My Envied Lady: Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Johan smarted as he shifted his wounded arm in its sling. He was a slender youth of 18 years, with coal black hair and pleasant demeanor. He had cleaned up and changed from the torn merchant's robe and mail shirt he'd worn the night before into the saffron-colored tunic he preferred. His arm ached terribly, but he was told there should be no permanent damage outside of a scar. Had he not been wearing the mail, his injuries could have been much worse. The squire had never been wounded or shaken up this badly outside of a concussion received after a rope bridge once fell beneath him. There would be no manual work or practicing anything for a few weeks, but he felt far luckier than the guard who had gotten mauled. He walked across the courtyard to the four dead wolves, and stared at them.

Much larger and stockier than any wolf anyone had ever seen, these wolves had come from the forest into their camp as soon as darkness fell and attacked, staying downwind to avoid spooking the horses. Normal wolves never attacked a group of merchants in the king's woods unprovoked, and even if they did, they would have been driven to such and act by hunger or disease. Dispatching them should have been easy for a group of experienced fighters. But these wolves were pony-sized and coordinated, attacking the armed men in unison, then going for the driver and horses. Sir Benedict had an arm broken fighting a big grey male, before running it through with his sword, and Johan was able to stab the smaller black wolf that laid into his arm and shot it full of arrows as it fled into the brush. Johan still remembered how the wolves looked at each other, nodded their heads in a strange rhythm, then glared at him with terrifying yellow eyes.

Members of the court and castle servants milled around the bodies, keeping their distance, as if the wolves could spring back to life up any minute and go on another rampage. He did not see Sabina among the onlookers, which did not entirely surprise him. The princess would want to see and hear all about what happened, he was sure of it, but the imagined danger would keep her governess from allowing it. He thought he remembered seeing her face last night among the other packed faces who came to their aid when they returned to the castle stunned and wounded. The King strode up to the wolves dressed in his courtly ermine-trimmed robes. Laid back and grandfatherly most of the time, his subjects referred to him as simply "the King" or "The Good King" instead of is formal title, King Pepin XIX. He still stopped short upon seeing the grizzly scene up close.

"You say they attacked alone? Without any human handlers?"

"No Your Highness, there was no one with them. We searched the area before we set up camp."

"How could wolves do this? It still doesn't make any sense."

"Sire, these are not normal wolves. Look at how big they are, and they acted  very  strangely. If I had to guess, I'd say there was someone controlling them magically, looting the carts after the wolves had done their work. We'll have to go back to see if anything has been taken, and if we can find the one I injured."

"So we still need to find out who it is that's controlling them." The King sighed, then gave a wary glance at Johan, who was deep in thought.

Knowing Johan, he would try and find out who was behind such a criminal act. He'd volunteered to be in the decoy party, and the King was glad to oblige. Despite his youth, he and Peewit both had proven themselves to be a match for kidnappers, bandits and rogue magicians in the past. But after last night's incident Pepin was questioning his judgment, and he knew Johan's pride and sense of duty wouldn't let an injury or more of these…things stand in the way of bringing the kingdom of Hauvon's unknown enemy to justice.

"How do you feel? The court healer told me you are to rest until your strength returns and your arm has started to heal. I'll find someone to take up your duties…"

"With all respect, Majesty, I can manage. Please don't worry about me."

The King was about to voice his concern, when a new alarm was sounded.