"So what do we do in here all day?" She asked conversationally, looking at the wolf for an answer when she was met with silence only to find it biting at its skin uncomfortably, struggling to scratch an itch.
She gives it a concerned look and just then, an idea pops into Marisol's mind. She gets back to her feet and the wolf is quick to follow, seemingly determined not to let her out of its sight.
She wanders around the entire castle until she finds a box holding medical supplies, and she also finds some grooming supplies. With the items in her possession, Marisol leads them back into the throne room, the presence of the large wolf behind her still just a little bit unnerving.
Returning to the familiar space, Marisol gets to work on tending to the wolf's mangled fur, the once menacing red wolf reduced to a docile heap at her side. With gentle hands and soothing words, Marisol worked diligently to clean and treat its wounds, the wolf planted and nuzzling affectionately against her side while she did. It turned out to be a little more difficult than she'd expected, maneuvering the wolf into its preferred position and staying within reach lest it got fussy.
Treating and grooming the large wolf ends up taking the whole day and by the time Marisol realizes it, the sun has dipped below the horizon and the shadows have lengthened. There were still some parts she hadn't gotten to yet, but she was impressed with the progress made, giving her work a nod of approval.
She had managed to dislodge most, if not all, of the tiny weapons and dirt lodged in its fur and treated most of the wounds. As she worked, she'd find herself wondering how exactly he could shift into his human form with all those weapons wedged into his skin. She wonders if they were still present even if he was in human form or if they just disappeared and reappeared, depending on what form he was in.
She also wondered about his wounds. For a wolf so large, he seemed to be totally lacking any healing magic if the many still-fresh flesh wounds were anything to go by. Something told her it had to do with the curse.
Fatigue seeps into her muscles, a yawn leaving her lips as she pushes to her feet and stretches wildly. Done for now, she tries to clean up the mess they'd made of the throne room, but Cedric's wolf follows again, nudging her stubbornly until she gives up.
Earning her attention, it walks to the doors leading out of the throne room and, understanding its actions, Marisol follows. This time around, it brought them to the dining hall, where she found that dinner had been laid out. After eating, they returned to the throne room to find it completely clean.
Marisol gapes at that, her lips opening and shutting like a fish out of water. She had a lot of questions, but she figured Cedric would be in a better place to answer them, although she really doubted she'd be seeing him again anytime soon. It was obvious that his wolf had taken complete control again, but it was a good thing that she was around, atleast this way, it wouldn't be out wrecking havoc and harming people.
That night, Marisol drifted off to sleep, lulled by the gentle rhythm of Cedric's wolf's surprisingly soft breathing.
And so, it becomes a sort of routine. Day in and out, Marisol stayed in the hidden castle only, slipping out when she felt that Cedric's wolf was about to give way to his human form.
Despite her previous restrictions, she quickly grew accustomed to this way of life. Her visits to the castle become more frequent as she finds herself enjoying the company of Cedric's wolf, seeking solace in the gentleness of its actions. Despite the looming presence of Cedric himself, she found herself drawn to the creature, her heart aching with empathy for its suffering.
Each day, Marisol tended to the wolf, easing its pain with gentle strokes and soothing words that it seemed to enjoy too. She had taken it upon herself to keep its fur spotless. In so doing, she found herself developing a sense of kinship with Cedric's wolf, but it stopped there.
Each time, she tried to block out the nudges from her senses that reminded her that Cedric and she were fated to become one. She fought with herself and even her wolf. All she wanted to do was help, offer the hand this poor suffering creature obviously needed, and when she was done she was going to return to her family.
That is why she made sure that whenever Cedric was nearing the brink of transformation, she would quietly slip away. Their connection was easier to ignore when he was in wolf form. But when he returned to his human state, the tension between them was too palpable to ignore. She knew that her attraction to him was a dangerous game, one that threatened to consume her if she lingered too long in his presence.