The circus had come to the Fourth Kingdom! Everyone was excited, from the
poorest peasant to royalty.
Queen Snow White had commissioned a special performance at her castle. Most of the castle staff had been invited and requests accepted from various Kingdom folk. For the citizenry it was not so much the show as the chance to see Her Majesty who would be attending with her grandson, Prince Wendell.
The young prince gazed with growing elation as he saw the wagons filled with wild animals and the huge red and gold tent being erected in the castle garden. A hand rested on his shoulder. The boy looked up into the gentle face of his grandmother, Snow White. Her beauty had not faded over time and age had even lent her an extra air of nobility. 'Patience, Wendell. It'll be ready by tonight.'
'But I want it now,' he pouted.
Snow White ruffled her grandson's blonde hair; he still had so much to learn. 'Patience is the virtue of a king and a hard lesson. Make sure you learn it well.'
The five-year-olds face screwed up with concentration, but the sight of a white dragon behind his grandmother soon dispelled it. Snow White turned round and looked at the icy beast.
'Arc, is everything all right?'
'Yes, Your Majesty. I have just been watching the arrival of that circus. There's something I don't like about it.'
'Does it pose a threat to me?'
'No, Majesty, there is no risk, at least to you. I just get a bad feeling.'
'As long as we are safe that's all that matters.'
'Majesty.' Arc bowed low to the Prince and even lower to his Queen and left.
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The benches were full to capacity. Lively music blared out and everyone laughed at the antics of the clowns, gasped with wonder at the feats of the acrobats and cheered wildly at the performing horses.
Now the spectators were held in an expectant hush. Various performers ran in and out of the main ring erecting a metal cage. The audience watched with growing excitement. Finally, the Ringmaster stepped out, breaking the spell that had been wound over the onlookers. The dark little man with a greasy moustache removed his hat and spread his arms out wide, 'And now, ladies and gentlemen, the highlight of our show, the Courageous Cara, Tamer of Wild Animals!'
A beautiful young woman with cascading chestnut hair swaggered into the spotlight, a small sequined loincloth accentuating all her assets. In her sun-darkened hands she held a whip and a baton. Her dark, almond shaped eyes looked out at the crowd as she curtseyed. The Ringmaster nodded to her and she made her way into the cage and inspected the equipment there.
'We have constructed this cage for your protection, ladies and gentlemen, for Courageous Cara will, for your entertainment, attempt to tame the most terrible and cunning of wild beasts, the Big Bad Wolf!'
Two of the congregation looked at each other, one clad in a threadbare jacket and trousers, the other in a full cloak and hood that left no part of her showing. Her gloved hand grasped that of the man sitting next to her and held it tight.
The young wolf was unceremoniously shoved into the central cage. Her face had been smeared with blood to enhance the picture painted by the Ringmaster. To those who would know, or care, the signs that she displayed were far different from those that the ignorant saw. Her eyes were wide with terror and lips drawn back from her teeth not in a show of aggression but fear. Luna's heart pounded and breath quickened as her eyes searched desperately for a way out of the prison which would soon become her torture chamber.
'This wolf was caught wild only a few days ago and has not been out of a cage since. Never before has such a dangerous exploit been attempted before a live audience, especially staged for Her Majesty Queen Snow White and the young Prince Wendell.'
Cara captured the attention of Luna's frantic mind as the lash of her long whip caught the young wolf with a stinging blow on her rump.
Luna's brain was working on overload and to breaking point. It snapped and reconfigured with the two principles of survival at the forefront - Fight or Flight. The route of flight was cut off and so she faced her tormentor with a focused look of brutality in her yellow eyes.
Every crack of the whip she dodged with grace and style. She reached up and grabbed hold of the scourge below its sharp tail and wrapped it around her paw. With a quick jerk, the handle flew out of Cara's hand. Luna grinned and threw it out of the cage, but lost concentration for a second and received a blow on the jaw from the baton. Wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth, her teeth became clearly visible and all the hair stood up in stiff spines along her back.
The audience gasped in dismay. It looked like the wolf was winning and that would mean only one outcome - the death of Cara. Many women shrieked at the impending catastrophe.
It was now that Luna made her fatal mistake. Overconfident with her current success, she had forgotten her weaknesses. To quote the proverb, "Pride comes before the fall". Cara moved to get into a better position as Luna sprang forward. Landing heavily on her still swollen and smarting ankle, she crumpled in a heap on the grassy ring.
Leisurely retrieving her whip, Cara turned back to the wolf as she tried to get to her feet. Now that she knew where Luna could be hurt all she had to do was press home the advantage.
Luna was breathing heavily with her eyes closed, trying desperately to master the pain. Cara crept up behind her and threw a loop of rope over Luna's head. The wolf exploded as if shout from a cannon, but was halted by the choking rope around her neck. She jumped and struggled like a bucking bronco while Cara held on valiantly. When close enough she struck Luna hard on her injury.
The sound which issued from Luna's jaws sent a shiver down every spine. Ara knew it well; it was a bloodcurdling screech that had often been used to full affect on both herself and Luna's siblings. It had the same influence back then, causing them to jump with fright or let her get her own way. Normally Ara would have smiled at the memory, but today it brought tears to her eyes as there was a new note of pain hidden there. She could see what was happening and it almost killed her to watch her young daughter's spirit shrivel up like paper on a fire. She stood up, this torture had to stop, but she was pulled back down into her seat.
'Ara, you must not.'
'I cannot bear to see her treated in this way. No creature deserves it, especially not our Luna.'
'Then let us leave. There is nothing more we can do for her here.'
The couple stood and started to leave. Ara looked back at her lost cub, 'My poor Luna. Let the Dark One come in peace.' Ara held up a handkerchief to her face and sobbed into it as she hurried away.
Snow White watched as the two peasants walked past her to leave. The woman was weeping, that was plain to see, and her husband was comforting her. It seemed an odd thing to be crying at such a dazzling exhibition, but she put it from her mind and watched the act.
There seemed to be a stalemate between Cara and the wolf. They stood eye to eye, watching for a moment of weakness.
Another two-way decision faced Luna - fight until she could take no more pain or submit now and spare herself all that agony. Was she going to jump off the cliff into the dark abyss of her own accord or get pushed?
Her tail and eyes dropped down low. Cara sneered and forced the wolf to the floor. The cheers and applause were thunderous and even more so when Cara reached down and stroked Luna's head.
The cage was dismantled and Luna was led around the spectators like a disobedient puppy. Everyone reached out to touch the creature they feared so much. No one saw the single teardrop that shattered on the wooden bench.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Most of the audience had dispersed with words of thanks and good wishes to the Queen. As a gesture of goodwill, Snow White and the young Prince Wendell had been invited to meet the performers.
The animals in cages and the strings of sleek, satiny horses fascinated Wendell. Arc, the white dragon, kept a watchful eye on him as he charged round the enclosures.
The Ringmaster strutted up and bowed with a flourish. 'Majesty, welcome to my circus. Please look at anything you wish.'
'I would like to reciprocate the gesture, you may turn any of your animals out into my paddocks and please do not hesitate to ask for anything you need, food or otherwise.'
'My humble thanks, Your Majesty. Come this way.'
The Ringmaster guided them through the maze of cages and cloth-hung dressing rooms, introducing the entertainers and relating interesting facts about the animals and what tricks they could do, some of the inhabitants even coming to the front of their cages to be petted. Snow White, nevertheless, could not help but notice the Ringmaster's eyes straying to look at Arc. The same expression of greed entered them that had been there when watching Luna in the prison at Little Lamb Village. Arc stared back with icy indifference.
'That dragon of yours is quite a magnificent beast.'
'Who, Arc? Yes, I suppose he is, rather.'
'I don't suppose you would consider selling?'
A short polar breeze was all that expressed Arc's opinion in the matter, expired as it was in a contemptuous snort.
'That would be like asking me to sell my Captain of the Guard. Arc is my personal bodyguard, a trusty adviser and a good friend. All the riches in the Nine Kingdoms would not part me from him. Besides, he isn't mine to sell. He's a free citizen as are all my staff, I do not keep slaves.'
'How much do you pay him?'
'My services cannot be bought by you. I serve the House of White, no one else,' Arc's wings flicked open and shut angrily.
'I think Arc has said it all,' Snow White's amusement was difficult to hide.
They resumed the tour, although Arc's presence felt considerably more chilly than before. Only when they reached a wagon covered by a black cloth did the party halt. 'What's in this one?' asked Snow White, puzzled. Why cover this one and none of the others?
'The wolf from the performance. We keep it covered to avoid public distress when it feeds. It isn't a pretty sight.'
'I want to see it.'
'Your wish is my command, Your Eminence.'
The cover was drawn back to reveal the huddled, shaking little mass of misery that was Luna.
The young wolf had receded into the darkest reaches of her soul. Her spirit had been trampled like a delicate flower amongst a charging herd of cattle. The Luna whom had happily been bounding through forest and over hill had been assassinated and buried. She had curled up as small as she was able to try and be absorbed into her own self. Every sense had been numbed because she could not endure the assault to every organ - the stench of urine, the sight of extreme anguish and the sound of souls in torment that screamed and screamed and wouldn't stop.
In under a week her eyes had become as cold and as dead as those of the beasts around her. In the dark she could pretend that she was somewhere else, like still at home in the den where she was born. When the cover was removed she barely raised her tear-stained head. Only when the Ringmaster, the lord of her wretchedness, pounded the bars of her prison did Luna pay any attention whatsoever.
'Come on then, you worthless creature! Aren't you going to greet Her Majesty Queen Snow White?'
Struggling forward, Luna made her way to the front of the cage and kneeled, bowing her head to the Queen.
'How did you teach it to do that?' the Queen exclaimed in astonishment.
'Just a bit of friendly encouragement. You may stroke her if you wish, Majesty, and you too, Your Highness. Hang on, I'll make it easier for you.'
There was something sinister in his voice that Arc did not like, and he could well guess what the 'friendly' encouragement might have been.
The Ringmaster grabbed a short pole with a small iron hook on the end and unlocked Luna's wagon. The wolf backed off as far as she possibly could, making the Queen come to the same conclusion about the creature's training process as the glacial winged lizard who was her confidant.
The youngster now stood in front of them, the hook attached to the thin leather collar around her neck. Snow White and Wendell reached out to stroke the wolf. The Queen noticed the hint of a flinch that was felt by the Ringmaster and checked by a curt twist of the collar.
'And you say this is a wild wolf?'
'Was, Your Majesty. She was captured but four days ago as a menace to society. Caught red-handed massacring lambs I hear. I think we have done wonders with her in that time.'
Shoving Luna back in the beast-wagon, the Ringmaster's full attention was paid to Snow White. The dragon had gone round to the back of the cage where Luna had curled herself up in her former posture. A look in the wolfs' eyes had convinced the Queen that all hope was not lost, that she was not just a dead, empty shell, although she wasn't far off. There was still feeling somewhere deep in her heart, even if it was only a receptor to pain and fear.
'You are a businessman as well as an entertainer, are you not?'
'Indeed, Your Majesty.'
'How much would it cost to buy all of these animals?'
'All of them? I could not agree to that, Your Majesty, I would be out of a trade. The animals are what the people come to see. It would take years to train more to this standard.'
'This wolf, then. It has only been here for four days. Surely it would not be that much of a loss and effort wasted.'
'I could part with her for two hundred gold coins.'
'Two hundred! Do you take me for a fool, man?'
Luna listened with absolute apathy as her life was bargained, only when the pale, reptilian face of Arc came up and began to speak to her did she take any interest in anything around her.
'It is a fine wolf and would be a fine performer in time. I assure you, she is worth every coin.'
'You expect me to pay two hundred gold coins for a downtrodden and injured beast like this?'
'One hundred and fifty.'
'I will pay no more than one hundred.'
'Done!'
'I will have the money sent to you.'
'But...'
'Do you not trust your Queen?' the woman's voice was hard and had a tone that obviously expected to be obeyed.
'Very well, Majesty. Will you take it with you now?'
'Yes.'
'I'll get you a rope.'
The Ringmaster disappeared between the cages. The young Prince Wendell tugged on his grandmother's skirt. 'Is the wolf ours, Gran'ma?'
'Yes, little prince, she's going to live with us now. Arc, what do you think?'
The white dragon made his way back round to stand beside his ward; 'You did the right thing, Milady. All she could say to me was "Get out of this place before they destroy you too." Poor wolf, no crime could warrant this punishment.'
'Did you see those people who left during that barbaric display? The woman was weeping.'
'Yes, I saw. I tried to speak to them, but they hurried away before I got the chance.'
'Do you know why they were so despondent?'
'What can I say, they were wolves.'
'They were?'
'The scent is unmistakable. The wolf peoples have learnt to disguise themselves for good reason.'
'Why...?'
Arc did not need to reply, he looked at Luna who was the best answer anyone could give, 'They might have been her family, but then again they might not have. Wolves feel very strongly for each other.'
'And they saw what I could not until I looked into this desolate creature's eyes.'
Queen Snow White had commissioned a special performance at her castle. Most of the castle staff had been invited and requests accepted from various Kingdom folk. For the citizenry it was not so much the show as the chance to see Her Majesty who would be attending with her grandson, Prince Wendell.
The young prince gazed with growing elation as he saw the wagons filled with wild animals and the huge red and gold tent being erected in the castle garden. A hand rested on his shoulder. The boy looked up into the gentle face of his grandmother, Snow White. Her beauty had not faded over time and age had even lent her an extra air of nobility. 'Patience, Wendell. It'll be ready by tonight.'
'But I want it now,' he pouted.
Snow White ruffled her grandson's blonde hair; he still had so much to learn. 'Patience is the virtue of a king and a hard lesson. Make sure you learn it well.'
The five-year-olds face screwed up with concentration, but the sight of a white dragon behind his grandmother soon dispelled it. Snow White turned round and looked at the icy beast.
'Arc, is everything all right?'
'Yes, Your Majesty. I have just been watching the arrival of that circus. There's something I don't like about it.'
'Does it pose a threat to me?'
'No, Majesty, there is no risk, at least to you. I just get a bad feeling.'
'As long as we are safe that's all that matters.'
'Majesty.' Arc bowed low to the Prince and even lower to his Queen and left.
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The benches were full to capacity. Lively music blared out and everyone laughed at the antics of the clowns, gasped with wonder at the feats of the acrobats and cheered wildly at the performing horses.
Now the spectators were held in an expectant hush. Various performers ran in and out of the main ring erecting a metal cage. The audience watched with growing excitement. Finally, the Ringmaster stepped out, breaking the spell that had been wound over the onlookers. The dark little man with a greasy moustache removed his hat and spread his arms out wide, 'And now, ladies and gentlemen, the highlight of our show, the Courageous Cara, Tamer of Wild Animals!'
A beautiful young woman with cascading chestnut hair swaggered into the spotlight, a small sequined loincloth accentuating all her assets. In her sun-darkened hands she held a whip and a baton. Her dark, almond shaped eyes looked out at the crowd as she curtseyed. The Ringmaster nodded to her and she made her way into the cage and inspected the equipment there.
'We have constructed this cage for your protection, ladies and gentlemen, for Courageous Cara will, for your entertainment, attempt to tame the most terrible and cunning of wild beasts, the Big Bad Wolf!'
Two of the congregation looked at each other, one clad in a threadbare jacket and trousers, the other in a full cloak and hood that left no part of her showing. Her gloved hand grasped that of the man sitting next to her and held it tight.
The young wolf was unceremoniously shoved into the central cage. Her face had been smeared with blood to enhance the picture painted by the Ringmaster. To those who would know, or care, the signs that she displayed were far different from those that the ignorant saw. Her eyes were wide with terror and lips drawn back from her teeth not in a show of aggression but fear. Luna's heart pounded and breath quickened as her eyes searched desperately for a way out of the prison which would soon become her torture chamber.
'This wolf was caught wild only a few days ago and has not been out of a cage since. Never before has such a dangerous exploit been attempted before a live audience, especially staged for Her Majesty Queen Snow White and the young Prince Wendell.'
Cara captured the attention of Luna's frantic mind as the lash of her long whip caught the young wolf with a stinging blow on her rump.
Luna's brain was working on overload and to breaking point. It snapped and reconfigured with the two principles of survival at the forefront - Fight or Flight. The route of flight was cut off and so she faced her tormentor with a focused look of brutality in her yellow eyes.
Every crack of the whip she dodged with grace and style. She reached up and grabbed hold of the scourge below its sharp tail and wrapped it around her paw. With a quick jerk, the handle flew out of Cara's hand. Luna grinned and threw it out of the cage, but lost concentration for a second and received a blow on the jaw from the baton. Wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth, her teeth became clearly visible and all the hair stood up in stiff spines along her back.
The audience gasped in dismay. It looked like the wolf was winning and that would mean only one outcome - the death of Cara. Many women shrieked at the impending catastrophe.
It was now that Luna made her fatal mistake. Overconfident with her current success, she had forgotten her weaknesses. To quote the proverb, "Pride comes before the fall". Cara moved to get into a better position as Luna sprang forward. Landing heavily on her still swollen and smarting ankle, she crumpled in a heap on the grassy ring.
Leisurely retrieving her whip, Cara turned back to the wolf as she tried to get to her feet. Now that she knew where Luna could be hurt all she had to do was press home the advantage.
Luna was breathing heavily with her eyes closed, trying desperately to master the pain. Cara crept up behind her and threw a loop of rope over Luna's head. The wolf exploded as if shout from a cannon, but was halted by the choking rope around her neck. She jumped and struggled like a bucking bronco while Cara held on valiantly. When close enough she struck Luna hard on her injury.
The sound which issued from Luna's jaws sent a shiver down every spine. Ara knew it well; it was a bloodcurdling screech that had often been used to full affect on both herself and Luna's siblings. It had the same influence back then, causing them to jump with fright or let her get her own way. Normally Ara would have smiled at the memory, but today it brought tears to her eyes as there was a new note of pain hidden there. She could see what was happening and it almost killed her to watch her young daughter's spirit shrivel up like paper on a fire. She stood up, this torture had to stop, but she was pulled back down into her seat.
'Ara, you must not.'
'I cannot bear to see her treated in this way. No creature deserves it, especially not our Luna.'
'Then let us leave. There is nothing more we can do for her here.'
The couple stood and started to leave. Ara looked back at her lost cub, 'My poor Luna. Let the Dark One come in peace.' Ara held up a handkerchief to her face and sobbed into it as she hurried away.
Snow White watched as the two peasants walked past her to leave. The woman was weeping, that was plain to see, and her husband was comforting her. It seemed an odd thing to be crying at such a dazzling exhibition, but she put it from her mind and watched the act.
There seemed to be a stalemate between Cara and the wolf. They stood eye to eye, watching for a moment of weakness.
Another two-way decision faced Luna - fight until she could take no more pain or submit now and spare herself all that agony. Was she going to jump off the cliff into the dark abyss of her own accord or get pushed?
Her tail and eyes dropped down low. Cara sneered and forced the wolf to the floor. The cheers and applause were thunderous and even more so when Cara reached down and stroked Luna's head.
The cage was dismantled and Luna was led around the spectators like a disobedient puppy. Everyone reached out to touch the creature they feared so much. No one saw the single teardrop that shattered on the wooden bench.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Most of the audience had dispersed with words of thanks and good wishes to the Queen. As a gesture of goodwill, Snow White and the young Prince Wendell had been invited to meet the performers.
The animals in cages and the strings of sleek, satiny horses fascinated Wendell. Arc, the white dragon, kept a watchful eye on him as he charged round the enclosures.
The Ringmaster strutted up and bowed with a flourish. 'Majesty, welcome to my circus. Please look at anything you wish.'
'I would like to reciprocate the gesture, you may turn any of your animals out into my paddocks and please do not hesitate to ask for anything you need, food or otherwise.'
'My humble thanks, Your Majesty. Come this way.'
The Ringmaster guided them through the maze of cages and cloth-hung dressing rooms, introducing the entertainers and relating interesting facts about the animals and what tricks they could do, some of the inhabitants even coming to the front of their cages to be petted. Snow White, nevertheless, could not help but notice the Ringmaster's eyes straying to look at Arc. The same expression of greed entered them that had been there when watching Luna in the prison at Little Lamb Village. Arc stared back with icy indifference.
'That dragon of yours is quite a magnificent beast.'
'Who, Arc? Yes, I suppose he is, rather.'
'I don't suppose you would consider selling?'
A short polar breeze was all that expressed Arc's opinion in the matter, expired as it was in a contemptuous snort.
'That would be like asking me to sell my Captain of the Guard. Arc is my personal bodyguard, a trusty adviser and a good friend. All the riches in the Nine Kingdoms would not part me from him. Besides, he isn't mine to sell. He's a free citizen as are all my staff, I do not keep slaves.'
'How much do you pay him?'
'My services cannot be bought by you. I serve the House of White, no one else,' Arc's wings flicked open and shut angrily.
'I think Arc has said it all,' Snow White's amusement was difficult to hide.
They resumed the tour, although Arc's presence felt considerably more chilly than before. Only when they reached a wagon covered by a black cloth did the party halt. 'What's in this one?' asked Snow White, puzzled. Why cover this one and none of the others?
'The wolf from the performance. We keep it covered to avoid public distress when it feeds. It isn't a pretty sight.'
'I want to see it.'
'Your wish is my command, Your Eminence.'
The cover was drawn back to reveal the huddled, shaking little mass of misery that was Luna.
The young wolf had receded into the darkest reaches of her soul. Her spirit had been trampled like a delicate flower amongst a charging herd of cattle. The Luna whom had happily been bounding through forest and over hill had been assassinated and buried. She had curled up as small as she was able to try and be absorbed into her own self. Every sense had been numbed because she could not endure the assault to every organ - the stench of urine, the sight of extreme anguish and the sound of souls in torment that screamed and screamed and wouldn't stop.
In under a week her eyes had become as cold and as dead as those of the beasts around her. In the dark she could pretend that she was somewhere else, like still at home in the den where she was born. When the cover was removed she barely raised her tear-stained head. Only when the Ringmaster, the lord of her wretchedness, pounded the bars of her prison did Luna pay any attention whatsoever.
'Come on then, you worthless creature! Aren't you going to greet Her Majesty Queen Snow White?'
Struggling forward, Luna made her way to the front of the cage and kneeled, bowing her head to the Queen.
'How did you teach it to do that?' the Queen exclaimed in astonishment.
'Just a bit of friendly encouragement. You may stroke her if you wish, Majesty, and you too, Your Highness. Hang on, I'll make it easier for you.'
There was something sinister in his voice that Arc did not like, and he could well guess what the 'friendly' encouragement might have been.
The Ringmaster grabbed a short pole with a small iron hook on the end and unlocked Luna's wagon. The wolf backed off as far as she possibly could, making the Queen come to the same conclusion about the creature's training process as the glacial winged lizard who was her confidant.
The youngster now stood in front of them, the hook attached to the thin leather collar around her neck. Snow White and Wendell reached out to stroke the wolf. The Queen noticed the hint of a flinch that was felt by the Ringmaster and checked by a curt twist of the collar.
'And you say this is a wild wolf?'
'Was, Your Majesty. She was captured but four days ago as a menace to society. Caught red-handed massacring lambs I hear. I think we have done wonders with her in that time.'
Shoving Luna back in the beast-wagon, the Ringmaster's full attention was paid to Snow White. The dragon had gone round to the back of the cage where Luna had curled herself up in her former posture. A look in the wolfs' eyes had convinced the Queen that all hope was not lost, that she was not just a dead, empty shell, although she wasn't far off. There was still feeling somewhere deep in her heart, even if it was only a receptor to pain and fear.
'You are a businessman as well as an entertainer, are you not?'
'Indeed, Your Majesty.'
'How much would it cost to buy all of these animals?'
'All of them? I could not agree to that, Your Majesty, I would be out of a trade. The animals are what the people come to see. It would take years to train more to this standard.'
'This wolf, then. It has only been here for four days. Surely it would not be that much of a loss and effort wasted.'
'I could part with her for two hundred gold coins.'
'Two hundred! Do you take me for a fool, man?'
Luna listened with absolute apathy as her life was bargained, only when the pale, reptilian face of Arc came up and began to speak to her did she take any interest in anything around her.
'It is a fine wolf and would be a fine performer in time. I assure you, she is worth every coin.'
'You expect me to pay two hundred gold coins for a downtrodden and injured beast like this?'
'One hundred and fifty.'
'I will pay no more than one hundred.'
'Done!'
'I will have the money sent to you.'
'But...'
'Do you not trust your Queen?' the woman's voice was hard and had a tone that obviously expected to be obeyed.
'Very well, Majesty. Will you take it with you now?'
'Yes.'
'I'll get you a rope.'
The Ringmaster disappeared between the cages. The young Prince Wendell tugged on his grandmother's skirt. 'Is the wolf ours, Gran'ma?'
'Yes, little prince, she's going to live with us now. Arc, what do you think?'
The white dragon made his way back round to stand beside his ward; 'You did the right thing, Milady. All she could say to me was "Get out of this place before they destroy you too." Poor wolf, no crime could warrant this punishment.'
'Did you see those people who left during that barbaric display? The woman was weeping.'
'Yes, I saw. I tried to speak to them, but they hurried away before I got the chance.'
'Do you know why they were so despondent?'
'What can I say, they were wolves.'
'They were?'
'The scent is unmistakable. The wolf peoples have learnt to disguise themselves for good reason.'
'Why...?'
Arc did not need to reply, he looked at Luna who was the best answer anyone could give, 'They might have been her family, but then again they might not have. Wolves feel very strongly for each other.'
'And they saw what I could not until I looked into this desolate creature's eyes.'
