Wolfgang's Exile House

Sasha's blatant skepticism was exactly what he was looking for. Wolfgang knew that he had a tendency to act first and deal with the consequences later, but this particular decision required a plan for the sake of everyone involved. He no longer had the money and resources necessary to sweep his problems under the rug; he was on his own and his life was now at stake.

"North," he answered right away, his gaze returning to the forest beyond the estate. Traveling north would take him further away from the Kingdoms that would surely have a bounty on his head, but that wasn't the only reason he was drawn to the unforgiving region. It was his wolf who yearned for him to make the journey. Even now, as he stared into the expansive wilderness, he could sense the inner beast desperately longing for whatever mysteries lay beyond. The instinctive urge was becoming difficult to ignore.

"My father used to take me north to go hunting as a boy. He had a remote cabin in the woods," he trailed off, clearly reminiscing about a simpler time. Young Wolfgang had found more joy in sitting by the fireplace with a good book than sticking innocent creatures with an arrow, but his father had insisted. Later in life, he realized the cabin had been a place his father used to shift- away from society. Wolfgang had considered following this tradition, but his hectic lifestyle always got in the way of making the journey, and now he was paying the price.

"The only way I'm going to learn how to control myself is through practice. If I shift out there, no one will be in harms way," he paused to face Sasha anxiously, seeking some sort of approval from his trusted confidant. He needed confirmation that he wasn't completely crazy, and that the wolf's desires weren't poisoning his rationale.

Their time under house arrest had given Wolfgang ample time to mull over the details of his departure. Without his usual vices to keep him preoccupied, he'd spent his free time coming up with a fool proof plan. Since Sasha had yet to shut him down, he took it as an opportunity to share the specifics, "No one knows about it," he confirmed, "We stopped visiting the cabin before Sebastian was even born." The property had been left vacant for some time now, though there was a chance squatters and travelers had taken refuge within its walls over the years.

Wolfgang paused and sat forward in his seat, dropping his voice a few octaves, "The guards change shifts at midnight," he murmured, "They've gotten rather comfortable; fallen into a routine." Although the night shift should have been the priority, the rookies had been given the short end of the stick, and they tended to slack off throughout the night, "We have about a five minute window, if we take the western exit of the house." Another pause, this time heavy with the realization that he'd just implied that Sasha was included in his plans. Of course he'd included her. Wolfgang was an inherently social creature, and the mere idea of taking such a journey on his own was daunting. Sasha was an unwavering source of moral support, and he longed for her company.

"I know it's wrong of me to ask this of you, but I've never denied being selfish, have I?" he pointed out, honest to a fault, "Would you come with me? Tonight." It was a bold request, made even bolder by the urgency of the situation. He'd avoided suspicion by not sharing with her earlier, but now he only felt guilty for putting her on the spot.

The moment he noticed Sasha’s hand extend in offering, Wolfgang grinned with relief. He took her hand in his and pulled it closer, lifting her knuckles to his lips so she wouldn’t miss out on the smile that her acceptance had caused. It was foolish of him to doubt Sasha after she’d proven her fierce loyalty time and time again. This wasn’t just his adventure; it was hers, too. Their paths were inextricably woven, and he intended on keeping it that way. He’d lost far too many loved ones to his shortsighted decisions, but Sasha was different; she was his balance and she kept him in line.

“You’re mad,” he mused, feeling a bit of a rush at the prospect of freedom. Perhaps they were both crazy for taking such a risk, but Wolfgang felt useless sitting within the walls of the prison estate, unable to save Terrowin, or give his brother the life he deserved, or redeem himself to the kingdoms’ nobility. The wolf was restless and if he ignored it for too long, he feared that the beast would be unleashed upon the inhabitants of the house. It was best for everyone if he were gone.

He clasped Sasha’s hand between both of his, “About an hour,” he whispered, “Pack a bag. I will meet you and Artemis in the Western hall and we will leave from there. Pack warm,” he added, recalling the crisp northern air from the trips he’d endured with his father. He was confident that he would find the remote cabin eventually, but he feared that his distant childhood memory and weak navigating skills would hinder their journey. Sasha’s presence, however, would give him extra incentive to get a roof over their heads as quickly as possible.

Wolfgang released her hand and pushed out of the rocking chair, though he lingered on the porch, feeling as though his appreciation for Sasha was inadequate, “Thank you,” he murmured, “I couldn’t do this without you.” The words held far more weight beneath the surface; he owed her so much.

“An hour,” he reminded her, bending to give the wolf hound a scratch behind the ears. Deciding it was best not to draw attention to themselves, Wolfgang disappeared into the house to finish gathering the supplies necessary for their journey.

Wolfgang returned to his room following the conversation with Sasha, though he was unable to sit still for long as the minutes quickly ticked by. He dressed in dark clothing and retrieved the travel bag that he had stashed beneath his bed. Taking a deep, centering breath, he blew out the last candle keeping his room lit and left with a sense of finality.

The large house was still and silent. Its inhabitants had fallen into a rather strict schedule, and everyone had retired to their bedrooms for the night. Still, Wolfgang took the time to check each room, starting with Sebastian’s. He paused outside the door to his brother’s room, holding his breath until he was sure there were no sounds coming from within. The familiar sting of guilt clawed at him from within as he turned away, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from following his instincts. One day, Sebastian would understand. His next and final stop was Evadne’s wing of the house. With silent footsteps, he lingered at the end of the hall and peered toward her door, relieved to find that her lights were out. As much as he respected the woman, he knew that she would never understand his need to figure things out on his own. Although he was a huge proponent of science, he knew that the mystery of his wolf ran much deeper than genetics.

Satisfied that they could leave undetected, Wolfgang made his way toward the Western Wing, using a hand to guide himself down the dark hallway. At the end of it, he could make out Sasha’s silhouette against the moonlit window and his nerves were instantly soothed by her presence. He approached and placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning to whisper into her ear, “Ready?”

As he waited for her confirmation, he stepped around her and nudged the thin curtains that shielded the window to the side, peering out into the yard. As anticipated, he could make out two guards lingering by the fence that surrounded the estate, clearly preparing to wrap up their shift. They exchanged words and finally stepped away from the fence, passing by the exit as they went to alert their replacements. Wasting no time, Wolfgang turned back to Sasha and took her hand, giving it a tight squeeze, “Hold on to me,” he told her. He slowly twisted the handle on the exit and pushed the door open, glancing both ways before tugging Sasha out the door and into the cold.

The prospect of freedom mixed with the dread of being caught resulted in a heady mix of adrenaline as he beelined toward the north end of the property. The wind had picked up, drowning out the sound of their footsteps as they quickly neared a gate built into the fence that would be the true doorway to their freedom. Without so much as a pause, he unlatched the gate and ushered his companions through before locking it back in place. So far, no alarms had been raised, and he could feel the exciting pull of the unknown as he turned back toward the forest that loomed ahead. As if on cue, the wolf stirred within, awakened at the realization that his wish was being granted. Whatever the spirit was seeking, Wolfgang intended on finding it and answering the questions that had plagued his life for so long. He kept moving at a steady pace, allowing the shadowy canopy of trees to swallow them up in darkness. Only when he felt that they had put a good distance between themselves and the exile house did Wolfgang finally pause, turning to Sasha in the midst of the dark and unforgiving environment, “You okay?” he whispered breathlessly, allowing them a moment to get reoriented before they continued the journey.