An Allarian Werebeast in Gelda

“Hush,” said Fred and led the tired and worn lass down towards the nearby village of Cheney. He quickly found the Inn of the Battered Vixen but didn’t like the looks of it. He passed over the Pub of the Slaughtered Lamb as well as the Hostel of the Hot Loon. But when he laid eyes on the House of Yore, he knew he would stop there (besides his feet hurt already). He paid for two rooms and took the woman to hers. “Listen, you rest awhile. Later we’ll talk.” She nodded weakly, entered, and closed the door. Fred, meanwhile, entered his room (which was adjacent to hers) and quickly fell asleep on the soft bed.

He awoke later to the sound of animated conversation next door. Fred, the ever-curious fellow he is, put his ear to the wall and listened. He distinctly heard the voice of the lady he had saved only hours before.

“I’m going completely crazy” he heard her say.

Then there was a pause and Fred strained to hear her companion, but he heard nothing. Then he heard her speak again.

“What?!?”

And so the talking continued. Fred could distinctly hear the woman’s voice, and he knew she was having a conversation with someone, but he couldn’t for the life of him hear the other person’s voice.

“Warn me?” “Shut up!” “C’mon, what are you doing here, really.” OK, you’ve seen me, now go away.” “I understand alright, get out now Chrissy.”

Atleast now he had a name to the quiet one, Chrissy. He strained again to hear, but this time all was quiet.

Later that evening Fred knocked on the woman’s door. She opened it and smiled. He noticed how sad that smile seemed. “Uh…hi,” he said, not knowing what really he should say. “How are you doing?”

She looked him up and down and said, “Better.”

They walked to the kitchen-halls of the inn and ordered dinner. “I’ll have a steak, well-done, with yams, peas and a beer,” said Fred. “I’ll have a salad, some carrots mixed with radish, and a glass of carrot juice,” she said. Then they sat and looked at each other. After a while of uncomfortable silence Fred began. “Well, uh, my name is Frederigo, but most call me Fred.”

“Uh, well, folks call me Deedee, but my temple name is Dierdree.”

“Temple name? I didn’t know they followed that custom here in Gelda.”

“Uh, they don’t. I’m from Allaria, near Usher Hill in the east.”

“Well I’ll be,” said Fred. “I guess I’ve been so over-worried about what happened to you I didn’t even recognize that you didn’t have an accent!”

“You worry about…me?”

“Well, uh, sure. It’s not every day that I run into a damsel in distress, I mean…what happened out there? Who threw you over?”

The girl noticeably grew red and slowly answered, “Nobody….it was an accident. I…uh…was reaching over…for…some flowers….and I….fell over.”

Fred knew she was hiding something, but what? He decided not to press her too much. “Well, uh, I’m glad you’re safe now.” Before he could say another word the tablewench brought over their plates. Fred devoured his meal with gusto, while Dierdree poked at hers. “What’s wrong?” asked Fred.

“Nothing, its just I’m still trembling inside from the fall. I need to… use the…ladies room, please excuse me.” And with that she got up and left. But Fred sensed the tension, he decided to follow, at least until she entered the ladies room. But he pressed his ear to the door…just in case.

Again he heard loud voices…well, not exactly voices, only one…the one belonging to Dierdree. But she was definitely talking to someone else.

“Leave me alone!” “No, you’re not real.” “I know, into a monster.” “I think I’ve lost my mind. I think you’re not real. I think you’re part of another bad dream.” “I’m awake? So what?!!?” “I don’t care, now get out of my way, my nose needs powdering!”

Again it grew quiet and Fred moved away…in part because a burly woman with a mean disposition jabbed him in the gut for eavesdropping on the women’s room. He returned to his seat and waited for Dierdree. When she came back he smiled and hoped she’d talk about Chrissy, but she didn’t. So he decided to try and open the subject.

“So, do you have any friends here in Gelda?”

Well, no. I had one, but she’s gone now.”

“Oh? Moved away?”

“Sort of.”

“Back to Allaria? Or maybe moved south to Califie?”

“No, not there.”

“Ghana or Gana? What about MalBoncton?”

“No, you don’t understand. My friend is dead, she died over three weeks ago. She’s gone now.”

Fred felt like a heel. “I’m…sorry, I didn’t know, I thought…”

“Look, let’s change the topic. Y’know, sometimes I feel like Chrissy hasn’t even left my side since she died, but she IS dead and that’s that. Do you feel like dancing?”

Fred was stunned, shocked, flabberghasted. This woman from Allaria had been talking to an imaginary friend?! And one who had recently died?!!? “Uh, sure, dancing sounds good.”

They left the inn and went to the village Green where the Pole had been decked with boughs of ash and oak and ribbons that trailed from the pole to neighboring tree limbs. There was already lit three different fires and many couples were already clicking, tapping, swinging, and rounding. The music and the dance helped relieve Fred’s worry about this strange woman, besides, she was one helluva dancer. By the mid-night, with their bodies drenched in sweat and mare’s beer, they decided to call it a night. They strolled the brick-strewn lanes until they reached the inn. Once upstairs Fred bid Dierdree a goodnight, but she pulled him into her room and whispered, “I don’t want to be alone…” He gladly obliged her, and stayed the rest of the night.

The next day they walked about the guilds and the shoppes, they looked and jabbed and traded a bead or two. They lunched at the Hawke’s Cream Store and waded down the Fillipe’s stream (only to be picked up by pony-cart and brought back upstream to the village main). It was a fantastic day for Fred, it was a fantastic day for Dierdree. And then came the night. They called up room service to Fred’s room and planned an in-door festival all their own. When the tablewench brought up the grilled river-fish, lemon and yams as well as the breaded eggplant, carrots and celery, she bid them a goodly night and a festive Full.

“That’s right!” said Fred cheerfully. “It is the full moon tonight and these Geldans treat it like a holy day!” Dierdree smiled and kissed Fred on the cheek. The night continued until second hour when the moon arose above the Fabian Hills. Even as Dierdree lay atop Fred he could feel her body temperature rise. She tensed then, and a soft groan escaped her lips. She reached for her head as if in pain.

“Are you alright?”

She screamed then, holding her head. She rolled upon the bed and fell over onto the floor. Fred was at a complete loss. Then he was in complete shock. He could see her skin tighten and her bones tremble. He was no longer focusing on Dierdree, but upon her body. It looked as if it were possessed, as if it were engaged in some unholy dance all its own. She was on the ground settled on all fours and her back seized up, growing longer, more horizontal. Her arms and legs stretched and realigned themselves. Her hands and feet lost any hint of human shape, curving out into thick paws. Her ears moved upwards along her skull and then elongated into the fluff of a rabbit. When she raised her head, she was no longer a woman, but some ungodly beast. And then Fred knew, Fred realized if even too late…she was a werehare! And then the creature stared at Fred, and leaped with open jaws and expectant buck teeth. And Fred was dead within merciful seconds.

1. Fred was dead! But being half-eaten by a werebeast meant he was undead and doomed to wander the earth until Dierdree herself was killed. Fred's first act as a "DeadMan" was to meet Chrissy in the flesh (so to speak) :)

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