Dark Moon Brother
Part Twelve
Garden Ramblings
Elias slept easily that night and when the first rays of light crept through the windows, he was up, dressed and pacing to and fro. He listened as the sounds of the waking castle filtered through. The soft tread of servants, clatter of pots and pans in the kitchen below. He was filled with a restless energy, a need to be out and doing something, anything. It was a familiar feeling, associated with the waxing of the moon. He went to the door, pulling it open and seeing the corridor empty except for maids dusting the tapestries. One of them saw him peering out and curtsied, smiling at him.
"Good morning, sir. Would you be liking your breakfast now, sir?" she said.
"Ah, thank you, yes. But, if it's possible, I would like to eat outside, in the gardens maybe? It's too nice a morning to waste indoors, don't you think?" The maid bobbed her head, gesturing to the main staircase at the end of the hall.
"If you follow the hallways to the left, you'll find yourself in the gardens, sir. I'll bring your breakfast out there, as you wish". Elias smiled his thanks to the girl and followed her directions, finding himself in an enclosed garden retreat with soft couches strewn about lush lawns and bounded with fruit trees. Brightly coloured birds chased each other through the branches. He sighed in contentment. Surely the most beautiful place had been conjured up here, he thought. He found himself wondering about the origins of the 9 Kingdoms. Did they truly exist, or were they but figments of human imagination made real? If nobody had ever written the fairytales, that were known as history here, would these places even exist? The thought was unsettling. He settled himself on a long divan as the maid approached, bearing a great silver tray with an assortment of breads, cheeses and fruits displayed on it.
"I thank you" he said sincerely as she left, and he settled to enjoy his meal. After a moment, he became aware of a small movement in the corner of his eye and he turned, unable to control the gasp of surprise at what was revealed there. It was a tiny person, a girl, with little transparent wings sprouting out from her back. She stood only a few inches high and seemed to glow with sparkling lights. It was exactly what he had always envisioned a fairy would look like. The little creature grinned impishly and spoke with a bell like voice.
"If you give me a piece of your cheese, I can grant you your wish!" she piped, drawing out what looked exactly like a magic wand with a star at the top of it. Elias laughed in a bemused way, unsure of what to make of the strange creature.
"Oh no, brother, that is one wish you do not want to make!" said a familiar voice, and Elias turned to see Wolf bound into the garden. He stooped and shooed at the winged creature with his hands.
"Go on, shoo, trouble maker, mischief maker! Shame on you, to take advantage of a stranger like that!" he said to the fairy. The fairy backed away, looking very put out. She stuck out her tongue at Wolf.
"Ah, you're no fun at all now, mister big, mister hero!" she shrieked insultingly, taking to the air as Wolf swatted at her vainly. She disappeared in a huff of sparkles, and Wolf laughed, dropping to the ground next to Elias.
"You need to take care, Elias. Fairies will nearly always find a way to twist your 'wish' for their own amusement. Just ask Virginia and Tony!" he huffed in a gentle warning. He eyed the breakfast platter but sighed when he saw there was no bacon on it. He gestured to the fruit.
"Hmm. Call yourself a wolf?" he said teasingly.
"Oh, I've eaten plenty of fresh meat in my time, don't worry about that!"
"So you have, so you have. Won't you miss it, do you think?"
"I'll still be a man always, Wolf, even if this experiment works. Men crave meat too, you know"
"Yes yes I know. But eating cold, cooked stuff, it's not the same as sinking your fangs deep, into living flesh, tasting the blood". Elias saw Wolf's pupils dilate and his chest rise and fall rapidly as he recalled the excitement of the hunt. His own body stirred with the vague memories of his own kills. It was strangely thrilling just to sit here and talk with someone who knew just what it was like.
"What does Virginia think about your hunting? Do you ever tell her about it? Has she seen you kill something?"
"Oh, once I killed a lamb for her, but she didn't like it much, I could tell. She's a brave girl though, you know. She lets me hunt her, at full moon time. She stands her ground with me, and lets me take her, even bite her. She knows I kill, but we don't really talk about it"
"I see. What about others of your kind? Do you hunt with them?"
"No, not these days. When I was younger, and learning, of course, but I haven't lived with a pack of half-wolfs in many many years. I hunt alone. It's a pity you're looking to lose your hunters instincts. We could have gone out together"
"You wouldn't want to hunt with me, not when I am the wolf. I'm not like your kind, Wolf. I chase down and kill whatever is in my path, even those who would love me. I suspect that even though you are strong and resourceful, still, I would turn on you and kill you. Do not let your eyes decieve you, brother. I am not even remotely like myself. My beast rages. Death and destruction are it's only aims". Wolf was silent, pondering.
"Wolf, I must know, are there places within these walls, a safe and strong place where I can go, should this thing not work?"
"Oh, yes, there are deep dungeons here. You will not be able to break out" Wolf paused as Elias sighed with relief at the news. He rolled over onto his side, working his tail loose from his trousers, stroking it absently, combing out the tangles and kinks.
"My beast rages also, you know, yet it is something I must control every day of my life. It is no easier to do today than tomorrow or yesterday. And when the Goddess calls me, well, I don't truly know the extent of my actions. Virginia is fearless with me, but I could have killed her once. I wanted to so badly. I have it in me. I have killed humans before, my own kind also. I used to hate what I was, I fought it with every ounce of strength I had, but my self-anger only fed the wolf, made it stronger. You said you used to enjoy being what you were. What happened to change your mind? Could you not learn to live with yourself again, as I have done?"
"You have love, Wolf. That is what stays your hand during the moon. I had love once, a great love, but it did not stay mine. I killed her, slaughtered her where she stood. It is just as well I do not remember. Did she scream, or cry? Or did she stand there, loving and accepting even as I tore her throat out? My Bella. Poor poor Bella, who thought love could conquer all impulses, all desires. There can be no atonement for what I have done, Wolf. I do not even seek it any more"
There was a long pause as both men fell to thinking and remembering. Wolf lay back in the soft grass, then, impulsively, he removed his shirt and rolled around scratching his crest with great enjoyment. Ah, the simple pleasures of a half-wolf's life. He looked over at Elias, seeing that his actions had cheered the man somewhat. He found himself thinking about what he would do if someone suddenly came up to him, offering to cure him of his 'disease'. What would any half-wolf do? They were a much cursed race, for sure, hunted and reviled in most parts of the 10 Kingdoms. Some of the enmity was well deserved. Wolfish mischief was well documented. But was it really the right of any creature to curse it's own creation? All played their part in the world. He had hated his own nature at times, but would he give it all up to become something else? No, not likely. He was as the Goddess had made him, strong, capable, fierce and loving. Like the Goddess Herself, in fact. Would the Goddess punish this man for his temerity? He hoped not, for he liked Elias. It had been so many years since he had called someone brother. Not since... His mind shied away promptly, and he sighed in defeat. Some memories were determined never to see the light of day again, it seemed. He wondered who Bella was (or had been) and how she had come to be in the path of a werewolf one night. He held on to his curiousity for now, not wishing to prompt the man's obvious pain any further. Was this what Virginia felt sometimes? Able to see a loved one's pain, knowing that to release such a thing would bring healing, yet unwilling to do so? He closed his eyes, willing away the fear. Sometimes his love for her was a totally overwhelming thing. Then, as if on cue, her scent wafted over him and he heard her quick footsteps as she approached. She appeared between two hedges and he saw her eyes widen for a moment as she saw his bare chest and tail hanging out. He rarely went unclothed outside of their house, so ingrained was his habit of concealment.
"Well well, I see you boys have been doing some male bonding. Have you been telling hunting stories and comparing the sizes of your, um, appendages?" she said, cheekily pulling gently on Wolf's tail and sitting down next to him. He rolled her roughly and she squealed as he pawed at her pockets, seeking the bacon sandwiches he knew to be there. They wrestled and growled at each other and Elias smiled to see them. After Wolf had gained his prize, Virginia sat up, dusting herself off.
"I saw you getting lots of attention last night, Elias. Have you picked anyone, met anyone yet?"
"Oh, no, actually I haven't even really looked at their calling cards" he said, drawing them out of his pocket and spreading them out on the ground. Virginia reached out for a few, reading them out aloud.
"Here's a likely one" she said. "Master Werry. Curse Breaker and Magician Extraordinaire". She laughed and picked out another.
"The Lady Griselda - Having Trouble with Pesky Suitors? Someone put a Spell on you? Call on me! All problems treated in a Confidential Manner". Wolf wiped his greasy hands on his shirt and grabbed up another, reading it out with a flourish.
"Tim and Tom. Fairy Exterminator Specialists. Also Skilled in Troll Banes! Call now! No Obligation, No Refund!". He scooped up one more, then began to laugh and giggle at what was written there.
"Oh, you'll love this one, Elias!" he chuckled. "I'm not a magician, but I would love to meet you behind the third greenhouse tonight! Your's truly, X". All three burst out laughing. Elias hoped the poor lady hadn't waited around too long last night. He felt his spirits lift a little as he looked at his friends. How could he not feel good in this wondrous place anyway? The very air seemed charged with goodwill.
"Ah, well, the Lady Griselda sounds promising I suppose. At least she'll attempt to keep it confidential, I hope. But she doesn't mention anything about a fee, which reminds me, I have plenty of 10th Kingdom money, but I don't know what the currency is here"
"A good magic worker won't charge you in terms of coins, Elias. But, they may ask of you a favour, or give you a task to achieve in return for their help. But, make sure that the cure is effected before you make an agreement of payment. Most magickers will abide by this type of arrangement, since they don't often know exactly how things will turn out" spoke Wolf.
"They don't?" said Elias with some alarm.
"Oh no. There are far greater forces at work in magic than just the practioner and the recipient. It's a risk you take. Spells can take on a life of their own, they can use you to achieve their own ends. You must be very, very sure of what you want, Elias" continued Wolf soberly. He was serious now, Elias could tell. He shivered, despite the warm morning. Virginia saw him and reached over to hug him impulsively. Elias held the embrace for as long as he dared to, keeping a wary eye on Wolf, but the other man seemed not to notice his mate in another's arms. Virginia withdrew but kept hold of his hand.
"We will help you, Elias. We will stand by you. We can see how much this means to you. I think you should go for it. It's something that I learned here, to act, and not stand hoping someone will do it for you. I think it will work out fine for you, I really do" she said earnestly, her big blue eyes boring into his own. He gripped her hand tightly in acknowledgement. No wonder Wolf guarded his mate so well. She was a jewel, a treasure beyond value, and he told her so. She blushed, but held his gaze. After a long moment she let go his hand, standing once more. Wolf kissed her on her bare ankle.
"I should go and fetch Cub from my father. He'll be hungry by now and probably chewing up his grandfathers shoes" she said, turning on her heel and leaving the garden. Wolf watched her go, a mixture of love and pure lust on his face as she disappeared from view. He rolled back to face Elias, staring hard enough at him to let him know that he had indeed been aware of his touching Virginia. Then he laughed at himself, shaking his head.
"Forgive me, brother. I am a proud, egotistical creature. Pure alpha, that's me! And I cannot fault Virginia for her friendship of you. When this is all over, whatever the outcome, I hope that you will stay a spell with us here. We have a beautiful house, not too far from here, right next to the disenchanted forest. I'm the Warden there, did you know? The wolfen communities would welcome you, I am sure. There are many who would be interested in how your kind came to be, how the Goddess influences you, stuff like that. I would like to spend more time with you also, if you can bear me! I haven't had anyone really for a long time who I can talk to, I mean, you know, stuff that Virginia wouldn't want to know about me"
"What about your family, Wolf? Don't you speak with them?"
"My family are dead". Wolf spoke succinctly, but strangely, Elias heard a silent doubt in the words, as though Wolf himself didn't really know the truth of the matter. Or maybe he didn't wish to know.
"How did they die, Wolf?" he asked gently, prepared for a sharp response. But Wolf surprised him by sighing loudly and putting his head in his hands. Elias reached over and gripped the other man's shoulder, feeling the tension there suddenly dissipate.
"Well, they were murdered by humans. It was a set up. From beginning to end. They had no chance, really, but for a long time, I was so angry with them, that they hadn't fought harder to survive. Like they had abandoned us on purpose. They were both half wolfs, second generation descendants from their original family founders, the human-wolf pairings that formed their lines. There's long been a rumour that somewhere in the original couples was a person of royalty, an offspring from the House of Red. But no one really knows the truth, or if they do, they keep it secret. Anyway, we all lived quite happily in the 2nd Kingdom forests, settling for winter, roaming through the summers. A typical half-wolf existence really. I don't know how old I was when it happened. Maybe about ten years. They came in the morning one day, too many too count, all armed with knives, pitchforks. My father charged me to run and hide. I fought bitterly with him about it, but all cubs must obey in the end. So I hid, but not far enough away not to smell the fires they lit. A horrible way to die, by fire. I hope it was quick for them, but I don't really know how it went. My memories are like cheese with holes in them. Just as well, maybe. Oh, how I hated the humans! Years later, I sought out those who had been the ringleaders and in the night I crept into their homes. But I do not ask for forgiveness for what I did, Elias. They were nothing to me. I left them lying and did not taste of their flesh. I suppose I made life difficult for the other half-wolfs of that forest, but none came to rebuke me. They knew it was me who had done this thing. Now, all these years later, I have a human for a mate. I spend more time in their world than I do of my kindred, and they abide me, grudgingly I know, but they see me as a tamed, domesticated version of what I was. But I know that I am not. Virginia, in her deepest thoughts, knows that I am not"
Wolf finished his words with a barely heard growl as he buried his face in his hands once more. Elias sat silently. The picture perfect paradise that he had come to think of this place looked sinister suddenly. Shadows crept up and down the pathways of this garden. He realised that he had been naive to think of this dimension as a utopia, where all lived in happiness and peace. To be burnt alive! He shuddered at the very thought of it. Would they burn him at the stake? Were they building the pyre even now? But no, Wolf had said that wolfs were protected here, in this Kingdom at least. So where were they then? Apart from the howl he had heard last night, he had seen no other half or full wolfs. Perhaps they distrusted the new truce. He could hardly blame them, but then, he could hardly blame the humans for their continued wariness, given what Wolf had just disclosed. What an unusual situation for the half-wolf species. A foot and a paw in each camp, so to speak. Did they take sides amongst themselves, he wondered? He focussed on something Wolf had let slip, consciously or otherwise. They abandoned us, he had said. He stared sideways at Wolf, seeing that he had recovered himself a bit. He picked up his shirt, drawing it on slowly over his head.
"You have a brother" Elias said simply. It was not a question.
"I have no brother. He is, he...no" Wolf's response was laden with double meaning, but underlying it all was a definite tone of warning. Elias heard it clearly. He did not wish to be on the receiving end of an unheeded threat, but he couldn't leave the conversation hanging in such a manner. He truly liked Wolf, respected him. Their friendship was proving to be a beneficial thing for both of them, it seemed. He opened his mouth to speak an appology, but Wolf interupted him.
"Do not ask again, brother. I cannot" he said without anger. A dull voice now, without emotion. He stirred restlessly, rubbing his temples as if his head hurt. Elias heard the sound of Virginia's footsteps returning and she came into view, Cub balanced on her hip. The baby wriggled when he caught sight of his daddy and Virginia lowered him to the ground, smoothing his curls absently. Elias saw her look closely at Wolf, seeing that he had been upset, but she just smiled and kissed him anyway, not prying. Cub pounced with a growl onto Wolf, who rolled over laughing, pretending to be a wounded deer or something as his son practiced his stalking, little tail sticking up in the air all fluffed up like a cat's. All three adults praised his 'kill' with great seriousness. Virginia turned to Elias.
"I hope you don't mind, Elias, but I put out the word for the 'Lady Griselda' to attend you at her earliest convenience. I believe she is on her way to the castle as we speak"
"That's wonderful. Thank you Virginia. Oh well, I hope nothing bad will happen to me. Promise me, if I end up as a frog or something, at least find a nice pond for me to live in?"
"With lilly pads even, if you're lucky!"