The Wolf, the Forge, and Love Forbidden - Raivh & Abovetheroses

[Raivh]

The moon was half full overhead in the clear and starry night sky. It was a brisk evening, not quite winter, but he could feel its cool kiss on the back of his neck, hear the whisper of snow in his ears. From what he could tell, it was going to be a long and brutal one compared to the mildness of last year.

Ahren shifted his the weight of his large form against the butt of his wooden stool as he leaned forward, one elbow against his knee to stabilize the long metal blade in his hand. He could see his reflection in the silver glean that kicked off the freshly polished long sword. His beard was long, stopping just at his chest, and he kept the coarse brown hairs knotted off in two sections. From the black tie at the base of his chin dangled a small charm.

Many in this stronghold believed he wore the emblem as a symbol of strength and courage, lacking all fear for the danger that lurked beyond its stone walls.

Staring into his likeness, he noticed the scar over his right eye seemed more prominent today. The color of his irises were like his mother's, a blue-gray, like an overcast sky reflected over an iced lake. His hide was tanned like the deer he skinned daily to fashion light armor, boots, and clothing for some of the hunters.

“Master Ahren,” said a boy, no more than thirteen, as he approached the blacksmith. The boy was an orphan. His father had fallen in battle three years ago, and his mother, mourning the death of her husband, had grown sick and frail. She passed not long after the boy's father. Ahren had taken him under his wing in an apprenticeship, and the lad had done well to learn everything he'd been taught so far.

Ahren had heard the boy before he'd set foot back in the shop holding an armload of firewood. “Rinan,” Ahren greeted the boy in a deep, rough voice. There was a faint but friendly smile behind the whiskers on Ahren's face. “Put that down.”

Rinan quickly dropped the logs into the pile of lumber stacked a few feet from the forge. The entirety of the shop, although mostly outdoors, was covered by a roughly constructed lean-to and partial wall toward the back, which connected to the store that doubled as Ahren's living quarters. It was the heat of the forge that kept it warm enough for them to work year-round.

Everything they crafted throughout the day, from simple pieces to aid townsfolk, to tools for working the land, swords, shields, and armor, was kept inside of the underground storage. If any thief wanted to test his hand at stealing from the town blacksmith, he was liable to lose it. Ahren was known for keeping mostly to himself, except for business exchanges and the boy he mentored.

“Take this and put it in its sheath,” he said, rising to his feet to hand the sword off to Rinan. The curly haired boy grabbed the sword by the hilt and disappeared inside. Ahren glanced around at the street outside of his shop. There were few wandering around now. A few guards wandered about, stumbling here and there and laughing amongst each other.

After the guards had drifted out of view, Ahren could see two dark figures standing in an alley across the way. He watched them carefully, and when he gave them a nod, they approached. Neither of the men seemed comfortable to be walking the streets.

“Ahren.” The man who spoke first was just about Ahren's height. His physique was slightly leaner than Ahren's, but still toned and provided plenty of evidence he wouldn't be downed easily in a fight. The second man was shorter than both of the other men but younger as well.

Ahren stared at the two men standing just two feet from him, close enough he could hear them breathing. “What are you two doing here?” he asked, his voice near a growl, the question almost a slight.

“Watch your tongue,” said the second man through gritted teeth as he began to step forward.

The first man held up an arm and pressed the palm of his hand firmly against the younger man's chest, forcing him to take a step back. His head turned slightly away from Ahren, and his eyes shifted to the other man. “Alden, what the tone lacks, our brother speaks out for our safety.” Alden settled and crossed his arms loosely across his chest and leaned against one of the shop's posts. “Ahren, they've captured Elise. They're holding her for but a few days before they'll tie her to a stake and burn her, flog her, rape her, or just out right kill her.”

Ahren stiffened. He could feel his throat become thick and swell at what he'd just been told. His jaw became taut and he turned his eyes away from the man before staring him down. “And what would you have me do, Aldred? Father's the one who sold me to the last Lord of this fortress. That Lord is dead. The only reason I'm alive is because I was kept a secret by that Lord and the master who made me his apprentice. Both are dead, the Lord's sons are dead. I was the Lord's pet, and now I am a slave to this Lord and his house.”

Growing red in the face, Aldred reached out and grabbed the front of Ahren's shirt in one swift motion. “Our father is dead, too, and as fate would have it by the very weapons you craft. The ax that beheaded him was of the very same workmanship as the trap that took Elise.”

Ahren shoved Aldred away and anger flashed over his features. “That is not my concern,” he spat at his kin. “Perhaps if you had spoken out against father, none of us would be in this predicament, nor the Lord sitting comfortably at his table alive to choke on the very meat he chews.” Ahren whipped his hand back, gesturing to the noble's keep.

A guttural growl worked its way from deep in the pit of Alden's stomach as he approached his brother, chest-to-chest. “You won't speak to him as you are, Ahren, or I'll tear your words from your throat.”

“Alden!” Aldred snarled at his youngest brother, but the hot-headed man refused to back down. He stood still, stubborn and ignoring his eldest brother.

“Listen to your leader, little brother,” Ahren snapped lowly, donning a smirk, staring at Aldred without ever bothering to look down at Alden, though one large hand had clapped over his younger brother's shoulder. “Because if I cry wolf, those guards that passed by will come running with their comrades, and then you'll both burn at the stake with your beloved Elise.”

Aldred reached forward, grabbing Alden's other shoulder, and pried him away from Ahren. “One day you'll return to your kind, Ahren. You know what you do is not right, no matter the wrong that father did. He did it for us all. He had no choice.”

“He had a choice,” Ahren retorted, turning away from his brothers. “If you're lucky, this Lord will spare her. Perhaps he'll take her into his bed and enjoy her for a time before he kills her.”

Aldred's expression was solemn as he looked upon Ahren's back. With a shake of his head, his hand slid from Alden's shoulder, and he muttered an order for his youngest brother to follow him. Reluctantly, Alden did as he was commanded and ran off, across the street, and vanished down the alley they'd first appeared in.

Standing in front of the door to his home, Ahren kept his eyes trained on the noble's keep for a moment as the wind began to pick up. Then, he opened the door and closed it behind himself to prepare for sleep and another day.

Tomorrow was the day the Lord's eldest son was to begin preparing for the hunt. Ahren walked toward the wooden table where Rinan sat, slurping on a bowl of stew and soaking up some of the broth with a chunk of dry bread. On the table where Ahren usually sat, beside the bowl Rinan had set out for him along with a sizable tankard of ale, was a letter. The red wax seal had been broken. It had come the day before, a request for Ahren to personally deliver the sword that rested near the hearth in an intricate leather sleeve.

Exhausted from a day of hard labor, Ahren sunk into the wooden bench across from Rinan and slowly ate from the bowl of stew before him. His gaze was fixated on the scrolling writing that stood out so starkly against the parchment.

“Do you have your clothes ready for the morning, boy?” Ahren asked, talking around a mouthful of bread as he looked across the table to his apprentice. Rinan nodded, and Ahren looked back down as he drowned a chunk of bread. “Good.”

 

[Abovetheroses]

It was cold, damp, the smell of old earth, vomit, and other bodily fluids filled the air the further through the corridor you traveled. A single torch was lit by the locked door at the bottom of the stone stair case that seperated the free from the imprisoned. On the other side of the door were rows of stone walled cells. Prisoners never meant to see the light of day again.

"Milady, we can't be down here." The young guardsman's voice was shaking, he was clearly new at this, nervous. He kept looking over his shoulder.

The small woman at his side had a cloak around her shoulders, hood over her head. "I said, open the damn door." She yanked the torch off the metal bracket on the wall.

The young man fumbled with the key ring and pried the door open with a loud squeak.

"You wait here." The woman demanded as she stroded down the peutrid hall with the single source of light, leaving him alone in the dark.

The smell only got worse the further she walked on, moving passed iron bar doors keeping men and beasts at bay. Some were alive. Sort of, if you could call living in your own filth living. This underground prison was virtually hell. The woman was was only glad that these poor people and creatures didn't have to live here long. Her father would kill them all, soon enough.

At the very end of the hall she reached the cage she was in search of, the newest resident of this place. A woman. A wolf.

She placed the torch up in a bracket on the wall and peered through the iron bars that kept the woman in, but chains held her at bay. She was in a pitiful state. It made her heart sink. "I-i'm sorry." She couldn't keep her voice from shaking. Nor the tears gathering in her eyes. No matter how many times she made this trip she always felt the same. And yes she made this visit to all the people down here, they all knew her face.

Pulling back her hood she revealed herself. Alice Rosca, the youngest child and only daughter of the man that imprisoned them all in there. "We aren't all like my father." Her delicate hand grasped the bar as she stepped just a bit closer looking the other woman in the eye. "I'm truly sorry for what he is going to do to you..."

"Milady! We must go!" Her guards voice echoed down the hall as did the sound of approaching footsteps.

Alice looked over her shoulder and then back to the woman. "Don't tell him anything." She gave the woman a weak smile before flicking up her hood and disappearing down the hall back to where her scared guard was shaking in his armor.

~​

As the only daughter of the noble Andri Rosca Alice spent most of her days studying. Mathematics, sciences, literature, even the arts. She was more learned than most of his advisers but as a woman she was never allowed in his council. But just because she was not permitted to speak in their company did not mean she did not listen. She knew far more about the war than her father and brothers ever gave her credit for. Alice didn't understand it though, there never seemed to be any real logic behind it... At least not to her. It was going on for generations but she couldn't seem to understand any of it.

So while the sons got to become great hunters, Alice was expected to live like a doll. She had personal guards and escorts because her father was paranoid. Then again, all of the good fighters were needed on the fields so most of the time the more rookie fighters were put to guard her and she could easily man handle them, and of course out smart them. It made sneaking out way too easy.

Chances to get away and be alone with out her family's overprotective eyes was one of Alice's few joys. But she learned of the toll her father's war was taking. Not only was her father squandering money to fuel whatever vendetta he had against the wolves, but by not helping the town around them, the people resented him and were suffering. Being caught in the middle Alice didn't know what to do. It tore at her heart. Her father never listened to her, an emotional woman. She wasn't rational in his eyes so nothing she ever said had value no matter how true. Her brothers could say the same thing and her father would agree right on the spot. It was infuriating.

She wanted to stop the war. She wanted to figure out the real reason behind it. Could there be peace or was her father too far beyond that?

~​

Today was the day of Luca's hunt. It was a big deal, a new sword and everything. Going on one of these hunts was a special occasion and deserved a new weapon, or so her father believed. As if they didn't have enough already. It was so special the even had the blacksmith coming to present it himself. He was one of the few men in town that Alice had yet to speak to when she was out on her own little adventures. She needed to change that. But it was always hard when they knew who she was.

"Milady do you need assistance?" A maid stepped into the room.

"I can dress myself, thank you." Alice smoothed out her gown in the mirror.

The golden hair that hung almost waist long was a bit odd in a place like this when everyone else had black or brown hair. Some saw it as a bad omen, her father saw it as good luck, a blessing on the child that killed his wife and a blessing towards his war. Her skin was pale to match but her eyes were a deep dark azure. The gown she wore was form fitting, hanging off her shoulders just a bit, and the emerald color of the House. With no real sleeves , Alice wrapped a shawl around her arms after she pinned her hair back out of her eyes.

Out in the hallway, two of her four brothers were waiting for her. "Marco, Peter?"

"Just here to escort you." Marco said with a cheeky grin. He was always the goofy one. His brother elbowed him. "She needs to cover up more."

Alice frowned. "Papa said this was a nice dress."

"Maybe for meeting your husband. Not for Luca's hunt." Peter scowled.

Alice fake pouted. Then she winked at him. "Too bad. It's my dress and I don't care. I will wear it when I want."

Peter rolled his eyes and the boys walked beside her, her head barely gracing their shoulders as they made their way to the reception hall. In the hall the family gathered beside their father and Luca who was preparing for his hunt. While all the boys spoke of fighting and killing with each other and the other advisers on her father's council, Alice simply stood aside and waited for the festivities and ceremony to start. But she was always listening.

Poised with grace and dignity, as much as she could show for having just visited their dungeon, although she tried not to dwell on it. The woman simply stood with her hands folded and she smiled and nodded to anyone who glanced in her direction, like any good noble lady.

 

[Raivh]

The land around the stronghold was vast and wild, with few roads. One of those roads led through the mountains, which bordered the fortress a few miles off to the north and west. There was a thick forest with trees as a tall as the giants of old standing strong around all sides of the stronghold and its lands used to farm and feed its people. There was a second road that led through part of this forest, and although there were whispers it was filled with demons, sorcerers, and monsters of all sorts, it was still considered safer than the decrepit road that led through the towering peaks of ice and snow.

Clouds had already begun to form around the jagged rock that Alden and Aldred climbed with steady, sure footing. While Alden carried a full grown buck over his shoulder and back, neither of the men appeared to be winded. They'd made this journey many times. This was their home and had been for centuries, long before mankind carved out the heart of the forest and claimed it for their own. At first, the wolves had tried making peace with mankind. Everything was fine, until one fateful night, a young woman disappeared. Her body was found that same night, torn limb from limb by one of their kind. Aldred had lived many years. He'd heard stories about the wolf and many like him who'd gone rogue, finding joy in the murder of innocents.

Anytime one of their own showed any sign of the rabid beasts of old, Aldred had them sentenced to death. Monsters like that were a risk to both the wolves and mankind, and he would have no part of leading a pack of mongrels.

Aldred could sense Alden's pain, could feel his heart ache with each beat of his own. Elise was his youngest brother's mate. Only recently had he presided over and made their union official. As they steadied their feet on the next stretch of terrain, Aldred paused and turned his eyes to his brother.

“They're going to kill her, Aldred,” Alden said defeatedly. “They'll antagonize her until they force the change, and once they do, they'll hunt her and kill her.”

Breathing deeply of the fresh mountain air, Aldred felt its sting in his lungs. “I know. We'll speak with the council soon. There's danger in attempting to retrieve her. We're not at our strongest right now. Most of our women are with child. It's just our men, and with winter coming, we cannot afford to dwindle our numbers.”

Although mourning the impending loss of his mate, Alden nodded his understanding, and the two proceeded onward.

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Rats raced about around the straw and stone at her bare and bloody feet, biting at her toes and around shackled ankles whenever her attention was drawn away. The woman was small for a wolf. She was only a half-blood and couldn't undergo the change for very long. She was only able to withstand it long enough to hunt. That's what she'd been doing when they'd captured her.

All she could remember was running freely, weaving in and out of the trees. The buck had been right before her eyes. It was Alden that had wounded it first, and so the smell of its blood was strong and flooded her senses. She hadn't thought to pay attention to what was at her feet before she was blinded by excruciating pain. A heavy red curtain dropped, closing over her as the device clamped over her hind feet. It was pure dumb luck that she was in mid-jump when it happened, both feet poised to propel her forward for the final blow to end the valiant bucks flight.

She didn't remember exactly what happened after that, only that she couldn't find Alden or Aldred. She could remember the feeling of her heart sinking as she howled desperately for them there in the woods.

That same sinking feeling stuck with her now and churned in the pit of her stomach. Her throat was dry, parched from her hunt and not having been allowed any water by her captives. She was terrified and shaking. One of the rats bit her again, and she cried out in agony as it had sunk its sharp little teeth into the open wound. Her open hand swung swiftly for the rodent's body, catching it against her palm, and she wound her fingers around it.

Tears pooled in her eyes and she bared a set of human teeth at the little creature as it squeaked and screamed, baring its bloody teeth back at her as if it stood a chance. She flung it toward the opposite wall, and it landed with a solid smack against the stone before falling to the ground, limp and lifeless. The force of the motion snapped the chain around her wrist, and she flinched as it fell back to the ground.

Her breast rose and fell with heavy, ragged breaths, and she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall behind her. It was then that she heard a woman's voice. The gentleness of the tone startled Elise, and she recoiled, sliding against the stone floor. The clatter of her bindings against the stone floor must have alerted her guards. She could hear heavy footsteps heading in their directions. Frightened eyes steadied on the woman outside, but she couldn't see anything but a silhouette against the flame of the torch.

The woman's words were little comfort for she was soon gone. The guards that followed peered into her cell with animosity and laughed at her as she cowered in the corner.

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It was a cloudy day outside and thunder rolled overhead. The air was colder than yesterday, and Ahren could already smell the snow in the sky. He'd added new logs to the fire early this morning before he'd sat down to eat. It burned brilliantly and hot in the hearth, popping occasionally as it danced about. Outside of the door to his hut, he could hear the clank of metal against metal and knew his apprentice was hard at work, fashioning some crude dagger or sword to practice with.

Ahren sat at the edge of his bed, tugging the rest of his boot up his leg before tucking the bottoms of his black trousers inside. Today, he wouldn't done an apron, so as he stood he was careful to ensure every inch of his white shirt was tucked in tight beneath the belt around his waist. Despite the cold, he kept his sleeves rolled up past his biceps. Satisfied with his work, he turned and snagged the leather chest armor he'd fashioned a while back. It was one of his better works, one he kept around for occasions when he was called upon by the Lord of the hold.

The piece featured a leather pauldron off on shoulder with a double taper, strong leather strands bound and crossed over to close the front. Three pieces fell past his waist, one hung against his left leg, the other against his right, and the third behind him. He'd recently put one together for the boy as well. It wasn't as well made, but he figured in time the boy could make his own and perhaps one to best his master's.

Heavy booted feet thumped across the wooden floor, which creaked and groaned under his weight, as he crossed over and pulled the door open.

“Rinan,” he spoke to the boy as he stepped out and pulled the door behind him. “It's time.”

Rinan stopped his work and smiled at Ahren as he wiped the sweat away from his brow. If it wasn't known to the people that the boy was not Ahren's own flesh and blood, it would have been hard to tell. The boy was Ahren's spitting image but for the features of his face. While Ahren was built thick and fit with a strong squared jaw, the boy's face was more angular and slim.

He approached Ahren with a knife in his hand. Ahren looked down and held out his hand as Rinan placed it against his palm. It was of good quality, the craftsmanship and skill proving well beyond the boy's years.

“For the young Lord Luca.” Rinan talked with enthusiasm as Ahren turned the knife over in his hand and brought it up to his nose for a closer look. “If you find it suitable.”

“I do,” Ahren said simply, placing one large hand on Rinan's shoulder as he handed it back to him. “And you will present it to him.” Lifting his eyebrows in one quick motion, Ahren jerked his chin once toward the long sword and sheath the boy had modeled the knife after. “Don't forget that in your excitement, though, eh? While the knife is of good quality, it still won't provide much protection.”

“Right!” Rinan exclaimed, scrambling back to grab the sword and then to follow Ahren who was already headed up the street to the keep. Rinan was quick to catch up, and the two walked together.

Ahren's thoughts were on the task at hand, but kept drifting to his conversation with his brother's last night, to the anger on his younger brother's face and Aldred's concerned tone as he spoke of Elise. It was years ago, but Ahren remembered sweet Elise. He remembered the day she and her mother had come to them in desperate search of sanctuary with their pack. It wasn't just here that their kind suffered. It was all over this land.

Although his expression was stoic, Ahren was plagued with an internal dilemma.

At the gates of the keep, Ahren introduced himself and Rinan to the guard. The guard was familiar with Ahren and greeted him with a strong handshake before the two passed him and moved into the keep. Their ears were met with music and tantalizing aromas wafted about, giving sign of a great table and feast for such a proud day.

It was easy to find their way. Loud, exuberant chatter led them to their destination, a grand hall where they also found the table and feast. Many of the nobles present already had drinks in their hands, silver and gold goblets full of dark red wine from the Lord's own stores.

At the end of the hall, Ahren could see the young Lord with his crossbow already in hand, a quiver full of bolts over his shoulder. Ahren watched as Luca set one of the bolts in place and fired at the mounted head of a wolf against one wall of the hall.

Clenching his teeth, Ahren cleared his throat and stood still while the room quieted to a dull roar. It was enough to draw the young Lord's attention, and he turned to Ahren with a brilliant smile and urged him forward with a beckoning hand.

With a nod acknowledging the summon, Ahren stepped forward with a glance toward Rinan, “Come, boy.” In the face of the large crowd of nobility and fine bloodlines, the boy seemed to scare, but commanded by Ahren to move, his feet shuffled forward.

Tables lined both sides of the hall, and as the two made their way toward the young Lord and his family's table at the head of it all, people became entirely silent and took their seats. The music previously played had stopped, and the only sound in the entire room were Ahren's and Rinan's footsteps echoing around the high ceilings.

“Milord,” Ahren said, kneeling and dipping his head once before the Lord Andri Rosca. “As requested, I have brought the Young Lord Luca's gift, crafted of the finest silver and steel.”

Rinan kneeled beside his master and before the lords and ladies of the House Rosca. He kept his head bowed in respect. The Lord Rosca gave but a single nod and then rose to his feet.

“Let us see it then, smith,” he commanded before sitting back down, elbows on the table, hands folded before him as he watched.

Ahren rose to his feet and muttered to Rinan to do the same. The boy stumbled to his feet, and dull laughter started amongst the hall. Ahren cleared his throat and grabbed Rinan by his shoulder, his free hand demanding the sword and sheath. From the corner of his eye, Ahren could see the Lord's lack of amusement and increasing lack of patience.

Rinan passed his master the sword and kept his hands folded in front of him, looking on at the Lord and his family as Ahren spoke.

“It took many weeks of work to fashion it as you asked, Milord.” Ahren held the decorated hilt of the sword in his left hand, the length of the blade in its sheath pointed between his ribs, the tip held steady by his right hand. Slowly, he brought the hilt of the sword up and pulled it from its sheath. “It should be all you need to drive the death blow to anyone unfortunate enough to be at the other end.”

The hilt of the sword was crafted of fine silver with some inlay of gold and jewels. The blade was heavy steel laced with silver. Luca stared at the blade with a grand smile over his face and rose to his feet.

“It's fit for a king, smith!” Luca hopped across the table and strode the three steps down to take the sword for himself. His piercing blue eyes met Ahren's, and his expression became very serious. “This hunt is very special, you know. It's not like the others. I won't be hunting bear or boar, so a blade like this is a necessity.”

Ahren closed his eyes briefly and gave an understanding nod. “Yes, Milord. The boy has a gift for you as well. I assure you I looked it over to ensure there were no flaws.”

Surprised, a pleased grin spread over Luca's countenance and he whirled to face Rinan, who was almost startled by the recognition. “Have you, boy? Well, let me see it!”

“Ah,” Rinan started, unsure of himself. He looked to Ahren, and Ahren lifted his bearded chin. “Yes, Milord.” He pulled the knife from his belt. A small black sheath with embossed design similar to the sword's was handed over to Luca.

Luca pried it from its sheath studied it with eagerness and a furrowed brow. “Yes, I should say it is surprisingly well crafted.” He turned his attention to one of his brother's and then bounded up the steps, sword in one hand, the knife in the other to show it off. “Look here, Victor.”

Victor was the Lord Rosca's true eldest son, but the man was frail and sickly. There was bitter contempt in his eyes, but he acknowledged the quality of the hunting knife with a nod so his brother would move on.

Back in front of Ahren, Luca attached the sheath to his belt and tucked the knife at his waist as well. He looked Ahren in the eyes, standing a good bit shorter than the blacksmith. “Do you want to see?” he asked. “The beast I'll be hunting today? You've earned, good smith. If you say yes, the honor is yours.”

Ahren stood still before Luca, knowing that declining the young Lord would be an insult. Although everything in him wanted to say no, he put on a smile and accepted with a simple, “Of course, Milord. The honor is mine.”

Luca spun around, searching for the guard standing near a set of doors off one side of the hall. They weren't the doors that Ahren and Rinan had come through, but Ahren knew what was beyond them. With a snap of Luca's fingers, the doors were thrust open, and from them was produced a cage, a large red cover shielded its captive from the eyes of its audience.

Eagerly, Luca rushed to the side of the cage, showing his guards away. He kept his stare fixated on the blacksmith and grabbed two handfuls of the fabric. “Behold!” His voice bellowed in the hall, and a few in the gathered crowd let out an excited whoop, encouraging Luca to unveil the surprise. “Today, we resume the legacy of our ancestors! My father is growing old, and so he has asked me to continue what was started before our beloved uncle passed away, bless his soul! Today, we begin our hunts once more for these beasts of old, who prey on our helpless women and valiant men! Make no mistake, friends! Though she be small, she is fierce! Even wounded, she still killed one of my the me whom retrieved her, having heard their howling for a fortnight as they camped in the woods near the mountains!”

With a powerful tug on the covering, the cage was revealed and the crowd cheered. Ahren's eyes met those of Elise, the terror in hers clear and evident. Still, he looked onward at her naked form. There was still blood on her tanned skin, debris and dirt caked there as well, her long black hair tangled in mats, likely from struggling against her captors. Too afraid to speak, she looked on at Ahren in tears.

 

[Abovetheroses]

The hall was loud and bustling with the sound of music and voices as the nobles waited for the main event. Alice sat quietly at the end of the table, mostly ignored by the father and brothers, the only people giving her any mind were the few low men that thought they’d might one day have a chance for her hand. They didn’t and with a few courteous words Alice had them dismissed and on their way.

The woman picked at the food on her plate. The visions of the dungeon still plagued her memory and made her lose her appetite.

“What’s the matter Alli? Not hungry?” Marco cooed. “Don’t call me that.” She muttered as she pushed the food on her plate. “Cheer up, the Smith should be here soon and all the festivities should be underway. Then you can forget whatever has you so upset.” He pinched her cheek.

After he walked away Alice pushed her plate away and sighed, dark eyes scanning the crowd. Of course she could hear her brothers excited voices talking about their impending hunt. More like their impending slaughter. Her stomach felt sour, bile creeping up her throat.

That’s when everything got quiet. Eyes darting to the main door she watched the hulking form of a blacksmith stride into the room with what appeared to be his son. He was a handsome man built of solid muscle, a stark contrast of her brothers lithe forms. Alice’s father and Luca did a typical greeting and asked for the new sword to start this new hunt.

Alice felt sorry for the child when he stumbled but was surprised by his excellent craftsmanship, even she could see it from her seat at the end of the long table. That’s when Luca asked if the smith wanted to see the object of their hunt. Her eyes got wide, her small hands clenching at the edge of the table. “No Luca please don’t do this...” she whispered under her breath.

When the cage was brought out she couldn’t catch her breath. Then he ripped the cover off and the crowd in the room went wild with excitement.

“Luca!” Alice couldn’t keep herself from screaming at him. She ran out from behind the table and towards the cage. “Luca you must stop this at once!” The crowd was in shock as she hurried to the cage. Without a second thought she pulled her shawl from her shoulders and reached inside, holding it out to the other woman. Everything the books and her family told her said that this thing would snap her arm and kill her, but she was a woman , naked and beaten. And Alice just wanted to help cover her and give her one shred of dignity.

“What do you think you are doing?” Her father slammed his hand on the table as alice grabbed the cages cover and tried to pick it up and shield the other woman.

“I am trying to stop this madness!”

Her father rubbed his temples. “You do not know your place girl.”

“You do not know what you are doing!” Alice yelled at him. “Is killing innocent beings really what we should be doing? What abound helping the poor people living in squalor on the streets you are charged with caring for? You should find a more worthy cause! Our people have not been killed in ages! Those times are over!”

 

[Raivh]

Her chest heaved with each breath she took, feeling the cage rattle beneath her. Cold air whipped about her feet and she felt its chill against her skin. It felt like a terribly long time before the wind stopped and then she could hear the sounds of laughter and amused chatter, smell the aroma of food drift to greet her. Rather than entice her, though, it made her stomach sick and turn. She wanted to vomit.

Where were they taking her?

She could hear the clatter of the wheels moving over stone, jostling the floor of her small prison. She braced herself as best as she could against the hard iron bars, felt the cloth slide against the skin of her back. When everything came to a halt, it was so quick that it flung her forward, and she fell to her knees. Pain strummed along every nerve in her body, but adrenaline was kicking in. Outside of the mobile cell, she could hear Luca's excitement. She didn't know where exactly they were, but she heard his fanfare speech about the hunt.

“Alden,” she whispered, rasping through tears that filled her eyes and spilled down her dirty cheeks, leaving small channels in their wake. She choked when she heard the doors open, clutching at her abdomen with one arm and using her freehand to pull herself to her feet. Desperate lungs fought to pull enough air in as the cage once more came to a halt.

She could hear a voice, the same voice as the woman who had come to see her in the dungeon before. Elise knew the woman's pleas wouldn't be enough. It was never enough to beg for mercy from these hunters. They were barbaric, savage to their very bone.

The cover was ripped off, and she quickly found herself on display in front of what must have been hundreds of faces. She focused on one that stood directly opposite her. It was older than she remembered, but familiar.

Behind her, she could hear the woman shouting at the young Lord of the House. She felt the cage shift as the Lady reached inside of the cage, but she didn't move her gaze from Ahren.

Ahren?

Ahren heard her small voice echo in his thoughts, bewildered to see him once more. He looked on, inhaling slowly as he listened to an exchange between the Lady Alice and her father. It was evident by the displeasure etched on the Lord Rosca's face that he had heard enough of his daughter's cries for mercy.

Ahren? Please, Ahren! Listen to me!

Elise's thoughts were growing louder in his head, but he continued to stare at the Lady Alice make her plea to her father to listen to her. Luca stood in front and off to the side of Ahren and let the cloth fall to the ground. His face was growing red with anger the longer his sister went on.

Hush. Ahren met Elise's fearful gaze for but a fleeting moment. The woman bit her quivering lower lip and sunk to the floor of the cage. She hung her head and sobbed quietly, knowing her fate was sealed.

“Sister!” Luca bellowed, throwing his hands in the air to express his fury. “This beast is not innocent! None of her kind is innocent!”

Luca crossed to Alice quickly and pointed an accusatory finger at the nude woman. Elise, finally realizing Ahren wasn't going to acknowledge her cries for help, turned to face the Lady Alice and the young Lord who intended to hunt and kill her. She crawled to them.

“Milady,” Elise said, speaking softly. It was enough to startle Luca, for he stumbled a few steps back. “Thank you for your kindness, but the young Lord is right.”

Tears welled in her eyes once again, and her chin quivered as she spoke, grabbing a hold of the woman's hand and pressing a kiss to the back of her thumb.

Ahren, it's not this young Lord whom wrongs me today.

Ahren shifted uncomfortably, averting his eyes from the scene now. Elise's words swirled in his mind. He could feel her anger and hatred, and it made him shudder. She'd never once spoken like this before.

Shakily, Elise rose to her feet, straightened her spine, and stood proud before the Lord and his House. She spat in their direction.

“We are not innocent, all of us,” she shouted, her voice breaking as she spewed venom in their direction. She held herself steady against the bars, but allowed one hand to travel back down to her abdomen. Ahren's eyes followed and stayed. As though possessed by a ghost, his body grew cold from the top of his head to the tips of his toes, and he felt himself fade from the room. Soon, he felt himself looking down over the whole scene, watching it unfold before him, everything entirely out of his control.

Elise, are you with child? Ahren's thoughts were like a whisper to the young woman, and she smirked, laughing under her breath.

You really have become like them, haven't you? You can't even sense the change it brings to a female's body. She kept her stare fixated on the table before her.

“But this pup growing in my belly has no charges in this world, and so he will be innocent in the next!” Her scream was so piercing, so loud, that it made Ahren's ears ring.

“Enough!” Luca reached in and pressed his thumb into one of the wounds around the woman's ankle. Elise howled in pain. Her breathing became ragged, rough, and she stared down at him with a satisfied grin.

“You're the beast,” she uttered to him, her eyes changing. “I just bear its form.” As she began to change, many in the room gasped and shouted in disbelief, having never seen the spectacle for their own eyes.

Ahren heard Rinan fall flat on his ass and scramble back a few feet. He turned to the boy and looked down at his eyes. “Rinan,” he said in a low voice, “You don't have to be afraid.” Rinan, however, didn't hear Ahren speaking to him. Instead, he got to his feet and fled the keep, leaving Ahren behind to witness the coming events alone.

When he turned back to the cage, a black wolf paced back-and-forth before him, panting, tongue lolling from its mouth riddled with foamy saliva. Her eyes were on him, trained on his, never moving. Her lips peeled back, revealing large sharp teeth in something akin to a smile as her tongue pressed out the opening between her front teeth. They gnashed closed quickly before opening once more, sneering in his direction.

Alden doesn't know yet, so perhaps you're not the only one with an untrained nose. This way, his pain will be lessened when I die, at least.

Ahren heard her thoughts and took a deep breath as crossed over to where Luca stood. “Milord.” His expression was like stone. "I will be happy to escort the Lady Alice away so you can enjoy your hunt."

 

[Abovetheroses]

Alice's brow furrowed as she looked from the pitiful woman to her brother and back. She didn't understand. There was much she didn't understand and she knew that. All her books and teachings came from her own library, so she knew they were one sided but in a few of them she had found tales and stories of things one of her ancestors did. Things her father seemed to have forgotten, or didn't know. She had often wondered if they were true or just that, stories. Her soft lips fell open but she knew not what to say.

Then the woman stood on her own, bearing her own dirty naked flesh for all to see despite Alice trying to help her cover herself and she made her decree. Delicate hands covered her mouth as Alice whipped around and glared at her father. Now he was murdering unborn children? Was he really sinking that low?

When she changed Alice couldn't help the gasp that escaped her. She stumbled back a few steps, eyes wide as she watched the miraculous sight. It was terrifying, but in a magnificent way. Watching such a beautiful woman turn into such a large and powerful beast was breathtaking. Part of her wanted to reach out and stroke the creature, to still try and comfort the woman inside. But she seemed to show more strength then Alice did so she resisted the impulse.

The deep voice of the smith snapped her from her thoughts and her head jerked in his direction. Small hands grabbed the newly fashioned sword from her brother's belt and pulled it from it's sheath. "You! Do not touch me! You are just as responsible for this as they are!" Then Alice looked at her brother. "You will not be using this on her or any other creature!" She pointed the blade at him before turning on her heel and walking towards the door.

Her two guards started after her but when she turned and pointed the blade at them the whole crowd gasped. "And you two will come no where near me!" Her arms were trembling holding a blade of that size and weight, but the anger on her face would not let her drop in until her point was clear. Walking out the main door the woman sighed, dragging the sword with her.

"Can she really do that?" Marco leaned over and asked his brother.
Peter sighed and got to his feet. Luca was screaming at her flinging curses at the woman for stealing his new sword and at the beast trapped in the cage before him for starting Alice's little temper tantrum. "If you wish to keep him happy smith, you best go keep Alice out of his hair for this hunt since we are down that lovely sword you just crafted." He then went over to his brother and put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Come now, you should be even more excited. You get to use an older sword and this kill will most certainly count as two so you will become even more famous than the ancestors." That calmed Luca down and put a grin back on his face.

Outside, Alice had made her way to a private garden her father had made for her. Most were trees and shrubs, hardy plants that could withstand the harsh winters here. It was simply a nice secluded place the woman liked to go to be alone when she couldn't escape the noble house completely. It was also the place she would come to bury things that needed to be hidden. When she was a girl that meant her completed diary, the toys and trinkets she stole that belonged to her brothers, her mother's wedding ring... now it was where she buried all the things she didn't want her family to use for violence. There were numerous swords and daggers, some compasses, a few axes, maps to places Alice had never heard of. All of them buried under trees and bushes, some even had new stone pathways laid over them. The intent was to never have them found again.

So there she was on her hands and knees in the dark in one of her most expensive gowns, digging in the dirt with her brother's own sword under a young tree planted just two springs ago. She wiped at a drop of sweat on her forehead and smeared soil across her fair skin but she continued to dig. She wouldn't stop until it was deep enough it wouldn't be found. So ignoring the biting cold, Alice dug until her hands and arms ached.

But her mind couldn't stop thinking about the woman in the cage, the wolf. That sadness in her eyes. Tears started to gather on her own eyelashes. "I'm sorry." She mumbled to herself. "I'm so sorry..." She wanted so desperately to help but felt so helpless despite her status.

 

[Raivh]

Luca's temper flared as he spoke to the smith, keeping his eyes trained on his sister, “Yes, smith, it would be most helpful to have you see her out of my sight at this time.”

Just as Ahren was about to turn and reach a hand out toward the Lady, he witnessed her seemingly small frame take hold of the long sword and unsheathe it. He soon found the tip of the blade he'd so carefully crafted near the hollow of his throat. Slowly, he lifted his hands above his shoulders, and watched her calmly. Her words were fiery and full of contempt. The already tumultuous thoughts that paraded around his head were made increasingly more difficult to stomach as she placed blame on him. Despite this, he didn't dare speak. A woman swinging a sword around as she did was nothing to drive into further frustration.

“Alice!” Luca boomed when his sister swung the sword, turning his own blade on him before she spun around and made a clear path to the exit.

The Lady has more moral fiber than you. The caged wolf growled, the sound almost a laugh as she snapped her powerful jaws about.

Ahren heard the words, but refused to turn to look back at Elise. It was shame, now, that kept his gaze fixated on the Lady Alice as she pointedly flourished the blade between her guardsmen. The Lady was doing well to show strength, but Ahren's eye caught the waver of her arms and their failing strength. No beast was she. No one moved until she'd made her exit.

When she was gone, Ahren transitioned his attention from the door to the young Lord as he hurled obscenities at his sister and Elise. Elise whirled around nimbly and her great maw opened and closed in one solid snap that echoed in the hall. Luca appeared taken aback. That's when Peter's words met Ahren's ears.

The smith turned to face one of the other young Lords. Watching as Peter placed a hand over Luca's shoulder, Ahren listed to the man's suggestion. While he wasn't sure it was a well thought out plan, he didn't have time to argue. His mind was already mulling over any feasible chance he had of getting Elise to safety before she met the sharp fate of any blade, old or new.

“Rinan!” Ahren's voice snapped the boy out of the trance he was in, and he looked up at the towering man standing above him, one arm outstretched to help him to his feet. “Go on home, now.”

With a nod, the boy did as he was told and rushed out of the great hall. Ahrend's gaze followed him until he was gone, and then he looked to the door where the woman had exited not long before. He sighed and started forward, and as the door closed, he heard Elise howl. It was a powerful sound, but one of sorrow and absolution; she believed death was coming for her. In all actuality, if he was unable to come to her aid, death was what awaited her.

It was his nose that led him to her. He'd only once before set foot inside the noble's keep. The breeze that met him was brisk, and he couldn't help but think the Lady would be much worse off than himself in such frigid temperature. When he found her, he kept his distance at first, solemn eyes more gray than blue at this moment. He watched as she shoved dirt around with the sword in what seemed really to be a vain attempt to dig a hole.

It wasn't until she paused to wipe the sweat from her delicate brow that he began to quietly approach her. The apology that spilled from her lips confused him. None of what was happening was her fault.

“Milady,” he said, approaching her and placing a heavy hand over the hilt of the sword as he came around her front and faced her. His expression was somber, and he gently pried the weapon from her grasp. “While it is not any place of mine to speak, you've nothing to be sorry for. These things cannot be helped.”

His large, lumbering form towered over her, the sword hanging limply at his side, the point near the middle of his calf. He stroked his beard and felt the little emblem at the first tie between his fingers and looked to the sky. When his gaze fell to her again, he shook his head and sunk down to the ground, landing squarely in the soft dirt she'd disturbed. He kept the sword between his knees and feet and spun the blade around slowly at its hilt.

“The young Lord will carry out his hunt with or without this sword, you know.” He spoke the truth. It didn't matter the weapon, there were always more to be found. “It's like they said, there are older swords crafted by smiths long before my time that he will use. You've pried but one tooth from the mouth of the wolf.”

Setting the blade at his side, he stared at the hole before him, shallow though it was. “And how quickly did you think you could bury this sword?”

 

[Abovetheroses]

She never heard him approach. Too lost in her own thoughts and the soft sound of digging, his footsteps were lost to her, even his deep voice escaped her. It wasn't until his hand grasped the sword and took it from her that Alice realized his presence and honestly it startled her back to reality. A small gasp parted her rose colored lips before she quickly composed herself and glared at the man before her."I'm sorry because that poor woman and child are going to be slaughtered by my family and there is nothing i can do or say to stop it." She brushed hair out of her face, smearing more fresh soil on her cheek. "And more will surly follow and again, there is absolutely nothing i will ever be able to do."

Alice's dark eyes looked at him with a fierce determination. "It doesn't matter. I'd still do it. I've buried more weapons in this garden than I can remember over my life time, all at an attempt to slow or stall my father and brothers attempt at this wretched war. Its futile i know but..." She sighed and squeezed her eyes shut as she pushed her self up to her feet. Looking up at Ahren, his form dwarfed her, her pale brows were still drawn together in frustration and sadness. "The armory is the one godforsaken place in this keep that I can not sneak or break my way into. If I could I'd burn it down."

Turning her back she made her way to a near by bench carved of stone. It was icy cold but she sat down anyway. The cold moved through the thin fabric of her dress and made her shiver as she tried to brush the dirt from the knees of her gown. "I've thought about burning down this whole keep if it'd mean an end to all this fighting but honestly, I don't think I could survive on my own in the city, after all I am just a noble woman." She gave a weak smile. "And my father would somehow just blame them..." She gestured to the mountains and the forest where they knew the wolves roamed but she really had no idea where they were. To her it was all just speculation. "He'd probably just hire someone like you to make him more weapons and join his new army to go kill the rest of them." She spat out the words, looking at him sideways.

Her eyes caught the glint of the charm in his beard. It was an odd symbol, she didn't quite recognize the emblem, which was odd. With all her studies she knew nearly every family crest and emblem going back centuries. She blinked and dismissed the thought.

"What are you still doing here anyway? Listening to me babble?" She folded her arms across her thin frame. "Giving my father more fuel to call me unstable? You have your sword back. Go. Give it to Luca for all I care. Leave me be." She rose to her feet, her bare arms growing paler by the minute in the cold as she turned her back on him and walked further into the garden.

 

[Raivh]

It took everything in him to not chuckle at the ideas this woman had. For an educated Lady, she certainly knew nothing of the ways of men. Her attempts seemed almost like those of a child to him, actions done purely out of disobedience in an effort to gain her way. Nonetheless, he found her sensitivity amusing. Burying a sword, burning down an armory, all were as she said futile. There would always be the forge to build more weapons, better than any that might be lost. Setting fire to the forge, while it would stall production for a week or so at best, would also not stop the ever persistent butchery.

His solemn eyes trailed her as she wandered over to take a seat on a carved stone bench. Acute eyes could see the subtle quake of her pale flesh against the chill of the stone and air. His gaze locked with hers as she continued to speak while he remained silent, listening vigilantly to her dilemma. It wasn't a dilemma like his. Hers wasn't a lapse of morals. This woman's dilemma lie with breeding. He looked back to the ground. From just this short conversation already, he could tell that she would do anything within her power to protect those around her. Being a woman of nobility, her options were few. With any luck, she might marry the son of a neighboring Lord, and then perhaps she would be granted children. At least she'd have a way to spend her time, to pour her emotions over and care for her offspring.

Ahren's lips parted in a subtle laugh as she went on to explain how her father would blame the wolves, hire men like him to forge weapons and fight to kill his kin. He licked his lips and quirked his one brow as he lifted his chin to look at her giving him a sideways glance.

“No,” he replied, getting to his feet and carefully unfurling his large frame before her. There was a slight, crooked smile that pulled up at one corner of his lips, revealing a few teeth. His stare stayed with her, ever present in matching the deep blue of her irises against the pale icy blue-gray of his own. “I do not find you unstable, Milady.”

Before he could say anymore, she was walking away from him. He found his eyes following her for a moment before he bent to pluck the sword from the ground.

His voice was firm, stern, and deep as he pursued her. “Milady,” he said, his lumbering form coming to a standstill in front of her. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes as he stood before her, the sword resting lightly over the pauldron that protected his shoulder. “If you could save her, would you?”

His breath appeared before him against the frigid air, and he looked past her then, hearing Elise's howl now just outside of the keep. They were on their way, taking her outside of the walls to release her and begin their hunt. With a quick downward glance at Alice, he tipped his head to her in a nod and then doubled back, running in the opposite direction, deeper into the garden as she'd been heading.

As he ran, he dropped the sword and it fell with a loud clang against what he could only assume was a stone. His brothers' words were echoing in his mind, but Elise's were at the forefront. Her pained, desperate plea to him as he'd stood in that great hall and watched her stand bare before man and beast. His legs had never carried him so fast as they did until he reached a wall. It was sturdy, standing approximately 30' at a reach toward the cloudy sky above.

His jaw clenched, and he closed his eyes, trying to remember what it felt like to experience the change. He reached up, touching the emblem that dangled by his beard. The charm wasn't something he'd crafted. It had been a gift from his mother to her son the day before his father ripped him from her breast as she wailed. Determination was etched on his countenance as his fingers grappled with whatever grip he could find against the wall, climbing steadily upward.

What the people of this keep found odd about the small trinket that resembled a wolf was that it was so taboo, and yet their blacksmith wore it. Everyone he'd spoken with had just assumed it was a token he'd received from a traveler to their keep. Something to remind him of why he crafted such strong swords, shields, maces, axes, and other items to keep the soldiers and hunters safe from harm.

The bottoms of his feet landed heavily against the soil on the other side of the wall, hands bracing his stance as he faced the line of forest before him.

 

[Abovetheroses]

She looked at him, still frowning when he addressed her. The question he posed however caught her off guard and her arms fell to her side. "I... of course I would." She wasn't hesitating, she was just baffled as to why he even felt the need to ask.

The cloud of breath between them disrupted her view of his features so for the first time she'd be able to get a decent look at him, she really couldn't. When the woman's wolf howl filled the air, Alice looked to the sky, unsure of where it was coming from. The sadness in it was evident though.

The smith nodded to her but Alice said nothing, until he turned and ran further into her garden. "Hey! Where are you going?" she yelled after him. But it was too late he was running away. "You are going in the wrong direction!" She snorted. "Doesn't he know the keep is surrounded by a wall?" She muttered to herself. "Is he trying to get lost?"

A shiver shook her body and she tried to rub warmth back into her arms as she walked after him. It took a while but she eventually found the sword that the smith had made for her brother. Her brow furrowed as she bent down to pick it up from the stone path. "What's this doing here?" She grasped the thick handle and looked around but she was alone, not a soul was with her. "Didn't he come all the way here to take this back? Why would he just leave it?" She dragged it along with her for a while. "Hello?" She called out. "Smithy? Are you still here? Did you get lost?"

When Alice reached the back edge of her garden she frowned. She had yet to find him and was still dragging her brother's sword. The large stone wall that surrounded her home and garden stretched high into the sky, there's no way anyone could scale such a thing, right?

Her gaze drifted from the top of the wall to the bottom where she saw something odd in the dirt. Propping the sword up against the wall she hunched down to look at the strange impressions. "Foot prints?" She carefully touched the edges of the large divots and once more looked at the wall. "He couldn't have... could he?" Her brain started to scramble. "Just who was that man?"

The sound of men in the distance was just starting to reach her ears over the lone cry of the woman wolf. Her bother's hunting party was getting ready for their grand adventure. Shouts of joy, and premature victory. Luca and Peter's voices were quite distinct in the group. If only there was a way she could stop it. But there wasn't, not here anyway.

The woman turned and started for the exit of her garden. There was nothing she could do here. Nothing but freeze to death. She needed to get something from her room. And that meant getting back inside and past her father.

 

[Raivh]

Ahren glanced from the thick treeline ahead of him to the sky above. The clouds swirled overhead, and he felt the beat of life firing up in his chest. It was like a drum, thrumming loud and steady. He rolled his large shoulders back and shifted his weight, his body naturally calibrated itself for a powerful explosion of forward momentum. It was an old rush, but it was one he quickly recalled to memory as he felt the wind screaming past his ears. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, and he felt the warmth of his body flood over him like a waterfall.

The sensation was almost overwhelming and caused his knees to buckle and his vision to cloud for a split second as his feet flew over the earth below. Another howl ripped through the sky and reached his ears, followed quickly by the deep bellow of a horn. His head snapped back and he slid across grass, rock, and dirt. Chest heaving, he lost his hold and rolled a few times before he could right himself. Another desperate and sorrowful cry was carried by the wind and he swung back around and tore off once more.

They were on the move, and he needed to be, too. He wasn't sure how long it would take him to make the change. As he neared the forest, he scrambled with the strands, thick fingers ripping through them as quickly as possible until the leather armor was sliding off his back. It landed with a heavy thud behind him as he ripped past a few trees and kicked off his boots. Here, he stopped and stood still, digging his toes into the soil as he felt the pulse of the earth against his soles.

His large chest heaved, mouth slightly agape as he drew in ragged breaths. That was the fastest and hardest he'd had to run in many years. His eyes remained closed, brow furrowed in concentration. Gritting his teeth, he took one deep lungful of air and threw back his head. When he opened his eyes, he could see the canopy above him had changed. Another blast of the horn in the distance was chased by the barking of the Lord's hounds in pursuit of Elise.

Ahren's ears sat forward at the sound, and his black lips curled back, giving way to a fierce bite as he gnashed his teeth. He could feel the prick of his fangs against his jowl. Fury coursed through him like a river, carving out a canyon of pent up emotion and energy that had been locked deep inside during his time in captivity. His eyes widened as the horn once again met his ears, and he felt it. At first, his chest felt tight, his lungs expanding inside of him until he felt he might implode. And then he felt it leave, and the sound that left with it shook the earth and what dead leaves remained on the trees. It was eerie and aggressive as it cut through the air like a sharp blade through soft flesh.

---------------------------------------------------------

Elise's insides were tight as she paced the cage, trying to find strength to run. If she could get away from them fast enough, she could take out the hounds. It might not mean her escape, but it might slow the wicked men of this keep until these hounds' pups grew old enough and strong enough to hunt her kind. Circling the moving prison slowly, she looked at her captors one-by-one, sharing her teeth with them as they shared their own vile grins. Her wounds ached, and she didn't know how far her legs would carry her. It had taken a lot out of her to stand earlier in that wretched stone keep.

Her heart felt heavy in her breast, like an iron ball meant to keep her still. The drab and dormant branches of the forest were coming into view now. She stopped pacing and stood at the only way in and out of the cage they kept her in. Slowly, her eyes closed, trying to force her mind to concentrate. She felt her rolling enclosure come to a bumpy halt. The men around her chattered amongst themselves as two neared her. Her eyes open, and she fixed her gaze on one of the men and snapped her teeth at him. It caused him to jump and curse until the others around him laughed.

“Come on!” Luca shouted. “I haven't got all day! I want her hanging to bleed before dark!”

Large shoulders rocked and swayed as she watched the men lift large bolts from the door after freeing the lock and letting it fall to the ground and embed itself in the dirt. The very second the bars were moved out of her way, she leapt forth, causing the men to scream in terror in what she only assumed was a cry for their lives. Internally, she chuckled, but the second of humor was quickly outmatched by the fear she felt growing in her belly as she realization set in. She wasn't running just to save her own head. She needed to run and run fast if she had any hope of saving her child.

When she crossed the grass and began to feel the crumble and crunch of dead leaves at her feet, she gained some momentum. That's when she heard the hounds behind her. She flung a quick glance over her shoulder and could see them bounding after her. The poor beasts looked starved and likely were. That's how man kept his beloved pet. They fed them so they were strong, but when a hunt was coming, they cut them off, and the dogs grew bitter and ferocious, daring to take the arm of the nearest person that showed even a hint of fear toward them.

Her nostrils flared as she desperately drew air into her lungs. Her vision was blurry as she ran, her strength waning. She wasn't going to make it. Then her ears were met with a sound that sent a shiver down her spine and made her hackles rise. She didn't recognize it. A rogue? At least he would provide some distraction and perhaps a bit of luck to help her get close enough to the mountains that she could trap the mongrels nipping at her tail.

Elise!

As much as she didn't want to stop, she did, dead in her tracks, and she spun around, searching.

 

[Abovetheroses]

Alice had just reached the entrance to her garden when she heard it, another wolf. She spun around, eyes instantly looking back inside her garden towards the far wall and beyond, the forest. "Another one? So close?" Her heart hammered in her chest as her tiny fists clutched at she sides of her dress and hiked it up so she could move faster. A crease marred her pale forehead as her brow drew together, wondering if two would even stand a chance against her brothers.

"Milady!" A guard called out in shock when Alice walked in through the main doors. She was pale and shaking with the night cold, her dress and hair a mess and covered in mud as were her face and hands. "Milady are you hurt?" The man rushed to side.

"Leave me be." Alice demanded as she strode past him. The guard gestured to one of the servant girls left cleaning up the party and she hurried after Alice to tend to her. After turning down a few halls and up a staircase or two Alice was about to find her chambers when her father cornered her in the hallway. She tried to stifle the gasp that escaped her. "Papa!"

The man scowled. "What you did today was quite the embarasmnet."

"I-"

He held up his hand and silenced her. "You are my only daughter, and I love you. But these silly notions of yours are going to ruin all of the plans I have for you." He idly picked at a piece of fuzz on his coat sleeve, unconcerned with his daughters disheveled appearance.

"PLans? You mean giving me away to some lord? I don't want to marry some brat just because you think it will be good for relations papa."

The man lunged forward, and despite his age, his strong hand grabbed the girl by the throat and pinned her to the wall. Alice tried to scream but couldn't her hands pulled at his, nails digging into her father's skin so hard he was starting to bleed as she kicked and thrashed. "You will marry whomever I say. And if that means you marry Eduward Stavos Then you will marry that old crow so I can have his army." When he released his daughter she dropped to the ground with a dull thud as she gasped for air, tears steaming down her face. "You need to start behaving like the woman you are before you ruin this arrangement. Do you understand?" He looked down his nose at her briefly before he walked away.

Alice sat there for a moment rubbing at the bruised forming on her throat before she used the wall to pull herself up to her feet and then she shuffled down to her room. I need to find that book... She had stacks of books lining her room. On her end tables, on her chests, in corners on the floors. Most of what she did was read. Ignoring the throbbing in her neck she scanned the spines of stacks of books and looked for one specific. "Where is it?" she cried out in frustration.

"Milady?" the small voice of the servant girl startled her. Alice nearly screamed as she spun around.

"Get out!" She shouted and pointed at the door. The girl curtsied quickly and rushed out. Alice sighed and put her head in her hands before she turned and shoved a stack of books over with a frustrated grunt. "It's not here."

Her eyes got wide when she remembered. The woman ran across the room to her wardrobe. Full of gowns and dresses of all kinds, she should have been concerned of getting them dirty with all the filth on her hands, but not right now. Instead she was more concerned with what was hidden behind all the clothes. She pulled a small box out and dusted off the top. Inside were a few scrolls and small soft covered books, personal journals. "I always thought these were fairy tales..."

She picked up one of the small books and opened it up before she slid to a seat on the floor right there. The name read Dominic Andresscu, the previous Lord of the keep. Alice flipped past a few pages and found a drawing, it reminded her of the charm the Smith wore in his bead. Is this why it looked so familiar? Because she had read these stories so many times?

I have made some decisions today that will forever impact me and my people. I'm not sure if they were the right decisions though... Alice skimmed over the hand written words. I took a child from his mother and brought him to the keep. I can not raise him myself, but my hope is that one day he can do good things for us. Help bridge us. Alice's brow furrowed, when she read these words growing up she never equated it to anything, just a bedtime story. But now, did the past lord bring a wolf into the keep to live among them? Her dark eyes went back to the text. My people will never learn to accept them, maybe I was naive in trying this but I had to do something. I just pray they never find out the poor boy's identity or he too will be slaughtered, and it will be my fault for damning him.

Alice held the journal to her chest and frowned. So a wolf had been living among them for years but... Her brain was scrambling. Who could it have been? Was he even still alive? The old Lord died years ago so the wolf would have to be old by now right? Could she even find him? Maybe the smith would know, perhaps that emblem he wore in his beard was a gift from the wolf for making him armor or something and he'd know him.

Now Alice had a plan. She just needed to find the Smith again. But first, she needed to change.

 

[Raivh]

It was raining when his father asked him to join him for a hunt. Although Ahren was confused by his mother's tears, he was excited for it was the first time his father had extended an invitation. There had been many times before when Ahren had to watch his older brother Aldred walk away from camp with their father. This time, it was Aldred who stayed behind. Ahren taunted his older brother with an arrogant sneer and a tail that swayed slowly behind him.

“Aldric!” Ahren's mother was weeping. It didn't make sense to Ahren why she was crying. She never cried when father took Aldred to hunt. His ears were pressed tight against his forehead when she rushed toward the boy and his father.

Rana.

The alpha's command to his mate was simple. His black lips were pulled back, revealing a fierce snarl to show his irritation. The woman scowled at the leader and snarled something back to him that Ahren didn't understand. Then her expression changed, softened, as she knelt down before him. Her eyes and hair were like his in this form. All the frustration he had with her just seemed to melt away when she reached out a small hand and stroked the fur on his head.

“I love you, Ahren,” she said to him. Her eyes were red and swollen. From what Ahren could tell, his mother had been crying the night before as well as now. Her cheeks were streaked and stained as the salt water flowed down them. “I know you're growing into a strong young man.”

Her voice broke, and she choked on her tears as she unwound one tightly bound fist. A small charm fell from her palm, its mark still embedded against her skin from gripping it so tightly. It bounced against the leather string, and she wrapped her arms around her son's neck in a quick embrace before tying it fast around him.

Rana!

His father's temper was becoming more heated, and this time he snapped his jaw at his mate, showing her just how tight its vice was. This time, the woman obeyed, but not before pressing one loving kiss on the tip of her young son's nose. Ahren blinked once at his mother, and then yelped, feeling his father's sharp teeth sink against the scruff of his neck as he dragged him around and ordered him to move quickly.

---------------------------------------------------------------

His clothes and armor were left in a heap on the forest floor, long forgotten as he ran, barreling forward as he wove nimbly through the trees. Toned muscle rippled beneath a healthy coat of brown fur, thick, soft in areas and coarse in others. In this form, the cold didn't come close to penetrated down into his skin, but he could feel it against the pads on his feet.

Up ahead he could see a dead tree that had fallen to the ground. Pushing off strong hind legs, he cleared it in one easy leap and kept going. The baying of the hounds was getting louder, closer. He could smell them more easily now, their stench rising above that of the dirt, dormant grass, and the snow he still sense in the sky above.

Elise!

White foam frothed at the corners of his black lips as he happened upon one young hunter. Ahren slid to a halt, squaring off and shifting his weight over all four paws as his shoulders rolled. This young man couldn't have been more than eighteen, son of kennel master. It looked like he'd lost his hounds somewhere up ahead. Chest heaving, Ahren looked from the man to the direction he was running.

“Victor, you swine, get after those dogs!”

Ahren's attention snapped to Luca and his brothers as they rode after the boy, catching up with ease. The horses ears were swiveling left, right, and back, their nostrils flaring as they searched and became jittery. The masters above them tightened their holds on the reins. Their black eyes were huge, sensing the danger that the young Lords weren't even aware loomed but a few yards away.

Ahren?

He could hear the strained concern in Elise's voice as she projected her thoughts to him. Again, he turned his head in the direction the kennel boy was headed, hiking through thick brush and avoiding the threatening thorns that surrounded some of the trees.

Up ahead, Ahren heard a high pitched cry. It was one of the dogs. They must have caught up with her. Soon after, his keen ears heard another yelp, followed by intense, concentrated, and aggressive barking. His heart sunk in his chest.

The beating of the horses hooves against the ground caused a vibration to course up his legs. He heard the sound of iron blades being drawn and the quake of quivers on some of the men's backs as they surged forward after the predator they'd been tracking.

 

[Abovetheroses]

"We've got her boys!" Luca cried out, a grin splitting his face from ear to ear. He kicked his horse harder to press further on to where he saw the hounds circling the pitiful monster. A few of them were taking turns biting her, eager for a taste since they hadn't had a bite of anything in days, nay, almost weeks. He couldn't stop the chuckle that parted his lips. "Oh this is going to be so much fun." His hand adjust the grip on his sword.

"Be careful brother." Marco was riding with the group, but no weapon did he have drawn. He seemed to be there as the voice of reason. "She is still dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Luca laughed harder. "Like that?" He gestured to where the beast stood, gnashing her teeth at the much smaller dogs who kept her at bay. "She can barely handle hounds. And you think I should be scared of her? Really Marco... You and father are so lost to the old ways, fearing theses stupid creatures. Weak they are." Luca motioned to his followers. "Come men. The chase has been fun. I want my trophy." He grinned and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, trophies."

Someone in the back of the group sounded the horn as the men started their final assault on the wolf trapped before them. There was little hope to stop the swords from crashing down.

~​

IN her room Alice was quick to strip away her grimy gown and wipe her body clean. She dug through her chest of clothes and found one of the dresses she would wear to sneak out, a commoners dress, but it was for too good of quality to be a real commoner's. It fit her perfectly, accentuating her just right, the stitching all done professionally instead of by her own hand. And it was far too clean than that of a woman who walked the markets and streets every day. But it was as close as she could get.

As she tied the dress into place, Alice heard the sound of the hunter's horn coming through her window. "Oh no..." The party was declaring victory. It was almost guaranteed now that they would com home with that woman's head. Alice felt her heart sink. Then she shook her head and clenched her jaw. There was no time for pity or sorrow. She needed to find the smith once more. If he could lead her to the man who gave him that emblem then she might find some answers and be able to find a resolution to all of this. The lord before her father's family tried. She wasn't the only one to think peace was possible. She would try and try again. No matter what, or how many people called her crazy. Even if it ruined her fathers wedding arrangements for her, not that she minded that part of it.

Pulling her long hair up into a bun she hid herself under a cloak and grabbed the journal. Tucking it into her vest she quietly started her journey out of the keep. It wasn't too hard. Knowing all of the guard's rotations and where they were stationed, the only anomaly would be her father. And after their fight she didn't want to see him again.

Alice reached up and touched her neck, making herself wince. She should have worn something with a higher collar, or grabbed a scarf. She'd just have to keep the cloak down over her face and hope it hid everything.

Once the coast was clear she made her way down the halls and out a small servant's entrance. Outside she slowed her pace and slipped onto the street. She had never been to the smith's shop before. Alice hoped she'd be able to find it.

 

[Raivh]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmN6wZ9rVPY[/video]​

Turning had been a terrible mistake. The second she'd lost focus and forward momentum was the second the hounds caught up. Elise's eyes were wide, threatening the beasts to come closer to her if they so dared. Her body was low to the ground, circling with the hounds, mirroring them as they stalked around her and snapped their teeth at her. It wasn't the dogs she feared. It was the men that followed. The dogs were but a nuisance, a distraction.

Elise!

She heard his voice again, louder this time, closer. Her heart pounded in her chest as she heard the men growing closer. She could feel the earth beneath the pads of her feet tremor as the hooves of their horses neared, could smell the sweat beneath the leather saddles strapped to their backs. Soon enough, they appeared from the shadows, smirking and laughing at her as she danced with the hounds, fending them off.

Her eyes met those of the one called Luca, and she watched as he pointed his sword in her direction, motioning his men to advance, blades drawn at the ready.

One of the hounds lept forward, taking advantage of her moment of distraction and latched on to the wound on her hind leg. She let out a sharp yelp of pain and wheeled around, her jaw open wide and then closing tight around the back of the dog's neck. Its blood poured into her mouth, staining the fur around her mouth a brilliant red, and she flung its limp body in front of Luca's men.

Her green eyes locked with those of the man nearest her, unnerving him. He took a step back. Elise threw her head back, her lips parting in an eerie howl that split through the air and carried far. Birds squawked and flew from the trees, their wings beating a desperate pulse against the sky. Her howl was soon matched, and the sound was just as close as the hunters in front of her.

A blur of brown fur and fangs appeared in front of her, blue eyes wide and transmitting a deadly threat to any one of the men whom dared to advance. The wolf was much larger than Elise, the height of his shoulder was just above the waist of the tallest man standing before him. His form was daunting and his threat conveyed. The hounds took off, ripping through the forest back to the keep.

“What are you doing?” Luca bellowed, red-faced and infuriated at the cowardice of his men. “Kill it, too!”

Frozen in place, the men didn't move, keeping their eyes fixed on the looming figure of the wolf that had just appeared. The wolf took a step forward, baring a set of large fangs, sharpened against the bones of many victorious hunts.

Aldred?

Elise sunk on her left haunch, her body giving way to the shooting pain in her rear legs. Snapping his head around, the wolf bared his teeth at her as well, a dangerous and most aggressive snarl rolled deep within his chest.

Get out of here!

Lowering her head, her ears laid back flat against her skull in submission and she averted her eyes.

Now! Aldred gnashed his teeth at her again before returning his focus to the terrified group of hunters cowering before him.

Obedient, Elise shakily rose to her feet and inhaled deeply, regaining some of her strength for the climb. Quickly, she leapt up in the direction Aldred had appeared from. When she'd made it some distance away, she turned to look over her shoulder and let out a soft, melancholic whine.

Aldred faced off against the men before him who were still too terrified to move.

“Come on!” Luca hollered, waving his sword around in the air as his horse stamped the ground anxiously, fearful of the large alpha male that it was now faced with. Everything in the horse's body was telling it to flee, but Luca kept a tight hold on the reins, forcing it to stand its ground.

It wasn't until Peter slid from his horse that it took off, fleeing from the predator with nervous nickering at a full gallop. Sword drawn, Peter glanced up at Luca, who looked at his brother with a stern expression matched by Peter's. The two then exchanged challenging smirks, and Luca nodded his approval of his younger brother's actions.

“Very well, you cowards! Get out of the way if you're just going to stand there!” Luca commanded, the only order the men heard as they stepped back away from Aldred as he took a step in advance toward them.

Aldred held Peter's stare, unblinking and menacing. Peter lifted his shield and twirled his sword skillfully at his front. He lunged, but Aldred didn't budge, standing his ground. A guttural growl sounded deep in his chest, but Peter didn't falter. Again, he lunged, shouting in an attempt to cause the alpha wolf to feign back at the threat. And again, Aldred remained still, his eyes locked on the man, black lips curled back in what looked almost looked like an amused smile. This time, a growl that sounded akin to a deep, throaty chortle left the wolf, and he took a step toward Peter instead of away.

“He's testing you, Peter!” Marco shouted, laughing as he pointed a finger in the wolf's direction and cast a glance in Luca's direction. “Look, the beast even laughed at him! He finds you amusing!”

Peter gritted his teeth, feeling a line of sweat form across his forehead.

“Quiet your tongue, Marco!” Peter retorted in a short, snappy tone. “Something about him makes me uneasy. He doesn't scare like the girl.”

Aldred's eyes opened wider still, and he opened his mouth wide, nose wrinkling more as his snarl broadened and he cackled. He shook his head from side-to-side, tossing the mane of thick graying fur about around his neck. This action caused Peter to recoil, stumbling back a step or two. He furrowed his brow, a tight crease forming between his eyes, and he wiped his mouth along the shoulder of his leather armor.

“Luca,” Peter said to his brother, voice low. “Do you want your trophy or your life? I think we'll only leave here with one.”

 

[Abovetheroses]

Luca nearly screamed. Everything was being ruined. This was supposed to be his moment. His night to shine. To show his father and the world how great of a hunter he was, how much he could change everything. Then this thing had to show up and... and Ruin. it. all. Luca grabbed at his dark hair and swore. "You filthy creature!" He pointed his sword at the wolf. "You may have taken this night, but I will be back, and when I do, your head will be mine. Do you hear me? Mine! Your's and every last one of those other disgusting things you run around with. I will cut you all down!" He was practically foaming at the mouth. "But you! You will be the first."

With his declaration, Luca climbed back onto his horse and turned the beast around to head back to the keep. His brothers and men were quick on his heels. "I'm sorry about your loss brother." Marco said quietly as he rode beside his brother.

"This was no loss." Luca grit his teeth. "This was a disaster, but it was not our making. Someone did this to me."

"I don't understand." Marco's brow drew together. "The wolves banded together to save themselves, it happens. How could someone have plotted this?"

Luca looked hard at his brother. "This is Alice's doing."

~​

When the men reached the keep Luca stormed into his father's room. "Where is she?!" he demanded without so much as a word of greeting. Sweat dripped down his face, he was trampling mud across his father's floor, and he hadn't even removed his riding gear or armor.

The man in the high backed chair didn't look up at his son from the book on his desk. He was reading by candle, the flickering light casting dark shadows into the deep wrinkles on his face. The bags under his eyes were so much more pronounced as he sat there looking down at the yellowed pages of written text. "I heard you lost your wolf tonight."

Luca beat his fist on his father's desk. "It was not my fault!" He cried out. "Alice has betrayed us! I am sure of it!"

The man closed his book and looked up at his son. "Have you really come into my study so filthy? Traipsing mud across the floor? Have I not taught you better?"

"Now is not the time for stupid rules and-"

Andri got to his feet and screamed. "It is always about rules and traditions! That is what our life is about!" He took a deep breath. "That is what makes getting rid of these wretched things so important. That is what makes your sister's silly notions so dangerous. If you are to take over the keep when I am no longer fit then you must follow the rules."

"I want to know what Alice has done." Luca frowned. "Is she mad or is she really involved with them. Did she set me up on my hunt?"

"I've already spoken with her." Her father waved his hand dismissively. "She shouldn't be a problem."

Luca frowned and walked out of the room. He didn't believe him. Once the study doors were closed behind him he made his way straight to Alice's room. He gently knocked on her door. "Alice? Alice it's me Luca." He knocked again and then opened her door to let himself in. "Alice?" His eyes got wide as he looked around. Books were scattered everywhere, thrown across the room in disarray like someone had been searching for something. Clothes were strewn about as well. Alice never treated her things like this. For the most part she treated her things with dignity. True she was a bit odd but she liked her things.

Anger started boiling in Luca's gut. She wasn't here. Stepping out into the hall Luca waved down a nearby servant. "Where is Alice?"

"I haven't seen the Lady in hours Milord." She curtsied and continued on her work.

Luca punched the wall and shouted.

~​

In town Alice continued to wonder aimlessly. At such a late hour most places were closed for the night and most people that Alice saw weren't exactly the kind of people that Alice wanted to talk to. Maybe this wasn't such a smart idea. The small woman shivered and pulled her cloak tighter around her small frame.

A man stumbled out of a tavern and bumped into her and she let out a startled cry and hurried down an ally to get away. IT was nothing but scared her nonetheless. She wasn't used to being out here at this hour. After fighting with her father and knowing her brother's were hunting she was just so much more on edge.

"Hey there pretty lady."

A strange voice caught her off guard. "Oh um, excuse me sir." Alice tried to maneuver her way around the man blocking her way through the ally.

"How much will it cost me for the night?"

She recoiled a bit, caught off guard by the question. "Wh-what?" Then he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards him. "Let me go!" She managed to pull herself from his grasp and she took off running in the opposite direction. Walking around the streets after dark was nothing like walking around the market during the day. Alice felt so gross. and so lost. At this point she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to find the smith. She found a path that led to a trail to the edge of the woods. Part of her wondered if she should go there or keep looking in town.

There was that little voice in her head that told her she couldn't find her answer's with human's and the wolves lived in the woods so... To the woods she headed. It probably wasn't the best decision for a noble lady.

 

[Raivh]

Everything was a blur as he ran, racing against what he knew to be a very limited amount of time. He could hear the hounds barking frantically as they gave chase. His lungs burned. It had been a great deal of time since he'd ran at a dead bolt as he was. Every nerve in his body was pulsing, scolding him for the immense exertion. Adrenaline was what drove him onward.

Suddenly, the hounds stopped, and so did Ahren. Skidding to a halt, his head jerked around, ears forward and alert as he listened carefully. Luca's frustrated shouts met his ears. His large black nose twitched as he sniffed at the crisp air around him. Musk. There was Elise, and then there was a very strong male musk. The scent was faint but growing closer and fast.

Before he had time to reflect back on his memory of the scent, he heard a blood curdling howl rip through the forest. Ahren snapped his head up, watching as a group of ravens took flight, screeching their displeasure to anyone and anything in the vicinity. His hackles started to rise and he took off running again.

By the time he reached the area that still reeked of man and mutt, there wasn't a soul to be found. No trace of blood was on the leaf covered ground in front of the rocky slope that led up the base of the mountains.

Ahren!

His eldest brother's voice boomed in his thoughts, and before he knew what was happening, he felt the impact of the alpha against his side. Ahren was sent rolling, tumbling over and over again as his limbs thrashed about, claws digging into soil, rock, and roots, until finally, he found his footing. Had he not been taken by surprise, it might have been difficult for his brother to topple him as he had.

Stamping his front feet against the earth, assuring himself of his footing, Ahren's nose crinkled up, prying at black lips to fold back and reveal a menacing snarl. Aldred kept his head held high as he advanced fearlessly toward his younger brother. The look on the alpha wolf's face was one of complete disdain.

What are you doing close to the mountain's, little brother? Aldred began to circle Ahren, hackles standing on end, blue eyes sparring with those of the other wolf, wide and fully alert.

Ahren lunged in Aldred's direction, but the older wolf dodged out of the way and spun around, face-to-face with his brother. They were so close that their noses nearly touched.

Searching for Elise. Ahren's wolfish brow lowered and he snapped his jowl at Aldred, scraping his front teeth over the alpha's nose. Aldred didn't budge, despite the blood that began to pool and trickle down from his nose. There were many scars there, many fights won against both wolf and man.

She doesn't need your saving. Aldred's ears flashed back, irritated that the man so opposed to aiding Alden and himself in retrieving her before this wretched day had decided to become the hero. I was waiting for them here all night.

“Well, now your wait is over,” Ahren said, having returned to his human form, naked as the day he was born. His chest was heaving, winded after sprinting for miles to reach this point only to be ridiculed by his older brother. Square shoulders glistened with sweat against the lowering rays of the sun receding against the western horizon. “You can go home, knowing that you saved her life.”

Clenching his fists together at his sides, the muscles in his forearms tightened. Every bit of contempt Aldred held for Ahren was reciprocated tenfold. In all these years gone by, Ahren had seen his eldest brother three times. The first was when their mother died. He'd come to Ahren, promised to take the boy to see her one last time before she was placed on the pyre to join their ancestors. The second was when their father was beheaded. Ahren had been there that day. He'd watched his father fight against his restraints and die a beast as he'd always been. The third was when he and Alden approached him last night to warn him of Elise's capture.

“Go on!” Ahren bellowed, throwing a hand in the direction of the mountain's where he knew his brother and his pack resided, high up on the peaks where it was extremely difficult for man to journey due to the harsh and unpredictable weather.

A guttural growl reverberated in Aldred's chest, growing louder until he opened his maw and issued a dangerous threat between two males of their kind. Ahren rolled his shoulder's forward, thick muscle dancing beneath his skin. Aldred, however, relaxed his expression and dropped his tail, looking gray, old, and tired. Without another exchange between the two, he turned and left, leaping up the craggy precipice from where he'd earlier emerged.

Ahren stood, tense and full of bitter rage that radiated throughout his body. He watched until he could no longer see his brother, and then he too turned and took his leave, walking back in the direction he'd come. He needed to find the clothing he'd left behind before he could return home. It was beginning to snow, and he needed to stoke the fires of the forge as well as those in his hearth for the night.

 

[Abovetheroses]

Luca wondered the keep and discarded his hunting gear. He grabbed his sword and lashed it to his hip once his armor was gone. Storming down the hall to the main entrance his younger brother stopped him. "Where are you going Luca?" Peter folded his arms across his chest. "You've been beaten once, isn't that enough for one night?"

"I'm going to find our sister and end the root of our problems." He muttered under his breath as he shoved the taller man out of his way and pushed the doors open.

Peter just shook his head and watched his brother leave. When Luca was on a mission there was no stopping him. It was better to just get out of his way. Peter wondered if Alice would make the right choice or get hurt.

~​

As Alice ventured further into the woods it got darker and she began to lose more and more of her bearings, she was almost assuredly lost. She began to doubt her decision to take this path, but she knew she didn't have many other options. The wolves lived out here. And if she wanted answers she needed to find them. When snow began to fall she wrapped her cloak around her small frame and tried to keep herself warm but it was to little avail. She was freezing, she should have grabbed a heavier cloak.

Outside all alone, in the dark and bitter cold, Alice began to think that she was making all the wrong decisions. She chewed on her lip as her small boots crunched in the soft earth and carried her deeper into the wilderness. The animals made strange noises she was unused to, hoots and chirps, howls and cries, she had no way to distinguish what was predator or prey. She was no hunter. Out here she was just alone.

The woman sneezed, the cold starting to wear on her as she walked. She came across some clothing discarded on the ground, a shirt fit for a man. She picked it up and carried it a few steps until she came upon a pair of trousers that looked as if they perhaps belonged to the shirt. "What... why would someone leave these?" She mused aloud. Wondering if she should leave them be or bring them with, she didn't really get a choice when something caught her attention.

She finally thought she heard something unnatural. She spun around and hurried in the direction. Rounding a small bend she froze in place and let out a small shriek before promptly burying her face in her small hands. For before her stood the smith, in all of his naked glory. Baring himself to the world out in the snow. AS her pale skin turned an impossible crimson shade she managed to stammer out a few words. "W-what in t-the world are y-you doing out here!?"

 

[Raivh]

The longer Ahren walked alone in the woods, the more his anger began to dissipate. As the heat of his fury left, he began to feel the chill biting at his skin. It made the hairs on the back of his neck and arms stand on end as he tread through the forest, leaving a trail of footprints behind him that were steadily being dusted over by white flakes.

Nearing his clothing, he caught a sweet scent, familiar to him just this morning. He slowed and came to a halt, trying to peer through the trees to see her before she saw him. It wasn't much use. Either she was still too far away or she was just out of view behind one of the towering trunks. His chest rose as he filled his lungs with a steady breath in. There weren't many choices. It was approach her or stay in the woods. His muscles ached after undergoing the change for as long as he had after having gone without doing so for any long period of time.

When they found each other, her shrill scream pierced his ears and rattled around inside his head. He stood before her, shoulders back, spine straight. His eyebrows were furrowed as he watched all of the blood drain from her cheeks entirely before flooding back with the ferocity of a rushing river. Her lips parted and she stuttered, the shock in her voice evident. His gaze fell to his shirt curled in her grasp.

“I should ask the same of you, Milady,” he said, closing the gap between them and reaching for his shirt. He unfurled her fingers and tugged it over his head. “There's a storm coming. Lots of snow.”

He brushed past her, his elbow grazing over her shoulder as he walked in the direction she'd just come from. “There are wolves out here. It's not safe for you to be wandering around alone.”

When he came upon his trousers, he bent to pluck them from the ground and gave them a couple of aggressive shakes to loosen the snow that had collected against the fabric. Glancing back over his shoulder, he watched her from his peripheral as he tugged the trousers up. When he finished, he turned to face her and crossed his arms over his broad chest. He studied her with curiosity.

“Have you seen my armor? The one I wore today when we earlier met?” he asked. Scanning their surroundings, he couldn't quite remember where he'd taken it off, whether it had been before he'd crossed into the forest or after. Turning from her again, he began to wander off, trekking across the cooling earth and leaving a clear path behind him melted in the accumulated snow.

 

[Abovetheroses]

As the smith started toward her, still naked as the day he was born, Alice looked away, trying her best not to look. It was hard nit to see him though when he took up her entire field of vision and the only other thing around was white snow. Her father never let her alone with men, other then her brother's and her guards so she didn't have much experience with this much... view. She was used to being a pseudo dignitary and barking orders at people. Not being speechless.

The warmth of his hand lingered on her delicate fingers from where he literally had to pry his shirt from her hand. Too dumbstruck to actually offer it to him , the woman just stood there, she felt like an even bigger fool. Alice took a deep breath and stayed still as he moved past her and donned the pants she had left in the snow. It was only when he asked about armor that she turned around and looked at him. Her face was still an impossible shade of red.

"I'll have you know, the wolves are the whole reason I am out here." She said confidently. "I am here to find them." She pulled her cloak a little tighter. Chewing her lip she took a few steps closer to the man before her as she looked deeper into the forest, maybe having his company would be preferred to being alone on this journey, but she'd never outright ask for it. "But no I have not seen your armor. Your... clothes were the first thing I found." Her question about finding the wolves got lost for a moment as her gaze found his once more. "Just what were you doing running around out here unclothed anyway? Have you gone mad? You are going to freeze to death."

Alice adjusted the journal in her vest before rubbing her hands together. "You wouldn't happen to know what direction i need to head to find the wolves would you? It's rather important." She looked at him. "Oh! It's about about whomever gave you that charm,I very much need to find them." she reached out towards the emblem hanging in his beard unaware of it's importance.

 

[Raivh]

As he trekked back the way he'd come, her explanation for being in the woods met his ears with a hint of arrogance. This woman was something to think that his siblings were going to meet with her after what had just happened to Elise. Ahren cocked his eyebrows high on his head and let out an abrupt laugh, just one small chuckle, and turned to face her. His eyes were trained on her like a hound to the hunt.

He found himself perplexed by this noble woman. She was much different than her kin. She was more like the Lord that first brought him to this keep. Her question amused him, and he mulled around in his mind how he'd respond to her as she continued to speak. He caught her fidgeting with something beneath her vest. His eyes dropped to her hands for but a second before raising to meet her gaze once more. It was her next question that caught him off guard, and the hand that reached toward his face that made him forget about the question entirely.

Brow furrowing, he took a half step back from her and leaned away, just out of reach as he brought a hand up and closed his strong fingers around her small wrist.

“Milady,” he began, lowering her hand before letting go. His eyes were more gray than blue now, icy as the world around them was becoming. “I know nothing of the wolves. You, on the other hand, seem to know a great deal more than I.”

There was a great deal of anger hidden behind his eyes as he turned from her and began to once again head in the direction he'd come from. His nostrils were flared as he walked, breath hot as it left him.

“All I know is that your brother didn't get his trophy today.” Ahren said loudly over his shoulder. Finally, his eyes fell upon the leather armor, and he bent over to pick it up and shake it off. He tucked it under his arm and stood still, staring at the great stone keep several hundred yards away.

Again, his gaze returned to the young woman, his eyebrows still pinched together in a tight crease. “What would you do if you ever met a wolf? Do you really think one would be so keen to speak with you? You smell just like the young Lord.”

There was a slight grin playing on his features, tweaking one corner of his mouth. He reached up, stroking his beard with one hand before absently toying with the charm there. Squaring his shoulders up, he turned to face her more fully, large form towering hers and covering her with his shadow. There was a devious glint in his eyes and a smidgen of curiosity. “You've never seen a wolf outside of today, have you, Milady? That girl you saw, she was on the small side. May not even be full blood.”

 

[Abovetheroses]

She frowned when his hand latched onto her wrist and pulled her away. His touch was warm though, far warmer then the coldness of the air that surrounded her and at for the split second, it was briefly comforting. Alice's pale brow drew together when he denied knowledge of the wolves. Part of her knew it wasn't true. At least he had to have known where the charm in his beard came from.

"Even if you know nothing of them yourself, whomever gave you that," She nodded towards the emblem. "I believe might know a great deal." She seemed a bit confused if he looked hard enough, not entirely sure of where she needed to go, but determined nonetheless.

He walked away informing her that her brother failed in his quest today, as he continued to search for his armor. "Good. I never wanted him to succeed." She frowned. "If you couldn't tell that from our meeting earlier then perhaps I should have never sought out your help in the first place." Alice looked away towards the depths of the forest contemplating continuing on alone.

When he returned, looming over her, his shadow blocking out what little light there was Alice shivered again. She looked up at him, determination still written on her flawless face. "I have met a few wolves. None have lived save the woman that you say escaped today. I met them all in the dungeons my father keeps. So it's true they don't really have much say in whether or not they willingly speak to me, but I do my best to give them a friendly empathetic face. I didn't want any of them dying thinking that we are all like my father." Alice sighed. "It's futile, and childish, I know. But at the time it was one of the few things I thought I could do to help." Her soft lips drew back in a thin line. "I now think I might have something that can really help. But I can't do it alone."

What he said about smelling like her brother confused her a bit but she wasn't really sure how to respond. "I'd rather try and fail then not try at all. At least I know I won't be the first one to have tried. Maybe this time I can actually get it right though."

Alice took a step back from him. "If you wont answer my questions, so be it. I'll be on my way." She turned to head off on her own.

 

[Raivh]

The young noble woman was cocky, a little full of herself, and Ahren didn't believe she knew what she so clearly had vested herself in was a greater issue than she alone could ever resolve. The resolve in her eyes was piercing, and although he was a great deal larger than she was, he could see how she could be intimidating if she desired.

“Ha!” He laughed, a short burst of a sound that erupted from his chest as he stroked his beard with one hand. There was an amused twinkle in his eyes as he stared down at her. She was right, everything she was explaining was all for naught. The clash between the wolves and her people would never end. It had been ongoing for decades with many deaths among both wolves and man. He shook his head, listening to her plight.

It didn't matter what he said to try and discourage her. She made it abundantly evident that she wholeheartedly intended to pursue her cause, despite just admitting its futility. Ahren's eyes narrowed as she took a step away from him and then turned. He inhaled deeply, watching her begin to wander off. It was possible she was more stubborn and hardheaded than he was.

“Milady,” Ahren said, tugging at the charm before his free hand fell to his side. He tugged his leather armor over his head and smoothed it into place. When he finished, he locked eyes with her. “Do you even know how to track?”

There was a devious grin stretching over his lips, revealing a slender line of his teeth. He chuckled and quirked his brow, folding his arms over his chest. “You're headed in the wrong direction entirely.” Lowering his arms, he gestured behind him with his thumb. “They're that way.”

He shook his head and exhaled, turning away from her to trek through the snow in search of his boots. When he found them, he picked them up and shook the snow loose that had settled against them before slipping them over his feet. Without a word, he began trekking back in the direction he'd just come, back to the area he'd been so eager to leave after his encounter with his eldest brother.

“And this emblem,” he said, glancing back at her. “My mother gave it to me when I was a boy. She bought it at a shop before I can to live here.”

It was a lie, but he didn't see any reason she should doubt him. He flashed her a smile as they walked. “Why have you adorned yourself in plain clothing?”

 

[Abovetheroses]

He was making fun of her. Alice felt embarrassment burn her pale cheeks as she grit her teeth and stared at him as he laughed at her. She knew how inexperienced she was in all of this, how crazy she must seem to a man like him, but it wasn't going to stop her.

When she turned her back and started walking away, Alice didn't stop until she heard him call out to her. She glanced over her shoulder, trying not so shiver in the darkness. She watched him continue to dress himself before he spoke again and she found a knot forming in her stomach. Of course she had read about tracking. IT came up quite frequently in books about war and hunting, but she had never had a means to do it herself. It wasn't as if her books actually explained it either so she couldn't just try and sort it out on her own.

The smith pointed out her folly and seemed to head of in the direction she needed to go so Alice hurried after him. "Honestly, from the way my father spoke, i was expecting there to be many wolves out here. I didn't think it'd be all that necessary to track." It was a partial truth, from the grandiose stories about their evil enemy, Alice had the impression that the forest was just teeming with wolves.

When he mentioned where the emblem in his beard came from, Alice frowned. She carefully pulled the journal from her vest and tried to get her numb fingers to flip the pages. It took a few tries before she was able to find the right page. "I just..." She sighed as she looked at the words and sketch on the yellowed page. "Perhaps the original owner sold it then." She mused aloud, a bit disheartened at not being able to follow her one clue. "I was so hoping to meet him."

His comment on her attire drew her attention once more and she shoved the book back into her vest. "It's easier to move around freely like this." She looked up at him. "My father refuses to let me out of his sight, or my guards. So when I need to do things on my own I sneak out." She looked back at the snowy path they were walking, picking out his old footprints just as they were starting to vanish in the newly fallen snow. "It much easier to talk to people when they don't know who you are. The people in town and in the market are so much more friendly and open when they don't know my real identity. It makes trying to act like a normal person easier when i can just breathe and let go of formalities." She shook her head.

"May I ask you a question?" She looked back at him. "For the life of me I can't figure out how you got out of my garden earlier." She chuckled. "You just disappeared and for a while i was thinking you scaled it, but that's near impossible." She tugged her cloak around and rubbed her hands together. "Why are you showing me the way? I can't figure out how a man who arms my father would have any interest in helping me." Her dark eyes looked up at his face. "Unless you are just planning on leading me into the woods and leaving me?" She tried to sound cocky and confident, but it was a genuine fear in the back of her mind. He could very well lead her and just abandon her to die in the forest.

 

[Raivh]

The disappointment written over her features made him clench his jaw, forcing back the truth that wished to separate itself from the lie. His eyebrows furrowed, watching over his shoulder as she stowed a small book at her breast.

“I see,” he said, acknowledging her remark that the clothing gave her a sense of freedom. He trekked on, heavy booted feet crunching against the fallen snow as it thickened on the ground. This woman lived an entirely different life from him and the people of that keep. It was a life of privilege, and yet she seemed disenchanted by the world of nobility. Listening to her speak, it was almost as though she wished to forgo the life of riches and power for a simple life.

“Hm?” He quirked a brow when she requested permission to ask a question. His eyes were locked with hers, and he felt himself slowing to a halt a few feet away and turning to face her more fully. Her curiosity swirled around his mind as it worked to think of an explanation that was both feasible and convincing. Another question followed before he could reply to the first. This one, however, was clearly more lighthearted with a hint of concern.

A broad smile spread quickly across his lips, turning up the corners as he flashed a toothy smile in her direction.

“No, Milady, scaling that wall would have been quite impossible,” he stated in a matter-of-fact way and folded his arms across his chest. Ice blue-gray eyes flitted about her face, picking apart confidence from fear. It was quiet in the forest where they were. All Ahren could hear were the creaking tree branches overhead and muffled sounds of the falling snow. He stepped toward her, closing the few feet of distance between them.

Boldly, he reached up and gently tipped her chin up so he could better see her eyes from such close proximity. He leaned down, turning her head ever so slightly.

“Milady, I'll tell you a secret,” he whispered, his lips just a breath away from her ear. “Your presence is much preferred to your father's, so I have no intention of dragging you out into the woods simply to abandon you. What sort of inquiries would your father and brothers have for me upon my return if you disappeared shortly before I arrived?”

Leaning back, his expression serious and only inches from her, he smiled and then released his hold on her. Once again, he turned to walk in the direction he'd last seen Aldred. His eyes were fixed forward. The skin on his hand that had made contact with her tingled as it recalled the softness of her flesh. Her scent was light. He hadn't told her a whole truth earlier when he'd said she smelled like the young Lord Luca. Hers was an earthy smell, likely from years spent wandering her garden, and sweet like flowers and fruit.

He lifted his head slightly, looking toward the mountains and his birthplace. He wouldn't be able to travel far with her. The best he could do to help her was to take her to the base of the mountains and direct her to scale the cliff and keep her wits about her. It was then that it occurred to him, and he glanced back at her.

“Milady, have you brought a weapon, just in case it's needed?” he asked. There were times when Aldred could be reasoned with, but after today, he wasn't sure she'd be able to make an impression on him before his fangs made an impression on her delicate skin.

His eyes were suddenly flooded with concern. Truthfully, it wasn't Aldred she had to fear. It was his younger brother Alden whose mate had been snatched from him not long ago and only just returned. Not only would he be angry, but with Elise having been wounded and pregnant, his mood was surely to be worse than ever.

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Wandering the streets of the keep, Luca was becoming more angry the longer he went without finding Alice. None of the peasants had seen his sister. At least that's what they claimed. Eventually, she would have to come home, and when she did, he fully intended to get some answers.

Not only had he come home without the head of his prized beast, but she had interfered with his ceremony earlier. Her actions were without excuse, if not questionable, and where the wolf had shown him her bared fangs, she'd shown Alice favor. There was something wrong with his sister, and Luca wasn't quite sure what it was. She was different from father and his brothers, different from himself.

When he came upon the blacksmith's shop, he found only the boy Rinan there.

“Boy!” Luca bellowed, startling Rinan as he was working a hide over.

Rinan rose to his feet immediately. “Yes, Milord?”

Luca's eyes scanned the exterior of the shop, and when he didn't see the smith, he once again turned his gaze to Rinan. “Where is the smith?”

“I-I-I don't know, Milord,” Rinan stuttered, shaking his head. “I haven't seen him since leaving your ceremony, Milord.”

Without a word, Luca spun away from the boy and stalked off and back up the street toward the keep. His jaw was clenched tight as he walked and watched the snow shift around his feet. The last time he'd seen his sister, he'd sent her off with the smith. It was likely she'd disappeared into her garden. Perhaps she was still there.

When he reached the keep, he strode past the guards, making his way through the winding halls until he reached the entrance of Alice's garden. His sister spent much of her time in this garden, more than anyone in their family. As he walked around, he came upon a crude hole in the dirt. Considering it was only partially dug, it couldn't have been done by any of the keep's gardeners, and moreover, winter was coming. It wasn't likely anyone was planting this time of year.

With his brow furrowed, he continued his trek through the garden, making his way deeper and deeper until he reached the far wall and took the path along it. He stopped col in his tracks when he saw the sword propped against the great stone wall and looked up. It wasn't possible that she could have scaled it. Perhaps the smith?

Luca shook the thoughts away. It was impossible for anyone to scale that wall without proper equipment, and the smith hadn't had any equipment of the sort with him at the ceremony. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Luca's eyes worked over the wall once more, trying to solve the puzzle he was presented with.