The transformation continued as, after an understandable hesitation, she finally crossed the portal that would take her home, safe and sound as he promised.
She saw him. The transformation finally came to an end, albeit with great suffering, and he appeared in his human form, with moon-blond hair, glassy eyes, one black, the other diamond-blue, a face as beautiful as a Roman medal, and a tall body that should have been just as magnificent but for the fact that it was so skinny.
She wondered what illness or curse could have caused such carnage.
Their eyes met and stared into each other's before the gate closed.
She found herself back in the meadow, but this time she felt no more fear, for she knew there was no longer any danger, not from his world at any rate.
It was also night in the human world, the stars twinkling softly in the firmament, their light guiding her steps home.
When she got home, Fiona and her mother, who had been waiting for her, sick with anxiety, threw themselves at her, hugging her tightly.
"Where have you been?" her mother asked, stroking her hair and face. "I've been worried sick."
"Forgive me, I'm late and I worried you, even though I'm now of age and vaccinated, but I want you to know that I've stopped sulking. Definitely."
Her mother, who looked exactly like her except the hair, stared at her before smiling hesitantly.
"So..."
"Yes, I agree, and in any case, I've never been in a position to give my opinion, let alone settle for anything."
She bit her lips before continuing.
"It's your life, and you have the right to live it as you wish."
Her mother, astonished at first, smiled at her with great tenderness, and mother and daughter embraced affectionately, for a long time.
That night, as Diria gently drifted off to sleep, a smile came to her lips as she recalled the moment her mother had asked her in a whisper, "Who was that?"
She'd guessed right away. Obviously, she was her mother, but she was also a woman.
But the last thing on the young woman's mind before she sank to the bottom was her wolf's gaze in its individual form, riveted to hers and revealing just how much he wanted her.
The next day, her mother and sister were stunned to see her so attired, in a short, candy-pink dress, her hair brushed to a shine, her face perfectly made up with a cherry-red lipstick that beckoned a kiss, but wearing tennis shoes for a good walk. After all, the hill was far away and the last bus stop was a few kilometers away.
"Wow, gorgeous!" exclaimed her family in chorus, impressed by her elegance but above all by her sun-kissed expression.
"Rendez-vous amoureux?" inquired Fiona with tender mischief.
"You could put it that way," affirmed the youngest with a merry laugh. "I'll leave you to it! See you tonight!"
"See you tonight, darling!" her mother chided as she left the house, "tell us all about it when you get back!"
Diria wished with all her heart she had something to tell, at least, she'd fight with all her might to make sure she did.
An hour later, she reached the hill and headed straight for the forest. She only glanced briefly at the still desperately blue, transparent and cold lake, and walked briskly towards his kingdom.
What could she say about her emotions, she only knew that they were so new, so overflowing it was painful.
Last night, she had dreamt of him, without the slightest surprise, it was inescapable. She dreamt that he had saved her from a whole army of monsters devouring human flesh, then he took her in his arms and kissed her, again and again, mingling their tongues, their saliva, their breath in an endless burning whirlpool. The sensation was such that it woke the girl up in the middle of the night, frustrated and unsatisfied as ever.
So, she had come to see him again, and to see if reality would live up to the dream. She hoped so with all her heart, or she'd never get over it.
At one point, as Diria walked on and on in the direction of the forest, instead of getting closer, it seemed to move further away, and the next minute, the young woman felt ill, her head was spinning and then fatigue took possession of her being, a fatigue so great that it had to stop her and then make her fall to the ground. The last thing she saw before sinking into an enchanted sleep was the cottony blue sky, and what she heard was a voice, a deep, magical voice, his voice, "asking" her to sleep.
When she finally awoke, it was not twilight but daytime, and she was still lying on a sea of green grass, this time covered in water. The sky she saw was still blue, but covered with immortal diamonds.
She heard the mocking laugh again, this time softened by the gentleness.
"You're really looking for trouble, aren't you?
The voice was close, so he was too. Diria had only to turn her head to see him.
He was lying on his side next to her, his arrogant head nonchalantly resting on his hand.
"You've done it again" was the first thing she said to him.
"Done what again?"
"You had me asleep until the evening."
"It is not evening."
"Yesterday it wasn't the same, but the result is the same."
She swallowed.
"Will you ask me why?"
"Why you came back ? No." he rectified, "I know why you came back, but I'm amazed all the same."
"And why do you think I came back?"
A long silence settled between them, during which her wolf present in his individual form looked at her, stared at her to the point where she physically felt it before reaching out his hand, placing it on her cheek and leaning towards her.
"I didn't want you to come back."
"I know."
"But you did anyway."
"Yes."
"Then I won't hold back any longer."
Diria couldn't help laughing.
"You think you could in your condition?"
"There's only one way to find out."
Diria reached out and laid her hand on his cheek. He was as cold as a corpse, which astounded her since he was capable of radiating such warmth.
"I have the feeling you're cursed."
A long, really incomprehensible silence followed her words. She watched him and she will never know how to describe his gaze at this very moment.
"I am." he finally admitted falsely careless.
"But who was able to do it?"
This time he smiled with that sardonic mockery she never knew what to think of.
"A woman. One incapable of giving up, just like you. But she did it the wrong way."