Fondest Dreams Ch. 05

Barely had they set foot on the broad plank, though, when Zsálya froze. "Are... are you quite certain this is safe?" she asked.

Willi stopped and turned to her, setting his feet against the slope and smiling blithely. "Absolutely. I have made hundreds of voyages, little angel, and the only danger lies in bad weather. Which will not happen here," he added with a wink. Seeing that Zsálya was unconvinced, Willi stepped down next to Zsálya and slipped an arm around her waist as he bent to whisper into her ear. She giggled and blushed a sunset at the sweet things he murmured to her, and nuzzled his cheek playfully as she listened.

She looked up as a male voice roared "cast off," and realized with a start that she and Willi were standing on the raised area near the front of the ship. Dream-people were scurrying about the ship, pulling on ropes and climbing the rigging. "You tricked me!" Zsálya accused, pulling away from Willi's embrace and giving him her best glare. She wasn't actually angry, of course, but she wanted to make him squirm a bit. Just on principle.

Her lover was disappointingly unabashed. "Nein, I merely distracted you," he responded, and gave her one of those heart-melting smiles she adored. "Now then," Willi continued, stepping forward and looking downriver, "the journey from Hamburg to Thule usually takes more than a day. Let us skip that, shall we?"

"Yes, please."

There was a subtle flash, and the receding city vanished. The ship was now in the open sea, driven by a powerful wind. Zsálya soon began to feel sickly from the rolling motion of the ship. "Willi, I am unwell," she informed him.

Willi turned from his study of the horizon, and immediately laid a hand upon her cheek. "Oh dear. You appear to be seasick, meine Liebe."

"I believe I am about to vomit."

"Let me try something... there." The ship stopped rolling. "Is that better?"

"Oh my, yes. Much." Zsálya sagged into Willi's embrace, and he rubbed her back soothingly. "I do not think wolves belong at sea. Thank you, Willi."

Willi laughed softly. "You are welcome, Zsálya. This is completely unrealistic, of course, but I do not think you need the entire experience of sea travel." He gestured over the side, and Zsálya saw that their ship was now slicing cleanly through the waves without any pitching or rolling at all. "One normally has some time to adjust one's self to the motion of the ship."

They stayed like that for several minutes, just enjoying their closeness and the sound of the sea against the ship's hull. A thick fog rose, limiting their vision to a few feet. Willi explained that it was a part of the spell which kept Thule hidden. Anyone flying, sailing, or swimming into the mile-thick annulus of magical fog around the island would have their course altered to take them around and away. The fog ensured that even the most experienced mariners didn't notice. Only those who knew exactly where the island was could steer a true course through it.

When the fog cleared, Zsálya gasped.

"Willkommen auf der Insel Thule," Willi declared proudly, letting go of Zsálya so she could run to the bow rail and stare.

Perhaps a quarter-mile off was a decently sized island, its shoreline protected from the breaking ocean waves by tall cliffs that rose straight out of the sea. From their perspective, the left-hand side of the island seemed flat and open, dotted by a few clusters of tall trees. The right-hand side was home to a large town, or maybe a small city. Though she could not have explained why, the skyline of the town made Zsálya smile. It was full of beautiful domes, arches, and spires in a dizzying array of styles, and seemed to be thumbing its nose at the grim black cliffs below it. Though they were modest in size, even at this distance the love and care invested into the buildings was obvious.

Or perhaps they just seemed modest when compared with Schloss Helsing.

Zsálya's first impression of the castle (Zsálya wasn't fully clear on the word's meaning, but Willi had told her it was the translation of "Schloss") was of a massive column of black stone rising straight out of the sea and nearly brushing the clouds above. On second look, the castle was a majestic jumble of ramparts, domes, crenellations, and windows. It was actually quite broad, but seemed thin both because of its black color and due to its sheer height.

"How does it not fall over?" Zsálya whispered to herself.

"Magic," Willi responded matter-of-factly, leaning backwards against the bow rail so he could watch his beloved's reactions. "It would normally be impossible to build so high from such a relatively small base. The entire structure is fairly saturated with enchantments to keep it together. The spells are well-woven, though, and I assure you that it is extremely stable. It is a bit difficult to tell, but the castle is actually built upon a natural outcropping of rock. The lower basements are hewn down inside the rock itself." He rattled off a few more figures that Zsálya didn't really take in; she was too busy gawking at the castle.

The closer the ship sailed, the more she gawked. Rather than being scary and foreboding as she would have expected from a big black building, Schloss Helsing was a beautiful, uplifting sight. It gleamed gently in the morning sunlight, proudly showing off the decorative carvings and little architectural fancies woven subtly into its every aspect. Though every part of the building was gorgeous, none of it seemed the least bit delicate or frivolous. The entire structure radiated strength and decisiveness. Every feature was there for a reason.

Their ship's course took them in a leisurely arc around the castle, ending at one of several long quays that looked to have been carved from the cliffs themselves. The ship's dream-crew tied off their mooring lines and put out the gangplank for them. "Shall we?" Willi asked.

Zsálya had a sudden thought. "A moment, please." She released Willi's hand and stepped back, then spent a minute or so looking back and forth between Willi and the castle in turn. A soft, special smile spread across her face as she twirled back to her darling human and took his hand again. "You are very much like the castle, Willi."

He arched an eyebrow in silent question.

"You both seem so grand at first... and a little scary." She giggled. "So severe, every single thing on you made for a purpose. Your entire appearance proclaims to the world that you are ready to fight. But when I look closer, I see that there is another level to you. You are so handsome; it almost makes me forget that you are built for fighting. When I step back, though, I see that you are not truly built for fighting... you are built for protecting."

Willi just stared at her, unshed tears glimmering in his blue eyes. After a long moment, he drew Zsálya into the sweetest, gentlest hug she had yet received. She responded with an equally sweet and gentle kiss, running her fingers through Willi's short-cropped hair.

"I feel so safe with you," the little Were princess whispered.

Her prince just hugged her harder, his tears escaping and running down onto her shoulder.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

When their special moment had finally passed, the young couple descended the gangplank. Willi thought it adorable when Zsálya thanked the dream crew, but held his peace. He led her carefully up the steep stairway carved in the cliff and down the main street of the town.

Though Zsálya did not realize it, the buildings reflected styles from all around the globe, including several cultures long vanished. She slipped her arm through Willi's and let him lead her through the town, content to stare at the new sights all around her. "Who lives here?" she asked idly.

"Mages and other unusual people, their families, and the people who support us. Thule is a place where we can work and study without the nuisance of hiding it from ordinary people or all the politics of the Five Towers."

"Why would you need to hide things?"

"Magic has been kept secret from the general human populace since about 418 AD."

"But why?"

"Many, many reasons, Zsálya. The short version is that in the Western world it was the Catholic Church's initiative, starting about fourteen hundred years ago. It is a good thing, I think. Anyhow, there are less than two thousand people living on Thule these days, plus a large force of Blue Stars quartered in dem Schloss. I know that sounds like a lot of people, but only a hundred years ago there were twice as many. Within another hundred years only the Order will be left, I think." Willi seemed wistful, but not regretful.

"Are your people leaving?"

"Not the Order, no, but the townsfolk are, ja. One person here, a family there. It is very gradual. The great meetings of minds are in other places these days, places which are more hospitable and easier to reach."

"Oh... I am sorry, Willi."

"Do not be, my darling. Such is the natural cycle of human society, and we do not depend on taxes for our livelihood. It may actually be a boon for the Order, I think. With the whole island at our disposal, we will be able to train many more Initiates at once."

"How many of your Order live here?"

"A great many. Our exact numbers are a secret, meine Prinzessin."

Zsálya accepted that with good grace. They were nearing the edge of the town, staring at the enormous onyx bulk of the castle. There was a stone bridge, but it only spanned a quarter of the gap between the island and the castle. "How do we get in?" she asked as they ambled onto the bridge.

As if in reply, the huge wooden shape which she had taken for a door swung down towards them, its progress controlled by a humungous metal chain at each corner. Its top settled onto a shelf in the stone bridge with a teeth-rattling crash, making the little Werewolf jump. "This is a drawbridge, so named because we can draw it up to deny entry to attackers," Willi explained as they walked across it. "We usually leave it down, but I wanted to impress you a bit."

"It is working," Zsálya murmured. "This is such a big house!"

Willi laughed softly. "All of the Knights and Initiates require quarters and barracks, and there are also armories, laboratories, training spaces, storage rooms, and libraries. Several libraries. Every bit of space is used, I assure you."

The pair passed under a pair of giant portcullises and through the Schloss' massive oaken doors, which swung open for them with the faintest of groans. Unusually, this castle had no internal courtyard; strictly speaking, it was only a giant keep. Willi led Zsálya proudly into the long entry hall, glancing around to make sure he had recreated the space properly. His boots echoed loudly in the silent hall, and even the patter of Zsálya's bare feet was reflected back to them. Its height and length made the hall seem narrow, until Zsálya realized with a start that it was wider than Grandmother's entire house!

"Blessed Ancestors..." she whispered. There was a balcony on each side of the hall, separated by the open central nave and supported by a series of great stone pillars. Archways opened in the walls at regular intervals, revealing corridors or stairs leading up and down. The walls between the archways were hung with big, beautiful tapestries.

"It is so quiet," Zsálya mused.

"Ja, much too quiet. Normally this hall is a bustle at all hours." Willi smiled, and suddenly the room came to life around them. Men and women hurried in and out of the different archways, singly or in groups. Most wore uniforms like she had seen Willi wear now and then, long white tunics with blue stars emblazoned on chest and back, white trousers, and white boots. There was the same sense of purpose and determination in their movements that Zsálya had always noted in Willi.

"So... this is home for you..." Zsálya murmured, stepping aside to let a dream-knight stride past.

"And perhaps, one day, your home as well," Willi murmured softly.

Zsálya blushed and smiled, but chose not to respond aloud. "Are these all real members of your Order?" she asked instead.

"Yes, they are."

"How do you remember them all so exactly?"

"I have a perfect memory," Willi explained offhandedly. "Do you wish to tour das Schloss fully populated, or just the two of us?" he asked.

"Wait, wait. What do you mean, 'perfect memory'?"

Willi looked down, seemingly embarrassed. "Starting when I was three years, two months, and four days old, I remember everything with perfect clarity. Every sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, or stray thought."

Zsálya's mouth dropped open. "That is amazing!" she gushed. "Small wonder you know so very much!"

"It is useful, yes... but also problematic."

"How so?"

"I remember both good things and bad. I have seen horrors, my sweet, and I can never forget them. They rise up to assault me when I least expect them..." Willi explained, his voice tinged with anguish. "You cannot know what pain that is."

Zsálya took Willi's hands in hers, squeezing them with a strength he did not know she possessed. "Yes, I do..." she whispered, gazing steadily into her lover's gorgeous eyes. Zsálya and her twin Orsolya each had visions of the future. However, Orsolya could only see the good things to come... and Zsálya could only see the bad. The little Were's waking hours were haunted by the horrors she saw, and only in sleep could she escape them. She understood exactly what Willi meant, and felt a perverse sense of happiness to know that she wasn't the only being alive who suffered so.

The dream-people faded, leaving behind a deafening silence. Willi and Zsálya just gazed at each other for a long time, their fingers laced together. "I am sorry," Willi said at last. "Perhaps, I can help you to—"

"Thank you, but no," Zsálya cut him off, gently but firmly. She gave Willi a small, sad smile and leaned up to peck him on the cheek. "It is a secret. Now then, I want to explore this amazing castle!" she concluded, her beautiful face breaking into a sunny smile. She picked an archway and headed through it, tugging Willi after her.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

With her native guide in tow, Zsálya explored Schloss Helsing from top to bottom over the course of several hours. Though the little Werewolf lost her bearings several times, the prince of the castle was always there to reorient her, as well as explaining what the contents of each room were for. Zsálya had never seen so many strange objects in her life; everything from the dizzying array of weapons in the armories to the panoply of utensils in the kitchens were new and wondrous to her. Willi was endlessly patient, answering every question without the faintest hint of annoyance or condescension.

Beyond his verbal explanations, though, Zsálya and her wolf could feel the emotions and memories Willi associated with each room. She winced at the endless sweat and toil he'd spent in the sparring rooms, licked her lips at the savory smells he unconsciously dreamed in the refectory, shivered at the long, lonely hours standing watch on the battlements, and grinned at the warmth and camaraderie that permeated the barracks. Walking through this amazing place where Willi had grown up, Zsálya thought that she understood her wonderful human much better. This dream-shadow of his castle was permeated with memories of kindness and closeness, of a massive family of brothers and sisters in arms. They had pushed Willi to his physical and mental limits with one hand, while loving and encouraging him at every step with the other. This combination had produced a truly extraordinary man, who Zsálya adored with all her heart.

Zsálya's favorite part of the Schloss, though, was most definitely the main library. She already knew what books were; Grandmother had several sitting upon a shelf in her sitting room, including the two from which she had read wonderful bedtime stories to Zsálya and Orsolya when they were cubs. Zsálya had never paid the books much mind, though; she could not read, and had never had a reason to learn. With only a half-dozen books in the world she knew, what was the point?

Schloss Helsing had a great many books—hundreds of thousands of books and scrolls, in every conceivable shape and size. The main library was actually larger than the entrance hall, with three broad balconies above the main floor. Almost every inch of wall contained an inset bookshelf, and massive freestanding bookcases lined the balconies in neat, towering rows. Each bookshelf had a floor-to-ceiling ladder mounted on polished rails, enabling access to the higher shelves. A number of large fireplaces crouched throughout the library, the merry blazes within carefully screened in to protect the books.

The center of the main level was open, though, the floor covered by a multitude of overlapping carpets that felt wonderful under Zsálya's bare feet. In this open space was an impressive collection of chairs, desks, and couches. This completely mismatched furniture had a comfortable, broken-in look that told Zsálya it was in constant use. Willi's memories of this room glowed with pure delight. Zsálya had glimpses of him learning his letters as a boy, and thereafter coming here to read whenever he could find or steal the time.

"You love this room the most," Zsálya told Willi with a loving smile. "I can feel it."

Willi grinned and came up behind his new love, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin upon her head. "I love to learn," he replied simply.

"Have you read all of these books?"

"No, but I am working on it."

"What do they teach you?"

"Everything. The written word is how humans preserve knowledge from generation to generation," Willi explained. "This room contains the collected scholarship of many civilizations. Long ago, far to the south of here, a group of witches and wicked mages joined forces and forged a vast empire that lasted for generations. They destroyed many cultures and stole the secrets of each one, storing them away in their capital. When my Order helped to cast down their empire for good, we took all that hoarded knowledge for ourselves. We have added to it steadily ever since with works purchased or confiscated from around the world."

"Amazing... are all these books about magic?"

"No, no. In fact, most of the really profound magical tomes are kept in a smaller library upstairs. Access to that room is restricted. There are books on any subject you could name, and also endless reams of tales, plays, and correspondence. There is a surprising amount of erotica, actually," Willi added with a playful smile.

Zsálya cocked her head to the side as she looked up at her lover. "What is 'erotica'?"

Willi grinned, running his hands down her sides and squeezing her rump. "Tales meant to... arouse the reader," he purred into her ear.

"Oh! Oh my..." Zsálya murmured, melting into Willi's embrace and grabbing his bottom in return.

"Speaking of which, there is one more room I wish to show you..."

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

"Is this your bedroom, Willi?" Zsálya asked as she looked around. "I like it!" She truly did; the room's décor was elegant but understated, with dark wood furniture and a few tasteful tapestries and paintings gracing the walls. A great number of books overflowed from bookcases, teetered upon the nightstand, and stood in piles around the large desk that dominated one side of the room. A freestanding rack held several swords of different shapes and lengths. Magical balls of warm yellow light drifted lazily near the ceiling, brightly illuminating the room. The space was perhaps half again as large as the room which Zsálya had shared with Orsolya in her grandmother's house, but compared to the rest of the castle it was quite small, especially given the level of clutter.