Tales of the Big Bad Wolf: The Red Riding Hood Arc (A Fairy Tale)

Chapter 33, Part A: Monsters in Our Midst

Monsters in Our Midst

     In the dark blue sky you keep,

   And often through my curtains peep,

   For you never shut your eye,

   'Till the sun is in the sky.

The last day of light would start with the absence of birds.

The guildmaster waited for daylight to confirm that all signs of life had departed from this place.   He had known for weeks now that Winchester was unusually empty of wildlife, save the animals the townspeople raised for themselves.  But now he knew that it had been completely abandoned.

He returned from his walk about the grounds, his feet heavy as he wandered to the library.  He did not wish he had to seek their counsel. He fought against the idea of being dependent on the Wolframs to any degree, just as he fought against accepting the secret they revealed a few days prior.  He had no love for either magic or for wolves, and he had learned how they embodied both.    

When he came upon them, he found he lady tying back her lord’s hair.  This small, intimate gesture was so very human, that he could see why he had been fooled by them this entire time. But when they turned their gazes upon him, Wilhelm hardened his heart against them.  He was direct and to the point. “The watch has confirmed the departure of a great many birds.  Unlike past years they appeared to be migrating west.”

The Count acknowledged this information with an incline of his head. “You are the expert in animal behavior. What do you believe it means?”

“Birds migrate for various reasons. Perhaps to feed or spawn.”

‘Or observe,” Lady Selva spoke up. “Some kinds are known to keep watch for others.”

Wilhelm shifted back and forth on his feet unsettled by the idea that even the birds might not be what they seemed.  Again, he hardened his heart, not willing to be distracted by some of these ideas. “They could be leaving this area for their own safety.”

“It is a shame that they do not speak,” the Count reached for his cane.  “But I do agree with you in that it is not a good omen. The worst case should always be kept in mind while we drill and prepare."  The lord paused for a moment.  "Your men have done quite well, so Marrok has said.”

The guildmaster was relieved to hear the lord agreed with his concern.  He accepted the praise, not telling the lord that he deliberately held back men from duty who were unreliable or particularly frightened of the man-wolves that hosted them.  They were assigned to guard or assist the townspeople, many of whom would be unable to defend themselves if there were trouble.

Their conversation focused on these practical topics. In due course, there was little else to say.  Wilhelm thought to dismiss himself, but the lady spoke suddenly.  “We are very grateful to you for teaching us how to improve our defenses.”

He bowed his head.  He had been terribly bothered by the arrangement of the estate. Now that he understood what the Wolframs were, some of the deficiencies made more sense to him.  “We aren't the same in how we fight, nor do we have any gifts of magic to offer. I hope our assistance will prove useful at the end against whatever other creatures might be out there.”

Wilhelm’s words came out more harshly than he intended.   In spite of his uneasiness around them, he knew these Wolframs were not bad souls.  But their self-proclaimed existence suggested the possibility that other creatures of myths and lore might also be wandering this land.   He was not naive enough to believe that they, too, might be inclined to be friendly.