The BlackWolf Effect (Book IV)

CHAPTER TWENTY - The Merlin Emerald

With the strong exception of Sarah Beth, life in Haven slowly became normal to Timber after living in the castle for two months. It was almost the same routine that Timber had in Fort Bragg with the exception of Sunday Dinners in the Great Hall. There was also no supermarket for Timber to buy groceries. Instead, she went to the little grocery market in town to get most of her food but to get meats and baked goods, she had to go to the butcher shop and the bakery. There was also a seamstress shop and a florist nearby. Scattered around the central part of the city were several clothing shops, a weaver shop, a post office, a beauty salon, and a tiny cosmetics shop. Timber had even discovered a small saloon by the blacksmiths. Timber learned that all of the shops were owned by the people who ran them. Timber liked that.

Timber also learned that the residents of Haven who lived in small villages outside the gates had a general store in their areas for supplies. Lord Frost certainly saw to it that the lives of those he cared for were as normal as possible.

Despite living in a slightly normal city that had nearly everything else, there was no laundry mat. Instead, there was a wash circle at the fountain in the central square for the people who did not have washers and dryers in their homes. According to Lord Avanti, it was to encourage social interaction. While Timber had the washer and dryer she had brought from Fort Bragg, she enjoyed going to the wash circle to visit with the other mothers and caregivers.

The first morning was a surprise for everyone when Timber joined them with her wicker basket full of clothing and Renegade riding along happily in the large pocket of the apron that covered the skirt of her green wool dress. Even more of a surprise to everyone was that Timber could already wash clothes by hand. They had expected her to be awkward and ask many questions because her manners and posture suggested to them that she was a lady of good breeding, as they said. According to several people, it was unheard of for a Lady to do her own wash, let alone do it by hand while sitting on the snow-covered stone. It was customary for Lords and Ladies to have a servant do it. After a few weeks, seeing Timber by the wash well had become normal and Timber found that she rather enjoyed the company of other nonhuman or half-human mothers though Timber knew they would never replace the friends she left in Fort Bragg.

Timber found a way to cope with the absence of her best friends by writing to them about her days and sending them photos of Renegade weekly. She would also receive letters from her friends and Aunt Grace every week as well as more detailed letters from Emily about her wedding plans. Emily's letters always included photos cut from magazines so that Timber could see Emily's ideas. She would also find pictures in each envelope of Fort Bragg or Xianna and Ashley's growing bellies. She always made sure to show the pictures to Renegade so he knew his family and where his parents came from.

Most of her time was spent cleaning and cooking as it was before but now she was caring for Renegade and teaching him basic survival skills, though, it was currently all a game to him, and his favorite prey when hunting was Timber's tail. He also enjoyed attacking the feet of anyone who came into the suite, though it was usually one of the Highers or Queen Aiyanna. None of them minded because, according to Lord Frost, they had gone through the same thing with Timber.

Henry had also officially taken over combat training so Lord Avanti could focus on the more important tasks he had to do. On his first day on the job, a cocky teenager openly mocked Henry in front of the class, announcing that he was pitiful and weak and had no idea what he was doing. Henry's very appearance gave strangers a warning that he was not someone to cross. His large muscles, leather jackets, and multiple tattoos were usually enough to intimidate certain people. The teenager called him several offensive names.

Henry had simply smiled, took out his sword, and sliced through a tightly woven roll of bamboo with one light swing. The teenager crossed his arms and told him he got lucky. Unsure how their new teacher would react, the class backed away. When Henry warned him that his wolf form was larger and more powerful than his human form, the boy laughed. So Henry transformed into his large wolf and let out a powerful growl. The teenager had to excuse himself from class to change his pants. Henry had no further problems with anyone.