Chapter 3

Sons of the Moon

"Sons of the moon. They come to make deals with the Lady."

The spider's words came back to Weamar's mind as he lay in bed quietly, listening to the riders approaching the castle. He remembered the last night that he was in Verbrek when a werewolf and his pack had chased him into the mists. He remembered how he had slain the three wolves of the pack who had followed him through the mists, slain that is with the help of two women whom he now called his closest friends. But his encounters with the wolfpack did not end there. The werewolf leader had followed him to Levkarest and then back to Sturben as part of some strange 'game'. A game that Weamar had put an end to in Sturben when he and Guy Olisson, one of the church of Ezra's hunters, had killed the werewolf and destroyed its body.

But what had the game been? At first Weamar had thought that it was merely that hunting human prey was the werewolf's idea of sport. But what he'd learned since then made him think that the game was much larger and that the stakes were much higher. The Green Man was part of it, that much Weamar knew, but knowing that didn't help him make any sense out of what had happened since. The ravens. The mad bear. Solance. What did it all mean?

Weamar heard the creaking chains of the drawbridge followed by the sound of hooves in the courtyard of the castle. He went to the window and looked out, but everything was shrouded in darkness save for the moonlight glinting off of a number of mounted figures. Their voices were gruff, masculine, and human. Weamar watched as a figure he presumed was the zombie stable boy tended to their horses. Then he heard a familiar voice. One of the riders was the Green Man.

A million questioned filled Weamar's mind, not the least of which was what the Green Man was doing at Kendra's castle. He tried for a moment to answer the question himself, but soon realized that he needed to know for sure. Quickly he threw on his clothes and crept out the door, silently making his way towards the dining hall. When he reached the top of the stairs that descended into the grand foyer he could see a number of men standing in the hall before James, the zombie butler. Even in the low light he recognized the Green Man easily. The men with him had an abundance of facial hair, but still appeared human.

"Sons of the moon.", Weamar thought to himself. "Werewolves."

The men were impatient, declining James' offer to see them to their rooms. They wanted to see Kendra immediately despite James' insistence that they would have to wait. The matter was urgent, one of the men explained forcefully, and it couldn't wait until morning. Weamar watched the zombie butler bow and take the information to his mistress. Before long he returned and showed his guests into the dining hall. Weamar followed at a discreet distance, kneeling outside the double doors and peering inside.

The Green Man was sitting at one end of the longest table in the dining room with his back to Weamar. Three other men were sitting on either side of the table, indulging themselves on the meat, fruits, and nuts that a plump but attractive human woman had brought out and placed before them. Weamar watched as the woman flirted shamelessly with the men as she served them, two of whom obliged her by grabbing at her clothes and breasts. The servant woman fought back weakly and playfully, heightening the lustful men's arousal.

Then the doors on the far side of the dining hall opened and out stepped a tall Drow female dressed stylishly from head to toe in pink, violet, and black. The Drow wore dark shining armor and carried a pink granite hammer with a long black handle. The sound of her dark violet boots on the wooden floor echoed through the dining hall as she approached the table. She stopped next to Kendra's empty chair and stood at attention. Then she grasped the head of her hammer, handle downward, and rapped the end against the floor with surprising strength. The dining hall seemed to shake as the loud cracking sound echoed through the hall, catching everyone's attention. The servant woman frowned, removed herself from one of the men's embrace, and skittered out of the room.

As was her style, Kendra appeared in her chair as all eyes were focused elsewhere, surprising her guests as her icy voice erupted out of shadow.

"What is so important that it cannot wait?", the dark woman demanded with calm forcefulness. Her guests were the type who respected a show of force, so Kendra had decided to give them one.

"Our people are in mortal danger.", one of the men said, recovering his poise. He spoke with the air of authority that leaders of many all share. "For centuries we have lived together with humans, not always harmoniously, but always giving each other true respect."

A hint of a grin came over Kendra's face, prompting the leader of the werewolves to clarify what he meant.

"There were times when we were much stronger than the humans, and we could have wiped them all out. Though it would have been a long and bitter struggle.", the leader said firmly. "Out of our respect for them we did not."

"You let them live because they are a source of food and sport for your people.", Kendra corrected the leader who scowled in return.

"We thin the herd, nothing more.", the werewolf leader said curtly. "They breed like rabbits."

"And there were times when they were much stronger than we were, but they stayed their hand as well, seeing that a war between our peoples would cost them dearly.", the werewolf leader continued, trying to prove his point.

"They believe that you are a curse, inflicted upon the world by the Dark Powers themselves.", Kendra countered, further frustrating the werewolf leader. "And they believe that you can never truly be destroyed. That is why they stay their hand."

"The past matters not.", the leader said quickly, before his anger grew and spoiled the negotiations. "What matters now is that the humans are much stronger than they have ever been, and they intend to purge my people from the face of the earth."

"Just as they drove your people underground.", another one of the wolves added angrily, unable to endure the sting of Kendra's rebuttals.

"Far from the sun…",  Kendra replied without flinching. "…and the moon.",

Kendra cast a knowing glance at the angry werewolf who bristled at the mention of his people's greatest weakness. Though the Drow had found solace underground, and became more powerful in the depths of the earth, such a retreat was not possible for the Sons of the Moon. Without the monthly ritual of renewal beneath the full moon, werewolves become weaker, slowly becoming human. Underground they become ill like humans, grow old like humans, and die like humans. The angry werewolf began to say something back to the dark woman but was restrained by his leader.

"It never would have come to this if our champion, Talrak Silverclaw, had not been taken away from us.", the werewolf leader said slowly, trying to quell his son's temper. "A year ago he disappeared, into the mists we believe, and was slain in Borca."

The next part was difficult for the werewolf to get out. "The barbarians responsible for his death burned his body and left it to rot in the forest.", he said through clenched teeth. "When we finally found him this is all that was left."

The werewolf leader then signaled to the werewolf opposite the angry one, who proceeded to empty the contents of a bag that he had been carrying onto the table. There was not much left of their once proud champion, just a jumble of yellow bones, desiccated flesh, and burnt fur. The silent werewolf then dropped the bag onto the table and motioned to the pile indignantly, trying to focus Kendra's attention on it. Kendra glanced at the pile and then back at the leader unimpressed. She had seen worse in her long lifetime, much, much worse.

Weamar put two and two together. The remains were those of the werewolf that had followed him through the mists last year. The same one that he and Guy had slain. He looked at Kendra and then thought about why the wolves had come to her. Revenge maybe? That thought didn't make him very comfortable. Weamar quickly thought about escaping from the castle before anyone was the wiser, but he wondered if he could even make it out the front door let alone back through the Mountains of Misery if Kendra didn't want him to. Didn't she know everything that went on inside her castle? Weamar had assumed that that was the case and had always been careful about what he said and did, even about what he thought. Then he thought about what he was doing, and wondered if the reason that no one had caught him listening outside the door was because Kendra wanted him to hear the conversation. That raised another question for which Weamar had no answer.

"We need him.", the werewolf leader said firmly. "We need him back, alive, and as strong as he ever was."

After getting over his initial shock, Weamar breathed a small sigh of relief. Revenge wasn't on their mind. That made sense. If their people were in danger they wouldn't bother wasting time hunting him down no matter how angry they were.

Kendra glanced over the pile of remains once more. "It will be very difficult.", she said coldly. "And costly.", she added. Then the dark woman looked the werewolf leader straight in the eyes. "What do you offer in return?"

"How dare you profit at our tragedy!", the angry werewolf erupted. "The lives of innocent women and children are at stake. Is your heart so black that you cannot lift a finger to save a people from genocide?"

"Bonach.", the werewolf leader began, but his son would not be silenced.

"Do you know what those barbarians did? Do you know?", Bonach continued. "They went into Gladehaven. The White Knights of Ezra.", Bonach spat the name as he said it. "Sent there to destroy all the werewolves in the village. And for what reason? They had not committed any crimes. They had not hunted down any humans. All they wanted was to live in peace."

"Gladehaven was the home of both humans and werewolves.", the werewolf leader interjected. "Though the humans never knew that their neighbors were of the brotherhood."

Weamar had been to Gladehaven a few times. He couldn't help but wonder if some of the people who he had done business with there were werewolves. He'd also heard of the White Knights of Ezra. During his travels over the past year, Weamar had watched a growing movement in the church of Ezra. The church had started a crusade to wipe out the Legions of the Night, which was their way of referring to werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and all manner things that plagued the living. The early parts of their crusade had met with some crushing defeats, but when tales began to spread about the White Knights of Ezra freeing a village from the claws of werejaguars or putting to rest a spirit that had haunted a town for as long as anyone there could remember, the movement began to grow in popularity. People all across the land would eagerly welcome the White Knights to their towns and treat them as noble guests. Their numbers were swelling as aspiring youths, veteran soldiers, and reformed mercenaries alike converted to worshipping Ezra and joined the noble cause. Weamar guessed that somewhere along the way they must have gathered the support of some rich noble families because he would always see the White Knights dressed in shining armor and wearing embroidered white cloaks. They were heroes and they looked every bit the part. Now Weamar was starting to wonder how heroic they really were.

"They lived in peace. They liked humans.", Bonach said as if in disbelief that any werewolf could have such feelings towards humans.

"Yeah, they like humans…stir-fried.", Weamar thought to himself.

"But the Ezrans...", Bonach continued. "Those barbarians. They did not care. They went from house to house, slaughtering, in cold blood, every werewolf that they found. Women. Children. Even the unborn in the womb! And when their fathers and brothers returned and saw the horrors and injustice that had been wrought upon their families, they fought back with every fiber of their being, like anyone would. Even though they were outnumbered. Even though they had no hope of winning."

The werewolf leader sat back and let Bonach finish the story, hoping that it would somehow impress Kendra, but knowing that their bargaining position was getting weaker with every word.

"And do you know what the Ezrans did when they killed all the werewolves? Do you know?", Bonach asked as he looked fiercely into Kendra's cold, burning eyes. "They decided that the entire village was infected. Corrupted. Cursed. They accused the humans of Gladehaven of harboring the werewolves. Of helping them to do evil deeds. Of being tainted by the Dark Powers. And so they rounded up every man, woman, and child in the village and put them all to the sword!"

Bonach's nostrils were flaring as he told the tale. "Not only did those barbarians slaughter innocent werewolves, but they slaughtered the innocents of their own kind.", the young werewolf said, rising to his feet. "Surely such animals deserve to be brought to justice! Surely they deserve to die for what they have done!"

As the young werewolf rose to his feet the tall Drow at Kendra's side lifted her hammer and slammed it back down once again. The sound of her hammer striking the wooden floor snapped Bonach out of his tirade.

"Bonach.", the leader of the werewolves said calmly. "Please. Sit down."

Bristling with rage the young werewolf grudgingly obeyed.

"You must understand.", the werewolf leader explained to the dark woman. "We cannot offer a fair price for your services. We cannot afford it. We must marshal all of our forces to the defense of our people."

"Then, what do you offer?", Kendra replied, standing firm and appearing to be heartless.

"Revenge.", the werewolf leader said. He was unconvinced that this tactic would work, but he tried his best to sell it. "We are on the same side against our common enemy."

"Rothos.", Kendra said more condescendingly than the werewolf leader would have liked. "I have buried my hatred for the church of Ezra long ago."

For the first time Weamar was relieved that Kendra was so cold and materialistic.

"Then this is where I come in.", the Green Man spoke for the first time.

Weamar got a little nervous. He listened carefully, trying to fathom the Green Man's intentions.

"I am not a man of great wealth.", the Green Man began. "Never have been. Never will be. And frankly, I've never wanted it. I am a man of the earth itself. To me gold and silver are just shiny rocks." He smiled broadly before speaking again.

"But the earth offers a great many treasures to those who know where to look.", the Green Man added. Then his tone changed into one of a wealthy merchant selling his wares. "Truffles, hidden deep in the forests of Barovia. Silk worms, from northern Darkon, and the knowledge to grow your own colony. Fresh caviar, found off the shores of Dementlieu. The rarest grapes in Invidia, which grow wild in the forest, and from which the finest wine can be made. Sugar cane from Markovia, an island where no mortals are allowed to land. And the freshest herbs from Vechor, with which to flavor exotic foods and brew powerful potions."

The Green Man watched Kendra's expression which did not change.

"All these things can be harvested and delivered to you by my trusted servants.", the Green Man added. "The greatest riches the world has to offer would be yours."

The Green Man settled back into his chair confidently as Kendra considered his offer.

"These things that you've mentioned.", Kendra began, talking slowly and clearly. "I would accept my weight of each in trade."

The Green Man was lost in thought for a moment as he considered the amounts involved. He looked at the gaunt woman and was glad that she was not of human girth. Then he smiled. "Agreed.", he said, hoping that Kendra would allow enough time for his minions to gather such quantities.

"Very well then. We have a deal.", Kendra said as the three werewolves smiled broadly and looked happily at each other. "I shall return Talrak to life, as strong as he ever was, perhaps stronger. But this will take time, and during that time you are welcome to stay as guests in my castle until both ends of our bargain are fulfilled."

"Khanas shall stay behind.", Rothos said, motioning to the silent werewolf. "The rest of us will leave early in the morning as we have to return to Verbrek at once."

The Drow warrior tapped her hammer on the floor twice, lightly this time. The servant woman reappeared and walked over to the table, looking disgustedly at the mess of werewolf remains. She glanced back at the two Drow, wondering what they wanted, and then, to her disgust, figured it out. She slowly picked up the bag and loaded the remains back into it piece by piece, not wanting to touch any part for too long.

"Gentlemen.", the Green Man said rising slowly to his feet. "And Ladies.", he added, turning towards the head of the table. But only the warrior and the servant remained.

Worried that the werewolf-warrior would soon be shown to the guest quarters through the very door he was listening at, Weamar moved as quickly as he could in silence back to his room. He was still none the wiser as to the Green Man's motivations, but he was a little surer about what he needed to do.