Several weeks passed before the Queen returned. Luna was resting in the year's last glory before the winter set in fully, the silvery streaks in her hair being turned a fiery orange and the darker mass shining with health.

The unusually loud sound of a coach and horses awakened her inquisitiveness. Normally the carriage stopped out the front of the castle but today it had driven round near the menagerie. Why? Her twitching nostrils told her before her eyes did. The delightful scent of wolf hit the back of her throat and made her mind reel, for, even better, it was the aroma of a male wolf which even annulled the powerful dungy stench of horse.

The carriage was pulled to a halt. Luna could see him now, bound by the neck to the tailboard, panting heavily from exertion. His fur was an appealing tawny brown flecked with black, lightly at his head and darkening to the jet-black tip of his tail. Luna could hardly keep her tongue from lolling out in desire. Their eyes met, his inky pupils surrounded by yellow eyes deepening to rich rust at their edges melted Luna's heart entirely.

Snow White stepped down from the coach helped by Beck who had come running to meet her when he saw that she was pulling into his section. He frowned when he saw the wolf lashed and trotting behind the carriage. When would this stop? He would have to humour her; she was the Queen of the Fourth Kingdom after all.

'What do you think of him, then?'

'Rather undernourished but otherwise quite a stunning creature.'

'I bought him for Luna, see if it helps with her loneliness. And I'm sure we can feed him up a bit. Put him in and we'll leave them to it.'

Beck had seem a problem that obviously Snow White hadn't, 'And if they do "get on" what will we do with the progeny?'

'We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, Beck.'

'As you wish, Your Majesty.'

The male wolf was untied and pushed into the cage before the door was locked behind him; a single snarl was his parting shot. Luna took the typical stance of a pack leader whose territory has just been invaded. The haughty, dignified demeanour was just a mask, beneath the surface her pulse was racing and she didn't know how she kept herself from leaping on him in a fit of animal passion. She spoke the traditional words of the challenge; 'Why come ye hither to this, my territory?'

The male wolf eyed her with a mixture of suspicion and amusement; 'You call this a territory?'

'It is at least my own. And it is courtesy and tradition that you answer my question, sir.'

The lion-coloured wolf rolled his eyes skyward as if seeking either patience or salvation, 'I comst hither through no fault of my own and beg thy permission to stay in thy humble abode.'

Luna smiled at her companion, 'Granted, of course. It seems I have little choice in the matter. So, what is your story, wolf?'

'The name is Tamarisk. You may call me Tamm, I prefer it. Why is it my turn to tell my tale?'

'Because this is my refuge. The minimum payment you can give in payment for my hospitality is to tell me the account of your life.'

'First I would like to know your name.'

'Luna.'

'Well, Luna, I was born and raised in a forest far from here but under the watch of the same stars. I grew up in seclusion, never straying far from the safety of the trees for fear for being discovered. I am sure you understand.'

'I do indeed, My cubhood was very similar.'

'One day when I was still quite young a child came into our forest picking the early strawberries. We ran and hid, as we had been taught to do, but this child didn't leave. I think it was lost. It screamed when it saw one of my older brothers in the undergrowth. When night fell we returned to our den. More men must have come in search of the child and by it must have learnt of our presence. Long story short, we were discovered and annihilated. Only I was left alive, I'll never know why, perhaps as a trophy I don't know, and I have spent the last three years of my life in a cage. You are the first wolf I have spoken to or even seen in all that time. I was on the verge of giving myself unto the Lady of the Moon when I was brought here. That is where my tale stops; the rest is yet to come.'

Luna shook her head sadly, 'Only a wolfs' story could be so. It seems we have much in common, Tamarisk. I would be very happy to find out how much. You are most welcome here.'

Luna's coy smile stirred up feelings that Tamm could barely remember, let alone in such vast quantities. The emotions were as deep as they were quick, there was no doubt about it, he was in love. The intensity manifesting itself in Luna's eyes let him know that the feeling was mutual.

'Thank you, Luna. It truly is wonderful to feel welcomed and accepted for once, especially from one as enchanting as you.'

The crescent moon rose over the couple who fully intended to honour the ancient tradition: Wolves mate for life.

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In the following weeks the two wolves learned many things together in their prison. They found out how their hearts sang to the joyous tune of true love. The confines of their jail seemed hardly noticeable, for as long as they were together no cage could hold their spirits. But most of all Tamm learned what it was to be a wolf again after so long being isolated. Many's the time their voices were heard harmoniously declaring their love and praising whatever divine entity had brought them together as one.

The Fourth Kingdom was held fast in the icy grip of winter. Most greeted it with the bitter curses of an age-old enemy, as indeed it was. For the poorer folk it was a time of hardship and survival, especially those who could not afford much food. For all, despite these worries, it was a time of gathering around blazing wood fires and telling heroic tales to lift the spirits.

Luna, on the other hand, hailed they first heavy fall of snow with positive delight. Snow had always held a special magic for her and she would often play in it for long hours as a cub. Stripped of all responsibilities and harbouring no worries about food or hunting and filled with the burning new energy of young love she became that mischievous cub again who jumped in the drifts and yelped with happiness as the cold made her skin tingle. Her mate blinked owlishly from the depths of the warm straw bed, which had become a lot chillier since Luna had decided to leave and roll like a mad dog in the freezing snow. Tamm was less than pleased when the female pressed her arctic hands against his face. He growled good- naturedly at her and snuggled further back into the straw.

'Come on, Tamm. It's lovely out here. All cold and tingly.'

'I prefer being warm and comfortable.'

'Boring.'

Luna left her partner to sleep while she dived back into the mounds with cries of elation. Throwing up great armfuls of snow she danced as the perfect flakes tumbled around her. She did it several times before the downfall seemed longer than before - the snow had begun again! Her rapture changed quickly to euphoria as she capered between the swirling shards of ice.

The sight of the beautiful wolf that he loved gambolling like a mad March hare became too much of a temptation for Tamarisk to resist and he joined her, whirling like dervishes, paw in paw, their tails waving like dark banners in the purity of the unblemished landscape.

Snow White watched them for a while and wondered at the imperviousness of youth before crossing the unsullied gardens to Arc's modest dwelling. When she got there the door was slightly ajar and the place was in darkness. 'Arc?' She pushed open the door. Nothing.

She looked around the little stone hut that would have been cosy if it weren't for the cold and the gloominess. Candles were scattered at strategic positions, some half burned down, and others just a puddle of hardened wax, none alight. Books with titles such as "Dragon Lore", "Ancient Scripts" and "Tales of the Mountains" lined the walls. One lay open on the floor, Snow White bent down and picked it up, but she couldn't read a word as it was written in a strange language. The only other thing of substance, apart from the pictures and carvings adorning the floor and walls, was the bed - a pile of rags, fur and straw in a messy heap.

Walking back outside she resumed her search for the dragon. The scene was most uplifting, the absolute purity of it quite taking her breath away. Strolling across the lawns she almost forgot why she had come out when the snow beneath her feet moved. Snow White shrieked and fell back on the freezing earth before bursting out with laughter. 'Arc! What are you doing out here?'

The dragon stood up and shook the loose snow off his back, spraying the Queen liberally and leaving a perfect outline of himself in green against the white, and grinned at Snow White.

'There's not been a fall like this in many a year. I wanted to enjoy it while it lasted. We often used to sleep out like this when I lived in the Northern Mountains with my clan. Ice flows in our very blood so a bit of cold snow doesn't worry us. We were always told to sleep in the snow to remind us of our origins.' As he helped her up Snow White noticed a glint of loneliness and homesickness in Arc's crystal-shard eyes.

'You can always go back there, Arc. I won't mind.'

'Thank you, but no. My duty is here, with you. When that task is over I might return to my birthplace, but for now my home is here.'

They walked around the gardens marvelling at the perfection of the landscape in silence before Arc broke the stillness, 'How is my little friend?'

'Luna? Happy, I believe. The male wolf has worked magic on her. You should see them,, they're playing like puppies in the snow.'

'That's good.' Snow White caught the slight shadow of sorrow that darkened crystal-like, almond shaped eyes of the dragon.

'What bothers you, Arc?'

'I don't mean to be judgmental, but...'

'It's the wolves, isn't it? You don't think I should have them.'

'No I don't. I believe they should be as free as I am. All are born free. If I has not offered my services to you would you have done the same to me as you have to Luna and Tamm, or would I have been killed as an enemy?'

'Really, you go too far!'

'Do I? Is the honest truth too hard to bear?'

The hot blood of fury burned Snow White's cheeks and flushed them crimson, 'Arc! Yes, as you have been honest with me I will be honest with you. You would have been killed as a threat to my people because of what we have suffered at the flames of your race. Maybe all are not the same but how do we know? It is the same with the wolves. Perhaps those two are not the monsters they are seen to be but how do the common folk know that? I understand my people better than you do, Arc, and I know what would happen to them in my Kingdom, let alone any other. By having them here I can protect two good creatures from the outside world and they can live in peace. I also get the pleasure of their company while they are here.'

'But at what price? I'm sorry you see it that way, Your Majesty.'

A few strong beats of his wings took the white dragon high over the castle and out of sight. Still seething with anger at the serpent's impudence, the Queen stormed back into the castle.

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Even in the depths of winter the swamp remained unchanged. It was a world trapped in its own perpetual season. Green mist belched from oozing pools of thick stagnating liquid. Rotting vegetation gave off a rancid stench and made the whole realm under the verdant canopy as hot and as humid as high summer.

In this derelict sphere dwelled a single exile. Her bare, disfigured feet often walked the spongy, odious ground in search of the noxious plants with which to make her potions and poisons. She had become known as the Swamp Witch but to most she would always be the Stepmother. No one knew her real name, which was just as well. She had grown old, so old, but it hardly mattered any more. Her successor was almost fully trained the arts that would make her great and now only one obstacle still stood in her way - Snow White. She had failed before but now she would surely succeed. One last revenge before she died. Christine could take care of the rest of the worthless family and keep her eminence alive.

Apart from the travelling mirror she had kept one other in her dingy hovel, the seeking mirror. Diamond shaped and framed in black thorns, it had the power to find whatever she asked of it. 'Mirror, find me someone close to Snow White who would betray her.' The Stepmother was no idiot, she knew she couldn't defeat her step-daughter alone and would need the help of an insider.

The mirror's reflective surface turned into a mass of boiling cloud before it slowly cleared to reveal the image of a female half-wolf in the snow, laughing and playing with a larger male.

'A wolf? Is that the best you can do?'

The picture distorted as the mirror's face appeared, 'The wolf is weak. If she is disappointed by Snow White she will join us unquestioningly,' the mirror's voice was hoarse and harsh.

'But will that happen?' She doubted the current queen's foolishness, one who had escaped her wrath so many times must have either very good luck or fate on their side.

'It is occurring as we speak. The wolf is a pet, and it angers her. One incident will push her over to our side.'

'When will this event transpire?'

'Soon, I do not know more.'

'What is our compatriots name?'

'Luna.'

'Luna,' the Stepmother repeated the name, satisfied. The situation was so perfect. Her step-daughter would never suspect her own pet wolf of plotting against her.

'Success, Your Majesty?' Christine had just come from the cellar where she had been mixing poisons. The young woman had such a talent for them that it almost made the instructor jealous.

'Yes, my dear. We have found the partner who will help us kill Snow White.'

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