Page 4 of Wed to Krampus

“Look, it’s something that’s worth trying,” I said. “I will send a blood sample and see what happens. See if there’s a match for me. I don’t have to go through with it, okay?”

Mina shook her head and walked out of the kitchen. I could feel that she was so disappointed that she couldn’t even look me in the eye anymore. Joseph stood up and started clearing the table. I helped him with the dishes, and we said goodnight.

I knew this was not what my friends wanted for me. An arranged marriage to a complete stranger who wasn’t even human. I didn’t want it for myself. But what choice did I have?

Chapter Three

Krampus

It was a long way to town, so I started early in the morning. I harnessed Snowdrop to the sleigh, and Frost was more than happy to prance in the snow ahead of us. He knew the way. As we approached, he turned around and slowed his pace. He also knew that the people here were never quite happy to see us. Fortunately, the Marriage Temple wasn’t in town, as it was an institution of importance that needed plenty of land around it. As far as I knew, all the Temples were self-sustained, and they employed servants who took care of the grounds, the gardens, and the greenhouses. The monsters, as we were all called, and the human females who were their matches needed an intimate space in which to meet and bond their fates.

This suited me well. It meant I would not meet too many people.

I pulled at Snowdrop’s reins as we reached the gates of the Temple and one of the young servants – a man with long dark hair, all dressed in white – opened the gates and motioned for me to go in. Two servant girls were waiting, and they took Snowdrop and Frost, assuring me they would both be watered and fed. I was impressed with the way they were treating me. These people who were serving were humans, and none of them were giving me the nasty looks I usually got in town. I guessed they were just used to seeing all kinds of monsters every day.

It turned out that the priest was officiating a ceremony, and I had to wait. They asked me to do so in a room, and I was curious to see who the newlyweds were, but then decided to respect their privacy. I waited patiently, thinking about the questions I had, wondering if he could give me answers. Half an hour passed, and finally, the door opened, and the priest slipped inside and took a seat in the opposite armchair. Between us there was a small table, and on it, there was coffee and pastries. I couldn’t eat, so I just drank two cups of coffee, already feeling more awake than I should’ve probably been. I was almost jittery, or maybe those were just nerves.

“How can I help you, Mr...”

“Krampus.”

I swallowed heavily as he cocked an eyebrow, then nodded. I wondered what his reaction meant. He was a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair, but still strong and athletic for his age. His eyes were deep and blue.

“You can call me Krampus,” I added quickly, clearing my throat and straightening my back. “Though I’m not sure if it is my name, or the name of my species. It’s what I’ve called myself always.”

“Very well.” His features softened. “How can I help you, Krampus?”

“I was wondering if... No, let me start from the beginning. I have been alone for a long time. I live up in the mountains, where I have a cabin and plenty of land. I grow food, I hunt, but I have no one to share this life with. It’s been lonely. And I was wondering if the Temple might help me. I’m not sure if I should even try to look for a bride, but...”

“Why do you say that?” he interrupted me.

I spread my arms wide, as if inviting him to take a better look at me. The look in his eyes remained unchanged, as if he didn’t understand my point.

“I am covered in fur from head to toe.” Dark brown fur, to be more exact. “I am almost ten feet tall, and so wide that I barely fit through your doorways.” Browsing the shelves at the local bookstore was a nightmare each and every time. “I have fangs and horns, and when I come into town once a month, people rush to cross the street and get away from me as fast as they can.”

The priest nodded. I fell silent and waited for him to say something. He leaned into his armchair and poured himself a cup of coffee. He wanted to fill my cup too, but I refused.

“And you said you don’t know if Krampus is your name or what your species is called,” he said. “That is interesting to me. How come?”

“After the Shift, I woke up in the middle of a barren field, with no memory. Everything around me was in ruins. For days I wandered, trying to find shelter, or someone who could tell me what had happened. I saw cities that had been burned to the ground, and the bodies... so many bodies...” I shook my head, hating to think about those days. “I was lost for a long time. Every time I met a human, they would run from me. Finally, I came across a community of wolfmen who were rebuilding a town. I stayed with them for a while, helped them, and they told me about the Shift and about how everything that was before was no more, and how it was up to us to rebuild the world. When I asked them if they’d seen any of my people, they said I was the first of my kind they’d ever encountered. All the monsters, aliens, and even humans I spoke with after said the same thing.”

“You’ve been on Alia Terra since before the Shift?” His eyes widened, his coffee forgotten. “How old are you?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I can’t remember anything from before.”

“Indeed, it must be so lonely to live like this.”

“It is.”

“I have seen no one like you either,” he said. “I know you live somewhere in the mountains, in isolation, and I’ve heard about you from the townspeople. It’s true that they fear you, but that’s only because you’re one of a kind. They know about wolfmen, and lionmen, and some of them have even seen dragons. As for me and everyone who serves at the Temple, we’ve seen so many monsters, of so many shapes and sizes, that we are not afraid. We feel nothing but gratitude for the work we are doing. It is important work to bring together species and facilitate the connection and union between us. Alia Terra is stronger and more prosperous this way.”

“That sounds... beautiful.”

“It is. That’s what I believe. And I also believe that if you’re looking for a bride, we can find her for you.”

“I need to give you a blood sample...”

“If you wish.”

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