Maia

None of the characters are meant to represent any person living or dead. None of the places are meant to represent anyone or any place in existence or not. All of this work contained herein is my own brainchild, and of my own creativity. Please do not copy to another website without my authorization. Copywritten: 2001 by John Francis

Yes, it is a cheezy title. Yes, I do need a new title. The original which I still have would take to long to post since was written entirely on a typewriter.

The cold frosty air blew through the bare trees. Winter had arrived in Slandarus. Laughter issued through out the otherwise silent morning. Louder than the voices is that of two children who’s voices could be heard echoing throughout the leafless forest. "Maia! Race you to the ford!" called one of the voices.

"You’re on!" another voice shouted slightly high than the other.

Gleefully the young pair leapt over boulders, felled trees, and small streams as they raced trying to beat the other to Birch Ford. Maia pulled ahead of the boy as the couple reached the end of the forest. The boy noticed how he was falling behind and did his best to try to speed up, but Maia was to far a head and too fast for him to keep up with and he had to admit his defeat. "You know Coulure next time you challenge me to a race you might want to think of some way to not lose so pathetically," the girl Maia said.

Coulure sat down at the bank of the partially frozen river and shivered as the sun, once again, was covered by the overcast sky. Looking up he looked at his friend and wondered how he had made friends with such a girl. Her hair cascaded down her head, covering her ears with her dark brown hair. Maia met Coulure’s gaze and he quickly looked away staring out into the middle of the icy blue river. "I’m just not cut out for racing," Coulure said and then thought, ‘At least she is not better than me in everything.’ But in truth she was.

Coulure had been friends with Maia since they had met when they were little older than five years old. They had stuck together through the period in which both sexes lost interest in the other. Instead of losing interest in each other they grew closer, if they hadn’t they would no longer be friends. Many of their peers had ridiculed them for being friends and he and Maia had no friends but each other. Coulure threw a pebble out into the middle of the river and it cracked through a piece of ice and splashed into the water.

Maia sensed that Coulure was upset and sat down beside her friend. She wished she wasn’t so good at everything but she couldn’t help it. Her mother had told her once that she should be herself always and never try to be anything more or less. If she did it would all be a lie. So Maia never hid her various skills and many times a day her abilities would cause her male peers to cry. She felt this was one of those occasions, the only difference is that this was Coulure, her best friend. Maia put an arm around Coulure’s shoulders and just sat next to him not knowing what to do. "The river looks so peaceful," Coulure said blankly, and it was, for the disturbance caused by the pebble had waved out.

Everything seemed to be at rest in the late afternoon of winter, the wind blew warmer air from the south and the trees rustled a bit, not violently, but peacefully and natural. Maia bit her lip at what Coulure had said because of the lack of enthusiasm and the sound of depression. "Come, Coulure, we should get back," she told him and got up.

She began to walk back towards the forest, and turned when she was a few feet from the tree line. Coulure hadn’t moved at all, he still sat there looking into the river as he had before. "Coulure! Come on! It’s getting really late!" she shouted and then turned on her heel and headed back to Slandarus.

In that moment Maia felt a slight envy at Coulure, and she realized that she would give anything to be a normal girl and not have such abilities that she could be described as ‘unlady-like.’ If she had a choice at being normal and having a normal life with a normal friendship and a normal family, she would hand in all her abilities. However, she was far to proud to think about it anymore and continued on her way pretending that she did not know that Coulure wasn’t behind her. Then she entered Ishr Forest.

The darkness of night began to slowly descend upon the area surrounding Slandarus as late afternoon changed to twilight. Maia dodged and ducked her way through the wintry deciduous forest with surprising ease. Her ability to navigate her way though the forest always surprised her, but now that she was going through the forest back to Slandarus she found that she had gotten off course. Whether or not it was by her own free will or not, Maia continued on towards her destination. The wood around her began to become more familiar as she got closer to the estate. It was confusing to Maia about how she could recognize every tree and plant, she was not quite sure whether it was her natural ability or if it was because she had grown up in Ishr. Feeling not one bit worried about Coulure getting home for he knew the way from the river to the town better than she did. Taking a short respite Maia looked up into the sky and determined how much time she had before she had to be back at the settlement; it was enough. Increasing her pace she ran through the woods quickly jumping over dead logs, ducking over partially felled trees, and dodging rocks. She passed right through a point in which was engraved into her head as a fork in the wood; the left led to the settlement, and to the right, the estate. After continuing on a little farther she came to the estate. It was a house not big or grand, but small, noble, and quaint. The little cottage was made out of fieldstone and oak, but was almost completely taken over by vegetation. Stopping her run she walked towards the house on the path of slate. Among one of the plates of slates was a small white daisy, a rather uncommon flower and even more uncommon to see in the winter when snow was sprinkled across the land. Kneeling down she picked it and walked the rest of the way to the front door of the house. Stopping in front of the heavy oak door she reached out and ran her fingers over the stone letters next to the door. They were cracked and falling off, but Maia knew perfectly well what they said, "Baalsar Estate." She slipped the small daisy into the decaying letters and moved her hands to the door in order to push it open. The heavy door budged slowly and Maia slammed her weight against it. With a groan the door swung slowly open on the rusted hinges and the familiar wall in the front of the house was revealed to her. Everything was so vivid in her memory; the small coffee table in front of her with a long dead daisy inside a clay vase, the coat and hat rack made from wrought iron and beginning to rust away, the small kitchen with the stone floor which was hot in winter and cool in summer, the itchy wool bedspread on top of the bed inside the bedroom, the way the sun and moonlight shone forth through the ancient window panes. Slowly entering the house she walked through all the rooms that were in her memory, she could remember exactly how everything had been when she had lived there. Walking into the small bedroom she stared down at the bed with the now moldy wool bedspread and thought of everything that had happened there. She had been conceived in that bed, although she did not know about it, and born in the bed as well. The memories flashed into her head and she grabbed at her head as they came in violent flashes. Memories of the beginning of her life, the short part of her life she had been with her mother before she had been taken away from her. The memory not there was of her father whom she had never even known since he had died a few days before she had been born. Falling on to the bed she cried unabatedly into the pillow. The flashes became less violent and warmer and loving as she remembered the happy times she spent with her mother before she had been murdered. The times when her mother had begun to teach Maia her skills. Not one time in the brief years had her mother ever shown signs of sadness. One thing that troubled her was not remembering the name of her mother. Maia failed to notice the growing coldness as the sun finished it’s daily setting and the moon had risen and soon she was asleep completely exhausted by the memories, and it was not until much later that she awoke in the darkness of the bedroom.

Maia cursed with every word she knew as she found she had fallen asleep. "I’m in deep shit!" she yelled quietly.

Getting up she ran through the hallways to the door and out barely remembering to stop and pull hard on the door to close it. Luckily, the night was not that cold, unluckily, it began to rain. The tall trees disappearing at the tops into the dark, rainy sky intimidated Maia. Trying her best to remain calm she headed to the closest path so she would not risk getting lost in the dark. When she reached the path she saw torchlight in the distance. Feeling ashamed she headed toward it and in the front of the group was Mr. May, her benefactor. Grabbing her arm he dragged her with the help of the other men back to their house in town. "What in Hell were you thinking, you dumb ass?" he yelled as they walked into the house.

Maia said nothing, but someone else did, "Honey! Leave her alone."

Mrs. May hurried to Maia and took her to her room and locked the door. Maia’s clothes were dripping wet and soggy. Mrs. May ordered Maia out of her drenched clothes and placed Maia’s nightclothes on the bed. Handing a towel over to Maia, Maia rubbed herself dry. "Now darling, you are cold and tired. Get into your nightclothes and go to sleep. I will come in the morning to see you. Goodnight Maia, sleep tight."

Maia did her best to acknowledge but the shame she was feeling was too much and as soon as the door closed she sobbed heavily. Pulling her nightdress on all she could think of was the amount of trouble she would be in with Mr. May and the rest of the village. They were the last thoughts she had before she fell asleep in her bed.

"Maia, dear, wake up! Or you will be late to school," Mrs. May said, shaking Maia gently awake.

At first the figure completely covered in black cloth startled Maia. Too asleep to wonder about Maia got out of bed and prepared for school. School was a normal, boring everyday event for the children of the town. They studied everything from history to arithmetic and everything between. Maia abhorred being locked up in the school building while the adults ‘taught’ anything to their diligent students, which Maia was not. Instead she could be running through the woods and enjoying the wind against her face. Maia walked out of the house and walked detachedly to school. She did not notice the pair of eyes looking at her from the cover of a bush at the edge of the forest.

Shana paced back and forth in front of her cave, growling inconspicuously. It had been a long time since she had been human, and now she knew she would never change back. However, last night she had heard the screams of a child, a child she knew all to well. For it had been over this child that she had lost faith in the human race. And had then been completely seduced by the wolven part of her mind. Her fur bristled and she decided it was time to meet her, and she left the secluded cave and began running towards the civilization she had ran from long ago.

The Hellish school day was finally over and Maia walked solemnly away from the one room school building towards the tent where the other students of her age congregated for lunch. Maia had not seen Coulure in school today, but she paid little attention to that. After all she would definitely meet him at lunch. Lunch was served under an outside tent. The tent was, however, reserved only for staff, cooks, and the food. The children had to sit out on the grass whether rain, snow, sleet, hail, or anything. While they were eating lunch the older students were getting to school, while the younger students had a full day taught in the mayor’s house. This was the only shared attribute Slandarus shared with other small towns, a lack of income. Slandarus was independent mainly because who would want it. There was no benefit in holding the land. So, because of that, Slandarus had the weakest economy in the land, and had to build everything from local materials. Unlike other small towns was the large amount of children with a low amount of parents, some were like Maia, orphans. Other children were bastards made as a result of adultery or rape, or any other type of sexual engagement.

Maia did her best to push through the throng of students surrounding the lunch table; after all she had waited four hours for this moment. The food that was served was little sustenance to the budding adolescents that consumed them, mostly meager meals of a salad and potato. At home everything was different, somehow the parents had managed to hoard food for themselves and others of the adult generation. Maia always found that strange, it was if something had happened that none of the children knew about that prevent the adults from trusting the children.

Having received her salad and potato she moved off towards her corner near the forest. The salad disgusted her, she had once found a poisonous green inside of it and many of the kids were not in school the next day, or ever again. Her and Coulure had there own spot mainly because if not there would be plenty of fights over turf. Their spot was secluded from the rest of the children because overgrown plants surrounded it and the children were afraid, deadly afraid, of the wildlife. Most of the parents had drilled stories of the supernatural and demons so relentlessly into their charge that they never came within fifty yards of the forest. There was one particular tale that originated in the town about a half woman, half wolf that guarded the forest. If any were to enter it recklessly they were eaten. One day Maia had convinced Coulure to enter into the forest. That was when the problems with the other students started, Maia’s strength, stamina, and courage outmatched even the bravest boy in the town.

Maia was called out of her reminiscing by jeers from a group of boys beginning to surround her. Over the years Maia had learned that when the male counterpart of the human species began to congregate there would be trouble. One particular incident, which occurred several months ago, involves boys throwing stones at her. The teachers knew it was happening, but did nothing. Although she was nimble and agile so could dodge them, whenever one hit her she got angrier. When the boys ran out of stones and began to retreat, Maia just threw the stones back at them. Then the teacher came and slapped her and sent her home to be beaten by Mr. May.

By now the boys had completely surrounded her and Maia knew her options. In this case it was better to go down fighting then trying to escape. Even though she was confident in her strength being superior to the boys around her, but not all at once. As the circle of boys began to condense and Maia saw her last chance of escape eliminated as they locked together. Maia was afraid, for the first time in her life the boys were working as one, for one common goal, and that made them dangerous. As they were about to start their attack, an angry snarl sounded from behind Maia. It was not the snarl that made the boys jump, it was the location; it was from the woods. Suddenly a figure jumped into the circle right next to Maia. As the figure came to a halt they saw the wolf. From inside the animal a deep growl reverberated throughout the body. That growl changed into a snarl. The snarl was so viscous, so malicious, that the boys fled. Maia heard a voice, "Run child, run!"

Maia ran like an arrow to her house and the wolf chased the rest of the boys and spectators.

Shana had simply terrified all the school-goers. She had not had so much fun in years. After chasing them to her heart’s content, she headed straight after Maia. When she arrived at the house Mr. May was standing outside with a rusty throwing spear. "Hello Shana. It’s been awhile."

"Indeed," Shana growled.

The look that passed between the two was cold as steel. "Last time I saw you was… let’s just say you were not quite so animal, whatever could have happened to you that would cause such distrust in the human race humm. As it seems. When was the last time you were human? All those years ago, or when the plan failed?"

"Shut up you miserable worm! You are the reason I lost faith in the human race," Shana growled furiously.

"I have never figured out what my sister saw in you and your friends, and not to forget her husband! Whatever happened to him anyway? Died protecting his wife and child? HA! I really do not think one of THEM would stick around long enough to die for another’s conflict," Mr. May retorted.

"Do you always show such disrespect to your elders and betters. By the way, if you were half the man he was you might not feel so inclined to beat and rape your wife because of her infertility. And furthermore, you wouldn’t be beating you ward, Maia, because she is as free-spirited as her mother!" Shana screamed.

"As if you didn’t know already that is why I beat her. Shana, my sister’s free-spirit was what caused her death, all I am doing is disciplining Maia so she won’t run off like my sister did!" Mr. May answered.

"Listen you! I am not here to talk to the likes of you, now where is Maia!" Shana growled.

"I told her to get the Hell out of here!" came a voice from behind them.

Shana whirled around to face the newcomer; the figure was completely covered in black. "Finally! Someone who has compassion for the poor girl!" Shana said. "Where did she go? Mrs. May I must find her!"

Mrs. May looked into the eyes of the ferocious wolf and answered, "She went to the place where she lost them sometime ago."

Shana began charging towards the woods. "NO! Shana! You will not get your way! I will not let you tempt the child!" Mr. May screamed as he readied the throwing spear.

"No!" Mrs. May screamed as she jumped between Mr. May and the retreating wolf.

Shana looked back in time to see Mrs. May slump to the ground with the spear impaling her through her chest. Without wasting any time Shana charged at Mr. May. Leaping into the air Shana lost all her senses as a human wolf and her mind merged into the wolf’s. Now she could kill, maim, torture, or anything she wanted to the man without regret or remorse. "Shana! Please! –Coff-" Mrs. May cried, "Please don’t kill him." Mrs. May finished gasping for breath.

Shana let go of Mr. May and jumped to Mrs. May’s side. Mrs. May was pale and Shana knew she was not going to live long. "Shana! Please keep Maia safe for me."

Shana could feel her once familiar power surge in her soul and she felt the transformation begin. In a second the real Shana was kneeling beside the injured woman. "I will protect her with all the power I can."

"You’re beautiful," Mrs. May commented still staring at Shana’s naked form.

"I must go, I wish there was something I could do for you. I owe you my life. If it were nor for you I would have died with no faith in the compassion of the human race," Shana answered, Mrs. May smiled and coughed once before lying still, "Be at peace."

Shana screamed as her bones twisted again and knew this was the last time and she would now be the wolf forever. And for the first time she felt regret in giving up her form. As the transformation ended she charged headlong towards the estate.

Maia put a hand on the tree and leaned against it, gasping for breath. ‘It was so strange,’ Maia thought, ‘First the wolf and then Mrs. May, they both told me to run. But where am I to run to?"

And from what.

The only place Maia knew she could be safe at was the estate, but she also knew that would be the first place they would look for her. At first she was confident that the estate would remain anonymous to them, but the other night was proof enough that they knew where they could find her. Maia decided it would be best to head in the general direction towards the house so if anything were to happen she could use it as a last resort. Losing all conscious thought of the woods around her Maia lost all sense in the abilities she did not need and used it to hone her questionable attributes. Quickly the trees passed and the clouds moved in. Maia failed to notice the sky until she was little less than a mile passed the estate. She knew without a doubt it would be storming soon. Turning around she ran posthaste towards the house hugging her satchel straps to her. Before she even saw the estate the clouds opened and poured rain down on to her. By the time she had made it inside the house the dress she was wearing was soaked as was her satchel of clean clothes given to her by Mrs. May. Heading straight to the bedroom, taking the wet clothes off of her body and out of her satchel hanging them up to dry. Then she climbed underneath the moldy blankets on her bed. Maia let the warm dry sheets envelop her in heat and she drifted off to sleep under the thrall of the pit pattering of the rain on to the roof.

She woke up when the evening sun hit her face as it shone through the panes of glass in the window. It was early morning and Maia could feel the chill of the cold winter breeze. Pulling the blankets out of the bed she wrapped them around her and took the first step onto the cold floor. Even wrapped in the blankets the wind seemed to be able to move through the folds and abuse her naked flesh. Maia silently cursed herself for hanging her clothes so far away from the bed, most of the clothes were still damp, but her the leather hide tunic, which had been her mother’s, was dry. Maia had rarely worn this tunic before because it had been made for a much taller and womanlier curves than Maia had yet. The tunic was also inappropriate for her to wear around the city as it would don her the name of barbarian. As there was nothing else to wear Maia slipped into the tunic and tied it around her waist with a belt, she finished by pulling on her boots and socks.

The world suddenly darkened as something blocked the light shining through the windows. Maia turned quickly to the window, but it was not quick enough for the sun’s rays shone directly into Maia’s eyes. She covered her eyes with her hands temporarily blinded by the brightness of the sun. in that one short period she was caught. Unable to fend off the attack from behind with her hands, she instead turned to kicking the offender. Maia let out a fierce cry as the attack squeezed her wrists painfully together. She had no idea of whom or what had attacked her because it was still behind her. She could feel it’s hot breath on her neck and smell the putrid odor coming from it. Her body was now a couple inches from the ground, it was not until it was completely satisfied that she was caught did her speak, "My, my! Dear girl stop struggling so much! If you don’t," the man continued throwing her on the bed, "It would be all the more fun for me, after all I enjoy causing pain and death... but for you it would be more painful than pleasurable."

The man advanced towards the bed and crawled on top of Maia. Maia knew this man was dangerous and he wanted something from her. However, Maia was naive in the ways of adulthood as the kids of the city were. She had been under the same roof as a man that rapes his wife and she had not even known it. The man’s hand began roaming all over the leather tunic. "Ahh! I remember this little outfit," he said, now moving his hand underneath the tunic, "So, mother like daughter. The only difference it your father had her before I did while you are still fresh for the picking."

The man stood up and began undoing his belt. Maia got ready and right when the pants dropped she kicked hard straight into the man’s unprotected groin with her boot. The man screamed and lunged for Maia. Before he reached her he doubled up in pain and stopped short of where Maia had been lying. Even if he had made it back to the bed Maia would still have been long gone. Right after losing consciousness he screamed a curse at the fleeing girl.

Maia had shot off the bed like a bat out of Hell. She was not about to wait around to see the ‘kindness’ that strangers had to offer after she use ‘that’ tactic. As she charged through the hall she flung herself against the door throwing it open. She was going to fast to react to the steps and tripped, falling just short of an arrow. Maia did not have time to think before another arrow shot towards her. She did her best to evade the flying weapon but she could not get out of the way. The arrow struck her in the shoulder. Not wanting to be hit again she ducked and crawled as fast as she could for cover. A tree was the best she could come up with for the moment, but she knew that sooner or later whoever was shooting arrows at her would come and finish the job. But in the mean time she could focus on her wounded arm and her predicament. The arrows stopped raining around her, but for all Maia knew, whoever was attacking her was still waiting. Maia was conflicted by not knowing what to do.

"Damn! Why does this little bitch have to be such a problem for me."

The man shifted uncomfortably as he watched the place where Maia had disappeared. He quietly restrung his bow and fitted an arrow shaft onto string and pulled it taught. "Where is she?" asked a man behind him.

"Shut up! She’s hiding behind one of those trees. Now don’t you scare her!" the first man whispered harshly.

The second man knelt down behind the other man in the shadows of the forest and they waited for Maia to show herself.

Maia had heard voices, however, she had not been able to get a fixed location on them. The pain from the arrow in her should was enough to make her uncomfortable. She knew that she had to move and get back to the house. Looking out slowly Maia glanced towards the general direction the voices had been. If it were not for her keen hearing she would not have heard the speeding arrows. "Shit! They know where I am!" Maia cursed.

Maia wished she had been more careful because the moment she left the cover of the trees it would be hailing arrows. Unknown to even her pursuers was the giant wolf running as carefully as she could through the forest.

Shana was desperately worried. Maia was out there alone, and although Shana knew Maia was quite capable she knew there were people after her. As one atoned to the forest Shana could tell something was wrong. The trees and plants were screaming in pain and terror as a daughter of the forest was attacked. Shana was now speeding up her pace and did not slow down until the back of the estate appeared among the green foliage. It was there, Shana could smell fear and blood on the air. The smell was thick and dense in the air. Now Shana slowed down taken by a new urgency, the urgency to protect. This feeling Shana felt could be compared to that of a natural born shewolf. Any wrong move Shana makes would cause her death as well as Maia’s.

The shape-changer silently cursed as she realized she could not go through the house. Shana did not know how to approach the front and she sat down. Looking at the vine encrusted façade of the back of the house, she reverted her instincts to her wolven instincts. She licked at her paws and sniffed the passing breezes. As a human her senses were dulled, but as a wolf Shana’s senses were added to the pure hard animal instinct of the wolf. Her senses could pick up anything in the vicinity. On the breeze she could smell the scent of three men and a girl. The scent of the three men made Shana growl, for the stench of hate that filled her nostrils made her sick. Then the smell of Maia made her cry sharply and howl; she was hurt and afraid, and she was being hunted like a dog.

Maia grasped her shoulder. The bleeding had stopped but the arrow remained deep in the caking blood. She looked up at the sky, the sun was behind the house, spreading shadows across the forest. A plan began to form in her mind, a plan that would get her safely back to the house. The sun that was still shinning was blinding her attackers and providing shadows for her escape. It had been awhile since Maia had heard any noise from them, but she could still sense their malice. Deciding it was as good a time as any Maia began speed to the front door. By the time she was half way there arrows began raining down around her, and at that moment she remembered the man she left lying in the bedroom. While arrows came down, Maia decided she could more easily deal with one man than two with arrows could, and then ducked into the door, slamming it behind her.