Author's Note: Hello again, everyone! So it's been… well, it's been a very long time since I've updated this. I'd just like to say that it never really died or anything, I just stopped writing it. I'm a notoriously bad updater so I'm just making a disclaimer here and now that I can't guarantee I'll ever complete this. I mean, let's be realistic. I uploaded the first three chapters in one day almost exactly two years ago… don't be surprised if it's another two years until I update again. That's not to say I don't want you to read it… just don't get your hopes up. Although I will say that reviews inspire me . It helps to know that somebody cares.

I've made some minor edits to the first few chapters, but nothing major changed. But as they're not so long it couldn't hurt you to give them another look, and refresh your memory while you're at it! At any rate, I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1

It was early evening, the sky a dusky purple against the silhouettes of rustling bulrushes. Sometimes William felt that evenings like these were what he lived for. The warm leftover heat radiating from the stone to his feet. The sun staining the lake gold. Distant songbirds trilling. It was so beautiful that sometimes he had no regrets. It was at times like these that he felt at peace with himself.

William was sitting on top of his favorite rock, croaking softly to himself. He sang to keep himself company, but over the years he'd forgotten the words to the songs he knew. And his human voice disturbed him. He liked to listen to the other frogs sing but when he used his voice they all became quiet. So now he only croaked, like them. It was good to belong.

So it was strange when all the other frogs suddenly stopped croaking. William automatically stopped too. Usually when this happened it meant danger. William strained his ears, but calmed once her heard the clop of horse's hooves. Travelers often came to the lake to rest or get water, and unconcerned, William resumed his song. The hooves continued to come closer though, shaking the rock William perched on, and William jumped away, annoyed that his evening had been interrupted. He landed in the water with a soft plop, and with just his eyes above the surface watched the horse and its rider. He wouldn't normally care, but the horse had come close enough to spark his curiosity. In a way, it was nice to have something new.

The rider dismounted, his brown leather boot splashing in the water. He stood for a minute or so, shifting something on the saddle, grunting a bit when he hoisted it up onto his shoulders. It was too high up for William to properly see what it was, and he swam along with the traveler as he walked along the lakeshore, laying down his burden a few paces from the horse.

William swam closer to the shore, his belly brushing pebbles. All he could see was a lot of cream-colored fabric, folding layers on layers. It was curious, he thought, for a trader to put his merchandise in the mud.

The man bent near the pile of fabric and began to snap his fingers over the far side of it where William couldn't see properly. "Come now," the man said. "It's time to wake up." At first William felt confused, but then the pile of fabric began to stir and he heard a low groan emanate from its depths. He felt a sinking sensation in his stomach as he realized he'd made the same mistake again and mistook something because of its size, and then another sick feeling as the pile of fabric sat up and he saw that it was a woman.

The man grabbed her arm to drag her up, but she kicked against him, striking him in the kneecap. He gasped and let go of her, and she scrambled against the pebbles on the shore, but before she could get her footing the man slapped her across her face, knocking her back down. For the first time William noticed that the girl was gagged, and her scream came out muffled and choked.

The girl sat up, her tangled blonde hair falling over her face as she moved her hands to her cheek. An angry red patch was growing there. William could now see her hands were bound together as well.

The man spat on her. "Filthy little bitch!" he shouted, and limped over to his horse. She stood slowly, her balance hindered by her bound hands, her eyes wide and fixed on the man. "I gave you a choice, you know," he said as he leaned against his horse and massaged his knee. "It doesn't have to be this way. You only have to say yes." He walked over to her and she stood straight, looking into his eyes hatefully. He circled around behind her, his fingers lightly touching her hair. He came in front of her again, inches from her face, bringing his hand up her neck and to her cheek. She leaned away from him, but he held her arm with his other hand. He slipped a finger underneath her gag, smiling to himself as it caught on her lower lip as he removed it.

She spat into his face. "Fine, then," he said, grimacing as he wiped the saliva away with his sleeve. He looked her up and down and seemed to hesitate for a moment before he said, "choose death."

For a split second her eyes widened and she began to step backwards, but he grabbed her hair and dragged her. She screamed and kicked, but she couldn't free herself and the horse began to shift, uneasy. Plunging his hand into the saddlebag, the man fished around for a moment before pulling out a bottle filled with lavender liquid.

"Fortunately for you," began the man, "I find murder distasteful. It is so messy, and so easy to solve. No, for what I want, murder would never do." The girl stared at him, fearful and confused. "You, my dear, might as well be dead. No one will know where you are, and there will be no way to contact them. You will live out your life hopeless and alone, and if you do die, no one will ever be able to tell it was you."

"I'd rather die than be your puppet," said the girl.

"Oh, but that's just the thing, the man said. "I don't care about your help anymore. You see, it doesn't matter if you live or die. Either way, I still get what I want. So stop whining about it."

With that the man quickly uncorked the bottle and forced the girls head back, prying open her mouth with his fingers. The girl struggled to keep her mouth shut and to escape, but the man was too strong for her. William began to panic. He knew whatever was in the bottle was magic, it was almost as if he could smell it. And he couldn't let anyone be cursed. Not like him.

William didn't even think about how he was a frog. He felt a burning anger that he hadn't felt so strongly for years, and he could see himself on his last day of being human and for the first time in a long time he wanted that back. He scrambled over the rocks toward the man and the girl, who was lying on the shore trying to pull the man's hands away from her face. William leapt up and onto the man's hand that was clutching the vial, and the man started in surprise, throwing William into the air. For a moment, the man's eyes followed William as he sailed through the air, but the girl bit his hand while he was distracted and brought his attention quickly back to her. He howled in pain but took advantage of her open mouth, forcing her lips open even as her teeth drew blood from his fingers, and poured the liquid down her throat.

William had hit his head against a pebble and lay dazed for a few moments, watching the scene without reacting. The girl lay doubled over, coughing, a trickle of purple liquid dripping down her chin. She half-crawled, half-dragged herself to the lakeside and gulped mouthfuls of water.

William slowly righted himself and looked for the man. He found him by his horse, wrapping his swollen fingers in a strip of fabric. He was livid, staring at her with wide-eyed anger, but did not approach her. The girl's cough subsided, and she slowly turned to look at him. "Haven't you done enough here?" she whispered hoarsely. Whatever was in the bottle had burned her throat. "Either kill me or leave me. I don't care. Just never let me see you again."

The man watched her coldly, cradling his injured fingers in his other hand. "I will leave you," he began, "but you should know this. You won't be able to leave the lake shores. You're here forever, girl. Remember that. And if I'm correct, the dawn should bring you a bit of a surprise. But never mind that. I'll leave now. And take comfort in the fact that I'll be the last human you speak to."

The man mounted his horse and began to gallop away. The girl stood suddenly and sprinted after him, beginning to shout something, but before she went far from the shore she fell backwards as though she had run into a wall. She stood and pushed against the invisible force, pounding on it and kicking it. She shouted until she could no longer hear hoof beats and she lost her voice, but she could not leave the lake.

The girl wandered all night around the lake, one hand always pressing against the invisible barrier. William climbed onto his favorite rock and watched her from a distance. He would have ignored her if she had been anyone else, but she was cursed, like him. William was fascinated. He'd never met someone else who was cursed before, even if she was only trapped by the lake.

But William remembered the screaming girls from the village and thought that even if this girl would grow used to living among frogs and fish, a talking frog would only frighten her. Besides, he reasoned, there was no way she would be at the lake forever. Travelers passed by often, and the girl would be sure to explain her situation and somehow someone would help her. Her curse would be broken and she'd leave, forever. So he remained silent, thinking she would be gone in under a month.

So… what'd you think? Let me know and maybe I'll write more… if I pass my exams first that is.