Aye the wolf speaks this night the chill tingling my bones,

My travels take me through the darkness so far from the land that I call home.

Yet travel I must upon this traitorous trail

Where the night's visage a scene escaped from the netherworld of hell

Darkened shadows terrifying in the creeping fog,

Eerily cast oh aye this night would be forever long.

But no help, no quarter, no mercy would come,

Indeed I could find myself scavenging, hiding from the morning sun.

It would not do for the Scravens to catch up with me too soon,

And perhaps in answer sparkling misty dew.

I could not fault the beauty a treat here rarely seen,

But this night was necessary; I carried a message for my king.

Only once had I seen him, and then only from afar,

In a coach and six he was riding the window slightly ajar

He had come most quickly hastily passing through,

Only few could boast of this sight, very, very few.

A gust of wind swirling savagely twisting trees uprooted before my eyes,

And a darkness befell the shadows, releasing the owls screeching cries.

I had no lantern for this task I overtook,

Only thing I had was a silver chain, my clothes, and a thick sealed book.

My skirt of sackcloth clung from the gust then settled between my thighs,

Yet I held tightly the book lest it rode the wind in flight.

It meant not the peril, the dangers that I was sure to face,

This mission was mine alone I could not be replaced.

And the wolf once alone now joined by others they're howling in the night,

Lent to the feel that things were , not quiet right.

Knowing their closeness and edging ever near,

The moistness in my eyes told of an unshed tear.

Yet I carried on knowing that I must,

Carrying documents so old and secret covered heavily by a film of dust.

It did not do me to wonder of this book I held in my hands,

I did what they told me, following their dictates and their demands.

A creaking behind me, a sway in the breeze followed by a loud crack,

A huge limb released from a massive oak tree just inches from my back.

A heartbeat behind, or perhaps twas a jump ahead,

Taking deep breaths for it could have struck me dead.

Slow now, steady I cautioned myself, to calm,

Tis much impatience and fidgeting that held to fears alarm.

Only a few steps more I had moved the first drops fell upon the dew,

A slight rain no, no it was much too soon.

I should find shelter; the book should be protected at all cost,

Would not take but one mistake and a kingdom would be lost.

Lady luck smiled through the torrential downpour

For slipping through my rain shed tears I spied a garden door.

Warily I approached for I knew not what lay beyond,

Would that there be human, or a monster that torture the young preyed upon.

High I held my head one hand protecting the sacred book, the other grasping the handle to turn,

No, no, go back, turn back I secretly yearned.

Caution I tried so hard it would be much to my benefit,

Slowly opened I peeked inside and spied a candle already lit.

I saw no one, not a soul was near or around,

Peace total quietness only the rains intense sound.

Dark, yet light, the too seemed to forever blend,

On and on a desolate scene never having an end.

Quiet, too quite but then broken by thunders roar,

And the winds revenge as it slammed shut the gardens door.

Forward I eased ever so softly lest I roused a foe,

Not knowing what lay ahead or the direction I should go.

Then I was spiraling ever downward, spinning like a child’s top,

Holding tightly to the book praying that I should soon stop.

No sign of a hole did I see yet I knew of no other explanation,

Ah but what then would account for this new prickly sensation?

My heart thundered loudly the echo captured by my ears,

Was a deadly wail, the root of all evil, the existence of all my fears.

Aye stop my tumble, nay do not, oh what confusion fought within,

But the choice was not mine. With a bone shattering thud it came to an end.

The book, the book, I had held it so tightly before,

Find it I must for a kingdom would be lost and blood would pour.

Eyes of fire flashed before me; was a creature from beyond death,

So close to me it was that I could feel its rancid breath..

A fearfulness took hold me, not one, nor two, but more, lots more,

And run I could not, for I had fallen through the earth’s core.

A boulder held fast before me and I knew that I must get behind,

An eerie wail, then another and another, they were invading my mind.

I shook my head furiously I must dispel their thoughts,

Somehow they knew I was here but I knowing I must not be caught

And I began to crawl with much pain given to me from the fall,

Ah surely there were broken bones but my heart said make no sound at all.

This pain was nothing compared to their plans for me for now I knew,

I failed. The book was in their hands and now they had me too.

A heart wrenching scream passed over my lips as skeletal fingers clawed my skin,

Eyes all around shot their fiery flame and with rotting flesh I had to contend

I felt I was being ripped apart, piece by piece, limb by limb and oh such pain,

Knowing I must escape their clutches but I could not let the book remain.

I feel the flames as my soul is taken and I hear the echo of its retreat

I scream, Never have I felt this ache, never such intense heat.

And the burn, the feel can never be described, for the pain is much to real,

But as my soul distanced itself from me I no longer hurt , I ceased to feel.

I had now become one of them and I forgot my purpose

No longer was my mind on the book, my life or the earths surface.

Just a mindless mass of human flesh joining the Keepers lost souls,

Yearning for nothing no dreams, no hopes, nor any other goals.

It doesn’t matter anymore, nothing does and I don’t see why it should,

Without a heart, without a soul, there is no life nor anything good.

What avenue of escape is the right choice for me? Perhaps there is none.

If there is its an unknown shadow And my miserable existence has only begun.

Lightning crashed thunder roared and inside the earth we shook,

A raging wind blew ancient dust and at my feet fell a book.

Lifelessly my gaze stared, but before I could kick it away,

A deep voice echoed the darkness and I left it where it lay.

“This is my world, my darkness, in this hell you do not belong,

Pick up that which you brought with you, remember your life and be gone.”

I shook my head to clear it as a fierce pain clawed my chest,

As I picked up the book it all came back, my life, my hope, my quest.

Captured in a savage whirlwind I was transported above ground,

I was floating now and with a gentle breeze I was finally set down.

The book I held tightly, and I inhaled a very deep breath,

So fresh the smell, so very different from the underworlds death.

I must hurry now for I had no inkling of time that had passed,

Instinct told me though that I had to make it fast.

My fear was no longer the Scravens but the Keeper of time lost,

I must get this book to the king no matter what the cost.

The wolves were gathering now, aye their howl was growing near,

My pace picked up, looking left and right, I felt an uncontrollable fear.

“Nooo,” I cried , “I’ve come to far and been through much,“ but to late,

They were upon me as I neared the castles gate.

I was surrounded I could not move forward nor reverse

From the pages of the book flowed words to lift the wolves curse.

At one time a knight he had been the best in all the land,

A curse was placed upon him by the witch of the Scravens renegade band.

Then all the wolves stood tall, his men that fought by his side,

Each bowed before me, I’d never felt such selfish pride.

Inside the castle the king honored me with much silver and gold,

For the safety of the book and a story never told.

The book was full of curses, spells, and many evil deeds,

It spoke of kingdoms, and lives lost , through murder and greed.

In his possession the book would be safe, and no one would ever know,

That his kingdom had almost been lost by the ill winds blow.

“Callie, oh Callie, do wake up the king is coming through,”

“Why I thought you would be excited,” I smiled to myself, she hadn’t a clue.

I had met the king personally my riches hidden so well,

And someday I would use them but for now it’s a tale I cannot tell.

I never knew Master wolves name but he winked as he rode by

Then came the king in his carriage and I let out a deep sigh.

I had been on a quest, almost lost my live, and journeyed through hell,

But the sad thing was, there wasn’t a soul I could tell.

©) Cynthia Clark