Diamonds and Ice

It’s only Liam and I in the office, getting the rest of the paperwork ready for our assignment. This is the perfect opportunity.

As I wrap up his speech in a leather folder, in my mind I’m rehearsing all that I must say to him. Hours pass by and it takes me till midnight to realize that there will be no point of beating around the bush and going straight for the throat is the one way to go about this conversation.

“Liam?” I break this comfortable silence.

“Hmm?” he raises his eyebrows as he bestows the last of documents with his signature.

“Why me? Why am I here?” I wait for him to look up.

He frowns, “because you’re my personal assistant and this is part of the job description.”

Already, this is a bit frustrating. Is he playing dumb or did he really misunderstood my question?

“Liam, why did you pick me? There’re so many others who need help, there were other girls who didn’t have a dress for Winter’s Ball, so many who applied and qualified for this job. Each time, why me?”

Liam lays down the pen and looks up from his papers. In his eyes, I see that he’s been waiting for me to finally ask all the ‘whys’. He’s been expecting this conversation.

“Remember how I told you how my father and your father did business together?”

“Yes,” I nod, patiently waiting for the rest.

“They weren’t just business men. They were friends, old friends and old friends naturally tend to find out a lot about each other over time. Your father knew who my father really was - a wolf and my father knew that your father could be trusted. As respected leaders of their communities they thought that by working together, they could bring their worlds to mutual respect and understanding. Unfortunately, your father was killed before this dream could be realized. But you are your father’s daughter and I’m my father’s son. If we, a wolf and a human, work together perhaps this dream can still be realized.”

Me? A leader?

“But all I’ve learned, all I know is how to cook, clean, run errands, and follow commands. How can you possible expect anything more of me.”

“And your father grew up in a poor house and started out as a book keeper in a chicken factory.”

“Things were different back then,” my head drops.

“Who we are today are not the same people we were yesterday. And tomorrow we’ll be more different yet.”

“People change all the time,” I try to play it down.

“Exactly, so don’t underestimate how much you’ll grow over the time. Don’t undermine how much you can still learn,” he smiles.

“But what if I can’t. How do you know if I can do any of this?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t even know if I can.”

“Well, maybe we can find out,” looking sideways, I imagine all the adventures and mishaps we can get into.

“Ready to see how far we can take this thing?” he hands me the last of the papers to pack.

“Only one way to find out,” I take them.

After finishing all the arrangements and packing, it's time to hit the road. Wrapped up nice and warm, and not forgetting my scarlet mittens, I get into the carriage prepared for Liam and I. But, this first half of the journey I'll be riding alone. Liam will be traveling as wolf.

An hour into the ride, the road splits into a fork and each pack member's empty carriage takes a separate route. I'm headed straight ahead for the Liland, a fishing town sitting between two lakes.

In the quite of the night, a wolf cry breaks the stillness, signaling the pack that it's time to separate. Intrigued by such beautiful long melodies, I draw the curtain to look. On top of a rocky peak, a simulate of a wolf reflects against a bluish light as he serenades the full moon. From all sorts of directions, I listen to the rest of the pack's cheerful reply to Liam's command.

Have you ever heard a wolf cry?