Elizabeta, Micah and Sarah stood up and walked to the door. Reign followed, but stopped just before the door.  “You have until the next sunset to send one virgin girl to my castle” Reign said point a finger at the men. “If not, mark my work Mayor, I will sweep into this village and take every single young female.” He said. After he had said that he turned on his heel and walked out the door slamming it behind him.

Micah, Sarah, and Elizabeta were all standing by the carriage when Reign walked out of the door.  Reign walked over to Elizabeta and took her in his arms. “My love I did not know that is what they did to you.” Elizabeta pulled back and looked up at him.” I honestly didn’t know either; they kept me so drugged up that I couldn’t tell my head from my feet.” She said as she quickly wiped tears from her eyes.

Reign gently took Elizabeta by the shoulders and looked at her. “I swear by the moon that is in the sky.” He said, “I will sweep this entire village and take every single girl from this village.” He said pulling her close and hugging her.  “I know.”  Elizabeta said as she put her hands around his waist. Reign kissed the top of her head.

Reign released his embrace on Elizabeta, and looked all three of them. “Come on lets get out of here.” Reign said, and opened the door for the two ladies.  Then the men climbed onto the bench. Just as Reign was about to click at the horses the Mayor came running out of the house.

“Lord Vaungervale, wait.” The Mayor said as he gasped for air. “Yes Mayor.” Reign growled. “Please…Please, Your Grace, I beg your indulgence” the Mayor said between breaths of air.  “You have 5 minutes.” Reign said handing the reigns to Micah. “Please Your Grace, how am I to convince my people that they have to send one of their children away?” the Mayor pleaded. “That is not my problem Mayor.” Reign said and nodded to Micah who clicked at the horses and they rode off down the road.

Once they reached the village limits Micah handed the reigns back to Reign who just shook his head. “I need to think, Micah.” He said staring off into the darkness ahead of them. 

“May I be M’Lord ears?” Micah said with a sidelong glance. Reign shook his head and gathered his thoughts. Reign took a deep breath and sighed. “I can not believe that humans can be so heartless.” Reign said as he continued to stare off into the darkness.”M’Lord not all humans are like that.” Micah said. Reign nodded and sighed. “I know.” He said glumly.  

Elizabeta sat near the window listening to the two men talking.  “You know Sarah…” Elizabeta started, but stopped mid-sentence and looked out the window. “Reign.” Elizabeta said. “Stop the carriage; I see something on the side of the road.” Micah pulled on the reigns and brought the carriage to a stop.  “What is it?” Reign said “What do you see?” he asked again. “There in the tall grass” Elizabeta pointed. Reign jumped down off the carriage and moved into the grass. He waded a few feet into the grass and stopped, and then he bent down and picked something up and waded back out holding a large ball of fur. Elizabeta opened the door to the carriage “Set him in here.” She said.  Reign sat the fur ball on the floor and Elizabeta reached behind her and grabbed a blanket and cover it up. 

Reign jumped back onto the bench and Micah clicked his tongue and the horses hurried off down the road to the castle.  Elizabeta kneeled down by the lump covered with the blanket. “Sarah, please light one of the lanterns.” She said as she removed the blanket. Sarah nodded and lit the lantern that hung over head.  Once it flared to life Elizabeta removed the blanket.  “Oh my” Elizabeta said. “It’s a wolf.” She said she ran her hand over the black- grey fur.  Elizabeta ran her hand over the wolf’s entire body checking for injuries. “None on his body.”  She said as she began running her hand over all four legs, and stopping on its right back leg. “Oh my, it’s broken.” She said.

Sarah reached behind her and grabbed some cloth and two sticks.  She then handed them to Elizabeta, who began wrapping the broken leg in the splint.  Elizabeta sat down by the wolf and petted it until they got back to the castle.

The carriage came to a stop and the door opened, Reign leaned in and picked up the wolf from the floor and hurried into the castle, Micah helped Sarah and Elizabeta out of the carriage and they followed. When they got into the sitting room they found Reign setting the wolf in front of the fireplace. “I think he will be ok there until he wakes up.” Reign said as he took off his traveling cloak. Elizabeta and Sarah stopped at the door and handed their cloaks to the servant standing at the door. Elizabeta walked over to where Reign and slipped her arm around his waist and looked at the wolf. “Well now that he is here, we should name him.” Elizabeta said. Reign nodded and looked at the sleeping wolf.  “I was thinking Sabin.” Reign said. “Sabin, I like it” Elizabeta said. “Sabin it is then.” Reign said with a nod of his head.  

Elizabeta sat down next to Sabin and petted him and Reign looked at the nearest servant “Go down to the kitchen and get two of the raw steaks, and a large bowl of water.” Reign whispered.  The servant bowed and hurried off to the kitchen.  “Is he breathing?” Reign asked with a bit of concern. Elizabeta nodded. “It’s very shallow but he is.” She said running her hand over the grey black fur.

The servant returned with the bowl of water and two large raw steaks. He stopped and made a shallow bow to Reign and walked over to Elizabeta and the wolf. “M’Lady.” The servant said as he set the dishes on the floor. “For the new house member.” He said as he stood up and made a shallow bow to her and walked away.

Once the servant placed the steaks on the floor near the wolf his nose started to move. Elizabeta looked at Reign and then got up and moved to stand next to him.  As soon as she moved the wolf moved to stand up, but gave a yelp when it went to stand on its broken leg.  It looked back at its leg and then it looked at Elizabeta and Reign then it looked at the steaks on floor. The wolf limped over to them sniffed them and began eating. He ate them hungrily; once he had finished the steaks he limped over to the water bowl and began lapping the water.

After he finished the steaks and water he began limping and sniffing around the room investigating his new surroundings.  He sniffed around the room and made his way over to where Reign and Elizabeta where standing.  Elizabeta slowly crouched down and held out her hand. “Hi Sabin.” She said sweetly to the wolf as he moved closer to her hand.  The wolf moved closer to Elizabeta out stretched hand, he sniffed it and back away quickly and then looked at Reign.  He crouched down next to Elizabeta and put out his hand for the wolf to sniff.

The wolf crept near Reign and sniffed his hand. He backed away and growled at them.  Reign and Elizabeta stood up slowly. “I think we will leave him be, he needs to get use to the castle and us.” Reign said taking Elizabeta’s hand and began to walk out of the room. Elizabeta nodded. They began to make their way out to the garden. As they walked out the door they could hear the wolf following behind them.

They walked out into the garden and went over to sit at the rot iron table. The wolf followed behind then and limped out the door and began sniffing around in the garden.   “Do you think he likes it here?” Elizabeta asked watching Sabin sniff around. “I don’t know my dear; it’s too early to tell.” Reign said also watching Sabin.

As Sabin sniffed around the garden a servant came of the door carrying a silver platter, and walked over to where they were sitting at the table. He bowed his head to them and set the platter on the table. “Your dinner Your Graces.” The servant said with a bowed. “A large bowl of water is coming out for the new member of the castle.” He said as bowed and then walked back into the castle. A few seconds later another servant came out carrying a large silver bowl and set it on the ground next to one of the bushes and turned and walked back into the castle.

Sabin limped for a few more minutes around the garden. He eventually made his way over to the large water bowl and took a drink. Then he limped over to the table and laid down next to Elizabeta and fell asleep.  “I wonder if he is coming to like the castle.” Elizabeta leaned down and ran her fingers over Sabin’s Black-Grey fur.  “Well I am guessing that he is because he is now lying next to you.” Reign said looking under the table.  Elizabeta’s hand glided over Sabin’s fur for a few more minutes then she turned and started to eat her dinner.

“Well now.” Reign said between bites “If he decides to stay it looks like our quiet little castle is going to get busier, we are going to have a shadow, and a nice guard for us.” He said after taking a drink from the crystal glass.  “Yes if he does decide to stay that mean we will have to get a nicer bowl for him.” Elizabeta said looking down at the sleeping wolf.  “I am also going to have to re- set his injured leg, I’m not even sure if it is broken or if it is just sprained.” She said running her fingers over the cloth that held the two splints in place.  As she touched the splint Sabin opened his eyes and looked at her.  “I’m sorry Sabin.” Elizabeta said. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.” She said with a giggle. Sabin let out a deep breath and closed his eyes again. “I think we have a new pet.” Reign said with a wide smile. Elizabeta nodded and took a bite of her steak.

To Chapter 5