While Veronica's thoughts were of Ludwig, He was unable to sleep. He was alone in his dark cave dwelling deep in the woods. Restless; he had a lot on his mind.  Panic stricken, worrying himself. Why would the dark ones send one of the ravens to interfere? That thought was unnerving to him. Why did they send the raven? They did not need to do that, bring in one of their ravens on his watch, without so much as a note or explanation of any kind. He was infuriated at the lack of respect they were showing him. He was confused as to what was going on. He planned to figure it out one way or another. He was mostly furious that the dark ones would just go over him like that, like he didn't matter as if he did not exist at all. They should not have called in reinforcements. 

"Do they assume me to be incompetent? Do they find me a moron?" Ludwig shouted across the empty hollow cave, it echoed long and far.

Did someone set him up? He did not have that many enemies, did he? It was always a possibility, there were psychopathic and demented gargoyles just as there were crazy humans. If someone did set him up, who in the realms of existence could have done it? He began to think of anyone he had known over the last four decades. The first to come into his mind was Melinda. She was a fay witch Halfling he was seeing for a time. There was not a bad break up, their chemistry was not right. It could not be her, Melinda was not that vengeful, and she was actually kind of sweet for being a dark Halfling. No it wasn't her, it could not be. He sat on the cool floor of the cave, thinking a little more. When he needed to figure something out he didn't stop until he could get it solved.

Ludwig held his head down. He liked being Veronica's keeper. He enjoyed watching over her. He cared for her well-being. He needed to think of possible enemies not the mortal that he was to look after. He thought a little longer. There was Herbert the older gentleman, a dwarf. He had the temper of a hell hound with a stomach ache. Even with Herbert's flaming temper, he had no need to seek revenge that he could think of.

 This was really starting to bother Ludwig. He scratched his head with one paw. Then he grunted, aggravated by this situation's possibilities. He began to think over the years. He thought further and further back through his memories. After centuries of living he had a lot of ground to cover. Most of his memories had become a jumble of places, names and faces. He closed his eyes and thought harder than before.

Then a smile spread across the gargoyles dark face. He had an idea of who might be working against him. A name came to him like a speeding bullet. Terrance, his memory hit him like a freight train. He did not think it would be that farfetched to assume that self-involved, arrogant guardian would be behind this. There was not a lot of history between the two of them, but there was enough to cause bad blood between the two of them. Terrance was the over competitive type. The kind of person that was the best, had to be the best at everything and if he wasn't he got even. Ludwig thought that Terrance was nothing more than a spoiled child that had gotten his way too much.

Terrance, if he remembered correctly was also a shifter. That really worried Ludwig. Galderian the raven a guardian to his Veronica. She needed no other guardian. He was always rather protective of his mortals. After looking after mortals they were not just his job or what he was supposed to do. He felt more as if they were a part of him, a connection to his essence. He definitely felt closeness to them. He started to think hard enough to induce a migraine headache. What if Galderian was not his real name? Then he thought, years ago, Terrance had been able to shift better than he could, most likely improving over the last half century or more. Could it be possible that he was the raven?

Ludwig took his job as a guardian very seriously; he preferred that others stayed out of his affairs. He did not care to have anyone meddling in his affairs, not other guardians, mortals or even the dark ones. "If Terrance is behind this, I ..." he trailed off threatening thin air. He vowed vengeance. If Terrance was behind all of this, he would pay dearly for it. Ludwig knew there was nothing he could do about it at the moment. He would wait, be patient. The right moment would present itself in time.

He mentally prepared himself and then he stepped out of the cave and flew off for the night, to check on his other mortals, then to the forest to see if veronica had come out to see him. He enjoyed her company; she was not like most humans. There was just something about veronica, she was selfless, she cared for him and he knew that much. He always made sure to reserve time for her above all of his other mortals. He hoped for her safe keeping, especially with the raven coming around.

                                                                 While Ludwig was making his rounds across the forest, in the town of Galderia, things were full of excitement. Edwin was sitting on the bench in front of his father's store. It was almost closing time, but the town was full of activity. The townspeople were preparing for the summer festival which was the same week his buddy James would be marrying Emily. He was happy for him, and Emily and his beloved Gwen were the best of friends. He was hoping to see her in town today, but so far he had not. He kept watching to see if she would be out here.

"Do you mind horribly if I catch up to you in a few minutes?" Gwen asked Emily and Sarah. The two girls started to giggle.

"Go, we will meet you over by the fountain when you're done, we understand." Emily encouraged her to go see Edwin.

"Thank you so much, I won't be long." Gwen promised. Emily and Sarah walked toward the fountain to let Gwen talk to Edwin. Gwen waited for her friends to go, and then she turned to Edwin.

"I missed you." She told him with a sweet smile.

"I missed you too. I see you are with Emily. She is a good friend. What are you out doing?" He asked out of curiosity.

"We are having girl time before everything gets started with the wedding. The other girl with us is Sarah, another bridesmaid of Emily's. "She informed him. He nodded and smiled at her.

"Good, I hope you girls have fun whatever you're doing." He added

"Thank you, but I will be thinking of you the entire time." Gwen confessed to him.

"I know it." He told her in a teasing manner. She then quickly gave him a kiss before she left to meet with her friends.

Edwin watched her run across to the fountain to be with her friends. Edwin walked back into the shop to see if his father needed any help closing up the store. The rest of the early evening seemed to drag on forever. It was boring, and with Gwen having plans for tonight, he had no idea what he would do for the evening. He thought a few minutes then he went to the back of the store to find his father, George doing inventory.

"Hello father, I was wondering, do you need me at home tonight?" He asked his father timidly.

"You got plans with the girl again?" George asked, assuming that he did.

"No pa, I just talk to her she's doing a girl thing with her friends tonight. I was thinking maybe I would go over to the tavern, to go get a pint, see if any of my pals are out." He looked at his father unsure as to what he would say.

"See you later, kid." George told him. Edwin just had a puzzled look on his face. George shook his head.

"Go on boy, I can finish this place up, go enjoy yourself for a time." He rephrased it.

"Thank you father, I appreciate it very much sir." Edwin replied to his father.

Edwyn then quickly left the shop and headed over to the tavern, less than a half a block away. The only pub for miles was a nice place, enough room to move around the place but not huge or extravagant. He liked it. He had only been in the pub a couple of times. When he arrived, he walked in slowly. There were not very many people in the tavern but it was still early. He chose a spot at the bar, so he could watch to see if anyone he knew would be there. He looked around, at least he was not the only person in here, he thought to himself.

He waited a few minutes for the bar keep to ask what he wanted. He ordered a pint. When his drink got there, he sipped it slowly. Then he began to wonder what Gwen was doing with the other girls this night. He missed her, but he did not want to over crowd her. He had heard most women did not care for a man who won't let them be with their friends every now and then. He liked his own freedoms, but he would rather be having wine with Gwen instead of a pint alone. He always missed her, thought about her or worried about what she was doing. Even he thought he sounded like a nutcase. He sat there thinking of her for so long he barely noticed that he had finished the pint of lager. He ordered another one. The bar keeps brought it to him.

Edwin got through the second one a little faster . Then someone sat down on the bar-stool next to him. He looked over at the man next to him and smiled.

"Edwin, nice to see you out. Mind if I have a pint with you?" He offered as a friendly gesture.

"Sure, that would be great." Edwin graciously accepted his friends offer.

"Alright then, good to be out with a buddy." James told him, glad to have a chance to hang out with him. Edwin seemed to be a real standup guy.

James was having a really fun night with his pal, Edwin. He was glad he had come out for a while tonight. He was glad to see Edwin having a great time as well.

"I guess I should have figured that you would be out here tonight, with Gwen and Emily spending time together." Edwin admitted to him.

"Yes my friend, you're right." James replied, and the two of them had a nice long laugh about it. He took a gulp of his lager, and then he spoke to his friend. "Hey, I am having a lot of fun; we should meet here for drinks more often." James suggested to his buddy.

"That would be great; I don't exactly have a lot of friends".

"I don't have a lot either, besides you and Gwen I mean." James admitted to him.

James and Edwin ordered another pint; they kept drinking, talking and laughing long into the late hours of the night.

While Gwen lay there with her friends before falling asleep, she thought of him again. Perhaps she did love him. She could not think of anything but Edwin most of the time. She could not concentrate on anything but her magic and him. The magic was naturally always there rather she knew it or not. She layer there thinking about how much she really did love him. That was the last thing she thought about before falling into a deep slumber.

.

Veronica engulfed herself in the dark forest, she loved it out here. It felt like another world to her, instead of the woods. She kept walking; it was around three miles to get to their meeting place in the woods, just past the rock formation. If it meant even five minutes with her gargoyle, it was worth every step. It felt like it was taking longer tonight, but maybe she was a little tired? She listened to the owls and bats in the forest; she caught a glimpse of one of the night fares, tending to whatever his job might be. She knew it could not possibly be that much further.

She was the first one to arrive, most of the time she was. She did not mind waiting for him. She liked to watch him fly in. He did not always but when he did it seemed to empower her magic, though she did not know how. She would figure it out when she was meant to. She stared at the endless night sky as she waited for Ludwig to meet her. She hoped he would be there soon. A half hour went by and he still wasn't there. She wondered what could be keeping him. She had begun to get restless. She wondered if he was going to be there tonight or not. She felt a disappointment like never before. It physically hurt her.

"Where could he possibly be?" she asked aloud into the endless dark forest, yet her only answer was the breeze moving the branches of the trees, rustling the thick blades of grass covering the earth.

                      She was not thrilled to miss getting to see him. She was not ready to give up yet. She would sit a while longer, to wait for her gargoyle, her only real friend. She leaned back against the bark of the tree, and closed her eyes. He will be here she told the energies of the forest. She decided she would sit under the massive tree for another ten minutes, then head back to the castle to sulk a while. A few minutes later Ludwig appeared from the western side of the forest. Veronica was suddenly filled with excitement when she saw him walking quickly to meet with her for the evening.

"Ludwig!" veronica yelled to him, glad he finally made it to her. She had started to forget how long he had kept her waiting.

"Mortal woman, please forgive my being this late it could not be helped." Ludwig apologized with a look of shame.

"It is fine my dear Ludwig; I know you would never purposely keep me waiting." Veronica soothed him. Then she hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go of her best friend in the world.

"I have missed you, gargoyle." Veronica told him in an honest tone.

"To tell you the truth I have missed you as well." Ludwig replied to her gently. She smiled at him; she waited for him to sit down next to her under the tree.

"Veronica?" The gargoyle spoke her name like nocturnal angels whispering in the shadows of the endless forest.

"Yes, Ludwig?" She replied with a bit of a grin, wondering what he would have to say to her.

"Would you introduce me to the raven sometime, just whenever you happen to see him again?" Ludwig asked her in a casual tone.

"I will talk to Galderian the next time I see him, I promise." Veronica answered him softly.

"Thank you, mortal. If they are a part of your life, I want to know them, to know they are of good intentions. I feel a need to protect you." Ludwig gave her the best explanation he could think of.

Veronica leaned her head against the gargoyle's chest; she smiled as if she were in some sort of wonderful dream instead of in the dark woods she stayed just like that, in her own moment of peace. She had never felt as alive and carefree as when she was with the gargoyle. She did not move until she had to leave. She softly stroked his wings. She had no understanding of this sacred bond with this shifter as he called himself.

 He stayed under the tree with her for another hour before he had to go. She did not ask where he was going, she had a feeling that Ludwig would tell her when he wanted her to know. She usually would force the truth out of anyone else, but there was something about Ludwig, call it a kindred spirit, maybe fate had brought them together. She thought to herself, maybe Ludwig was here to teach her something very important to be revealed to her later? 

Ludwig had to get going. He nuzzled her before he flew off into the night. She watched him fly away, Saddened that he had to go, she loved every moment with him. When he was completely out of her range of view, she turned around and slowly headed back to the castle. She was glad that she waited longer there, it was worth it. They had spent a little more time together in the forest on this night. She did not care if she got there anytime soon. She had no plans for the evening and it bored her to no end. She was in no hurry to sit in her room for the night. She wished for excitement and adventure, not just sitting in the tower of the glorious castle waiting for something to happen for her.

Veronica was a free spirit that had grown restless over the last couple of months. She longed for more but she did not know exactly what it was. She thought to herself as she passed the second mile of the forest and then the third. It felt as if something was missing. These thoughts kept replaying themselves over and over again in her mind. She had arrived back into the courtyard in the back of the castle. She stopped for a moment and just looked at it. Then she crept back into the castle slowly.

 It looked as though no one else is awake. Good, she thought. She crept slowly and quiet through the servant's entrance and then the kitchen. She walked through the massive corridor, the marble tile floor sparkled brightly even in the dead of night. It was stunning when you took the time to notice it. She made it up the long winding staircase quickly and back into her room. She sat down to rest on her large canopy bed. She needed to rest after the walk and she wanted to get her thoughts in the proper order. She closed her eyes, and began a deep breathing exercise. She needed to meditate for a while. That usually helped when she had a lot on her mind.

Veronica was not an initiated sorceress yet, but she studied harder than any other student Triadia had ever taught. Veronica was full of magical potential just waiting to rise to the surface. Veronica could not wait to be a trained sorceress, to be able to work completely on her own, with no instruction from others. She could not wait to do her own potions, make her own rituals, cast her spells instead of practice ones. She got back to her book of curses. After another three chapters, her black candles had burned themselves out, and she had grown too tired to read another word of it. She made herself comfortable, arranging her blankets just the way she liked them. She rolled over and within few minutes had fallen into a long deep slumber for the night.

                                                    Gwen was up dressed and ready to get the day started long before another soul in town had stirred from sleep. She was too excited to sleep; she rose out of bed not long before the break of dawn. Gwen was looking forward to the day; it was the day of the summer festival. She loved the season festivals. They were held in the middle of town. All of the townspeople, as well as a few other villages would show up for the event with different foods and drinks, all sorts of deserts. It was always a lot of fun. She could not wait for it to get started, she felt like dancing. She loved going to the festivals with Emily, sometimes they would go with a few of the other girls in the area. This year would be a little different. Gwen had gotten herself so lost in her own thoughts and festival memories that she did not hear her parents get up. When her mother had told her good morning, Gwen jumped a little. Gwen quickly calmed herself.

"Good morning mom, I did not hear you get up", Gwen greeted her mother. Sofia nodded to her daughter.

"What has got you up this early, honey?" Angus curiously asked his teenage daughter.

"Remember papa, today is the day of the great summer festival." Gwen said excitedly.

"Oh yes I nearly have forgotten." Angus replied to his only daughter.

While Angus spoke with his only little girl who was not so little anymore, Sofia made coffee and breakfast. It was a nice cozy morning for them. Gwen had jelly and bread, one of her favorite morning meals, ever since childhood. After breakfast, Angus headed to work, Sofia started on the housework. Gwen got to her chores quickly as well. She knew it was early, she had a lot of time before she needed to get ready for the festival, but she liked to get things done.

Her mind stayed on the festival. She loved these events in town; they were always a lot of fun for her. All of her friends and neighbors would be there too. She could not wait, she was giddy with excitement. She wondered if Sarah would be going or not? Gwen began pacing first in the cottage and then around the yard, the garden. Sofia noticed it, she just laughed a little. She remembered being a young girl, wanting to have fun with friends. She smiled at the memory of the summer festival long ago, where she had met Angus.

Sofia got back to dusting the cottage, straightening up here and there. She really did not mind keeping house. Her daughter was nearly marrying age now, so it was a lot less work for her to do. In all honesty Sofia was looking forward to the festival as well. Sofia did not take to the drink very often, but on festival nights she would have a few glasses of wine during the celebration. Sofia did not really get out to often, but she enjoyed going to the festivals, occasionally she would visit one of her neighbors.

Gwen walked back in from the garden, she had been checking on the massive sized vegetables and herbs, the flowers were in full bloom, the garden looked almost unreal it was that gorgeous. She couldn't believe it they were twice the size they were this time last season, it was great to see it doing so wonderful for her mother.

"Hi mother." Gwen greeted her

"Hello, honey. If you are bored why not go visit that old bat in the woods?" Sophia suggest to her daughter.

"I might do that. Maggie really is a very nice woman mom." Gwen replied to her mother's suggestion.

She looked through a few of the other dresses, one was a nice pale shade of blue, she had a pretty floor length crimson colored gown, but she was not sure. She rifled through the closet for a while longer. She did not know what dress to wear, out of frustration she closed her eyes and just picked one. It was a nice chocolate brown long gown, it was perfect for her. When Gwen set the dress across her bed there was a knock at the front door. Again Sofia answered it, and Gwen listened to see who it was. Gwen listened intently she heard who it was, Sarah Emily's bridesmaid. Gwen did not know Sarah as well as Emily did, but she thought highly of the other bridesmaid.

"Hello, may I help you?" Sofia politely answered the door.

"Is this where Gwen lives? I asked Emily because I wasn't sure." Sarah asked

"Yes she is in her bedroom." Sophia replied.

"Thank you. I am Sarah by the way I do not think we have met." Sarah introduced herself to be polite.

"It is very nice to meet you Sarah I am glens mother Sofia.' She replied to the young girl.

"It is great to meet you, are you going to the festival too?" Sarah asked, to make polite conversation.

"Isn't everyone going to it?" Sophia said in a joking manner.

"Probably so, yes." She replied to the lady of the house.

"Sarah, do come in please, you are welcome here anytime you wish." Sofia invited the girl. Sarah nodded and then stepped into the small house. Gwen was standing there waiting to talk to Sarah.

"Hi Sarah, is everything alright? Is something the matter?" Gwen asked in a worried tone, afraid something had happened to Emily or any sort of bad news.

"No it is nothing like that. I just thought that we could hang out before the festival, is that okay?" Sarah asked hoping that she wasn't being a pest.

"Sure we can go into my room and talk if you would like to." Gwen offered her young friend.

"That would be nice I would like that very much." Sarah accepted Gwen's offer.

The two young girls headed around the corner from the entryway, straight to Gwen's bedroom. They hurried into her room to talk about the festival as well as the other things going on this summer. The two of them sat down together on glens' bed.

"Do you know what you are going to wear to the festival?" Gwen asked Sarah to be polite and make small talk.

"I have not decided yet, I have a few I like but I just can't make up my mind." Sarah told her, and then quickly she added "What about you?"

"Yes I found one in my closet, a nice dark brown, almost the color of chocolate." Gwen told her.

"Oh that sounds really pretty. Is Edwin going to the festival as well?" Sarah asked her curiously.

"Yes he will meet me there later in the evening." Gwen replied to her friend.

"What's it like to have a boyfriend?" Sarah, who was almost two years younger than Gwen asked.

"It is definitely a new experience, I like it." Gwen told her honestly.

"Emily and James won't be there until later on." Sarah informed her.

"Oh really why is that?"

"I think they want to be alone for a whole hour." Sarah joked.

"You are probably right about that." Gwen replied giggling a little.

Sarah looked up to Gwen and Emily. It was nice to have made a couple of girlfriends in town. Her family had moved there almost a year ago. She still missed her friends in the old village, Rebecca and Elizabeth, the three of them had grown up together until they moved. She thought of them often but she enjoyed the company of Gwen and Emily. They were very nice to her; they had welcomed her when they moved to town. She was really glad that she had met them. The two of them had started to talk of the local dressmaker's shop, and of course boys. They had gotten themselves deep in a conversation of what they imagined married life to be like. Then there was a knock on her bedroom door. It was her mother Sofia.

"I don't want to bother you girls, but it is the middle of the afternoon. I did not know if you were paying attention to the time." Sofia told them in a kind manner.

"Thank you mother, you are always so considerate." Gwen told her mother.

"You are quite welcome." Sofia replied before leaving to get herself ready for the festival before Angus would return from working.

;CrI