I :: The Beast of Chartres

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MORBID BITE

Chapter One: The Beast of Chartres

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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A thick fog covered the road through Chartres to Blois, obscuring the way ahead. A black carriage appeared out of the haze, its four horses moving at speed, their breath creating vapours around their noses. The driver held onto the long reins with gloved hands, his huge black coat covering his entire body, keeping out the cold air. As the horses approached the edge of the forest they slowed down, reluctant to enter. All four animals began to back up forcing the driver to whip his arms harder and let out a low grunt on annoyance. They began to pound their hooves, the horses at the front shaking their heads and backing up more than the other two. The driver whipped the reins again, urging them forwards but he was met with stone statues.

"Why have we stopped?" a male voice yelled from inside the carriage.

"It's nothing sir," Pascal muffled. He jumped down, rubbing his arms and pulling his hood further over his head. He smacked the horse's haunch but still got no response. He sighed and ran his hand along the lead horse's body as he walked around to his head.

"Come on boy," he whispered into the horse's ear. The animal's eyes darted around in the dark, scared stiff at the monster that lurked in the darkness.

Pascal turned around trying to see what the horse was looking at. All he could see was the road ahead. He pulled at the shire horse's bridle and led him onwards. The large hooves echoed in the gloomy night adding an eeriness to air around the carriage.

Pascal shivered and bent his head around to look deep into the forest that now hugged him on either side. He felt as though something was watching his every move. But as he felt the horses picking up on his nerves, he shook it off and put it down to an over active imagination. He had been the driver for the Novacek family for over ten years, and he had never failed to arrive on time. He led the horses further along the road until he was certain they would carry on without him. He hurried back to the steps and began to heave himself back up to his seat. When he heard a twig snap; this time he was sure it was not his mind playing tricks. He unclenched his hand from around the metal rail and headed towards the sound. He stared intensely into the woods certain there was something lurking in the mist and undergrowth.

"Hallo," his gruff voice leaving an echo in the air. There was no reply, so he turned back, convinced it was now his tiredness playing tricks on him.

Annabelle watched Pascal as he strolled over to the forest, his small beady eyes glancing out from underneath his facial hair and hood. He carefully made his way over to the edge of the road and stood there for a while staring at the darkness.

"Annebelle," her father grumbled, his blanket draped over his bony legs keeping out the cold.

"Yes father," she replied her mind elsewhere.

"Do you remember everything I have told you?"

"Yes Father."

She watched as Pascal seemed to yell out into the nothingness, his gloved hands rubbing together. He then came back to the carriage and jumped back up, rocking the compartment where she and her father sat.

"The Baron of Blois, has a passion for Mérens horse - which he breeds on his land. He enjoys dances... Belle, are you listening to me?

"Yes Father."

The carriage began to move again but much slower than before. The trees still merged together in a black mesh of trunks. Belle was terrified about what to expect, at the occasional social dance she would hear rumours about The Baron of Blois; he was meant to be a placid man with huge wealth. The previous Baron had recently passed away leaving his son with a substantial inheritance. Belle could not comprehend why he had chosen her as his wife. She was never the centre of attention at any evening, her sisters would dance and sing, but she would always hang back and let them shine.

"Belle this is important," her father wheezed, his fingers rolling his gold ring around his thumb.

"Yes Father," she replied, still not listening to him.

Her father's eyes watched his daughter scan the blackness outside, only lit by the dull glow of the carriage lantern, a feeling of dread creeping into his stomach.

"Annabelle!" he shouted, making her gasp at his raised voice.

"Sorry papa."

She leaned forward and placed a delicate hand on his knee. He sighed and rubbed his temple with his thumb and forefinger.

"Belle. Our financial problems have not become apparent yet. But as soon as it does it will be impossible to marry you; the scandal will be impossible to damper. Your sisters are happily married, my problems won't affect them but you... I do not want you to be spinster left to care for me in my old age." His tired grey eyes pleaded with her heart strings.

He leaned back into the seat. His frame shrunk as his dull eyes turned to stare out of the small window. Over just a few years his work had taken a turn for the worse and now the decades of hard work were straining on the old man. His eyes had begun to sink into his skull and his once plump physique had shrunk down to an almost skeleton build.

"I know papa. I am sorry, my mind has been elsewhere. It's like a dream come true," Belle said what her father wanted to hear.

She hated seeing him so weak and she did not want to break his heart as well. She was worried about who her new husband was. Belle was by no means unattractive, but she felt as though she never shone as brightly as others, she was too mild and shy. Whenever her sister Adele would brush her hair, she would tease her for her brown mouse coloured mane, always comparing it with her blonde hair. Alisha with her chiselled features and brown curly locks that never frizzed like Belle's own curls. People said she was a mixture of the two, but whenever she looked in a mirror she would see a dull brunet too nervous to peer up through her fringe.

A howl pierced the silence that lay between her and her father.

"Papa, what was that?" she said, swigging her leg around to look out of the window.

"Probably just a stray dog." He gestured with his hand but did not sound convinced. He tightened his hand around his sword and slammed his fist against the wall of the carriage, urging the driver to speed up.

The horses began to whinny and rear with fear, which made the carriage halt and jerk to the side. Belle grabbed onto the seat to steady herself. Her father pulled out his sword, but it was shaky in his wrinkled hand.

"Papa!" Belle screaked, as she noticed the fear in her father's eyes.

"Stay here Belle."

Her father pushed open the door and walked out into the night.

A growl vibrated Belle's gut and she cowered into the corner, her breath staggered. Ripping sounds mixed with the horses' shrieks and a man's scream erupted around her, cutting into the night.

"Run!" the driver yelled before a gurgling sound erupted from his torn throat.

Annabelle leapt out of the carriage in time to see her father raise his sword in defiance of...a monster. Its red eyes glowed like the ambers of hell and huge teeth protruded from its humongous jaw. It dived at her but was stopped by her father who threw himself into its jaw.

She screamed, as the monster sank its teeth into her father's shoulder.

The thing jerked its head at an unnatural speed to look at her with those evil eyes. Its mouth was covered in the blood of her father and Pascal, it growled at Belle and began to move towards her, its huge clawed feet scraping against the hard ground.

She fled. Her feet pounded against the frozen earth. Losing her shoes, the uneven ground scarred her bare feet. She headed for the trees not turning to look if the monster had followed her. The fog clung to her body and obscured her vision. She ran blind in the forest hearing her heart pounding in her throat. Running for what felt like hours the adrenaline pumped around her body, giving her the strength to carry on. Her foot snagged in a root leaving her sprawled across the forest ground. She lay there for a moment still and shocked. She listened to the silent woodland. Tears fell from her eyes as the memory of her father's dead body appeared before her eyes. Her body gave in to her tiredness and she did not move just letting her grief win.

Then she remembered her father's bravery, as he sacrificed himself for her. She screamed into the ground and pushed herself up. She stumbled through the darkness, searching for any sight of humanity. But for hours she walked in circles, disorientated. Her brown hair was a mess of tangles and twigs. Her face had cuts that were bleeding down her cheek.

Just when she was about to stop and rest the sun began to peep through the trees, a blue haze settled over Belle's world. She hugged herself, shivering and scared. Belle slipped as her feet scraped against a rough surface. She breathed a sigh of relief and sat on the ground. Before long she heard the sound horses' hooves.

"Help me...please," her voice was weak but to her it sounded like thunder.

The horse galloped around the corner. The man who rode it, wore a tricorn hat which sent a shadow over his face. He slowed down and came to a stop next to Belle. He jumped down and put and hand on her shoulder.

"Mademoiselle," his voice was soft, and Belle felt herself relax into his arms.

He helped her up, taking off his jacket to place it over her. Before he could continue to acquire about her state. Belle felt her eyes close and the blackness over took her.

She fell into the gentleman's arms, the exhaustion too much to bear.

Belle's head rested on the man's leg, her long brown hair a mess covering his knee. He stroked her face moving the hair away from her delicate features. He peered down at her as he carefully placed his arms under her knees, picking her up from the cold ground. He looked unstrained as he placed Belle over his horse. Then he jumped on in front of her and trotted back the way he had come.

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Chapter one!! I know this is quite similar to the prologue but I wanted to have some parallels. If you see any problems please tell me. Comment, vote and I really hope you enjoyed it.

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