Author Notes: This story is inspired by the Anime, but I guess it should be considered my interpretation of the characters, timeline and certain events, set in an alterative universe and with a few original characters. If you believe that history repeats itself then this is my own version of the white wolf's quest for Paradise. It is my first Wolf's Rain story so please be gentle to this little she wolf!
Dedicated to Moonlight's Wolf Angel for introducing me to the wonderful world of Wolf's Rain, loving my RPG guys and being an inspirational, special friend!
Wolf's Rain- The Curse of the Dark Moon
Chapter One - A betrayal of blood
The following event take place nearly two years before the events of the main story.
Lady Jagura stood at the centre of her private chamber, lurking within the flickering pool of orange light cast by the ritual candles that encircled her, like a restless spirit. She plunged her long, pale fingers through the dancing flames and shuddered at the fleetingly discomfort but dismissed it with a disturbing smile as she remembered the lingering hours of exquisite pain that had driven her to this moment.
Once everything seemed lost as she spiralled down into the depths of darkest despair. A jealous heart torn asunder by the beautiful, hypnotic Lord Darcia's cruel rejection. She had to suffer in bitter silence as the man she loved gave his heart and soul to her sister, Harmona.
Lady Jagura haunted the libraries and archives of her noble and ancient dynasty, searching the darkest mysterious and secrets of her family's fortress keep, plotting against the lovers. She would win the devotion and fiery passion of Lord Darcia no matter the price, even if that meant the mostmalevolence, unforgivable sin of all, a betrayal of blood.
It was within the dusty, yellowing pages of an antiquated, forgotten book . A volume full of heinous wisdom and forbidden ritual, that Lady Jagura found the shadowy, traitorous path, stained with innocent blood that would enable her to claim Lord Darcia's heart. All Nobles wore masks and it amused Lady Jagura that the dark tragedy she was about to cast upon the lovers would also be masked beneath the terrible curse of the Darcia Clan. Lord Darcia would never suspect her betrayal, she would be free to offer him her grieving consolation and warmest, seductive embrace.
Lady Jagura held out a long, flaxen strand of hair, she watched it glint like golden sunshine in the candlelight as under her breath she chanted in the primitive language, laboriously translated from the brittle, yellowing parchment. Each page filled with stolen, black alchemy, a sinister perversion of the Book of the Moon. Yet Lady Jagura jealousy and desperation blinded her from the cruel, painful consequences that performing the ritual will bring upon all those souls involved. She entreated the darkness almost jubilantly with the vile, ancient poison now rolling from her tongue, her only thoughts now were of finally being held in Lord Darcia's arms and surrendering to his passionate kiss.
"My lady…" a young boy with dark hair and dazzling green eyes that reflect a fearful devotion and reverence cautiously shuffled into the chamber. His slow gait is awkward and stooped with many years of weary service and mistreatment. He carries in his trembling, tiny hands a glass ball, the stiff, shortened cuffs of his tunic and trousers hems reveal scarred wrists and ankles, rubbed raw by the ugly, heavy shackles and chains that bind him to his mistress.
Behind Lady Jagura's servant followed a tall man clad in a long, mud splattered trench coat, a young black dog close at his heels. The wide brim of the sheriff's hat cast his face in shadow, hiding his scarred, weathered features. The man slowly removed his hat to regard Lady Jagura with sallow, red-rimmed eyes, his once handsome face now ravaged with harsh living and alcoholic abuse betrayed no emotion as he dumps a sack at her feet.
"Quent…yet again you've shown your superior knowledge and hunting skill…I knew you would not fail me" congratulated Lady Jagura, her violet eyes glinted with approval as the thin, taunt line of her painted lips flickered into a brief smile.
"No…my Lady Jagura" replied Quent, grunting with disgust as he gave the sack a hefty kick with the toe of his mud caked boot. "It's just I am one of the few hunters that knows for sure that these bastards still exist. This one put up one hell of a fight…"
"I can see…" replied Lady Jagura, her violet gaze flickering to three wounds scored deep into Quent's leathery cheek, still red and glistening with dark, clotted blood. "I hope your hatred of the beasts did not betray you Quent, the wolf is no use to me dead"
"Alive and bound, just as you requested my lady" said Quent as he hunkered down to untie the rope securing the sack. "Myself and my girl, Blue here…" Quent reached out a gloved hand and patted the black pup upon the head. "Well lets just say we soften him up for you, made sure he won't be causing you any trouble."
"How thoughtful" replied Lady Jagura as she retreated into the shadows only to reappear moments with a golden, gem encrusted goblet and dagger in her hands.
Blue gave a low, warning growl as Quent dragged a large silvery grey male from the dark confines of the foul smelling sack. The wolf snarling, angry and frustrated, desperately tried to struggle against the chains binding him. He let out a anguished howl as he realised his struggling only caused the chains to constrict tighter about his bleeding, injured body. Whimpering in pain as the crudely crafted steel links cut deeper into his wounds Natsuo finally slumped onto the cold, marble floor in defeat.
Natsuo turned his head, meeting the dazzling blue gaze of the black dog sitting obediently next to the loathsome, cruel human, but his gaze begged not for pity or help but the answer to one question…WHY?
The young bitch was suddenly caught off guard by the wolf's beautiful, golden eyes, she swiftly looked down at the floor with an unexpected shame.
Natsuo knew he couldn't escape his terrible fate but he could face the humiliations and torture of these debased, callous humans with dignity and courage, unlike that honourless dog, Natsuo still had his pride.
Natsuo was afraid but he tried to draw comfort from the knowledge that his sacrifice would have saved his heavily pregnant mate, Tsuki. She had meant everything to him, and it had been love not instinct that had driven Natsuo to lure the hunter and his dog away from Tsuki. He had willingly forfeited his own life so that Tsuki could live. Somewhere out in the darkness, under the silvery light of a full moon his beloved Tsuki was alive, Natsuo could feel it in his heart, and soon she would be giving birth to his pups.
"Harmona…" whispers Lady Jagura as she drops the stolen lock of shimmering, golden hair into the bejewelled chalice as her young servant desperately tries to smothers his tiny gasp of horror.
"Breath a word of what you witness here boy" warns Lady Jagura with a hiss. "And you'll never see your twin again…your link to Lord Darcia's seer has kept you alive for now Teeze but you would do well to remember that your gifts are a mere shadow of hers…"
"Yes…my Lady Jagura" replies Teeze his tiny voice trembles, his gaze lowered instantly with courteous, subservient fear.
"Leave me now…" commanded Lady Jagura with a sweep of her pale hand as she knelt down unafraid beside the wolf. "And pay Mr Yaiden for his most appreciated services"
"Yes my Lady Jagura" Teeze bowed then nervously glanced at the beautiful, noble creature in chains and felt so ashamed, helpless to save the wolf. Tears streamed down his cheeks as the young seer retreats from the gloomy chamber. Despite his gifts Teeze is far too afraid to comprehended or empathise with the dark, obsessive madness that has driven his mistress to perform such an act of sinful, black alchemy.
Quent followed Teeze from the chamber, calling Blue to heel and doesn't give a second thought to the doomed wolf. Why should he care if Lady Jagura wanted a lupine sacrifice for her twisted arcane rituals? It just helped him purge the world of another stinking, devious wolf.
Quent collected his blood money, not that he needed payment for hunting wolves, it was all he lived for now, vengeance and cheap vodka.
"Do you know the way to Paradise wolf?" asked Lady Jagura, her painted lips curling into a sinister smile as she wrenched the wolf's head upwards so that she could look into his fearful, golden eyes. "Most people say it is just a myth, a fairy tale just like the wolves themselves…but we know different don't we my friend? It is said that Paradise can steal away the soul of a human …I have my reservations about that but your blood will allow me to enter the paradise of Lord Darcia's heart…"
Lady Jagura placed the chalice that now held her sister's golden lock of hair on the floor before the wolf then whispered softly, her smiling lips caressing his ear.
"She stole him from me, my dear sister…but with your blood wolf I shall steal her from him, I will send Harmona's soul not to Paradise but to hell…" "
Natsuo whined in fear, his broken, bleeding body restrained by the cruel chains so that he couldn't even flinch back struggle from the glint of Lady Jagura's dagger as it flashed before his eyes. Lady Jagura laughed heartlessly as if amused by the wolf's helplessness then plunged the dagger deep into his neck and savagely torn blade across his upturned throat.
Lady Jagura's terrible laugher subsided into chanting once more, the archaic, poison mocking Natsuo's last agonising, choking breath. Lady Jagura watched enraptured as the rich, warm blood gushed over her pale fingers, collects in the chalice and then spills into a thick, crimson pool upon the marble floor.