Book of the Hidden (6 page)

     
Vivian could not help herself, she placed a hand on his hairy shoulder. Maybe she could decrease the pain, just a little. She concentrated.
Take the pain away, take it away, cast it aside.
He stopped moving but continued to shake as though he was chilled. She thought it may have worked when suddenly he howled jumping up on four paws throwing Vivian onto her back.

     
A hand braced her arm pulling her to her feet. Jean was still shaking her head. "You tried Viv, that's all you could do. He's going to have to learn how to deal with this."

     
"He didn't ask for this...." She watched as Seth laid back onto the floor burying his nose between his paws.

     
"Did we?"

     
Vivian wrenched her arm back, and sat down next to the whimpering wolf. She slid her hand down his back moving up to scratch his ears. Soon he fell back asleep there on the floor. He would change back when the sun rose and to keep him warm, Vivian covered him tightly in the blanket. It would be a difficult transformation, but maybe he would learn to live with it and love all the magic with this new world.... Like they all did.... Or maybe he was too different from any of them and he would only want to return to his human world. How could she blame him? His mortal life had been taken. He was pushed into this strange world. If her mortal life had been more like Seth's, she would be resentful too.

     
She tore her eyes away from the sleeping wolf to the window. A full moon shone brightly against the black sky, a spotlight on them. On the night of a full moon he would have no choice but to turn into a werewolf. If he challenged the change, it would be worse; torture in fact. On the night of a full moon he had to submit. It was the only way.

     
Returning to her room, Vivian crawled into bed. A cool breeze made its way through the small opening in her window, chilling her. She pulled the blankets around her chin thinking more of Seth and the girl that had destroyed his mortal life. Astrid needed to be taught a lesson. That was the last thing she thought of as she drifted off to sleep.

     
Days passed by in a funny haze as Seth tried to get use to their ways. The first morning he was hit with the many different smells from the kitchen. On the many rows of long mahogany tables were dishes of berries for their fairies, centaurs, and elves, blood for the vampires, potatoes for the witches and wizards, and much more. Even meat for the werewolves. Seth was hesitant about eating the raw meat dripping with blood, but after wincing for the 50
th
 
time he had decided to try. He ate two slabs that morning, and drained it frequently with a silver goblet of cola. Each morning Seth had begun to cringe less from guilt. Vivian did not understand, because even humans ate meat. It became clear one morning when he leaned over the table to tell her as a human, he was a vegetarian. A vegetarian werewolf…. She had choked on her tea from laughter, and Seth laughed with her.

     
Vivian walked down the hallway, knocking on a door. No answer. She knocked again. Still no answer.

     
“Akia has gone to visit her family,” said Jean from behind her.

     
She fell forward slightly, banging her head on the door gently. “And I didn’t get the message, why?”

     
“Ummm…. Forgot?”

     
Vivian turned around chuckling. “Thanks a lot."

     
"I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner."

     
“It’s okay. When will she be back?” Vivian asked.

     
“No idea. She didn’t tell us.” Jean said.

     
“So for the time being, no more savings.”

     
“Right, but to let you know on a different note, that a message has been posted."

     
Vivian furrowed her eyebrows thinking. "About what?"

     
"I can't believe you forgot. Well, for that you can go and see for yourself."

     
A messenger board hung up in the circular room. Late one day it announced the 150
th
 
birthday ball for the late Maeve. It was what every creature all year looked forward too. Even the centaurs who usually had their minds to the stars, would celebrate the day.

     
“Who will you be going with?” Vivian stretched out on Jean’s bed watching her trying dresses on with a wave of her hand.

     
“Flint,” another dress covered her, a blue one with ruffles.

     
“Flint? The fairy? Are you crazy?”

     
Jean rolled her eyes, swishing the dress side to side. “No, I’m not.”

     
She raised her eyebrows.

     
“He can be human size. He’s a little taller than me when he is, and he’s really sweet. Anyway, who are you going with?”

     
“I don’t think I’m going. I might go over to mom and dads.” Vivian replied.

     
Jean changed her dress again to a silk purple that went below the knees. “What? You never miss the ball!”

     
“I know….” Vivian twirled a loose thread from the comforter around her finger absentmindedly.

     
“Why don’t you go with Seth?”

     
She laughed. “The wanna-be-human?”

     
Jean laughed too. “You like him Viv, and it’s clear he likes you. This is the yearly ball, it’s a big deal for all of us here, and you deserve to have fun.”

     
“He won’t be here for long, what’s the use of starting anything?” She waved her hand over the thread, and it pulled itself back into the comforter like new.

     
“Ask him - “

     
Jean was cut short by a soft knock on the door, and she pushed aside a slot for the peephole, and ran back over to her excitedly. “It’s Seth.”

     
Vivian shook her head frantically, mouthing the word ‘no’, but she had already opened the door.

     
“Hi Seth, so nice to see you.” A smile seemed to be pasted on her face.

     
“Yeah… You too… Um… Is it okay if I speak to Vivian alone? Please?”

     
“Absolutely.” She swung on her heel, the smile still plastered to her face. “See ya Viv.” And she left, shutting the door behind her.

     
Vivian sat up suddenly uncomfortable. “What’s up?”

     
Seth took a seat next to her sitting rather rigid as though he was uncomfortable too. “I got you this,” he placed in her hands a light gray and black rock that shined mysteriously on its own. It had a leather string running through it to hang over her neck.

     
She smiled biting her lip, and running her thumb over the smooth texture.

     
“What’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?” He looked at the necklace worryingly.

     
“No, you didn’t, don’t worry. It’s just that…. Do you know what you just did?” Vivian questioned.

     
“This fairy, Flint told me, handing a girl an unusual rock means courtship or something. It’s the old way of doing it he said.”

     
“He was right….” A thought occurred to her. “How do you know Flint?”

     
“Jean-“ Seth replied.

     
“Jean,” she laughed. She knew her sister had something to do with this. She gave her the opening to what she knew she wanted.

     
“Hey, Seth, you know about the ball right?” Vivian asked.

     
He nodded, a smile curling about his lips. “Will you go with me?”

     
“I might….” No use letting it be too easy for him.

     
"Good enough for me," he smirked.

*
  
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The night of the ball Vivian and Jean stood in front of the large mirror in her room. Vivian wasn’t use to seeing herself so fixed up. She usually wore jeans with gaping holes in the knees, and a t-shirt that barely survives, but this night she wore a dark blue dress that barely swept the floor with long flaring sleeves. Her hair was left down cascading down her back. She still wore the necklace that Seth had given her the night before, not having taken it off.

     
“Not bad,” Jean smoothed down the front of her lacy purple dress turning to see the backside.

     
“Not bad at all. But your hair!” Vivian ran her hands over the bouncing curls leaving it straight and shiny.

     
She felt her hair, and nodded approvingly. “Good work Viv.”

     
"I wanted to thank you."

     
"Thank me for what?"

     
"For Seth."

     
"Anytime sis. Anytime."

     
A knock announced the arrival of the boys. With a wide excited smile Jean opened the door. There stood Flint and Seth. Flint stood tall, with shoulders back. He had dark brown hair that laid in a mess on top of his head. His blue eyes were bright and alive, and he wore a silky silver gown with matching pants underneath.

     
“You look great.” Jean touched his shoulder feeling the silk.

     
“It’s odd without my outfit or wings.” He shifted uncomfortably.

     
She looked over to Vivian, “we’ll see you two out there.” She winked as she linked arms with Flint, and exited the room.

     
After a short silence, Seth spoke. “I’m no good at this.”

     
Vivian slid her arm through the crook of his elbow. “Neither am I."

     
They walked out to the circular room. Strings of golden lights hung around the walls lighting up the dark. Soft music of violins and pianos, she recognized as Maeve’s, played seemingly out of thin air. Even Vivian, who had seen this done once every year, had grinned broadly taking the beautiful sight in. For her, this never got old.

     
Every creature was dressed in their finest clothing. The centaurs with dark colored vests the green matching the forest outside. The fairies looked as though they were dipped in glitter, they shined and sparkled brightly as they flew around dancing in mid-air.

     
Vivian looked sideways at Seth, enjoying the drop of his jaw. She took his hand swinging him onto the floor where the chairs used to be. Vivian laughed as she twirled him around.

     
“Ummm…. I’m not too good at this,” Seth confessed as he tried to regain his awkward balance.

     
She took his other hand. “It’s customary to dance.” It came so suddenly that she felt comfortable. Maybe it was the atmosphere, or that she was finally becoming comfortable around Seth. Not once had she thought about him wanting to leave.

     
“Yeah, but I was always awful at dancing,” he then tripped over his own feet.