Joys and Sorrows

The three of them retraced their steps through the moonlit chamber of the wolf-women, but they were no longer wolves. Three dishevelled women in tattered dresses stood around looking dazed and confused.

"What's happened?" said one with a groan. "I feel as if I've eaten the backside of a cow."

Another rubbed her temples. Her hair was dishevelled and there were dark circles around her eyes. "Perhaps you did, dearie. This is like waking up from a nightmare."

A third woman addressed them and Kori recognised her voice. She had been the wolf-woman who was attracted to Ralph. "Sorry about earlier, I wasn't myself. The cycle of the moon…" She narrowed her eyes as she peered at Kori in her metal mask. "What's happened to the little girl? I think you took her somewhere dangerous, old man."

"She's been sadly hurt in the course of duty, but Volkov came off worse," said Rudolph, not concealing the triumph in his voice.

"Volkov did that to her? The brute," tutted the woman.

Kori wanted to announce that the women were free of the curse of the Wolf Demon. She tried to speak, but could only make hoarse, rasping sounds. Because of the mask, she couldn't even smile reassuringly. Oh well.

Rudolph spread his arms wide and spoke importantly: "Congratulate my niece, for renown and full acceptance into the most sophisticated society is hers. Let no one say that she has only borrowed status now."

00O00

Back at SilberSchloss, the estate of Vereticus, Heidi was the first to welcome them, with open arms. She was grinning from ear to ear. "Welcome! Welcome back to Silberschloss! Though no welcome I can give will do justice." She placed her hands on Kori's shoulders. "You'll always have a home here, Korina. You have restored our son and brought more happiness than any other guest in all my years as lady of the house. You will always be the finest healer and the most royal princess as far as I'm concerned."

Kori's heart swelled and she put her arms around Heidi, making inarticulate croaking sounds.

Ralph had gone off somewhere. And where was Erika? Kori wanted to see her sister. But Heidi took them to her husband's study where Kori met their son Albert for the first time since his human form was restored. He was a tall, long-limbed youth, with sandy hair and the same blue eyes Kori had seen when he had been trapped in a wolfish form.

He beamed at Kori. "My deliverer! I owe you a greater debt than I can ever repay."

He moved as if to shake Kori by the hand, but she hugged and croaked at him as well.

"Dad will write you into his will."

"Yes, that can be managed," said Vereticus, smiling indulgently.

Kori would have demurred and said that there was no obligation for him to do that, but she could not say it, so she mimed badly that she wanted to write.

"First thing's first," said Rudolph, holding up a hand to override her, "we must check that Kori's face is set to heal well."

"Come Al, let us not disturb them," said Heidi, taking her son by the hand and leading him from the study.

Vereticus led the Sommernachts into his surgical room where Kori unbuckled Volkov's massive sword and laid it on the study table. Rudolph placed the five platinum rings beside it. "The Regent will want to take these items into safekeeping," he advised. "Study them while you can, Vereticus."

Kori lay down on the padded chair once again. Vereticus applied pressure to her mask in different places.

"It is in position," he assured them. "Kori, you should be able to take off the mask soon. Hopefully your voice will return sooner. I was hoping we could study together again before your party returns to Gruenwald." Kori nodded eagerly.

00O00

Kori had been eager to see Erika again, but she was not in their quarters when it was time for Kori to bathe. After soaking in steaming water, Kori donned a simple dress of white satin and velvet slippers and went down to the dining room where the nobility and royals were all scheduled to take lunch. The meal was a much more cheering affair now that Al was restored, but Erika was not here either and it was awkward, having to eat with her mask on. Heidi insisted that Kori sit beside her and have specially prepared food, cut into tiny chunks. She felt a little self-conscious about how she must appear with an expressionless metal face, but fortunately everyone was too polite to remark on it.

After lunch, Kori could not find her sister anywhere in the mansion, so she removed her slippers and took a stroll barefoot through the snow-covered grounds to clear her head. As she passed the frozen lake, she saw her sister approaching rapidly, wrapped in furs.

Kori gave a hoarse cry and ran over to Erika and threw her arms around her.

"It gladdens my heart to see you too, dearest," said Erika fondly, gently rubbing her sister's back. "Ralph has told me of your courage in the fights against the Changeling, the Lone Wolf and the Arch-Lycanthrope. I'm so proud."

It began to snow at that moment; white flakes swirled around them. Had Kori been able to speak, she would have told her sister how she enjoyed dancing in a snowstorm when she was overjoyed, but now was not the time and the place.

00O00

One day after Kori had regained her voice, she and Erika sat with the Prince's and Al in Siegfried's opulent chamber. Dani, Siegfried's food taster, was there too. Kori felt giddy with pride that Siegfried commended her as a legendary heroine of the Dark Forest and wished that she could take off her mask to be presentable for him.

Siegfried offered his opinion of other Dark Forest legends. He began with the legend of Karla's victory over the Dread Disciples from the world of Obsidia. "Now the Obsidian Dread Disciples, they were even fouler than the Wolf Cult, especially Phobia." He shuddered. "Karla is definitely a great warrior, on that we can all agree. But on the other hand, Karla was super annoying to be around, by all accounts. So neurotic and clingy."

"You of all people think it wrong to be annoying, Siegfried?" said Gerd, affecting to stare at him pointedly.

"Don't interrupt," said Siegfried. "I was just going to say that unlike Karla, our Kori is so charming that Vereticus wishes that she was his daughter instead of the heir he's actually got! Eh, Al?" he nudged Al in the ribs, winking at him.

Al shifted uncomfortably and Kori felt bound to speak up for him. "Vereticus and Heidi love you more than anything, dear Al. They've only known me for a couple of weeks. Of course they don't love me more than you."

"No really, Kori, you're such a bookworm as well as a warrior," said Siegfried with a smirk. "You're the one Vereticus would want to read a mouldy old tome with. Just you. Not Erika, not I and certainly not Al. How do a pair of scholars react to having a dunce, Al?"

Kori glanced at Erika whose expression was unreadable and then turned to Al. "Everyone has their own strengths." She said earnestly. "Vereticus understands perfectly well that different people are interested in different things and he does not think that being a scholar should be for everyone. He does not think less of anyone for not wanting to be a scholar. That was one of the first things he said to me. Please remember that he knows you are special."

Al was reassured by the strength of Kori's conviction. Kori remembered how Vereticus had defended her father, Lord Sommernacht, to Rudolph. He had been right to do so. She could not possibly blame her father, even if it had once hurt her feelings that he had not wanted custody of her. His note had assured her that it was his lack of courage and how could she blame him for that?

This was a very private matter, so she had to wait until that night to talk with Erika about it when they were both in bed. She had determined that she needed to talk further about it for there were still matters to get off her chest. They lay side by side in Erika's four poster as the snow fell heavily outside, the white flakes swirling past the window.

"Vereticus is wise," said Kori. "He would never judge Al for not wanting to be a scholar any more than I do. Vereticus was the wise man who told Rudolph that he should not judge our father about… um…" she hesitated and then continued. "That he didn't push for custody of me. Well I won't judge him for it. You saw his note to me. I would never judge him for not having had the courage to get to know me, given the circumstances. Everyone has their own strengths. I feel better that I can see this clearly and don't blame him. I do wish we could have grown up together though, somehow. I'll never regret having Madeleine as a mother, but I always wanted you and dad in my life too."

"We can only worry about the circumstances we have," said Erika. "There are many ways events could have unfolded in the past. They did not all turn out well, but many did. We do not live in a perfect world, but we can be thankful that we live in a Granat and not in an Obsidia."

"Absolutely. The world of the Dread Disciples must be evil indeed. Granat cannot get like that as long as enough people have good will. And we will do what best we can. You must come and visit me when I'm back in the village. Then we could go to the market place together. It's so vibrant and bustling first thing in the morning, when the fish are newly caught and the bread is fresh."

"I should like that. I only hope that I will be allowed."

"And speaking of doing the best we can, it's ridiculous that there should be bad feeling between your mother and I. Maybe now that the Wolf Cult is defeated and everyone is happy I can talk frankly with her and we can set it right."

00O00

The day after Kori had recovered and her mask was removed. It was time to return to Gruenwald for the solstice celebration. Ralph would be visiting his family in the Golden Isles. Kori hugged him goodbye. "Travel safe Ralph. I'll see you again when I next visit Gruenwald." She held his gaze for a moment. "It was a pleasure to fight at your side."

Ralph bade Erika goodbye as well, kneeling and kissing her hand. Kori felt as if this was somehow private, so averted her gaze. Then the Royal Party proceeded back to Gruenwald in triumph.

For the winter solstice, castle Gruenwald was bedecked with holly and mistletoe and great pine trees were set up in the halls and arrayed with glittering ornaments with all the colours of the rainbow. When it came to the night of the solstice, the nobility all assembled in the great hall for the Winter Dance. Four great pine trees stood in each corner festooned with ornaments, including icicles made of glass. The great crystal chandeliers above bristled with candles, lighting up the proceedings on the longest night of the year.

Ordinarily, Kori would have been too young to attend at all, but now she was welcomed with honours. The Regent made a special presentation to the assembled nobility with Kori on the stage beside him. He commended her for her valour in defeating the dreaded Wolf Cultists. Kori beamed as they cheered her and then the dance began. Erika and Prince Siegfried were amongst those opening the dance as the music began to play. Kori thought they were truly a picture-perfect couple. Just then she noticed Megan sidling into the hall, gesturing at her and glancing furtively around. She waved at Kori.

Kori waved back. "Come sit with me."

Megan sat down the on the stage beside Kori. "Your star burns bright tonight, Kori."

Kori beamed at her. "How have you been? It seems like ages since I last saw you. So much has happened."

Megan was anxious to relate the gossip and rumours that had been circulating while Kori was away.

"And you should have heard about that Frauke. They say she's been flirting with a common guard! How vulgar."

Kori folded her arms. "You shouldn't say unkind things behind her back, Megan."

"Huh, I care not. The gossip relieves the tedium of life here," said Megan.

At that moment, Brunhilde welcomed Erika back onto the stage. She was beaming and looked so happy that Kori felt that she would not get another moment like this. At this time, everyone else was distracted by the spectacle of Siegfried doing a quickstep with two of the greater nobility.

"Excuse me, Megan," said Kori softly and got to her feet. Slowly, hesitatingly she drew closer.

Erika turned to meet her sister's gaze and then nodded. "Kori has something she must tell you, mother. Please hear her out."

Brunhilde looked at Kori and her lip curled, but Kori would not be deterred.

"Brunhilde, why must we quarrel? I never wanted to. I am nothing like the lesser demon, I'm nothing to do with her… I want nothing to do with her, or to see her, ever. If I could change the past and wipe out her crime I would…" Kori hesitated for an instant as she considered that, but Brunhilde had stopped looking askance and was now raising her pale eyebrows. Kori ploughed on, aware of Megan gaping at them and of Erika watching with her usual serene calm. "When I first came here, Rudolph admitted that you are uncommonly wise and compassionate. Now I know that you are, no other mother could do such a good job as you have raising Erika. Erika is the best girl in the entire world and the only one who should be queen."

Brunhilde swallowed and then held out her hands. "It is a little late to be welcoming you for the first time, Korina." They clasped hands. "Now…"

"What's this?" Siegfried's bellow drowned out Brunhilde's voice as he arrived on the stage. "Fawning over her, Brunhilde? There's a change in tune for you. And all because she's the heroine of the hour."

Brunhilde snatched her hands away from Kori and flounced off the stage. Erika gave a sad smile. Kori's heart sank. It looked like she had lost her chance.

00O00

Late that night, Kori made her way down the crypts of the greatest nobility of the Dark Forest, entering the shrine dedicated to her father. Here the torches were always kept burning and they cast an eerie light over the marbled surfaces. At the end of the vault, there stood a statue of the man himself, carved in marble. Kori stood before the statue. "I have succeeded father. Like you said, I was not afraid of who I am. The Wolf Demon is defeated."

Kori hesitated, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. "You cannot answer me now and that makes me sad, but I do feel that I know you a little. You would have been proud of me know." She reached up and touched the statue's cold cheek.

"How dare you defile this place, demonspawn!" The hiss of a woman's voice at the entrance.

Kori whirled round. Brunhilde stood there, glaring.