Macster - The Last Dragon

Six: Faerie Magic

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And what a mission it was turning out to be! On the one hand, when he had decided to accompany Virginia and Wolf on their journey to the Sixth Kingdom and beyond, Colin had known it would be dangerous and trying, and he had even relished it as a chance to escape the boredom and nonentity of his life. But on the other hand, he had not counted on such developments as had occurred--not only their unexpected capture by soldiers of the House of Red and imprisonment in the queen's dungeons, but the abduction of the queen from her own palace!

His thoughts trailed back over the tense, nerve-wracking escape the three of them and their prisoner had made from Incarnadine, what seemed but a few short hours ago but was in fact two days. Following Carmine's hurried exchange of nightclothes for riding clothes, the three of them had escorted her none too gently down the halls and stairwells of the palace. Not until they achieved the third floor did they encounter any resistance, so that their uncertainty and worry were keyed at a fever pitch when the first soldier spied them. Wolf had not even given the man a chance to sound the alarm, leaping forward to slash his throat from ear to ear, and the guard had collapsed in a gurgle of blood.

Several more soldiers had been felled in a similar manner before they had met a contingent of sentries too numerous to attack. At that point Wolf had changed tactics, menacing Red Riding Hood's throat instead with the knife as he dragged her along the corridor. Weapons bristling, the guards had only been able to stand by helplessly as Virginia and the Piper had followed, disappearing backwards down another staircase.

In the early morning hours just before dawn the company had passed through the deserted throne room and the vast royal kitchens, startling a sleepy cook just stoking up the fires on the massive hearths and rolling out bread dough for the morning meal. Then they had slipped out the servants' entrance and crossed the courtyard to the stables. There a frightened ostler had been compelled to procure and outfit four saddle horses with tack and provisions for the journey west. It was at this point that the scarf and curtain ties had been traded for ropes.

Once outside the palace, it had been relatively easy to trot through the city streets to the western gate, and beyond the wall they had burst into a gallop, much to the queen's annoyance. But before they had even cleared the first hill, they had heard the raucous clanging of a bell somewhere in Incarnadine and the roar of angry voices as the garrison began to gather for pursuit. As one they had streaked ahead with the crescent disk of the rising sun shining from behind them to light the way, unwilling to count on the danger to the queen's life to keep arrows from being fired at their unprotected backs.

For the next two days they had ridden pell-mell across the countryside, through hamlets and villages, across winding streams, under ancient stone arches of crumbling ruins, choosing roads what seemed at random to the Piper, who was soon hopelessly lost. But Wolf chose the way without pause, angling them ever northwestward, dodging them off the path again and again, doubling back and moving in circles to throw off their trackers. Finally they had plunged through a thick expanse of forest and emerged on a lonely stretch of heath with a single narrow road. Only then had Wolf slowed them to a walk, allowing them to catch their breath. The Piper had been grateful, since he had been tired of eating on the run and only catching a few short hours of sleep.

One thing he was not grateful for, however, was that through all of the harrowing flight, into the reaches of the Red Riding Hood Forest, at the campfire the previous night, he had been given the queen as his ward and expected to keep her under close guard. He had been expected to check her bonds, keep her secure on the back of her horse, and otherwise maintain her well-being--a chore he did not relish at all. But although he was offended at being demoted to the role of jailor, and did not at all appreciate the threatening manner in which he had been ordered about--he could still feel Wolf's hot breath on his face and see the gleam of light on his fangs--the Piper could not blame Wolf and Virginia for their actions. After what Carmine had done to them, they would naturally not wish to be in close quarters with her, and it would be too tempting to harm her if she was under their care. Moreover, foisting the queen off on him would cause him to keep his distance as well--something both of his companions desired.

Colin sighed. He knew why Wolf avoided him--trying to steal away his mate had not been the best of circumstances for a first meeting, and Wolf also seemed to feel contempt toward any and all members of the aristocracy. As for Virginia, that momentary lapse of judgment in their cell that had led to such intimacy had created a wall between them. Virginia was taking no chances, and in her self-loathing and discomfort she kept herself sealed away from him throughout their travels by silence and warning glances.

But far more unbearable was another wall that had been erected--one between Wolf and Virginia. Flicking his eyes surreptitiously, the Piper could see them riding along the road, focused only on the route ahead, not speaking, barely acknowledging one another. It had been like that for all of the last two days, the division between them palpable, almost visible. To be sure they had not maintained complete separation. There were moments when they conferred about what lay in store for them all in the Sixth Kingdom and which way they should go, moments when they exchanged tidbits of food almost shyly, moments--such as at the campfire the previous evening--when they even held hands and caressed each other's cheeks. Yet somehow the magic, the spark, the undeniable love they shared, seemed stale and empty now, as if the hearts that had fueled it had run dry. When they touched each other, the charge seemed grounded, and it was as if two people were kept apart by a layer of glass, thin yet unbreakable, unable to truly touch. There was a barrier against their love.

And he knew the source of that barrier, or at least a major cause. Colin bowed his head and engrossed himself in following the swirls and loops of the intricate leather designs of his saddle horn. It was he. He was the reason Wolf and Virginia were no longer as close as they had once been. Wolf's sudden bloodlust and thirst for vengeance had most likely contributed to it, seeing as Virginia was normally a peaceful, loving woman who would be confused and dismayed by his current attitude. But the initial reason, the main thrust of the wedge grinding into their love, was the Piper and the kiss Virginia had almost given him.

Or rather, the lie of omission concerning it. For the kiss itself was meaningless, it represented no true emotions, and considering how lustful wolves were thought to be, Wolf would most likely understand unwanted desires and the temptation to give in to them. At least Colin hoped so; he also knew wolves mated for life, and he had no idea how difficult Wolf and Virginia's courtship had been, whether loyalty was an issue for them. The bards had glossed over such things when they told the tale of the Four Who Saved the Nine Kingdoms; perhaps no one knew such private details. In any case, what Colin was certain would bother and distress Wolf was the lie itself, the fact that Virginia had not been honest with him. It suggested perhaps the kiss did mean something after all, and signified Virginia still lacked trust in him. And from the broken words Virginia had uttered in their cell when she opened her heart and soul to the Piper, he knew she had trouble trusting--herself or others. The fact that she was lying to Wolf must be eating away at her acutely.

Biting his lip, the Piper fought back tears. He had never meant for such a thing to happen. While a small part of him--the selfish, arrogant part that felt he was entitled to whatever his heart desired--had secretly held out hope that his pipe had indeed called his true mate, and that if he simply spent enough time with her she would fall in love with him, the rest of Colin knew Virginia and Wolf belonged together. His duty as a prince and as a moral man insisted upon preserving their love. They were heroes, their love was ordained by destiny, the beginning of a new Golden Age, and their child needed a happy, stable family. And he had jeopardized that. Yet he had no idea how to rectify the situation, to undo the evil he had caused--particularly when he could not approach the matter without revealing Virginia's lie. He felt like tearing his hair out at the roots. How could he have embroiled himself in such a quandary? What sort of man was he to allow such a turn of events?

"Piper!" The imperious, superior tone of voice that broke into his tortured thoughts could be noneother than Riding Hood's. Gritting his teeth, he turned and looked at the auburn-haired monarch, who was pointedly holding out her bound hands. "My wrists are being rubbed raw, and my bloodflow is being cut off; I am feeling faint. The ropes are too tight, you must loosen them."

He gave her a withering stare. Did she think he was that naive? He was not about to give her such a chance to escape. And this was but one in a long line of complaints with which the queen had accosted him. Carmine's food was too cold or too hot, too spicy or not properly cut. The air was too chilly, the ground too uneven, her horse's back was too bony, its saddle did not have the elegance befitting a queen. With this newest grievance, the Piper was on the verge of losing his temper and striking Red Riding Hood himself. Yet he caught himself just in time. She may have committed acts of cruelty and selfishness that betrayed her rank, and she might be deeply annoying at present, but she was still a queen and deserved respect. A similar motive lay behind his hesistance to go along with Virginia and Wolf's plan to kidnap Carmine in the first place--he feared not only harm to their company, but also harm to the queen. If something were to happen to her, they would all be in even more dire straits. And if they treated her more kindly, perhaps she would be amenable to their demands and would see reason.

Therefore, although it rankled him, the Piper forced a smile and adjusted the captive's ropes, relaxing them just a trifle. "There. Better now, Your Majesty?"

She sniffed. "Barely adequate. But I suppose that is the best I can expect."

Colin agreed wholeheartedly, but did not voice his contempt. "You would receive more gentility and respect if you showed them towards us in turn."

One auburn eyebrow arched sardonically. "I am to believe this from a witch, a wolf, and an enchanted piper? A company that has threatened my life, stolen me away from my palace, and placed me in mortal danger? After how you have treated me, I have no reason to believe a word you say."

The Piper regarded her coolly. "How we have treated you? And what of how you have treated us? Imprisoning us, calling us liars and traitors, planning our executions? This is not conducive to obtaining our respect, Your Majesty."

Red Riding Hood snorted, rather unladylike, and turned away. "I rather think your actions have proven you to be the danger and threat I presumed you to be. In any case, Wolf certainly deserves this, even if the rest of you do not."

Sighing, Colin narrowed his eyes reproachfully. "That again. You still insist he is to blame for your sister's death. As if he would do anything to harm his own mother, or would not act if he could have saved her."

Back stiff with outrage, the queen snapped her head back and glared at him. It was all the Piper could do not to cringe before her fury, but he managed to retain his composure, meeting her gaze with equal boldness and determination. After a long minute, Carmine finally shifted in the saddle and looked away. "I would not put anything past a wolf. Besides, it is much more than that. You do not understand."

"No, I do not." The Piper paused thoughtfully, considering. Perhaps if he heard things from her point of view, he might be able to approach matters differently and sway her thinking. And anything was better than dwelling on the strain he had placed on Wolf and Virginia's relationship. "But I would like to. Why don't you explain it to me, Your Majesty? I can be objective and listen with a willing ear. You are not alone...there is another royal here who can understand your plight." That was a stretching of the truth, since he could never condone murder, but he had to make a concession if he were to convince her his offer was genuine.

It seemed he had chosen wisely, because Red Riding Hood was looking at him with a new eye--a touch of skepticism and doubt remained, but relief and gratitude took prevalence now. Relaxing and lowering her eyes, the queen managed a small smile. "That is...most noble of you, your Highness. Perhaps I misjudged you." She rested her hands upon the saddle horn and frowned. "But I do not know where to begin."

Colin spoke softly. "Perhaps you can begin with your sister."

Carmine froze, her eyes still downcast, and for a moment the Piper thought that he had gone too far. Then she looked up, and he was startled by the naked pain and grief in her azure eyes. It was as if a little girl sat there in the saddle, frightened and alone. Then the connection was broken, as her eyes shifted and she looked past him. Following her gaze, he watched Virginia and Wolf as they consulted a map the ostler back at the palace had given them. They were now coming upon another forest, the leaves and branches dripping with moisture as the trees leaned over the trail, and his companions were apparently uncertain of their way.

When the queen seemed satisfied that no one was listening, she answered him in a low, equally soft voice. "Cerise was...she was an angel. So sweet and innocent...I loved her deeply, although it was difficult for me to show her how I felt. Our mother Scarlett insisted upon training and teaching me constantly for my future role. She was quite sensitive to the fact that our lineage was flawed, that true royalty did not flow in our veins--she was only one generation removed from the first Red Riding Hood, who had been chosen by the people. She wanted to ensure that the House of Red would be caparisoned in glory, that the throne would be honored despite our humble origins. And so she focused nearly all her attention on me." Carmine paused thoughtfully. "It is no wonder my sister became so independent and reckless."

She turned again to look into the Piper's eyes. "But we did love her, you must understand that! You simply must!" Desperation saturated her every syllable. "I know how it must seem, that we were too arrogant, wrapped up in our own world of elitism...but we did love her. I loved her. I only wish I could be certain Cerise knew this. After what occurred..." She broke off, biting her lip. "After she..." Again she stopped, as if she could not say the words, as if they would make what happened real in a way nothing else could. Finally, slowly, tears began streaming down her fine-boned cheeks.

The Piper was watching her, simultaneously stunned and moved by the vulnerability and emotion she evinced. This did not seem the same woman who had confronted them with such vindictiveness and hatred in her throne room, the queen who had hissed such venomous words and struggled with them in her boudoir. But then he knew, perhaps better than anyone--certainly better than Virginia or Wolf--how a royal is often indeed two people, the facade he or she must present to the court, to the people...and the real human being inside who must remain hidden from most, perhaps even all. This would especially be true of a queen whose heritage had often been demeaned and disparaged as not worthy when compared with the grandeur inherent in the House of White or Cinderella's line. She would always be on guard, careful never to compromise her authority by dwelling on her emotions. Never would she wish to endanger the respect of the other Kingdoms that her family had worked so hard to earn.

He knew, however, that emotions were in fact what made a ruler fair and just, that Carmine's humanity was critical if she were to refrain from being a cold, bitter tyrant. Gently he placed a hand on her shoulder, and when she flinched instinctively, he murmured, "When she died, you mean."

The tears began to flow faster, and Red Riding Hood's throat constricted visibly. A soft, muted moan passed through her parted lips, and then she nodded weakly before lifting her bound hands and burying her face in them.

After a few minutes she recovered and looked up. This time there was a defensive accusation in her gaze. "That is why I acted as I did. I did it out of love. I was only trying to protect her! I was only attempting to shield her from the danger posed by those murderous wolves. She was so blind, she could not see it, but I could, and I had to do something to save her, even if she would not. I never dreamed..." Her tears came again, but she ignored them as a smoldering fury began to blaze in her visage. "How anyone could dare to blame me for Cerise's death I shall never know...Lady Virginia says I have no heart? She is the heartless one...I did everything possible to spare my sister any suffering. I fought to keep those beasts away from her...I fought to make her see reason...and I would do anything, anything to have her alive today!" Carmine shuddered with the force of her emotion. "Do you have any idea what it is like to watch your own sister burn to death before your eyes and know there is no time to prevent it, that there is nothing you can do? Do you know what it is like to witness the rising of the smoke, hear the crackling of the flames, smell the burning of flesh, and know it is that of your own flesh and blood?"

There was absolutely nothing the Piper could say to that. To note that Wolf had suffered the same as she, had witnessed the burning of not only his mother but his father as well, would only enrage her and grind the knife deeper into her breast. So would the observation that, since she refused to change her policy toward wolves, she would not truly do anything to see her sister live again. He shook his head, and in spite of himself he felt sympathy welling up in his heart. It had been easy for him to dismiss Red Riding Hood as a cruel and selfish woman when he had not met her, when he had heard only Wolf's side of the story. But as with everything, there were always two sides. Hearing hers, he could not deny that the pain and grief the queen of the Second Kingdom had suffered was also great--which made the entire interwoven tale of wolves and Hoods even more tragic.

Carmine, meanwhile, had been galvanized by her growing anger, and as she continued her voice became louder and more vehement. "That is why I shall never forgive Wolf, and why I refuse to show any leniency toward his kind! It is his fault, their fault. If not for him, she would have come back to me. If not for his father, she would never have left. I must punish them, I must protect other young girls from ever meeting the same fate as my sister."

Tightening his grip on his reins, Colin struggled to find the words to respond. On the one hand, he could not dismiss the queen's point of view, and he had to acknowledge that she had a right to be upset after the way she had lost her sister. But on the other hand, he knew her course of action was not only a disservice to the wolves that were nothing like Old Grey and his son, it was a disservice to Carmine herself. Her mistaken belief that Duncan and Wolf were responsible for Cerise's death would destroy not only Wolf, but her own happiness. As long as she carried out this vendetta, she would never truly release the burden of her sister's death from her heart. Her life would be haunted until her final days, unless she could accept the truth about the past, or unless she could eliminate every wolf that lived--and that was both impossible and unjust.

"Your Majesty." He waited until she had ceased glaring about the mossy roadway and once more looked at him before continuing. "Keep your voice down and listen to me very carefully. I understand how you feel. No one is suggesting you did not love your sister, or that it is wrong for you to wish to protect her. But did you ever pause to consider that she might resent your protection? Cerise was her own person, Queen Riding Hood. She had a mind, and heart, of her own as well. Did you not realize that in making the demands that you did, in forcing her to follow your will, in dictating to her how to live and love, that you only drove her even further into the arms of Wolf's father? From what I have been able to ascertain, your sister was a very independent and rebellious woman. Even acting as you were in what you felt was her best interest, you should have known how she would likely react to your pronouncements. I am not saying you caused her death; I am saying you could have been more supportive and understanding. You did not acknowledge her love, you belittled how she was feeling. You did not even take the time to meet Duncan and assess his character. I know your opinion of wolves--but did you not owe it to Cerise to learn what was different about this one, that she could love him?"

Even before he had reached the end of his impassioned plea, the Piper knew Red Riding Hood was furious with him, that she was preparing to lash out yet again at someone whom she deemed presumptuous and impertinent. Yet he could also see a swirl of other emotions in her eyes--guilt, despair, horror, recognition of truth. As she began to assault him, he knew her words came not so much from the possibility he might be right, but from the certainty of it. "Supportive and understanding? Of her futile and destructive infatuation? Her attraction to the exotic and unbridled? You are correct, Piper, my sister was indeed quite rebellious. And that is how I know what she felt was not true love, but a passing fancy. Her very nature screamed it out to me! She chose a wolf as her lover for the novelty of it, to be willful, nothing more. And even if, by some miracle, her love was genuine, his was not. Wolves are not capable of real love! He was only using her to appease his basest desires at best--and at worst, she was to him a pawn to give him access to my family so he could avenge his grandfather's death on our unsullied bodies!"

By now she was shouting, and Wolf and Virginia were both glaring in her direction, but she seemed not to care. In fact she sat up straighter in the saddle and peered disdainfully down at them. "And no, I shall not be quiet! I wish everyone to know how my family has been wronged! My sister's naivete was taken advantage of, and when I tried to protect her, it was the selfish possessiveness of that monster that led to her death. Wolves do not love, and the only reason Cerise found Duncan to be different was because he was better at concealing his motives and affecting emotion than most of his kind. I will not rest until all wolves suffer for my loss, until no human is ever again led astray, stripped of their dignity, and betrayed as my sister was."

The Piper reached out to touch her once more, but she pulled away. Before he could try to soothe her and explain how truly wrong she was, Wolf was there, pulling alongside on his horse and snatching the reins of Riding Hood's mare from his hands. "That's quite enough out of you, Red," he snarled. "We don't want to hear more of your lies! So if you know what's good for you, you'll stay silent and out of the way. Otherwise I might have to become angry..." His eyes became the golden hue of wolves, and Carmine complied, shrinking back down in the saddle, although she still quivered in indignation. Wolf then turned to Colin. "And as for you, Piper-boy, stop fraternizing with the enemy."

Colin glared at Wolf's retreating back as he directed the queen's mare to ride between him and Virginia. Although he knew Red Riding Hood was wrong about Wolf, his present attitude and actions were not very admirable, and the Piper in fact did not blame Carmine for distrusting and hating him. It would be a very rough path, showing her the truth about wolves with Wolf as an example.

Sighing, the Piper guided his horse back to follow the others. As he raised his eyes to see where they were now, he beheld yet another patch of forest, this one gloomy and filled with shadow, the trunks crowding close together and encroaching upon the road. He shivered, wrapping his cloak around his lean frame to ward away the chill and dampness, rather thinking that the woods were not much improvement over the heath they had previously been traveling; only the thick canopy that might block away the worst of the rain when it came seemed to bring favor to the change in landscape.

A rustle in the nearby brush attracted the Piper's attention, and he turned that way, frowning. Before he could catch more than a glimpse of motion, the air was split by a sharp whistle. Something long and slim streaked across his mount's withers and shot through the loose, flowing sleeve of his tunic, and he gasped, pulling back on the reins. A cry of dismay and fright came from Virginia, and he snapped his head in time to see her staring at her suddenly empty hands. The map she had been holding was now pinned to the tree beyond her, pierced by the trembling shaft of an arrow.

"Halt!" The deep, booming voice came from the brush where the arrow had first emerged. Colin began rummaging in his satchel for his pipe even as he reluctantly looked back to see the mysterious bowman. He was only a massive silhouette at first, rising from concealment beneath a rocky overhang, but as he approached and became clearer, Colin gulped and let his hands fall free from his satchel. The man was enormous, almost seven feet tall and heavily muscled, dressed in the leather and rough linen that was the usual garb of a forest peasant, dyed in shades of brown and green. A rich, full, black beard flowed over his deep chest, while his onyx eyes glittered with the threat of violence. Over one cloaked shoulder was slung a quiver, and in his gnarled hands he held an ash bow almost as tall as himself, fitted with another arrow.

"I could hear you coming a mile away," the man growled. "Who are you, and what business brings you into the forest of Benjamin Tell?"

The bowstring pulled taut in the man's hand, and suddenly the iron tip of the arrow was trained unwaveringly on the company.