The Unhappy Heart (Book 1 of The Wolfheart Trilogy)

5. The Wolf

When Hugo and Andrea reached the house, the soldiers had already left, and Harriet was standing on the steps waiting for them. A small frown creased her brow and her eyes were thoughtful.

"Well?" inquired Hugo, placing his hands on his hips. "What did they want?"

Harriet's frown deepened. "They asked a peculiar question. They wanted to know if we had had trouble with wolves. 'Wolves!' said I. 'I have never even so much as seen one while I lived here'. I then remembered the wolf you saw yesterday, but I didn't mention it otherwise they might have questioned further. I didn't want to have to tell them about Andrea being here. Some people don't take well to Earthians."

"Why would they be asking about wolves for?" asked Hugo.

"I don't know. I'm just as curious as you are about the matter." She looked around and sighed. "Something is happening. I sense it in the air. Something is stirring...awaking." 

Andrea glanced at Hugo, but he only shrugged. Clearly, he was used to the elderly woman's strange talk. 

Harriet sighed again. "I'm going to start cooking the noon meal. Hugo, I want you to go to town and tell the dress maker about Andrea. She's a sensible girl and knows how to hold her tongue. Tell her I want her to make Andrea a couple of sets of clothing. I'll get her measurements and give you a note to take. Alright?"

Hugo nodded and went off to saddle Fergus. 

Andrea followed Harriet inside. Leaning back against the wall and crossing her arms, she watched as the older woman took a basket off the shelf and began searching through it. The questions were still hammering her mind and finally she could stand it no longer.

"Harriet, what is it you are not telling me?"

Harriet looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"

Andrea shrugged. "There's something you are not telling me, and I know it. What are you hiding from me?"

Harriet sunk slowly down into her chair and studied Andrea thoughtfully. "Come here, child" she said after a moment, beckoning to her.

 Andrea went to her and Harriet took her hand in her own. 

"As you will remember, I told you Anruens and Earthians often pass through the Doorways of the Worlds. What I didn't tell you was that they rarely find their way back. No one knows what opens the Door and so only those who go by chance can do so. It is extremely rare for the door to reopen for them. Your stay here may be permanent, Andrea. The Door may not open for you again."

Andrea stared at her, her mind numb. She found herself slowly pulling away and felt something wet trickle down her cheek. Permanent? It seemed so harsh and unreal. And somehow her belief of it all being a dream had lost its reality. She was stuck here. It was real after all. But then another thought struck her, hitting her harder than Harriet's words. She mumbled something unintelligible and Harriet glanced up, questioningly.

"I said it doesn't matter," snapped Andrea. "They won't care. They won't miss me. But it doesn't matter because I shan't miss them either."

She swung around and fled the house. Behind her, she heard Harriet's distressed call, but she didn't stop. Perhaps fate called her. Or perhaps it was simply her following the footsteps of the past. Whichever it was, Andrea found herself within the forest, lost and alone.
Filled with anguish and a deep bitterness, she screamed until her voice was hoarse and her throat was raw. Sinking to the ground, she hugged herself tightly and rocked back and forth.

"It's okay, Andrea," she whispered softly. "It's okay. Come on, pull yourself together, girl. You'll be okay. It will be fine. You'll be okay."

A twig cracked behind her and she swung around. A wolf, stood less than ten metres away, watching her cautiously. Andrea froze, her sorrows swiftly forgotten. She was well aware, she had nothing to defend herself with and was completely helpless, should the animal decide to attack. She was also aware that the wolf's pack could be quite close. She had heard once that wolves didn't commonly attack humans, but this wasn't Earth. Who knew what the beasts here were like?