Chapter I: Wolf and Beginnings

The sun hung high in the sky. However, a cool wind kissed the earth and as such the villagers were more tolerant of the threshing of the wheat that they had to do. It was harvest time. The time of storing what they had labored to produce. To make merry at their accomplishments and of course more importantly, than that it was the Wheat Harvest Festival where the villagers worshipped a certain god Holo, who they believed gave a good harvest. From afar, a large, very large wolf with auburn fur watched curiously at their celebration. The wolf thought to itself about the traditions these people did year after year. Decades. Centuries.

As she watched, a man with grey hair and hazel eyes arrived into town with a horse and cart. She found him intriguing. It was interesting that his hair had greyed despite him appearing to be in his early thirties.

"Lawrence?" One of the girls asked.

"Hmm?" What is it Cloe?" The man with the grey hair asked.

"Oh, it's nothing. I wanted to get your attention is all. You seemed distracted again by your sales."

"Well I am a merchant after all."

The girl named Cloe pouted. There seemed to be nothing special about her in particular. She had brown hair and brown eyes. She wore a plain white dress with grey trim noting several meanings. Poverty, melancholy, hope. It was strange that grey could represent such a thing. But according to tradition, grey represented hope because hope isn't an absolute nor is it guaranteed. But it doesn't mean it will fail. Hope was a term used by all. The church, villagers and especially merchants.

Villagers and farmers hope for a good harvest. Merchants hope for a good profit and customers to buy their goods. The church...who knows what they hope for. They wolf did not know for the Church was a fairly new establishment. To her it seemed to blossom into life recently, but in reality, it had been about two centuries. However, she did know this. They weren't fond of "pagan" gods or anyone who worshipped anything except their "God."

"So, Lawrence," Cloe continued.

"Yes?"

"Will you stay for the festival?"

"Perhaps. I need a rest anyways. Two days without rest can be taxing."

Cloe cringed at his metaphor as the city Pasloe was suffering a tariff on wheat. Not only on the villagers but it was especially hard for travelling merchants such as Lawrence. Because of this it made it hard for profit except to the ones controlling the tariff.

Cloe sighed but quickly smiled and said, "I'll prepare a room for you." She ran off giddily as she went on her way. "Humans are odd creatures," the wolf thought to herself.

Later that evening a bonfire was lit. The villagers danced happily holding hands as they danced around the fire. Lawrence was fine for toasts and the drinking of fine liquor but he wasn't much into celebrations. He sat and watched thinking about the profit he was going to make on the wheat as well as the furs he had hidden in his cart. Cloe sat down next to him extending her hand.

Lawrence sighed, "I guess you want me to dance with you."

Cloe giggled, "A man such as yourself should learn how to enjoy himself once in a while."

"I do enjoy myself. But I don't exactly believe in Holo who brings a plentiful harvest."

"Many people say believing is only seeing with their eyes. Sometimes believing is hard even if you can see."

"I see."

Cloe tugged on his hand and Lawrence reluctantly got up and joined her. Cloe was a lovely girl but for some odd reason she wasn't the glove that would fit over his hand. But in order to please and have good relationships with the town he did his best to make sure he looked like he was enjoying himself.

Later that night as he went to check on his cargo he was surprised to find a girl, or rather, a woman standing exposed in his cart. Her hair was auburn and instead of human ears she had fox like ones on the top of her head. (Cough) excuse me wolf like.

Then from her lower back a tail. It was slick and bushy. It was as auburn as her hair and at the end of her tail was pure white unaffected by the elements such as rain, muck and grime. Lawrence looked away. It wasn't because he was embarrassed but because he wanted to give her a bit of decency. However, she seemed unaffected by the fact she was naked. In fact, it seemed she was amused by the man called Lawrence's reaction. The woman giggled.

"What's wrong? You embarrassed?"

"No, I just don't make it a habit to spend time being indecent."

The woman giggled again. "Indecent? You really are strange. In reality, clothing is something you humans invented."

"Who are you anyways?" Glancing back a bit before turning towards her.

"Now that I have your full attention. I have a request."

"What sort of request?" Lawrence wondered who this strange woman was.

"Getting straight to the point. I like men who don't dawdle and can actually make up their mind." The wolf like woman smiled. Her dark red eyes had a glint of mischievousness in them. "To continue I'm Holo the wise wolf and I would like a companion to accompany me to the North."

"The North?"

Holo looked down sadly. "The North, is my home. I want to go back."

Lawrence sighed and thought to himself, "So Holo isn't some fairy tale after all. She's real. So the profits I've had on wheat is because…" He looked up with seriousness and said, "I'll accompany you to the North. However, we need to get you some clothes. Despite what you say it'd be found indecent peddling around with someone naked." He thought to himself they'd also think that he was a slave trader and he didn't want that. Excluding the fact that Holo also had wolf like ears and a tail.

"Very well." Holo sighed lightly as she stared at the stars in the sky thinking, wondering. "You better buy me some fanciful clothes."

"Oh right, oh right." Lawrence said grumpily. Fanciful clothes. It would cost at least fifty Trenni silver coins to buy what she had in mind. He also would have to find her a cloak to hide her ears and tail. However, it wasn't going to be as fancy as her clothes. Holo narrowed her eyes as if she knew what he was thinking.

Lawrence sighed, "Remember you are accompanying me. I'm not here to be a serf to you, only an escort."

"Oh, and I suppose you don't want me along just because it might ruin your reputation."

Lawrence winced. She definitely was a wise wolf. It was uncommon for merchants to travel with others and with a woman at that, unless they were a spouse or a harlot. And if it was the latter… Well, those merchants were made laughing stocks and had to take up different occupations other than being merchants and that wasn't easy.

Lawrence spoke again. "Fine. Wait in the woods or under the tarp in my cart."

Holo crossed her arms in front of her and harrumphed. She crawled under the tarp and hid. Lawrence then made sure his horses were hitched properly and drove off into the night to the nearest clothing shop though he doubted they would be open this time of night. However, he did know one shop and he did not like it. Jorge Quackenbush. The man was a cheapskate but he had no choice but to go to him.

"Jorge," he paused quickly going through his head what he had planned. "I need some summer clothes, for a woman."

"Just a moment Lawrence." Noise was made in the back as boxes moved around as Jorge searched. He brought out a fine light purple tunic, black cotton pants, a black wool vest, a maroon sash with a cross-stitched pattern and black wooden canoe-shaped shoes. It seemed odd as her clothes had no grey trim in it. It was a common practice to put grey in people's clothes especially women's.

Seeing the extravagance of the clothes was one of the reasons Lawrence hated Jorge. He seemed to always read what was in people's minds. It was as if he exchanged his soul to the devil rather than an Almighty God. "Will this be sufficient?"

Lawrence scratched his head. "More than sufficient. I will also need a cloak as well."

"What are you hiding Lawrence? Don't tell me someone stole your heart and you're thinking of settling down already. Lawrence, you sly bastard."

"Jorge." Lawrence said with a growl.

"Alright. Alright. I'll stop joking. Most likely you found someone in the slums and you want to help them out is that it?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it the slums but that's about it."

"Okay. I trust you Lawrence. You haven't been one to make up stories. Though it's a shame, you have the potential to have women flock to you when people throw bread crumbs to wandering animals."

Lawrence simply glared at him not saying a word.

Jorge sighed and continued, "For the clothes and the cloak. Hmm, I'd say it's 67 Trenni silver coins."

"Sixty-s-seven. You're joking."

"I wish I was."

Lawrence sighed and said, "How about one gold Lumione and 30 Trenni silver coins."

Jorge burst out laughing. "It's unusual for you to make a deal like that. Alright it's a deal."

Lawrence begrudgingly took the money out of his sack and handed it to him. Now I'm almost completely broke. He thought to himself. This will be good though as people will be less likely to rob me. He also thought that if on the off chance he did marry he hoped she wasn't expensive. It didn't do well for business. For any business. Or any merchant for that matter.

As Lawrence left Jorge said after him. "Have a good time and refer that nice young woman to me."

"That's if you see her again."

It was Jorge's turn to glare and was in the process of saying something as Lawrence closed the door behind him. Lawrence then wandered back to where the cart was. When he was close Holo poked her head from under the tarp to meet his gaze.

"I see you got me some nice clothes. You have very good taste."

"Yes, and I also see this wolf has a fine taste in the case of robbing people of their fortune."

"Oh, don't be like that. Besides you probably imagined what I looked like in them."

Lawrence growled, "Just put them on."

"I never said you had to take me," Holo said curtly.

Lawrence sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Is that all?"

"That's all."

"I see. I find your lack of words depressing."

Lawrence looked away to give her privacy as she dressed. This made Holo smile once again. Lawrence could've just looked as he had already seen her naked. However, she would save the teasing for later.

"I'm finished."

Lawrence looked back and was stunned but only for a moment. Indeed, the clothes made her look very beautiful. "You look lovely."

"Ha! Is that all you have to say? I am Holo the wise wolf and I think you think more so than those three little words."

"So you can count."

"Yes I can count and I bet I can double your investment somewhere along our journey."

"Oh really."

"Yes really. I promise." She balled her hands into fists and put them on her hips. She then hissed which made her tail stand on end.

"Okay. Okay I believe you. Goodness." He then got into the driver's seat and Holo plopped herself beside him still a little upset. Perhaps it was human nature to be spiteful. And yet a Deity sitting beside him was experiencing this "human" trait.

To Holo it seemed trivial to feel human emotion. And yet the more she was human the more she felt these emotions. It seemed odd. She had lived many centuries and yet feeling human emotions despite feeling them much was at times confusing to her. Pain. Loneliness. Sadness. Happiness. Love. She had lived several hundred years and had many companions and as part of the Laws of Nature, they grew old and died and since she was almost immortal she had to watch them perish. Death to her was a curse for She took away her dearest friends and could no longer find them.

Why did death have to exist? She loved at times being human and at times not so. For humans were frail creatures and being human made her frail and she did not like that. Holo thought about all those things in silence as Lawrence drove his cart. She heard a voice pull her out of her thoughts.

"You seem worried about something. I can tell."

"No, it is alright. Don't worry. I'm just a little tired."

"We've passed out of sight so we can rest for the night."

Lawrence seemed he would be warm enough for the night. He wore a brown leather coat with a cotton collar. He wore a beige shirt that seemed to be made out of a mixture of cotton and wool. His black pants were made out of cotton as well. Holo slept opposite of him so her feet faced towards his face. Lawrence sighed. It felt weird that he had a traveling companion and that they were sleeping together. Well not the term that most people used. He wondered, why did Holo choose him?

Most likely since he was the only traveling merchant in Pasloe. Holo pulled him out of his thoughts as she said, "We live in the same world and yet they're very different from one another."

Lawrence pulled himself back to his thoughts. "Is that right?" He then went to sleep peacefully which was unusual. True there were times in which he did sleep in peace, but other times he had nightmares about wolves. His companions' faces fresh in his mind before they died.

The next morning as they traveled Holo went on a rant about how beautiful her tail was. How many men would flock to her. How she had many companions. As she talked Lawrence didn't mind, for he experienced loneliness as well and hearing her chatter made him smile, at least on the inside.

"You obviously didn't hear me. You haven't responded much on our trip."

"I apologize, my thoughts were elsewhere."

"Obviously. Were you thinking of Cloe?"

"No. I was thinking how beautiful your tail was," Lawrence lied.

"Why thank you. You must be a very good judge of character."

"I should hope so."

"By the way, you stink. You're a good man you'd probably get more customers if you smelled better."

"Excuse me. But I don't think it's ruining my business."

"Well, not to worry. You'll be able to get a bath but it'll start at the top of your head."

Lawrence was about to ask what she meant by that but he then looked up at the sky and saw clouds starting to gather. Good thing he decided to purchase the tarp or all the furs he had traded for would go to waste. He knew there was a church nearby that sheltered those in need, but he needed to be careful. If the church saw her ears and tail that would be it for her and his business.

"We're approaching the church now."

Holo without a word put on the cloak Lawrence bought for her. The cloak was light brown and the trim was once again black. Again, something unusual for women's clothes. This will be explained later. Holo indeed was a wise wolf. She didn't seem the kind of woman to be oblivious to things like this. Those were the kind of women he liked.

By the time they reached the church it was pouring rain. Lawrence parked the cart a little off the road as not to be in the way and knocked on the gate of the church. They were then greeted by a monk who said, "Let us thank God for our meeting today."

Lawrence bowed in front of the monk and said, "Let God bless you for welcoming us here." Lawrence then took out a couple of Trie copper coins and put it into a silver goblet held by the monk. "Let me take care of my drenched goods and then I'll let God welcome me."

The monk drew a cross in front of his chest in the air with his left hand as his right held the goblet. After the gesture the monk turned himself inside. Holo went ahead of Lawrence to their designated shelter. Lawrence unhitched his horses, put them in the stable then made sure his goods were taken care of. Afterwards, he went to join Holo where she stood half naked wringing out her tunic. Ugh. Despite all the years she lived it seemed decency wasn't in her vocabulary. But perhaps gods didn't know the meaning of that. He took off his jacket, then his shirt as they were soaked by rain as well.

"You're a very nice looking man." Holo said turning her head towards Lawrence.

Lawrence blushed. But only slightly. He never stayed in one place at once so he didn't have the chance to get to know many women with Cloe being the exception.

Holo was completely naked at this point as she let her clothes hang out to dry. Lawrence grew a bit more nervous but was able to calm himself more fully by deep breathing. He then asked, "Can I keep some of the wheat?"

"Don't waste your time. Everything has a place where it belongs. The more you bring grown goods up North the harder it is to grow things. Wheat freezes easily so you probably won't make a huge profit."

Lawrence sighed sadly. He guessed he would have to count his losses especially since he would have to keep some in order to keep Holo around. You see, Holo was a Deity who brought a plentiful harvest but she also dwelled within the wheat as well. Lawrence then asked, "What should I do then?"

"I'd like to make it possible for me to carry the wheat with me at all times."

"Then I'll thresh the wheat, put it in a bag and put a leather string around it. That way you can wear it around your neck."

"There you go. I know you were capable."

"Yeah, thanks for believing in me."

At this Holo shook her tail to wring out all of the water making Lawrence dripping wet again.

Holo spoke again turning towards him. "Perhaps a good quality about you is your whiskers."

"Oh really. I'm glad you like it."

"However, it might be more appealing to me if you had actual whiskers like a wolf does."

"Ha, ha you're hilarious," Lawrence said sarcastically.

At this Holo started howling like a wolf and started to laugh.

Lawrence sighed and smiled. So this is what it's like to have a companion. Holo stopped laughing for a bit and looked at Lawrence curiously. She giggled softly.

"Looks like I broke your face."

Lawrence looked at Holo quizzically, "What are you talking about?"

"You smiled. It looks nice on you."

"It does huh?" Lawrence felt his shirt and coat. They were still a bit damp but not soaking. He put them back on and Holo did the same with her attire. Lawrence then turned to Holo and said, "We can get our clothes drier if we go inside. There's a fireplace there."

"Alright." She then interlocked her arm with his and held onto his hand. Lawrence felt himself grow warm. He coughed once and said, "Just be careful and make sure to hide your ears and tail."

"I know. I've lived for a very long time around humans. But I'll do as you say my dear husband. I'll be careful."

Lawrence lost his composure a bit more. What Lawrence and Holo agreed upon is that they would act as husband and wife while they were traveling in the South up to the North so problems wouldn't arise. Still, because of this agreement it made him a bit overprotective.

Lawrence stayed quiet as he led her inside. A large roaring fire was lit in the fireplace on the other side of the vast convent. To the left were large double doors which probably led into the chapel. As Lawrence led Holo to the fireplace he was awestruck by the design that was put into the hearth.

The fireplace was made of the finest material. It was made from blackwood which was unusual and it seemed that the fireplace had turned black from the sin it absorbed from the numerous people seeking refuge within the walls of the convent. On the top of the fireplace in the middle was an angel in prayer. The small statue seemed new as dust had not gathered on it yet. It also seemed a new concept for the people to have a supreme being pray for a mortal's welfare. For once Lawrence and Holo seemed to agree silently that this new practice was peculiar. Across the front of the fireplace read, 'Post mortem non in lucem'. After death there is light. Holo scoffed. All that death had brought her was sorrow and darkness. Why say such a ludicrous saying. A man soon approached them with a woman holding his hand, his wife. He said, "May I join you?"

Lawrence smiled tiredly, "Please do so."

The man then said something odd, "Even in the light it can be lonely."

"It sure can be which is why it makes it less so with a companion," Lawrence replied.

"So what brings you here?"

"My wife and I were traveling to sell some furs in the next city of Pazzio."

"Pazzio huh? I have a vineyard near there. Unfortunately, I fight with the companies every year over the price."

"Such is the business of being a merchant."

The man nodded his head, "Such is the business." He paused a moment before continuing, "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Xander le Blanc. Though most know me by Simeon Strauss. I lost the le Blanc title long ago so I go by an alias. It's...better for business."

"I understand. And I'm Kraft Lawrence. Though most call me Lawrence."

"Are you a traveling merchant? If so it's unusual for one to have a wife by their side. But I guess that makes the journey less lonely."

"Yes, very much so."

"Pleased to meet you." Simeon stared into the fireplace thinking. He then said aloud wise words an old man had said to him many years before, "Alas, it is enough. When you love someone you want to protect them, for them to be with you, for them to belong only to you. But such selfishness will eventually bring you pain. As there's no guarantee that love will blossom from the one you hold."

"That's very wise advice. Who told you that?"

Simeon sighed, "My old tutor. He had a person he loved but the relationship didn't end well. He ended up dying an old man without anyone to love. It's sad really."

"I see." Lawrence said his mind in thought. "But it seems you took your tutor's advice and good came of it."

"It most certainly did."

"Now if you excuse me my wife seems to be getting tired we best be on our way. Just because she's used to me being a merchant doesn't mean it's hard."

Lawrence looked down at Holo who smiled at him. Lawrence grew a bit embarrassed that he hadn't noticed his companion's fatigue. With a straight face Lawrence said, "My wife is the one who came after me."

Simeon's eyes lit up and he started to chuckle. "As a merchant you meet many friends. You come in contact with many precious things. If you lose them eventually they can be replaced. However, with the one you love, the moments you share, the smiles you exchange; once you lose her they're lost. Because men are full of greed. It would be as if she wasn't in your life in the first place."

Lawrence sat in silence thinking about what Simeon had said. At first he thought Cloe would pop into his head but Holo was in his thoughts instead. He wondered what attracted him to her. The first thing was her eyes and their unusual color. Red. The color of roses, autumn leaves and blood They seemed to bore into his soul. Though at the same time he didn't want anyone prying into his soul.

"Lawrence, Lawrence." Simeon called.

Lawrence shook his head and apologized, "Sorry my thoughts were elsewhere. I was thinking about you said and didn't realize I drifted into my own thoughts."

"Unusual. Most merchants who are married wave me off."

"I share the same sentiment." He stood up and shook Simeon's hand before they said goodbye. He turned to Holo, "Are your clothes dry?"

"Mostly. You truly are a caring husband."

"Yes I suppose so. What, what am I-"

Holo hugged tighter around his arm- her signal to stop for a moment. "Just pretend, just a little longer." Holo started to doze off and Lawrence sighed. He walked with her to their room and led her to a bed on the left side while he took the one on the right. He blew out the candle lighting the room and went to sleep soundly exhausted from travel. As he slept Holo looked at him and smiled. She thought to herself, Lawrence is such a fool, but he is my fool.