The Wolf Queen

CHANNIN ERASES THE LINE for the fourth time and gives up on the sketch of the flower. She paces around the room and begins to move things a few inches at a time, ultimately putting them back where they started.

“Are you alright, My Lady?” Amaryllis asks, looking up from her cooking.

Channin sighs, “I don’t know. Something isn’t right, but I don’t know what.”

“How about some tea to calm your nerves?” the human lifts the tea pot onto the table.

Channin frowns, “No, thank you.”

Amaryllis raises an eyebrow at her, “Does anything sound good?”

She thinks for a minute and shakes her head.

“My Lady, is there a chance you might be with child?”

“No.” Channin answers quickly. Then she rethinks it, “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Amaryllis pours herself a cup of tea, “Perhaps you should talk with General William.”

Channin stands up without another word and retreats to her room. Hours pass. William, Raoul and Ian return, looking forlorn. They go to their own rooms, Will stays in the dining room.

“What is the matter?” I look up from my place by the fire.

He runs his hand over the table, “While we were out, something happened.” He slides into his chair, “The Sister Cities have fallen.”

“You should tell Channin.” I feel his pain. Concern, not only for the citizens, but their friends as well. He nods and stands up, he hesitates at the bottom of the stairs and continues up them.

“Channin?” he knocks first, and nudges the door open.

She’s standing at the window, holding her side.

“You should be resting.” He says quietly.

She shakes her head, “I can’t. I’ve tried sleeping.”

“It’s Peytra. Isn’t it?” He sits on the bed, she joins him. He understands the harsh combination of betrayal and loss.

Channin shrugs, “We are sisters. She jumped to defend the King. She is willing to die for him to remain in power. Doesn’t she see the damage he’s done?”

“It doesn’t stop there.” Will winces.

“What do you mean?”

“This came today.” He slides the envelope across the bed.

She stares at it for a moment and closes her eyes. “What does it say?”

“The Sister Cities were attacked.” He sighs, “It’s from Helge, they were in Ombu.”

“Runir and Abarrane?”

“Ian says she’s alive, he can still feel her soul.”

Channin is silent, “This is my fault. He’s looking for me.”

“No, Channin. Don’t blame yourself.” He grabs her hand, “It isn’t your fault.”

She sighs and looks out the window, “I don’t see how it isn’t.” She tenses up, watching something. Will moves to follow her gaze to the tree line.

A small figure stands there, pale hair and a purple dress riding a large gray horse.

“Abarrane?” Channin leaps up and races down the stairs. She is met at the fence by the Vampire, and the citizens of the Sister Cities. It’s clear that their numbers and morale are low, but they made it out.

“Channin, I did it.” Abarrane is shaking. She’s been through a lot in the last day.

“Abarrane, where’s Runir?” Will asks.

The Vampire trembles, “He stayed. We wouldn’t have gotten out if it weren’t for him.”

Channin’s heart sinks. Runir is gone. He stayed in the city as a diversion. The Elf with the contagious laugh and big heart was, in the end, no more than a distraction. Channin had seen Able in action and knew Runir was no match for him.

Will puts his arm around Channin, “You did marvelous, Abarrane.”

Channin just blankly stares at all the people.

“Say something.” Will nudges her.

“Like?”

“What comes to mind?”

She stands on the top step of the porch and looks down. Two small handprints on the stone.

“Everyone, listen.” She says, “I know that there are no words to express what you went through. Your cities were burnt, your families slaughtered and your hard work crushed. Svetozar has taken everything from you.”

“Wrong way.” Will mumbles.

No one says anything. The survivors stand, huddled together.

“Let me try.” Will leaps over the railing, on the same level as the refugees, “People of the Sister Cities. Orcs, Dwarves, and Humans. You defied the King by uniting together. You built your city where it could not be corrupted and you proved that the races can live in peace. You carved a city into the mountain side, because he said it could not be done. You were the first to stand against the puppet king and you will not be the last. He cannot take your spirit, he cannot take your willpower, and he cannot take your courage. Will we stand for what he has done here?”

A muffled ‘no’ responds.

“Will we allow him to think he has won?”

A slightly louder and firm ‘no’.

“What are we going to do about it? We will fight. We will rise from the ashes. Rebirth is coming. To whom does Laneyth belong? Who created it?”

William is now standing in the center of the crowd. The Ozera name ripples through the air.

“And who will take it back?”

The name becomes a chant. Will weaves his way back to Channin, he grabs her hand and holds it up, “Let us give Laneyth her true Queen.”

Cheers erupt now. The people of the Sister Cities united.

Will pulls Channin in for a kiss and more cheers.

“It’ll come with time.” He says, “You did this.”

“You gave the speech.” She mumbles.

He shrugs, “Words don’t mean much if there isn’t something solid to stand behind. These people will support the true heir. An Ozera will be remembered. In the end, I’m only some guy on the battlefield.”

Ian pushes past them to tackle Abarrane. Raoul stands behind them.

“Where’s the kid?”

Will shakes his head and looks down. The uncertainty of Runir’s fate is more terrifying than anything.

“There’s something I need to talk to you about. Not in front of all these people though.” Channin takes his hand.