Chapter 89: Lingering Effects

It wasn’t an odd question, but the timing felt strange. He was serious when he said it was unlikely that the vampire queen’s forces would try to poison him again, but did she think that they would attack the capital? Or rather, did she believe that he couldn’t protect her?
“Why?”
Her lips twitched and she nodded at the depiction. Adolph looked at the window and winced.
“You don’t think it’s just a metaphor?”
“Can you handle a sword?” She asked with a wry smile.
He sighed, “I suppose you have a point…”
“If something happens,” Laurel said. “I don’t want to be a useless shield.”
She looked up at him, “You wouldn’t begrudge me that, would you?”
Adolph grumbled. She knew he would never begrudge her anything.
“Very well,” Adolph nodded. “As soon as we get back, I’ll arrange someone to train you.”
She smiled, “Thank you, Your Majesty!”
He growled, backing her up against the wall and leaning in her space. Her face turned red and she let out a shuddering little breath.
“Call me by name,” he whispered against her lips. “Just once, Laurel.”
“I…” She gasped, squeezing her eyes shut as his breath ghosted across her lips, “Y-Your Majesty… p-please. In the temple?”
He chuckled, “The moon goddess made me wait over twenty years for you… I think she’d allow a few kisses, don’t you?”
Laurel turned her head, “Call me devout.”
He chuckled and pulled back, “I’m sure that priestess over there would tell you that the moon goddess doesn’t care.”
She shoved him away as he laughed and turned to look at the woman watching them with an amused smile.
“I can assure you that she does not,” she said and approached, “Though perhaps a bit more restraint could be in order, Your Majesty.”
“I am the picture of restraint,” he said with a cheeky grin.
She shook her head and looked at Laurel. Her eyes were dark, her features were unfamiliar, but she had the same feeling that the other priestess had. She supposed all priestesses had that feeling about them.
“A pleasure to meet our next luna,” she said and looked at Adolph. “If His Majesty is finished teasing you, there is somewhere I am meant to take you.”
Laurel frowned and looked at Adolph. His lips twitched and he offered her his arm, “You’ll get used to that too.”
“Used to what?”
“The will of the moon goddess moving through your life as it pleases.”
Laurel swallowed. She didn’t think she wanted to get used to such a thing, but she walked with Adolph and followed the woman down several long corridors until they reached a small room. It was shaped in a half-circle and the back wall was completely made of stained glass depicting the advent of werewolves under the moon goddess’ light.
“The history of werewolves,” Adolph said, softly. “I’ve only seen it once before as a child.”
Laurel stepped closer.
“By her light are we all graced and live,” the priestess said. “Even vampires.”
Adolph frowned and looked at the priestess. Her eyes had turned a brilliant white and his breath caught as Laurel walked closer to the stained glass windows.
“Find no fault in what you have done to protect the kingdom,” the priestess smiled. “A sword as you were meant to be, always. It… brings joy to my heart to see you with your shield.”
Laurel turned and froze at the glowing gaze that fell on her.
“Be safe, Laurel… Take care, Adolph. There are still those who move against you and your union.” She turned, “You may find the vampire queen and her wretched mourning to be the least of your problems yet.”
The woman walked out of the room and Laurel stared after the woman. She looked at Adolph hoping he could make sense of what the woman was saying, but he only clenched his fist.
Laurel went to his side and took his hand, “I’ll be here.”
Adolph nodded, “Let’s retire for the evening and head home in the morning, hm?”
She smiled and nodded. Home had such a nice ring to it.

The journey back to the castle was as quiet as the journey to the temple. She was looking forward to returning another day with Adolph and perhaps unofficially meeting some of the other women of his family. Sarah, Lily, Chasel, Sam, and Lynn greeted them when they returned.
Adolph dismounted and helped her down from his horse before leading her up the steps.
“Go and relax for a bit. Sam, I need to speak with you.”
Sam nodded and followed Adolph down the corridor until they reached an old training room he’d used in his youth before he was strong enough or tall enough to stand on the training pitch with the werewolves training for war.
"Your Majesty," Sam began. "Please do not tell me you would like me to train His Highness."
Adolph laughed, startling Sam as he stared wide-eyed at him.
"No, not at all. I will leave that for another time. I would like you to train Laurel in basic self-defense for now."
Same frowned. His heart lurched, “Is there a threat Lynn and I should know about?”
He smiled, “None that you are not already aware of. She has asked to be taught, and I am hard-pressed not to think that it could not come in handy for her to be able to protect herself.”
He shook his head, thinking of his father. If his mother had known more about self-defense, was there a chance that she would have lived long enough to be treated when traitors attacked her? Maybe, but it was a question that had never been brought up.
He had to remember that Laurel was not a woman who was born to nobility. She had hunted for her own food and cared for herself alone while her father was away.
Had Laura been the same? The more he thought about it, the more he wondered how likely it was that Laurel was Laura reborn. He had never met the woman, but he was in a castle filled with people who had. To ask Basil might open old wounds, but Sarah had been her lady-in-wait if he remembered correctly. The old etiquette teacher had taught Laura as well.
It was thought for another time, but he would explore it, given time.
“Would you agree?” Adolph asked.
Sam bowed his head, “It would be my honor. Should I also teach her how to use weapons?”
Adolph imagined Laurel wielding a sword and smiled as a little stir of desire went through him. There wasn’t enough time to get her strong enough to use a sword effectively, no matter how attractive he and his wolf seemed to find the idea.
Laurel’s strength was her speed and agility. He thought back to when he chased her into the forest. She was strategic even in her escape, using her smaller size and ability to her advantage.
“...daggers,” he said after a moment. Sam’s eyes widened. “Concealed daggers. It’s to her advantage that no one knows she’s armed.”
Sam nodded, “I promise to turn her to a deadly dagger wielder within the best of my abilities.”
He grinned, “I look forward to it.”

Sam returned to collect Laurel from her room later that day, dressed casually for training, carrying training clothes that most squires wore: simple pants, boots, and a shirt. He gave them to Sarah for Laurel and waited for her to change.
Laurel came out with her hair tied up into a ponytail and looking determined. Good. He didn’t want her to be nervous. He led her and Sarah to the training room. He considered Sarah.
“Would you also like to learn?”
Sarah flushed and worried her lip, “I will… consider it.”
He smiled, “As you wish.”
He turned to Laurel who looked a bit nervous but met his gaze evenly.
“His Majesty has asked me to train you in basic self-defense and the use of concealed daggers. Are you alright with that?”
Daggers? She hadn’t considered learning how to wield a weapon. It wasn’t exactly normal for women of the court to be armed unless they were members of the army as well. Still, the idea appealed to her. She didn’t want to kill anyone, but it was better to know how to escape situations alive than not.
“Yes.”
Sam nodded, “Good. We’ll start with your wolf form. Are you able to keep your clothes when you shift?”
She flushed, “Uhm… sometimes.”
Sam chuckled, “You’re young. Makes sense. Give it your best shot.”
She closed her eyes and tried to shift, but she couldn’t reach Alice. She could feel her, even see her in her mind’s eye, but she couldn’t reach her to shift. Her heart lurched and she opened her eyes, looking at Sam.
“What’s wrong?”
She swallowed thickly and shook her head, reaching to try again, but she couldn’t reach Alice. She seemed just out of reach no matter how she reached and she gasped in terror.
*“I can’t.”*