But, she was a lovely young woman and a dangerously curious and adventurous one.
Of course, she started to hang around Carterhaught. And, of course, she met the infamous Tamlin.
He was everything people said he was and that the serving women in her father's castle warned her of, --- handsome, captivating, sinister, but so sexy, ---- absolutely fascinating! Janet could not, could not stay away from him. She fell in love with Tamlin. Eventually, she found that she was pregnant. She was afraid to tell her father. But, she did tell Tamlin.
He was quite sympathetic, for he too, was very much in love. But, he told her, honestly, there was little hope for their love... So little hope, - UNLESS Janet was very, very, very brave.
"What, --- what???," Janet said. "Tell me!!!"
"It's the ONLY way!!!...You must do exactly what I say," Tamlin told her, " --- EXACTLY!!!"
The look in Tamlin's beautiful golden eyes told her that this was a terribly urgent matter.
"This Hallomas is the time of the seven year tribute to hell that the faeries are required to make. They do not want to sacrifice one of their own so I have been chosen as the offering."
"What? But, I thought you were a faerie!," Janet said.
"No, no, my darling Janet. I am a human in the disguise of a faerie. I am really the third son of a great lord. I was captured years ago by evil faeries while I was hunting alone in these woods.
But, here is what you must do... You must go to the path that lead out of Carterhaught Woods at midnight on All Hallow's Eve. The faerie queen and her company will be passing by there on the way to the sacrifice site. I will be riding a white horse, and the last in their procession.
You must boldly approach and run to me, drag me down from my saddle and fiercely hold onto me. Do not, - DO NOT let me go, - NO MATTER WHAT, for the faerie queen will try her best to get you to release me!... As you love me, Janet, do not let me go!... HOLD ME FAST AND IF YOU DO I WILL BE RELEASED FROM MY BONDAGE TO THE FAERIES AND I WILL BE YOUR'S! Do you understand fully, Janet?" Tamlin's eyes were so intense.
Janet shook her head. "Yes, yes, -YES!!! I WILL DO EXACTLY AS YOU SAY, Tamlin!!!"
Tamlin nodded, grimly. And, he left.
At midnight on All Hallows Eve Janet went to Carterhaugh Woods. She waited patiently in the brush on the side of the path. She was trembling with fear and anticipation, BUT, very, very, very determined to save Tamlin. She saw the magnificent faerie procession passing. She saw the last rider, Tamlin, sitting dazed, on his white horse. Swiftly, she jumped out of hiding and snatched Tamlin down from his saddle.
She held onto him with all her might, burying her face in his shoulder.
And then, the faerie queen was beside them, staring down at them in great anger. She screeched, and Tamlin became an enormous bear who tore at Janet with teeth and claws. He positively shredded her skin, but Janet held Tamlin fast. Then, the faerie queen shrieked again and Tamlin became a huge serpent who began to squeeze the life out of Janet; she gasped, hardly able to breathe, but she would not let him go.
The wicked faerie queen roared in anger, because her powerful spells had faded and there, still in Janet's arms, was the now human Tamlin. All Janet's horrific injuries were immediately healed because they had only been illusions. Janet threw her cloak around the shuddering Tamlin, and looked up at the faerie queen.
"YOU, YOU STUPID, ANNOYING GIRL, HAVE TAKEN FROM ME THE FAIREST KNIGHT IN ALL MY COMPANY!!!," the faerie queen screamed, knowing that true love is the strongest magic there is. "I WISH I HAD PLUCKED OUT HIS BEAUTIFUL EYES WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE!!!"
And, with that said, she and her company disappeared in a mist, leaving Janet and Tamlin alone on the path.
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