The Queen and her Wolf

Chapter Twenty-Two

The crunch of gravel beneath my boots was the only thing keeping me grounded as I paced back and forth in the stable yards. A floral-scented piece of parchment being slid under my chamber door had stirred me from sleep and I'd groggily, if not a little too eagerly, slipped from my bed to read the elegant cursive.

Be ready to leave as the last of the sunlight dips below the horizon. It is a long journey and we need all the time we can get. Don your armour as a precaution. I will send Recka to escort you to the stable yards.

Staring at the Queen's note, I'd tried to quell my disappointment. It had been so freeing to unleash my wolf, allowing those lupine instincts to guide and ground me once more. Now it seemed I was to play dress up.

Recka had indeed come by to escort me, just as I'd removed the armour from its stand and, seeing I had no idea how to fit it myself, gently intervened. Manoeuvring me here, tightening a strap there, twisting this or that. Finally, she stepped back, head tilted and gave me an appraising look. Nodding curtly, she directed me to the vanity against the wall.

"Sit, I'll do your hair."

I'd obeyed and Recka had deftly brushed out my knots, none too gently, and styled my auburn waves into a tight braid that curled around my head to fall over my right shoulder. Practical for almost any situation.

"You're ready." She stated simply, handing me the short sword so I could sheath it at my left hip with a snick.

Recka had escorted me through the castle and I'd been her silent shadow until she'd led me to a side door through the kitchen galley, opening it wide for me to step through. A whimper escaped my lips as I stepped outside.

The sky was ablaze with an explosion of colour as the sun said farewell to the day, making way for the stars and the blanket of night they'd bring. Orange, red, pink, yellow, purple, all of them smudged across the sky behind the darkening horizon. It had been less than a week and already I'd forgotten how magnificent daylight could be. The vibrant warmth and splendid beauty almost brought me to my knees.

Barely able to tear my eyes from it, Recka had ceased moving to let me marvel at what was surely going to be a rare sight for me going forward. Giving her a grateful smile I found myself asking, "Does the sun not affect Quiet's like it does the rest of your kind?"

If she was offended by my question, she didn't show it. "No. The magic in our blood, the magic that makes us up is...dulled. We are not at the mercy of the limitations our brethren are." She tucked a long strand of pale hair behind a dainty ear, peering at the sunset herself. "Neither do we have the advantages they do. We aren't as strong or as fast for example."

"Do you wish you were like them?" I dared ask.

She was silent for a moment. "Sometimes, yes, but I am content with the way I am. Strength comes in many forms. A drop of water can still erode stone given the time to do so."

Dragging my eyes from the sky, I looked at the Quiet, really looked at her. She was of a similar height to me, but thinner, not in a frail way though. Her moon-kissed hair was long and pinned back out of her face and trailed down the back of her simple cream robes and her eyes... Those gentle eyes, pale as they were, did indeed carry a strength within them that could only have been honed from enduring many trials in her lifetime. Recka stood with pride just this side of arrogance and even though her overall appearance was meek, she did exude a strength I'd been too blind to notice before now.

Not knowing what else to say to each other, Recka had led me to the stable yards in companionable silence, leaving me standing here with instructions to wait for the Queen and her guards. The last of the sun's light had slipped below the lip of the world some time ago and I was left to chafe in this armour as I waited. Some stable hands began their nightly routines as the stars began to glow in earnest and the bustling energy had made me jittery, so I'd started pacing and hadn't stopped since. My breathing was quick and shallow as my stomach churned more and more with each step. I thought I was going to heave my guts up right then and there. Maybe I'd pass out before that happened.