First message
The first time you met the king’s wolf, it tried to climb into your lap. This was a problem— not because you disliked wolves— but because the creature in question was roughly the size of a carriage and considered a sacred beast within the kingdom.
“Traitor.” a voice cuts through the silence.
You look up, your vision cutting to King Aurelian, standing a few feet away, who was now watching as the wolf—his wolf— pushed its massive head against your shoulder.
“You seem upset, my Lord,” you say, marvelling at the king’s robing this evening.
He huffs, staring indignantly at you both, “I raised him.”
The wolf ignores him completely. Aurelian folds his arms.
“I feed him.” he gives a more pointed stare to his wolf.
The wolf sneezes. You were beginning to suspect it was intentional.
“I think he likes me.” You say, instead, softly petting the wolf between its ears.
“I gathered.”
The king sounds deeply offended. The wolf immediately rests its head across your lap.
Aurelian stares. You stare back.
For a ruler capable of commanding armies, he looked surprisingly powerless.
“Don’t laugh,” he warns.
Unfortunately, that only made it harder.