I hated him at first.  His face, his skin, his voice all terrified me.
He did not touch me or try to overpower me - he simply stood away, knowing
of his superiority, taunting me with words.  He could snatch me easily if
I tried to run - I knew now my only hope was to make him lose interest and
let me go.
I would not answer him.  I knew of his ways, his legend.  He would speak
to me, but I would not answer.  He would want me to listen to him, then
look into his eyes.  I knew I could never allow that.  I desperately
screamed for release - hoping someone in the forest nearby might know -
and come and help.  But it could not be.  The fear he spread through the
world meant no help would be near for me.  I was alone with him.
I was caught on my travels through the forest.  It was late, and dark.
There was the danger of cold, of animals.. and there was him.  We had
not heard of him being around for such a long time.  We thought he
had left to claim another land.   I had traveled before through here.
I was wearing thick, dark forest clothes.  I didn't think I'd be seen.
I was a fool to travel alone - a woman - so close to where I knew he
could stalk.  And now I was here.   He was in front of me suddenly,
and we were together in a clearing.  A nightmare has come true.  Now I
must survive.  Has anyone ever escaped, I wondered?  Would I be the first?
His words were horror - spoken with a voice of imposition.  Yet, I knew
that I could not react to him, because that would be what he wanted.
His call was bedeviling me to attend and speak, but I would stand strong,
my face away from his.  "Never look into his eyes," I have been told.
"If you look into his eyes, he will win you."
I will never look into his eyes, that is not a question.  He looked
and sounded horrible.  But how I would escape?  All he did now was
jeer at me, send me thorny words about my family, my intelligence,
my appearance.
He finally said what I could not ignore.  It was an insult.  I don't
even recall now what it was, but without thinking, I turned and spoke -
rebuffing him - just that once.  I screamed at him,
and for a moment, he was silenced.  Perhaps with this defiance, I could
edge away from him now.
Then new words came from him, changed from before.  The words no
longer were invading me.  There was nothing like the insult of before.
He was trying to meet me now, to comfort me.  He was even apologetic.
How stupid of me, I thought.  I should not have given in and answered,
for I knew from his legend that he would learn from my expressions
and tones, and then he would try again more subtly. 
I finally collapsed on the ground, my hands tightly over my ears- but
I would hear anyway.  I stood, paced, but collapsed again, seated on
the ground, my ears still covered.  Even when I couldn't distinguish
the words, his voice came through.  I sat in silence, trying not to
pay attention, busying my mind with something else, but it was no use.
I felt myself begin to melt into his voice.  Even when I could not
distinguish words, their meaning was suggested in tone.  He was tiring
me now.
I gave up and uncovered my ears in sore surrender.  It was terrifying
when I realized I was following his words.. that I had found involvement,
even wonder, in what he spoke.  I stood and paced about again, still
collapsing and righting myself like some animal, I knew that his words
could win me, but I would not let him do this.  I turned away and started
to run, knowing its futility.  No matter what direction I turned, he was
somehow in front of me again, across the clearing at the same distance,
facing me in stone silence, as if he had not even moved.  Such was his
strength, his speed.  I could not be a match for it.  In exhaustion,
I collapsed, with my forest clothes soiled in the ground.  I began to
sob.  His voice was quiet again.
I finally found some composure, but he began to speak again, his tone
more comforting, more reassuring now than ever.  How could I take any
relief from him now, I wondered.  My thoughts raced.  I must not listen.
I must try to resist.  What do I have but my spirit now?  I have screamed
to the point of soreness in my throat, and have cried like a child.  None
of this could be any good for one who is known without mercy.  I would have
to beat him with fearlessness.  An idea came.  I would look at him now.
Even if I felt revolted, I would show strength to defy my sensibilities.
As scared as I was, I knew it was my chance.  I glanced up once, then
glanced again.  I finally could meet his eyes.  I could beat him, I
thought - if I did not seem to fear looking at him, he would know his
intimidation had failed, and I could be free.  I turned...  and saw him.
He stood as if a pillar... on an altar... with fire light glowing
from behind him. ... how could this be so?  It was fascinating...
yet I knew his evil.  I was still going to win.  I would stare back.
I would win this war of wills.
As I looked more and more, I saw that he was feeling my strength.  Even as
fear was still filling me, I knew my hateful stare would be my defiance.
I even showed him I was unafraid to have him look back at me - to look
straight into my eyes.  To even let his look penetrate me...
Wait, I thought!  This can't be right!  I knew his legend.  We must never
look in his eyes, I was always told.  Even my mother told me that.
How could I possibly forget this now?  I stole my look away from him, with
my eyes shut tight. I buried my face in my hands, and fell to the ground again.
There were his eyes still- frozen in front of me, even as my face was
turned down with my eyelids clenched tight and my hands sealing my face.
Oh no - I thought.  That was his power, wasn't it?  His eyes could
persist.  Away from him, his eyes were frozen - menacing - but when seen,
they were somehow soothing.  I realized now how he worked... that with
his look, he created a need to see more, to have more from his eyes.
"What a fool I am," I thought.  I should not have looked in his eyes.
They were right.  Now, I feel cursed.  I could not believe how much
pain I felt now.  How much now this terrible desire was to look again.
I could not stop myself from doing so again.  I looked up, staring at
him now, though my tear-filled eyes.
The realization came too late... I was not going to win this way.
my looking back at him was not threatening to him at all.  I was failing
here, too, as I did with his voice.  His voice had reached me before,
and now it was his eyes. Was there anything left? 
I felt so alone... so very alone with this...  letting this monster win
his influence- how could I be so weak?  Did I have anything?  No weapons?
No rock to throw at him?  As if that could do anything.  Even with my
clothes- thick for the long walk through the forest- I felt so naked now-
so unprotected.
His eyes were still in my mind as I began to think of the heaviness
I felt.  The clothes I wore now felt hot and confining.  I wondered-
were they too heavy?  Could they have slowed me as I tried to run before?
I thought it would be a cool night - but it was somehow warm.
I removed my belt- it was only heavy with a dagger and some rope..
but these weapons could never have any use against him.  Perhaps now I
could try to run again.  My weapon and belt now lay in a pile next to me,
my clothing loosened.  I felt better, somehow, with my skin breathing
away.  Yet there were still his eyes.  Even though I felt lighter -
like I could be faster - I still could not imagine I'd be fast enough to
outrun him.  The pain of his eyes coaxing me was still very much with me.
Then the strangest thoughts began to come.  It occurred to me that I
was in his power now - he could have grabbed me, and stripped away these
weapons in a wink - with my hardly knowing.  In fact, he had the power
to strip me totally bare... and I would not have been able to resist.
He could have used his power at any time take me into his grasp - and
he had not, even as he stood hopelessly near.  Perhaps, I thought, I was
winning.  Perhaps the gentleness he was expressing was his own weakness.
If perhaps I got him to think that I was trusting him, his own will would
bend, and he would set me free?  I came to my feet again, and I began
to pace. As I did, a desperate thought came to me.  I may have one final
way to intimidate him- to break his drive.  But could I ever do this?
Let myself be naked, I thought, then I would intimdate him.  Strip away
now the immodest illusion that I was protected.  He would know that
there was nothing to conquer.  I could finally be free of his desire.
He would let me go if only I gave him this one thing.  The others had
to be forced, I'm sure - and they fell by his anger.  I would do this and
show him my strength, while his heart was gentle...
I wondered for a moment if he knew my thoughts, for as soon as this idea
came, his voice fell silent.  The relief I felt now was so commanding.
Perhaps I was right - he was sensing my defiance, and he was overwhelmed.
There was no more of his voice... and my courage came to me..  I did
not look at him - I instead shut my eyes tight, as his eyes stayed
staring at me from inside my mind.  For the first time, I had a goal,
and I felt I must meet it, with the greatest haste now, so that I can
shock him.
My fingers worked my laces, while my clothing loosened.  In a rush,
my body, my skin was now coming out, bright and revealing to him, but
I knew this must be complete.  The thought of him staring in shock -
and finally declaring with a laugh that I could go now- that I was
finally free- was what motivated me as my every garment fell away.
My plan was winning.  His silence was my vindication.  I am free!
Yet, as my very last scrap of clothing fell at my feet, my face still
turned away from him, I had, for the slightest of a split second, a
sudden, horrifying thought - could this be what he had intended all along?
Perhaps, none of the women he had taken before were overpowered - maybe
they acted exactly as I did. Perhaps he waited, with all of them, until
they conceived of doing just what I had done, first attempting defiance
with silence, then with a proud look back to his face, and then finally
with nakedness.  He had seen all this before, I thought, because every
woman who comes here is enchanted in this way.  Could I be enchanted?
Could this be some sort of spell?  Is it possible to fall under a spell
without knowing?
In a horrifying moment, I thought that maybe his silence was not because
of awe or respect or gentleness, but only because he knew what was
next, and that silence was the best way to encourage me to complete my
act, as had happened countless times before.  Now, I realized, I had
removed my last layer of strength.  Each time I thought I was making a
step toward winning, I was actually making one more step toward him,
with every struggling attempt falling more and more deeply into his
power, like an animal writhing in a pit of sand, slowly sinking further
with every attempt to break free.  Now, look at me! What have I done?
What could I possibly have been thinking?  Could I now have heightened
his appetite for me?  I have just given him exactly what he wanted!
I must find a different way!
I lunged to the ground, and began to gather my clothes.  Would he let me
dress again, or will he now lurch forward and snap me up into his grip?
I did not look back.  In a panic, I pulled my undergarment back on up my
legs and around my hips. I curled myself to the ground again, and grabbed
for more protection through the darkness of the clearing...  if I could
now just recover from this poor, this horribly poor, decision... pretend
it never happened...
As I reached for my vest to pull it over my head, I became suddenly
aware of how totally silent everything had become around me.  I heard
nothing, no protests.. could he be advancing on me now?  I whirled my
head around to look...  and there I saw him motionless, quiet.. as a
statue, in exactly the same space as before.
Then I saw his eyes.  That shock of fear that had struck me so hard
a moment ago was suddenly blunted. There was no evil in his look.
I had not intimidated him with my body, certainly not - but perhaps this
was not his plot after all.  "Breathe", I thought.  "I am all right.
I can get out of this now.  Find more calm inside me- put my clothes on
again now- it will be all right." 
I stayed for a moment crouched on the ground, my arms and legs curled
into me to preserve my modesty.. Then I looked back at him, one more time.
His eyes- not quite as penetrating as before- were still engaging... and
despite how vulnerable I now was, they remained somehow soothing...
He was not angry... not challenging me.  Yes, I thought - there was hope.
I did not continue to dress, but instead just breathed in exhaustion.. I
have been ridiculous, I thought.... I was no great victory for him.
He could have stripped me bare in the first seconds I was with him.
How would this matter now?  I almost wanted to laugh.  Breathe, I
thought... breathe again.. I was still all right.   I even looked
up at him again...  maybe I was even half smiling.  I will dress
now, I thought...  and do so with command, with strength... I am not
intimidated, even in this state...  I will even stand to do so now...
standing with only my undergarment on, with my back turned...  now my
defiance is plain.
Before I reached down to dress again, I closed my eyes a last time..
one more breath....... and in one last deep breath, a new thought
took hold...
I began to realize- if I were to completely dress again- he would not
stop me... but would I not be back where I had started?  Back in the
same drama?  And what have I done so far but merely panic?
My clothes lay near me..  will this keep happening?  Maybe his
plot is to wear me down... make me go through one desperate measure after
another... going back and forth in circles, until I fell down in fatigue..
unable to act, to think at all..  I must not let that happen.
But what was next now, I wondered?  Could I know his plans by looking at him
again?  I needed to see and understand him better... if I knew his intent
now, would I have a better chance?  Perhaps I could provoke him to give
something away to me?
I turned my face to glance at him again... the front of my body still
turned away.... and saw him still looking at me...  I looked deeply into
his face...  his eyes now glowing.... a very clean, powerful glow...
when I closed my eyes and turned my face away again, his eyes were inside
my mind again, more brightly than ever....  what now?  what could he
possibly want?  Is he just going to stand now in silence, and let me
dance and cower in front of him?
The air all around me seemed to warm... without most of my garments on,
I wondered why I wasn't feeling cold.. instead, it felt almost like my
comfort now was increasing... and how could this be?
My mind raced forward...  Is it possible that only the women who fight
him, resist him with every ounce of strength- are they the ones who lose?
What if - just what if - I seemed willing to give to him what he wished
for??  Could that win his favor well enough??  I knew I couldn't dazzle
him.. with his strength, his power so plain...  but perhaps I could amuse
him, well enough to let me out of his grasp?  I breathed... clenched my
teeth... and and with my eyes closed tight, I slowly turned the front of
my body to him... my skin now feeling almost the full warmth of flames
in the near distance...
I then opened my eyes.  His eyes locked on mine... 
At last, there was change... I did see something.. .a pleasure was in his
eyes, one I had not seen before...  At last, I thought, there is progress.
Maybe this could go somewhere after all...
As I focused.. feeling the warmth all over my skin, I almost was not
aware of my own body as I felt my own fingertips on my waist...  Let him
be amused, I thought...  I caressed my skin ... up and down the sides
of my body.  Let him take some amusement.  His pleasure was growing more
apparent to me now.... now I felt free to look very deeply into his eyes,
with a strange sense of safety, of resolution.
I slowly raised my hands to my breasts... and ran my fingers around them..
I felt them tighten in the night air... "Breathe", I thought again..
I looked away - staring down now at the pile of clothing still near me...
then looked back at him...   he knew I was thinking to dress again....
and he would still let me... but now- wasn't this a mere temptation?
Would I not be giving up now what I have already achieved?  It is my boldness
that has won anything from him so far... to dress again would be to cower...
I looked to his face again... I let my hands come down my sides
again.. I brushed my waist, my hips ...  my mind began to clear...
somehow, his look made me feel more impulse... an impulse incomprehensible
but somehow feeling right....
My hands made their way lower.  Slowly... I began to tug my
undergarment.. slowly, it began to come down, revealing me in tiny
inches..  and then downward... I pulled it slowly below my thighs,
with my eyes shut.  The cloth fell to my feet, and I cast is aside
with my bare toes.  I opened my eyes again.
I now faced him... his eyes were now on me... my whole body now...
my modesty with him was always useless, silly.. it was gone now...
My hands began to stroke my body fully...  across my hips.. up my
sides.. up and down around my breasts...  my skin began to tingle as
the warmth which came from where he stood felt like it was enveloping
me.. welcoming me...  I cast my hair back over my shoulders.. my
fingertips began to cross over my neck.. my his eyes were piercing me
as he stared... as if he were drinking me in now..
Then it came....   a lightning bolt of horror ripped through me.. the
same panic when I had first taken my clothes off... I tore my hands off
my body, and I knew everything.  "This is his curse!  He will capture
me now!"
Just as quickly, before I could even move a foot to turn and flee, his
eyes changed...
"Don't look away," came his voice in my mind.
He had spoken to me through his eyes.  There were no words from his lips.
No, no, I thought... that was the last level now of his power.  By looking
in his eyes, I had opened my mind to him!  Now he is inside me!  How could
I have allowed this?
"Don't look away," the voice repeated. "Your answers are coming now."
The fires burned even more brightly now... and the warmth was comforting...
I had to speak, but found it straining to move my lips.
I thought, as if my mind had a voice, in the same way as his.
"You are a monster," I thought.
To my amazement, there came an answer.  "Do I seem like a monster now?"
No- but there is danger now- terrible danger....
"Think now of what is real," he thought.
For a moment, I felt confused... what was real??  Could any of this be real?
Is this a dream?  Look at what is happening!
"I see you," I heard.
I could not help what my mind replied.  "You do?" I thought.
"Yes."
"But..." I began to say.
"Don't look away."
I tried again to speak, but could not.
"I see you," he repeated.
Things began to whirl around me.  Somehow, I was strained, as if dizzy,
yet, I was comforted too...  my heart was pounding with great speed,
yet, I felt myself settling, as if I could have easily just crumpled to
the ground and napped in front of him...  I felt such heat now on my skin,
where I faced him, yet such cold all over in the night air around me...
Then I felt something I could not have imagined feeling ... something about
my skin felt a deep longing.. a need to be touched... to be felt...
"Don't look away."
Now I had to decide... what could follow all this?  Certainly, there
was nothing more to be had by trying to run... the fire, the flames so beautiful...
the darkness around me was so cold, so hostile.. 
His eyes were holding me now.
"Don't worry," he said.
I decided to step forward..  maybe if I saw him closer, those answers he
promised would come?
"Don't look away....."
I had to take another step...  if he saw me more closely, I wondered,
would not the details of me- him seeing me plainly - guide him toward
letting me go?
I came closer to him now...each step closer... his eyes in better view
each time .. Where and how could this end?
"You are very close now...."
I finally took that last step that made me come easily within his reach.
But he did not touch me.  Why not, I wondered?  Was I not an easy prey
for him?  Or was he so disillusioned with me now that he did not even
have the will to send me away?
The world felt as if it were still in a riot around me.. like I was
in the middle of a rushing current I could not see, a storm that had
no sound.   I was now enveloped by the sight of him, his light... and I
was needing now - so needing - to stop this struggle.. to finally take
rest.
I began to concentrate on his face.... it was now so close....
I closed my eyes again, and stood motionless.  He did
not reach for me.  My shoulders came back, with my breasts protruding
forward.  All my hair was tumbling behind me, with my neck, my shoulders,
bare.
The vision of his eyes were now burning in my mind... I felt the radiating heat
of his body against my bare breasts....
I slowly opened my eyes.
There I saw - so close to me now.. so revealing of that
soothing promise they had given me before... his eyes adoring me.
My hand came forward- almost of its own will- just to touch his face...
I caressed his face slowly.. his skin did not feel as it had looked-
it was soft, gentle, yet strong.  My other hand reached forward- I felt
the skin of his face with both hands now. I felt his life in waves of
energy... almost giving the same heat from the fires surrounding him,
now burning with such a great brilliance...  my arms began to curl around
his shoulders... his back..  and my hands caressed him... where
the skin was so tender.. so warm...
Now I felt his arms encircling me, and I began falling forward... as if
the gravity of the world had shifted and made him my center.  I felt my
breasts against his chest.  I felt my own heart beat with great strength
now... as his touch enveloped me...  with every touch against my bare
skin so sensitive..   my body clasped around him... I knew he was feeling
my very life in his arms...
Yes, he had possessed me all along.  He had ruled me - from the moment
I was in front of him, to now, when I was finally here.  Where I was
meant to be from the beginning....  Finally, I am home.
"I am borne to you now, my love," I whispered.  "Take what is yours."
His hands began to stroke my hair, gently, as my neck, my shoulders were
bare to him. I felt him breathe against my skin as my heartbeat sank into his.
My lips met his, slowly... tenderly.. the softest, deepest kiss I could have
ever imagined.  I wanted to feel his lips on my neck, feel his heart
pounding into my breasts...
His hands come down my back... a caress so deeply loving that somehow I sank
further into him... clinging with such need as I have never felt before...
There was no pain now.