Rale #2

Guess what. Highlights don't show up! Here is some more of Rale. Again, this is not entirely edited yet. Also this is my least favorite part of this story and I plan to rewrite it entirely.

The guards had no rope to tie the wolf, so they held his arms behind his back with weapons pointed at him from every direction. They took him quickly, hustling him toward the huge marble-covered doors. Through several hallways, past rooms and corridors uncountable until finally they halted before another set of huge doors, these wooden with intricate carvings. Rale studied them as the guards whispered urgently amongst themselves. In the center, a young man stared back at him haughtily. Around him, images of a rose, a woman, and wolves howling to the moon seemed to condemn the young man. Suddenly, the guards opened the doors and pushed Rale inside. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an unfamiliar guard leaning against the wall. Then his attention was entirely diverted by the armchair serving as a throne and its occupant. Rale looked up into the eyes of the terrible beast, and found them not so terrible. Cold, yes, distant, yes, even angry but not terrible. proudly, he stood tall against the spear point pressed against his back and the blade across his throat. As the familiar, achingly bitter anger took hold of his heart again, he listened with bored amusement to the guards' fantastic story of catching him as he jumped over the wall. Apparently he gave the big one a long scrape across his back with his fearsome claws after leaping right over the eleven foot high wall. Rale allowed himself a bitter grin as he saw the beast's eyebrows rise in polite discredit. "So after he jumped over the wall, landing in your clever arms, he still put up a fight. Am I correct?" The guards' leader nodded uncertainly. "And you, my wonderful guards escaped with only one scratch. And you managed to subdue this wild maniac without so much as a bruise to him?" The leader nodded sheepishly. "Well done, why don't you go get yourselves something to drink and take a break. Send Mason out to take your duty." He nodded, dismissing them. As they filed miserably out, he called to the one who had received the supposed scratch. "Oh, Tarron, Don't forget, there is a nail sticking out on the back of your chair. See if you can fix that, I don't want you to get cut." Thoroughly humiliated in their lie the brave guards practically ran to get out from under the eye of their knowing master. The great beast chuckled as the door slammed. "They'll forgive me. Now what is your side of the story. I already know, so you may as well tell the truth. If you are thinking of trying to escape, I am sure I can handle you, that's why I sent them away." Looking at the huge claws grasping the sides of the chair, Rale could easily believe it. Anyway, he would never try to escape. "I came here seeking protection: sanctuary. I have heard that you are just and wise. I would not blame you for killing me immediately. You certainly have a right to. But I came in the hope that you would at least listen to my story without prejudice, and then judge me on it." the great beast nodded his consent. The guard who had been leaning against the wall when Rale came in was suddenly standing at Rale's side. "Beast..." he pleaded. The great Beast shook his head at the guard. "Go wait outside, Dunstan." "Just don't forget your promise." "I won't." As soon as Dunstan left, he turned back to Rale. "I will listen, but you will have a lot of convincing to do, and I will tell you now it probably won't work. But go ahead and try. This should prove interesting."
"I suppose it's obvious that I am one of the wolves. You have every right to kill me because I was in your castle grounds. My kind is also known for the atrocious murders we have committed against your humans fleeing for safety. My only defense is that I did not take part in any of the threats or murders of any humans. I have no desire to in the future either. That is my case. Even under pressure from the pack, I have not done anything evil to any of the humans. Also, I came to your castle seeking sanctuary from my pack in peace, and did not struggle even when they threatened to kill me on sight. That is all." He stood, still ramrod straight, with arms hanging loosely at his sides to hear his judgment. I t was not forthcoming. "And if I let you live, what do you want me to do? Surely you did not think to join my guard?"
"No, sir. I had hoped only for passage out of your borders."
"Would your pack ransom you?"
"I am seeking refuge from them. No, they would not." The beast sat for awhile in his chair, thinking. A quarter of an hour passed as Rale waited for his sentence.
Finally, he stirred in his throne. "Very well. You will remain here as a prisoner of war, performing odd jobs and impressing me with your good behavior until I decide whether or not I can trust you. I will not inflict a rampant wolf upon the outside world unless I know he is truly reformed." He reached over and pulled a tasseled cord, which set a bell ringing in another part of the castle. "I will question you more tomorrow." The Beast watched this wolf and waited. And Waited. The wolf showed no signs of discomfiture whatsoever. Finally, the Beast decided he had had to wait long enough. Smiling inwardly he pronounced his sentence of 'mercy'. This was more fun than simply killing the wolf immediately. Now it would have to be very careful as long as it wanted to live. Beast would tease it, popping out from secret passages as soon as it thought it was alone -- playing cat and mouse with it. He would pretend he hadn't noticed the first few times it found itself in compromising positions. Then, eventually, it would grow bold and he would catch it in a hopelessly compromised position. And it would have no one to blame but itself. He had no doubt that the wolf was lying. This was going to be fun.
A guard jumped through the door, nearly dropping his spear. The beast frowned. "What are you doing here? Your patrol isn't until Thursday, Trevor." "I t-t-traded with T-Tarron yesterday." the boy stammered out. He couldn't be older than fifteen. "I see. Well, go and get Mason and take this prisoner down to the basement." Trevor eyed Rale nervously. Amused, he held out his wrists for the heavy metal shackles the slim boy had clanking on his belt. Obviously relieved that Rale intended to go quietly, the boy fumbled the cuffs from his belt. The Beast watched his youngest guard lock the prisoner's wrists into the iron rings. Trevor seemed more frightened than the wolf. "Actually, get Dunstan. He's waiting outside the door, right?" Trevor nodded. "Tell him--" the Beast hesitated. "Tell him I haven't forgotten, but to wait and then send him back to me when you're done." Trevor nodded uncertainly and headed for the door. Rale followed him, the irons clanking noisily where Trevor held the end like a leash. Dunstan met them at the door. Trevor relayed the message as they walked. "Wait?" repeated Dunstan in disbelief. "He told me to wait?" "Yes." replied Trevor, oblivious to Dunstan's anger. He had relaxed much more since they had been joined by the older guard. "And he wants to see you after we lock him up." Trevor looked over at Rale, then dropped his gaze, turning red. Surprised, Rale let slip an amused smile. The boy was actually embarrassed to be locking up a wolf! The two kept up an earnest conversation all of the way down to the 'basement'. Dunstan suddenly grabbed Rale in a crushing bear hug. Trevor did not seem to think there was anything unusual in this as he unlocked the shackles. Dunstan half pushed, half threw Rale into the small room that would serve as a cell. Rale heard a key turn in the lock, then the voices retreated down the hallway. Looking around, Rale was surprised to see not only a comfortable-looking cot, but also a tiny table and chair that could serve as a desk, already furnished with paper and quills. There was a basin and pitcher of water that somehow was warm. In short, it did not look like the dungeon cell he had been expecting.

Tale #1 Rale

This is an incomplete, unedited story that came from a dream I had. There are several words and sentences in this section that I have highlighted. Those are the ones that I will work on. This is a story that takes place in Samara. Samara is the eastern middle country that borders the Yumaha River. Most of the country is mountainous, but at the easternmost peninsula, there is flatter ground with mostly rocky hills. This is where this story starts. It is very loosely based on Beauty and the Beast (not the disney version).


Rale froze. "What is this, a suicide attempt?" He turned slowly. The beautiful white wolf's eyes bored into him. As I asked the question again, the fur began to morph and change color. Almost immediately a young woman stood where the wolf had been a moment before. Her golden hair fell in perfect waves past her shoulders and the same stunning green eyes continued to search his own. "Ylva," he responded coolly. "Rale, why would you do this? Don't you dare go over that wall. What about the beast? You know as well as I do he'll kill you as soon as you set foot over there!"
"Maybe that's the point." he replied hardly.
"Why Rale?" He felt his heart breaking all over again as she looked at him so gently. Just as she used to...
"Don't you know?" he asked more softly. At this, she stepped back and moaned quietly. When she raised her eyes again, they were pleading with him. Immediately, they put him on his guard. He would not let those eyes fascinate him again. "Rale, please, forgive me and let go. Don't end your life because of me." Looking up, she saw his hard expression. Despair crumpled her face. "What makes you think this is all about you?" he asked haughtily. "I'm just tired of life. Tired of bullies like Krishnar; tired of murder; tired of my life. Beyond this wall lies something: even if it's death. Goodbye." He turned back to the wall. "Rale..." He paused. "Do something for me. Don't do anything overly idiotic." They both winced as she stammered to correct herself. "I mean, once you are over there, don't give them any reason to kill you. Try your hardest to stay alive...for me." Rale smiled the bitter smile she had grown so used to over the past few months. "You lost the right to use that line long ago." She sighed. "Ylva?" At his tone, she looked up hopefully. "Be happy in the life you have chosen. Don't mourn me." With that, he was gone. Sadly, Ylva smiled as she morphed once more into the white wolf.
Rale paused on the top of the wall to watch Ylva run. Turning, he gazed up at the gigantic crystal spiral that was the castle. For his entire life he had been taught to fear this enchanted tomb and the hideous Beast, enemy of all wolves, who lived inside. Looking up, he drank in the twilight sky, wondering if anyone would even remember him after a few years. Then he sighed and swung into the courtyard...straight into the middle of a group of patrolmen. They stared at each other for a moment. Rale slowly raised his arms.
Inside the castle, a huge shadow watched from the window. The Beast's paws clenched. A wolf had just come over the wall. A wolf in his castle. He smiled grimly. Not for long. He would enjoy dealing with this brash intruder. Being stuck inside the walls of the castle, he did not get any kind of revenge on the wolves very often. "Savor the moment." he told himself, "There won't be another like it for a long time." He whirled around, away from the window to his 'throne'. Soon, his guards would bring the prisoner for judgment. He wanted to look like a judge.