The Moonlit Curse

Ch 17: Dreams of a Forgotten Past

Squeals of delight carried on the wind across the open fields of knee-high yellow-green grass. A little boy, no older than four, trampled through them without a care in the world, his smile shining as bright as the sun above his head. Five wolf pups ran with him, barking and yapping in tune with his happy giggles.

All of a sudden, an enormous roan-colored female caught up with the running younglings and stopped directly in front of them to keep them from continuing. The little boy didn't stop until he had his arms wrapped around the wolf's neck and had his face buried in her fur. The pups danced around her, chirping and nipping at her heels. With the never-ending patience of a mother, she stretched out into the grass and allowed them to climb on and over her.

There was a high whistle next, and the wolf tilted her head back to answer the call, echoed by her pups and the human toddler. A moment later, an impossibly tall man walked through the grass and stood over the lot. "Beloved," he called back behind him with a laugh. "I found our son."

A woman as beautiful as the night with long black hair and silver eyes joined her husband and laughed at the sight of her child and the family of wolves. "Auriel," she reached out to scratch the wolf behind her ears. "My most loyal of companions. What would I do without you looking after our prince?"

A low purr-like growl rumbled in Auriel's chest in pleasure, and she stretched out her neck to rest her head in the woman's lap. There was a slight vibrato to the sound as her pups continued to jump on her side, making the king and queen laugh once again. "And what about you, little prince?" the king knelt down next to his son. "Where were you running off to?"

"I want to see the ships, papa," he answered, rolling onto his back to look up at his parents.

"The ships?" the king barked out a laugh. "My boy wants to see the ships, then the ships he shall see!"

In one swift movement, he lifted the prince from the ground, tossed him in the air and caught him again before placing him on his shoulders. Keeping a firm grip on the boy's ankles to keep him from falling, he made his way towards the cliffs. The queen followed soon after, slipping her hand around her husband's elbow.

They walked together as a family, guarded only by the large female wolf and her litter of pups. No other guards weren't needed. Why would they be? Surrounded by the supporting islands and a maze of shallow, rocky waters that only the most experienced of ship captains could navigate, the capital island was the safest place in the world.

Heads turned as they passed, and many of the citizens waved. People thrived under the Wolf Queen's rule, and there was no better consort than the man she chose as her king. And her boy, their prince and the heir to the throne, was the perfect blend of them both. As sweet and smart as his mother, while as strong and kind as his father. No doubt that when his magic matured, he would be an alpha like both his parents.

Together, they reached the edge of the cliffs, as the main road turned to stairs leading down towards the docks. The ocean stretched out further than the eye could see. Beyond the edge of the docks, heading towards the great water gates, the bright white sails of five trade ships hung on the horizon. The little prince rested his chin on the top of his father's head, staring happily out at the shrinking sails. "Where are they going, papa?" he asked.

"To the kingdom across the sea," the king said wistfully. "They will sell their wares in the market, and then will return with goods to trade with our people."

"Can we go some day?"

To that, the king did not answer. The queen turned her eyes on her husband and squeezed his arm when she saw the pain and sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry, sweetie. No, we can't."