The Fall of the Wolf Ch. 01-02

As Eleta grew more proficient in the art of seduction, her confidence grew apace. Things seemed to be progressing smoothly when word came that would make her mission even more challenging. The queen was informed that for the past three months, the wolf had focused all his attentions on the Lady Gwendolyn. It was expected that he would be offering for her hand in the near future. While he courted her, the wolf had assumed a monkish lifestyle, and he had refused the offers of all other women. Eleta and her advisors worried that it might be harder than they originally thought to lure him into her trap. However, the prophecy had predicted that he would become betrothed prior to their meeting, so Eleta tried not to worry unduly.

As her eighteenth birthday loomed near, it was deemed necessary that a new wardrobe be designed especially for the purpose of seducing the wolf. Every garment had been sewn using styles that would showcase her body for her enemy's pleasure. Bodices were cut low, some of them barely containing the fullness of her breasts. Although they were designed according to the latest fashion and were no more daring than many worn by the women at her court, they were a far cry from the modest garments Eleta had always worn. In fact, the new garments were so different from her usual clothes, that she felt distinctly uncomfortable when she first began to wear them. However, after a few weeks, she became accustomed to men gawking at her bosom, and she no longer felt so conspicuous.

The lingerie and sleeping garments were more problematic. They were sewn from the sheerest of fabrics, and were designed to bring a man pleasure more than for any practical purposes. The corsets pressed her breasts high but left them bare. There were chemises, robes, and nightgowns that were more like veils to enhance her charms rather than garments to conceal them. They would hide nothing from the wolf, making her appear wanton and willing. Try as she might, she had never completely overcome her natural shyness, and she wasn't sure how she would find the confidence to wear them once she was alone with the wolf. However, she was determined to perform her duty. She would have to find the courage when the time came.

After years of careful education and diligent practice, Eleta had been transformed into a temptress, a siren who would lure a man to his death. She knew every erogenous area on a man's body, and she knew how to stimulate them. She knew how to tempt and tease and use her own body to inflame a man's passion. She knew how to bring a man to his knees, which was exactly what the prophecy had said she would do to the wolf. Eleta had the skills and knowledge she would need to accomplish her goal. However, the idea of using her wiles to trap, seduce and kill a stranger still terrified her.

She knew she would carry out the prophecy despite her qualms, and she had no choice but to succeed. Too many people were dependant on her success, and she would not fail them. Her personal sacrifice and that of the wolf would ensure the future of her people and her country.

A light knock sounded on her chamber door, and she called admittance. Seeing Matilda, her most senior and trusted lady-in-waiting, she gave a sad smile.

"Is it time already?" Eleta asked quietly.

Matilda approached and dropped into a deep curtsy. "Yes, your Majesty. I've come to help you dress."

At Eleta's nod, Matilda removed the pearl encrusted ball gown and all the layers of undergarments, leaving only the thin silk chemise. Eleta sat before her dressing table, and Matilda patiently removed the pins and combs from her hair. She picked up the brush and met Eleta's gaze in the mirror as she began to brush her long ebony hair until it shone. Matilda was one of the select few who knew the details about the prophecy, and she began to review the details of their plan.

"Sir Eric and your guardsmen are gathered in the courtyard, ma'am. All is in readiness for your journey."

Eleta sighed. "We can depart within the hour. With luck, we should be able to capture the wolf and reach the mountain lodge before the heaviest snows begin to fall." Mentally reviewing all the steps of the plan, she asked "Is everything prepared at the royal lodge? I want no one present to witness my...," she swallowed hard, "...my seduction of the wolf...and everything that must come afterward. It would be too humiliating."

Eleta couldn't suppress a tiny shudder. She had chosen to take the wolf to the very isolated royal lodge which was nestled high in the northern part of the country. Few people even knew of the lodge's existence, and there, she would be assured of privacy. It was bad enough that Eleta would have to abandon her scruples and play the part of whore to seduce her adversary. She had no intention of doing so in the presence of servants who might later spread the tale. However, her ultimate fall from grace would be when she murdered her unsuspecting victim. She wanted as few people as possible to know about that terrible act. The scroll and its secrets had been carefully guarded for over two hundred years to protect her and to ensure she was able to fulfill the prophecy. Only a handful of her most trusted advisors and attendants, including Matilda and Sir Eric, the commander of her guardsmen, knew the terrible things Eleta would be forced to do. Eleta very much wanted to keep it that way. The remote lodge was perfect for her purposes.

Matilda's frown made it obvious she was unhappy with that part of her queen's plan. "Your Majesty, wouldn't you like me to come with you? That way, I could at least clean for you and prepare your meals. It is not right that you should do those menial tasks. Please let me come and help you."

"No," Eleta said firmly. She gave Matilda a small smile to soften her refusal. "I appreciate your offer, but this is something I must do on my own. I am quite certain that with the provisions you have made, I will be able to handle the rest."

"But you may need someone to style your hair and help you dress, ma'am.

Again, Eleta shook her head. "I will wear my hair mostly down or in simple styles that I can do myself, and my new clothes were designed so that I could get dressed without any assistance. I will be fine."

Matilda pressed further, worried for her queen. "But wouldn't it be better for a few of the guards to remain with you, ma'am? What if the wolf should become violent?"

"He won't," Eleta murmured with confidence. "Veda's predictions have been right about everything else. There is no reason to think the wolf will harm me. It specifically states that he will 'pluck my maidenhead' and 'wallow in my royal bed'. He isn't going to harm me, unless you consider taking my virginity and impregnating me to be harming me. Unfortunately, those acts are necessary steps toward fulfilling the prophecy."

"Of course, ma'am," Matilda said with a blush and a nod, although she didn't look happy about the queen's decision. "All your meals will be prepared and waiting for you at the cabin. You need only to heat them. Your guards know their role. They will deliver you to the retreat, and then you should be left to accomplish your...tasks...without any interference from others. The guards will remain camped on a distant hill and will await your signal. Then, they will return to escort you home."

Eleta shivered at the reminder that she would be alone with the wolf for an entire week. That was the time prescribed by the prophecy to ensure that she conceived a child. She supposed it made sense. Any shorter would be risky and any longer would be unnecessary. Eleta released another heavy sigh. The thought of giving her body to some stranger for a week filled her with dread. She could only hope that she would be able to love and nurture the child they were to conceive. She never doubted that she would, in fact, conceive the wolf's child. Like everything else about the prophecy, even her monthly cycles had aligned with the timing of events. She knew she would be fertile during her stay at the royal lodge.

Thoughts of her future offspring, prompted more concerns. "What about my betrothed, the Duke of Livius? Once I am with child, we must proceed with the wedding with all due haste."

At the mention of the duke Matilda brightened and smiled at her in the mirror. "Yes, your Majesty. He is settling in to his temporary quarters in the guest wing, just as you requested. All the arrangements have been made. The wedding should proceed smoothly, very shortly after you return." Matilda met the queen's eye. "The duke is quite handsome, ma'am. I'm certain he will make you very happy indeed."

"I suppose so," Eleta mumbled without conviction.

Eleta grimaced slightly as she retrieved a tiny painting from the drawer in her dressing table. The likeness of the Duke of Livius, her soon-to-be husband, had been rendered in detail. She supposed he was handsome, with golden hair and blue eyes, although he did not really hold any attraction for her. Eleta thought he looked rather conceited, and his likeness did not inspire any emotion in her other than cool detachment. On the few occasions they had been together, the duke's fawning attentions had left her feeling slightly claustrophobic. She looked forward to her wedding night with almost as much dread as she felt about seducing the wolf. Still, since her betrothed was fated to be her husband and the father of all but one of her children, Eleta hoped she would eventually grow to like him or even love him. Regardless, if she had to endure a lifetime in an unhappy marriage, she supposed that was small enough punishment for the terrible acts she was about to commit.

Eleta shrugged slightly, "I just feel guilty that when we marry, I shall already be carrying the child of his enemy. Hopefully, he will never know."

Matilda could provide no reassurance for the queen, so she remained mute while she braided her hair and wound it into an intricate crown, pinning the thick braids carefully. She helped her queen dress in a warm and comfortable travelling gown. The gown was made of black velvet, and it covered her modestly from throat to wrists. Eleta took comfort in the fact that she would not need to don any of the more revealing garments until she reached the wolf's lair. Her hair was tucked into a wide brimmed black hat that fit snugly over her braids. A black veil could be pulled down to cover her delicate features and mask her alabaster skin. It looked as if she were in mourning, which was exactly how she felt. She hoped she would be able to travel without people recognizing her.

When she was finished dressing the queen, Matilda stood back and gave her a wide smile of encouragement. "Finally, ma'am! You are ready."

Eleta looked at herself once more in the mirror, noticing the paleness of her cheeks and the dark shadows beneath her eyes. "I hope so, Matilda. For all our sakes, I hope so."

Eleta tucked the scroll into the pocket of her dress. She allowed Matilda to drape a heavy, fur lined cloak around her shoulders and fasten it beneath her chin. She gave Matilda a nod of gratitude. Then, without another word, Eleta gathered her black leather gloves and walked briskly out of the palace.

A dozen of her most trusted guardsmen were waiting for her in the courtyard. Sir Eric, the commander of the guards bowed deeply to his queen and held the door of her coach open for her. All markings that indicated it was a royal conveyance had been removed, and the guardsmen were dressed in uniforms as if they were privately employed soldiers. Hopefully, anyone they encountered on the journey would merely think she was a wealthy traveller and not realize that she was the queen.

As the guardsmen mounted their horses and the queen's small entourage began their journey, Eleta looked up into the night sky. She noticed that snow had begun falling, and the world outside the coach windows looked more cold and forbidding than ever before. She shivered, wondering whether she would ever feel warm again.