They came to the river to bathe in its shallows, it was a hot, sticky day in mid-July and Gabriel was weary and moody.
Marta seemed more beautiful than usual that day, her dark auburn hair blazed and smouldered like a long-forgotten (but still full of life) fire under the hot mid-afternoon sun, and her green eyes shone and glistened like the most precious of emeralds, Gabriel was more in love with her than ever.
They laid in the wild, tall grasses and wildflowers beside the river.
Both looking up at the wispy, fluffy white clouds, imagining magical, fairytale lands where they could just be together for all eternity.
Marta suddenly sat up;
"I'm so hot my love! Come, let's swim?! The water looks so beautiful and cool!"
Gabriel let out a lazy laugh and watched his lady take her simple cotton dress and shoes off.
"Alright, alright, don't be so impatient my darling Marta! Just one more kiss, … Please?!"
He reached out his arm to pull her to him but was too late; for she was up and laughing as she spun around her flaming hair dancing as she moved, and dainty bare feet splashing in the water,
"Come. Come swim with me, Gabriel, the water is so lovely, so cool!"
He laughed merrily; all his moodiness forgotten with this lovely day and in the company of his muse, his beloved.
hey swam together for two blissful hours, splashing, diving, exploring.
Marta was a strong swimmer and Gabriel (although himself a fair swimmer) struggled at times to keep up with her.
"You are my little mermaid; that is why you have bewitched me, with your siren's song!"
He laughed childlike and carefree.
"No, no not a mermaid my sweet Gabriel!"
Marta smiled and kissed him tenderly, but something iñ her countenance looked sad and misplaced on such a lovely day and happy moment.
Marta was sad, she was wonderfully, deeply and truly in love with Gabriel, but the dark secret that she had to keep from him, hung over her like a black cloud, threatening to ruin their future and happiness, indeed lives; but she had no choice, she couldn't help who or what she was, the family curse wasn't her fault, but it would be her fate until the day she died.
That was why she lead him to the river, away from her feeding lair in the middle of the dark wood, and all the bodies of local boys and young men savagely ripped apart and mutilated in the feeding frenzy of the She-wolf and that is why she had to make sure Gabriel was home safe and sound before darkness fell and the July Wolf moon rose.
She loved him.
