The Wolf Queen

1202- January

CHANNIN STIRS. WILL JUMPS up from his place by the fire.

“Good morning, Milady.” He smiles, “How are you feeling?”

She sits up carefully, “Like I could eat a horse. You?”

He shrugs, “I’m better now that you’re awake.”

Channin moves her legs over the edge of the bed, looking at the bandage on her side. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” She carefully unwraps it. Where a deep hole once was, is now a thin pink scar.

“That’s good. It isn’t supposed to hurt.”

She is careful to stand, swaying a bit. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Honestly, a few weeks.” Will looks back at the fire, “You’ve missed quite a bit.”

“No really. How long?” she laughs and takes a few steps forward.

“Almost two months, Chan.” He’s serious.

“Wow.” She slides to the floor next to him, shocked. “What have I missed?”

He decides to fill her in, not leaving out anything. Runir and Abarrane’s discovery, the death of Lorbeck and presumed death of the others, being named an enemy to the throne, and the plan to take the crown.

“If you don’t want in, I understand. And I hate to ask you to be a puppet but-“

“I’m in. Let’s teach them not to fight the wolf.”

Will smiles, “I figured you would say that.” He leans over and kisses her forehead, “You’re stubborn.”

She half smiles and pulls his face to hers. “I’ve been out of it for months and that’s all I get?”

Will gives in. Channin swings her leg over him and pushes him back to the floor.

“What are you doing?” he asks between kisses.

She shrugs, “I’m not really sure.”

He gently pushes her back and sits up, “Do you need to talk?”

Channin sighs and drops her shoulders, “My mother always talked about love, but she wasn’t talking about the King.”

Will stares at her, trying to keep his expression the same, “Then who was she talking about?”

Channin shrugs, shaking her head, “I don’t know, but you can’t describe something so perfectly without experiencing it.” She scrambles off his lap and pulls her knees to her chest. She’s always more comfortable curled up.

“What did she say?”

“You’ll know it when you feel it. There isn’t a way to describe how it feels, for some it is the hottest fire, others it is the coldest ice. Whichever it is, you’ll know you cannot have enough of him. Or something like that.”

“You’ve got a pretty good memory.”

She nods, “It’s hard not to memorize something you think about every day.”

Will looks back to the fire, “I’m going to check the traps,” he stands and slowly moves to put on his coat.

Channin jumps up and catches him, she pulls him into another kiss. This time, it goes too far. Will backs her against the wall.

Runir spins a coin across the table, “How long are we going to stay hidden?”

The five are sitting around Abarrane’s table in Dawncliff. A map of Laneyth spread out in front of them. Abarrane sits at the head of the table with Ian on her left and a Dwarf man on her right.

“Until Will can find a better place for us to hide.” Raoul grumbles, “You think I like being stuck underground with Vampires?”

“I’m sorry Dawncliff isn’t up to your standards of living in tents.” Abarrane mocks him, “Now will you two focus?”

“The Elves say the King has set up check points at the entrance to Dragonspire.” Runir spins the coin again, “Nobody gets in without the proper paperwork. Military or Merchant.”

“And after your little stunt, I doubt they let anyone from Dawncliff in.” Ian sighs, “Honestly, I’m surprised they haven’t attacked yet.”

“They need the Dwarves.” Abarrane adds, “We need to find an action before they decide they don’t.”

Raoul slams his head on the table, “What are we doing? This is William’s job.”

“Well, until Channin is better we’ve been cut off.” Ian mumbles, catching Runir’s coin as it falls off the table. He hands it back. The Elf springs up.

“I’ve got it.” He puts the coin on the map, “This is Dawncliff. Where are the military bases right now?”

“Paedleigh, Vocser and Redpost.” The werewolf doesn’t lift his head from the table, “They don’t know where we went, but they seem to think the Sister cities are a good option.”

“They are blocked off this time of year.” Ian notes.

“Exactly. So, their supplies have to come from somewhere else.” Runir looks between them, “You know how hard it is to feed twenty men? It’s five times as hard to feed a hundred. Or a thousand.”

He puts his hand over the area southwest of the sister cities, “What is here?”

No one knows. Raoul lifts his head and studies it, “Toma. It’s a werewolf village. That night we were attacked here was them.”

“No wonder the King doesn’t want his men there.” Abarrane mumbles.

“But you said Able had a werewolf in Paedleigh.” Runir recalls, “Werewolves would let another werewolf in.”

Raoul thinks for a second, “I suppose so.”

“And there are plains between Toma and Paedleigh.” He runs his fingers along the map connecting the two cities

“Get to the point, Road Snacks.” Abarrane rolls her eyes.

“That’s not my name. They have to pass right by us to get those supplies to Paedleigh. It’s hard to feed an army-“

“Without food.” Ian and Raoul finish his sentence.

“Channin, Will, you two and myself could easily take out a supplies caravan.” Runir smiles, proud. He’s come up with a plan.

“What about me?” Abarrane tilts her head, “Amaryllis and I can be useful.” She is offended at the exclusion.

“I need you two to stay out of the fighting for now.” Runir says, “If something happens, we might need you to go back to Dragonspire.” He knows their chances of getting back into the capital city are slim, but every opportunity must be held.

“Runir, you’re brilliant.” Ian sighs, “This might just work.”

Will wakes up slowly, he stops himself before moving. Channin is asleep, curled into his side with her head on his shoulder. He doesn’t want to wake her. He brushes her hair out of her face. Clothes lie scattered on the floor and the fire is burning low. He sighs and decides to try to get up without waking her up.

He’s barely moved when she tightens her grip on him, she mumbles something in her half asleep state.

“The fire’s going out.” He says.

“I don’t care.” She says.

“That’s easy for you to say.” He gives up and lays back down, “You aren’t the one who will be put to death if someone finds us like this.”

“You’ll be put to death if they find us fully dressed.” She argues. Her joke hurts more than she expected and she rolls over. When Will finally climbs out of bed, she rolls back over, pulling the blankets tightly around her. He grabs his shirt off the floor and pulls it on.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Channin asks, stifling a yawn.

“Did you?” Will tilts his head. The sun light catches the blonde streaks in his hair.

She turns red, “That’s not- I heard you leave a bunch of times while I was out. You were looking for something, did you find it?”

“Oh.” He frowns, looking away. His mind is somewhere else. “It’s your horse. He ran off after you fell, we’ve all looked for him but he’s gone.”

Channin frowns a little and sits up, pulling the blanket with her, “I’ll help you look. He has to be somewhere.”

Will nods and picks up a few more pieces of wood for the fire. “Here.” He tosses her a bag, “Amaryllis brought this for you.”

“Clothes without blood.” She smiles, looking at the contents. A simple dark green dress with riding pants. The dress has long sleeves that fall off the shoulders and end in sliver lace. “You still going to check those traps?”

“Probably should.” She can feel his eyes on her as she stands up, pulling the dress over her head. She pulls the ribbon on the corset snug and wraps it around to the front of her waist and knots it, leaving a ribbon trail down her left leg.

“Oh shit.”

“What?” she spins around, startled.

He hesitates, just for a fraction of a second, but Channin picks up on it. “Nothing. Are you going to get dressed so we can go?”

She nods and pulls her hair over one shoulder. Looking down at the dress, she feels over dressed for the first time in months. She laces her boots and the two are off. Will leads Kaiser along with them. The first three traps are empty and the fourth has a rabbit.

“There’s a snow storm coming in.” Will says, studying the sky.

Channin nods, “I feel it too.” She looks up. Dark clouds are moving across the sky. If she were back in Dragonspire, she and Peytra would be lying in the garden, making shapes from them. She feels tears starting to burn her eyes so she looks back at the snow.

“Cold?” he steps up next to her.

Channin nods. She pushes thoughts of Dragonspire and Peytra aside, trying to focus on walking through the snow. Will sighs and turns Kaiser around, heading back towards the cabin. She is thankful for the promise of warmth.

“Channin?” Will winces, “We need to talk.”

“Do we need too?” she turns to face him. He is distressed, biting the inside of his cheek.

He nods, sliding his hand into the bag. He’s spent every day of the last two months looking at the compass, and he can’t keep it from her any longer. “There’s something you need to see.”

“Is there?” she raises an eyebrow. She doesn’t like where this is going and she desperately wants to escape the situation.

“I’m being serious.” He stops, putting his left hand on her shoulder to hold her still. He puts the compass in her hand.

She doesn’t need to turn it over to see the name and her face falls a little. “Where did you get this?” her voice is barely a whisper. It’s cold, the metal is scratched and developing spots.

“Do you remember the redcaps and that riverbed to the ruins?”

“You’ve had it that long?” Her heart sinks because she knows the answer already.

He nods painfully, “I wasn’t sure how to tell you.”

“Gee, I don’t know Will. Probably ‘hey, your friend is probably dead.’ Instead you opt for ‘Let’s have sex and then I’ll tell you about your dead friend.’” She throws the compass at him. She regrets throwing it. The last piece of Bowen she might have is in the snow.

“Channin, it isn’t like that.” He picks it up, brushing the snow off. She wants to take it back from him, but is too angry.

“Save your story.” She storms away, “I’m going to find Alloumera and I’m going back to Dragonspire.”

“Chan-“

She shifts and races into the forest. Her wolf is too fast for him to keep up with on foot so he continues back to the cabin and takes Kaiser. When they set out, the storm has already started, turning everything gray. Wind whips through the trees, sending up waves of snow.

He loses her tracks and Kaiser stops. He calls her name a few more times and continues forward.

A faint sound travels on the wind, her voice. “Channin?” he looks around and tries to pinpoint it. Kaiser must hear it to, because he flicks his ears and turns his head into the wind.

That’s the direction he decides to go. The closer to the cliffs he gets, the wind slows down. He’s now surrounded on three sides by high cliffs, creating a wind tunnel back towards the cabin. Kaiser moves to the edge of the cliff and under a rock outcrop. Will can now easily hear her voice. She’s talking to someone.

He quickly assembles a torch and lights it. At the back of the ledge is a cave leading down at an angle. “Channin?”

Her voice stops.

“Channin please.” Will sighs, he takes a cautious step into the cave and is hit by a wave of heat “You’re going to freeze to death out here.”

“I’m a wolf, Will.” She snaps, “And I would rather freeze to death out here than go back to the cabin with you.”

He stops, “I deserved that. But I’m not leaving without you.”

“See? What did I tell you? He’s like a dog.”

The path opens at the bottom so Will keeps moving, “I told you that I’m not going to let anything happen to you and I intend to keep that promise.”

He studies the walls of the cave. When it opens and he steps into the space, he can see Channin sitting on a rock. She rolls her eyes, “Hi, Will.”

“Channin, come on.”

A dark shadow moves behind her.

“I don’t think I will.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Do you hear that?” she looks over her shoulder, “I’m being ridiculous.”

“Who are you talking to?” he looks around the room.

Channin sighs, “You can come out. He’s an idiot, but he’s still a good person.”

His torch blows out and the edge of the room catches on fire, filling the whole room with bright light. A dragon. The size of a child’s horse, black with his wings folded against his side. Two rows of short, dull spines run down his back from the top of his head to the base of his tail, where they become a single row. His tail ends in a shape similar to a fishhook.

This is my first meeting with General Starker, and I will give him credit for what he is. He’s average height and build for someone who has spent the better part of a decade swinging a sword. He’s got gray eyes and brown hair that flips when he turns his head to one side, observing me.

“You found a dragon.” He sighs, “You run out into a snow storm and find a dragon. Only you, Channin Ozera.”

“You are an Ozera?” I ask, turning back to the blonde. Blonde hair and emerald eyes. I should have recognized the family traits.

“Lady Channin Ozera. The heir to the throne.” Will adds. She curtsies as she is introduced, a habit that is hard to break.

She nods, “I guess we are going to have to be careful with that name.”

“Yeah, we are.” Will answers, coldly. He is frustrated, probably at her flight through the forest.

“You’re the reason she’s out here in the first place, sir.” I don’t grace him with a look, “So your mother is Ioanna?” I turn back to Channin. She twists the ribbon from her dress around her hand. Channin nods. Her curly hair bounces with her movement

“You look more like your grandfather, the first Aleksander.”

Will sighs and rolls his eye, “Don’t listen to him, Channin. He isn’t any older than I am.”

“Since when do you know anything about dragons?” She raises an eyebrow. Audacious is the word I would use.

“For starters, he doesn’t have a full set of spikes yet. Not to mention, he’s smaller than Kaiser. A full-grown dragon could eat him.”

Channin glares at Will and looks back up to me, “Is that true?”

William is trying to undermine the quick friendship. He has a natural distrust for some things, and I am one of them.

“Do you have a name?” Channin asks, “Something we can call you?”

“Or are you too young for that?”

His comment prompts another growl. “I am Omega, the youngest son to Cleome, the last of my race, and the bringer of end times.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she curtsies again, “I’m Channin Ozera and this is General William Starker.” She introduces herself and him again out of respect.

“Former General.” He notes, “I doubt King Svetozar will renew that title anytime soon.”

“Probably true.” I agree. If what Channin has told me is even half true, it’s surprising the wanted posters aren’t circulating.

“It is.” William answers curtly, “Channin, we should be getting back.”

“Will, it’s a dragon. An actual dragon, the first story tellers. Think of all we could learn.” She grabs his hand, certainly a turn around.

“You learn.” He brushes off her hand and starts to leave. I block his path with my tail. He does not look back, but stays facing the entry.

“If you wish to take the kingdom, I might be able to help.”

This catches the General’s attention. Now he considers my usefulness.

“Some years ago, the King had an oracle visit from Loskayze. She told him that a dragon would be the downfall of his reign. For to this dragon, a child would come, a true heir that would overthrow the king and take his place on the throne.”

“That’s why he had the dragons killed.” William turns to face Channin.

We both study her face for any sign of shock. She seems to be taking it well.

“I’m terribly sorry,” She says after a moment, “I didn’t know.”

“We really should be getting back to the cabin, Channin.” Will repeats, “Raoul and Amaryllis will be there soon and start to worry.”

“Omega, what does that have to do with us taking over?” Channin moves back on topic and ignores William.

“There is a story with a moral.” I respond.

“Of course there’s a story.” Will scoffs and sits down.

“The country of Atra once had a wise king who had twelve sons. The 12th son did not inherit his father’s shapeshifting abilities, but rather was human like his mother. Knowing he would never be able to compete with his brothers for the throne, he threw himself into his studies. He mastered swordsmanship and arithmetic, hunting and literacy.

“When he learned all he could, he went to the king and asked if he could be an advisor. The king told him he still had a lot to learn. When asked what else there was, the king responded: “You must put yourself into another’s place. You must never ask a man to die for something you yourself would not die for. And you should only look into your neighbor’s field to make sure he has enough to last the winter.”

“With that knowledge, the young prince set out into the world. He settled disputes and spread the name of the good king. One day, a rider came with a letter. The king had been killed in a battle and the eldest son had come into power. This son was jealous of the favor their father paid the youngest brother and immediately set assassins after him.

“The young prince fled to the mountains and came across a small village. This village was ruled by a mystic who would go into the forest every new moon and return with predictions of the next month. This mystic took the young prince in without hesitation. He stayed in the village for several seasons and one night, the mystic asked him to go with her into the forest. The prince agreed and the two set out.

“After quite some time of walking, they came to a cave. Inside this cave, was the mystic’s source of knowledge. The Guardian dragon, Shura. Together, Shura and the mystic had taken care of the village for years, but their time was running low. While dragons are slow to age, humans are not. Shura had seen the death of the mystic and they needed to plan for when that time came.

“The prince refused to accept this and could not be swayed. He was determined to fight this fate. He set out again to find a way. He searched across the land and could not find anyone willing to help the enemy of the king. Finally, he decided to return to the village, only to find ashes where it once was. The king’s men had found where he had been hiding and when they wouldn’t give him away, their homes were burned.

“He discovered the mystic at the mouth of the cave, clutching the pendant of Shura. She had been dead for some time, killed trying to protect the dragon. Shura, however was nowhere to be found. The young prince took the mystic’s amulet as a reminder to himself of what he lost when he failed to heed his father’s lessons.”

“What happened to him?” Channin asks.

The response is always the same, “I don’t know. But I’m sure it’s just a story.”

“What he’s saying is that if you follow those rules, everyone lives. If you stray, they die.” Will stands back up. He understands the moral of the story in the most basic sense of the word.

“Stay fair, honest and generous.” I remind her.

“In other words,” Will grabs her hand, “Stay who you are. And don’t cheat fate.”

He seems to know what he is talking about. “Fate can only be postponed. What is meant to be, will eventually come to pass.”

Channin seems a little blown away at first but adjusts quickly, “I’m going to make this right.”

“How do you plan to do that?” I ask.

She thinks for a moment, “I’ll remove the bounty on Dragons.”

Will laughs, “You’re going to convince the King to remove it?”

“No. I’m going to kill him.”

We both laugh now; she’s not laughing with us. Her hand moves to her hip.

“Why is that funny?” she snaps.

“It’s not.” William stops, “But do you really think you-“

“If I challenge him, he has to fight me.” She interrupts, “My wolf against his bear. Will, I can do it.”

“And what if I don’t want to take that chance?” Will sighs, “Channin, I’ve almost lost you once. I can’t do it again.” He cares about her.

“Who says you’ll lose me?” Channin faces me, “Omega, what do you think?”

I look between them, knowing the answer. I turn away from the two of them, “I don’t know everything.”

Will moves, “Channin, let’s go and figure this out. I want you to do whatever you want to, but I want you to be certain it is what you want.”

“I just want him to pay. For what he’s done to the people of Laneyth and Omega’s family.”

“You know what that means. Right?”

She hesitates and nods, “That I’m ready to take back Laneyth.”

“It was created for an Ozera.” My eyes meet her emerald green ones, “Let’s give her a true one.”

They leave the cave. Channin promising that she will come back once they have found a place better than the cave.

Will pulls the compass from his pocket and offers it to her, “I am sorry.”

She forces a smile, “I understand. I think I knew it all along, but I didn’t want to face it.” She reaches for the compass and laughs a little, “You know, Isaac used to tell us that it would always point towards home.”

“Really?” Will holds it in front of him and watches the arrow spin for a second and settle pointing southeast, past Channin.

“Is it pointing to Loskayze?” Channin asks, spinning to follow the compass.

Will laughs, “I’m not from Loskayze, I was born in Atra.”

She frowns a little and takes the compass, “That explains it.” The arrow begins spinning and doesn’t stop, “It’s always stopped at Dragonspire.” She notes, “I don’t know what’s happening.”

Will shrugs and pulls himself onto Kaiser, he holds down his hand and helps Channin on. She watches the compass continue to spin as they ride through the snow back to the cabin.