Weaving Tales

As Poem leaned into him, the big man practically purred. He nuzzled behind her ear and settled into storyteller mode. Honestly, Sparhawk was a little nervous. He was going to divulge his past in the form of a scary story. Ro him, it was scary. To her, it might not be.

Lowering his voice, he began. "Once upon time, many, many years ago, there was a demon who lived in our world in the form of very big wolf. He was the worst kind of demon and held no regard for lives of mortals. This demon and his demon family ravaged coastline and town where the snow always falls. They steal women, children, strong men. They leave old and useless to die alone." Sparhawk felt that old pain and shame rise to the surface. Her could barely believe that this was what he had once been.

"For years there is killing and stealing and slavery. The demons make very many profit from the wolves that they sell. Demons live like kings. Life cannot get better for the demon man. Every day is rape, pillage, enslave and repeat. And then..." his voice became softer as the fire began to burn low and he held the woman closer to him, more for his own comfort.

"And then the mighty demon, he slaughter a whole family because they refuse to bow before him. Their blood paints the floor and walls crimson." Memories flashed through his mind and before he knew it, tears had begun to well in his eyes. He kept the sorrow from his voice though so hopefully Poem wouldn't notice.

"As demon leaves, he sees a small form hidden beneath a fur. Thrusting the fur away, the demon is confronted by the form of a small girl pup. 'You kill my family' she say, defiance in her eyes. There is something about the girl that bothers the demon. 'You took everything from us. I hope the gods take everything from you.'" Now Sparhawks voice became lower still. "Then girl takes out father's hunting knife and takes her own life even while the demon pleads for it not to happen. The demon hold the child as she dies and is covered in blood. Is changing point for demon."

"Demon finds his demon family and they know something is wrong. He tell them, 'What we do is wrong. We must stop!' The demon man tries to free the caged slaves. Seeing that he has lost his mind, the rest of the demons hit the demon man and put him in cage too. His own family sell him as a slave. He live for years, serving as slave. A just and righteous punishment, he think. Much abuse and many scars under his fur, the man sees how evil he was."

"Then suddenly, he is free. Master is dead. All slaves go free. He had choice to make, but it is easy. He will never again be a demon. He will never again be evil. He will only bring good. He will only bring happiness." Then his voice stopped. There was a thick sorrow within him. He couldn't tell her that he was the demon. Had been the demon. And yet he still needed her to somehow know. Sparhawk buried his face in Poems ruff at thre back of her neck, not yet ready to let her see his eyes.