Distinctly Different

Chapter 6 ~ Problems

“The hunters are skilled; the King wouldn’t have called them here otherwise. There is likely no reason to worry, they have done this for a long time,” Arabella assured. Eleanor might have no reason to worry but Arabella and other werewolves did.

“I suppose you’re right. Do you think that Joseph’s children can hunt werewolves?” Eleanor asked curiously, her worry almost forgotten.

“I hardly think they would be travelling with the adult hunters if they couldn’t. It would be too dangerous to have them there if they couldn’t hunt werewolves,” Arabella said. She glanced over to the window where a big round moon was bright in the clear sky. Besides the feeling Arabella was getting was that the younger hunters were effective hunters. She had seen the suspicious looks and the wary looks in their eyes. They seemed to be prepared for anything to happen. If something did happen the younger hunters would spring into action alongside the adults.

“They’re not quite what I pictured hunters to look like,” Eleanor confessed. Arabella looked at her in surprise. “I didn’t think they would be so good looking. The whole family have amazing features. You notice it more in the younger hunters,” Eleanor explained. She grew distant as she got lost in thought. She got a daydreaming sort of look. Arabella coughed lightly to get her attention and Eleanor once again noticed her surroundings. A pink flush crept up on her cheeks and she looked quite a bit embarrassed. Arabella could help but wonder which young hunter she was thinking of.

“Well I think you’d best be getting to bed, my Lady,” Arabella suggested gently. Eleanor nodded not meeting her eyes and got in bed. “Good night,” Arabella said quietly as she blew out a lot of the candles. She prodded the fire and added some more wood so it would last through the night. It already seemed like today was going to be a cold night.

She started heading to her room in the servant section of the castle but stopped abruptly. She had a nagging feeling that she’d been forgetting something. As her thoughts turned to who Eleanor might fancy she remembered that she was supposed to be taking care of Rowan’s needs too.

She hurried to Rowan’s room and opened the door quietly. She stuck her head in and listened, Rowan’s breathing indicated that he was asleep. She slowly crept in the room and over to the smouldering fire. Arabella poked the red embers as she added another small log then watched as the flames grew and licked the sides of the log. A feeling of being watched overwhelmed Arabella and she glanced to the bed but Rowan seemed to still be fast asleep. She frowned and went back to tending to the fire. When she was satisfied that the fire was good she added more wood. She stood up relieved to get a chance to stretch. With one last look around the room she left.

Arabella’s thoughts turned to her bed. She couldn’t wait to get to her room and fall asleep. Tiredness made her thoughts hazy and she slowly made her way to her room. However when Arabella got near the physician’s tower some of that fuzziness faded as she say signs of activity outside the stairs leading to the physician’s room. She stopped a servant heading somewhere else.

“What’s going on?” she asked urgently.

“The guard that was attacked by the white wolf is not doing well. Things have made a turn for the worst and the physician is getting different servants to fetch things,” the young servant said with wide eyes. That was all Arabella needed to hear, she already was making her way to up the stairs.

The physician’s room was full of servants. The injured guard still lay on the same cot as last time only now his wounds were bleeding even more and his gaunt skin was pale and shiny with a feverish sweat. The physician barely glanced up when Arabella had entered but it was enough for him to recognize her. He beckoned her over and she didn’t hesitate.