The Queen and her Wolf

Chapter Five

   
"Alana?" I queried.

Since I'd told her about her lineage she had sunk into an almost catatonic state. The she-wolf simply stared ahead of herself with a blank expression, mouth slightly agape. If I wasn't so concerned about how she was handling the news, I would have admired the innocent nature of her features in this moment.
   
"Alana?" I prompted again. "Are you okay?"
   
As if I'd snapped my fingers in front of her face, Alana came to.
   
"Sorry, I-I just ... "
   
"Peace, little wolf." I said soothingly. Had she really not known about her family heritage? Had her pack not shared this information with her? Why? I wondered again about Alana's heart beat when I'd asked her about her pack. I really needed to know what was going on there but, when I opened my mouth to ask her, there was a gentle knock.
   
"Who is it?" I called, noting that Alana barely even flinched at the sound. This news had obviously hit some kind of nerve with her and it was taking up a lot of her attention.
   
The door gently swung open and in came Ice and Recka whom I'd put in charge of cleaning up Alana for the ceremony. The starlight from Alana's window seemed to accentuate their already pale features as they stood silent, waiting for instruction. I indicated for them to wait in the hall, and they obeyed with curt nods, their white tunics rustling softly as they exited my guardians room.
   
"Alana, these two Quiets are going to take you to the bath house and get you cleaned up for the ceremony. I promise you will be okay. You can trust them." I searched the jade of her eyes for any sign that she'd heard me, she merely fingered one of the carved posts of her bed. "Alana?"
   
"Quiets?" She asked softly. Though her expression remained a little distracted, I was relieved she was communicating.
   
"Ice and Recka are two examples of a genetic mutation of my kind. They lack certain attributes of our species such as pigmentation and bloodlust. This means that they appear more like the pale creatures I've heard the humans portray us as, and their eyes don't exude the same bright tones of red as every other vampires."
   
"Do they still drink blood?"
   
"Yes, but they don't have fangs which makes them poor hunters, and their submissive nature doesn't make them good for much else either. That is why they usually take service positions," I gestured out to the hall, "such as hand maids, or even healers."

"Why are they called Quiets?"

"Well for one thing, as I'm sure you just noticed, they only really speak if they feel it is absolutely necessary. Generally though we call them Quiets because of their overall muted nature. They're much more delicate and subtle about how they do things. Come to think of it I don't think I've ever witnessed a Quiet get the least bit angry or aggressive toward another living thing. They're a strange and unexplained occurrence but they have their uses I suppose."
   
Alana nodded slowly as if she was trying to focus on solid facts to keep her tethered to the real world. A little piece of my heart hurt for her. It must have been hard enough to have been ripped away from everyone and everything you know, and to then be thrown amidst virtual enemies ... I couldn't imagine what she was feeling.
   
"Will you come with me?" Alana never made eye contact but I heard her heart jump with surprise. It was like she hadn't expected the words to come out of her mouth.
   
"Of course." I couldn't help the smile that crept across my face. Was this a sign that Alana was beginning to trust me? "Shall we?"
   
A cloud shifted as I gestured to the hallway and the faint light of the night sky illuminated Alana's delicate face. Her soft beauty was in stark contrast to how she'd looked wearing her armour. She had looked formidable and deadly, as a warrior should. Now though, wearing the same tattered clothes she'd been presented to me in, she just looked uncertain and confused. I wanted to take her hand and lend her my strength, if only for a moment, so that she didn't have to feel weak or afraid. She didn't deserve to feel anything less than safe and capable, and in that moment I knew I would do anything to make it happen.

Alana took a steadying breath and signalled her readiness. I allowed her to pass in front of me and savoured the smell of jasmine as she exited her chambers. I didn't think I would ever get over this strange effect the she-wolf had on me but, shaking it off, I followed after her and the Quiets to the bath house.

Travelling along countless corridors lit with flickering candles, I noted how Alana never wandered more than two steps away from me in any direction. Her pulse raced as we descended numerous flights of stairs towards the sub levels of the castle and I felt that same concern for her creep up on me.

We reached the bottom of the stairs which melted into the natural stone of the catacombs we used as the bath house. Hundreds of candles, their wax melting over the stonework like living art, dotted the cavernous space, throwing light into the roiling steam of the hot springs and making the very air seem alive. Thick columns twisted their way from floor to ceiling, creating the illusion of walls and privacy, around the small pools that decorated the space. There were vines here too. They seemed to thrive in this moist environment, covering every inch of the walls and hanging loosely from the ceiling to create an indoor rainforest just for us, it seemed. Peering over at Alana I could see the wonder on her face and it made my heart swell to see her features lit up in such a way.

"It's incredible."

"I'm glad you like it, little wolf."

Ice and Recka stepped around one of the columns to our left and began gathering all the necessary items for Alana. They returned carrying all manor of  paraphernalia for my guardian. They held clothes, combs, scrubbers, bath salts and so much more, gesturing for us to follow. The Quiets took us to one of the smaller springs that lay toward the back of the cavern. It seemed to have a little bit more privacy than some of the other pools and I imagined that was why the hand maids picked it. Circling to the far end of the small spring, I took a seat on a rock that jutted out from the wall. Ice allowed Recka to lay out all the equipment so she signalled for Alana to get into the pool.