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Adela awoke. There was... Blood all over her bare self. She wore no clothes, simply covered in bloodstained white fur. How much of the blood was hers, she will never know. Adela felt her face using her claws, though it wasn't her face. It had an acute muzzle, and jagged teeth. There was the taste of metal on her lips. She felt the rest of herself. Several cuts were scattered among her chest and abdomen, and a stab wound on her leg. There was this feeling of disattachment, it was akin to touching someone else and not herself. The wounds caused no pain, the only sensation throughout her body was her heart, racing in place. Her breathing was rapid, and struggled as if she had been exerting herself quite a bit during the past few hours. She looked downwards. Her legs were still running.

Chasing her was an amalgam of enraged individuals. There were commoners, guards, and most notably a man on horseback. Not too far in the distance were the spires of Vesut. Adela felt a tinge of panic, one that betrayed her confident strides on the verdant grasses. Nonetheless, she continued. Much to her surprise, she noticed she was gaining distance on the commoners and traders, who lugged around a few spears and crude blades. Many of them were already beginning to slow to a stop. Slowly, her confidence boosted as each disgruntled man quit the mad chase. Adela tried to concentrate, sprinting at even faster speeds, now beginning to see woodlands before her. She was winning.

Still, the guards continued. They demonstrated surprising agility despite the leather and swords they wielded. No two were alike in uniform or shape. They were mercenaries, hired to protect the assets of Vesut's rich traders. Adela was unphased. She was starting to enjoy this, the mercenaries becoming sluggish and clumsy. Her movements were just as graceful as they had been when she had come to. Swiftly, she pistoned across the soft ground. But it wasn't enough. She decided to run even faster. The guards were astonished by her burst of speed, several dropping out in that instant. The rest simply vanished in the distance.

Except one, the man on horseback. Adela paused her wild run to eye the horserider. It was Zivon. His face, ordinarily quite dreamy, was mangled by several gashes and cuts across his flesh. Though she was quick, the horse matched her speed, with gusto. Hooves clopped loudly against the ground, gaining speed still. They left fresh tracks every passing moment. Zivon had an enraged expression glued onto his face, more upset than all of her other pursuers, combined. He bobbed up and down with the steed's motions, barely able to keep hold. By now, Adela felt faintly tired. She knew she was at her top speed, and it would not be long before the horse caught her. Zivon relished this, starting to become content. The forest was still quite a distance away. But she had little time to spare.

Zivon was a mere foot behind. Adela could practically feel a horse breathe onto her neck. "My dear, you cannot simply flee your responsibility. The people need a queen. A queen like you."

Adela shook her head, still running. "I have no obligation to anyone. You can no longer control me. I am free!"

"Nobody is free. You are so naive. You would rather relinquish your birth right than assume your rightful place?"

"...Ever since my birth, I had no say. That will change. Find yourself another pawn or queen, for I am neither now."

Those were her last words, before she leapt over the brushes of the forest. The vegetation was too thick for his steed to make chase. Zivon watched as she disappeared. There was the temptation to continue his search on foot, but he already had an idea as to where she would go. Clearly, it would be a better idea to hunt her with a squadron of his own men. The beast of Laventown shall not escape, not again. Adela slowed to a reasonable pace. She was safe, for now. The only uncertainty, was what to do now. Her metamorphosis was complete, yet she had not the slightest idea of how to control it. She could not return to Halenzia; not with this appearance, and not without an idea of the direction to head. Nor could she travel anywhere else. The commoners were on a hunt for her, and Zivon would stalk her to the ends of the world. And what had he meant by claiming that she was never human? The more Adela thought, the less she knew. She settled on one thing: finding her answers.

But Adela found little. For days, she had travelled and travelled. Zivon by then had mustered up a considerable force, and led them on the pretense of capturing the beast of Laventown, not Queen Adela of Halenzia. Their efforts proved fruitless. She had managed to avoid capture each time. Sightings increased, but there were no attacks. Commoners reported a snowy, bipedal creature on their lands. The ruining of autumn crops, as well as the disappearance of livestock were correlated with sightings. It was less than a week, and the beast of Laventown had become a legend. Some claimed it to be several times the height of a man. Others said it's fangs and claws could tear through armor. Yet, there were others that said it consumed live infants. None of these claims were substantiated. The final spotting was by a farmer near Aedo, the ancient forest of Castrillia. He claimed to have heard a sharp scream, and promptly ran outside. There was a trail of blood, and one of his traps was missing.

Adela awoke. There was this sensation of deja vu. The bed was awfully familiar. She hadn't slept on one in a while. There was only one reasonable explanation for this non sequiter: it was just a dream. She stood from her bed. First, she gasped at seeing herself. Adela was neither a woman, nor an animal. Her body was entire covered in fluffy white fur. Her hands were clawed. And before her eyes was a long snout. Then she gasped again, realizing were she was. Mounted heads, cramped cottage, a quiver of arrows and bolts. It was Geoffrey's home. In a burst of wisdom, she mindlessly began to stand up, and walk to the door. But before she could make it to the entrance, it swung open on it's own. She silently cursed her own timing. It was Geoffrey at the door. He had his crossbow. She cringed. He smiled at her. "Good evenin', miss Laventown. There are already eggs on the table for you. I hope you wouldn't mind eating before I hand you in for a bounty."

Adela tried to dart out of the house, but was instantly stopped by a tug at her ankle. Looking down, she saw that there was no longer a trap on her foot, but rather a chain. She was trapped, and left speechless.

"Sorry 'bout the chain. It's only because of your tendency to... Attack."

Adela tried to think. There had to be a means of escape from the situation. Doomed would she be if he retrieved her bounty. The 'girl' strained out her words. "You don't understand. I'm not an animal! Please let me explain..."

Geoffrey thought it over closely. He shut the door. His hand was in his pocket. Gently, he sat himself on a chair. "You might be able to talk, but you still have fur. But go on, tell me why I shouldn't cash in on your thousand-Falworth bounty, critter."

The lady thought it over. Could she convince him that she truly was a queen? And that a werewolf, a creature long extinct, had bit her? "...I am actually Queen Adela, of Halenzia. You had me as a guest a week ago... I have changed quite a bit, since... And..."

Geoffrey's sternness turned into a grin. "I know. To be honest, I never planned to claim your bounty. I just set up this whole charade for a few giggles..."

Adela's face was warped by a confused look. "How did you..."

"...Your bite mark is still there. And your voice. You don't need to explain your appearance. I already know..."

"You are absorbing all of this with remarkable ease. Do you know of something I do not?" Said a perplexed Adela.

"I'm sure there's naught I can explain that you don't already know."

Adela ate and drank rapidly. It was not simply a hunger for nutrition, but a thirst for answers. When she had finished, he simply commanded her to follow him outside, and unchained her. She obliged. Geoffrey spoke with calm to the lady, unaffected by her nudity as well as appearance. "There is something I never got to show you, the other day." The walk was eerily quiet. There were no brags, nor incessant tall tales. There was a certain serenity. Calm, peace. No one to chase, trap, or manipulate her. Just the light whispers of wind against wild plants. The melody had grown delightful to her pert ears, the sounds of Aedo softer than those of the more eastern forests. At last, they had arrived. It was a waterfall of beauty. The cliff towered at least fifty feet above both of them. There was the constant splash of water against more water, foam constantly at the end of the fall's drop.

"I'm glad you returned before the winter froze this over. I wouldn't have wanted you to miss this. What do you think?"

Adela was at a loss for words. She had never actually seen... A waterfall before, and never one such as this. Entranced, she approached, sinking herself into crystal clear waters, with a shiver. The water at the fall's base came up only to mid-torso, so she submersed more of herself into the river. Her paws waded through the water, pleased by the relaxation, her knees on the soft riverbed and the partly foamed water up to her neck. He took after her, wading through the liquid, still dressed in his clothes of the hunt. He stared curiously at the nude female, her eyes closed. Being clothesless bothered Adela little now; she was adaptable. Besides, the man could only see a blur of her chest underwater. Then, suddenly... There was a splatter of water against her face. "I'm sorry... I've just never splashed someone before."

Without warning, Adela retaliated with a swift slice of her arm, splattering him in kind. "Neither have I... Until now." Adela grinned deviously. Geoffrey squinted, fully soaked. For the next five minutes, the only noise was the splash of one by another, partially drowned out by the waterfall's own splashing of liquid. The next hour mostly consisted of outbursts of swimming, as well as breath-holding contests. Adela fared well at the latter, but Geoffrey had to give her some assistance with the former. Adela expertly backstroked across the waters, now. "About your earlier inquiry... I do believe this is a wonderful locale." Geoffrey nodded. "My thoughts exactly." The femme's thoughts began to wander off, yet again. This place was delightful, yes, but... She must focus on her priorities. Adela owed much to Geoffrey, but given how many times thus far she had been fooled, perhaps she couldn't even trust him? "Mirabel and Zivon, of the Castrillian Empire, are both pursuing me. I have little option as to where to flee, if I truly could 'escape'. I feel I could trust you... But I must still know... Are you conspiring with them?"

"The tyrant queen murdered my father. I have no allegiance to her." Stated Geoffrey, clear and concise.

"If you are not in league with them, how would you know of my condition? And how would my survival benefit you more than a thousand Falworths?"

"We have similarities, Madame, which I do not intend to elaborate on. I am a man of principles, not Falworths. As for your condition... I will never say."

Adela tilted a brow. "You grow increasingly suspicious, too knowledgeable for a recluse."

"I am certain that, in spite of your distrust, you will choose to believe me. After all, I have twice rescued you."

"...Both instances were blunders on my part, and will not occur again."

"Time will tell. Now let's go. Both this river and this discussion are causing me to prune."

Geoffrey dragged his drenched self from the river. He spent several moments wringing out his shirt, strangling it of water. Adela gave a strong shiver, the rapid vibration splattering moisture all about. She then brushed off the rest of herself. Adela led the way this time, travelling under the fading light of the sun. It was now becoming dark, which frightened her. Naught but malice could be realized under the moonlight. The sky looked mildly gray, a light drizzle falling down. The stars, ever so narcissistic, begged to flaunt themselves on the pageant of the night sky. When they arrived, Adela carelessly sat herself on Geoffrey's bed, while he himself leaned against a nearby wall. The lupine(?) female yawned, sprawling out just a tad more on top of the covers. "I could fancy a nap right about now." Said she.

Geoffrey scoffed. "Given how soaked you are, no."

Adela rolled her eyes and stood upright. After a moment or so of reflection, Adela inquired. "So, exactly how does a lonely woodsman such as yourself... Entertain himself?"

Geoffrey thought it over. "I usually hunt, hike, gather firewood, or the like."

"Hmmph... How dull." Responded she, with a lack of ennui that correlated with her words.

Geoffrey shrugged, and muttered. "Gathering firewood can be exciting at times."

"You are telling me that you never, say, visit the castle, socialize with some of the locals, maybe tell of your amazing feats?"

"Rarely. I may visit to, for example, have my crossbow repaired. I might even enter a tavern, banter with a rather fair lady... Or even more."

Adela's light smile became more pronounced. "...Would I meet your standard of a 'fair lady'?"

Geoffrey knew what she implied. "You have certainly surprised me, yes. And changed in less than obvious manners..."

The lady arched closer, tilting her fluffy ear more in his direction. "So what are you trying to say?"

"You meet my standards, of course."

"Just as I thought. If I may say so myself, you aren't too terrible, either." She winked at the end of her statement.

"How uplifting. Will you quiet already, and enjoy your nap?"

"Not without you." Adela scooted more towards the other side of the large matress, patting an empty spot she left.

He obliged, laying himself next to her, facing towards the female. "Are you now amused?" Asked Geoffrey.

"Good night."

Adela closed her eyes and allowed the darkness of dreams to rent her for a few hours. Geoffrey tried, but could get no such rest. He tossed and turned a few times, but mostly remained still so as to not disturb the lycan lady. He felt uneasy, in a few ways. How much could he trust her? Geoffrey thought, over and over, the same train of thought as he lay there, eyes open but body still. Dead, in a way. It took an hour, before he mustered up the courage to leave sheets. Quietly, he snuck off of the bed, leaving the femme to slumber. It took several moments, the man slowly inching away, before finally standing before the bed, having hardly made a noise. His gazed at Adela for an even longer time than it took for him to sneak away. Locks of honey blonde hair, sapphire eyes more valuable than any of his possessions, as if they were the gem itself. Despite her time in the woods, she still maintained the delicate physique of fine royalty. He brushed away a strand of blonde that covered a portion of her round, youthful face. The hand continued, calmly petting her snowy fluff. Though her fur resembled snow, it certainly had none of the cold. It was warm to the touch.

As much as he enjoyed adoring the lady, he must relieve himself. It will be quick, so much so she will not even notice. Casually, he undressed himself, shoes then shirt then trousers then his undergarment. Then... He walked out the door, vanishing. The door swung shut behind himself. Another hour passed. The door was swung open again. Several men waltzed into the abode, gallant and of course uninvited. To nobody's surprise, Zivon was among them. His cuts were all but healed, even the worst leaving little but faint lines across his features. It would seem impossible that such wounds could heal so quickly, naturally. A couple of armored men were to his sides, Zivon clad in no less than gilded platemail, appropriately. His accomplishes held swords hilted at their waists, but Zivon had no such weapon. He smiled at the sight of Adela, as if the last ripened fruit of the season. "It appears that the brute is no longer present. What a pity. I was hoping we could rid him of our affairs, already." Stated Zivon, who approached the asleep beauty.

"I was hoping he'd be lured by the Falworth bounty, sire. Then we could have just grabbed the beast, offed his head, and done it all in much less time." The guard who just spoke quieted down as Zivon approached the beast of Laventown.

Zivon brought with him a couple of lengths of rope. Using them, he of course bound the still asleep beast. As he tightened, she became half-awake. This alarmed the guards, who of course knew more of the creature's legends than the creature itself. Almost all of them reached for their various blades, each attentive to the prince's actions. "Let us not make panic now, my men. I have handled far deadlier. We will bring the creature elsewhere to hold a private execution."

Hearing his words, most of the soldiers eased themselves. Zivon uplifted the young lady, the insides of her knees atop one of his arms, and the nape of her neck against the other. The beast gave a few, idle squirms in his grasp, apparently asleep again. She was limp in his arms, bouncing slightly with each of her steps. The men watched in awe as he fearlessly and expertly carried off the dreaded creature. They backed away as he left the home, and placed her in a small chariot. "Our task is complete. To the castle!"