Debra L. Rollins - Revenge For the Huntsman

Trumpets sounded merrily as honored guests of the wedding party began arriving before the ceremony. As each guest was announced and led into the grand ballroom they were met with stunning decorations set up in an incredibly short time by King Wendell’s staff of household servants. Glorious blues of every hue were highlighted with silver sparkles in every nook and cranny. Mixing with the official green of the Fourth Kingdom, the massive room took on a cool, soothing air, relaxing all that entered. Smells of the sumptuous wedding feast to come tantalized all, except for the very one that should have been tempted most.

Wolf worried a furrow into the plush carpeting of his quarters. Quarters that were nothing like the dungeons in which he spent his time during his last visit to Castle White. This was to be his and Virginia’s honeymoon suite.

Heart covered silks and satins decorated everything in the room, including a lovely, huge heart-shaped bed reminding him of Kissingtown. He tried hard not to stare at the bed while Tony was in the room, but was unable to contain himself. All he could think of was his creamy-skinned bride laying there, beckoning seductively to him. His eyes darted frantically for another point of focus but couldn’t find one.

“Cripes!”

“What’s the matter, Wolf?” smirked Tony at his soon to be son-in-law’s obvious discomfort. He understood Wolf’s problem all to well and wouldn’t cut him a bit of slack…even for a minute. He was having too much fun. “Collar too tight?”

“No, it’s fine…fine.” He scratched his temple in frustration and nervousness. “It’s just that, well…do you think she’ll really marry me? Do you think she’ll go through with it?”

“Wolf. Son…” Tony laid his hands on Wolf’s shoulders, shaking him slightly. “You have nothing to worry about. My daughter loves you very much. I have faith in that and so should you.”

A loud rap on the door signaled that it was time for them to make their appearance.

“Go on,” smiled Tony fondly. “You’ll do fine.”

“Do I look too fat in this dress, Grandmother? I’m positive it didn’t fit quite this tightly last week.”

Virginia twisted and turned between the tri-fold mirrors set up in the large alcove turned into a makeshift bridal room for Virginia to prepare herself. Her maid frowned a bit. It did seem a smidgen snug, but not so bad that the petite bride would be unable to wear the gown once more. It was just as perfect for the young woman now as it was the last royal ball. Although the maid had tried to talk Virginia into wearing a different gown, she had held fast to the blue turquoise she had fallen in love with. The important thing was that Wolf had never seen her in the beautiful gown and somehow the dress seemed perfect as a wedding dress. “Well, Grandmother…what do you think?”

“I think you look just as beautiful as your mother did at her age, Virginer, and not fat at all. Just remember, it’s natural that you waistline thickens as your pregnancy progresses. Your body is making room for your baby, that’s all.”

Virginia smiled, pleased that Marjorie had likened her to Christine. That was indeed an honor coming from her grandmother.

“Thank you, Grandmother. I…I’m so glad you're here. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“Just as long as you remember, Dear,” Marjorie smiled teary eyed into her granddaughters own, “As soon as we get back to New York, I can proceed with your wedding plans there. Two weddings are a bit unusual for someone from my era, but in this case…well, I think it’s just right.”

“I couldn’t agree more, Grandmother,” Virginia smiled.

From outside, a rap heralded Tony’s arrival for his daughter’s arm. Marjorie was settled in her seat of honor up in front of the grand ballroom between Derk the Dangerous and a very pampered pooch named Prince. Unusual, she thought, but then again, what wasn’t here in this strange dimension.

She turned to the old councilor, meaning to remark on the dog when…he winked at her!

“Well! Of all the gall!” she sniffed haughtily. She stiffened her backbone and proceeded to ignore him. How dare he be so bold! New York City was beginning to look a lot safer from her point of view.

As soon as all guests were settled, the orchestra began the wedding march. Not the one Virginia and her family were so familiar with; no…Virginia walked down the long isle to the lovely melody Wolf had composed for her while in Kissingtown. It had seemed fitting to use the piece and Wolf had been very pleased that she had asked it to be played.

Everyone oohed and aahed appropriately as she and her dad walked toward the podium where King Wendell and Wolf stood waiting for the bride.

“Poor Wolf,” she whispered to her dad worriedly, “He looks like he’s about to jump out of his skin. Do you think he’ll actually go through with it?”

Tony gazed down at his daughter. She had blossomed into a lovely woman. One who was strong within herself and for others as well. The child growing inside her would have a strong, self-sustaining mother to teach him well and love him until the day she died. He smiled knowingly to himself. Wolf loved her; she had no reason to worry and never would.

“Something tells me he’s been waiting for this day since before he was born. Don’t worry Virginia. He needs you more than you’ll ever know.”

Virginia grinned at her dad, then returned her gaze to the handsome half-wolf awaiting her at the end of the isle. Wolf extended his hand, enfolding her own smaller one within its warmth as she stepped up to meet him before the podium.

“You look succulent, Virginia,” he whispered in her ear, out of range of King Wendell and the others. “Remind me to remind you of that again once we’re alone.”

She squeezed his hand in the affirmative and then they turned to King Wendell as the ceremony began.

The room was still. Too still for Burly’s liking. He could even hear the melodious tones of the wedding ceremony taking place from the other end of Castle White. He had decided to skip all the fanfare of Virginia and Wolf’s wedding even though his siblings, Derk and Bork had attended. His heart was not into celebrations and feasts. It wouldn’t be while he was uncertain of Cierce’s fate.

He stood frozen at the threshold of the chamber that the former wolf was transferred to after they had arrived at Wendell’s castle. The physician had said only time would tell if Cierce would survive. That she’d lived through the operation was a good sign, but nothing was definite yet. She had been stable enough to move from Little Lamb Village to Castle White a few days prior and since then had been sedated and allowed no visitors except for the doctor and a young apprentice that assisted him.

A slight sound from the room beyond set his feet in motion. He moved from the anti-chamber to the private quarters within, hurrying as a low moan met his ears. A large canopy bed in cool, blue satin, reminded him of Cierce’s own frosty stares in times of her anger. He smiled to himself at the thought. It was he who was usually on the receiving end of those cold glances. Little did he realize at the time how much he would miss them.

Cierce lay, a slight form under the sheets, as still as death. If not for an occasional muffled whimper, he would have believed her dead. He breathed a sigh of relief as he watched her chest rise and fall. She would live…she had to, he assured himself. He had so much to tell her…so much to ask. He would not let her slip away…not after all they had been through together.

He gazed over at her lovely face, half-hidden by her silver locks. Tempted, he reached over and brushed them gently onto the pillow. The tresses were as soft and vibrant as their owner was, he thought. If only she would open her eyes, gain consciousness, he could tell her thus. Tears formed in his eyes and leaked out. He sniffed loudly, wiping them away. He had always been too sensitive for a Troll. Perhaps he was better off as a human. Relish had always tried to toughen him up more when he was a youngster and he did try for the Troll King’s sake, but he always fell short of Relish’s expectations. He hung his head, still holding onto Cierce’s long hair, worrying the tendrils.

“Burly, you’re nothing but a failure…what’s to become of you now?” he asked himself miserably.

“You’re going to hold me and tell me that you love me again, Burly Troll,” a weak voice beside him said.

Burly’s head came up so fast that he made himself dizzy. He closed his eyes and shook his head to clear it, then looked again.

“Cierce?” he asked hopefully.

“Of course, you oaf. Who else would it be?”

Burly grinned. Now that sounded like the Cierce of old.

“How do you feel?”

“Horrid,” she replied, a grimace crossing her face as she tried to twist in a more comfortable position. She opened her eyes, tried to focus on her surroundings then glanced at Burly, with a questioning look on her face.

“You’re at Castle White. We brought you here after your operation from your fall over the cliffs.”

“My mistress is dead!” She exclaimed, beginning to remember bit and pieces. “Then why are we not changed back?”

Burly swallowed hard. He knew this had to be said at some point if she survived. There was no other way about it, he would just tell her the truth.

“In order to save you life, we had a magic wishing well turn you into a human so King Wendell’s doctor could operate. I was turned back into a human by mistake as well.”

“How long will I be this way?”

Burly didn’t want to meet her eyes, but was compelled to do so anyway. They appeared huge and luminous from her illness. Already he could see that she had guessed at the truth but needed confirmation just the same.

“Forever. Both of us…forever.”

“Oh…”

“I’m sorry,” he began, trying to explain. “I know how important it was for you to be free and run with a pack once more. Now you will never be able to do that again.”

“It’s okay, Burly…I just want to be with you.”

“You must hate me for allowing them to…” He stopped as he realized what she just said. “What did you say?”

“I said…” She reached out her hand to him and he took it gently, “I want to be with you. I’ll miss being a wolf…I guess that’s only natural. I was born a wolf and a part of me will always be one no matter what I look like. What about you? Will you miss being a Troll?” He thought about it for a moment.

“Sure…I guess I will at first. But I think if I have a certain little vixen by me, I’ll survive. I’ve done so for over a week now haven’t I?” He grinned.

She smiled back wearily as the physician’s assistant knocked, then entered the room. A young man not much older than Cierce, he checked her stitches, changed her bandages and asked her how she felt. After dispensing a foul-smelling dose of medicine into a small cup, making sure she drank it all down, he left them alone once more.

She wiped at her mouth, making a face.

“This human medicine is most horrid tasting. I hope I get well soon. I don’t believe…” she glanced up at Burly, catching the look of genuine pleasure on his face. “What’s the matter?”

“Your pheromones are gone!”

“What?”

“The scent that attracted males to you…it’s not there anymore. I didn’t realize it until the apprentice left. He wasn’t affected.” Burly took a deep breath. “Neither am I! Turning into a true human must have wiped out the pheromones too!”

“Oh…” She looked downcast. “Does that mean you don’t find me attractive anymore either? If you don’t want me…”

Burly laughed aloud. Then stopped and gathered her carefully in his arms as he saw a lone teardrop fall onto her bodice.

“Of course I want you! In fact, I want you more than ever. This just proves to me that I’ve always wanted you for you…not by trickery of nature or Madam Tatler. You are mine, my little wolf. Happily ever after.”

“Just how long is this “happily ever after” anyway?” She smiled back, lifting her lips to his.

“As long as it takes, my sweet…as long as it takes,” Burly answered, meeting her lips halfway.

It was a beautiful ceremony. Wolf and Virginia exchanged their vows before their good friends and loved ones. As King Wendell proclaimed them husband and wife, the ballroom exploded in an uproar of cheers and good-wishes as the beaming couple turned and waved to their guests.

As all quieted, Tony raised his glass to the couple and toasted them, “To my lovely daughter, Virginia. Never before have I seen you as beautiful as you are this minute. I know your mother is watching and thinking the very same thing. She would be proud, honey…I feel it in my heart.”

Virginia gazed at her father lovingly, wiping a tear from her eye at the mention of her mother. That meant the world to her.

“And to you, Wolf,” he resumed. “I can leave my daughter in your capable hands in the knowledge that she will always be loved, cherished and treated with the respect she deserves.”

Wolf smiled back fondly at Tony and squeezed his wife’s shoulders protectively. No doubt of that!

“Well, If no one has anything else to say,” Tony rubbed his hand together. “Then let us adjourn to the banquet hall and…”

“Wait!”

The crowd turned, a slight murmur erupted as King Wendell interrupted the mass exodus to the after wedding festivities.

“Wolf…Virginia,” he began, a secretive smile on his face. “I have a special wedding present for you both. I have uncovered something extraordinary that should make you believe in what we here in the Nine Kingdoms call “destiny”.”

“What do you mean, destiny?” she questioned.

“Yeah, what do you mean, Wendy?” Wolf repeated, scratching his temple.

“It’s an age old story that has only recently been uncovered in an old volume in the library. I was curious about your gown, Virginia. I felt sure I had seen it once before…not on you, but on another a long time ago…from my childhood. So I had your maid show me where she had found your gown and as I suspected, she led me to my old nursery. It’s been years since I left those apartments. Not good memories, I assure you. The evil queen was at that time my nursemaid. Do you remember my explaining this?”

Virginia nodded, entranced by his story.

“The nursery was as I had remembered it, only smaller of course. It held eerie feelings for me but I pushed on anyway to the quarters of the Lady Christine, as she was known as at that time. I had dared to enter there only once before as a young lad, full of curiosity, I suppose. Even as a grown man in my own castle, as I stepped over the threshold, I could still feel her presence even after all these years. I’ll not be too proud to admit that I was a bit scared. We all have felt my stepmother’s wrath at some point in time.”

The crowd looked at each other and nodded in agreement. No one had liked or trusted the evil queen after she had shown her true colors upon the death of her husband.

“I felt what I searched for was in your mother’s rooms. At first I saw only her portrait as a younger woman. I went to leave, thinking myself crazy for following an elusive memory from my childhood, when I saw it in the reflection of a mirror.”

“What?” asked Virginia captivated with his story.

“Yeah, what?” Wolf repeated.

“Another portrait…the one from my childhood memory. A portrait of a beautiful, young woman of centuries past that donned the very gown you now wear, Virginia. The woman was very familiar, Virginia, which may be why I felt compelled to enter your world when the Trolls were after me…why I felt safe with you and your father. That beautiful, young woman in the portrait?” Wendell pulled open a curtained wall, revealing the very portrait of which he spoke. All in the room gasped in shock.

“It’s you, Virginia,” he finished. “Nearly five hundred years ago.”