The firehall was not the place for Wenn in the days following Poet's leaving. Too many people would ask too many questions and she knew she would not be able to answer them. Instead, she busied herself with some organizational duties Whitcomb had mentioned. She also spent a bit of time helping the Chancellor with records filing. Bless Simon for taking up a bit of her attention as well. He seemed to be able to help Wenn forget any troubles, just by being his exhuberant self.
Still, she would eventually need to return to public appearances. It was actually part of her duty to socialize, odd as that seemed, even to Wenn. She needed to be alert to the activities within Camelot and the social climate to be shared with visitors. After nearly a week, Wenndolyne stood outside the door to her chambers, took a deep breath, and proceeded to the stairs leading down into the firehall. One more little pause with a silent prayer, and she descended with her smile in place.
As she tried to casually scan the room, Wenn noticed the absence of the Admiral and was grateful. It was apparently true that he'd gone to Morville's estate and intended to stay for a while. In fact, rumor was that he'd never return. He was not at all happy with what he'd considered a trick to play with his honor. Most of the whispers reported that he'd been lucky for such an outcome. Perhaps it would be best for all concerned if the Admiral just stayed at his new home. However, there was still Simon to consider. If Cartwright did not return for him, Simon was on his own again.
With this thought furrowing her brow, Wenndolyne absently proceeded across the firehall, winding her way to the hearthstone bench. Her distraction was abruptly turned into attention as she noticed Wolf rising to stand in greeting.
Wenn just watched him. Her frown of concentration was gone but her smile wasn't back yet. She stared as Lord Wolf bowed, "M'Lady..."
"Good Day to you, m'lord." A small smile appeared with her slight curtsey.
"Won't you join me, M'Lady?"
Odd that Wenn followed his hand as it swept out, gracefully pointing to the hearthstone bench. She couldn't look into Wolf's face right now. "Aye, you know tis my favorite place to enjoy the firehall." She spoke out of habit, with no emotion behind her words.
Lord Wolf felt her tension but smiled anyway. He offered his extended hand to her but she did not take it, thus not allowing him to assist her in being seated. Despite this, Lord Wolf seated himself close beside her. Wenn looked up again and scanned the firehall as though she hadn't done so just a few minutes before.
Wenn smoothed her skirts into place but Wolf stopped the motion as he took one of her hands into his. Her heart jumped for a moment. The last time he did this, the Admiral had taken strong offense, but after a moment she could breathe easily again, for nothing of the sort happened. Her guardian was reportedly gone. Poet was gone. Now what was she to do with Lord Wolf?
"How fare you today, M'Lady?"
Wolf's voice was so easy, confident, friendly and seemed full of genuine concern. Wenn could only look at their joined hands. "I do well, M'lord Wolf. Better now that things have been settled somewhat." The last word was rather quiet. She hadn't really intended to say it aloud.
"Aye, now that they are clearer."
Finally Wenn looked up to find Wolf watching her so closely. She regarded his face, the set of his jaw, the bright sparkle in his eyes. "I must admit..." She found her mouth dry. "...all of this may take some getting used to."
With a smile and a gentle squeeze of her hand, Wolf replied, "M'lady, time is one thing we have plenty of."
The corner of Wenn's mouth made a quirky little grin. "I am but a mortal, you know. I should hope it does not take over long." Her gaze drifted down to their hands. She lifted his and reached to hold his hand within both of hers, turning it. Wenn was somehow fixated on it. She had considered before but now she looked closely at this human hand and wondered how it could be a wolf's paw too.
Wolf watched her turn his hand over in her delicate fingers. He felt warmth extend from there as her fingertips traced his skin and brushed his palm. He watched the curious look upon her face and patiently waited for her comments or questions.
As if speaking to herself, Wenn finally whispered, "It looks like any other to me."
"M'Lady?"
"Your hand, m'lord, like any other and yet... not."
"Tis no different from your own except in size, M'Lady."
"Nae, mine has no power as that which you possess. I mean, you can change your entire form. That is surely power."
"Power? Tis no special power." Thoughtful for a moment, he then continued and stopped Wenn before she could protest. "My ability to shapeshift is not power, but my birthright."
"Perhaps to you, m'lord, but power I do not possess all the same. I... I would care to hear more of this birthright. Not being a shapeshifter myself, I understand it little." And I am afraid of it, she thought.
"Would you have such power if you could?"
Wenndolyne considered this while still stroking the inside of Wolf's fingers with her own, then finally she looked at his face again and grinned in earnest. "I don't believe I know enough about it to fully ponder this question. I've spent my whole life in one skin so that is all I know."
Not wanting to remove his hand from her touch, Wolf reached with the other to gently tap the pendant hanging from the chain around her neck.
"You have the power to take the wolf form, if you so wish."
A slightly startled glance looked down at the pendant then back to Wolf's face again quickly. Her fingers curled around his hand.
"Oh, I surely do not."
"Aye, tis part of the workings of the pendant, M'Lady… among others."
"I thought this pendant was only for protection."
Finally releasing Wolf's hand, Wenndolyne took the pendant in her palm, again nearly afraid of it. "I don't know. I can't decide if I care much for this."
"You need not use it if it causes you fear."
"I think I should know what powers are contained herein, so as not to trigger something unintended."
"There really is no need to be fearful. Your thoughts will trigger it or not, for any function."
"But what of stray thoughts? What of panic? How shall I control the things that pass through my mind idly?"
Lord Wolf chuckled. "You must concentrate in order for it to work. Random and undirected thoughts, thoughts without concerted purpose and intent, will not trigger it, M'Lady. I would not place you in harm's way. That would defy my purpose in giving you the pendant in the first place, wouldn't it?"
Her face was now flushed. She had only been pondering how Lord Wolf became a wolf in form. She had never seriously considered any remote possibility of doing such a thing herself! "I am..." She shook her head, further shaking up her tangled notions. "As I've said before, I am unaccustomed to the use of magic. We must spend some time discussing this." She looked up to Wolf's face again, even as she let the pendant rest once more upon her chest with her hand covering it.
Wolf's eyes were kind. His smile was warm. "M'Lady, you need not use it now or ever, but we will speak of it as you wish, when you wish."
Nodding, Wenn straightened her skirts, although they certainly didn't need it. She swallowed and looked around at the firehall. She nodded again, as if to some conversation she was having with herself. Indeed she was convincing herself that wearing the pendant was safe, or so Lord Wolf said, and so she hoped. How ironic to be at all concerned about the thing that was originally supposed to be protective.
Suddenly Wenn announced that she needed a walk. Of course Wolf rose and extended his hand to her. He was glad she couldn't see his full smile as they left the firehall and went into the garden. Her easy excitement over a bit of magic was so refreshing. Her reluctance to make use of it was actually a relief.
