A.N.D. - Wolf Woods

Tony had watched New Sanctuary grow from a tiny settlement of a few temporary tents to a large, thriving town in a matter of months. Its rapid expansion still left it unprepared for the massive influx of people arriving over the last few days. Kings, queens, royal entourages, wolf and human supporters of Wolf, anti-lupine factions, reporters and sightseers from all nine of the kingdoms all jockeyed for rooms in town and seats near the newly built Royal Reviewing Stand and Witness Platform that had been hastily hammered up in the town square. The only ones happy about it all were the owners of the pub, hotel, and houses overlooking the square; people were paying a year’s living expenses per night for rooms there.

Wendell was the first royal to arrive. He waved graciously to the cheers and howls that greeted his appearance, smiled politely to everyone-and grabbed Tony by the arm and dragged him immediately off to a relatively private corner. “Tell me what’s happened.”

“What do you know from the howling?”

“Doesn’t matter, I want to go over it all again.”

“Okay. Everyone is being held in protective custody, but separate from each other, per your order. The two servants are in the houses of some of the lead humans, since they blame Wolf for everything. Wolf went right back to jail as soon as he woke Virginia up-I had to do something to keep Hardleather from killing him when she started screaming like that. Captain Carew’s keeping an eye on him, and Hardleather’s upset about that-he thinks Wolf is already his prisoner.”

“I’ll take care of that. He’s right-one way or another, he’s going to get prisoners out of this.”

“Wolf didn’t do anything!”

“I want to believe you, Tony. I do believe you. But that leaves whoever came up with this plot in the first place. Virginia and the baby?”

“Safe at home.”

“Does she remember what happened? Can she spare us this spectacle?”

Tony shook his head. “I wish. She says she doesn’t know, she was poisoned before anything happened.”

“Who gave the apple to her?”

“The servant you sent, but she says she got the apples from Wolf the night before, with express orders to make something for Virginia to comfort her when he was off hunting. He, of course, denies it.”

“One for the mirror, then,” Wendell mused. “What about his sister, Elizabeth?”

“Recovering. She says that she tried to defend Dell from a mob. Most of the people in town think the humans were trying to get Dell away from her before she killed him. Several grieving families have charged her with murder.”

“So even if Wolf is exonerated, the blame for starting this still settles on a wolf? In the long run, that does the same public relations damage. Where is she?”

“Also in the jail. She and Wolf can barely remember the night in question, so they can’t mix up each other’s stories.”

“I don’t dare visit them. I can’t see them until they appear on the stand. You do understand? The only ones I can see are Virginia and the baby-they’re the only ones clear of any question of wrongdoing.”

Tony sighed. “I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand. Come, I’ll take you to her.”

Red Riding Hood made excellent time on her journey; well aware that she was travelling through hostile territory, she pushed her people and horses as hard as possible to make it to New Sanctuary before Wendell’s forces turned her back.

Wolves paced her on either side, blatantly shadowing her small procession but never interfering. However, there was a solid line of fur across the road behind her coach. They’ll let me go forward, but I can’t go back. And I don’t even know if it’s Wendell insisting that I force my hand or my own wild wolves making sure that I can’t back out of that rash agreement. It’s not like it was a legal proclamation or anything!

Soon the trees of the Disenchanted Forest were rising on the horizon. Red rubbed suddenly sweaty palms on her scarlet travelling outfit. Grandmother, be with me! Help me know what to do to set things right!

The only good thing about it was knowing that she would soon be reunited with Benjamin. His reports had been erratic, and with every delay she worried sick that some criminal wolf from her kingdom had hurt him, or Wendell had discovered her spy in his midst.

As the procession entered the woods, her trumpeters raised their instruments to their lips, but they were anticipated by the wolves surrounding them, so Queen Red Riding Hood III was announced into town by wild howling instead of a royal fanfare.

The noise must have alerted Wendell; as the crush of the crowd finally slowed her coach to a stop in the center square, he was already waiting for her. A hasty throne had been made out of what looked like a pub chair covered with a royal red and ermine cloak; he lolled on it surrounded by guards, watching silently as her coachman jumped down, elbowed through the crowd, and opened her door.

He rose as she alighted but didn’t come to meet her. The crowd formed a narrow aisle for her; Red swept down it with as much royal dignity as she could muster, ignoring the vicious hisses and growls, mentally rehearsing her opening words.

Then she was on the platform, getting her first good look at Wendell. Stunned, her pretty speech went right out of her head as she poked a finger at his lavishly embroidered lapel and snapped, “My wolf! You have my wolf! Give her back!”

There was a long silence as Wendell thought about that and Red wished she could swallow her tongue. Eventually he said mildly, “I thought you didn’t want your wolves. Why do you care?” The soft face she’d never seen show any emotions except joy and petulance sharpened into a dominating command she’d never expected he had. “More importantly, why are you here? I did not send for you. I do not need you. I resent your interference, I have already complained to the Council about your sneak attack, and I will make you pay back everything you have stolen from me-with interest!”

Red notched her chin up-not hard to do, when her opponent was so much taller than she was. “You resent my interference? The Council has long since been appraised of your attempts to destabilize my kingdom.”

“My what?”

“You have provided a safe sanctuary for criminals to flee to. This has made a mockery of my justice system and the morale of my citizens. How can I keep my people safe and punish wrongdoers when all they have to do is run over the border to be welcomed with open arms? You have ignored all my requests for extradition.”

“I disagree with some of your laws. I am trying to let the wolves start over.”

“And how have they repaid you?” Red asked scornfully. “I might remind you that the centerpiece of this trial is one of my citizens, a criminal serving a justly decreed sentence. You set that all aside, and what are we here for? Yet another trial of his actions. So much for starting over! He’s right back where he started. He’s just the most famous case-my chancellor has a list of all the lupine criminals that you are harboring.” She snapped her fingers and a footman brought her the sizeable scroll, as she pointed at his embroidered coat again. “Have you checked your wallet lately? The wolf who did that is a wonderful artist, but she’s also a thief.”

“I have every confidence in her!”

“So did I, until valuable bullion went missing. Just two of so many! Even if all the wolves behave for you-and they obviously haven’t!-they still represent a threat to me. As long as these criminals have a haven, there is a possibility that they can organize and attack my kingdom. What attempts have you made to prevent that?”

Wendell gaped at her. “You talk to me about attacks? What was your little stunt called?”

“A pre-emptive strike against those who have been plotting against me. Do you deny that you have been conspiring against my throne?”

“Yes, I do!”

Red snapped a speck of travelling dust off her sleeve. Wendell was turning an unbecoming, if royal, shade of purple, and in the wide world of Regal Public Relations, the first person to lose their cool also lost face. “That will be something for the Council and your much-vaunted mirror to decide,” she said icily. Wendell was starting to shake from anger, although he tried to hide it, so Red went in for the kill, both to win their battle of wits and to get away from him before he ordered his guards to do something rash. “Furthermore, you do need me. I am the only person who has experience in handling wolves. What, pray tell, did you think that your guards-many of them lupine themselves-would do if you ruled against Wolf? You need me, Wendell White! You need me to protect you from your own beloved animals.”

“I disagree. Go home!”

Red shouted him down, trying to sound detached even at high volume. “And you need me to make this trial be accepted by the other kingdoms!”

“If you’re about to announce that you think I’m so biased that I’d pronounce him innocent regardless, I’ve already thought of that. That’s why Queen Cinderella has been asked to be a second judge.”

“Two judges. Two verdicts. What if you disagree, what then? You sweep her verdict aside and go with yours? So much for her balancing your vote. Two judges aren’t enough. You need an odd number to vote.”

“And you plan on being this third judge?” He’d gone from purple to white, but had managed to bury his anger in coldness. Oddly, that frightened her more than his towering rage. “You’re as biased as you insist I am.”

“Probably,” Red admitted. “But the other kingdoms will accept it. One judge automatically on Wolf’s side, one judge automatically against him-now the scales are balanced and Cinderella’s vote decides.”

“That is assuming that I permit you to just walk in here and bully your way onto the judge’s bench.” Wendell stared at her for a long time, tapping his toes as he thought. Now it was her turn to sweat. Red could only hope it didn’t show too badly.

“We have reached a decision,” Wendell finally announced in clear, ringing tones that instantly hushed all the conversation around the platform they were on. “Our Sister Queen may stay to be a witness to Our trial, so that she may see that We already have justice in Our Kingdom. We shall also prove that We are blameless of the charges she has laid against Us.”

Red frowned. “That’s not what I-” she started to hiss.

Wendell smiled with toothy insincerity at her. “It’s what you get. I can’t let you come into my kingdom and boss me around, nor can I let you go free to wreck havoc while I’m otherwise occupied.” The snakey smile gained a few more teeth. “Besides, don’t you want to be right here when the fate of your wolves has been decided? I heard about your proclamation.”

“It wasn’t a pr-”

He ignored her. “I just have to see the look on your face when you find out that you’ll be adopting my Wolf Code.” He leaned forward to whisper with smarmy patronization, “Don’t worry. I’m the only one with experience with it, but I promise I’ll explain it all to you. Using very small words.”