V is for Vargouille

The twenty-second of the stories from our adult coloring book, Dungeon Monsters & Tavern Tales: A Gamer’s A to Z Coloring Book with Short Stories. Each coloring page monster has a corresponding tale on the back. Find our coloring book here: https://urbanrealms.com/product-category/fantasy-art/

I had journeyed for days and nights across the dry wastes from the Queen’s castle. Early one morning, hungry and weary, I and a few others entered the high city walls of Middleford.

When we reached the cobblestone town square the inhabitants, busy setting up the morning market, greeted us with shouts. They waved all manner of objects in the air in greeting. Amid the havoc I saw her dropping a pail of water she had just drawn from the well. All else was forgotten.

She was more beautiful than I could have imagined. Her cheeks were as smooth and pink as rose petals, blushed red by the cool morning air. Her eyes, like deep pools of spring sky, glistened when she saw me. Her lips, full and luscious, parted to reveal a neat string of pearl teeth.

Suddenly nothing else mattered. She was my destiny, my all, my Eternal One. We were meant to be together forever.

I swept toward her, but perhaps I was over bold. My timid darling fled, her skirts and golden curls bouncing. How sweet, how adorable she looked as I followed her around a corner and up an alley.

At the end of the alley she came to a door under a sign depicting a tankard of ale. She pulled at the door handle. With a thrill I thought that perhaps she meant to lead me to her boudoir, but the door wouldn’t open. She turned her lovely face to me.

As I approached slowly, gently, I noticed she was trembling. Her bosom heaved and tears coursed down her cheeks from the strength of her emotions. She must feel it too, must know we were meant for each other.

But she was as shy as she was lovely. Her eyes darted right and left and she made to flee from her destiny again. So I sang to her my special song. And my sweetheart held still, rapt, captivated by my voice. I drew near her, my tentacle caressing her delicate cheek. I felt her heartbeat, rushing and flaring, the blood pounding under her skin.

Tenderly, I kissed her. I felt her body shudder and knew she would be mine. In a day’s time, maybe less, we would be together. Already her useless golden curls were beginning to fall out. Soon they would be replaced by tentacles. Those tiny ears would stretch into proper wings and the unnecessary body would wither and fall away. Together, we would be complete.

I heard a noise behind me and turned.

Then I saw her and forgot all about my Eternal One.

Her cheeks were as silky and dark as cocoa, her eyes the color of cinnamon. She was my world, my day and my night, my…