Reclaiming

ReclaimingOnly the barest hints of sunlight were visible when Penelope shook her awake. Lily groaned, but as she remembered sharply all that was about to happen, the grogginess vanished beneath a sharp stab of anxiety. That was in turn quickly buried beneath determination. She could do this. She would do this, and woe betide the fools that tried to stop her. She was done with running away.Climbing out of bed, she packed everything up before hurrying to the brook to wash her face and fix her hair into a proper braid and pin it up. As ready for battle as she’d ever be, she returned to camp—and stopped short, breath catching in her throat.A wolf stood there, even larger than an ordinary wolf, bigger than the ones who’d taken her from the cabin. "Scout?"Scout chuffed at her, shaking her head. She was absolutely beautiful. Her fur was almost entirely sable, with only a dark, silvery ruff around the throat and on her head, as though she wore a collar and crown. She padded over to Lily and pushed into her hand.Heart in her throat, an ache in her chest that she couldn’t define, Lily stroked her fingers through the soft, thick fur. "You’re magnificent."Making a noise that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, Scout licked her hand before stepping back.Nearby, Josiah was dressed in his armor once more, sword at his hip, shield on his back. Alice too was dressed to fight, though her armor was leather rather than metal, and she had a pair of long, wicked looking daggers.Penelope came to stand with Lily, the two civilians amongst all the fighters, and clasped her hand, squeezing tightly before letting go. "Ready, Your Majesty?""Ready," Lily said. "Let’s move out."They arrived in early afternoon, amidst gloomy, drizzly weather that worked in their favor."First, we get into the castle," Josiah said. "From there, I think we’ll secure allies quickly."Scout chuffed, licked Lily’s hand, and then padded off, slipping through the trees, keeping low as she reached open ground, and vanished quickly from sight via a drainage hole in the castle wall. Lily wrinkled her nose at how that must smell, but they had far bigger problems. "What is she doing?"But the question was answered as a long, haunting howl filled the air and was almost immediately answered by several others. "Oh, gods, she’s going to challenge isn’t she? That’s how she’s going to handle all the wolves—by taking over the pack.""Yes," Josiah said. "She rightfully won the position of Alpha once, so she has the right to reclaim it."Penelope frowned in the direction Scout had gone. "What if she wins and someone immediately challenges her?""That’s not allowed," Josiah said. "In the aftermath of an alpha challenge, no new challenge may be submitted for at least three months, and the wait can be longer if the new alpha needs time to heal. Taking advantage of the weak and wounded is considered cowardly and dishonorable. If you can’t fight an alpha when they’re at full strength, you don’t deserve to be alpha." Josiah smiled crookedly. "Wolves take these matters seriously."Another howl came—not Scout though, Lily didn’t think, the tone was slightly different.Josiah stood. "The fight begins, that’s our sign. Let’s move. Stay close, be alert." He went first, followed by Penelope, then Lily, with Alice taking up rear guard.Rather than the drain that Scout had used, Josiah led them around the wall until they were roughly where various outbuildings would be located—the blacksmiths, firewood storage, brewery, bakehouse, and so forth. Sure enough, they came to the west gate. Josiah halted them, save for Alice, who moved forward in near-perfect silence and made swift work of the two guards on the gate. Taking keys off one, she unlocked the gate. Josiah moved forward then to help her move the bodies, and after a few minutes, he returned and beckoned for the other two to join them.Inside the castle walls, Josiah led them to the bakehouse, which was suspiciously quiet. That time of day, it should be busy, bordering on chaotic, as the bakers set to work on everything that would be needed for dinner and the following morning, alongside the stuff that had to be baked for soldiers, fieldworkers, and others who worked further afield and took their meals with them. One of the busiest places in the castle, the bakehouse was never quiet. Even in the deadest hours there was staff cleaning and preparing for the next day of baking.Where were the bakers? What were people eating? The meat pies and stuffed pastries that the bakehouse made were a staple for nearly every worker and not a few nobles. They were made by the hundreds every singled day, twice a day. "This is bad.""Very bad," Alice said. "I’m going to go check the smithies.""I’ll investigate the brewery. You two stay here, hide in one of the storerooms. If anyone else comes in, block the door with whatever you can. Don’t come out until Alice or I say so.""Of course," Lily replied, taking Penelope’s hand and heading for the back. The bakehouse was enormous, and that space was divided roughly into thirds: the ovens, the workspace, and storage. Flour made from various grains, sugar, salt, yeast, and more—and that was just the dry goods. Cheese, cured meats, vegetables, other foodstuffs that needed to be stored in the cool and dark, were kept in the basement.The main storeroom was divided into sections, and she went to the one that housed the various sugars that were used, so much of the stuff that a merchant would have a fit to see it so unguarded. She rolled the door shut and then used a broom to jam it.Taking the barely three steps needed to cross the small space, she lifted up onto a stack of bags of sugar and sat. "Novels and plays always make reclaiming one’s throne so much more exciting than sitting in a dark room breathing in sugar dust."Penelope giggled. "Could be worse.""Already has been worse. This is the easiest I’ve had it so far."Before Penelope could reply, a rap came at the door, and Josiah said quietly, "It’s safe."Moments later they were gathered together at the front of the bakehouse again. "So what’s going on?" Lily asked."I don’t know, but nothing good," Alice said grimly. "Everyone is gone, at least in the outbuildings, and I didn’t see much activity in the stables either, though it’s hard to tell for certain at a distance. It’s like everyone left, though by choice or by force, I have no way of knowing."Josiah smiled faintly. "I’d wager by choice. Everyone is deeply fond of their queen, and greatly admired their late king, and only the most ambitious and conniving of the court would be happy about this coup. He can’t make people stay, not without basically enslaving them, which wouldn’t do him any favors.""Numbers would be against him, too," Alice said. "He has the wolves, and some of the military, but if the whole castle rose up against him… well, that’s exactly what we were banking on. Not sure how to proceed if we don’t have the main force we were counting on."Penelope said, "Let’s move on to the kitchens. The bakehouse and brewery might have shut down, but there must be people there and we can get more information about what’s happening. Also maybe an update on how Scout is doing against the wolves.""We’ll stay here," Lily said before Josiah could tell her too. "If I’m seen before we have a foothold, everything could turn ugly fast. Back to the sugar sacks we go, Penny."Josiah hugged her, and Alice kissed her brow, and then they were back in the storeroom. Lily wound her shawl more securely around her to ward off the encroaching chill. "I thought there’d be a touch more storming the throne room, not going to lie. I really wanted to punch that stupid bastard in the face, even if it broke my hand.""It would hurt, but it wouldn’t break your hand," Penelope said with a laugh. "Surprised your Scout didn’t teach you how to throw a punch.""I think she knew not to waste her time. Mostly I caught up her sewing.""Leave it to you to find needlework in a crisis."Lily laughed. After that, though, they lapsed into silence, finely attuned to every single sound. There was shouting, more howls, but it was all distant and muffled. When she’d insisted on coming along, she’d—Screaming rent the air, screams of unimaginable pain and fear. Lily was moving before she thought, throwing the broom aside and slamming open the door, running for all she was worth, ignoring Penelope’s frantic cries behind her. She was nearly to the castle proper when a gut-wrenching howl filled the air. Scout, that was definitely Scout. "No!" Lily gasped out as she slammed into the door that led to the kitchen, teeth rattling and bones aching with the force of it even as she stumbled into the kitchen.Barely staying upright, she regathered her footing and kept going, following the sound of screams. There was an acrid, bitter taste on the air, like blood and hot metal. As she went further into the castle, it grew stronger, and so she chased it.And wasn’t remotely surprised when it led her to the grand throne room. The very place her father had been assassinated. Ignoring the pain in her chest, focusing on her fear and anger, she ran faster, flying down the hallway and through an easily overlooked door that led to a servant’s passage that in turn led to the back of the throne room, so they could discretely deliver drinks and more to the chamber behind the throne room itself.She didn’t register the guards at the door until too late, unable to stop herself in time, slamming into the nearest one and sending all three of them to the ground.One of them grabbed her by the hair, and she reflexively reached up, digging her nails into his hands—but he wore heavy leather gloves, making the effort useless. "What have we—" the man broke off with a cry as light burst from her ring, and suddenly vines were spreading from it, twisting and twining, entangling the two guards.Heart in her throat, Lily left them there and threw open the door. The chamber was empty, though it showed signs of recent use—and something going wrong, from the cup of spilled wine and an overturned chair.Another scream, like some dying, and Lily flew across the room, throwing open one of the doors that led to the throne room proper.There was blood everywhere, people and wolves lying prone, propped against columns. Soldiers, wolves, even scattered nobles. In the middle of the room, Josiah and Scout stood ready, but Scout was only standing on three legs, and Josiah had blood pouring down his face, one arm limp at his side.Looming over them from the dais was Ferdinand, wearing her father’s crown—her crown—and clearly relishing his eminent victory.Hands clenched tightly, Lily surged forward, drawing all eyes. "That is enough, traitor.""Oh, good, I don’t have to send them out to look for you," Ferdinand said smugly."Lily!" Josiah shouted, as Scout growled and surged forward——as Ferdinand’s eyes went brilliant scarlet and he threw out his arms, webs of black light springing from his fingers and racing toward her like lightning searching for ground.She threw out her hand with the ring, and it shone with brilliant silvery white light before shooting out beams that absorbed the streaks of black light.Ferdinand’s face went red as he snarled, "How did you do that?""The likes of you will not be tolerated by the Laughing Forest, witch," Lily replied. More light erupted from the ring, sending out thin ropes of light that pooled and spread, turning into vines as they spanned the whole of the throne room at a rate which would probably be alarming if they weren’t working on her behalf.With another snarl, Ferdinand threw out his magic—but at Josiah and Scout."No!" Lily said—and then cried out in pain as something struck her hard on the head from behind, sending her toppling.There was a growl like she’d never heard before, vibrating in her chest and rattling her bones. Lily twisted, but the vines were already dealing with her assailant. She turned back just in time to see Scout lunge at Ferdinand, teeth around his throat. He tried to scream, but it turned into a short, strangled wet noise before silence fell entirely.Lily’s breath hitched.Slowly pushing to her feet, she approached Scout and the corpse. "Is he really dead?" But the gaping wound where his throat had once been, the blood that coated Scout’s teeth, was answer enough. "Thank you, Scout. I’ll never be able to repay all you’ve done for me."Scout made a snorting noise that sounded impressively like ’whatever, shut up’. Lily smiled faintly before turning her attention to Josiah, who was slowly limping toward them. "I’ll get a healer.""No need for that," Josiah said. "I’ll just have a snack and be good as new." He squeezed her shoulder before shuffling over to the man who’d struck her. Stooping, he yanked the man to his feet as though he was made of straw, and Lily caught the barest hint of sharp fangs before Josiah buried them in the man’s throat.The man tried to push him off, pleading and screaming, but just moments later he went limp. Josiah’s eyes gleamed red, and she rather thought he was smiling before he turned away from them to finish the job."Right them," Lily said. "I need Penelope. Where is Alice? Leigh?"Around the room, people slowly started to move, some going to help others, the rest approaching her.  Lily swept her gaze over them, noting who was there, their haggard states. "Scout, who here can I trust?"Scout gave a derisive snort, but after a moment limped down the stairs and nosed at seven of the nine gathered. Lily leveled her gaze at the remaining two. "Why can you not be trusted?""Because that bitch stabbed me and was standing with Ferdinand when I came in," said a woman."Fuck you!" the woman said.Before the arguing could begin in earnest, Josiah joined her, looking as good as new as promised, despite all the drying blood that still covered him. "Your Majesty, I’m taking you to your chambers. Alice is sorting out the courtyard, once she joins me we’ll start going through the rabble.""Very well," Lily said, because it made the most sense. She could hardly work from a blood-soaked throne room, and she would need help to sort out who in the court supported her and who had been quick to turn. "Scout?"Scout nuzzled her hand but then loped off with a series of sharp barks."She needs to see to her wolves," Josiah said.Lily nodded, suddenly exhausted, and did not protest when Josiah led her away, through the castle that felt familiar and strange all at once, to the chambers she’d thought she’d never see again.She was home. The fight was over. She was queen.Later she would probably feel victorious. At present, all she felt was hollow and numb.Moving to the balcony, where just weeks ago she’d been practicing a speech while her friends kept her company, she stared down at where trouble had arrived. Currently, it was a mess: blood everywhere, bushes and trees torn up, bodies waiting to be taken away.It would take weeks to fix everything, and probably years for deeper wounds to truly heal.One step at a time. As her familiar servants arrived, crying and sobbing, hugging her and speaking over each other, Lily got them calmed down and soothed, then called for a bath and food. Little things first, while she waited, and then the real work would begin.She’d been working at sorting everything out for a few hours that felt like long, exhausting days when a familiar, desperately missed voice called her name. Weakly, hesitantly, but there all the same.Lily snapped around, and it took every shred of her training not to scream. "Clarissa!" Lily bolted across the room and swept her up into a hug, holding her tightly as Clarissa cried into her shoulder. She’d looked so haggard, like she hadn’t seen sunlight or people or even food for days. "Are you all right? I mean obviously not, but should I summon a healer?""No, no, I’m all right," Clarissa managed. "These past many days have not been pleasant, but I was ecstatic to hear you were alive and here. I thought Ferdinand’s goons must be lying to me, some new way of tormenting me into finally breaking and doing their bidding, signing their damnable papers."Servants came up then to attend them, helping Clarissa over to a seat, another bringing over some tea from the tray on the table where Lily had been working. "Maybe some broth?" Lily asked one of them. "Where have you been, Clarissa?""Dungeon," Clarissa replied with a dry, sour laugh. "I think he would have killed me outright—he very much wanted to—but I own the rights that were pivotal to some of his plans for expansion. Killing me would not have gotten him those rights, not without even more time and trouble.""Of course," Lily said softly, feeling stupid she hadn’t thought of it. Clarissa was powerful in her own right, wholly separate from the considerable weight and authority of her family. Money was power, and money came from land, and Clarissa owned some crucial pieces of land, including the only access to a natural land bridge across a canyon that shaved entire weeks off journeys to the north. Normally such a powerful tract would be the property of the throne, but a long series of fortunate timing and wild chance had given the property to a man who, upon his death, had bequeathed it to Clarissa. "I should have realized. I just assumed…well, the worst.""We all did," Alice said as she joined them. "Penelope is with Leigh, who seems to be recovering nicely and requests you come see her whenever you have the time, Your Majesty."Lily barely held back tears as it really struck her that all her friends were alive. She had feared all of the dead, and then resigned herself that at least one, possibly two, were dead. Now they were all alive and well, her handmaidens reunited. A little worse for wear, but infinitely better than dead. "Of course. We’ll have dinner together tonight; I don’t think anyone will begrudge me that. Tomorrow I’ll have a larger banquet for the whole palace. It will take at least that long to get everything ready, anyway."After Clarissa had finished her tea, Lily hugged her one last time then sent her off to bathe and rest.Where the hell had Clarissa’s parents been in all of this? Her brothers were abroad, but her parents were fixtures of the court. "Alice, set someone on her parents and why they left her to rot.""Of course."Lily returned to work, allotting funds, scheduling interviews, approving various plans and arrangements for all the funerals that would be taking place, approving a temporary location to hold the excess of prisoners that the palace dungeons did not have room for, scheduling times for all the people who wanted to speak to her—cozy up to her, more like, but she’d have her handmaidens and Josiah present for all that nonsense, sort out the riff from the raff.She was listening to the master engineer listing off rough estimates for repairs that needed to be made after all the senseless, drunken damage mercenaries and wolves had done when an abrupt lull in conversation drew her attention.Lily turned to see what was causing the disturbance—and stopped, breath seizing, heart jumping into her throat.Scout, but dressed…dressed like a queen herself, but a queen of the wild. Of wolves. She wore black head to toe, wool, linen, and leather, with gleaming silver hardware on the armor and boots. There was an enormous silvery gray fur draped over her shoulders, secured in place with a large, handsome broach. It was black at the base, round and trimmed in gold. Most of the space was taken up by a craggy brown and gray mountain, against a blood red sky that, instead of moon or sun, had only three black stars made from black pearl. Where had it come from? She didn’t remember that creep who’d led them before wearing; no, he’d had some shitty fake-gold broach."Leave us, please," Lily said to the room, and in the blink of an eye the room was empty save her and Scout. "You look every stitch the Alpha, I must say. I’m sorry, I know this is not what you wanted."Scout scoffed. "I was always going to return to the wolves, one way or another, Your Majesty. We can’t hide in forests avoiding our problems forever. That’s why I came to see you, actually."Realization dropped into her stomach like a stone. She’d known this was coming, of course Scout had never been going to stay, but she’d hoped she’d get a few days at least. She hadn’t thought it would happen this soon. "You’re returning to the Highlands.""Yes, I have to sort out Rothenberg once and for all. I reclaimed my position as Alpha, rightfully and properly according to all the laws of our people, and now I must sort out the festering mess created by my father. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but I’ll be as quick as I can. Hopefully not more than a few months, at worst a year.""You’ll come back?" Lily asked.Shock filled Scout’s face, followed by hurt. "You thought I would just leave and never return?""You’re a wolf of the Highlands, you have a clan to lead and care for. How can you do that from here?" Lily asked. "Nevermind I sort of just inserted myself into your life and ripped you from it.""Nobody makes me do what I don’t want to do," Scout said, face softening. "It’s true that a couple of busybody ghosts interrupted me in the middle of my work day to rescue some helpless maiden who’d collapsed in the woods, but I could have done many things from that point on. I chose my path, Your Majesty—""Stop calling me that!"Smirking like an absolute wretch, Scout stepped in close and lifted one gloved hand to cup the side of her face, leather warm and soft against Lily’s skin. She couldn’t repress a shiver as Scout’s thumb stroked her cheekbone. "I’m where I want to be, my queen, if you’re inclined to tolerate me. I must leave for a time, but by your leave I will return."Lily swallowed, gaze locked helplessly with Scout’s, captured by those eyes, mostly honey-brown but blue on the inside, a blue that spread and glowed when she transformed or was more wolfish than usual. "I don’t generally go bossing around wolves, Lady Farahild. If I recall correctly, you’re usually the one giving orders."Something flashed, bright and hot, in Scout’s eyes, and that damnable smirk just grew sharper. "Not that you ever listened.""I’ve been told I’m a little too stubborn for my own good. Once or twice. A day.""You’re a lot too stubborn for your own good," Scout said, and then closed the remaining space between them to kiss her.Lily threw her arms around Scout’s neck and kissed her back eagerly, body flooding with relief and hope, excitement and heat. Scout kissed sweetly, but commandingly, that same gentle, firm, implacable way she did everything else. A mountain impervious to the storm, a wolf in the woods that knew nothing else there could best them.When they eventually drew apart, Lily wanted to scream or laugh or cry. "I didn’t think—I wasn’t sure—"Scout smiled and rolled her eyes before stepping back, leaving Lily feeling cold and oddly bereft. "You, a young, beautiful queen, didn’t think some old woodcutter could want you? I think you’ve taken too many knock to the head, my queen."Lily narrowed her eyes. "Why do I like you again?""Search me, but I’m not going to give you the opportunity to change your mind.""You’re leaving me for who knows how many months," Lily retorted. "I could change my mind a hundred times."Scout reeled her in close again, exactly as Lily had been hoping, arms warm and heavy around her waist. "You won’t."Lily rested her head against Scout’s chest, wishing all the leather armor wasn’t in the way. "Of course not. Who could ever compare to my woodcutter?""Plenty of people," Scout said dryly, and kissed the top of her head. "I’ll return as quick as I can.""Do what you need, don’t rush it," Lily said. "I’ll be busy setting all to rights here for who even knows how long, and still far too busy after that. Not sure being with a queen is all that worth the trouble really.""Being queen is probably what keeps you from getting into even more trouble," Scout replied.Lily pouted. "I don’t cause that much trouble.""You’re so mired in trouble a couple of ghosts felt compelled to help you out," Scout said before bending to kiss her quickly but sweetly. "Stop pouting, it doesn’t work on me.""That’s not true."Scout heaved a sigh. "I have nothing further to say on the matter."Oh, flirting with Scout was definitely her new favorite thing to do. "I’m guessing you can’t wait until morning to leave?""The wolves are making people nervous, even though I’ve dealt with everyone who was a problem. I’m not pleased with those who remain, but I’m also aware they couldn’t so easily say no and simply leave. So I’m taking them back to Rothenberg territory, and I’ll sort out the remaining pack, start making reparations with those packs we wronged, and go from there. I’ll write you as often as I can.""You had better," Lily said, voice choking slightly for no good reason. "Don’t—don’t take too long.""I won’t," Scout said softly, and cupped her face in both hands before kissing her again, soft and lingering, leaving an ache that left Lily sighing. "Try to stay out of trouble while I’m gone. Please."Lily giggled. "I’ll do my best, and I’m sure Alice and Josiah will restrain me if I start getting out of hand.""It’ll have to do. I’m sorry I won’t be here for the funeral."Lily waved the words away. "Don’t worry about that. I’ll be mired in all the ceremonial stuff. You were there for me when it mattered, and without you I wouldn’t be standing here right now. Thank you, Scout, for everything."Scout bowed, so elegant and easy it was breathtaking."Thank you, my queen." Scout kissed her one last time, then with a frustrated noise let go and stepped back. "Be well, Your Majesty. I’ll return as swiftly as I am able.""Travel safely, Lady Rothenberg." Lily reached into the right pocket of her gown and withdrew the object she’d been keeping there for precisely this event. "Take this, use it as you need to ensure your comfort and well-being and that of your pack."Scout stared at the ring, gleaming gold, large and heavy. "This is your father’s royal ring. People are going to think I stole it.""Not when I already had them put your name on the inside.""You—" Scout balled her hand into a fist around the ring, then seemed to make an effort of uncurling her fingers one by one before examining the ring properly. "You little brat.""I just wanted to know you’d be safe while you traveled, since I know your pack isn’t thought well of.""You thought I might leave forever and you were still going to give me this?" Scout demanded. "This is the kind of trouble I was talking about!"Lily shrugged. "Guess it’s a good thing you’ll be coming back then."Scout heaved another of those great sighs. "Should have never listened to that stupid fox. Come here."Obeying happily, Lily fell enthusiastically into another session of kisses, until they were both flushed and panting. "Go away before I take you upstairs and delay your departure."Stepping back out of reach again, Scout slid the ring onto her finger and then bowed again. "Until we meet again, Your Majesty.""Sooner rather than later, Alpha."Scout smiled fleetingly, and then she was gone, and with a sigh Lily summoned everyone back and returned to work. The busier she was, the faster time would go, the sooner Scout would be back.What would her father have thought of Scout? The thought hurt, because if her father hadn’t died she and Scout likely would never have met.Pushing the thoughts away before sadness got the better of her, Lily focused on all the talk of rebuilding, though she couldn’t help but turn her head ever so slightly to watch as a pack of wolves ran through the gates and swiftly out of sight.