"So ever through the flame and fire of battle
We'll earn our ever noble title, Knight,
Forever proud am I to know you, brothers
Be fortified through this oppresse'd night."
-The Great Warrior-Poet Horace, 'Letter to the Men who Stand Guard', final stanza
It had been a long week and a half for the young wolf, who had wanted nothing more than her mother to be taken care of. Her feet had grown tired, her fur and coat were all made slightly damp by the cold snow that tended to fall throughout the wolf clan in this time of year, and she was growing increasingly frustrated with how much of a hassle it had become just to get her proper ration.
For the entire journey, she hadn't encountered any snow deep enough to stop any shipment from getting to Les Montagnes. In fact, she had seen two whole convoys of weapons and armor traverse the road in the opposite direction of her just fine. Whatever the situation was, she decided, she was going to let the Archduke have it very soon. Now that she was only ten minutes away from the settlement, she had readied herself, gone over what she was going to say to Jean-Christophe over and over again to try and come up with the most biting words possible. This, she thought, would right whatever was going on.
Stepping through the final barrier of treeline with her bow and travel pack slung onto her back, she instinctively brought her lips to a scowl as her ears pinned themselves to her head. Taking her first spiteful steps through the open castle gate on the mountaintop, however, she slowly dropped her scowl as a wave of regret hit her, realizing the exact situation she had walked into.
There, throughout the entire square, was a long line for food and provisions leading into the castle's keep. The line was manned by all manner of orphans, husbands, wives, and daughters.
Her heart wept for the children. Starving and cold, many of them had matted fur and thin frames. Some gripped onto their mothers tightly for comfort, while one particular raccoon kit ran up to her and lightly tugged on her tail, grabbing her attention as she spun around.
"Madam… can you spare any food? I haven't eaten for two days…"
River put her paw on her heart and sighed in sadness. "Of course, young child! Here…" she offered, reaching into her bag and pulling out some turkey slices for the boy. "It's not much, but it's all I've packed for the journey here."
The child immediately grabbed it and gobbled it up, chewing it with a smile on his face and licking his lips to make sure he missed none of it before rushing to her leg and wrapping his arms around it. "Thank you, thank you ma'am!"
She couldn't help but smile and put a paw on the back of his head. "Of course. May wyld bless you, little one"
"You too!" the raccoon said back excitedly, before releasing his grip and rushing back to what she assumed was his grandfather, walking on crutches, seemingly struck by polio.
The wolfess held herself upright, but she had to admit, the whole town was a very sorry sight. It upset her to her deepest core that in her arrogance, she had assumed her missing rations were a slight against her. But now she had figured it out, or at least she thought she did.
The entire wolf clan was going through a food crisis.
These ration lines were long, and considering they lead directly into the keep, River assumed that getting inside to see Jean-Christophe would be a whole challenge unto itself. She couldn't simply skip the line, such would be rude beyond the point of offense. Sighing in defeat, she consigned herself to the back of the line, a long way from the keep itself, where one of the many King's Guards in the area was manning a desk full of papers. As she stepped up to the line, the guard halted her.
"Good Afternoon, Madam. State your name."
"River Allemond" she stated as she looked painfully at the line ahead of her.
The guard perused his papers a moment, trying desperately to find her name on the list before looking up to her. "Do you reside in this city?"
"No, sir, I live in Montagne" she replied with a raised brow.
"I'm afraid we cannot distribute food to you, then, Madam" the Knight said, standing up. "I must ask you to leave the line."
"I'm here to seek counsel with the Archduke Jean-Christophe, over a ration I had been promised for my work as a ranger" she explained calmly.
"He's too busy at the moment to address you, madam. From what I understand he's handing out rations in the keep-"
"-I was handing out rations, loyal guard!" a wolf dressed handsomely from ears to paws stated. "I've left my post temporarily to receive another shipment of aid. This one's coming in from the bear clan" he said before taking River's paw in his and leading her out of the line. "What seems to be the problem, Madam?"
"Well, sir, I was promised the following rations for my work as a ranger" she said, unfolding and handing him the letter of her contract. "I haven't received these rations in three weeks. It doesn't affect me, but my dear mother is sick and she cannot fend for herself" she explained as humbly as she could, hoping to earn the duke's favor.
"... River Allemond?"
"Yes."
The young wolf took a brief moment to puzzle over the name in his head. "The name rings a bell, madam. I've heard many reports about you in your year of service. Indeed, you've already grown to be quite the ranger" he said before turning his head quickly at the tap of the shoulder from a guard. "Yes, yes, let the bear clan convoy through the gatehouse. And tell somebody to ready a quill, so I can sign for the shipment!" As the guard clamored off, the nobleman turned back to River. "I'm terribly sorry to disrupt conversation from your issue, but now really isn't the best time. But since you came all this way, do you mind staying a night and helping with the soup kitchen?"
"Why, yes, of course, sir" she said back with a heart of concern for the citizens of the village. "It wouldn't be right to just leave these people starving."
"Excellent" he said as a convoy started to walk in bearing more meat and bread for the various people in the village. "That's very good, take it around the back of the keep, there! Tell Brun of the Bear Clan I send my many thanks!" he yelled to the passers-by. "Come, follow me this way, I'll explain the issue as we make our way back to the keep"
As the Archduke quickly strutted off past the lines to get back to the keep, River followed close behind. She was profoundly struck by the sight of poverty around her, but something about the whole situation didn't seem quite right to her.
The winter usually brought some shortage of food, but the Royal Aid was always there for the carnivorous and herbivorous citizens of the Wolf Clan. Never had that aid faltered, even in times of road closures from snow. And considering there were no closures so far, there was no reason for food to be so short. Why did the aid come from the bear clan, she thought? What was really going on here that she didn't know about?
The archduke, as if sensing her apprehension, turned to her as he walked and began to explain. "Now, River, allow me to tell you the issue as I see it plainly. I'm assuming as a ranger, you understand that this Winter has been fairly light, correct?"
"Of course, so-"
"Even in light winters, the prey birds always go south for the warm weather and the soil becomes too cold and hard to farm, especially here in the mountains, so every winter, we draw food stores from the royal palace."
"You don't need to explain this to me, I already know-"
"The king has made a decree. He has declared, in secret, that the Wolf Clan shall not have access to the food stores this winter" he said harshly, with a fire in his tongue aimed at the king himself. "The damned bane- Do you understand how much of an unexpected decree that was? No warning whatsoever so that we could prepare, and even then, why have we been locked out of supplies? It's madness, I tell you, the King has probably gone mad. I swear, every day I am called to court, his laws get more and more erratic."
River was immediately confused. "King Augustus has done this? Wha- why? What possible reason-"
"Nobody knows, ranger" he said, opening the door to the keep and leading river through the crowd of starving masses to the very back where large pots of various soups were being cooked. "His reasons are known but to the wyld. However, I have my suspicions. Suspicions I will relay to you in private" he said, getting behind a table and grabbing ladles for himself and River. "For the moment" he started with a sigh, "...these good yeomen need food."
River, still stunned from the sudden influx of information, took a moment to process exactly what she heard before taking her ladle. "Of course, your majesty. I'm assuming the duck soup is for the carnivores, and the vegetable broth goes to the prey?"
"Right" he said with a sigh, turning to one of the starving faces hunched over the table with an empty bowl. "For you, good sir, a warm bowl of vegetable broth" he said, bestowing the wirey goat's portion into his bowl.
"Bless you, Majesty"
"'Tis but a duty of mine, to my people. May Wyld bless you."
An elderly lioness took her step up to the table River was manning, moving with the feeble legs which only the combination of age and starvation could create. River quickly bowed. "Good day to you, madam" she said, taking her bowl and ladling the duck soup into her bowl, making sure to get plenty of meat inside. "May wyld bless you"
"You as well, young lady" the lioness said, not looking up at her, choosing instead to focus on her amulet. "The future will hold many paths for you"
River, stunned by the sudden prophecy, blinked, only to find the old lioness vanished, probably disappearing into the crowd she had assumed. It was of little concern, thought she. Another bit of wisdom the elderly try to impart.
As the Archduke Jean-Christophe ladled, he started to look over River. It wasn't eyes of lust that admired the form, not by any measure. The archduke admired his fellow wolf's athletic prowess.
What he had been told was true.
"You know, River, I'm terribly sorry about this whole ration mix-up, I really am" he pleaded, ladling more vegetable broth into an empty bowl. "Word tends to spread very slowly, but it was not correct of me."
"I suppose it wasn't in your control, your Majesty" she said, handing a bowl to a small cub. "Sometimes, though, I wonder why it is the King can get away with this. I understand his ordained rule, but-"
"You question his decisions?" the noble wolf asked, earning a brief moment of trepid silence out of River. "Worry not. Many of the court question his decisions these days. Besides, if it weren't for this famine business, I would have already knighted you for your outstanding work as a ranger. However, this famine-"
"Wait, excuse me" she said, surprised by the sudden mention of knighthood. "D-Did you say…. Knighted?"
"Why, of course. I thought you'd known that in advance. Had you not?" The wolf asked with a puzzled air.
"I had not, my lord…" she explained, confusedly setting aside her ladle and facing the lord in a more direct stance.
"... I thought I had sent a rider to Les Montege to give you the message."
"Les Montege, My lord?"
"Why yes, that's where you live… is it not" The noble wolf asked, his ears flattening against his head as an eyebrow raised.
River, cautious of telling a noble he was wrong, took a step back before speaking. "I live in Les Montagnes, my lord" she corrected.
Jean-Christophe froze a moment, his tail and left ear twitching as he recognized his very simple mistake in coordination. He had remembered the name of the damned village wrong, and the rider was sent in the complete opposite direction. "I am terribly embarrassed. Guards!" he shouted, a slightly aggravated tone taking over his voice.
"Sir, I meant not to offe-"
"It's quite alright, Madame River, the only slight I have is against myself for my foolishness. We are to settle this knighthood right now, in front of the subjects and the Wyld itself." By this point, the guards had arrived, awaiting their orders with their halberds at the ready. "You, guards, take over the soup kitchen for the moment. I must knight River here as soon as possible for my incompetence! I am so terribly sorry, Madame River"
"It's nothing, sir, I assure you, I don't even think I deserve a knighthood" The wolfess said in flattery.
"But you do, River" he responded with a grateful air. "Follow me to the throne room."
As the Duke lead River to the throne room of the keep, she couldn't help but feel as though something was off. For certain, she had arrested or killed a grand total of 126 highwaymen and thieves in her one year of service (a record amount for one year), but such a thing wasn't the typical deed that would render one a knight. After all, she thought, knights were a class of nobility and to become one required training from a young age in the ways of the sword and shield. She was skilled only with the bow and the dagger.
It all felt a bit rushed, in any case.
As she was rushed into the modest room where Jean-Christophe gave his decrees, a royal guard welcomed the Archduke by snapping to attention, raising his visor with his right hand as he did.
Jean-Christophe quickly took the moment to turn to the guard. "My good guard, if I may have a moment to my own, I must have you leave. Also, send for a priest! I must have witness for an official order!"
"Aye, sir!" The guard said, not questioning as he rushed out of the room to grab the priest who was hard at work in the keep's temple with the sickly.
"But wait! Is it not customary to have a procession of guards at the knighting ceremony?" River asked, remembering a rare Knighting ceremony she witnessed as a girl.
"T'is, but form must be broken for the moment. We cannot spare a single guard to leave the work of recovering from this famine" the Archduke replied, spitting the word 'guard' from his mouth as if it were a profanity.
"But he was already busy protecting-"
"Question. It. Not." the Archduke replied firmly, giving her a nudge with his shoulder.
If the situation had not seemed off before, it certainly seemed off now, as soon enough the good bishop of the keep came through the door bearing a sealed bottle of spikenard.
"My good bishop, this is the good lady River of Les Montagnes, the ranger who was to be knighted during the Winter solstice" Jean-Christophe said, introducing the wolfess to the porcupine who had walked through the door with the anointing implements.
"Oh, it is, uh, nice to meet you, lady River! Uh, enchante!" The porcupine replied, fumbling about with the spikenard and the holy book to find a free hand to offer out to the lady. "It, uh, t'is a great honor to be knighted into this glorious… uh… a-and righteous clan!" He stammered, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself of that.
Jean-Christophe looked suspiciously towards the bishop before River spoke in turn, feeling the tension in the air. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, good bishop. And it is indeed an honor to be Knighted into the great Wolf Clan."
"Bishop Martin, I would like you to preside over the Knighting ceremony for her, as her witness to the commons and to the wyld" Jean-Christophe stated firmly.
"Oh… It's happening now?"
"Why, of course. What else would I ask the spikenard of you for?"
"Well, I thought perchance someone had died, sir-"
"W-what? No, nothing of the sort."
"Ah, good, good! Well… we should assemble the guards to set to-"
"No guards! I insist."
"But it is-"
The Archduke furrowed his brow and growled in annoyance. "I explained this to River, I tire of explaining things! Knighting, now!"
Wincing, the Archduke complied, taking a position to the left hand side of the Archduke as he looked to River and then to the ground, an indication for her to kneel, a hint she took quickly as she awkwardly set herself low.
Taking a deep breath, Jean-Christophe raised his head and spoke. "River Allemond, of the village Les Montagnes. It has been the topic of great discussion amongst the nobles of the Wolf Clan that you, during your duties as a faithful ranger, have far exceeded the duties of your post and thus proven yourself worthy of a title far greater than the lowly status you currently hold. For this, I, having been bestowed power from King Augustus II of Armello, have deemed it fit to bestow this knightly power unto you, mine noble Knight of the great Wolf Clan. Do you pledge to serve faithfully the nobility ordained by the Wyld on your quests? Swear you to be kind to the allies of our great clan and merciless to our foes? Vow you to be virtuous in all pursuits hereafter, and conduct yourself in a manner befitting of such a title as Knight of the Wolf Clan? And do you swear to obey the orders of those nobles ordained above you, as they be right and moral?"
River paused for thought, alarmed at the expedience with which what was usually a critical turning point in one's life was taking place. There was no warning, no crowd, no witness apart from the good bishop. It all begged the question for the wolfess, why was she doing this?
Well… Knights were nobility, and nobility received greater privileges. Greater privileges could spell greater rations and doctors for her sick mother, whom she had trekked all this way to help.
The logic felt flat to her, and still caused a sense of unease in her bosom. But it would do for then, she supposed.
"I swear" she said, nervously eyeing up the Archduke as she did, trying to gauge what exactly his intent in all this was.
A grin was all she saw, paired with eyes filled with the machinations of some greater scheme that she was, as of yet, unaware of.
"Then, by the power vested in me by Augustus II, and by the true and good witness of the Wyld's life giving power represented by the presence of the good Bishop Martin, I declare you a Knight of the Wolf Clan. May I have the spikenard, bishop?"
Nervously and with hesitation, the bishop broke the neck of the bottle, releasing the seal and handing it to the Archduke to be used. Jean-Christophe, moving to hold his arming sword parallel to the ground, poured the anointing oil out over the blade. The fragrance, a sweet lavender, filled the air as if it were the mask to a much fouler plot. The blade, having been made holy by the spikenard, was then brought down first to her right shoulder, then her left, until finally the Archduke settled the blade on her head, letting it rest for but a brief moment as he made his final declaration. "Arise, Madame River" he ordered, sheathing the sword once more as the wolfess complied.
"You are now a Knight of the Wolf Clan."
The declaration did little to arouse pride in the young wolfess, nor did the prospect of being a Knight tempt her beyond the reaches of using it to help her sick and dying mother. Something inside of her caused her to feel as though the rushed and silenced ceremony was simply being used as a means to use her for more nefarious ends.
The rest of the day was rather uneventful after that. The two had quickly taken back up their work of providing soup to the starving people of the town, and little else was said or mentioned of the knighting ceremony.
That was until the soup kitchen had closed for the night, and the many poor's houses opened their doors to the needy of the village. Jean-Christophe had allowed the King's Guards to do the bulk of the cleaning, instead allowing his servants to retire for the evening. After the guards had (not without grumbling) set about their work of cleaning the various pots, pans, ladles, and spoons, the Archduke tapped River on the shoulder, who, not to be useless, had taken to helping several guards move a rather large cauldron.
"River. As my Knight, I request your presence in my chambers immediately." The duke extended his paw. But a look of worry and slight disgust soon played over River's face.
The proposition appeared dangerously like he was asking her to lay with him. And that would not do. Following him but for a few steps until they were out of sight, she drew a rondel dagger from her leggings, shoving the archduke against the wall and brandishing the weapon. "Listen here, you serpent. I understand I am your knight, bound by honor, but if you think I shall forsake my purity to lie with you in your chambers, understand that I will spill your blood in these halls!"
The archduke, immediately taken aback, did his best to calm her down. "Relax, Knight. Such was not the proposition I was going to make…. If it makes you more comfortable, we can discuss the matter here"
"I'm not discussing anything!"
"The matter is not to get you to lie with me. It's about why I knighted you today."
This caused River to relax her grip on the dagger. Slowly, setting it back down into its scabbard, she backed off. "Explain the meaning of this needing to be in secret, then."
"It's-" he started, before looking around to ensure there were no prying ears. "It's a matter involving his highness" he whispered.
River couldn't help freezing for a moment. "King Augustus? What business do I have with him?"
"It is not the business you have, Madame River. Rather it is the business of the Wolf Clan. We need a 'message' delivered" he said, gesturing to his private quarters which were nearby.
Sighing, she let the poor man go, and quickly followed him into the quarters, shutting the door with an intense force as they both entered. "What are you asking me to do, Master Jean-Christophe?"
With a sigh, the Archduke brushed himself off, strutting over to the window which had been darkened by the night. "There has been talk in the royal court. The King's order to stop our typical aid shipments was no surprise. Atypical, certainly. But as of late, the King has started to grow maniacal and calloused. He struts and frets each hour of the night in his chamber, tearing the tapestry to tattered shreds with his claws only to purchase new ones the following morning. He shamelessly calls in the evening for concubines, and whenever he hears so much as a whisper in his halls, he calls for a most ungodly inquisition. The King is going mad, River. And if not somebody does anything to purge the world of this most diabolical evil, I fear the Kingdom of Armello shall last not much longer than these winter months."
"And… what are you proposing I do?" River asked. "Are you suggesting I walk into the Royal Palace and drive an arrow through his heart? Such would be treasonous and…" She had to stop and sigh, looking out of the window to the road that led into the city. "I want only to help my dear mother."
"If you do this, you will be queen, River. It is why we knighted you. Such is why we gave you the title of nobility. So that when you take that damned shot, it will be a legitimate and moral action of the Wolf Clan, and not the rogue arrow of some common thug. Kill the king. End this reign of terror he has begun to plunge our kingdom into, and you shall be rewarded."
"But I seek no reward! Have another one of your archers do this, I plead!"
"No other archer has killed 13 bandits from half a mile away with a longbow! No other archer has defeated three armored marauders at once with a stray arrow and a rondel dagger! And no other archer can shoot the king and live to tell the tale..."
A solemn silence fell upon the room as the two locked eyes. River sighed a breath of anxiety, releasing into the world but a taste of her worries.
"If I do this… will you take care of my mother?"
"I will see to nothing less. And when you become queen, you can provide more love and care for the sickly mothers of the world than Augustus ever did in his time."
River looked back to the outside, gazing back and forth as the line to the poor's house coiled like a venomous snake, wrapping itself around the abandoned and mistreated homes of the city. "I shall take your quest, your majesty."
"Very well… I'd suggest starting your journey by heading to Manshire. T'is a charming little village, and the road to it tends to be free from deep snow. One more thing, before you set off tomorrow morning" he said, turning away from the window to pour a bottle of wine.
River sighed, turning to see him before being confused at the sight of him raising a glass. "What is it, Master Jean-Christophe?"
"Long live Queen River."