The Werewolves of Nottinghill

by J. J. Thompson

  Chase nodded thoughtfully.

  “You make a good point, lady,” she said. “Now, the Elders would like to remain in contact with you. To that end, they wish to set up a small diplomatic corps here in the castle. Not many, of course. We do not wish to make your people uncomfortable by sending too many members of a strange race to live among you.”

  The Council members exchanged glances and there were a few low comments.

  “And in return,” Chase continued, “we invite you to send some of your own people to visit our world and get to know us again.”

  Sebastian had been listening closely to the elf as she spoke. Now he sat up and slapped the table loudly enough to get everyone's attention.

  Malcolm stared at him in surprise. Chao rarely called attention to himself at meetings.

  “That is not possible,” the summoner said sharply. “And I am surprised that you would even suggest it, madam. We have all heard the stories about Simon O'Toole's old friend, Daniel, and how he was rescued from the initial dragon attacks by your people. But after that, he was trapped on your world because of the time displacement between the elven realm and our own. The one time that he did visit Simon briefly, he aged decades in a matter of minutes. And you would inflict that on someone else? Are you mad?”

  Aiden thought he saw a quick look of irritation flash across the elf's face at Chao's comment, before she recovered again and gave the man a rather condescending smile.

  “Yes, I know of those events. But Daniel knew what would happen if he returned to this world to see his friend. It was his choice to do so, not ours. However, those conditions no longer exist. Our worlds are in close conjunction again. The time difference between our realms is minimal. I am no scholar, but I am told that this state will remain in effect for decades to come. There would be no danger to a delegation of humans if they journeyed to my world. The choice is yours, of course. I am only passing along the invitation.”

  As the elf sat down, Chao continued to watch her dubiously, but he didn't say anything else. Tamara and the rest of the council looked at each other for a moment and then she turned to the elf.

  “We appreciate the offer, Chase,” Tamara said sincerely. “We will think it over and get back to you, if that is acceptable?”

  “Certainly. Forgive me if I sounded a little prideful,” the elf replied with a quick look at Chao. “As I said, I am not a scholar, nor am I a user of magic, and I know little of such things. I have been assured that travel between our worlds is safe now, but your reluctance to risk it is totally understandable.”

  “Thank you. But as far as your request to install a group of diplomats in the castle goes, I believe that we can vote on that immediately.”

  She stood up and looked up and down the table.

  “Everyone who believes that we should allow the elves to send emissaries to live among us, please raise your hand.”

  The entire Council, including Chao, raised their hands. Chase smiled at their response, and so did Tamara.

  “Excellent,” she said. “I agree as well. Chase, please tell your Elders that we would welcome a diplomatic mission. We'll set aside quarters for them as soon as you find out how many are coming.”

  “Thank you all,” Chase told them. “I will contact my superiors and pass along your decision. I know that they will be pleased.”

  “I think that an announcement should be written up and posted on the news board in the courtyard, for everyone to see.”

  They all looked at the blacksmith, who had remained silent until then.

  “You can't just drop a group of elves into the center of the castle without warning people,” Daniel Cooper continued. “The population is skittish as it is. Give them fair warning and let them prepare themselves and you will avoid any... unpleasantness.”

  The smiles around the table faded as the Council's mood changed instantly.

  “Unpleasantness? Do you expect some sort of violence against my people, sir?” Chase asked with some surprise.

  “Humans come in many flavors, ma'am,” Daniel rumbled. “And I've met them all. Not that long ago, we had a revolt and a group of troublemakers tried to take over this castle. Thanks to our friends here,” he nodded at Malcolm and Aiden, “that crisis was averted, but people are still on edge. Between that and the death of our friend and protector, the paladin Liliana, they have had enough surprises to last them a while. Let them know what is happening and things will go a lot smoother.”

  Tamara sighed as she looked regretfully at the elf.

  “Ah, human nature. Yes, I'm afraid that you're probably right, Daniel. Sebastian, could you see to that posting, please?”

  Her brother nodded and grinned at the blacksmith.

  “I'll get something written up within the hour.”

  Daniel looked satisfied and Tamara smiled at Sebastian.

  “Good. Anything else? Anyone? No? Then this meeting is adjourned.”

  People began to gather in small groups to discuss what they had learned. Everyone made a point of speaking with Chase for a few minutes and the elf patiently answered any questions that they had.

  When Chao eventually approached her, Chase gave him a friendly smile and asked him to sit down next to her. A group of workers from the kitchens had dropped in and left urns of hot tea, and both the elf and the summoner were enjoying a cup.

  “It may not have seemed like it at the time,” Chase said as she sipped hot tea, “but I was pleased that you questioned my offer to allow humans to come to my world.”

  “Really?” Chao replied with surprise. “Why is that?”

  “As that wise blacksmith of yours pointed out, your people are suspicious of anything new right now. Understandably so. Asking any of you to take my word that it is safe to travel to my world would be foolish, and you were correct to point that out.”

  She put down her cup and looked around the room.

  “This is all as foreign to me as I must be to you. Before being sent here, I was a simple ranger, content to patrol the forests and protect my people. But now I'm acting as a spokesperson between your people and mine.” She grimaced. “It makes me a little uncomfortable.”

  Chao smiled at her honest admission.

  “So how did you end up being sent here, if you do not consider yourself suited for the role?” he asked.

  “The head of the Council of Elders, the venerable Edwin, knows me well. He has been a friend of my parents for a very long time, and he trusts me. When our worlds came back into conjunction, he and the others on the Council felt that we should move quickly to cement a relationship with your people.”

  She picked up her cup, drained it and set it down again. She tapped it gently and listened to the tinkle of the china before speaking again.

  “The Council put out a call for volunteers and I stepped up and was chosen. I must admit that I was intrigued by the prospect of coming to this world and meeting humans. We've all heard the stories of Simon O'Toole and his mighty deeds and the thought of, perhaps, meeting him in the flesh was very exciting. To learn that he has departed this world? Well, I am disappointed, to say the least. But I can still do my part to help forge an alliance between elves and humans again, and that will be rewarding in and of itself.”

  “I am sorry that you were disappointed,” Chao told her. “We all wish that the wizard was still with us, I assure you. I, for one, would have loved to have been able to study under him, if such a thing had been possible. Granted, my type of magic is somewhat unique, but I believe that Simon's wisdom would still have aided me in my development.”

  He fiddled with his own empty cup, thinking regretfully of what might have been.

  “I still hold out hope that he has not perished,” he told the elf wistfully. “That somewhere out in the Void, he waits in silence and watches over his people, preparing to one day return when we need him the most. A fantasy, of course, but one that I cling to.”

  Chase smiled at this admission and seemed to warm up to Chao even more.<
br />
  “Anything is possible, my friend. Believe me, I know. As long-lived as elves are, we experience events during our lives that might seem miraculous to mortals. But they are not. Life is as wondrous and as mysterious as any fantasy. So who knows. Perhaps the wizard will indeed return again. But until that day comes, we must press on.”

  Tamara walked over to them.

  “Sorry to interrupt, Chao, but I'd like to ask Chase a few more questions, if she doesn't mind.”

  “Of course,” he replied as he stood up. “I have some things to attend to.”

  He bowed to the elf.

  “It was an honor to meet you, lady. I look forward to speaking with you again soon.”

  Chase rose and bowed in return.

  “The honor was mine. I am sure that we will have many opportunities to converse in the future.”

  As she turned away, Chao looked around the room and spotted Veronique and Sylvie standing next to the fireplace. Sylvie caught his eye and motioned for him to join them.

  “How was your visit with our newest friend?” she asked as Chao walked up to them.

  He let the warmth of the fire waft over him for a moment before answering. Even in the summer time, Chao found the castle chilly. Maybe it was because he and his brother had come from southern China, where it was almost always temperate. English winters seemed to settle into his bones and leave their mark long after they were gone.

  “Enlightening,” he replied. “I think that we are going to get along just fine. The elves are keepers of great wisdom, or so legend tells us. Who knows what we might learn from them in time?”

  “That's true enough,” Veronique said slowly. “But I am distrustful of anything that seems too good to be true, and this is one of those things.”

  “How so?” Chao asked in surprise.

  The sisters exchanged a quick glance and Veronique lowered her voice so that only the other two could hear her.

  “Our dear friend, Liliana, was just lost to us a short time ago. And today, Aiden's patrol fell into a deadly trap from which they might not have escaped. And then, by some lucky coincidence, this elf shows up, offers us her friendship and tells us about Aiden's dire situation. That gives Tamara the chance to rescue them and now we are all grateful to this woman for her timely aid.”

  Chao cocked his head to the side and stared at her.

  “Are you sorry that Chase arrived in time to help Aiden and his people?” he asked, confused.

  “No, of course not. It is the timing of the thing that makes Sylvie and me suspicious, not the deed itself. If Chase had arrived here a few weeks ago, do you think that Liliana would be dead now? With the elves' backing, we might have fought off the primal red dragon without losing her at all. Things would now be entirely different. And need I remind you that one of Liliana's talents was the ability to sense evil? Convenient that the only person in the castle able to do so is now dead, don't you think?”

  Chao looked over his shoulder at the elf, who was now speaking with Tamara and Sebastian.

  “You think that she's evil?” he asked quietly. “Katherine seems to have no doubts so far, and she can at least detect when someone is lying to us.”

  “Frankly, we don't know what to think,” Sylvie interjected. “All we do know is that this situation should be handled carefully and cautiously. We all need to watch the elves and not accept anything they say or do at face value. If they prove themselves over time to be honest and exactly as they seem, then we will gladly embrace them as friends. But for now...”

  “For now, we watch and wait,” Chao said gravely. “Yes, I agree with you. Chase may be exactly as she claims to be, but exercising some extra caution wouldn't hurt.”

  “We're glad you understand,” Veronique told him with some relief. “And certainly we can be watchful without being impolite or disrespectful.”

  “Of course we can,” Sylvie said with a quiet laugh. “I for one hope that the elf is what she seems to be. But now, on to other matters. Chao, my sister and I have come to a consensus. We have decided to help you if you attempt to modify the spell on Malcolm and Aiden.”

  The summoner gaped at them.

  “Just like that?” he asked breathlessly.

  The sisters both smiled at his shocked expression.

  “Yes, just like that,” Sylvie told him. “We know your power and your skill, Chao, and we trust that you can perform the magic. But you are right to worry about how precise the spell work will have to be. We believe that we can help to guide you through the process and keep our friends safe while you do what must be done.”

  “If Malcolm and Aiden agree, of course,” Veronique added.

  “Of course,” Chao said. “Well now, this is good news. I will speak with our friends and tell them that you are amenable. I still have some research to do, to refine the spells that I will need to use. When I am ready, I will let both of you know.”

  “We'll be ready,” Sylvie assured him. “Take your time with this, Chao. Our friends have lived with their condition for almost a decade now; they can wait a few more days until you are sure that you're ready.”

  “I know. Thank you both for this,” Chao told them as he bowed gracefully. “And I think that I can also speak for Malcolm and Aiden when I say that.”

  They parted ways after that and Chao hurried back to his quarters, his mind full of spells and plans. There was so much to do.

  He didn't notice the elf's eyes on him as he left the meeting hall.

  Chapter 9

  “It was my fault that we got lost.”

  Aiden was sitting in his favorite chair in the study, looking blankly out at the dark courtyard. It was close to midnight, but he couldn't sleep, so he'd tried to read for a while to see if that would help. It hadn't.

  He was wearing a long white linen robe and had wrapped it tightly around himself against the nighttime chill of the castle.

  Malcolm had come looking for him, and had found him brooding in the dark. He was carrying a candle and took a moment to light several others around the room before he stood back and stared at his partner.

  “What are you talking about?” Malcolm asked, still half asleep.

  He had woken up alone and stumbled out of bed trying to find Aiden, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. He didn't feel the cold as acutely as Aiden did.

  “The patrol,” Aiden said, continuing to look out at the darkness. “I almost got them all killed today because I stupidly led them out into the fog and got lost.”

  He turned his head and looked at Malcolm.

  “I did that, Mal. Me, their leader. They trusted me to make the right decisions and I screwed up royally. And yet not one of them said anything about it. Not one word of recrimination. Can you believe it?”

  Malcolm put his candlestick holder down on a side table, picked up a chair and set it next to Aiden's. He sat down and looked at him with an understanding smile.

  “Of course I can. Everyone who knows you, trusts you. Including me. You are a good person and you always try to do the right thing. Do you make mistakes occasionally? Of course you do. We all do. Look at me, snapping at the gate guards this morning. That was an error on my part. But if you do make a mistake, you correct it as quickly as possible. What more can you do?”

  Aiden held his gaze for a long moment and then let out a long breath.

  “I don't know. I'm grateful that Chase appeared and told Tamara about our situation so that she could save us. And I know that, in the end, what happened was unavoidable. What I don't know is, was it a set up?”

  Malcolm stared at him in surprise.

  “What?” he said blankly.

  “Were we set up? We were led through the deep woods by cries of distress and eventually trapped by those banshees.”

  “Yeah, but Aiden, that's probably just how those creatures hunt. They lure their prey into their reach and pounce. How could that be a set up?”

  Aiden frowned at him.

  “I don't mean that part. Yes, those
monsters used guile to attack us. I don't know how intelligent they are, but I assume that they were once human and were Changed when the dragons returned.”

  Malcolm was startled by that idea.

  “My God, that hadn't occurred to me. What a horrible thought,” he whispered. “If that's true, then I hope that they at least don't remember what they used to be. Can you imagine it? Being trapped inside the body of a vicious monster?”

  Aiden reached up to his neck and pulled out his pendant.

  “Yes, I can imagine it. So can you.”

  The big man grimaced as he touched his own necklace.

  “Ah, of course. But at least we returned to being ourselves after the transformation. I doubt that those banshees can do that.”

  “No, I'm sure that they can't. Anyway, what I meant about being set up was the fact that Tamara and the other mages sent us to that area in the mistaken belief that we might find refugees. We obviously didn't. So the question is, were they misled somehow and sent us into a trap, or was it an honest mistake?”

  “Did you ask them?”

  Aiden smiled slightly.

  “Ask them? Mal, you know how touchy Tamara can be, especially when it comes to her magic. I was too tired after I got back to want to get into an argument with her. Maybe I'll ask her tomorrow. We'll see.”

  “If you're this upset about it, then I think that you should, even if it means getting her riled up.”

  Malcolm stood up and smiled down at his partner.

  “In the meantime, come back to bed. If Chase brings some of her people here tomorrow, we're going to have a very busy day. And you need your rest after your adventures today.”

  Aiden looked out into the night again.

  “Yeah, I'll be along in a few minutes. You go ahead.”

  The big man watched his partner compassionately for a moment and then quietly turned and left the room. He knew that Aiden would have to work through his thoughts before he would be able to sleep. That's just the way he was.

  Malcolm and Aiden were awoken by a pounding on their door early the next day.