The Music Box: Chapter Seventeen

Without stopping, without pausing for breath or thought or reflection, they fled. Through the trees, past friends and foes alike – for not all creatures had taken to Isabelle’s presence this long year – they travelled as one, Isabelle knowing that it was the last she would see of any of them.

She had known she wouldn’t be there forever, but this was never how she had imagined leaving. Her heart was sinking and soaring at once, she physically felt it tugging in opposing directions. She was sad this part of her life was over, but cutting through this was the knowledge that her Percival was with her, was by her side, his hand in hers, his destiny entwined with hers. She shook a little at the sudden sense of power this gave her, trying to shake the thought from her mind. That wasn’t what it was about, it was about fate showing its face, appearing so as to snatch her from complacency.

And love. She knew the word, but had never known the feeling. But this must be it, must be what they meant by love. When she threw herself upon the mercy of the wolves, Isabelle truly did not fear death. The only fear she had was of loss, of losing Percival when she had only just found him. That was the unfaceable fate. This is what drove her and, she assumed, is what was meant when it was said that love would overcome all.

Squeezing his hand more tightly, Isabelle pulled Percival along. She allowed herself the occasional glance from the corner of her eye to make sure he was still okay, still able to keep going. His eyes had a strange glaze over them – most likely shock – but he seemed able to at least comprehend that he must keep moving.

More than once Isabelle could have sworn she heard a crashing sound from further back in the woods heading their way, the sound of bracken being trampled. What she didn’t know was that the trees had been helping them along the whole way, had been closing in behind them, dropping their branches to cover the tracks of the fleeing pair. For once he had realised they had fled Jericho had sent the wolves after them, had ordered that they both be returned. The indignity with which the whole scene had played out was too much for has fragile self-possession to bear.

But the hearts of the pursuing wolves could not have been in it, for Isabelle and Percival reached the end of the forest, racing into the clearing beyond. Not until they reached the very edge of the village did they slow, did they dare turn around. Isabelle saw, from the woods’ edge, the unmistakable shine that belonged to wolf eyes. They would come no closer – for now.

Isabelle knew there would be no future for her in Lower Hetheringwood. Not only was she banished from the forest, but she was unsafe anywhere within striking distance. Whatever happened between the wolves, wherever the Jericho and Aloysius stand-off went, the situation was far too dangerous for her to remain. Isabelle knew the wolves were not the wild, blood lusty beasts of superstitious folk tales, that they really need not be feared provided they were left to their own ends, but she also knew the one thing they could not abide was loss of face. She was sick with the thought of having to leave Percival, but knew there was no other way.

Walking him to a well she often stopped at when sneaking into the village, Isabelle had Percival sit on a nearby stump. She knew that soon the shock would begin to wear off and he would begin to feel the full brunt of his mistreatment. She wanted to clean him up as well as she could before that happened, to have him nursed into as good a shape as she could manage before she left him.

She removed the fluttering rags from his torso, feeling him flinch when they pulled at where the blood had dried. She dipped the part of his shirt that hadn’t been torn into the water and began to wipe his back, relieved to see that the scratches were not as deep as she had first feared. Once the blood was cleaned away, it really didn’t look so bad after all. They really had only been playing, as they could have torn him to shred like a paper doll in a matter of seconds if they had so wished.

As the water ran over his shoulders and down his chest, so it sprang from Isabelle’s eyes. No sooner had she learnt of love than she was having it torn away. She had no family, the wolves had been the closest she had come, and she had no home. She wanted a normal life back and if only things had turned out differently, she could have had one with Percival.