Wolves Bane

Where Did They Go?

 The fog around us slowly started to subside, the last thing we saw was my mother suddenly grab at her belly and speed toward home. I looked up at Dýr with even more questions, but only one seemed to scream above all the rest: Was she pregnant with me in this vision?

"She went into labor right after she traded for some thread, meat, vegetables, and a couple of exquisite drawings. And if I may add, didn't the man trading the drawings look familiar to you?"

I started to think, those golden eyes and brown curly hair were very familiar. Something about his voice as well. And the kid, I swear his eyes were...crimson...

"Was that...Fáel...was he the man who traded my mom those drawings?"

"Indeed it was. Fáel had taken little Fáelán out to witness the wonders of trading rather than talk to his animal companions."

"So he did know her..."

"Only for that short period of time. After that, he never saw them again."

I hummed softly, but seeing them made me feel a bit happier. And knowing that they're still alive and out there somewhere filled me with hope and the dream that I will someday find them and meet them. I looked up at Dýr and wondered if he knew why they vanished or why they disappeared without telling anyone or leaving any trace of where they disappeared to. He tilted his head as we left the abandoned village.

"Do...do you know where they disappeared to or why they left?"

"The answer to your first question is yes, I do know where they are. But your second, I sadly do not know why. When I heard that they disappeared and left you behind, I knew where they were heading, but why they never returned...It always haunted me."

I sniffled softly, did they abandon me because they didn't have the supplies to take proper care of me? They had both Elena and William in the village, did they not know I was born? No, of course they knew. William was the one who found me in my home and immediately took me to Elena. So they did have the support but was there another reason? Was anyone else aware of my birth?

"Dýr, do you think you can tell me where they went? I want to find them."

"I suppose I could, but I don't want you to go alone. Let me at least help you. Before you were born, your father and William begged me to not take you and your mother."

"What do you mean...?"

"When Winnifred found out she was pregnant with you, she fell deathly ill. I would watch over you and her, my heart was breaking, seeing the poor thing suffer. But your father gave me an offer. To spare you and Winnifred for only seven of Charon's Obols."

"Charon's Obols? What are those?"

"They are small bronze or copper coins, used as the fee to pay the fee to cross the river styx. I only do that for mortals. They are placed in the motherhood of the dead for the soul to bring. If they do not pay the fee, they remain here as spirits."

 I nodded and hummed softly. Dýr shifted his posture as we walked, like he was uncomfortable with the topic. Our walk was mostly silent, I was dwelling on the thoughts of my parents. Mostly on why they would leave me behind. Could where they were going be a dangerous road to travel upon?

"I still see you have many questions. Some I sadly do not have the answer, but that does not mean I won't help you on your journey."

"I appreciate it, Dýr. Do you think your brothers will aid us?"

"We can always ask, but I highly recommend that we keep this little journey and conversation between us. I'm not quite sure how they would react to such news or such a journey. But in the meantime, pack some clothes, food and bottles of anything to drink. I will wait for you at Fáel's old cabin."

I nodded and we both made our way back to my old village. I walked up the path through the wheat field and before I entered my home, I glanced over to William's workshop. Hearing no wood being carved, stone broken and seeing no smoke rise from the chimney made me miss him more and more, like a part of me was taken away. Afterall, he did help Elena raise me after my parents disappeared. I wonder how he would've reacted to hearing my parents were still alive? Would he have come with me on the journey to find them? I sighed and entered my house, grabbing a wicker basket. I filled it with some clothes, fruits, vegetables, and some bread. I then wandered to the back of my house and lifted a small hatch. There sat six bottles of milk with a little note.

'I hope they're still ice cold -Ulf'

I giggled and grabbed the bottles, feeling that the glass was ice cold. I saw some engraving on the glass and immediately thought that they had some sort of enchantment that would keep them ice cold. Ulf was the guardian of nature after all, maybe he could somehow make a spell for something like that. As I finished packing, I started to leave and head to Fáel's old cabin. Thinking back to the first night I had met him, I giggled and smiled. I didn't know it then, but I was going to meet a real guardian from stories of old. As I walked, I saw the skeletal paw of Dýr.

"Hello little lady, are you ready to set off?"

"I'm quite nervous but yes, I'm ready."

The great wolf then lowered himself so his ribcage was close to the ground. I looked to him for reassurance and he nodded his head. I climbed up in the first rib and made my way up, climbing onto his back holding on to the soft stark white and coarse ink black fur. When I made it to his back, I settled my basket next to me on a space between two stark white patches. They almost resembled his spine. Once he made sure I was settled, we started our journey out of the forest and to my parents.