Werewolves of Wessex

by J Cameron Boyd

  “This energy … can you sense it?” William asked.

  “I think so,” Claire admitted.

  “What’s it feel like to you?” William pressed, hoping that, for the first time in his life, he had met someone else who knew the horse for how they felt.

  “When the animal is happy and healthy, it seems like a quiet excitement. Almost as if they are tickled to be alive and yet content with each passing moment. The feeling is so large that, for a while, I thought it was their size. Then I thought maybe it was just their open heart and what I was experiencing was this love of life they exude. But recently, as I learn that there is so much more to this life than I had imagined, I am beginning to think that they just are. You know, like for them each passing moment is all there is, and they are willing to share it with just about anyone, even if it means tolerating another’s shortcomings.”

  “That’s especially so when it comes to their tolerance of people,” William agreed. “I’ve often wished there was something I could do to prepare them for the mixed signals, rough demands, and thoughtless actions their new world among people was about to give them.”

  Claire smiled and said, “I know you understand how to work with them at their really sensitive level, so you’re never rough with them. But maybe, someday, we’ll get to the point where we can actually communicate with them without relying on aids and signals.”

  “You’re serious, aren’t you? You really think you will be able to talk to a horse?” William asked her remembering an earlier conversation he and Claire had.

  “I know it sounds crazy, but, like I said, I’ve been learning so much more lately.”

  “Like what?” William wondered.

  “Like … oh my, I’ve lost track of time. William, I need to clean your wounds and then you need to rest. What say we talk again after your midday meal?”

  Claire sounded very firm, and William knew when she said something in that tone, he would not be able to get any more from her on the subject. So, he meekly laid back and basked in her touch. At times he had to close his eyes and focus on breathing slowly.

  He found her touch more than just healing. It was exciting and something much more. Though he could not yet put a name to it, he was already sure it was something he would never get tired of.

  ‘If only I could get to sleep,’ he lamented an hour later. The memory of her touch had refused to dissipate.

  Chapter 17

  The next day, William found that, with some determination and many twinges, he could sit upright. Later that afternoon, he was able to stand as he greeted the return of the earl and lady. He was happy to know that they were safe, but he was aware that Claire would now be occupied by other duties and studies. She would have less time for him.

  Since he was already standing, he walked down a long hall to the stairs with Harold and Edyth. Feeling glad to be out of his bed, he followed as they descended to greet their children. The effort took its toll, and as the family exchanged greetings, William felt his energy ebbing like a swiftly retreating tide.

  Excusing himself, he started up the stairs. He made it most of the way up when his legs began to falter. Just before they gave out altogether, a shoulder wedged itself under his arm.

  “Thought you might like some company,” Claire said brightly, taking on a good deal of his weight.

  “How long is this going to take?” William sheepishly asked.

  “Your muscles are knitting quite nicely. The rest of your body, however …”

  “The poison,” William muttered.

  “Actually, it’s probably the cure. What I gave you is really pushing your body to get rid of the poison quickly. All your energy is going into that,” Claire answered, looking up into his eyes. William’s eyes, because his head was drooping with fatigue, were just a couple of inches from hers.

  ‘Close enough to kiss,’ he thought as his footsteps slowed. ‘I wish it was appropriate.’

  “I wouldn’t mind,” Claire murmured.

  William stumbled to a halt. “Did you just …” he choked out.

  “Well … kind of.” Claire bit her lip as she looked up at him worriedly.

  “But … how?” William stammered.

  “It’s a long story … One that’s best I don’t get into just now.”

  William wanted to object, but the hallway was swirling about him like a dust devil. With Claire’s help, he made it to his bed just seconds before passing out.

  ***

  The next morning a servant treated his wounds, then brought his breakfast to his room. After that, determined to find out what had happened to Claire, he forced himself to sit up, then shifted his feet off the side of the bed.

  “Young man, what do you think you are doing?”

  William jumped as he turned toward the voice. The sudden movement was ill-advised.

  “Aah …” he grimaced. He tried to cover it up with a smile.

  “Claire told me you might try to escape.” Edyth looked at him sternly.

  “Where is she?” William gasped as his healing muscles continued to remind him he had moved too quickly.

  “She asked to have more time to practice with the sword so that she could make you proud when you resume your role as her teacher.”

  Even with that, William knew Claire should have had time to check on him. ‘It must have something to do with her knowing how much I like her,’ he thought. ‘Maybe it’s different for her.’

  He tried to remember exactly what had transpired as she helped him back to his bed. That’s when he recalled her response to his thoughts of kissing her. Looking at Edyth, he blurted out, “What’s going on?”

  “Right now, my son, you have but one job—to heal,” the lady answered. “Claire, unfortunately, has several. All of which she has been neglecting in order to save your life. But now that you are out of the woods, she has to get back to her training. William, the raids from Norway are increasing. Also, we have just received word that Mercia is also making a nuisance of itself. That young woman needs to know how to take care of herself.”

  William could not argue with that. But the question in his mind had always been why Lady Edyth had taken on the responsibility of teaching her. Why was it that Claire’s family was not doing that? After all, her grandfather was the Earl of Northumbria. Surely, he had a plethora of able-bodied men who could teach Claire to ride and handle a sword. Why leave something that important to the stable manager?

  “Ma’am, can I ask you a question?”

  “William, you haven’t stopped asking since I came into the room.”

  “Would you allow a couple more?”

  “What is it, William?” Edyth smiled at him.

  “Who is this woman?”

  “Why … she’s just a girl from Northumbria.” Edyth looked slightly guarded, but her smile remained.

  “Did you know that she can hear my thoughts?”

  A severe twinge of his muscles made William gasp, so he did not notice the Lady’s face. The smile that had been there suddenly disappeared.

  Chapter 18

  “I didn’t do it on purpose,” Claire gulped. “It was just that he thought about it and I wanted it and … and I … it just slipped out.”

  A few minutes ago, Claire had been clumsily wielding a sword, trying to defend herself against an attack by Jorunn. The pattern of blows he was taking her through was simple enough, but Claire just could not get into the rhythm of it.

  Then she had seen Lady Edyth striding toward her. Claire knew there was trouble from the look on the lady’s face. Edyth said one word, “Claire!” turned and strode away. Claire gave Jorunn a look that said, ‘Oh help,’ and scurried after her.

  Now she was standing in the lord and lady’s private quarters trying to explain what she had done.

  “It? … what are you talking about?” Harold demanded. “Edyth, what is going on?”

  “Claire and William like each other,” Edyth started to explain.

  “Even our youngest knows
that,” the Earl grumbled. “I was asking what ‘it’ is.”

  “Claire,” Edyth prompted her.

  “I was hel … helping him b … back into his room and … and William was thinking that we were c … close enough for a kiss,” Claire stammered. “It just slipped out!”

  Frowning, Harold looked at Claire. “So … the ‘it’ that you both wanted was a kiss. But that ‘it’ is not what is upsetting you two. I take it that it’s another ‘it’ that’s the problem. So … again … What is it?”

  “I told him I wouldn’t mind!” Claire wailed.

  “Claire, you should not be encouraging William in that way. But that shouldn’t be causing this big uproar. What’s going on here?” Exasperated, Harold turned to his wife.

  “She answered his thoughts! It was not something William said out loud.”

  “So? You answer my thoughts all the time.”

  “Harold! Think about it!” It was Edyth’s turn to be exasperated. “Humans don’t do that.”

  “Apparently some do,” Harold corrected her before he noticed that Edyth’s eyes were already turning a light shade of pink. Taking a half step back, he knew he had to say something, very quickly, to placate his wife’s rising anger. “Edyth, don’t worry … just because Claire slipped and answered William’s thought, does not in any way lead back to you or even hint to him that you’re a Piretian or different from other people in any way. Mind reading is simply something that Claire can do. And, if you ask me, given what you and Jorunn have told me about her progress, the fact that she can hear William’s thoughts, tells me she might progress faster in mind reading if she would practice with William.”

  “Harold … no!”

  “Edyth, if that damn Lantian in Mercia is actively transforming men into monsters, you’re going to get that lad killed if he doesn’t know what he’s up against. You know he’ll end up fighting them. He’s got to know how to fight them. There’s no way you can wait for another two years if this threat from Mercia continues to grow.”

  “I know,” Edyth sighed. “It’s just that he’s so close to coming into his own. I don’t want him rejecting anything he can do because of who I am and what’s happening in this world.”

  “That I know,” Harold tried to comfort her. “But I’ve seen how he works with horses. And I also heard how he recognized Claire the moment he saw her. He senses energy. Why not let him sense thoughts? That seems a natural place for him to start. From there, we may be able to gently lead him into other realizations of the world about him.”

  “If he learns to hear thoughts, explain to me how Claire’s going to keep everything else she knows from William,” Edyth demanded, but her eyes were back to their normal, sparkling blue.

  “If you’re concerned about her disclosing your heritage prematurely, then give her extra practice in hiding her thoughts,” Harold suggested. “Edyth, I would think that the two of them working together would be of benefit to each of them. Don’t underestimate this young lady,” he nodded toward Claire. “She is also pretty special.”

  Edyth turned to Claire. “Do you think this will work?”

  “It would be much better than hiding everything from him,” Claire said.

  “I think William finds you very attractive. I expect you to stay as professional with him as you did when you were his healer,” Edyth said, concerned that the two, young people would become more than just friends.

  “He is special.” This time Claire’s answer came with a smile. “But you don’t have to worry about me. I won’t slip again.”

  Edyth took a deep breath. “Then, I suppose you two should start practicing together,” she surrendered.

  “There might be a problem …” Claire hesitated.

  “Women and their complicated problems.” Harold threw up his hands in frustration. “What is it?”

  “Well, my lord, he believes that exchanging thoughts is crazy talk. If I start reading his mind before he has a chance to accept it as something other than coming from the devil, he may run to the monks claiming that I am a heretic … or worse.”

  “Yes, that could be a problem,” Harold sighed. “Edyth, do you have any suggestions?”

  “Let’s just forget the whole thing,” Edyth snapped.

  “Besides that,” Harold said, tiredly.

  “Okay, I’ll go talk to him. But, mark my words, this had better work out.”

  Harold wrapped his arms around Edyth. “I have no doubt that the lad will become what he is meant to be. Look at who he is already.”

  Edyth nodded, unhappy with the decision, but understanding it was for the best. Harold sent Claire back to Jorunn to finish her sword lesson, and Edyth to their adopted son to prepare him for his first taste of the real world.

  ***

  William was once again sitting up when Edyth joined him.

  “Claire has yet to visit,” he greeted her.

  “That is the reason, even though my children are complaining that they are in need of my attention, that I have returned to you.”

  “Tell Gunhild she can have her mother back as soon as my nurse is returned to me.”

  Edyth laughed. “Yes, William, it is Gunhild that is complaining that you get more of my attention than my other children. But William, you are on the mend. Your nurse is no longer needed as much as you would like.”

  “I know. You told me that. I was just hoping to get her appraisal of my progress.”

  “And maybe a chance to gaze into those lovely, green eyes of hers?”

  William blushed and gave Edyth a lopsided grin.

  “The pressure she and I are putting on her to expand her talents has not changed,” Edyth continued. “Nevertheless, I believe we have a solution. Your skills, too, could stand a little sharpening.”

  “I know,” William said, feeling impatient to get back to his horses and his usual life. “But my body still protests just a walk about the room.”

  “As it should,” Edyth stated. “Yet, there is a skill you can work on while confined to this bed. As it also happens to be something that Claire needs to work on, I thought the two of you might practice together.”

  William, looking intrigued, asked, “What skill would that be, Lady Edyth?”

  “Before I can answer that, I must ask you something. William, your ability to work with horses, you consider that natural, do you not?”

  “Yes, ma’am. It’s just something I can do.”

  “So it is, and even though others cannot do as you do, it remains an ability to be welcomed?”

  This time, William, feeling unsure of where Edyth was going with this line of questioning, nodded tentatively.

  “William, what if I were to tell you that your ability to sense what your horses are feeling could be extended to what the people around you are feeling? Would that not be a skill you would welcome as well? You could not only anticipate what your enemy might do, but you would also know where you stood with your friends.”

  “I’ve tried to do that,” William admitted.

  “And?”

  “I failed,” he frowned.

  Edyth nodded. “That may be so, only because you did not have someone to help you.” Edyth took his hand. “Son, I think you are now of an age that you should know that you have senses capable of so much more than what you are currently experiencing. We all do,” Edyth smiled at him, “including that little nurse of yours. As a matter of fact, this is the reason Claire has come to me.”

  Edyth continued, “We have noticed for some time now that there are those around us that are becoming aggressive in their quest for more land. The times are dangerous, and Claire must be able to defend herself. But, as she does not have the athletic ability of a warrior, she also needs an edge. That is why we have been trying to teach her how to unlock that skill you have with horses. Only our focus is to help her open that skill with people.”

  “To read their minds?” William said, his disbelief quite evident. “Lady Edyth, I don’t really read the horses’ minds. I
can just sense what is going on with them.”

  “William, don’t you think that’s just a variation on mind reading? It’s a knowing which is more than the prying into the mind of another. And, when perfected, one can tell another of what they are experiencing without the use of words.”

  William regarded her thoughtfully. “Am I to understand that you possess the ability to read minds and to teach others how to do so?”

  “I have that ability,” Edyth admitted.

  “Lady Edyth, don’t get me wrong. I appreciate all that you and your family have done for me. This is just a question that has been on my mind. You took in a woman from Northumbria to teach her this skill. Whereas, you say I have this skill, and you haven’t given me one lesson to expand my ability. Why is that?”

  “William,” Edyth looked intently into his eyes, “your aptitude for this has been progressing well without any coaching by me. I thought it best not to interfere. That is what I feared I might be doing; giving you too much information that would stifle what you were accomplishing so well on your own.

  “Claire also has a natural ability in this. That’s why she was sent to me. As I said, the times are becoming more dangerous. You and she need to develop your skills. I feel the best way for the two of you to progress, is to help each other since you both have such a great, natural ability.”

  William sat quietly contemplating what he had just heard. Edyth let him stew over the information.

  “I would assume there are others that can do this?” he finally asked.

  “I know of a few,” Edyth admitted. “Very few.”

  “Then Claire actually did hear what I was thinking last night.”

  “You mean about you wanting to kiss her?” Edyth asked.

  “She told you?” William gulped.

  “After you expressed your suspicions about that to me, Harold and I got her to confess what happened. This just shows that her practice is working. Just as I’m sure it will work for you. And as you get better at this, your beautiful dance with horses will only get better.”