The Dawn of Courage

by Anne Zedwick

  Evelyn had given her the perfect way to destroy Dyret.

  ***

  Dyret broke away from Evelyn and looked down at himself. “I…I’m human,” He gasped. His hair was slightly wavy and so dark brown that it almost looked black. He looked up at Evelyn with soft brown eyes. “I’m human! Oh, Evelyn, I’m human again!” His muscles rippled beneath his black shirt as he embraced her.

  Evelyn laughed and let Dyret lift her off the ground and swing her around gleefully. He hurriedly remembered her weak condition and set her down.

  “So it’s over?” Evelyn asked as Dyret cupped her chin in his hand.

  “I guess so.” He kissed her again with such passion that Evelyn felt like her heart would burst with happiness. He pulled away reluctantly. Sadness came into his eyes.

  “What?” Evelyn’s brow creased.

  “I have to tell you something.” He rested his hands on her shoulders, but said nothing else for several minutes.

  The air around them was warm and a breeze blew Evelyn’s hair into her eyes. She wiped it away. “Dyret?”

  “It’s….it’s about David.”

  He didn’t have to say anything else. Evelyn sat in stunned silence.

  “I’m so sorry…there was nothing I could do by the time I got there.”

  A sob escaped her lips and tears trickled from her beautiful brown eyes like a waterfall. Dyret sat next to her quietly. Evelyn leaned into his comforting embrace. Her shoulders trembled with her heaving sobs.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” He whispered again. His heart broke for Evelyn.

  “Is…is his body still in the swamp?” she asked weakly.

  “No. I brought it back here. I’ll organize a proper burial for him once we get back to the castle.” His voice was soft and smooth like honey.

  Another round of sobs overtook her. Evelyn bent over her knees, squeezing her eyes shut tight. Dyret put his hand on her back gently, hoping to be some kind of comfort for this girl he’d come to love.

  “I didn’t even get to say goodbye,” She sobbed.

  They sat there as the sun went down, the mood of happiness that had been in their hearts gone as they dwelt over the loss of Evelyn’s precious brother.

  Chapter Twelve

  Dyret lay in his bed, unable to sleep in this body that was so strange to him now. He had become accustomed to being trapped in the body of a monster. On the trek back to the castle, he hadn’t seen any of his friends and he wondered if they were human again too. He stirred, restless.

  What would happen now that he was human? Would he and Evelyn finally get their happy ending? He had to admit that he kind of liked the hunts in the middle of the night. He liked the feeling of wind rushing through his fur, the heightened senses and keen eye sight. He would miss all of that, but it was a price he was willing to pay if that meant he could be with Evelyn.

  Evelyn. She loved him. Even though he was ugly and frightening, she saw past the beast that everyone else was so afraid of. She broke his curse. Dyret could never repay her for that.

  Dyret swung his feet over the side of his huge bed and walked to the door. The stone floors of the hallway were cold on his bare feet. The sensation startled him. He’d never been very cold in his beast form. He silently made his way through the halls of his castle and found Evelyn’s room. The door was cracked ajar, so he slipped inside. Her room was empty.

  Dyret’s heartbeat quickened, immediately concerned. Where was she?

  He left her room quickly and made his way down a flight of stairs, when he stopped by a window. He saw a form bent over on the bench, shoulders shaking. The moonlight glinted off Evelyn’s brown hair and Dyret wondered if he should go out there to comfort her. He decided it would be best to let her be alone for a little while. And so, as much as it made his heart ache to see her like that, he turned away and went back up to his bedroom.

  ***

  A week later, David was buried. Evelyn had mourned his death for days now, and she sat staring at the puffy, white clouds knowing that she’d never see her brother again. But she had to move on, despite how much David had meant to her. She knew she couldn’t be sad forever. She had what she wanted. Dyret was human, and they were free.

  She heard a snap behind her, and Evelyn spun around, her yellow dress rustling with the movement. She reached to her side for her non-existent dagger, but sighed when she saw Dyret approaching. He was grinning from ear to ear and his eyes sparkled.

  “Hey, it’s just me.”

  “Yeah…just habit,” Evelyn replied, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile. She brushed back a strand of loose hair behind her ear and stood.

  “I was thinking,” Dyret started, “I know that this is probably a bad time to ask. I know that you’re still mourning.” He wondered if it was a mistake to bring up David when he saw Evelyn’s eyes cloud over with the familiar sadness that had haunted her face for the past week. But he had to continue before he lost his nerve, “But…I…” his face turned a little pink, “I love you, Evelyn. And if you’ll have me, I’d like more than anything for you to marry me.” He held out a small, black box and opened it slowly as he knelt on the garden path.

  Evelyn’s mouth fell open, and the sadness in her eyes disappeared. She stared at the ring that lay inside the box. Its simple gold band was laced with tiny diamonds and it curled and twisted at the front with little strands of gold that held a large ruby.

  “I…” Evelyn stumbled for the right words.

  Dyret stood up. “I understand.” His eyes were downcast.

  Evelyn stopped him with a kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes.” She whispered. “I’ll marry you.”

  Dyret laughed and slipped the ring onto her finger gently. “Oh, thank you, Evelyn!” He rejoiced as he pulled her against his chest and held her there in his strong arms.

  Evelyn pulled away and mocked a cough. “Careful or you’ll squeeze me to death!”

  “Sorry,” Dyret laughed. “I’m just so happy!”

  He took her hand and led her inside, talking about how he would make the perfect wedding for her.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Dyret had walked through his castle five times over and still there was no sign of his friends. Where were they? He could hardly have a wedding without his friends.

  “Hey.” Evelyn’s voice came behind him. “No sign of them?”

  Dyret shook his head. “I don’t understand where they could be… Where would they go?”

  Before he could finish his sentence, the door burst open to a middle-aged man with gray streaks through his black hair. He ran up to Dyret, panting as he tried to regain his breath. His face was strong and square and his eyes were almost black.

  Dyret stared at him with eyes full of wonder. “S…Stephan?”

  “Dyret,” He wheezed. “She killed them.”

  The glint of happiness at seeing his friend disappeared from Dyret’s eyes. “Killed who?”

  “All of them. We aren’t beasts anymore and now we’re weak. I’m the only one left.”

  “Our friends? All of them? Gavin, Jack…?” He sunk into a nearby chair.

  “Yes. They’re all gone.”

  Dyret moaned. “I’ll destroy her.” He looked up with a blazing fire in his eyes.

  “That wouldn’t be wise,” Stephan warned.

  “I don’t care. She’s evil! The world needs to be freed from her treachery!” He dipped his head, chest heaving in rage. His fists clenched the chair, knuckles turning white.

  Evelyn went to him and cupped her hands around his cheeks. She lifted his head, forcing him to look at her.

  Stephan’s eyebrows rose.

  Evelyn said, “Dyret, you have to think rationally. This whole time, my grandmother has been playing with us. Do you think she isn’t capable of killing us too?”

  Dyret stood up. “I am going to kill her.”

  “Dyret… please think about what you’re saying.” Stephan went to his friend and put a hand on his sh
oulder. “I know you’re angry. I am too, but I’ve seen what she can do! She used magic against us. I barely escaped! Truthfully, I think she wanted me to get away… so I would tell you about it. She wants you to come to her! This is all part of her plan.”

  “Then we’ll just have to form a better plan,” Dyret said as he stalked out of the room.

  Evelyn lifted her face to the ceiling and closed her eyes. “This’ll have to be one fantastically better plan.”

  “Sure will.” Stephan sat down and brushed off the dirt clinging to his pants. He shook his head. “But once he’s made up his mind, there’s no changing it. No buts about it. We’re going after your grandmother.”

  Evelyn shivered, despite the warm atmosphere. “Well, I guess we’d better go see how we’re supposed to do that and still get out alive.”

  ***

  Evelyn stepped into the doorway of her little farm cottage. The rooms were silent and things were still a mess. A few empty bottles that held who-knows-what were lying all over the floor. Suddenly, she crash resounded from the kitchen and a loud laugh resonated through the cottage. Evelyn shook her head and walked into the kitchen, her dress sweeping along the dusty floor. Her family—what was left of it—was sitting around the kitchen table, laughing boisterously as they held bottles of ale. The room smelled disgusting. Evelyn gaped at them. What were they thinking?

  “Hey, Ev!” Josh exclaimed gleefully, his speech slurred. “You, uh, wanna join us?”

  Isaiah belched. Her father looked at her with dull eyes and asked, “Where you been, Evelyn?”

  “I…” she stopped herself. There was no point in answering him when he was so far out of his right mind.

  Evelyn shook her head and walked out of the room. Her father followed her out, staggering into the main room.

  “Hey… don’t you dare go ‘way!”

  Evelyn spun around and glared at him. “Like you have any right to tell me what to do!”

  He sobered. “I’m sorry, okay, kid? I know you don’ like us drinkin’…but we was worried about you… didn’t know what to do, okay?”

  He seemed more sober than her brothers did, but she knew he was lying. He wasn’t sorry, and he wasn’t worried about her.

  “I’m leaving,” Evelyn whispered.

  His face was startled. The effect of the alcohol vanished. “No, you’re not. I don’t care how you feel about me. I still am your father and you are still under my control because, last I checked, you aren’t married.”

  “No. I’m not under your control anymore, Father.”

  “What?”

  “I’m marrying Dyret.”

  “What?” He glared at her with cold eyes. “You never got my permission to marry that beast.”

  “He’s not a beast!” Anger rose in Evelyn’s throat. “He’s a person, just like you and me. He’s a person now because I loved him and broke his curse. Nothing you say can keep me from marrying him.”

  “Words aren’t needed,” He said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward the kitchen.

  “Let go of me!” She pulled back, but her father was a grown man and much stronger than she was.

  Her brothers looked up as she was dragged into the room. They jeered at her as she struggled.

  “Wassa matter, little sissy?” Isaiah laughed.

  Why did she have such a cruel family?

  “Why do you even care if I marry Dyret?” Evelyn spat at her father. “You never loved me because I’m not the precious boy that you’ve always wanted. You never loved me or cared about what happened to me. You wouldn’t care if I were dead!” Tears stung her eyes. “Why won’t you just admit it and let me go? Admit that you never wanted a daughter?” Her voice rose.

  Her father stared at her with cold, dark eyes: heartless. He shrugged. “Okay, I’ll admit it. I never wanted you. I wanted another boy and you are what I got. It’s true. I will never love you like I love your brothers. And no, I wouldn’t care if you were dead. But you are still my daughter,” he sneered, “and if I don’t approve of what you’re doing, ‘tis my job to keep you from doing it.”

  Evelyn crumpled to the floor. Her father let go of her arm and she sat there on the floor, trying to hold back her tears. She couldn’t cry in front of them. Not now. Not ever.

  “You are not marrying that man.” Her father said simply. Her brothers stared. He grabbed her hand and led her to her room, locking the door behind him as he left.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Evelyn had said that she’d only be gone for a few hours. It had been a whole day, going on two. Dyret paced. Something was wrong. Did her grandmother find her? Was she hurt? Did she fall into a dark, deep hole in the forest? Is she dead? He stopped himself. It was no use thinking about what might have happened. He grabbed his coat, shoved boots on his feet, and left the castle. He would just have to go find her.

  ***

  Evelyn pushed her food around on her plate. The kitchen still smelled of beer, but at least her family wasn’t drunk out of their minds anymore. The table was silent.

  Finally, Evelyn’s father spoke, “Evelyn, I’m sorry.” He sighed, “I shouldn’t have said what I said yesterday.”

  Evelyn looked up. “It’s what you think. I can’t blame you for telling the truth.” Her voice was cold.

  “Evelyn…”

  Evelyn pushed her plate forward on the rough, wooden table. “I’m not hungry.”

  She got up and went back to her room. Her father had barred her window from the outside and there was no way for her to get out of the house without being spotted. She lay on her bed and closed her eyes, caught up in daydreams of Dyret.

  A few minutes later, Evelyn was dragged out of her thoughts by Dyret’s voice bellowing through the cottage.

  “Where is she? She came here!”

  He’s looking for me. Evelyn thought, standing. He came for me.

  Isaiah stepped in front of Dyret. “Who are you?”

  “I’m Dyret. She came here, didn’t she?”

  “Who?” Isaiah feigned confusion.

  “Evelyn.”

  “She isn’t here,” he lied.

  “Actually,” Josh poked his head around his brother, “she’s in her room.”

  Dyret pushed past Evelyn’s father. He vainly tried to open the door to her room. “It’s locked!”

  Josh handed him the key. He unlocked it, and Evelyn fell into his arms. Dyret took note of her barred window and his brow furrowed. “What happened?”

  “I made the mistake of telling my father that we were getting married and he locked me up in here.”

  He could tell there was something else bothering her. “And?”

  “He doesn’t love me.” She collapsed into his arms and rested her head on his strong chest.

  “I’m sure that’s not true. Your father loves you very much… I’m sure he just doesn’t know how to show it…”

  “No. He told me. He doesn’t love me because I’m not a boy.”

  “Oh, Evelyn. He was probably just…”

  “No, it’s okay.” She looked up at him. “I’ve known if for a long time, just…him saying it…” her eyes got teary.

  Dyret folded her in his strong embrace, unsure of what to say. He stroked her soft hair and they stood there in her room silent.

  Somebody cleared his throat and Evelyn stiffened.

  “Hey, um…guys. Father’s home.”

  Evelyn’s eyes grew wide. “Does he know Dyret’s here?”

  Josh frowned. “Yes, thanks to Isaiah. He wants you both to come out into the kitchen.” He stood there staring at them. He had always gone along with whatever he was told to do. He wasn’t cruel like her father and Isaiah, but he wasn’t very nice to her all the time either.

  Evelyn broke out of Dyret’s embrace hesitantly. She looked up into his warm, brown eyes. “Come on. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  They went to the kitchen. Dyret stopped, but Evelyn kept walking through the kitchen toward the door. Dyret resumed
walking, following her.

  “Evelyn! Get back here, young lady!” Her father called.

  Evelyn kept walking.

  “Evelyn!”

  She didn’t even hesitate as she walked out the door, through the fields, into the forest and toward Dyret’s castle.

  Dyret and Evelyn arrived at the castle just as the sun was setting. The colors of the sunset painted the sky with yellows, oranges and pinks. It cast a golden light on the garden.

  “So,” Evelyn said, like nothing had happened at all, “when’s the wedding?”

  Dyret laughed and took her hand. “Tomorrow,” he promised.

  “But what about my grand—”

  Dyret put a finger to her mouth. “You think that revenge means more to me than you do?”

  Evelyn smiled beneath his finger. “No,” She whispered.

  Dyret leaned down and gave her a quick kiss before opening the door for her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Evelyn woke to the smell of smoke. She jumped out of bed, her bare feet touching warm stone. Already fully awake, she grabbed her knife off the bedside table and rushed from her room. The sight that greeted her eyes was horrifying. The curtains hanging on the stone walls were ablaze. The fire was spreading through the castle, consuming the carpets on the floors and anything else that would burn. Evelyn ran through the corridors to Dyret’s room; he was already up and at the door.

  “What happened?” Evelyn gasped, choking on the smoke.

  “I don’t know. Come on, let’s get out of here!”

  When they got outside, Stephan was there waiting for them.

  “How did that fire start?” Stephan asked in an alarmed voice.

  “We don’t know, but there’s no way to stop it now that it’s so big.” Dyret coughed. “At least the walls are stone.”

  “But everything else…it’ll all burn.” Evelyn gulped in the fresh air, her lungs burning with smoke. She cringed when she moved her arm up to wipe her forehead.

  “You’re burned,” Dyret said, concerned.