Tales of the Big Bad Wolf: The Red Riding Hood Arc (A Fairy Tale)

Chapter 21, Part B: Ten Steps Forward (cont.)

Their conversation would have to be delayed while the large band of Wolframs were settled at the estate.    The logistics of hosting  so many persons posed a novel problem for the Wolfram household.  Visitors were rare and were not often prolonged guests of the Count. That they arrived at an unexpected hour was one complication, but the addition of inhuman creatures running about everywhere scattering these visitors was another unnecessary concern.

The stone lions’ misbehavior resulted from boredom. They had tired of searching for the unmarked totems on their master’s map and significant deposits of blue stones outside the estate.   Deprived of more affectionate company (for their master did not indulge their mewling requests for attention or permit them to stalk a certain young lady and gentleman in town), they pounced greedily upon the newly arrived guests. They had a grand time talking at the visitors who misunderstood them, unable to see that their gusts of wind they created bothered them.  They somehow missed that their large and novel presence made the smaller two-legged beings cry.   It took a few swipes of a cane at their heads to make them stop their foolishness, and another pointed glare by a very aggravated master to send them off to the side of the house out of the way.  There, they attempted valiantly to behave for a time but soon resorted to rolling in the snow in order to amuse themselves.

Once the pests had been removed, the crowd was able to finish passing through the courtyard and reorganize along the circular drive that faced the great wooden door.   As it did so,  the Count stepped aside and allowed Giles and Hastings to sort out the details of who to put where.   Their joint priorities were to get everyone quickly inside before being resettled somewhere on the property.

Maximilian stood off on the far side of the stone steps of the major entryway,  his eyes looking at procession that passed him.  Marrok kept close, giving him names and ages and some descriptions of persons that passed through the door.  This information would help the Count remember which cousin was which.

Maximilian was attentive to these details, as well as the nuances to his younger cousin’s voice as he explained certain skills and strengths of people.   A small smile played about the Count’s lips while he listened.   While Marrok was careful in his choice of words, his tone often revealed his true impressions about each person.   It was these unspoken comments that Wolfram valued the most.  

But he did not only value Marrok’s judgement.    The Count had good reason to be fond of the man.   Marrok had descended from Maximilian’s youngest uncle, who according to many accounts loved Philip Wolfram most of all the brothers.    Of the six sons born to the first Maxilimilian Wolfram, it was the eldest who saw to his youngest brother’s well-being and education once their mother had passed away.   His uncles would joke for years afterwards about the “duckling” traipsing after Philip.   

That affection between brothers would be extended to Philip’s wife and son once they, too, made their home here in these Northernlands.

Therefore, if there was any hint of softness within the Count’s heart, it would be for this clan and his kind uncle’s descendants.  It was no coincidence that Giles had come from this clan, for he would not have felt compelled to accept any man from the other clans.   Giles had come under the pretext of a favor to a then younger Marrok some time after the incident with the runaway bride. Maximilian had been asked simply to “house the troublesome welp” during a time when the clan was in an uproar.

He had accepted Giles thinking he would be scaring the young man into better behavior.   It took him quite a while to realize that  Giles was simply a free-spirited young man who didn’t care much for the traditions of his own clan.   Only years later did he see that GIles may have been an unwitting pawn placed here to keep a pair of eyes upon him while providing the rest of the clan some reassurance that their eldest leader was still functioning.