I would be able to charm the old lady," Ray said, sending a smile toward Emma, who blushed as a rose. It was clear that she was quite impressed by Ray. Tanya understood that. Emma was young, about nineteen, and Sabine's niece. She was still new to the world of witchcraft, which she had taken up as an entrant into the coven. In her pink and white frock and her hair in a ponytail, she looked like a naughty schoolgirl. Was Ray also interested in her? It would be interesting to see, thought Tanya. "What will you do once the cure is found?" asked Ray, once the two women had left them. Tanya did not need time to think to answer that. "Pack my things and leave for the city." Ray nodded in approval. It was the wisest thing to do.

Marina was strangely silent at dinner. Tanya had expected her to declare that she had found the cure, but the old lady sat lost in her own thoughts, though Tanya felt her intense gaze on her quite a few times during the meal. It was as if she was deeply cogitating on some decision. After dinner Tanya excused herself, pleading a headache. She was too keyed up to sit around the fire with the others, sipping coffee and discussing the history of the two communities. Back in her room, she lay on the bed, thinking what would happen if Marina could not find a way out. Time was running out. They could not impose on the hospitality of the witches any longer. Also, Ray had to return to the pack and face whatever punishment Neil chose to mete out to him. As for herself, she quaked to even think of the bleak future she would have without Neil in it.

It was around midnight that she woke up to an insistent pounding on her door. Scrambling in fear, she ran to open the door, only to find Sabine standing there in the corridor. She seemed extremely nervous and shaky. "What happened? Is everything okay?" Tanya exclaimed, a strange premonition preying on her mind. "Come quickly. Marina wants to see you," Sabine gasped, wiping her brow. Throwing her shawl around her shoulders, Tanya rushed with Sabine towards Marina's bedchamber, to find the woman almost delirious with a fever. As she entered the room, Marina beckoned Tanya to her bedside, patting for her to sit beside her. Taking hold of her hand in her burning one, she strained to speak through her cracked lips. "Don't try to speak Mother. Rest now. We can speak in the morning," Tanya said, stroking her fevered brow with a gentle hand. Shaking her head, she whispered, "It....shall...be too....late...by morning. I don't... have much...time. Rest assured, the curse......will go.....away." Tears streamed down Tanya's face as she understood what the woman had done. "Marina has drunk a potion to cause a fatal fever. There was no other way to end the curse. Either it was the Luna's death or the one who had given the curse. She chose herself. This way the curse will go away forever," Sabine uttered in a shaking voice, moisture gathering in her eyes too. "Be happy always.....my child. I bless you....to be.....the mother....of brave cubs," she said before closing her eyes and sinking into eternal oblivion, ending her life. Tanya rose on shaking legs to bend down and place a soft kiss on the woman's forehead.

"Now the responsibility of the coven will fall on Sabine's shoulders. Marina had been the head witch for the last one hundred and fifty years out of the two hundred years of her life." Diana observed as they sat in the garden looking at the sunset. That afternoon, Marina's last rites had been performed as per the rules of the coven. Messages had been sent to the other covens and soon a memorial service would be held for her which would be attended by other witches and warlocks. Tanya and Ray would be leaving in the morning though Tanya felt that she was still in shock. Within such a short time she had felt a close connection to the woman, that it was difficult for her to believe that she was no more. She had never expected Marina to give up her life for the sake of her happiness. That too when Tanya was the wife of her enemy. What would the pack make of that? Would they still blame Ray? Well, she hoped not. Anyway, she won't be there to see what they chose to do. She would be far away in the city.

 Tanya sat in Ray's car with her eyes closed. They had returned from the witches' territory that morning after a day's journey by foot. Ray had come to know on reaching the manor house that a meeting had been convened the previous evening by Neil to expel him from the pack on the charges of treason. Tanya had been packing her things when she came to know of it. "Are you satisfied now that you have caused my brother to be expelled from the pack?" Tara spat at her, her eyes glowing with anger."What!" Tanya had been stunned. How could Neil do something like that? "Where is Neil?" she asked."Why do want to know? It is no business of yours..." Tara said in a dry voice, "Just leave as soon as you can so that we may live in peace."

She had found Neil in the study, deeply engrossed in the pack business. He had looked up from the file as she entered, then lowered his head again, ignoring her. "Won't you ask me Neil where I have been?" "Why do I care where you have been with your lover? The only thing which concerns me is that the two of you remove yourself from here as soon as you can," his voice had been icy. "Don't try my patience. Make yourself scarce." He had bitten out, turning back to the file. "What if I tell you that we had been to the coven to find a cure for the curse? That the curse has been removed for good," she had asked hopefully, praying that Neil would believe her and put everything right. Do the honorable thing. He had laughed, a burst of demonic laughter, full of taunt and disbelief and rage all mixed into one. "Do you take me for a fool?" Disgusted, she had thrown the missive down before him on the table. It was a letter from Sabine under the seal of the coven, declaring that the curse had been made ineffective. That had been enough to bring Neil back to his senses. Ray had been officially forgiven for his digression from the pack rules. Like a fool, she had hoped that Neil would also realize how much she still loved him, but that had been wishful thinking. He hadn't tried to stop her even once as she turned to go away. Nor when she carried her bag out to the car or when Ray handed her into the seat, ready to depart for the city. None came to see her go. Neil did not even meet her to say goodbye. Like a fool she had dared to dream and her dreams had been broken by the one who she had loved with all her being. 

Tanya let out a melancholic sigh, shifting uneasily in her seat. "We are almost there. Hang on dear," Ray tried to cheer her up. She forced a smile, trying to hide her pain from him. The only bright spot was that Ray had been made a hero by the pack. Soon, when he returned, the pack elders would honor him. What had she, Tanya, gained out of it? Would Neil even take a moment to remember her?