Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the
original characters, the rest in the story are mine.
10th Kingdom
Fanfic – "A Brother's Wish"
Chapter 7
Channon watched from
the woods waiting for Tony to leave and Reilly to go to the restaurant for the
afternoon. He had run through the woods
and was sweating and dirty. The run had
helped some but he could feel the moon beginning to exert itself on him. Maybe because of his feelings for Reilly,
maybe because he was with another wolf, usually it did not affect him so quickly. He saw Tony mount his horse and ride
away. Shortly after Tony left, Reilly
came out the front door, she had her basket on her arm and she looked towards
the woods with an odd expression on her face before turning toward the
restaurant. Channon watched from the
shadows. When she had gone in the door
Channon ran for the house. He went
through the back door and up to his room taking the steps two at a time. Wolf and Virginia heard him come in and
bound up the stairs. Wolf was reading a
book on fatherhood that Virginia had picked up for him while they were still in
New York. Virginia was trying to sew
but Wolf's fidgeting was distracting her. She stood up, her back was sore and she wanted to find out what was
going on between her best friend and her brother-in-law.
Wolf leapt up next to
her, "Everything okay, cream puff?"
"Yes, I think I will
go to the restaurant and chat with Reilly," she nuzzled Wolf's scratchy chin, "Maybe you should go talk with your
brother."
"Huff Puff, what for?"
"Oh I don't know," she
replied sarcastically, "Reilly maybe."
"Cripes, why what did
he do?"
"Nothing, but I think
he wants to." She pushed him toward the
stairs, "find out what he feels about her." Wolf began pacing at the bottom of the stairs. "Talk to him about the full moon coming up, just spend some time
with him, I will be in the restaurant."
"Okay, okay." Wolf bounded up the stairs.
Chapter 8
Wolf knocked softly on
Channon's door. "Channon, can we talk?"
The door opened, the
older wolf was disheveled and wet. "Wolf," he gestured for Wolf to
enter. "Please do come in."
"Thank you." Wolf patted his brother on the
shoulder. "So, Virginia sent me up here
to talk to you," Wolf sat on the unmade
bed while Channon paced in front of the window. "Something bothering you brother?" he asked.
"You know, the
moon." Channon replied not wanting to
open up.
"So soon?" Wolf asked. "Could Reilly have anything to do with it?"
"Why do you ask?" Channon turned to face his brother, Wolf
could see the heat rising up in the other wolf. "She has nothing to do with this, and I don't want her to see me
this way." Channon began pacing again,
"she'll never love me if she sees me this way."
"Huff Puff, love… you
just met…" Wolf replied, "though I
loved Virginia the first time I saw her. Don't worry brother. Reilly has
been here during a full moon cycle. She
and Virginia usually stay together at the Inn. I run free in the woods. It is
not as hard to control as I first thought." He smiled, "the love of a good woman helps."
"How do you know how
it is for me, I haven't been around you in 14 years, what bad things have you done?" Channon's eyes began to glow.
"Relax, it will get easier." Wolf smiled. "I have been better since meeting Virginia. Trust me a good woman helps."
"But won't she be
frightened." Channon asked. "Has she seen us during our 'cycle'."
"Yes, she and Virginia
both know how to deal with it." He
patted the older wolfs shoulder, "Virginia always fixes rare lamb chops for
me. I'm sure she can show Reilly how to
fix them."
"Thank you brother, I
am feeling things I have never felt. I
feel alive when I am near Reilly, like the moon is coursing through my
body." He smiled finally. "Tell me how you met Virginia, how long did
it take to woo her, tell me everything."
"Well, okay," Wolf
told Channon the entire story from the time the queen freed him to the previous
week.
Meanwhile in
the restaurant
"Reilly, where are
you?" Virginia called. She walked from the dining room into the
kitchen. Reilly was sitting on a stool
looking out the window, she had her flowers in front of her on the counter but
Virginia could tell her heart was not in her work. "Reilly?"
"What? Oh sorry, I was daydreaming." Reilly blushed as she turned away from the
window. "Sorry Virginia. I will have these done in just a minute."
"Reilly it's okay, I
don't think there is a rush, there will only be a few guests this evening. Full moon is coming, you know the
drill. Mostly wolves and they really
don't care about the flowers."
"I know, I just need
something to do with my hands." Reilly
finished arranging the flowers. "Virginia can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"What do you think of
Channon?"
"Well, I think he is a
lot like Wolf in a lot of ways, but not as skittish." Virginia smiled at Reilly. "What do you think? That is the
important question."
"Well, he is handsome
and charming. He seems very nice." She looked away, "I don't think I made a
good impression on him though."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well he handed me the
orange and I gave him a sad look. Thelen used to bring me oranges, which is why I like them. I don't know what to do. I think I like Channon but I don't know how
he feels about me. Then there is the
whole Dad issue. You should have seen
the look he gave me when he saw me coming out of the woods with Channon."
"You have to remember
Dad's first contact with a wolf, was Wolf. Wolf did try to eat my grandmother, and then there was the whole dragon
dung bean fiasco," She patted Reilly's
hand. "He is still getting over my
growing up, his wolf son-in-law, my mothers death and the fact that in a few
months time he will be a grandfather."
"True." She stood up and went to the cupboard to
grab a cup of apple cider. "I am so
confused, I thought after Thelen was killed that maybe it was destiny that I
was going to be alone…"
"But now Channon has
come into your life." Virginia said
finishing Reilly's thought.
"I just have never
fell this fast for anyone, plus I don't even know how he feels about me, maybe
he thinks I am just a silly child."
"I don't think that is
what he is feeling." Virginia said,
"I've only been married to Wolf for a short time, but trust me, I can read
their body language, I can tell Channon is interested."
"Are you sure?" Reilly's eyes brightened. "Should I still go with Dad to Cinderella's
castle. What about you?"
"I will be fine. Maybe you should go talk to Channon about
your trip. Let him hear it from you
that it is only a few days and you will be back and then the two of you can
spend some time together."
"Okay, I will. Do you know where he …?" She stopped when Wolf came running into the
restaurant with a worried look on his face. He started pacing and mumbling to himself.
"Wolf?" Virginia asked, "what is the matter?"
"Huff Puff, I messed
up now, I told Channon that Reilly was going to Cinderella's castle with Tony
and he took off." He knelt in front of
Reilly, "Please forgive me little sister, I didn't know he would take it so hard. He is becoming very moody already." He whimpered when he turned to Virginia,
"Sorry cream puff, I tried to call him back. The moon is making him crazy."
"Wolf it's okay. I'm sure he will come back," Virginia ran her fingers through his
hair. "He has to eat sometime. You will leave the windows open tonight
while you cook. I'm sure he will be
back for dinner."
Chapter 9
As predicted by
Virginia, Channon came back at supper time. For some reason the 'Faire was packed to capacity all evening long. Reilly, Virginia and Channon were busy all
evening. Finally near midnight everyone
had left. Virginia and Wolf went to
their house leaving Reilly and Channon alone to finish cleaning and to have
some time alone together before Reilly left in the morning.
"Channon," Reilly said
quietly as she finally sat down.
"Yes," he replied, coming to sit next to her.
"I know Wolf told you
that I am going away for a few days."
"Yes."
"Well I just wanted
you to know that I will be back," She
smiled at him. "I wish I didn't have to
go but I promised Dad."
"I know, sorry I ran
off." He took her hand. "The full moon is coming on, I guess it
affects me more than my brother. I get
so…"
"I know I have seen it
in Wolf, but it does not scare me." She
moved closer, "it does not scare me at all. Virginia said she will show me how to cook rare lamb chops for you. Just the way wolfies like them." She squeezed his hand, "Just not this
time. But, I promise I will return to…"
"Me," Channon
interrupted.
"If that is what you
would like."
"Yes ver…" Channon
leaned forward for a kiss. Their lips
almost met when a small man walked into the dining room. Channon turned toward the door.
"Could I trouble you
for a glass of warm milk for an old man?" He asked.
"Yes, just one
moment," Channon replied. "Sorry for my actions, I will finish up
here, you need your rest before your travel. Sleep well Reilly, I shall be waiting for your return."
"Thank you," she
squeezed his hand and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I can only wish that
the few days will go by very quickly. Goodnight." Reilly stood
up and left. Channon served the old man
a glass of warm milk and then closed the restaurant for the evening. He dreamt of Reilly all night.