The Bet

Catherine's POV.

Everything was blurry, gripping my bedsheet tight, my heart beating fast, the darkness overshadowed my vision.

“I will come get you,” that word echoed in my ears, and I gripped my ear tight.

The darkness in the form of a human approaching me, all of a sudden a wolf appeared, howling, which made the darkness vanish.

“Arhhhh," I screamed out, panting back to life. These were the dreams I have twice a year.

I looked around my room. It was daytime already as the darkness receded, bringing lightness to the world, the cock began to crow.

Still panting about the nightmare I had, I quickly realized, my mom will leave the house soon and I might not get the chance to see her in the next two weeks.

I flared up, realizing I quickly rushed out of my bed, not thinking about my dream because it was more or less a part of me. Luckily, I met her about leaving.

“Mom… mom,” I shouted, making her pause and turn back.

“Oh, you are awake, daughter,” she said, pulling my cheek.

“Mom, when will you be back?” I interrogated her because she was a traveler. She could travel for days, and it was so boring without her.

She was the only one I talked to because of the discrimination and isolation the villagers caused among us.

My mom and I are extraordinarily different from all of them. We had purple eyes that were attractive, white hair that glitters like gold, with skin like milk and pink rounded lips.

This made them isolate themselves from us, which they called us “witches.”

But mom taught me not to care about what they say, but sometimes I wondered why we are different from the rest.

“I promise not to be long today, and moreover, I'm coming home today,” she responded, smiling.

“Oh, k, mom, I want you to help me get a new brush to paint,” I pleaded with my magical eyes.

“Oh, stop using your glittering eyes on me, I will, dear,” she replied, touching my cheek and letting out a smile as she unlocked the door behind her, moving out.

“It's time to start painting some pictures,” I whispered to myself, scratching my hair, which covered my eyes as I blew it backward.

I went into my room, got dressed, put on a blue gown, went to my mirror, put on my silver necklace, and put on my earrings, which matched my hair color.

“I'm so beautiful,” I said to myself in the mirror, smiling, and I was lost in thought.

I will soon be eighteen, and a custom rules this village. At eighteen, I need to get married to someone my parents approve of.

Otherwise, I will be prosecuted by the law, and in two months' time, I will be eighteen and have not seen any suitor seek my hand in marriage because all of them are the same.

They are afraid of my looks, thinking I'm a witch.

Lost in thought, a wind blew into my room, making me come back to the right direction.

I stood up from the mirror, grabbing my painting materials.

“Let's go drawing,” I said to myself as I moved out of the house.

I walked out of my compound surrounded by flowers on which butterflies lie, making it bloom.

Moving outside, different comments started immediately I stepped outside. They began to tap themselves, making gossip about me. I started hearing distant voices.

“The witch, oh poor girl, no one will marry her,” I felt less worried about what they were talking about because I'm used to it.

I walked towards the mountain, climbing up. After reaching the top, I let out a huge sigh of relief.

I climbed the mountain, brought out my painting brush and board. I wanted to draw the morning moon. I didn't care about how my eyes would be affected.

After a few minutes of drawing, as the hot sun bit me, I felt a little weak.

My gown was full of different layers, which gave my skin some chance not to be bitten by the sun, at the same time the heat.

“Puff, I'm done,” I uttered to myself, adding the last coloring to my drawing.

“Such a beautiful drawing,” a voice behind me said.

I ignored the voice because no one except my mom commented on my painting. I guess I was hallucinating.

“What a beautiful drawing,” the voice repeated behind me.

This time I knew I was no longer hallucinating as I turned to look at who was behind me.

I sighted a tall man with black blonde hair. He looked like a young gentleman as he stood at my back, holding a book in his arm, his face expressing amazement.

“Oh, thank you,” I said, turning back to face my painting.

“Will you ignore a visitor?” he questioned.

“No… uhhmm… I'm sorry,” I replied awkwardly. "What does he want from me?"

He then forwardly came to sit down beside me as he looked at the sunshine, using his hand to obstruct the light.

“Have you seen something like this?” he asked, showing me a book. I quickly grabbed it, viewing it well.

“The Moonlight Exist” was the title on the cover.

“Do you know how much I read werewolf books and how obsessed I am with moonlight?” I said with happiness expressed all over my face.

“I do read it too. I'm so much obsessed with the moonlight, the sacred place where they pray,” he said, letting out a sigh.

“How I wish I could go on an adventure to find out if it really exists and take pictures,” he added with sadness all over his face, making me feel sad for him when something struck my mind.

“Why don't we make a bet?” I said, smiling.

“Bet about what?” he questioned, anxiety written over his face.

“I will go look for the moonlight if it truly existed, and I will paint a picture of it,” I said as he showed a sign of interest.

“So how am I going to pay you back?” he replied with eagerness.

“You will have to marry me,” I said sharply, and I tried to take my words back because I was anxious about what he might say.

“Of course, who will resist someone like you?” he said, touching my hair, inhaling me. I wanted to blush, but throughout my whole life, no man ever said that.

“Deal then, I will meet you up here tomorrow and tell you if I'm still going to go,” I said, and he nodded in agreement. I let out a sigh of relief.

I can't wait to prove to the villagers that I will have someone propose to me and escape any form of law stuff. We continued talking, and I shared my experience about the villagers.

It was evening, and I needed to go back home to prepare a meal for me and mom.

“See you later,” I smiled while telling him as I also grabbed the book from him.

“I need to go through this,” I said, walking away, bidding him goodbye.