Dark Moon Brother
Part Fourteen
Wolf came back to the castle just as dawn crept over the fields. It had been a difficult night, full of temptations, and he'd been hard pressed not to cause trouble for himself and his kind. The problem was that whenever they stayed at the castle, all the open land surrounding it was dotted with farms. And farms meant sheep. Plus rabbits, chickens, fat piglets and goats. All tame and penned up, ready for the taking. Much easier to catch than wild boar or deer, but not as much fun, to be sure. He looked over his clothing in the faint morning light. Everything seemed to be in order. No tell tale blood stains to indicate a nocturnal raid had taken place. He caught the scent of another half-wolf on his clothing though, but he could not recall meeting him. Nothing strange there. It was most likely the half-wolf male who had spoken to Wolf and Elias a few nights ago. It had been a simple welcoming howl, an acknowledgement of anothers prescence, a typical interaction between wolfen people. Wolf smiled to himself. No doubt he and the other had spent many hours last night hunting together, their differences and boundaries giving way to the primal thrills of bloodshed. Even if no blood had been shed, as he now believed, it was enough just to run under the moon and worship Her. She had set now for the day, but he could still feel her influence in his blood.
He stood in the castle kitchen gardens, snuffing at the rising bread smells wafting towards him. He didn't mind fresh baked bread from time to time, especially if it was still warm and chewy. Perhaps he could thieve a few rolls for his and Virginia's breakfast. It didn't occur to him that with his new found status in this Kingdom he could have commanded the whole kitchen produce to be delivered on a silver platter. He had the instincts of a trickster still. So much more fun that way, he thought, creeping silently up to the window sill where the inevitable racks of loaves lay cooling. Wolf was sure that bakers left their wares in such accessible places on purpose, and in fact they would be terribly insulted if none were stolen. Well, he could certainly play his part in preventing that, he thought as he tossed a warm loaf between his fingers. A small house-brownie was trying desperately to reach the racks, hopping up and down in his dainty boots. Wolf leant back and grabbed another roll, tossing it to the brownie, who caught it deftly and nearly toppled over with the weight of the thing. Wolf chuckled as the brownie whistled and several more appeared from the garden. Together they lifted the roll high and gave a dramatic bow of thanks before scuttling off so quickly even his sharp eyes missed them. Wolf looked around himself, then snorted in wry amusement. Typical. No one was ever around when he did nice things for people.
Presently he skirted the outbuilding and entered the castle from a back door, making his way quietly back to the bedroom. He passed Tony's room on the way and put his ear to the door. He heard the man snoring loudly, and underneath that, he detected the quiet breathing of his cub. He was happy that Tony had taken to the baby so readily, despite his wolfish heritage. He knew that Virginia had feared Tony's rejection of Cub, but the man had been smitten from the first glance at his grandson. Wolf just wished from time to time that Tony's acceptance of having a wolf in the family would extend to himself. Relations between them were friendly enough on the surface, especially when Virginia was around, but Wolf knew he still had a ways to go before Tony would ever look at him and not see the half-mad, dangerous criminal who had become all too obsessed with his daughter. Wolf's near continual barrage of sly insults and teasing didn't help matters of course, he had to admit. Maybe he would never be best buddies with this older male pack member, but that was certainly not the first time that had happened to Wolf.
He shut the door to their bedroom softly, hearing that Virginia was still in a deep sleep. He came to stand by the bed and looked down on her. Poor girl looked exhausted from their marathon love session of the night before. He frowned slightly at the bruise and bite marks on her shoulder, marring her pale and beautiful skin. He subconciously used his tongue to feel of the sharp points in his mouth where his long canines had begun to descend just at the sight and smell of her. He huffed in annoyance. He would not wake her, he told himself firmly. His sexual appetite for her always amazed him. The fact that she responded so well and so readily amazed him even more. He thanked the stars that her own female cycle did not match his for now. He doubted whether he would have been able to stop himself, even if it meant another cub that she did not want just yet. She had bled, for the first time since Cub's birth, just a week earlier, and Wolf had been fascinated with the process, but she had seemed shy about it and had deflected his questions. Wolf wasn't totally ignorant about womens cycles, as he had spent many years living in close proximity to them, and there was little that went on in a wolf community that wasn't known or discussed. He was just nosey about Virginia's, and he didn't fully understand her reluctance to share the details with him. Oh well, must be a human thing, he guessed. But there was little point in Virginia trying to keep such things to herself anyway. His nose told him everything he needed to know about her.
He leant forward now and kissed her gently on the forehead. She stirred a little but did not wake. He withdrew, going to the sitting table and putting his bread booty on it before drinking deeply from the water jug. He was still quite alert and awake, so he decided to go down to the dungeons to see how Elias had fared during the night. He stole through the still dark corridors to the passage that led to the long spiral staircase and down to the dungeons. These cells were mostly unused in these days. The most recent occupants had been the three children of the deceased Troll King. Wendell had let them spend quite a few weeks down here before he had 'remembered' they were there. They'd been half starved shadows of their former selves, grovelling at the King's feet. Wendell had let them go finally, on pain of death were they ever to return. So far, the threat had held them behind the boundaries, but all knew that the Trolls continued to make encursions on other Kingdoms, looting and carrying off whatever they could. Wolf had caught a few within the disenchanted forest.
Now, the only occupant was his friend Elias. Wolf had come to like the fact that he had a friend, someone he could talk to who wasn't pre judging him, or afraid of him, or, (in Virginia's case), about to be kissed by him. His and Virginia's conversations nearly always ended up that way, but neither of them minded it too much. Now, he sniffed carefully ahead of himself as he crept down the stairs. Only man scent, just Elias as he had always been. Wolf stopped at the foot of the stairs and lifted the heavy iron keys from their post on the wall. Elias was asleep on the narrow bunk bolted to the stonework, his head on a pillow that Virginia had thoughfully remembered to give him. He looked exactly as he had when Wolf had left him down here the last evening, except that many of the faint worry and stress lines on his face were smoothed out. No sign of wolfishness about the man. Wolf had found himself with a whole range of different emotions last night after the moon had risen. Overall, he had been happy for his friend. A miracle of sorts had been worked here, it seemed, with none of the usual side effects one could expect from such a transforming spell. This worried Wolf immensely. There were always repercussions when magic was worked. Everyone knew that. Sometimes they were subtle things, not immediately apparent, and Wolf hoped that this might be the case here. But, in his innermost thoughts, he doubted this very much. It wasn't as though Elias had asked for a wart to be removed from his nose. He had asked for, and received, a complete reversal of a long standing and violent curse. He had changed his very person, altered his own destiny. Surely the Powers of the world would give him more than a rap over the knuckles for that one. Wolf shivered superstitously and glanced about the cell as if expecting to see the Great Spirits poised to blast Elias for his temerity. There was nothing there, of course. He cleared his throat softly in the gloom. Elias stirred almost at once and Wolf frowned once more. Evidently he still had his sharp wolfish hearing. He composed himself, lifting the keys high and jangling them.
"Hello there, brother! Do you want out of this depressing place then?". Elias rose from the cot and came to stand at the door.
"Oh yes indeed. But I cannot feel depressed down here, no matter how dark and gloomy it is. This is the place of my rebirth, Wolf. You cannot imagine how it was to look upon the moon last night. As a man, I mean". Wolf fitted the key to the lock and the door creaked forward. Elias came out and stretched, yawning. Then, surprising Wolf, he leapt forward and embraced him in a huge bear hug. Wolf found himself hugging the man back and joining him in his laughter, despite his hidden misgivings. Elias stepped back finally and the men made their way back up the stairs, towards daylight.
"Wolf, I cannot thank you enough for making this possible. I hope, I honestly do, that we will continue to be friends, despite the fact that what once bonded us is now gone..." Elias trailed off awkwardly. Wolf was touched, and pleased also.
"You have taken all the risks here, Elias. I just introduced you to the means. It is true that we do not have the wolf in common now, and to tell you the truth, I had hoped to witness this change of yours. I wanted to see if I could talk to you then, fully in our tongue, to see if you would respond. But I understand why you have done this thing. Even now, my mate lies bruised and bitten by me, and you have done far worse to yours..."
"It is true. If only I could take back those hours"
"There is no spell that lets you go back in time. But, now you can look forward to a new life. You can love again, and be loved"
"I hope so"
"Oh, for sure, I will introduce you around! You'd make a perfect mate for a half she-wolf. Will you come and stay a while with Virginia and me then, like you said?"
"Are you sure, Wolf? Can you tolerate another male under your roof? I do not want to cause trouble, but yes, if you are both willing, I would like very much to spend some time in the Kingdoms. I've seen this castle only, after all. I'm sure there's a whole world of wonders out there to explore!"
"Indeed there is! Good, that's settled then. And don't worry about the other things. We are like brothers now, do you see? I'll cope. Plus, you won't be the only guest we have there. We have a young half-wolf staying with us at the moment, and Tony comes visiting nearly every week. It'll be fun, you know. And Cub's naming day is coming up soon. You'll have to stay for that at least. Which reminds me, I have to send out the invitations!" Wolf was puffing by the time they reached the top of the steps. He was glad that Elias had decided to stay a while in the Kingdoms. But then the man turned to him and said a most telling thing.
"Wonderful! It feels good to me, that you regard me as a brother, since we have both lost one, to time, and death"
Wolf's mind recoiled in pain and confusion, but Elias seemed not to notice his turmoil, walking swiftly along the corridors ahead of him, searching for the door to his room. He opened at least three before he found the right one. He frowned at it, before turning back to Wolf, who stood stock still in the hallway.
"I'm sure this room has moved since yesterday! Do they do that here?" he asked.
"Probably" Wolf answered vaguely.
"Are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost"
"Yes. Must be. Just tired"
"Right. Of course. Well, don't let me keep you. I need to retire a while myself. I shall see you later, at lunch perhaps?"
"Umm, yes. Lunch, then". Elias door clicked shut quietly. Wolf was able to stir himself after a few minutes and he made his way back to the bedroom suite, where Virginia still slumbered, but more lightly. She would wake soon, he thought. He found his way into a chair by the window and watched as the sun rose above the horizon. Just another day, he thought fiercely, trying desperately to will himself into the present, the here and now. But he couldn't do it, and the voices of his past floated through his mind.
"Papa, where has Willem gone? Why have you sent him away?" the boy asked.
"My son, listen to me closely now. Your brother was making some trouble here, for all of us. Just cub mischief, yes, but he won't listen to me, nor your mother. He has gone to your uncle, my own brother, for a while. Perhaps there, with your cousins all older than he, he might learn that he is not the centre of the world!"
"Is it my fault, papa?"
"No, of course not. But, as you grow, still you must listen to your parents, do as they say! It's important, little one! Will you do that, son?"
"I will papa. I'll be the best cub ever! But I'm nearly ten now, you know Papa. I'll be getting my teeth soon, you'll see!"
"So you will, so you will"
The voices faded away, but not the memories. Wolf pictured his father. A tall, imposing figure from a child's perspective, but Wolf had never had cause to fear him. He had a noble bearing, his father. One could look at him and almost believe the rumours of royal blood. A gentle soul, with a great love of both the natural world and the science of invention. He could always be found tinkering on some new device or other. He had instilled in Wolf a great appreciation of learning and the young boy had applied himself to his school work. But not so with Willem, his other son, and Wolf's elder brother by some four years. Wolf tried gamely, ignoring the mental anguish, to picture his brother's face. But it was gone, like someone had erased all traces of him from his mind. He knew who, and he knew why, but it was little comfort to him now.
He dashed away the tears from his face, but Virginia had heard his sniffles. She rolled over to look at him in his chair by the window.
"Come here to me" she whispered, drawing back the covers. He crawled over to her and slipped in between the sheets, feeling her little arms enfold him as he lay his head on her breast. She ran her hands gently over the back of his hair and down his spine. She pulled at his shirt and gained access to his crest, playing and pulling softly at the fur. It was a calming, soothing thing for both of them. He felt himself sinking into sleep.
"Tell me" Virginia whispered, rousing him a little.
"Memories, my love. Things I haven't seen in a long time. Someone I forgot, and lost"
"Who?" she asked, but he was gone, slipping away into a deep sleep. Virginia lay there a while, waiting until he had settled, before gently easing out from under him. He looked as calm and innocent as a baby when he slept. She smoothed back his curls from his damp forehead before sliding out of the bed. She dressed unhurriedly, wincing slightly at the new bruises she sported. She smiled ruefully at herself. She had hardly complained about it last night, after all. She ate some of the bread left on the side table and smiled to see the rose he had left next to her pillow. Such a romantic guy, her Wolf. She wondered what had upset him this morning. Who had he lost? Part of her wanted to shake him awake, demand to know all his secrets, all his memories, but deep down, she knew all about the art of suppression. She had done it herself. For so many years she had hidden her own painful past from her daily life, pretending that such things didn't matter, couldn't possibly influence her now. Virginia's whole adventure in the 9 Kingdoms had taught her the foolishness of that belief. She'd been confronted by her past, painfully and violently and she had fought bitterly to avoid it at the time. Now, she could see that the pain had been necessary, and, ultimately, healing. Wolf had been right all along. She had had to let go, trust again, accept the pain of her mother's betrayal and move on. Without that, she would have lost Wolf eventually, despite his assurances at the time that they were mates for life. She shivered at the thought of life without him, leaning over to draw the covers up over him. His eyes fluttered open for a moment and he spoke in the wolf tongue, dreaming.
Virginia left the room quietly, stopping a few doors down the corridor at her father's bedroom. He still slept, but Cub was wide awake, staring at her over the railing of his crib. He hopped up and down excitedly as she bent to lift him out, but sat patiently whilst she rummaged through his clothing for something to dress him in. Eventually she managed to work him into some little overalls and mother and son made their way downstairs for breakfast. Later, they went out to the gardens, where a travelling puppet troop had set up a wagon. Soon, a sizeable crowd had gathered, including Wendell and later, Tony and they sat around on the lawns as the troop performed several well known legends. Then, the puppet master stood forth and announced a new production, and the crowd rippled with excitement at the news.
"Lo and behold, ladies and gentlemen, we have for you now, the very newest production of "The Four Who Saved the Nine Kingdoms" he said proudly, and then the curtains drew back and the story began with a flourish. Virginia, sitting on the ground with Cub on her lap, was at first terribly embarrassed, but, as the story began to unfold, became just as caught up in the tale as the rest of the audience. It was after all, a unique perspective. Although she had been filled in on many of the things that had gone on in her absence, it was fascinating to see the whole thing put together. She looked over at Wendell and Tony, seeing that they were also laughing, crying, shivering and cheering along with the crowd. It was a surreal experience. She sensed someone sit down behind her and turned to see Elias.
"It seems I should be asking for your autograph!" he said, eyes sparkling. She blushed and elbowed him in the ribs.
"Shush! Don't give people any ideas! It's weird though, to see yourself up there. When I first came here, I found it amazing that the lands of our fairytales were actually real places, and now, I am part of a tale within a tale!"
"Do you think, Virginia, that your story will now appear in some form in our own Kingdom? Maybe you should find a publisher there, write a manuscript at least"
"Oh no, that would be too weird!"
"I think it's a great idea! Think about it anyway, I say. No harm in writing everything down though"
"Wolf writes a lot of stuff nowadays. He's always scribbling something"
"Really? What does he write about?"
"I don't know. I think it's like a journal, but of the past as well as today. I think a lot of things are coming back to him and he writes them down so he won't forget them again. It's theraputic for him, though he would never admit it" Virginia said, thinking about Wolf's tears this morning. No doubt he'd be jotting those recollections down as soon as they got home. She looked sideways at Elias as he sat there watching the gory conclusion to the puppet play. She liked Elias, admired his struggles and his desire to change himself, but she also liked that he had become a friend to Wolf. It was good for them both, that was clear and she hoped their friendship would continue. Elias had seemed to trigger something in Wolf, a male bond had formed, and Virginia was sure that would benefit her mate. She had hoped that her father might get over his misgivings to forge such a relationship with Wolf, but, so far at least, that hadn't happened. They were just too suspicious, both of them. If only they could see just how much alike they were. But there was no point in her telling them this. Men were just hopeless at taking directions, after all.
The crowd stirred and applauded at the conclusion of the puppet show, and not a few turned to stare curiously at Virginia as she stood up to leave. Cub had been rapt at the whole performance, which surprised her. She didn't think he had such a long attention span. Wendell had gone forward and was congratulating the puppeteers and Virginia could tell that Cub wanted to look closer at the marionettes, so she joined her step-brother, Elias following behind. Up close, she could see that the puppets were quite lifelike. The one's of her and Wolf were wearing their formal attire that they had been given for the awards ceremony. Cub pointed a finger at them with the assurance of the very young.
"Da da" he said, then giggled at his own words. Virginia kissed him and praised his skill. He stared back at her solemnly at moment, before very seriously pointing at another puppet.
"Ma ma". Virginia's eyes filled with tears before she could stop herself. She had never imagined that hearing herself called that for the first time would affect her so much. His deep green gaze held her own knowingly.
"Yes, I'm your mama, that's me" she choked, starting to laugh now as she swung him high in the air. He shrieked with excitement and his babyish peals of laughter drew many smiles from the onlookers.