LYNN COPPERSMITH
†
THE FALL
OF THE WOLF
The Fall of the Wolf
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 by Lynn Coppersmith
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of excerpts consisting of no more than 2 chapters to be used for review or marketing purposes. To obtain written permission for any other uses, contact the author via email: [email protected].
For my husband, who inspires all my fantasies. Thank you for loving me just the way I am.
LC
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
Prologue
Kingdom of Aglaia 1505
Queen Meleia Versailles sat in her chair near the fireplace, staring pensively into the flickering flames. It was deepest night, and the bedroom was mostly dark. The only illumination in the room came from the hearty fire burning in the hearth, and the firelight cast dancing shadows across the ceiling and walls. Meleia contemplated those shadows and mused that they were symbolic of the shadow of war that still hung over her kingdom. Her husband lay peacefully slumbering, and she could hear his contented snores. She gave a wistful sigh. If only she could find rest so easily.
Meleia felt like an abject failure. Until recent years, Aglaia had always been a prosperous and peaceful nation. But all that had changed during Meleia’s reign, and her heart was heavy with guilt.
Unlike other countries, Aglaia had a tradition of the monarchy passing to the firstborn, be they male or female. Thus, it had been ruled by just as many queens as kings, and the consort of his or her choosing. Every monarch who had ever reigned in Aglaia had been generous, wise and benevolent to their subjects, and they were beloved by their people. It was a widely held belief that the royals were able to show such strengths of character because they had a tradition of marrying only for love. Their marriages were never arranged, and the love they shared with their spouses flowed over into their generous love of their country and their people.
No prior Aglaian monarch had been more beloved than Queen Meleia, for not only was she wise, kind and just to her subjects, she was also devastatingly beautiful. Her beauty and grace were so renowned that songs and sonnets were composed about her, and great artists begged for the chance to paint her portrait. Women tried to emulate her fashions, and men viewed her as the ultimate example of female perfection.
When the time came for Meleia to choose her prince consort, the position as her husband had been greatly coveted. Princes and noblemen from everywhere competed for the position, proposing all manner of contests and tournaments to decide who should have the honour of marrying the queen. They vied for her hand with ever increasing hostility, until the kingdom was on the verge of being torn apart. In an effort to calm the nation, Meleia finally made her choice and, in keeping with tradition, she married her one true love. But instead of bringing peace, her marriage sparked a bitter civil war. It was the first time in the history of Aglaia that the land had not known peace, and the effects were devastating.
Two of her rejected suitors declared war against her and against each other, each trying to storm the palace and claim the queen for himself. The palace defenses withstood the attacks, but the war took a terrible toll on the people and the land. For ten long years, Aglaia knew nothing other than battles, destruction, starvation, and death. The royal treasury was nearly bankrupted by the war effort. Fields lay fallow as the farmers who would normally have tended them fought for the various competing armies. Her subjects were starving, and knowing that her people could not withstand much more, Queen Meleia desperately sought an end to the war. However, in order to negotiate peace, the queen was forced to divide her kingdom into three separate states. Though she maintained her throne, her authority over most of her land was lost. For two thirds of the country, she became a monarch in name only, and she held no actual authority over the newly formed states in the east and the west.
The lands comprising the western third of Aglaia were ceded to the powerful and ruthless Duke of Livius, while the eastern third was ceded to the fierce Duke of Argyle. The two men each possessed armies that were far superior to those of the queen, but they also were weary of the cost of war. Their armies were so equally matched that neither could conquer the entire kingdom, and both Dukes wanted to end the drain on their own coffers. They agreed to a peace treaty, but only after their mutual greed had destroyed the nation. The portion of Aglaia that remained under the queen’s authority had been reduced to a narrow territory between two bitter enemies. Aglaia’s most fertile lands and her most profitable sea ports had been stripped from her. What remained was a mountainous no-man’s land, where it was nearly impossible to grow crops or raise livestock.
Queen Meleia was plagued by guilt and worry for her people and her country. It had been another ten years since the peace settlement, and yet the plight of her people had not substantially improved. While the war had ended, there continued to be skirmishes and raids. Villages were raided and burned, and the Duke of Livius and the Duke of Argyle each blamed the other for the offenses. Each year, the situation worsened, and Meleia began to despair that her people would ever recover from the terrible war. She heaved a deep sigh, wondering for the thousandth time whether she could have done anything differently.
Meleia rose and crossed to the chamber door on silent feet. One of her guardsmen was posted just outside, and at her quiet command, he escorted her through the deserted hallways to a distant wing of the palace. The queen raised a hand to rap on a large wooden door, but before she could do so, the portal swung open. Meleia blinked in surprise as her eyes met those of Veda, the royal oracle and one of her most trusted advisors.
Veda sank into a deep curtsy and motioned for the queen to enter. “I have been expecting you, your Majesty. Please come inside.”
Meleia entered and the door closed soundlessly behind her. Veda waited for the queen to settle into a comfortable chair before the hearth. She brought a steaming cup of tea to her queen and poured another for herself. Finally, she resumed her own place on the rug in front of a large fireplace. The queen sipped her tea, grateful for its warmth, and she heaved a sigh.
“Thank you, Veda,” she murmured.
Veda merely nodded and picked up a partially finished basket that she was weaving. As always, the queen was fascinated by Veda’s sanctuary. Every surface was covered by curious objects, small bottles of fragrant herbs and oils, and books of every size and color. There were parchments strewn over a low desk beneath a window, and the queen could see hastily drawn images and passages written in Veda’s distinctive slashing handwriting. Rich tapestries adorned the walls and furnishings, and a plush animal pelt served as a rug in front of the fireplace. Meleia turned her attention back to Veda and watched quietly as the woman continued to weave strands of brightly colored reeds into a beautiful basket.
“If you wer
e expecting me, you must know why I have come,” the queen prompted with a raised brow.
Veda smiled but did not look up from her weaving. “Of course, ma’am. You want to know whether there is any hope for our country to be restored to peace, prosperity and unity.”
The queen’s other brow rose in mild surprise. “I do not know why I am ever surprised by your ability to read my mind, but I still am.”
Veda chuckled softly and shrugged one shoulder as she continued weaving. “I cannot read your mind, ma’am. I merely see visions. Sometimes, they are murky and indistinct. Those visions require much interpretation, and they can easily be misunderstood. At other times, the visions are as clear as if they were happening before my very eyes. Those are the ones most likely to come true, and they should be heeded.” She looked up briefly and met the queen’s stare. “It just so happens that I have seen one of the very clear visions, and there is definitely great hope for our country.”
The queen leaned forward in anxious excitement. “Tell me, what can I do to help my people?”
Veda was already shaking her head. “Unfortunately, you can do nothing, ma’am. Peace will not be restored for over two hundred years. ” Seeing the queen’s face droop in disappointment, Veda gave her a sympathetic smile. “Take heart, your Majesty. Many generations from now, another queen will rule, and she will restore Aglaia to her former glory. She will be known as the chosen one. However, her task will not be easy, and she will have to sacrifice much.”
“Tell me about your vision,” the queen prompted eagerly.
“Two centuries from now, I saw the birth of a princess. This future princess will be marked as the chosen one by the mark of a wolf’s paw on her hip.”
Queen Meleia frowned in confusion. “Why a wolf’s paw?”
Veda smiled as she continued to weave. “Because her destiny dictates that she must mate with a wolf.” Seeing the queen’s confusion, she elaborated further. “Not a real wolf, ma’am. For the next two hundred years, the families of the Duke of Livius and the Duke of Argyle will continue to fight for control of Aglaia. After the chosen one becomes queen, one of them will ally with the queen and become her betrothed. However, the other one will be known as The Wolf of the East. He will have a fearsome reputation, and his strength and courage will be proven many times in battle. The queen will have to capture and seduce the wolf, and entice him to plant a child in her womb. The child they will spawn together shall rule over a peaceful and reunited country, but only after the wolf has been vanquished.”
Several long minutes of silence passed as the queen digested this information. She finished her tea and set the empty cup aside. “I do not understand,” Meleia finally muttered with a frown. “The chosen one will seduce one duke and get with his child while she is betrothed to the other duke?” At Veda’s nod, her frown deepened. “But why? If the Wolf of the East is her enemy, why would she want to have his child?” The queen could not imagine lying with any man other than her beloved prince, and the fact that this future queen would betray her betrothed was disturbing.
Veda sighed and held up the basket she was weaving. “See the reeds that make up this basket, ma’am?” At the queen’s nod, she continued. “Every reed is important and has a purpose. If I cut one reed, there will be holes in the basket and the entire thing will be weakened.” She pointed to a red reed and a blue reed. The two strands were the most prominent in the basket design. It was the interplay between the two primary colors that lent the basket its beauty and strength. Veda met and held the queen’s gaze. “But the basket could not function without these two strands. The red reed symbolizes the chosen one, while the blue reed is the symbol of the wolf. In this basket, the red and blue reeds are the strongest, and they are both crucial. The same is true of the chosen one and the wolf. Both her courage and determination and his strength and ferocity will be required in order to restore unity and peace to the nation. Without the merging of their two bloodlines, Aglaia will be weakened, and it will never recover.”
Queen Meleia still looked perplexed. “But I still do not understand. Why would any future queen betray her betrothed, whom she must love or she would not have chosen him? I cannot imagine why she would bestow her maidenhead on her enemy and then expect her beloved husband to raise his enemy’s child.”
Veda gave a deep, regretful sigh. “That is the true sacrifice, ma’am. The chosen one will have to place her country’s needs above her own. She will be the first monarch of Aglaia to become betrothed to a man she does not love, simply for the good of her people.”
The queen absorbed that fact for a moment. “So, after the chosen one has seduced her enemy and been impregnated by him, she will have him executed?” the queen asked incredulously.
“No,” Veda said, with an emphatic shake of her head. “The chosen one must defeat her enemy on her own. If she fails to kill him herself, by her own hand,” she stressed, “the prophecy will not be fulfilled, and Aglaia will remain divided and broken forever.”
“What do you mean?” the queen asked, with an anxious frown.
“The chosen one must kill her enemy by her own hand, or else another war will break out. That war will be far worse than the one we have just been through. It will lay waste to the entire country, and Aglaia will never recover from the devastation.”
“But if the chosen one commits these dreadful acts and fulfills the prophecy, the nation will be safe?” the queen demanded.
Veda nodded sagely. “Yes, ma’am. That is the only hope for our country and our people.”
Several moments of silence followed Veda’s grim proclamation. Queen Meleia finally heaved a deep, regretful sigh and fixed Veda with an intent stare. “Are you certain of this, Veda? Is there any other way to interpret what you saw?”
Veda set aside her basket and retrieved a small scroll, which she handed to the queen. “My vision was so clear and detailed that I have written the details down for you, your Majesty. I have seen this vision several times now. It is always perfectly clear, and it is always the same. In the end, the chosen one is covered in her enemy’s blood, blood that was shed by her own hand. Then, and only then, will Aglaia be safe.”
Queen Meleia unrolled the parchment and nibbled her bottom lip as she read the prophecy. Once she finished, she released another troubled sigh and rolled the parchment once again. She met Veda’s calm stare.
“My heart goes out to this future queen. It will not be easy to mate with her enemy. Nor will it be easy to kill such a fierce a man.” Thinking of her own prince consort who lay sleeping in her bedchamber, her eyes took on a misty glow. “And perhaps worst of all, she will be condemned to a lifetime with a man she does not love.”
Veda merely nodded. “It’s true that her mission will be difficult and dangerous. She will need all the skill and courage possible to fulfill the prophecy. She must be prepared well by her most trusted advisors and tutors, so that she will have the knowledge needed for her mission. However, it is imperative that her mission be kept secret, or she will not succeed. You must ensure that word of this prophecy never spreads beyond a select few.”
“But the people of Aglaia need hope,” Queen Meleia protested. “If we do not tell them about this prophecy, they may give up entirely.”
Veda thought about this for a few moments. “Tell them only that a chosen one is coming to save them. Tell them about the birth mark that will distinguish her. Tell them that when the chosen one reaches the age of eighteen, she will restore peace, prosperity and unity to the country. Otherwise, you must guard the details of this prophecy closely, ma’am. Only a handful of the most trusted advisors can know the details, and those should only be the ones who can help to train the chosen one to fulfill her destiny. If her enemies ever learn about the rest of the prophecy, it will never come to pass.”
Queen Meleia nodded her understanding. “I will guard it with my life and ensure the secret is passed down from one generation to the next until the chosen one is born.”
Th
e queen rose to leave, but she hesitated at the door. She turned back to give Veda a smile and held the scroll up in salute. “Thank you for this, Veda. It is the first time I have felt any hope for many years. I had begun to despair for my people and my country.”
Veda acknowledged her words with a nod. After the queen had departed, Veda sat motionless for a long time, simply lost in her own thoughts. She knew that her queen had not fully understood the prophecy. Veda had purposely been vague about the meaning of parts of her vision. When writing out the prophecy, she had not lied, but she had left several key points open for interpretation. She had not wanted to mislead her queen. However, oftentimes for a prophecy to come true, the people involved had to be ignorant of all the facts, or their preconceived ideas of how things should be would corrupt the events. If the chosen one fully understood her destiny before the time was right, she might not be able to take the actions necessary to succeed. She might balk against her fate. She might even try to change the ultimate outcome. No, it was imperative for the chosen one to discover her true purpose on her own and at the right moment.
At long last, Veda heaved a resigned sigh. She was satisfied that she had done her best to ensure the fulfillment of the prophecy. Now, she would let things unfold in their own way. She had to trust that the chosen one would have the wisdom to discover her true destiny for herself, and that she would have the courage to fulfill her role. The future of Aglaia and all her people was dependent on it. With another deep sigh, Veda resumed her weaving.
*****
Two hundred years later
A winter storm raged, lashing the land with torrents of rain. Gusts of wind bent the trees until they were near the breaking point. Although it was midday, the sky was nearly as dark as night. Only frequent flashes of lightning lit the sky, to be followed by crashes of thunder that shook the panes of leaded glass in the palace windows. It was not a fit day for man or beast, and the streets were deserted, as folks remained indoors and huddled close to their hearths.
The Fall of The Wolf (Historical Romance) Page 1
