The Pearl Fox

The Heart Ring

She scooped up ruby runes and placed them in a box made of crocodile teeth. The maids left an hour ago after dressing her and fixing her hair. A starlet of fire and her sacred animal was a stag. If she belonged to the Blue Path faith, which she wasn't, that would've just limited her to being in the woodlands, feeding birds and baking pies in The Grass House, and barely doing anything exciting or pleasurable. She was grateful to be part of a wizard family. It annoyed her when Marek, her so-called beloved husband, often told her daily horoscopes based on the Blue Path zodiac. If Marek was supposed to be her guide, he brough her nothing but a stick. Marek was getting old and his magic was soft and brittle as his athritic bones. For twenty years of their marriage, Charsine had given birth to five children, three sons and two daughters. These children were all deformed individually from one another, as each stone is unique as another. She blamed her husband for this. At thirtyeight years old, she appeared youthful still, and her soft skin glowed warm as honey. Her flowing thick red hair had just a few minor strands of silver but it gave it a metallic beauty. Her body was firm, shapely and supple, despite baring children and drinking a lot of wine.

It was a number of years since she last ever saw her old friend Blood-Rose, who moved back home to Moondome. She used to miss her a lot but now she didn't. Charsine attended regular annual hunts. She also attended the special Wild Hunt and during those, she was as dreaded as her fellow hunters. These southern Wild Hunts occur sparingly and most of the time in the wilderness during the late hours. The only rule of the Wild Hunt is to kill anything in their path. animal and human, and they will eat whatever they've killed. Blood-Rose, who introduced Charsine to this blood sport, now lived in Moondome, attended the Eastern group of the Wild Hunt. Marek never joins her on any hunt, not even his old favourites. He became more distant from Charsine when he learned that she'd eaten human flesh during a night of rampage in the Wild Hunt.

That day for dinner she sat with Marek at the table. She had a slice of beef, red raw with blood and berry sauce, baked potato with a candied crust, spiced vegetables, fish cakes and finally she washed it all down with black wine.  Marek didn't look at her much, as he often avoided seeing her now. He didn't touch most of his food while dining with Charsine. Charsine was feeling offended and hurt when Marek wasn't eating the beef because it was a bison prize that she killed during that mornings' hunt. She'd killed for this meal. She ordered the black wine from the Island of Starnut. She also made the candied potatoes. Marek knew that, which is why he wasn't touching it. Another mistake of his added to the list. She wasn't going to let Marek spoil her evening anymore.

"I hope you're going to the Moon Supper tonight?" Charsine really wanted to say, Marek you will come to the Moon Supper tonight. Marek looked up at her now, then his eyes fell on the vase of white lillies in the centre of the table. She noticed how often he shied his gaze from her like that. But shy, no he wasn't.

"My dear," sipping the black wine now. "Forgive me that I've chosen to be in my study room tonight. I must turn sulphur dioxide into opals".

She glared at him. "That childs trick? You just need silicon dioxide and water. Or you can create vibrant effects and colours with sulphur dioxide absorbed into an opal. Surely that can wait? Your chemistry is so long. Just please attend the Moon Supper with me."

Marek nodded and sighed. "Very well, dear wife. I suppose that resuming to my work tomorrow will make little difference if I leave it tonight."

She smiled wickedly, and then looked at her children who sat alongside the table, quietly eating. Instead of black wine, the children had fruit water. She wanted them all to go to stay with their aunt tonight, and she thought on it.

The eldest child was Tulip, who inherited Charsine's red hair and blue eyes although she was mute at sixteen years of age. She loved reading books and had little interest in magic. Stem was fifteen, rounded and plump, dark blonde hair and Marek's pale grey eyes. He lacked energy and wit. Then there was Ihro, a lovely boy of yellow hair and brown skin, green eyes and handsome. He resembled one of the soldiers that Charsine once slept with and she was certain Marek wasn't the boy's true father but also on the other hand, he was a deformed boy, club footed and he had four fingers on each hand. Trim was born without any legs, and his hair was wild with orange curls. Even though this boy was always in a wheelchair, he was the sharpest and most intelligent of the bunch. Lastly was the nine year old daughter, Marjet, who had striped skin and a split personality. Marjet often became this secondary persona called Lotta. Whenever this girl went out, Charsine made her cover up in gloves and a veil. Charsine blamed Marek for giving her deformed children, but it had always lingered in the back of her head that some of these children might've been fathered by different men. She took a number of bed partners over the years to keep her company at lonely nights.