A cloaked figure stepped from the carriage and into the cold night air. He glanced warily up at the dimly lit castle. Shrugging his cape closer around his shoulders, he walked down the narrow path to the great iron gates. He knocked loudly on the door.
The gatekeeper's pointed muzzle appeared in the peephole. "Who goes there at this time of night?"
The traveler pulled back the hood of his cloak to reveal his handsome, red and white furred face. Two bright eyes looked up at the old ferret.
"Rasim, son of Kassem. I am here to see the King on urgent business."
Some thumps were heard coming from behind the doors. Then one of the heavy doors opened and a voice called out, "Enter."
The young fox walked through the doorway, the gate shutting ponderously behind him.
The elderly gatekeeper turned to Rasim. "You'll have to leave your weapon here, sir."
Rasim sighed and unbuckled the beautifully-tooled sword from his belt. Handing it carefully to the guard, he entered the Great Hall of the stone keep.
A large badger in plate armor and holding a pike stood beside the door. Seeing the fox, the guard announced in his great voice, "Lord Rasim, son of Kassem!"
Rasim whinced a little as the resonance of the badger's voice echoed off the walls.
Looking towards the opposite end of the Hall, he nodded to the king, who sat serenely in his throne.
"Ahh, young Ras! It has been too long since you have visited." The grey wolf king smiled. "Did your father come with you?"
The copper-colored fox shook his head saddly. "Alas, no. My father passed away two weeks ago."
The king looked at Rasim in shock, "Passed away?! Why... whatever happened? Was he sick, Ras? Did he get wounded in a battle?"
Ras shook his head sadly, "No, sir... he was wounded in a hunting accident. We were chasing down that old wild boar in the forest preserve. His horse stepped in a hole and threw him directly into the path of the boar. It charged and gored him badly. We tried to get to his side quickly, but the damage had already been done. The wounds never healed correctly. We had the healers in from the abbey, but they said there wasn't much they could do. Then infection set in and two weeks ago... he slipped away from us in the night."
The king shook his head and looked up at Rasim, "Come here, son... Is there anything that I can do to help you or your family? Your father was a good friend of mine."
Rasim looked up at the king spoke his words. "There is *one* thing, milord..." The king pulled back his proffered paw and rested his chin. "Before his injury, my father had been working for several weeks on the translation of an ancient text. It occupied his mind, constantly..."
Rasim looked down. "There are those who say that this preoccupation with unmanly pursuits led to his death. None of them would say that to my face, of course." His hand slapped against his hip, where the hilt of his sword would have been. "Nonsense, but still it eats at me that his final work goes unfinished. I was wondering if your court magician could aid me in completing the translation."
The king smiled. "Of course, my son, I'm sure Jareth will be glad to get his talons on -- I mean, to help." Rasim laughed politely at the king's joke.
"And while he works on your dusty old tome, the two of us can spend some time together. I always regretted that the duties of our stations prevented your father and I from visiting. And of course I'm anxious to know what is to come for your clan."
Rasim bowed. "I would be grateful to accept your hospitality, milord. And THIS..." (he pulled an old, decrepit scroll case from his belt), "should be taken to Jareth immediately." He paused. "If it pleases you, of course. I *am* quite anxious."
The king looked at the ebony case for several long seconds before motioning for a messenger to take it.
The messenger came forward, bowed and the King laid the case into his waiting hands. "See that Jareth gets this immediately and that he is to translate this as quickly as he can."
The messenger bowed again, stepped backwards, turned and hurried from the court.
"Now, what of you and your clan? Has any word come down who will lead?" the king asked. "Surely the house Elders are chosing amongst the family patriarchs as to who shall take over."
Rasim nods. "There is conflict amongst the leading houses. All would lead the clan. The Elders have not made a decision yet. I fear if something is not decided soon, we may have war between the families."
The king nodded. "That could spell disaster for our frontiers."
Rasim sighed. "My father said that ancient text is important to the survival of our clan and the kingdom. That is why I came with all haste in hopes to have it translated."
The King shook his head. "It saddens me to hear this news. I sincerely hope that the scroll holds what you are looking for." The wolf rose from his throne. "Come, Rasim, we shall retire to my study. There we can talk in comfort." He removed the heavy gold crown from his head and a servant carefully took it from him and placed it in a case next to the throne. The youth followed his liege through a small door behind the dais. The room that he entered was comfortable with soft couches, a small table, and several bookcases.
The Wolf-King gestured for Rasim to sit across from him on a padded sofa near the fire. "Would you care for spiced cider?" The elder man waved a paw at the kettle above the fire.
The fox nodded and a servant appeared and poured some large mugs of the hot drink for both the king and his guest .
The King took a careful sip and sighed. "Good for these cold winter nights."
Rasim smiled. "Yes, sire."
A soft knock on the back door interupted their conversation. The King turned his silver-muzzled head to face the door. "Yes?" The door opened silently, and a young wolf-maid stepped into the room.
Rasim looked at the door as it opened. There he saw the most beautiful young she-wolf that he had ever laid eyes on. His mouth hung slackly as he gazed at her. She giggled and he quickly remembered where he was and snapped his mouth shut and lowered his eyes. The wolf-maid smiled shyly and moved gracefully over to the king... "Father?"
The king turned toward the door and smiled, "Yes, little one?"
"Father, Jareth sent me to find you. He said it is something about a translation and that it is very important for you to join him."
Looking a little annoyed the king grumbled "And I should come to him? Why is it that he has not come to bring this to me, himself?"
The wolf-maid shrugged her shoulders, "He said it was important that he keep the document in a safe place."
The king nodded and looked at the youth, "Rasim, I think you should come with me. Oh dear... I am getting forgetful. I guess I should make introductions. Rasim this is my daughter, the Princess Elanna. Elanna, Rasim is the son of one of my dear friends. His father has recently passed away. He has brought the document that Jareth is working on."
Elanna looked at the youth and smiled warmly, "Hello, Rasim."
Rasim blushed and murmurred "I... I am glad to meet you, Princess."
The three of them, for Rasim interceded on Elanna's behalf when her father would have had her stay behind, walked up the winding, crumbling stairwell to Jareth's chambers at the top of the northern tower. At Rasim's nervous glances at the rotting masonry, the king merely shrugged.
At last they reached the door at the top of the stairway, and the king pushed it open, heavily. "Jareth," he barked, "We are here as you have requested." In a lower tone, he continued. "This had better be good."
Jareth whirled, feathers in disarray, "Good! Good! Good is *not* the word, your majesty," he chirped. His eyes narrowed as he saw Rasim and Elanna. "Why is she here, sire? And who is *he*?"
"Rasim is my guest, whose manuscript you were given to translate, and Elanna is here at his request."
Jareth's eyes widened in terror.
"Sire, this scroll . . . this abomination . . . where did it come from?" Jareth demanded.
"It was brought to my father months ago," said Rasim. "Why? Why is there terror on your face? What does it say?"
"Where did it come from?" demanded jareth.
"If you must know, it was found in a locked chamber of the old fortress overlooking the river. My father's men found it while hunting artifacts for his collection of oddities and antiques."
Jareth turned to the King. "This does not bode well, sire. This document was written in the time of the Adrean Kings! It is a prophesy!"
The old king smiled. "This intrigues me. But . . . why are you blanched in terror?"
"Great calamity comes, milord!" Jareth's voice quavered. "It involves . . . He jabbed a finger at Rasim and Elanna. . . . "THEM!"
The two young ones felt a start, at the venemence in the owl's voice.
The wolf king growled slightly and moved in front of his daughter and the son of his dear friend. "What do you mean, wizard?" He snarled.
"According to this scroll, they will be the downfall of all Terekall!" Jareth backed up a step as the King grabbed the parchment from the magician's talons.
"'When the daughter of the last Great Wolf King and the Copper Fox meet, that shall mark the changing of the age. The Castle of Finlogh, Keep of the Realm, shall crumble to dust beneath storms of strife and all shall know that the Clans have fallen.'"
Elanna gasped at what the dark words implied. She glanced at Rasim, who's stunned and terrified look mirrored her own.
"Your Majesty, I can assure you that I would never threaten your rule!" The fox exclaimed. "You are my liege and I shall ever obey you!"
The young she-wolf claspped her father's arm worriedly, gazing up at him in slight fear.
The King read the rest of the parchment and growled again.
"You knew the prophecy, Rasim," he growled, "Your father was always one to begin at the beginning. You knew that by coming here you would bring the curse of the Adrean kings upon us!"
Rasim gulped.
"Tis true, sire, that I knew of the danger, but there was a bit more my father translated that Jareth here did not relate. The prophecy says that that horrid fate will come to pass... UNLESS the two are united forever in holy matrimony. And all my life I've heard of her beauty, her charm, her wit... I stay up nights dreaming of her touch, her smell... but I knew that I was not worthy, and that she would never have a mere fox. But now, well..."
Elanna flinched away from the copper fox, and she and her father glowered at him, the king with pure hatred.
"JARETH!" the king barked, "Translate the rest of this scroll, and see if what this... this..." he growled. "See if what we've heard is true."
Rasim looked stunned. "What's wrong? I know that to marry a fox is unusual, but you see," he smiled, "You have no choice! We'll be so *happy*!"
The old King scowled at Rasim, then jerked his attention to Jareth. "How long to get that translation done?"
"At least a day, Sire!" replied the Owl.
"The old King turned, lifted his head . . . "GUARDS!"
From outside, the sound of feet rumbled through the crumbling tower until the door opened and two burly, armor suited guards entered, halberds lowered for business.
The Old king gestured to Rasim. "Until that text is done and we know the truth, YOU will be my guest in the dungeon!" He turned to the guards. "Take him, lock him away and bring the key to me!"
The guards grabbed Rasim roughtly and lifted him off the ground by the scruff of his neck.
"Off with him!" The old King ordered, jabbing a finger downward.
The guards dragged Rasim out. His voice screamed back into the room. "
"PLEASE! YOUR MAJESTY! I AM LOYAL! I WOULD SERVE YOU WITHOUT QUESTION. . ."
The old king snorted. "The impertinance of him . . . Marry my daughter. . ."
Elanna held her father. "But . . . Father, the prophesy . . . . If tis true, then tis begun . . . we have already met!"
"Jareth! Get that thing translated! NOW!" The Old King stormed from the room with Elanna hurrying behind him, pleading Rasim's case.
****** The next morning, the cell door clanged against the wall and torch light flooded into the dingey room.
Rasim, son of the wise and noble Kassem, squinted at the brightness of the light.
"Come on, fox," the badger-guard snaled, "the King wants to see you!"
Rasim was dragged between two guards up to the Great Hall, where he had been greeted as a close friend only hours before.
The court mage Jareth stood stiffly at the King's left hand. The beautiful Princess, Elanna, sat silently at her father's right.
The guards dropped their "cargo" in front of the dais and moved a few steps back.
The ruler rose from his throne, every inch the Wolf-King. "Jareth has finished translating the scrolls."
Rasim groaned inwardly. Surely this proclamation would be the mark of his doom.
"No one, not even Jareth, has read it in full. I shall now read the final passages of the Adrean Scroll!" A thick silence rolled over the room as the king unrolled the translated version of the scroll.
"' And behold! The eternal love of the Wolf-Princess and the Copper Fox shall bring about peace to the land! Though their meeting and only that...'" The king stopped reading aloud and scanned the document silently.
Rasim stared at the King. Then his gaze moved to Elanna, who was reading over her father's shoulder. "'.....and only that, would have brought down the fury of Hell itself, their love shall bind the land ever stronger.'" Elanna finished in amazement.
The three on the dais looked down at the astonished fox. "Sire, I...."
"Guards, release this youth!" The King dropped the paper onto his throne and walked up to Rasim, his daughter not far behind.
One of the guards came up to him and unlocked his chains. The links of bondage fell to the stone floor.
Elanna ran ahead of her father and embraced the young fox. "I knew you would not be the destruction of the land," she whispered into his ear.
Once the wolf-maid released him, Rasim faced the King. A small, startled smile, played across the wolf's grey muzzle.
"Forgive me for doubting you, Ras." The sound of his nickname was a joyful ringing the ears of the copper-red fox. "Never again shall I lay all of my trust in a prophecy."
Jareth ambled up to the three, with his head bowed.
"Sir fox, I almost got you killed because of my haste." The owl's head slouched on his feathered shoulders.
Rasim smiled reassuringly at the bird-mage. Then with a *whoop*, he gathered the dark-eyed princess into his arms.
The King cleared his throat. The two lovers looked at him. He smiled kindly and stated, "Rasim, son of my dear friend Kassem, I give my permisson for you to join with my daughter in marriage."
Before the two could start dancing, he raised a paw. "There is one condition, though."
"Anything, Your Majesty," the handsome fox said firmly. "Anything."
A large, gentle smile spread across the grey wolf's face. "You must love her forever."
Rasim laughed and held his bride-to-be in a tight embrace.
Elanna brought her muzzle again to the youth's ear. "And I shall love you forever."
So it came to pass that the daughter of the Great Wolf-King, and the Copper Fox were wed. Their eternal love brightened and healed a land on the brink of war.
"True Love Conquers All."