Chapter 4: Crazy Ideas

Hazel sprinted through the market, trying her best not to knock over baskets of produce. Behind her, William and his gang of idiots were getting dangerously close to her. She began muttering prayers to the gods.

Please don't let me fall, I'm begging you.

Her mind flashed back to the man she had just slammed into.

The Beast of the woods.

She had heard about the man ever since he moved to a cottage deep in the forest about two years ago. But as she tried her best never to be outside in the night and made sure she locked up and bolted her doors and windows every night after her encounter with William, she had never met the man.

She, for some time, hoped that she would see the monstrosity of a man which the night traders always whispered about but he seemed adamant about his refusal to come to town during the daytime.

Until today.

She shuddered, remembering his dark, glaring eyes, and how, for that brief moment in which their eyes locked, it seemed as though his had bored straight into her soul. And that towering, gigantic body of his, with muscles so taut that when she first slammed into him, she thought that she had slammed into a brick wall.

Why was he suddenly out in the open, after two years of only coming out at night?

What if?

She shook her head as she jumped off a table lined with tomatoes, causing some to fall to the ground, ignoring the curses from the seller's mouth.

He couldn't possibly be out there for a bride. He wasn't a townsperson.

But then again neither was she, and she was literally being forced to become a bride.

As she ran over a basket, she suddenly felt a pair of rough hands grabbing her.

Madam Bussey. Curses.

"Well, well, what evil were you caught committing this time, Hazel?

"

This time? When had she ever committed a felony?

"Please leave me alone!" She struggled viciously to free herself from the tight grip the woman had on her.

"Let me guess, you were finally caught in the act?"

Hazel looked back and saw the men panting and still running towards her, just a few miles away. Her head began throbbing and her eyes watered in fear and anger.

"To hell with you, woman! I have never been the reason behind why your husband hates you. He hates you because you are a despicable old hag!"

She snarled at Madam Bussey, whose eyes opened in shock as this was Hazel's first-ever affront at the woman.

"What did you to me, child!" She freed one of her hands to land a slap on Hazel's face but Hazel used that opportunity to free herself. But before she could continue running, another person laid a stronger grip on her shoulders.

"Thank you for your help, Gretchen Bussey, but I would appreciate it if you didn't lay your hands on our soon-to-be bride." William droned.

Madam Bussey's eyes nearly popped in surprise."

She is going to get married to one of our boys?"

William spun her and their eyes met. She quickly looked away.

"The mayor's decision, not mine."

"This witch?"

"You're a witch!" Hazel spat, eyes tearing up. That earned her a knock from William.

"Shut up." He snarled.

He turned to Madam Bussey who was murmuring and frowning.

"Speak up, Bussey."

"I don't like the way today has been going. First, we hear that Eris died last night..."

Hazel gasped as she struggled to free herself from William's grip. Oh no! That damned fool of a man. He had only one job to do for her friend, Gideon and he just had to die before doing that.

"… and then we hear that the beast of the woods is going to select a bride from our girls…"

So… her premonitions were accurate.

"…and now this witch is also going to be part of our brides?"

William laughed. "Again, woman, the mayor's decision, not mine."

"And all this just has to happen on the day that my son is to wed."

What a selfish woman. She wouldn't have cared a bit if her precious little troll of a son weren't to wed too.

"Nobody cares about how the events of the day will affect your son," William said, rolling his eyes and for once, Hazel agreed with him.

He then began to drag Hazel out of the market.

"No, William, please!" She tried to free herself from his grasp till her hands began to ache. All around her, she could hear the jeers, sneers, and insults hurtled in her direction. In frustration, she took a quick breath and jammed her teeth on William's hands.

He screamed and let go of her and she could taste his blood as she freed her teeth from his hands. As he let go, she immediately took off running again but was quickly halted by a vicious punch to her face.

A white sheet enveloped her vision as she fell headfirst to the ground.

......….

The first sensation she felt as she woke up was a sharp, stinging throb to the right of her head. She felt her face and felt a large bump right where the throbbing originated from which was coated with blood and dirt.

She groaned, sat up, and surveyed her environs.

She was in a small, empty room that was bolted from the outside sitting on the bare ground and feeling very uncomfortable. As she looked at what she was wearing, wondering why her nightgown was making her very uncomfortable, she realized that she was no longer wearing her nightgown but a long white gown which was unnaturally tight at her busts. She screamed in realization.

Those vagabonds! They had stripped her! What else had they done to her? She couldn't even bear to imagine.

She ran to the door and began hitting and screaming for help, even though she knew deep down that nobody was coming to save her. After spending about thirty minutes in futility, she sank to the ground and burst into tears.

What had she ever done to get the treatment that she received? All through her life, she had never hurt a fly yet she had been beaten, molested, enslaved, and treated like someone who was less than a human.

All because of her physical features.

She screamed and cried out in pain. She wouldn't let them marry her off, she would rather die than be trapped for the rest of her life with one of those lowly, judging townsmen.

Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind. If she was indeed married off, she could run away in the night. The tears ceased with that thought. She would let them have their stupid ceremony, and then run away in the night and never return.

But to where?

A chill suddenly ran down her spine. She had some money that could last for a while, but what if she ventured into a town worse than this? This town was despicable in its entirety, but at least they thought that she was a sorceress and had left her alone for the most part. What if she went into a town filled with man-beasts like the Beast of the Woods who liked nothing more than forcefully pounding their shafts into young, impressionable women like herself?

She heard some footsteps coming to the door and a sneering William opened the door.

"You really have acted quite intolerably for a woman today, sugar."

She glared at him, her hatred burning in her heart.

"Stand up. The ceremony has started and you need to pen down your name."