In the spring as the snow melted Luna discovered that the thatch of the roof leaked in a few places. Prince growled and paced as she climbed up the pitched supports that braced into the ground on either side of the house. The first few plugs she made and added were not very effective but after a while she began to learn how to position the grass bundles and spread the reeds out effectively. It was filthy work and she had to once again raid her mother's trunks for clothing.
Exploring the trunks left a small warm feeling in Luna's heart and a smile on her lips. Even though she was alone she felt close to the smiling dark haired woman in the painting.
"Mother, which dresses did you like best? Did you ever have to climb up and fix the roof?"
There was never quite an answer but it seemed as if the little house warmed and breathed around her when she spoke to it. Luna spoke to the pack too as they came and went from the house and the ruined out buildings they denned in.
Laying under the trees with Knight she let her mind wander for the first time since she'd cried in the ruins of the cathedral. It drifted back to the night she'd left and the cold she'd felt in her heart returned.
Jaeger had always been there for her. Even after he had accepted the post as princess-consort's Huntsman she'd never questioned his loyalty or, Luna's heart contracted painfully, their love for each other.
Now she felt like every moment since her father's death was suspect. Had he only been reporting on her actions to her stepmother?
She had no way to know now.
Luna sighed reaching out and scratching Knight's ears gently. The wolf sighed without waking up, one of his legs kicking gently. She smiled, comforted. There was no deeper meaning in the pack's affection for her. She was just part of the family.
Which lead to a new question.
How had Prince become a wolf? Had the others always been wolves or had they too been people once?
In the green speckled afternoon light it was too hard to hold onto such dark thoughts. Rather she took her boots, worn constantly since winter and turned them over in her hands. They were going to pieces and all the needlework in the world wouldn't save them. With a tired sigh she tossed the boots aside and closed her eyes. It really was too nice an afternoon to worry about it.
She was half dozing when Knight lifted his head, growling. His hackles rose and Luna sat up opening her eyes blearily. Her hand tightened in the wolf's fur as she registered a figure coming towards them. Realization struck like a bucket of water to her face.
"Jaeger!?"
The hunter started to run towards her, his voice cracking as he called out.
"Luna!" Jaeger slowed as he saw the wolf, holding out his hands palm up. "That's not a dog. Please Luna, come away from that wolf."
Luna pulled Knight behind her as much as she could, almost fighting with the wolf as he tried to keep her from being exposed to Jaeger.
"I know. But he's my friend." Luna wasn't sure which of them she was speaking to but it seemed to work as both of them stopped tensing and regarded the other with frank surprise. After a moment Knight sat, abrupt and doggish. He gave Jaeger a narrow look but didn't try to stop Luna as she hurried to him.
Jaeger for his part picked Luna right up off her feet to crush her in his embrace and she had to pound on his shoulders, panting, before he set her down.
"Who's taken you in and not told the Q- Princess Regent? How did you even get all the way out here?"
Luna scowled at him turning away and putting some space between them. Her happiness at seeing Jaeger was spoiled now. She could taste the winter air of the castle.
"So she's Queen now?"
"Luna. Everyone thinks you're dead. It's been months, and you vanished in the dead of winter. You're lucky you didn't freeze to death."
"I survived. And no one is taking care of me but me." Luna heard the petulance in her tone and straightened her spine.
"Jaeger." She turned and sighed, looking him dead in the eyes. "I saw you with her the night I left. I saw you kiss her." Luna backed away further as Jaeger stiffened and Knight padded up beside her. Knight wuffed and from the corner of her eye she saw Prince's dark form moving between the trees. Luna rested a hand lightly on his shoulder, the gray and gold wolf leaning heavily into her.
"I don't trust you, Jaeger."
"Luna. She and I-" He started to step forward but the growling came from many throats now and Jaeger hesitated as the rest of the pack began to emerge from the forest.
"Luna. My Queen. I understand." He bowed slightly, never taking his eyes off of her. "Tell me what I can do to regain your trust. Your friendship."
For a moment she didn't know what to say, then Knight pressed harder to her side and the words that came out surprised her.
"My parent's journals. I need to know the past if I am to rule in the future." Jaeger stared at her as if he'd never quite seen her before.
"I think you've gotten taller. I'll bring them to you." Then he turned back into the forest and was gone.
Luna looked around as the pack surrounded her. She sat down carefully and put her head on her hands. Prince nuzzled them and when her tears fell between her fingers she felt the soft short fur of his muzzle against her skin as he brushed them away.
Luna didn't expect Jaeger to come back. She'd cried herself sick after he'd left, eventually letting Prince half carry her to her bed. The next day she hadn't stirred until the pups chased each other howling through the yard. She sat up slowly, lifting the back of her hand to her brow. She wasn't quite feverish though she felt overheated and drained even now. Luna fell back onto the warm furry bulk in her bed and immediately jumped back up.
Prince lifted his head looking mildly at her before he yawned and unfolded his body to step down from the bed. The wolf padded to the door and turned the latch with one large paw.
There wasn't much else she could do so she followed him.
Prince meandered through the forest, birds singing overhead. Luna followed him, her aching bare feet eased by the soft moss and grass of the path the wolf chose. Bright little flowers bloomed like multicolored stars among the moss. The sun where it shown through the trees was summer hot on her skin. She smiled as Prince stretched out in the deep shade beneath a tree, watching her with his nose atop his paws.
She perched on a large mossy stone, flexing and stretching her toes. The forest was alive around her, the birds calling from tree to tree and the whisper of the wind like voices.
Memory rushed back as the scent of wild roses caught the edge of her attention. Her stomach hollowed, Luna pressed her hands to her chest as her heart pounded. The sound of the birds and the feel of the sun receded until she might as well have been back in the throne room staring at the hateful stool -
A wet nose pushed against her ear hard enough to make her grab for support. Prince huffed as she clutched his shoulders. The pain didn't vanish, but now she was anchored, steadied.
"I was discounting you and I didn't even realize it. You and the others. You've been looking after me this whole time." There was the briefest moment of his dry tongue against her cheek as she tightened her arms.
"I'm not alone. I have you. I have the pack."
It wasn't until later that night when she was nearly asleep with Prince's bulk between she and the door that Luna remembered something. Again she wondered what had happened to Prince, he'd been human once.
The thought was still there when she woke up, and she sat for awhile with her arms around her knees as she thought about it. But there were no answers forthcoming. Only questions she could chase until she made herself dizzy.
Instead she climbed out of bed and set about her chores for the day. Auntie, the chicken, needed feeding and she needed to cook what she could. Luna's lips quirked.
"If I'd been smart," she said to Amos who was watching her slowly try to butcher a rabbit, "I would have asked Jaeger for a cookbook."
If she were smart she supposed she would just give up on reclaiming her throne. Let Serena rule since she wanted to so badly. Luna gave the entrails to the wolf who chomped happily. His eyebrows wiggled as he licked his chops.
"I'm glad you like it." She dumped the chopped rabbit into a pot and set it to cook with some butter that was definitely stolen. Luna went outside to rinse her hands at the pump and fill the teapot for soup. The deep greens of the forest and the birds singing calmed her mind.
She wasn't even surprised when Knight, his tail up and eyes bright, brought her a cookbook the next day.