Mary Anne Gruen - The House of Red

Ichabod made it through the woods to what had once been the border between the Second and Fourth Kingdoms without incident. But still, there was no sign of fighting. What he had to do was find someone in authority in the army of the Fourth Kingdom and tell them of the trolls’ plan to execute Red Riding Hood the Third. Hopefully they could get word to the Council who in turn might stage a rescue of his beloved Queen.

Although his instincts told him to turn back, he went on toward the sounds of battle, beyond the scattered groves of pine in the distance. He had been without food and water for a long time by then. His thin body felt heavy and his head light. But he was determined to push on. His Queen and his whole country were depending on him.

Finally, he saw a group of trolls in the open by some bushes. He recognized the misshapen style of their body armor in the moonlight. They were confronting a major detachment of what looked like human men and women. Ichabod was shocked to see women in the field. He wasn’t aware of any of the armies of the Nine Kingdoms allowing them in combat. But here they were.

Of course, he didn’t know these women were part-wolf. He had heard wolf howls but he had assumed they were feeding on the dead and dying in the field of battle. The news of Wendell using wolf troops to defend Kissing Town from the trolls had reached the Second Kingdom. But it had largely been discounted as fantasy. Then, when the war started in earnest, they’d been too lost in their own problems to think about the soldiers of other kingdoms.

Ichabod ducked behind a clump of leafless bushes and watched the fighting. He knew this wasn’t the perfect place to hide. So, he decided to make a run for it to a trio of willows. Unfortunately, he couldn’t run fast enough and the battle suddenly overtook him. A team of trolls was rushing up behind him, yelling war cries. Another group of soldiers was advancing toward him from the opposite direction. They were just yelling. Ichabod couldn’t tell the difference between the colors gray and navy and brown in the moonlight. So he couldn’t tell that the advancing soldiers were largely King Cole’s men in gray, led by two brown clad soldiers. Rose’s wolf troops had taken to wearing brown like her.

Desperately, Ichabod tried to get out of the way. But they engulfed him completely. The brown clad soldiers, passed on either side of him first. He fell to the ground expecting to be attacked. But the part-wolves in the lead knew by scent that he wasn’t a troll and went on by. The humans behind ignored him and started attacking the trolls.

For a minute Ichabod thought he was safe. But as he started to get up, one of the trolls came behind him. He struck Ichabod down and then buried his battle-ax partially in the thin man’s back. The troll raised his weapon for a final blow, but a wolf howl interrupted him. Suddenly, even more of Wendell’s troops poured into the area. The troll who’d attacked Ichabod ran backward in the direction of the Second Kingdom.

Ichabod didn’t realize it as he was lying on the ground in agony, but Wendell’s soldiers had just re-taken some of the land they’d lost to the trolls. He was now officially behind the lines of the Fourth Kingdom. He could have waited for help. But he was afraid the fighting would return. So he kept going. He crawled along the cold earth, totally unaware of the falling temperatures. As he went along, he left a trail of blood. He was almost at the point of passing out when a pair of boots materialized in front of him.

“You shouldn’t be moving,” a male voice said.

Ichabod looked up but he could only see the shadow of a small man outlined against the moon. He couldn’t make out the man’s dark features or his brown clothes or his heavy backpack.

“I come from the Second Kingdom,” Ichabod gasped.

“Easy,” the dark man said, slipping off his backpack. “You shouldn’t be talking.”

“I must. The trolls are planning to burn the Queen. Castle courtyard, tomorrow morning.”

“Queen Red Riding Hood?” the dark man asked.

“Yes,” Ichabod rasped. “Tell Wendell.”

The dark man stood and took a deep breath. Then he let go of a series of wolf howls which were answered a short distance away and then passed on.

Ichabod was horrified. The man standing over him was obviously a wolf. He started dragging himself on the ground again.

“Where are you going?” the dark man said, pulling him to a stop. “You’ll kill yourself.”

“You’re a wolf. You’re calling the pack to come and eat me.” Ichobod trembled. He thought he had failed in bringing his message and was about to suffer a horrible death.

It was too bad Ichabod couldn’t see the bemused expression on the dark half-wolf’s face. “I’m a medic,” he said, dryly. “I don’t eat people.” With a little growl, he knelt back down at the side of the wounded man. It seemed pointless to explain to Ichabod that a sizable number of the part-wolves were serving as medics. With their ability to run, handle first aid, and scent blood, they were perfect for the job of finding the injured under the cover of darkness. Many lives had been saved by their quick response.

The half-wolf cut a sizable piece of material out of Ichabod’s wool pants.

“You’ll kill me and won’t deliver my message,” Ichabod accused trying to move again.

“No I won’t,” the half-wolf said, forcing Ichabod to be still once more. “I’ve just sent word that I have important information and need assistance at once.” He took the material from Ichabod’s pants and applied pressure to his back. “You’ve suffered a deep wound here and you’ve lost a lot of blood. Don’t move again.”

A howl sounded not far away and the half-wolf answered back.

“No!” Ichabod cried.

“I just told them we’re over here. That’s all.”

“No!”

The half-wolf shook his head but said no more.

The King’s aide and a full-blooded wolf ran up to them.

“A lot of blood,” the full wolf said. “I could smell it from over the ridge.”

“He’s from the Second Kingdom with a message for King Wendell.”

“Yes,” said the King’s aide.

“He says the trolls are planning to burn the Queen tomorrow morning in the castle courtyard.”

The aide turned to the full wolf and said, “Get the King at once.”

With a nod the wolf was off.

“How does he know?” the aide asked.

“He really shouldn’t be talking.”

Ichabod reached his hand out and grasped the aide’s scuffed boot. “You’re not a wolf?”

“No, Sir.”

“Good,” Ichabod said. “You can’t trust them.”

The aide looked guiltily at the half-wolf medic who was still applying pressure to Ichabod’s open wound. So far, he’d found wolves very trustworthy. At least the ones he’d been serving with. “Who are you, Sir?”

“I’m the Queen’s secretary. My name is Ichabod.”

The aide wasn’t familiar with the name. He’d never paid much attention to the royalty and their entourages in the other Kingdoms.

At that point King Wendell came over the ridge with the full-blooded wolf the aide had sent, a Lieutenant from his own army, and an elf. The Lieutenant was carrying a lantern and the King was carrying a specially sent message from the Council of Truth that the elf had just brought.

“What happened?” Wendell demanded.

“This man claims to be Ichabod, secretary to Queen Red Riding Hood the Third,” the aide said.

Wendell knelt next to Ichabod and waved the Lieutenant to his side with the lantern. He recognized Ichabod, even though they’d only met once or twice at a Council meeting. His nose was bloody and his eyes were screaming in pain, but the tuft of hair and the angular face were unmistakable. “Ichabod? What happened? It’s King Wendell.”

“Your Majesty?” Ichabod reached up weakly and Wendell took his hand. “They tried to force me to carry wood. But I escaped. They’re going to burn her tomorrow.”

“When? Do you know?”

“Ten I think. Save her.”

“Yes, we will old chap. We will.” Wendell got up and waved for the dark haired medic. “How is he?”

“Not good,” the medic answered in a very low voice. “If he had stayed where he was after he was attacked, we might have saved him. But moving around so much, he’s lost a lot of blood. I don’t think he’ll make it. It looks like he’s been through a lot of deprivation.”

“All right. Make him as comfortable as you can till the end comes.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

The medic went to his back pack and removed one of several large water bottles. It was these that made up most of the weight he’d been carrying.

“I have something to show you,” Wendell said to his aide. He handed him the Council’s message and let him read it by the lantern. “This messenger of Queen Leaf Fall’s just brought it," he gestured toward the elf. "It seems we will have something to tell her as well.”

“No!” Ichabod cried, trying to turn away the bottle of water the medic offered him.

“What is it?” Wendell asked.

“I think he’s afraid I might poison him,” the half-wolf said dryly.

Wendell crouched down again next to the dying man. “This medic is trying to give you swamp water. You know the kind I mean. The magic stuff from the Deadly Swamp. We’ve been using it to relieve pain. Drink it. It will make you feel better. And I’ll send your message to the Council of the Nine Kingdoms right away.”

Ichabod nodded and accepted the water. He was very thirsty and drank deeply.

“Take as much as you want,” the medic said.

“I can’t believe it,” the aide said, referring to the missive from the Council of Truth.

“It’s going to be hard for the Second Kingdom to accept,” Wendell said. He turned to the full-blooded wolf who was still standing there, waiting for orders. “Find Major Rose and send her here at once.”

The wolf gave Wendell a half bow and took off with a grunt.

“You should bring this information about Red Riding Hood the Third back to your Queen,” Wendell told the elf. “We’ll wait for her instructions and mount whatever kind of attack or distraction she thinks necessary. But I feel certain a rescue cannot succeed without the help of magic. There are just too many variables.”

The elf bowed and flew away.

“We’ll start notifying our men tonight about the Council’s message,” Wendell said to his Lieutenant and his aide. “Major Burke has to be told at once. Wake up one of the elves and ask him to fly there and let him know.”

“Yes, your Majesty,” the aide said. And he and the Lieutenant departed.

By this time, Ichabod was starting to feel the narcotic effects of the magic swamp water. The pain in his back had receded a touch and so had the rest of the world.

“You should probably see this too,” Wendell said to the medic. He handed him the notice and positioned the lantern so he could read it.

This particular half-wolf happened to be from the Fourth Kingdom. But he understood the weight of this proclamation for all of his kind. A smile slowly turned up the edges of his mouth and a sparkle spread to his eyes. This didn’t just raise Wolf and Rose’s position in the world. It raised up all wolves.

The sound of quick footsteps rushing through the grass told them of Rose’s approach. Wendell intercepted her, catching her in his arms and kissing her. He felt enormous joy and freedom being able to hold her whenever the whim and soldierly propriety allowed. He wanted to absorb her entirely into himself. To get lost in her long red hair and soft body. He wanted to be honorable toward her, but it was growing difficult because she created such passion in him.

Rose rubbed the blond stubble on Wendell's chin and growled slightly as they pulled apart. Tonight, the wolf that had sent her needed only to say that the King wanted her to come to him. She needed no directions. She could scent him on the wind and track him easily. It was all she could do to resist the urge to nibble his neck and push him to the ground. But they hadn't gotten that far yet. Wendell was a very proper man and he expected her to be the same. Still, the moon was almost full now and it was only the war that kept her desire in line.

“What is it?” Rose asked a little breathlessly. “Or was that what you wanted me for?”

“Yes, always. But there’s more. I have news.” Wendell retrieved the notice and the lantern. “Read this,” he said.

Rose read the message while Wendell watched expectantly.

“Well?” Wendell said. “What do you think?”

“I’m in shock.”

“This is a great move on the part of the Council.”

“I know.” Rose looked away from the paper. “Does this mean Wolf is back?”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Wendell said. “How stupid of me. I should have told you that first. Yes, he is. He and Virginia are both fine and back at my castle.”

“Good. I wonder if he knows about this proclamation yet.”

“He must.”

“I wonder what he went through to find all this out?”

“I’m sure he’s all right. Your brother’s a survivor. Believe me, I know.”

“And the wounded man?” Rose gestured in the direction of Ichabod. “I was told he brought a message too.”

“His name is Ichabod. He’s . . .”

“Ichabod?”

“You know him?”

“Not personally.” She lowered her voice to a faint whisper. “But everybody in the Second Kingdom has heard about him or seen him fluttering at some royal function at some time. Is that him?”

“Yes. He told us they’re planning to burn the Queen publicly tomorrow.”

“Have you sent word to the Council?”

“Yes. Only just now.”

“If they need wolf recruits I volunteer to go.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“But why? I mean, she hasn’t been all that nice to you and your kind.”

“First," Rose said, "she is family, whether she knows it or not. Second, if I and my kind do not join the rescue team, people will say that we wanted her to die so we could take her throne.”

“They might say that anyway.”

“At least they'll have no evidence of it.”

Ichabod was still awake, but unconscious of anything not immediately around him. The heavy bleeding from his back had tapered off. But the medic's sharp wolfish eyes could see that his color was deathly gray and that there was still a look of pain in his eyes. He decided to give Ichabod more swamp water. Then he could simply fall asleep and fade away peacefully. Unfortunately, Ichabod had decided to be afraid of the medic again. No longer did he remember the King’s assurances that the water was safe.

“No!” Ichabod cried as he struggled to push the bottle and the medic away. “No!”

“What is it now?” Wendell asked.

“He won’t drink again,” the medic answered.

“I’ll do it,” Rose said. She handed Wendell the notice and he followed her as she knelt down next to Ichabod. Rose took the water bottle from the medic. “You go on,” she told him. “There are lots of others who need you.”

The half-wolf medic nodded reverently and said, “Yes, your Majesty.”

A sharp wind passed over them. It was as if nature itself was impressed with the new title and wanted to take part in this historical moment. It was the first time that a wolf was referred to in such an honorable way. Whatever came afterwards, nothing would ever be the same. Was this new position an honor or a burden, Rose wondered. Only time would tell. She gave the medic a nod and he started away in the direction of the fighting.

Gently, the new Princess raised Ichabod’s head. “We need you to drink more of this,” she said gently. “It will make you feel better.”

“It’s all right,” Wendell assured the man. “You’re safe here.”

Ichabod looked at the face leaning over him in the dim lantern light. His eyes were no longer seeing clearly. So he saw what he wanted to see. The face of his Queen, looking down on him with concern, her red hair cascading near his face.

He reached his hand up to touch her cheek. It wasn’t bruised anymore. And her green eyes were no longer sunken with pain from all that she’d suffered so bravely. “Your Majesty. I saved you. Didn’t I?”

“What?” Rose said.

“He thinks you’re Queen Red Riding Hood the Third,” Wendell whispered.

Rose nodded. What harm could there be in giving this man some final consolation. “Yes, you saved me,” she said.

“I told you I would.”

“And you did.”

“You’re beautiful. So beautiful.” Ichabod ran his bloodied fingers over Rose’s face. “I guess you’ve figured out by now that I’ve always loved you.”

Rose’s lips trembled, but she said nothing.

“You’re wonderful. A hurt little girl that I finally got to protect. I couldn’t help but love you.”

“I love you too, Ichabod,” Rose said with tears in her eyes. She wiped away some of the blood and dirt from his face. “I always will.”

“Stay with me.”

“I will,” she promised.

“It hurts.”

“I know. Drink some water. It won’t hurt as much.”

Rose raised the water bottle to his lips and he drank. It was hard to swallow now. But it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered as long as his Queen was by his side.

“You’ll sleep now," Rose said. "And I’ll stay here till you wake up.”

Ichabod nodded vaguely. The magic water was already floating him away into unseen depths. Rose pulled him into her arms and held him close, uncaring of the cold ground or the blood and dirt. She sat crying silent tears, for the love that was lost and could never be. For the war and all the other casualties within it. She held Ichabod till he breathed his final breath. And then she howled the loss to the moon as wolves always do.

Wendell sat watch over them. Knowing as he had never known before that he had to make this woman his Queen.