Susana - Sins of the Mothers

Virginia stood on the manicured lawn of the estate. As the sun set she could hear the crickets in the forest start their nightly mating chirps. Somewhere a wood-dove called to its mate and she unconsciously held her breath, releasing it only when she heard the nearby reply. All of nature had its partner, and if things had gone well at the peace conference, she should have hers tonight. Wolf had attended another treaty conference with the Trolls. The three siblings shared the throne and bickered constantly. Treaties made with one would be quickly broken by the others. Meanwhile, their already decimated kingdom was falling into further misery and the hungry populace was growing more daring in its raids along the border. War was inevitable it seemed. Virginia was proud of her husband's efforts to avert bloodshed.

It had also had given him something to occupy himself with when his family saw the doctor. He desperately had wanted to go but Wolf had feared his half-wolf heritage would be easily detected if he was seen by a Tenth Kingdom physician. He and Virginia had hoped their children would have been "diluted" enough to avoid detection. She sighed aloud to herself. He would be disappointed that there was no help for their daughter.

She smiled to herself as she thought of her wild wolf and what a gentle and loving father he was. Even now he frequently left their bed in the depths of the night to check on their children. On Wolfie's first day of school he had hidden under the classroom window for the entire day to ensure his son was being treated properly and was happy. Every birthday was like a carnival event with a brass band, clowns and amusements, pony rides, even hot air balloon rides (courtesy of Grandpa Tony's Bouncy Castle and Balloon Factory). Virginia had to assume the disciplinarian role many times, most especially with their daughter 'Lambchop'. At her christening he had declared she would marry only a prince when she grew up. He had sheltered her and spoiled her and adored her from the moment her first saw her. Virginia had often wondered if Wolf had known something was not quite right about her from the start. With their son he had been equally delighted. But their relationship was more rough and tumble, more casual, and in many ways more comfortable.

Virginia had thought about this a lot recently. When Victoria was only a few days old she had come upon Wolf beside her cradle whining softly. He had not known Virginia was there as he spoke aloud to the tiny baby "What shall we do baby girl? How can we deny destiny? Oh my precious gift, I shall fight for you. I shall fight destiny itself if I must, I would die for you my angel. No evil will touch you as long as I live."

She had asked Wolf what he meant but he would not or could not say. When she had pursued it, he had become upset. She had come to accept that perhaps she did not want to know the answer to this secret.

She heard him before she saw him. His howl of happiness rang from the road into the forest. She ran to him. Her long skirts which she wore, in deference to customs here, flapped around her heels. He jumped from his horse to the ground, catching her as she flung herself into his arms. She buried herself in his arms, inhaling the scent of the road, the forest, and him. He held her close, then looking into her eyes he traced the corner of their swollen lids with his thumb and said softly, "What's wrong with our Lambchop?"

They walked together slowly, arm-in-arm toward the lodge, "Oh Wolf they don't know, but they do know the children are wolfies," Virginia said wearily.

"Cripes! That's not good. How is our baby girl?" He hesitated a little, growled softly and continued, "Did anyone hurt her? Did they scare her? If they did I'll rip..."

Virginia cut in, laying a calming hand upon his. "We got out too quick for any of that - she's fine."

"Oh well," Wolf sighed, "So no New York for a while. I don't like it for the cubs anyway. Too dirty, too dangerous. So we wait a few years. Seems like a good idea."

"Papiiiii!" Silvio's screams of joy echoed off the trees as he bounded into his father, catching him in a wild embrace. As they mock-battled, Virginia tried once again to understand this ritual of chasing and batting, howling,- even growling - which always ended in hugs and head rubbing.

"Wolfie, you are getting so big, what have you been eating? Shepherdess pie?"

Wolfie made a face of mock-disgust. "Aw Papi, that is sick."

Wolf turned to Virginia and shrugged. "Well so much for family tradition."

Virginia laughed and said "Come on boys, let's see what cook has slaughtered for supper tonight." She smiled, but secretly worried. A little blonde wolf was missing Papi's homecoming and that was not like her at all.