The Prince and the Wolf - 14

Once out of sight of the village we quickly took to the forest, Geran alighting and stripping hurriedly. We had barely gained deeper cover ere he went into spasms, giving his mount apoplexy by transforming into lupine form while still leading it. Only the weight of Carsell's corpse strapped to its back kept the poor animal from bolting in fear as the big wolf melted into the trees.

Gramercy managed to calm the frightened beast, tethering it with the others before we attended to the task of ridding Carsell's horse of the remains of its former master. We lowered the body to the ground, not out of respect, but for fear of possibly damaging the eye, and quickly cut away the bindings around the head. I opened the jar of spirit, using the 'lift' spell to pluck the eye from its damaged socket. It came away with a disgusting, sucking noise, but I managed to get it into the spirit at the first attempt despite cringing.

After stowing the eye in my saddlebag, it occurred to me that we should search Carsell's body for any other items that might aid us in ridding the world of my predatory brother. We were very glad that we did, for three things soon came to light, the first of them a gaudily-stoned ring upon the fourth finger of the left hand. The second was Carsell's green hat, cleaned and roughly stitched to shape, but serviceable. It was the third item though which made us gasp, for around his waist, Carsell bore a leather money-belt containing an impressive number of gold ducats. I immediately recognised the hallmarks of Kurlane, agreeing with Gramercy that this must be the blood-money Olivar had paid for my dispatch. On counting them, we reckoned the total at ninety-four, Gramercy asserting that certain folk of Dunchent might be one or two to the good. If indeed they were, then frankly I could not find it within me to begrudge them their premium.

Further searching produced nothing of any note, Carsell's magnificent rapier in its jewelled scabbard and already firmly attached to Gramercy's saddle. We left the body where it lay, knowing that all manner of animals from bears to worms would make short work of it. With one last look at his shattered face, I couldn't help wondering just how many of Carsell's victims we had avenged. Mayhap it was none; mayhap I'd been his first commission, but somehow I doubted it. All in all, I thought his final resting place much too good for him and would fain have seen him burned along with other rubbish.

We regained the road, making good time and reaching to within four leagues of Kurlane ere I called a halt with the sun an hour from setting. I did not wish to enter my home town 'til I'd prepared the way and had in mind a small ruse which might buy us some comfort. After I had established the wards, Gramercy set to building a fire while I constructed the lean-to. It was not to my usual standard perhaps, but my woodsman's sense told me it would remain fine that night, if becoming a might cold.

With Gramercy's oversized fire well alight, I used my ring to check the food and water for poisons, finding everything wholesome, whereupon Gramercy commenced preparation of our evening meal. Geran joined us ere the stew was near ready, the tantalising smell having drawn him unerringly to us. Unfortunately, it had also drawn a large bear, which was still present after fully an hour of trying to penetrate the wards, sending the horses into unremitting panic. Geran remained remarkably quiet throughout our visitor's near constant barrage of coughs, roars, whines and frustrated howls, which is more than I can say for Gramercy, who was convinced the animal would break through at any moment and devour us.

'Nay, my friend,' I said, laughing unkindly at his discomfiture, 'the harder it tries, the less it can succeed. That is the way of the wards.'

'Nonetheless,' he growled, eying the thrashing undergrowth with deep mistrust, 'the sooner it leaves, the happier I shall be.' He thought for a moment, then frowned. 'It will leave, will it not?'

'Ay,' I said, laughing all the harder, 'though mayhap you'd like me to scare it off?'

'If you can, then why did you not!' he said, the indignation in his voice near doubling me over with mirth.

'Ah, my brave Gramercy; it cannot reach you, you know this!'

'Ay … but nevertheless …'

I took pity on him and approached the bear, using my ring to emit bright flashes and tongues of fire which soon caused it to turn tail and run, still bawling its disappointment. After it had gone, I first checked that I'd not set light to the forest, then returned to find Gramercy and Geran tucking into their portions of stew as though nothing untoward had occurred. I merely grinned and held my tongue as I sated my own hunger, the three of us retiring early to the lean-to as of one mind after what had truly been a long, tiring and eventful day.


If I woke either of my companions, they must quickly have fallen asleep once more for I could hear Gramercy's light snore and the heavier one of the wolf, sprawled between us. As ever, the shaft of light had penetrated the holed shutter, motes of dust dancing in its narrow confines as it revealed the glowing shield lying upon the table. Now, another of the smaller circles was filled, leaving just one of them empty. Gleaming brightly in the centre of the seventh was a gold ducat, bearing the hallmarks of Kurlane. The image swam before my eyes as I closed them with a smile, soon rejoining my friends in slumber.


Early the following morning, a diplomatic Gramercy again left a transformed Geran to the enjoyment of his lover as we renewed our bond, our cries of thwarted yearning no doubt reaching him as he tended to the horses. He returned to find us quieter, giggling as each attempted to dress while trying not to let go of the other.

'Good morrow, Gramercy.' Geran grinned up at him as he completed the buckling of his shoes. 'I wot my late uncle is no longer with us?'

Gramercy chuckled, proffering a water-bottle which Geran declined. 'I can confirm he is not, oh sadly bereaved one, for we left the scoundrel where he fell.'

'Nay! You do not say so!' Geran's broad grin belied the dismayed tone of his voice.

'Has David yet shown you what he held concealed about his waist?'

'No, indeed! What was it?'

I retrieved the little bag I'd poured the ducats into and bade him cup his hands together, tipping them out in a golden stream. His eyes grew ever rounder as each coin clinked into his increasingly unsteady palms, until he could no longer control himself.

'By all the saints, David … this is a fortune!'

'Is it worth a life, would you say?'

'Oh, ay! And ten times over, more like!'

'Is it worth mine, then?' I said, quietly, gazing into his eyes as a look of horror came over his face. His hands parted, heedless of their tainted precious contents, which tumbled to the forest floor in a glittering shower.

'I … I'm sorry …' he whispered, his lips trembling and arms reaching for me. 'I could not know …'

'Nay …' I hugged and sshed him, stroking his neck as he wept into mine. 'It was thoughtless of me and ill said … dry your tears, my wolf, for I know you love me more than mere gold.' Rather than stopping his sobs however, his crying precipitated my own and we clung together for some minutes, until a gentle throat-clearing from Gramercy preceded a suggestion that perhaps we should be on our way.

With the horses saddled and packed, I turned to find Geran on his haunches, staring at the ducats twinkling among the forest litter. 'Should we leave them?' he said, squinting at me from the still-rising sun.

'Nay …' I crouched beside him, helping him to gather them up. 'They are too valuable to waste on sentiment, and is it not splendidly ironic to think that they might aid us in bringing Olivar to his reckoning!'

Try as we may, we could find only ninety-three of the confounded coins, both of us agreeing that leaving the one was as good as leaving them all and quickly ceasing our fruitless search for it.


Our approach into Kurlane was by the meanest of its districts, our appearance admittedly needing little adjustment to fit perfectly into the rough streets and dingy buildings. I wore Geran's hooded smock to exclude any possibility of recognition, remaining well shrouded until the three of us were ensconced in one of the numerous, unremarkable taverns, chosen particularly for both its stabling and proximity to a noisy market. No questions were asked and no information offered, the demanded weekly tariff prepaid and accepted with a grunt by the innkeeper. Once safe within our modest room, I revealed my immature plan to the others, the three of us spending fully an hour at its refining and foolproofing before our conversation was brought to an abrupt end by Geran's wolfing. We were taking a huge risk, we knew, in attempting to keep him concealed for as long as it took us to act, but there was nothing else for it that at least one of us must needs remain with the wolf at all times.

The first task was to ascertain the day upon which Olivar held audience, which I fervently hoped would not prove to be by the month. This was achieved by the simple act of visiting the taproom to purchase a glass of ale and engaging the somewhat garrulous old bartender in conversation. The fellow readily revealed that Olivar habitually devoted his Monday mornings to the reception of both influential personages and petitioners, but went so far as to counsel me not to bother applying to the king for any boon, as it was widely known that he rarely granted any unless they were also to his own advantage.

Gramercy accomplished our next mission, which was to obtain food and disposable toilet facilities for Geran, the edibles rapidly disposed of and the makeshift privy put to immediate good use within ten minutes of his return, when poor Gramercy had perforce to go out again to rid us of Geran's soil. When I told him that it was currently Friday and we had three days of wolfminding to look forward to, he frowned and sighed but made no other comment, already dressing himself in his best finery in preparation for the next phase of our plan. When finally togged up, he turned towards me, adopting an elegant pose.

'Do I pass muster?' he said, laughing with me when I was unable to control my giggles. He'd discarded his regular uniform for the dress version, complete with ruffles at the neck and throat but without the insignia which would betray it as military. In gleaming, black leather boots, with Carsell's rapier suspended from his hip and the unmistakable, tall-crowned, green hat upon his head, he could have been Carsell's twin brother and I told him as much between gasps.

'Oh, Gramercy …' I had to clutch at my stomach, '… you might yet achieve what Carsell could not!' I fell back onto the bed, gurgling, prompting Geran to open one eye to a mere slit before plainly deciding there was little to see and closing it again.

'I believe I cut quite the dashing figure,' Gramercy protested, posing himself variously before the misted glass and rendering me totally incoherent for some minutes.

'Ay, that's as maybe,' I gasped finally, 'yet I collect two things amiss.'

'And what may they be, pray?'

'Oh … nothing of too great an import … merely that you seem to have one appendage in excess and lack a certain affectation below the nose.'

'Ah …' he grinned, impishly, 'too many arms and no moustache you mean.'

'Ay,' I giggled, for well he knew it.

'The moustache should not prove difficult, but as much as I love you my prince, I do not intend to sever my own arm in your service.'

'Really?' I assumed my best pathetic pout. 'Then how can you say you truly love me?'

'Phooey,' he said.

We readily achieved a mediocre one-armed effect by binding his left across his body, but it produced a suspicious lumpiness which neither of us thought would pass even the most dimwitted of inspections. After some experimentation, an entirely satisfactory appearance was obtained by tying the arm close to his side, using his waist-length cloak to conceal the bulge within the jacket, while the empty sleeve was pinned ostentatiously across the stomach.

'Ay,' I nodded, 'it will do very well.'

'So; what then for the moustache?'

'Surely you need only to have one; it need not be too accurate a facsimile.'

'Ay … some of my hair, then?'

Preparing a convincing facial adornment from some of Gramercy's generous locks took little time, but the affixing of it to his upper lip proved most vexatious. We eventually agreed that there was nothing for it, but that one of us had to approach the innkeeper for some form of adhesive … and since Gramercy was in near full disguise, the one had perforce to be myself.

I finally located the master of the house in the stables, arranging carriage for fodder with the ostler and was waved dismissively towards his workbench without any requirement for explanation. Sure enough, the implements included a pot of evil-smelling glue, some of which I abstracted into one of the smaller containers from Gramercy's kit.

Once moustached, Gramercy's transfiguration was astounding; I freely declared that far from being Carsell's twin, he could easily have passed for the assassin himself and after a critical self-appraisal in the glass, he concurred.

'Ah well … to business …' he said finally, tossing the hat at me.

I controlled my giggles, Gramercy using the scissors from his kit to sever a ringlet of my hair, enfolding it together with one of the gold ducats into a parchment package and sealing it with the wax imprint of Carsell's gaudy ring, currently adorning Gramercy's little finger.

'I am ready,' he announced, tugging the jacket down with a nervous swallow. My mood quickly changed to one of anxiety as he strode to the door and cracked it open, listening for persons upon the landing.

'Take care, my friend,' I said, his tight smile and quick nod betraying the tension within him as he slipped through the door without a word. I secured it behind him, returning to the bed to fondle Geran and fret for as long as it took the lieutenant to return from his dangerous assignment.


I had little to do during Gramercy's absence save the sewing of a tear in my new tunic, doubtless courtesy of some nondescript forest briar. I could only hope that Gramercy had been able to avoid being detained by the guards he intended to bribe, but had to trust in his abilities. As it was, my fretting had barely reached the pacing stage before there came a quiet knock; three quick taps and then a single one. Geran's head rose immediately, staring at the door, but his low growl caused me no disquiet as I hurried to undo the catch.

'It is done!' Gramercy collapsed to the bed, greeted with two wags and a cursory lick from Geran before tossing the green hat to the floor. 'Phew!' He grinned at me, tugging one-handed to open the buttons on his jacket as I perched eagerly on one of the two wooden chairs by the table.

'Tell me, then! It worked?'

'Ay; so I believe. As you predicted, there were but two guards within the gate and none without, so I was fairly certain of a quick retreat. At first they were reluctant to approach me, but my incredible elegance must have convinced them in the end …' I gave him back his grin as he continued. '… It took but a silver coin each and then they were eager to do my bidding. "No names, my friends," I said, my voice deadly hushed, "but take good note of my appearance. Give this package directly to my lord Olivar. Fail me, and I shall return for your heads.".'

'And that was that?'

'Ay,' he laughed, offering me a boot to tug on. 'One of them fled towards the castle keep, as from our wolf himself, while the other took up his post and tried to pretend he had not seen me!'

'And did you return undetected?' I finally pulled off the first boot with a grunt and commenced on the second, Gramercy aiding me with a stockinged foot to the rear.

'Ay … oof!' He relaxed as the boot came free, while I managed to avoid the chair with my head, dropping the boot as I turned to help him unstrap his arm.

'I'd expected some high adventure,' I said, 'but in all, it were better this way.'

'Ay to that!' Gramercy flexed his cramped arm with a few grimaces, then set to removing his leggings, finally donning his remaining customary dress before reclining back on his hands. 'I will pack this away later, but just now, I am famished!'

'The motion is seconded,' I said, 'but we cannot leave this one alone.' My attempt to avoid mentioning Geran's name met with dismal failure as he lifted his head to regard me balefully, plainly indicating that he knew perfectly well to whom I was referring.

'Might it appear curious do you think, were we to dine separately?'

'Mayhap,' I said, 'but it cannot be helped … unless …'

I proffered my solution, Gramercy quickly acquiescing. 'An excellent idea! It would explain your retirement … and any strange noises from you!' His final remark was addressed to Geran, the vigorous fondling the wolf received taking the sting from Gramercy's tone.

Some minutes were spent deciding exactly what malady I was suffering from that might keep me abed, but not require immediate evacuation of the entire town. We settled eventually upon the mundanity of a severe cold to the chest, Gramercy firmly rejecting my tentative suggestion of the Snail's Itch as likely to cause wide-spread panic.

'And moreover,' he added, 'I have not the faintest notion of what it might be!'

'Nor I,' I confessed, 'though you'll allow it has a fine ring to it!'

'Phooey,' he offered again, already on his way to the door.

'My friend …'

'Ay?' He turned with his hand upon the latch, immediately registering the grin upon my face and forefinger waggling at my upper lip.

'Ah … indeed.'

Unfortunately for poor Gramercy, the innkeeper's glue proved tenacious in the extreme, a little water warmed over a candle finally rendering his face hairless once more, though a light application of powder was required to hide the resulting redness.

[To be continued.]