"Good morning!"
Dan winced a smile in return.
It wasn't fair. Why was Sir Wilhelm able to smile so blindingly while Dan felt like something the cat spat out and left abandoned under the heater too long? Even the winter morning sunlight pierced his mind like a thousand shards. It was going to be a long ride so Dan was actually pleased to see that they would be leaving their horses in the city.
"It's easier to travel by car from here." Sir Wilhelm explained the vehicle convoy somewhat apologetically.
"That's alright." Dan produced another tight smile. His head still felt like he left a razor in the left side of his brain, but he was not about to admit it.
Dan was properly medicated too - there were mornings like these so he had everything he needed in his overnight bag. Dan's go-to remedy wasn't anything crazy: two aspirins and a bottle of isotonic drink followed by a strong black shot of expresso... All this just so he was able to get himself shaved, dressed, and standing with some semblance of humanity intact.
7:45 AM on Dan's watch. His Captain had done well, almost all his entourage but the Captain, four other soldiers, two servants, and the secretary would travel into Moon Bell with them. Everyone else would be checking out and staying at a bed and breakfast near the stables. He had left the Assistant Captain in charge.
From the looks of their convoy, Lord Wolfgang had the same idea. None of his personal servants looked like they would be accompanying him. A midnight blue MVP and large pick up truck was provided for his men and things. There were another two pick up trucks for the snow wolf warrior delegation. Dan was quite surprised to watch the young lycan warriors load themselves up on the back of the trucks.
"It's custom for warriors to ride out back." Sir Wilhelm explained after making sure all the snow wolf warriors were settled in their respective trucks.
Dan looked to his Captain who nodded and his soldiers were sent to the back of their assigned truck too. The Captain and servants and secretary would take the MVP.
Sir Wilhelm motioned Dan to the midnight blue limo waiting up front, "We'll be traveling with Lord Wolfgang."
Dan nodded. He was distracted by the largest man straddling a motorbike closest to him. He was huge and had his helmet still resting on his thigh so Dan could see the deep crevices in his grimace, and the greys in his hair. An old warrior? But he still looked fit and energetic... Unlike Dan, who felt as sturdy as a sheet of paper atm.
It wasn't the Blue Demon's respectable age, but his gigantic proportions that nearly blew Dan away. Dan had met Blue Demons before, and they all had a dangerous vibe. This one though... Dan suddenly remembered he had heard some silly thing about the wolves being much bigger on this side of the continent. Someone said it was the water, someone else argued it was the magic in the air. Dan had laughed along easily enough, "All wolves are terrifying if you ask me."
Which had pleased the wolves in hearing very much and they all clinked glasses.
Now Dan was beginning to think it wasn't something to joke about after all. Wait, did the water/air affect the wolf in his human form too?
"Yo." The oversized lycan man grimaced at him, "What's this Will? You're bringing a human?"
Dan quickly remembered his manners and made a quick polite bow. Lycans, particularly old warrior lycans had always been proud creatures. Even a former Prime Minister could never be excused from basic courtesy.
Wilhelm smiled in his usual friendly way, "Good morning, Neil. This is Dan Lion. He's Lord Wolfgang's guest. Dan, this is Neil, he'll be the Patrol Leader escorting us into Moon Bell."
Wilhelm had not bothered to explain anything else about Dan's titles, positions, or even where he was from or his purpose here. Apparently, "Lord Wolfgang's guest" was all that was needed.
"No wonder Hotstuff wanted the Alpha's car." Neil smirked, the crevices deepened even more around his eyes.
Who?
"Well, whatever. Saves me the extra paperwork." Neil shrugged, "Welcome to Moon Bell, Dan."
Dan startled at suddenly being on first name basis with an XXL Blue Demon warrior, but hey, better friends than enemies with a guy like that, "Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Neil."
"My what?" Neil asked.
The warrior on the other side of the car burst out laughing. He slapped his thigh and lifted his visor to yell over, "That's what you get for talking to the Brawns! You should be meeting MY acquaintance, I'm the Brains for this operation."
Dan had never heard anyone put it that way before, but he was too polite to comment.
Neil was immediately annoyed, "Oh shut it, Jax! I KNEW what he meant! I was just surprised is all."
Jax just grinned saucily over, "Yeah, right Neil. You wouldn't know how to talk to these fancy types if your life depended on it."
"If my life depended on it," Neil growled, "I wouldn't need to use words."
Dan felt Neil was quite right. At any rate, no "fancy type" in their right mind was going to be threatening Neil's life. Now that Dan noticed Jax, he felt a little comforted by the fact that Neil was probably the exception than the norm. Jax was much more regular sized for a lycan warrior.
Dan was almost six feet tall himself. Just a little above the average human male, very underwhelmingly average to a lycan warrior. Wilhelm, on the other hand, was tall for a human. At least two inches taller than Dan. Did mating a lycan made you taller?
Jax looked like a normal lycan warrior - even though he was grinning from his bike on the other side of the limo, Jax looked like he would be about Wilhelm's height and build. Neil… let's just say Neil made the monster of motorbike that these warriors rode look like a bicycle.
"Ah, Hotstuff's here." Neil announced.
Who?
"Just in time." Wilhelm checked his watch and nodded.
Dan had not heard anyone approach over the red carpet entry of the hotel. He turned to see hotel staff and Lord Wolfgang's soldiers hurrying out behind their Lord.
"Yo, Hotstuff!" Neil shouted from behind Dan, "Hurry up! Everyone's ready to go."
Dan froze. No matter how large the warrior, that was definitely not the way to talk to someone like Lord Wolfgang!
Lord Wolfgang only checked his watch and shrugged, "Well then, what are you waiting for?"
"Alright!" Neil lifted up his helmet, "Let's move."
The giant put on his helmet and punched his fist into the air. On his signal, the other motorbike escorts revved.
"Good morning, Wilhelm, Mr Lion. I see you've met Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum." Lord Wolfgang nodded.
Dan bowed and quickly got the door for the lycan noble, "Good morning, Lord Wolfgang."
This was bad. He should have greeted the Elder Fire Pillar first. Lycans were very particular about hierarchy. It was only after getting into the car before Dan realized that the Alice in Wonderland reference was made for his sake. Lord Wolfgang's unexpected friendly humor surprised him.
Someone helped them shut the car door. Wilhelm had taken the seat facing them. If Dan sat traveling backwards in his state, he'd probably puke. He sat next to Lord Wolfgang with a polite bow and "pardon me."
Their convoy started pulling out from the Langston's porch. Dan watched as their motorbike escort guided their entire convoy smoothly out into the morning traffic in one piece. The first road they drove onto was busy - Dan had always been fascinated by motor cars. The Three Kingdoms, as with the majority of the Blue Packlands, still used horses and animal transport within their city gates. Many of the nobility still used their carriages and horses as a sign of their lineage and prestige.
Dan had always wanted a motor car… from the very first time he saw it. Specifically, he wanted a red car. He had read the Wind and the Willows and felt very guilty of being Toad in this aspect. It was a childish selfish secret dream of his, but who knows? Maybe one day, in a very ordinary future life, Dan might be able to… Dan could see it now, a standard office job, a small studio apartment in Gate City, and a little red car. That would be everything he could ever wish for.
"Are you alright?" Lord Wolfgang was frowning at Dan.
"Pardon me." Dan blinked and realized he was holding his head against the cool pane of the car window. He sat up and suavely shrugged it off, "Just a mild headache."
If headaches could splice your brain matter with the delicacy of an axe.
"Is that a human thing?" Lord Wolfgang asked Wilhelm, "Or is he injured?"
"It's a human thing." Wilhelm winced empathetically. He opened the limo's fridge to retrieve a bottle of water for Dan.
"Thank you." Dan accepted it and resisted pressing it on his temple. That would be rude in front of his hosts. He wasn't sure if he should drink it though. He didn't know how long the car ride would be and it would be embarrassing to need the convoy to stop for a restroom break. Maybe just a few sips. It would be rude to decline Sir Wilhelm's kindness.
"How is it that you seem completely fine?" Dan made an effort to joke with Sir Wilhelm, "I remembered you drank everything I did."
It was a pleasant surprise to find that Sir Wilhelm enjoyed all Dan's preferred beverages. They took turns to pick the drinks that night. Dan had met Sir Wilhelm for drinks hoping to strengthen a foreign connection, but ended up quite enjoying the evening. Oh, he didn't even pay for the drinks. Sir Wilhelm had taken the tab.
Sir Wilhelm laughed a little, "I have a cheat. My mate is a healer, so I auto-heal."
Oh, wow. That WAS some cheat.
"How much did the two of you drink?" Lord Wolfgang frowned.
"Not much." Sir Wilhelm quickly assured the other man, "Just a few and a coffee."
"It wasn't too much." Dan added, "It was more from the two weeks on the road and lack of sleep, really."
Why did the both of them suddenly sounded like they were making excuses? They were two grown men having a few business drinks… Lord Wolfgang didn't look impressed, "Since you're a human, you should take better care of yourself."
"My apologies." Dan quickly conceded with his host, "I'll be fine by the time we reach our destination."
"Why? Do you have a healer mate too?" Wolfgang scolded mildly. He wasn't done either, he turned to Wilhelm, "You should know better than to keep our guest from his rest."
Apparently, Sir Wilhelm found it easier to simply concede with the Fire Wolf Lord too, "Yes, sorry. We were having a good conversation and forgot the time."
Which made Dan feel happy. Dan was quite surprised at this feeling. Normally, he would never take what his contacts said to heart. Flattery was commonplace in his circles, but Dan felt Sir Wilhelm was the type of man who did not practice flattery, and hearing that the pleasure of yesterday evening was not one-sided pleased Dan very much.
Lord Wolfgang shook his head but finally let it go, "Just be more careful when we get there. The wolves at Moon Bell are barbarians, they drink like fish, dance like monkeys, eat like pigs, and are as annoying as a pack of wild hyenas on your tail. It would be foolish to try to keep up with them."
Dan wasn't sure how to interpret this, but Sir Wilhelm smiled and assured him, "You'd like them, Dan. They're amazing."
"They grow on you." Lord Wolfgang reluctantly admitted and then crossed his arms and turned to look out of the window. End of conversation. That was how wolves were. Dan knew. When they turned away, they were done talking.
He was done talking too. His took a cool sip of water and put his head back against the car window. Sir Wilhelm smiled and considerately adverted his gaze to something on his side of the window too.
The Langston was quite close to the First Road, and Dan watched as their convoy was waved to a VIP lane on the far right by the warriors on duty at the barrier gates. The giant, Neil, lifted his arm as thanks, and their convoy sped up.
Dan watched as the wide open plains spread out in front of them. They were hurtling straight into the forests ahead. This was it. Dan knew he wasn't the first human cross the First Road, but he was definitely in the very small minority.
It's been a reoccurring theme, Dan wasn't sure why - maybe it was because Lord Wolfgang had joked about Neil and Jax being Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum. He knew Wolfgang was probably only referencing the book because Dan had quoted it in jest last night when they met.
At this point, the convoy slowed as it entered the wooded area. Dan realized he had really followed the White Rabbit down the hole. Here's hoping Alpha Henri wasn't the Mad Hatter… or worse, the Queen of Hearts. Ah… Dan was going to lose his head here, wasn't he?