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

Chapter 25, Part C: Within These Walls (cont.)

The Wolframs that worked outside watched as four stone creatures nearly crashed into the young man and young woman.

Elanore greeted them affectionately as they dropped a tangled ball of ribbons at her feet as if it were a present for a queen.  While she spoke to them, Edmund puzzled over the sound of wind, his brow crinkling as he realized that buried underneath the sound of Lambegus’ voice he could hear other faint whispers.

Whatever sounds he heard faded as Elanore dropped his hand in favor of inspecting the items the lions presented to her.  While she attempted to separate the skeins of ribbon, Edmund cleared his throat. “Elanore and I cannot play this afternoon.”

Lambegus shouted mournfully, “WE KNOW.”

The snow dust picked up a little as the lions yawned.  This time, he heard nothing. Edmund frowned, wondering at the tricks his mind continued to play with him.  Outwardly he was fine. But he felt off kilter.

The phantom pain in his right arm flared again as he touched their noses to quiet them.  He ignored it as best as he could while he shared with the lions what he and Elanore had wished from them.

They murmured amongst themselves for a moment before Lambegus was in Edmund’s face, scolding him.  “DID WE NOT TELL THE CUB WE WOULD TEACH YOU USEFUL THINGS? BUT YOU BOTH THINK TOO SMALL AND FEAR TOO MUCH.”

Edmund took Elanore in hand as the lions circled about them and sat down. He could feel her grip tighten as the lions continued their internal debate.  And the whispers returned -- forming sounds of disagreement and exasperation.

“They are ashamed by how little we know,” her voice seemed small in his ear. “I think we have offended them because we do not appear to trust them.” 

He had known that somehow. The voice in his head continued to speak in aggravated tones.  “He walks like a human, talks like a human, thinks like a human!”

Edmund sighed.  “But what is wrong with thinking like a human?” 

His unexpected response drew several long stares.  Five heads swiveled in his direction, perplexed, delighted, and mortified. 

The young woman that stood next to Edmund gasped. “Did you hear that?”

Edmund looked about the circle once before he confessed that he believed he had.

The lions exploded to their feet. They pressed close to them - putting their cold noses everywhere and smelling his mitten-clad hands and his boots.  He clasped Elanore’s hand, trying not to flinch as sharp eyes stared right through him. 

He heard a voice pour forth from one of the lions -- silky soft, old and rich. It sounded like a name and a greeting.

Edmund studied the creature, noting the prim manner in which he sat on the ground.  He hesitated, not sure still what he heard. “You are Galahad? Is that what you say?”

The lion seemed quite pleased.  “Yes,” he purred. “I’m the least silly of the bunch.”  This remark drew a few indignant swipes from the others, but he calmly batted their paws away.  “So we realize how urgently we must give your first real lesson. This land upon which you stand holds a power left behind by the old ones.  The young lady’s power woke and grows. It ripples outward, changing other things that are susceptible to magic.  Therefore, we have woken.  But you, also connected, also were not untouched.  Each time you have passed through these grounds, you should have known something was changing. Your body even now feels it!  Yet both of you continue to only see your human limits.”

“ASKING US TO AGREE TO WAKING ONE LION IS NONSENSE,” Lambegus interjected. “IT IS LIKE ASKING THE OCEAN TO RESOLVE TO BE ONLY A POND.”

Gawain added indignantly. “And we need more lions!”

Galahad swiped at Gawain to silence him before he looked back at Edmund.  “You aren’t Elanore, Edmund.  You are not healer or changer. You are one we cannot agree upon.  Very many strands run through you, for reasons we cannot wholly untangle. But for now, we ask you both to accept the role needed at this time and place. You should know us, Edmund and Elanore.  Trust us implicitly as we have trusted you!  Wake our brethren so we may aide you!”

The vehemence of the lions' requests surprised the couple they addressed. Elanore and Edmund exchanged looks before Elanore spoke plainly. “Will we die?”

“Change is sometimes like death. But do not fear it. Uwaine will explain it to you all.  We would not sacrifice lives for lives.”

Something about their response bothered Edmund still, but Elanore squeezed his hand. He knew she had already agreed to what they asked. Reluctantly, he also voiced his acceptance of their request.

The lions turned about in glee once at this response before they settled down. With a scratchy, quiet voice Uwaine asked Elanore to hold his head.

She stepped forward, uncertain why, but complied as she placed her hands upon the creature.

This time when he began to speak, the wind did not move, it did not rattle.  This time -- all who hid around them heard the words that dropped from the lion.

Lif and Lifprasir:
Draw from the stones and the wood from which you sprang--
From the guardians of this land and
Through the earth filled with fallen stars.
Lie with the lions and the lambs.
Restore those broken ties.
Weave our thousands into strands of light
to be reborn after night.

When the words concluded, the lion fell silent.  Slowly, Wolframs of all ages and sizes came forth from the woods and rocks to openly stare at the lions and to speak to one another.  

Lambegus jumped in their midst, speaking to be heard.  Its voice thundered off the stone walls of the courtyard and the buildings around them.  “MAGIC AND BLOODLINE HAVE SPOKEN.   FETCH YOUR MASTER AND GATHER ALL.  IT IS TIME FOR THE WAKING.”

Men began to scatter about the property, responding to the urgency of the creature’s voice.  But the lions kept Edmund and Elanore close. 

In the confusion that followed, Galahad spoke again but this time only for Edmund and Elanore.   “Now for our second lesson!”

========

Hey guys! This week at Dragoncon I managed to wrangle two excellent commissions. If you would like to see a beautiful sketch of a beautiful young lady from the talented lead artist at Flag Studios, surf to topwebfiction dot com and click on the banner for "Tales of the Big Bad Wolf."