Free Web NovelChapter 46: Of Missing Garments and Unfortunate Encounters
Chapter 45: Of Missing Garments and Unfortunate Encounters
The afternoon sun had begun its slow descent when the two wolves finally slowed their pace.
For a long while, the open field had echoed with the pounding rhythm of powerful paws tearing through tall grass. The wind had rushed past them in cool waves, and the scent of earth and wild greenery had filled their senses.
It had been... liberating.
Eventually, the darker wolf slowed first.
The creature lifted its head slightly, chest rising and falling as it drew in the scents carried upon the breeze.
A moment later, the lighter brown wolf bounded toward him, his gait energetic even after the long run.
The darker wolf turned and began making his way back toward the place where they had left their belongings.
His companion followed.
Within a few minutes, the two wolves reached the edge of the tall grasses, back to where they had left their belongings.
There, both creatures shifted.
The transformation happened swiftly.
Fur receded and limbs reshaped.
Bones lengthened and settled, and where two wolves had stood moments before, now stood two familiar men.
Lord Thorncrest stretched his shoulders slightly, rolling the tension from his muscles with the ease of long familiarity.
Beside him, Lord Hawthorne shook his hair back from his face and inhaled deeply.
"That," Hawthorne declared cheerfully, "was precisely what I required."
Thorncrest chuckled.
"I suspected as much."
Hawthorne glanced toward the place where they had discarded their garments earlier.
Then he blinked, his brows furrowing slightly as he stepped forward.
Then slowly, he turned toward Thorncrest.
"Your Grace," Hawthorne said carefully.
"Yes?"
The earl pointed toward the ground.
"Was this not the exact location where we left our clothes?"
Thorncrest stepped forward.
He examined the spot in concentration, but there was nothing there no matter how much he looked.
No coats, no boots, no shirts—nothing at all.
He looked up.
Then he looked around.
Then he returned his gaze to Hawthorne.
"Yes," Thorncrest said slowly. "This is precisely where we left them."
Hawthorne nodded.
"I thought so."
A pause followed.
Then Hawthorne added thoughtfully,
"Although it is entirely possible we have misremembered."
Thorncrest raised a brow.
"You believe we forgot where we removed all of our clothing?"
Hawthorne considered that for a while, and then he shook his head.
"No... but perhaps it will do us some good to look around," he suggested.
Thorncrest nodded.
The two men began walking through the tall grass, peering here and there in search of their missing garments.
A few minutes passed, then several more. They checked the same spot over and over again, searching in widening circles.
Grass bent beneath their steps. The wind rustled softly around them. But there were no clothes.
"Do you suppose," Hawthorne asked cautiously, "that someone may have... taken them?"
Thorncrest folded his arms.
"That is currently my leading theory."
Hawthorne stared at him.
"But that is impossible."
"Is it?"
"Of course it is!" Hawthorne exclaimed. "We are within the royal palace grounds!"
"Yes."
"The king and queen reside here."
"Also true."
Hawthorne gestured dramatically at their surroundings.
"Surely no one would steal within the palace grounds."
Thorncrest tilted his head slightly.
"And yet," he said calmly, "our garments have disappeared."
Hawthorne opened his mouth.
Then closed it again.
He looked around the field once more, then looked back at Thorncrest, whose lips twitched.
"It would appear," Thorncrest continued pleasantly, "that the unlikely has happened."
Hawthorne groaned softly.
"You mean someone truly took them?"
"I mean," Thorncrest replied, "that unless our clothes have developed the remarkable ability to walk away on their own, someone has indeed taken them."
Hawthorne rubbed his face with both hands.
"Goddess!"
Thorncrest laughed at Hawthorne’s reaction.
"You find this amusing?" Hawthorne asked him.
"Immensely."
The earl stared.
"We are standing in the palace fields without a stitch of clothing."
"Yes."
"And you are laughing."
"Yes."
Thorncrest shook his head.
"We were foolish," he said with a laugh. "We should have come with attendants, but we neglected that we may need them."
He gestured vaguely toward the palace buildings far in the distance.
"It would seem we shall be walking back... as we are."
Hawthorne’s face turned a vivid shade of red.
"That would be entirely inappropriate!"
Thorncrest shrugged.
"Nevertheless, it appears unavoidable."
The earl looked horrified.
"We cannot simply stroll through the palace grounds in such a condition!"
Thorncrest rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Perhaps not stroll."
Hawthorne stared at Thorncrest, who looked around slowly.
The field before them lay quiet and inviting. Thorncrest noticed there were no servants nearby, not even a gardener.
Thorncrest muttered under his breath.
"How curious."
"What is?"
"This place appears entirely deserted."
Hawthorne looked around as well.
"Now that you mention it..." He paused.
"As quiet as it is, we perhaps should have known when someone approached to take our belongings after all," he said.
"And we missed it. Anyhow, since we are in this situation, perhaps we ought to improvise," Thorncrest said.
"How so?" Hawthorne asked him curiously.
"Perhaps we might... cover ourselves," Thorncrest said, gesturing at the expanse of the field.
"With grass?" Hawthorne asked him.
"Yes."
The earl considered that.
Then he reached down and plucked a long blade of grass.
He examined it thoughtfully.
Then, with mild dignity, he placed the blade carefully in front of his most delicate region—his modesty.
He stood there for a moment.
Then he looked toward Thorncrest.
"Well?"
The duke tilted his head.
He examined the arrangement seriously.
"It is... not bad."
"Not bad?"
"The grass does perform its intended function."
Thorncrest nodded thoughtfully.
"Perhaps we should add more."
"Yes," Hawthorne agreed at once. "More would certainly improve the situation."
The two noblemen immediately began gathering additional blades of grass.
Soon each held small handfuls.
They carefully arranged them with great seriousness.
Thorncrest glanced down at his efforts.
"Hm."
Hawthorne nodded approvingly.
"Better."
"Yes."
They continued their work in silence.
When suddenly a voice rang out from the entrance where their clothes had been kept before they went missing.
It carried unmistakable disgust.
"What exactly do you believe you are doing?"
Both men froze.
Slowly, they turned.
A figure stood, staring at them in complete disbelief and disgust.
Recognition dawned instantly.
Their expressions brightened, and smiles spread across both faces.
"Ah!"
The duke’s voice rang out cheerfully.
"Lord Aurelgrave!"
The unfortunate nobleman’s eyes widened.
His gaze traveled downward.
Then upward again.
His expression shifted from disbelief...
...to horror.
"Oh, Goddess."
He immediately stepped backward, attempting to put distance between them.
Unfortunately, he was not quite fast enough.
The two men dropped their handfuls of grass.
Completely unconcerned.
And rushed forward with delighted enthusiasm.
Thorncrest spread his arms widely.
"Aurelgrave!"
The other man attempted to retreat.
But Hawthorne reached him first.
The earl threw his arms around him in an enthusiastic embrace.
Entirely... and disastrously... naked.
