All the characters in this story apart from those obviously affiliated with
the 10th Kingdom series are entirely of my own creation.
SHADOWS OF THE MOON
PROLOGUE - The One-Eyed Wolf
Winter in the Fourth Kingdom was a sight to behold. Snow dusted the hills and forests until it was white and perfect.
Virginia Lewis stared at the silent scene from the comfort of her room in Wendell's castle and thought how much it looked like something from. 'A fairytale.' She smiled at herself for the thought. Of course it looked like a fairytale - she lived where they were real.
The chambers that she shared with Wolf when in the Fourth Kingdom were tastefully opulent. A grand four-post bed graced the centre of the room and at the end a cot was ready for their baby when it came. She rubbed her swollen belly and contemplated names for the child before taking a walk around the castle. She loved the gallery most - staring at the portraits of Wendell's family and others. But one particular painting stopped her in her tracks.
Two figures stare benevolently at her from their gilt frame. The woman was dressed in an ankle-length green velvet dress with her long silver streaked raven hair entwined with wild flowers. Her feet were bare and around one ankle was a jagged circular scar. Her partner was wearing a matching suit, his long red hair wrapped around with vines. He stood slightly taller than her, but both had an air of wild grace about them. In their arms were two young babes. But as Virginia looked closer the thing that had first caught her eye became more obvious. Their eyes were the colour of pure gold - they were wolves.
Now she looked closer she could make out their tails falling behind them and a pair of pricked ears laying flat on their tops of their heads. There was something especially alluring about the woman, female, some hidden strength or subtle dignity. There was a plaque beneath the painting - "Luna and Tamarisk upon their wedding day with their babes Luath and Miran."
The more Virginia looked at the portrait the more she could see their wolfish qualities, and what's more they didn't want to hide it like Wolf did. Wolf. She wondered if he had seen it?
Wendell came up behind her, startling her.
'Oh, Wendell, it's only you. I was just looking at this painting. Did you know them?'
'Not that I can remember, but I think they might have been friends with my Grandmother.'
Wolf came bounding in through the open doors.
'Ah, there you are, my little lamb chop. I was just.' Wolf looked up at the painting and his jaw dropped. He stared without a word at it before rapidly disappearing.
'Wolf.?' Virginia called after him, but Wendell dissuaded her from following.
'I think he needs to be alone for a while. Why don't you come with me, dinner will be served soon.'
Wolf didn't return until it was dark. Snow had begun to fall again outside and his skin was as cold as ice to the touch. He looked lost and alone and Virginia went over to comfort him.
'What's wrong?'
'It's nothing, nothing. Just that those wolves in the painting reminded me of others I used to know. They died a long time ago.'
'And they will fall into memory and nothingness unless their tale is told.'
Wolf and Virginia turned as one towards the alien voice. Seated upon a window ledge that defied the imagination to explain how she got up there, was the most villainous creature Virginia had ever seen. Jet black from nose to tail, the wolf leaned against the stone wall nonchalantly, its single amber eye blazing with a burning intensity and candlelight glittering off the multitude of gold hoops that decorated its pricked ears and a solitary fang that jutted over its bottom lip.
'I didn't expect to see you here,' Wolf said to the black wolf.
'I could say the same to you.'
'Wolf, you know this creature?'
'You could say that,' the black wolf dropped off the ledge and landed skilfully. Now that it was upright Virginia could take full stock of it. It was painfully thin and covered in scars that created ridges and furrows in its sleek fur. It stood upon two legs and this in itself was menacing for it looked so much bigger. And it was female.
'What are you doing here?'
'I merely heard that the wolf who saved the Nine Kingdoms was here and I was curious. Is that a crime?'
Wendell chose this moment to enter the room. He stared in shock at the villainous-looking creature and was about to call his guards when Wolf stopped him.
'Wait, I know this wolf.'
'What are you doing here?'
'I bring with me a long forgotten tale that will stir your memory and your heart, for some appear to have forgotten what one wolf gave for this Kingdom. Can I see the painting?'
They led the way to the portrait gallery and the black wolf reached up to the two wolves with tears in her eyes. 'Yes, I knew these wolves. I knew of their great love and passion and what events transpired for them to have earned a place in the heart of the greatest woman who ever lived. Their road was dark and dangerous and they lived their story as a message to others, even though their own children appear to have forgotten it.
'I shall tell you the tale, and let it be known as the Shadows of the Moon for that is what they truly were. But I shall begin with one wolf for without him none of this would ever have been possible.'
SHADOWS OF THE MOON
PROLOGUE - The One-Eyed Wolf
Winter in the Fourth Kingdom was a sight to behold. Snow dusted the hills and forests until it was white and perfect.
Virginia Lewis stared at the silent scene from the comfort of her room in Wendell's castle and thought how much it looked like something from. 'A fairytale.' She smiled at herself for the thought. Of course it looked like a fairytale - she lived where they were real.
The chambers that she shared with Wolf when in the Fourth Kingdom were tastefully opulent. A grand four-post bed graced the centre of the room and at the end a cot was ready for their baby when it came. She rubbed her swollen belly and contemplated names for the child before taking a walk around the castle. She loved the gallery most - staring at the portraits of Wendell's family and others. But one particular painting stopped her in her tracks.
Two figures stare benevolently at her from their gilt frame. The woman was dressed in an ankle-length green velvet dress with her long silver streaked raven hair entwined with wild flowers. Her feet were bare and around one ankle was a jagged circular scar. Her partner was wearing a matching suit, his long red hair wrapped around with vines. He stood slightly taller than her, but both had an air of wild grace about them. In their arms were two young babes. But as Virginia looked closer the thing that had first caught her eye became more obvious. Their eyes were the colour of pure gold - they were wolves.
Now she looked closer she could make out their tails falling behind them and a pair of pricked ears laying flat on their tops of their heads. There was something especially alluring about the woman, female, some hidden strength or subtle dignity. There was a plaque beneath the painting - "Luna and Tamarisk upon their wedding day with their babes Luath and Miran."
The more Virginia looked at the portrait the more she could see their wolfish qualities, and what's more they didn't want to hide it like Wolf did. Wolf. She wondered if he had seen it?
Wendell came up behind her, startling her.
'Oh, Wendell, it's only you. I was just looking at this painting. Did you know them?'
'Not that I can remember, but I think they might have been friends with my Grandmother.'
Wolf came bounding in through the open doors.
'Ah, there you are, my little lamb chop. I was just.' Wolf looked up at the painting and his jaw dropped. He stared without a word at it before rapidly disappearing.
'Wolf.?' Virginia called after him, but Wendell dissuaded her from following.
'I think he needs to be alone for a while. Why don't you come with me, dinner will be served soon.'
Wolf didn't return until it was dark. Snow had begun to fall again outside and his skin was as cold as ice to the touch. He looked lost and alone and Virginia went over to comfort him.
'What's wrong?'
'It's nothing, nothing. Just that those wolves in the painting reminded me of others I used to know. They died a long time ago.'
'And they will fall into memory and nothingness unless their tale is told.'
Wolf and Virginia turned as one towards the alien voice. Seated upon a window ledge that defied the imagination to explain how she got up there, was the most villainous creature Virginia had ever seen. Jet black from nose to tail, the wolf leaned against the stone wall nonchalantly, its single amber eye blazing with a burning intensity and candlelight glittering off the multitude of gold hoops that decorated its pricked ears and a solitary fang that jutted over its bottom lip.
'I didn't expect to see you here,' Wolf said to the black wolf.
'I could say the same to you.'
'Wolf, you know this creature?'
'You could say that,' the black wolf dropped off the ledge and landed skilfully. Now that it was upright Virginia could take full stock of it. It was painfully thin and covered in scars that created ridges and furrows in its sleek fur. It stood upon two legs and this in itself was menacing for it looked so much bigger. And it was female.
'What are you doing here?'
'I merely heard that the wolf who saved the Nine Kingdoms was here and I was curious. Is that a crime?'
Wendell chose this moment to enter the room. He stared in shock at the villainous-looking creature and was about to call his guards when Wolf stopped him.
'Wait, I know this wolf.'
'What are you doing here?'
'I bring with me a long forgotten tale that will stir your memory and your heart, for some appear to have forgotten what one wolf gave for this Kingdom. Can I see the painting?'
They led the way to the portrait gallery and the black wolf reached up to the two wolves with tears in her eyes. 'Yes, I knew these wolves. I knew of their great love and passion and what events transpired for them to have earned a place in the heart of the greatest woman who ever lived. Their road was dark and dangerous and they lived their story as a message to others, even though their own children appear to have forgotten it.
'I shall tell you the tale, and let it be known as the Shadows of the Moon for that is what they truly were. But I shall begin with one wolf for without him none of this would ever have been possible.'