Insight
Synopsis: Wendell tells Virginia how her mother came to be his stepmother and he helps her through her fears of motherhood. Wendell/Virginia sibling relationship is also discussed.
Virginia sat by the window watching the horse trainers took the horses for their daily exercises. Months had passed since her and Wolf had returned to the nine kingdoms to help Wendell and her father deal with Queen Riding Hood's petition to destroy all Wolves.
They had succeeded in putting down her revolution, but at a heavy cost to the Wolf population. She rested her hands on her bulging stomach. Any day now she would have her very own little wolf cub. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer for her child's safety.
"Virginia?" There was a soft knock on the door.
"Yes," she said, opening her eyes and looking back out the window. She did not turn to the king as he entered the room, "You may come in."
Wendell sat down across from her and reached for both her hands, "How are you doing?"
She looked away from the window and at the king, "Fine, I guess, a little anxious, but I think I'm doing fine."
Wendell squeezed her hands, "Is there anything I can get for you?"
She shook her head, "Thank you, but no. With Wolf rarely leaving my side, this peace is a rarity."
"He only has your best interests at heart," Wendell offered.
Virginia smiled, "I thought you didn't like wolves."
Wendell shrugged and looked out the window, "well you know, when one of them is one of your best friends, there is little to be done."
Virginia's smile widened. Snow White had been right when she had said that being dog had been good for Wendell. King Wendell, who was only a prince then, had learned about the other side of the coin. He had also learned to see the commoners and wolves from their perspective, not just from that of a spoiled royal.
"I shall leave you then," Wendell said.
Virginia made a quick motion to make sure his hand stayed locked in hers, "No, there is something I would like to discuss with you, if you don't mind."
Wendell, who stood frozen in the halfway spot between standing up and sitting down, sat back down, "Virginia-"
"Wendell, I need to know."
Wendell looked out the window and gave a deep sigh. One that Virginia knew came from deep within his heart and soul. Several moments of silence passed before he said, "I've told many times when you have asked that my memories of your mother, they are not fond."
Virginia removed her hands from his and placed them onto of his hands, "I know." She looked deep into his eyes, trying to reassure him, "but I still need to know."
"Even in your condition," he asked.
"Even in," she replied.
"Alright," he said. He paused for a moment before beginning the tale, "It was winter here in the fourth kingdom, in most of the kingdoms, for that matter. The winters here, as you know, can be dreadfully rough. She was found, wandering inside the palace grounds, almost frozen to death. My parents' advisors thought she might be some sort of threat but my parents decided instead to help her.
"They made sure that she was nursed back to health and when they questioned her about who she was, she had no idea. It wasn't just a claim either, she was very convincing. So they gave her the name of Geranlda, until she regained her memory.
"They allowed her stay in the palace and she took a quick liking to me. My parents, deciding it may help her to remember who she was, put on my staff. My staff, at the time since I was only a child, consisted of governors, governesses, nurses, doctors, and anybody else that would cater to my every whim and desire.
"A few months after she was completely healthy, my mother passed away in her sleep. The doctors simply concluded that it must have been from an illness that nobody knew she had had and that they could not detect.
"The other kingdoms and many fourth kingdom nobles were insisting my father marry again right away in order to ensure that no one could come in and challenge his claim to the throne. My father chose the person he thought least likely to interfere with his rule and with his personal life, my nurse Geranlda.
"Geranlda and my father were married mere months after my mother was dead and my father passed away not too long after that. Doctors could only conclude that he had died from the same mysterious illness that had taken my mother's life.
"Many more months passed since my father's death and then one evening my new nurse saw Geranlda slip something into my food. The nurse, having her suspicions, raised them to the council. They thought her a fool, since Geranlda had been my nurse before. The nurse took them back to the kitchens, where they fed my plate to the dog. He was fine, but when they went in the next morning to check on him, he was dead. He simply died in his sleep.
"The council knew then everything that had happened. Geranlda, my step mother and the queen of the fourth kingdom, until I came into my inheritance, had poisoned my mother, my father, and tried to poison me. No one would have ever suspected. At first she tried to deny it but when she knew she was cornered, she tried to fight back. She failed." Wendell paused, "she was sent away to prison for the rest of her days and you know the rest."
Virginia shook her head, "It's so hard to believe that my mother could do those things."
Wendell removed his hands from underneath Virginia's and placed both of them on her cheeks, "You, Virginia Lewis, are a good person."
Virginia's right hand went up to face and touched Wendell's. She wrapped her fingers around his, "Am I?"
"Yes," he insisted, "You are a wonderful daughter, a great friend, and you will be a terrific mother."
"I'm afraid to turn out like her," Virginia said, fear creeping through her voice. It was the first time she had voiced that fear aloud to another person. She hadn't even told Wolf of her fear.
"You won't, you are nothing like her. She craved power more than anything else while you sway away from power every time it comes near you. You are completely different from her."
Virginia lowered her head and Wendell allowed his hands to drop from her face. Many more moments of silence passed before Virginia looked up, tears in her eyes, "The chance is still there," Wendell opened his mouth to say something but Virginia cut him off quickly, "and I know that I can count on my child's uncle to take care of him or her should anything happen to me."
Wendell drew back for a moment and Virginia knew what he must have been thinking. It had been unspoken between them for months. Virginia's mother had married Wendell's father. Her mother had been Wendell's step mother which technically made them step siblings. It was known but unaddressed.
"Nothing is going to happen to you," Wendell said, trying to reassure her.
Virginia eyes pleaded with him, "but if something does-"
Wendell smiled, "than I will take care of your child."
"Thank you," she was about to say something else when she gave a groan.
"Virginia," alarm rose in his voice.
She reached over for his hand and grasped it, putting it on her stomach. "It's kicking."
Wendell had a look of thought and wonder as Virginia watched him. She smiled as she saw a small smile come to face, "You're going to be a great Mom," he whispered.
"You're going to be a great Uncle."
Wendell pulled back and leaned up against the wall, removing his hand from Virginia's stomach, "So if we're acknowledging that you and I are siblings can I call you Ginny, Virginia just requires that little bit more of an extra breath."
Virginia looked at him and then saw the twinkle in his eye. She returned the joke, "Only if I can call you Wendy."
They both laughed and then heard a husky voice ask from the doorway, "What's going on in here?"
They both turned and Virginia beckoned Wolf into the room, "Come here." She placed Wolf's hand on her stomach and he had almost the same reaction as Wendell. Wolf's face filled with wonder and he leaned over and kissed Virginia's head, "Only a few more days now."
Virginia leaned back against the wall and smiled at Wendell and Wolf. They were creating their very own happy ever after.
THE END