The Werewolves of Nottinghill

by J. J. Thompson

  She laughed harshly and she seemed to be staring into the past as she spoke.

  Malcolm remained silent and listened to her. He had never heard the story of how the sisters had survived the coming of the dragons and he was fascinated by Veronique's story.

  “And that is what saved us the night of the dragon attacks,” she continued. “Imagine that. The house above us collapsed, but it wasn't burned. I have no idea how it was demolished. A dragon's wing, perhaps? I cannot say. I am just grateful that Sylvie and I weren't trapped in the cellar and burned alive, as so many others must have been. We huddled together for hours, listening to roars and screams and having no idea what horrific things were happening out in the streets. And in the morning, when the sun rose and it had become relatively quiet, we crawled out through the rubble and beheld a ruined city.”

  She looked up at Malcolm, the shadow of her loss still on her face.

  He reached out and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, making her smile gratefully.

  “When did you learn that it had been a dragon attack that destroyed Paris?” he asked quietly.

  “Oh, not for days. It was a complete mystery to us at first. I mean, we knew that aircraft no longer flew and rockets did not function, so we couldn't figure out what had hit us. We had a lot of theories, of course, each one wilder than the last. A meteor strike. A massive earthquake. An attack by a rogue nation that had discovered how to make technology work again. And many more. But no real idea. Sylvie and I decided to leave the city immediately, in case there was another attack, and we packed up some food and clothing in backpacks and left that very day.”

  Veronique's hair blew across her face and she pushed it back and tucked it behind her ears.

  “We saw some people as we trudged through the city, climbing mounds of rubble and avoiding burning buildings, but they stayed clear of us and we of them. You never knew who you could trust back then, so Sylvie and I trusted no one but each other. We headed north at first, toward Belgium. We had some family there, a couple of old aunts and an uncle, and I suppose we were hoping that they had survived somehow.”

  “Had they?”

  The mage shrugged dispiritedly.

  “We never found out. A few days after we left the city, we saw our first dragon fly across the sky and, a few more days after that, we ran from a pack of drakes. Survival became our priority and we turned westward toward the coast.”

  She smiled at Malcolm and turned away to look down the road again.

  “And the rest is history, I suppose. We all have a story to tell, do we not? I am sure that yours is much more interesting than mine.”

  “Not really,” Malcolm said. “For Aiden and me, it was probably a lot easier because our small town was hit by drakes, not dragons. So surviving was...”

  He was cut off by a quick gesture from Veronique.

  “I do not mean to be rude, Malcolm,” she said without turning her head. “But the rest of our conversation will have to wait for another time. I do believe that our lost elf has returned. And she's brought some friends with her.”

  Malcolm followed her gaze and stared in surprise. Just emerging from the distant forest was a line of people led by the unmistakable figure of Chase. She was striding along at a brisk pace along the wide path, armed with a bow as she had been when he'd first seen her.

  Behind her were three elves who were wearing long flowing white robes that gleamed in the sunlight. The only detail that Malcolm could make out from where he was standing was the color of their hair. One was blond and the other two were brunettes. He couldn't even tell whether they were male or female.

  And following the trio of robed figures was an entire troop of armed and armored elves. Malcolm counted two dozen of them as they emerged from the shadows of the trees. All wore bronze-colored armor and were armed with bows. They also wore swords on their belts and walked in precise formation as they advanced along the road.

  Malcolm turned to find the closest guardsman and waved him over.

  “Peter, do me a favor and tell Tamara that we are about to have company, please. And tell her that we should roll out the red carpet for them when they get here.”

  The guardsman turned to look down the path and gasped at what he saw.

  “Elves, sir?” Peter asked breathlessly.

  “Definitely. And those three wearing robes look important. Mention that to Tamara when you see her, hmm? Now, off you go.”

  “Yes sir.”

  Peter ran off, his armor jingling as he went.

  “I hope he doesn't break his neck running down those steps,” Malcolm muttered as he turned back to look at the advancing elves.

  Veronique seemed amused by his comment.

  “I am sure that he will be fine,” she said. “But perhaps you should go down to the gate and have the guards there open it? It would be impolite for our visitors to be greeted with locked doors, would it not? They might find it insulting.”

  Malcolm cursed under his breath.

  “You're right, Veronique. Thanks. I'll see to it immediately.”

  “Just make sure that you do not break your neck on those stairs either,” she joked as he began to trot off.

  Malcolm chuckled as he ran.

  Clever lady, he thought as he cautiously walked down the steps. Very clever lady.

  Chapter 11

  Tamara and Sebastian stood just inside the open main gate, waiting for their visitors. They had hurried to the entrance as soon as they'd been told about the approaching elves. Not wanting to appear too menacing, Tamara had asked that the welcoming party be kept small, and also said that there shouldn't be a large force of guardsmen at the gate.

  On the ramparts above the gate, however, a squad of armed guardsmen watched the newcomers carefully. No one expected treachery, but it was best to be cautious.

  Other than the usual pair of guards stationed at the entrance, only Malcolm and Aiden waited with the mages. All of them were grateful that the rain had stopped and the sun was out again. It would make the occasion much more comfortable for both parties.

  “It looks like Veronique was right,” Malcolm muttered to Aiden. “Chase must have left to bring back a group of diplomats.”

  They were standing next to each other and were watching as the elves approached.

  Aiden smiled and winked at him.

  “It's nice that someone else is right once in a while,” he whispered. “Tamara shouldn't get the glory all of the time.”

  Malcolm put a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud. The occasion was much too serious for joking.

  Tamara and her brother looked a little tense as the elvish party got closer to the castle. To them, anything new and unknown was a potential danger.

  Chase led her people up the front gates and stopped a dozen yards away.

  There was a long moment of silence before the elf stepped forward. Tamara did the same and the two of them met halfway between their parties.

  “Welcome back,” Tamara said loudly, so that everyone watching could hear her. “We were wondering why you had left so soon and so abruptly and we hoped that we hadn't somehow insulted you.”

  Chase looked surprised at the statement.

  “But I told you all that I would be contacting my Elders, did I not? And, as you can see,” she looked back at the three robed elves, “they have sent representatives to speak for them. Is this not what we discussed?”

  Tamara hesitated and then shook her head.

  “Forgive me,” she said. “Obviously there's been a misunderstanding. When you disappeared without a word last night, we were all...concerned. We could not understand it. Some of us thought that we had offended you somehow, while others, I'm sorry to say, were a little suspicious of your motives. And none of us could figure out how you had left the castle.”

  Chase nodded slowly.

  “I see. Yes, I suppose that, from your point of view, my sudden exit must have been concerning. But I had no nefarious intentions, I assure
you. As for how I left...” She smiled slightly. “I am an elven ranger, lady. I did not want to disturb your guards, so I simply climbed over the wall. It seemed like the quickest way to exit the castle.”

  “You climbed down a sheer wall?”

  “Sheer to you, lady mage, not to a ranger. I do apologize if I caused you and your people any concern. But I ask that we put this misunderstanding behind us and move forward. My superiors are waiting and the day is quite warm.”

  Tamara looked past Chase at the three robed dignitaries waiting patiently several yards away. Her eyes widened as she realized that the elves actually looked aged. For an elf, that must mean that they were quite old and, probably, very wise. They were also standing in the blazing sun.

  “Yes, of course. Please introduce us so that we can get your people out of the hot sun as soon as possible.”

  “Thank you.”

  Chase stepped aside and the three Elders walked forward together. There were two men and a woman in the group, all of them wearing plain white robes. Chase stood at attention and cleared her throat.

  “May I introduce Dianis,” she said formally, indicating the female of the group. “She is our senior member. With her are the honorable Myklen and Shendal. They are members of our Elder Council and have volunteered to be the first of what we hope are many diplomatic groups to visit your people.”

  The older woman nodded regally while her companions remained motionless.

  Tamara bowed gracefully and all three of the Elders smiled at her gesture.

  “Allow me to welcome you all to Nottinghill,” she said in a clear voice. “You honor us with your presence.”

  “Elders,” Chase continued, her tone deeply respectful, “this is Lady Tamara. A mage. She leads the Council of Nottinghill Castle.”

  “Lady Tamara, it is an honor to meet you,” Dianis said slowly, her voice quite deep for a woman.

  She had short blond hair that was streaked with gray. Her hawk-like nose and piercing brown eyes gave her a commanding and regal look. Although she had deep wrinkles around her eyes, Dianis sounded vigorous and much younger than she looked.

  “We regret that there was a misunderstanding about our motives,” she added. “Chase was asked to report back as soon as she could after making contact with your people. There is a rather dire situation brewing and we wanted to meet you and discuss it as quickly as possible.”

  Malcolm and Aiden exchanged worried glances.

  “Uh-oh,” the big man whispered.

  “Yeah. Uh-oh is right.”

  Both of the male elves remained silent and it was obvious that Dianis was the leader of the group. Myklen was the smaller man, with shoulder-length brown hair. He wore a silver band across his forehead that held back his hair and his large blue eyes flicked from person to person, taking everything in at once.

  Shendal was taller than either of the other Elders and almost painfully thin. He also looked older than they did, with deep wrinkles all over his face and thick streaks of gray in his short auburn hair. His features were open and almost grandfatherly and he smiled benevolently at all of the people around him.

  “We will be happy to speak with you about anything you wish,” Tamara told them. “But the day is hot and it will be more comfortable indoors. Would you care to enter our home?”

  “Thank you,” Dianis said as she looked past the mage into the courtyard. “I must admit that I am intrigued by this place. I have never entered one of your settlements before, and I only ever spoke to one human being. But he was a dear friend for many years and I became fond of your people because of him.”

  Shendal lowered his head and quietly spoke to her in Elvish.

  Dianis looked up at him with a smile and a nod.

  “But we can speak of that and other things later,” she told Tamara. “My friends and I accept your invitation. Chase will see to our escort.”

  Chase bowed to her and the three Elders followed Tamara and Sebastian into the courtyard.

  “Go along with them,” Malcolm told Aiden. “I'll stay out here and try to get the other elves settled.”

  Aiden looked at the troop of elven warriors, all of them standing as motionless as statues.

  “Okay. Good luck figuring out where to billet them.”

  He grinned at the big man and hurried to catch up to Tamara and the Elders.

  Chase walked over to Malcolm.

  “It is good to see you again,” she said with a smile. “Did you also think that I was up to no good when I left last night?”

  He shrugged.

  “To be honest, I had no idea what to think. But I was more concerned for your safety than I was about your motives.”

  “Were you? Well, thank you for the concern. It is appreciated.”

  She looked at the elven escort for a moment.

  “Are you able to house two dozen unexpected guests?” Chase asked with a sly grin.

  “Um, sure. We may be able to work something out,” Malcolm replied with a frown. “I can clear out the barracks and assign the guards living there to other quarters. It will take a bit of juggling, but...”

  “Relax,” Chase said with a laugh. “I was just teasing you. The troops will be setting up camp outside of the walls of the castle. There is an empty stretch of ground next to your tilled fields that we can use, with your permission of course. We will use material from the forest to build temporary shelters and we will forage for our own food as well. You and people will not be disturbed by our presence.”

  Malcolm was surprised by this information.

  “Are you sure?” he asked. “We can certainly share our food with you and any other supplies that you might need.”

  “I am sure. When we are away from home for extended periods of time, my people are always self-sufficient. May I give the order for them to set up camp?”

  “Yes, of course. Will you be joining the Elders inside?”

  “I will. If you could wait for a moment, I will be back shortly.”

  Malcolm nodded and watched as Chase walked quickly over to her troops. One of them saluted her and she began speaking to him.

  She must be their commander, Malcolm thought as he watched the troops turn as one and march away down the hill toward the fields below. Interesting. Obviously Chase is more than just a simple ranger. I'll have to keep that in mind going forward.

  Everyone met in the main hall a short time later. Tamara invited the Elders to sit near her at the conference table and sent one of the staff to the kitchens to request refreshments.

  Dianis and her companions walked around the hall slowly, examining it and speaking amongst themselves before taking their seats. They seemed especially delighted by the stained glass windows high overhead and Shendal, the oldest elf, laughed aloud when he looked up at them.

  Sylvie, Veronique and Chao had been waiting for the newcomers in the hall and watched, fascinated, as the Elders explored the room. Daniel and Katherine soon joined them and the five of them sat down and waited for the meeting to start.

  Malcolm and Chase walked in just as the Elders were sitting down, and Tamara asked them to take a seat and get comfortable. Once everyone was settled, she stood up and smiled down the table at the elves.

  “On behalf of the residents of Nottinghill Castle, I'd like to welcome our new guests to our home. Elders, please allow me to introduce the rest of the Council.”

  She went around the table and named each person. Everyone stood up and bowed to the Elders, who in turn nodded and smiled to each one. When she was done, Tamara sat down and Dianis rose to her feet.

  “We thank you for your gracious welcome,” she began, her voice echoing grandly throughout the hall. “Our peoples have been separated for far too long, and so much has happened in the interim, that we feared on our return to your world that the human race might have been extinguished by the ancient lords of Darkness. We are happy to find that our fears were unwarranted. Indeed,” she looked around the hall and up at the multicolored windows, “you se
em to have flourished in our absence, and we are delighted by your progress. “

  To the Council's surprise, she sat down and Myklen immediately rose to his feet. Apparently each of the Elders was going to speak in turn.

  “I thought that Dianis was the leader,” Malcolm whispered to Chase, who was sitting next to him.

  “She is,” the elf replied quietly. “But they are all equal in rank and each has a right to voice their own opinions.”

  “Ah, I see. Interesting.”

  “My colleague speaks for us all,” Myklen said warmly.

  The humans were startled. Although he was the smallest of the Elders, Myklen had a deep bass voice that resonated around the meeting hall. It was a voice that commanded attention and they watched him with wide eyes.

  “Our people will always owe yours a debt,” he continued. “Thanks to the actions of Simon O'Toole and the Lady Liliana, our race was saved from the depredations of the dragons when they invaded Trillfarness. It is a debt that we can never repay.”

  “Trillfarness?” Malcolm murmured.

  “That is what we call our world,” Chase told him. “Roughly translated, it means Land of Peace in your language.”

  “I like it.”

  “And because of this debt,” Myklen continued, “when our two worlds aligned again, we were eager to make contact with you. Unfortunately, part of the reason for our eagerness was to pass along some bad news. Thanks to our scryers, we must deliver a warning to the people of this castle.”

  There was an immediate hum of conversation at this statement, but it died down quickly as Myklen sat down and Shendal arose.

  Perhaps it was his obviously advanced age, or his grandfatherly appearance, but the oldest elf commanded immediate respect from everyone present at the meeting.

  He smiled at each of them before he began to speak and everyone smiled back. Even the reticent Chao could not help but like this old elf as they exchanged glances.