The King & the Stable Boy

XLI: The Orphanage

Noah

"Welcome, Your Majesties," the kids chorused, unevenly, with many starts and finishes but still adorably.

"Thank you, all," William says.

"Yes, thank you." I smile at the assembly of children. How anyone could part with such sweet looking faces, I would never know.

We are lead into the main room where little eyes peer at us expectantly, no one moving a muscle except for a small shifted pup who looked at me curiously.

I flash my wolf eyes at the pup, watching as they get into an offensive stance, growling lightly at me. The small pup begins tugging on my pant leg and I laugh, lifting them off the ground, tickling their belly.

Slowly a few more of the young ones gather around me. They seem less apprehensive at our presence. This is a relief. Once you get past titles, you realize we aren't as big and bad as one might expect. However, I understand the necessity of this image. It keeps us safe, but I dislike the way children look at us as if we are some god among men.

"Could you tell us a story?" one of them questions.

"Of course, sweetheart. Which tale would you like to hear?" I ask.

"How did you and King William meet?" another voice rings out.

The rest of the children chorused their interest. I look towards William, and he gives me a short shrug, motioning for me to go on and begin our tale first.

"Once upon a time, in a not so far off island, a wolf shifter was born to a loving mother and father, who had to pay off a centuries old debt." I look around at the circle around us, noting the way these children seem to hook onto each and every word. "He had two older brothers, who worked in the kitchen and always had a way of getting into trouble. His mother, fearing that he would be as much of a handful as her elder sons, sent him to work in the stables."

"That's where he met Queen Natasha!" a little boy interjects before I can go any further.

I smile at him, ruffling his hair, continuing. "Yes. Queen Natasha was in search of a child who could grow around her horses and be her personal stable hand. She chose young Noah, and grew a liking to him, taking him under her wing, treating him as if she was her own son."

"Crown Prince William and he grew up alongside each other. The young prince often found dragging the stable hand around with him to keep him entertained or to tease him," William adds, to which I laugh at, nodding.

"Years passed and Noah is coming of age. He has witnessed, the now crowned, King William's misfortune for not finding his mate, as he is five years his elder. So before the hour of his birth is upon him, he goes to Aphrodite's temple and prays to be fortunate enough to find his mate sooner than later. On his way returning to the castle, he decides to take a rest for a moment, just behind the waterfall." I can see the confusion on the little pups faces, a few of them whispering to their friends asking if they understood my hiding.

"This night, King William returns from hunting with his friends in the court. He stops in his tracks as he catches the best scent he's ever smelt. He knows instantly that it's his mate, but the scent is distant, and his friends advise him to go searching the next morning."

"Noah is relieved hearing their retreating footsteps. A few terrible laws had Noah scared for rejection and banishment," I explain. "He runs to a witch in the city who gives him a few options to disguise his scent. The fearful stable boy spends months hiding from his mate right under his nose. He knows not of his fate for stepping forward, fearing punishment or worse for being mated to our king."