#was gonna make sam ediths tutor at first but the ages dont match up

[pigeonwhumps]

Kara and Edith medieval fantasy reverse au. Bc werewolves are kind of like creatures, right? I can't get this out of my head so they are now

CWs: non-human whumpee, pet whump, past amputation, dehumanisation, blood, burns

Edith sighs and fidgets as the family exits the throne room. So many people have come to congratulate her on her accession to the throne, and while she appreciates them, it's been a long night. Her fangs ache and the crown's weighing her down.

And she can hear more behind the doors.

"You can take a break, Your Majesty," suggests Sam, her advisor and bodyguard, quietly. "You've been at this for hours."

Edith shakes her head. "Edith will take some more. This vampire can work for longer."

"All right." They motion, and the guards open the double doors, ushering in the next group, a man and woman dragging a wheeled cage between them. It's draped with dark blue fabric but Edith can smell silver and werewolf. She feels a deep sense of foreboding, although she tries to brush it aside – after... what happened, feelings like this haven't been uncommon, and they're often irrational.

Still, though. She nods at Sam as surreptitiously as possible, signalling for them to keep an eye out. Just in case something really is wrong.

The man and woman both bow.

"Thank you for seeing us, Your Majesty. We would like to congratulate you on your recent succession to the throne. As a gift, we present to you our most recent catch. We have trained it, and it will make the perfect pet."

Edith mentally kicks herself. They're hunters. Of course they are, look at their dress, their gear. The silver's been taken off them at the entrance but even so... the loop of rope at the man's waist takes on a more sinister appearance now, now she knows its likely use.

She strides forward and yanks the blanket off the cage. There's a werewolf inside, and they whimper behind their silver muzzle as the light hits them.

"Shh." Her hands are gloved, as they always are for audiences, and she growls slightly as she rips the gate to the cage off its hinges. "Shh, come out, this vampire will not hurt you."

The werewolf slinks out slowly, tail between their legs, ears flat against their head, whining with every step. They're basically skin and bone, and they're injured, Edith can smell the blood. Their gait is... off, too.

As soon as the werewolf is close enough, Edith bends down, removing their muzzle, casting it aside. Their burns are horrendous, and the smell... unsmothered by the silver, it's terrible.

"Elis, fetch a physician, whoever is available and able to treat werewolves. And you." She stands, glaring at the two hunters, who both take a step back, intimidated by her bright red eyes. The werewolf crouches behind her. "What are your names, and how exactly did you acquire this werewolf?"

The man swallows. "Mark and Lilah, Your Majesty. We captured it two moon cycles ago just outside of this kingdom, trying to invade your territory. Once we discovered that you had ascended to the throne, we thought that this would be the perfect gift to prove our loyalty."

Edith clenches her fists, anger simmering just below the surface. She can smell the hunters' blood, see their jugulars pulsing, bright red and healthy. Not yet. "Do you know the laws of this kingdom?"

"We have made the creature safe, Your Majesty."

"Then it is clear you do not. This kingdom is a sanctuary for non-humans, and we do not accept gifts of them. Is this ruler correct in thinking you have held them for two months, and are holding other creatures?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," replies Mark. "After all, we can't let them leave. Creatures are a danger to society."

"You did not have to torture them," Edith snarls, and leaps on Mark, tearing his neck open. The blood is bitter but she's oh so hungry, and so angry, and she drinks deeply. When she pulls away, wiping her chin, his pulse is slow, breathing shallow. Lilah's sobbing, a guard holding her arm.

"Your partner is not dead, and he will not die, provided you tell us the location of your holding camp."

"Just– just over the border," Lilah sniffles, "a few miles from the village of Wealdstone."

Edith nods stiffly. "Guards, take them to the dungeons, and get someone to tend to him. There is no need for them to be gentle."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As the hunters are dragged out, Edith crouches down beside the werewolf, reaching out a hand. They don't resist as she strokes their head, but she's not sure they want it either.

"No-one is going to hurt you here. You were heading for sanctuary, weren't you? Well you have it here. Let us examine your injuries, this vampire will not do anything to you." She looks up at Sam. "We need to send some people to the hunters' camp. Col, Sæwin and Elis?"

"A knight, a healer and Elis. Sounds like a good combination."

Just then, there's a knock on the door and Amanda enters. She has her citole on her back and an armful of medical supplies. Edith smiles. Out of all the physicians here, Amanda's the one she trusts the most with an injured werewolf. She just didn't know if they were working tonight.

"I've come to tend to the werewolf, Your Majesty."

Edith moves aside, watching anxiously as Amanda approaches. A cornered animal is strong. But the werewolf doesn't try to get away, simply hunching down and whimpering.

"I'm Amanda, I'm a physician. I just want to have a look at your injuries. Will you let me? We can stop whenever you like."

The werewolf whines, bowing their head submissively.

"Thank you. Let's have a look at you then."

As Amanda begins to examine them, Edith beckons to a servant.

"Have a set of suitable chambers prepared for them, and a meal sent up. Lucan will know what to make. And send Col, Sæwin and Elis to this vampire as soon as they are free."

The servant bows and hurries off. Edith turns to Amanda, who's examining the werewolf's teeth. "How bad are they?"

Amanda lets go of their jaw gently. "Declawed entirely, teeth filed down. Beating marks and burns everywhere. Extremely malnourished. Bastards."

Edith swallows hard, swinging her cloak off and draping it over the trembling werewolf. "We will help you now. And those bastards are going to get exactly what they deserve."

Taglist: @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump @onlybadendings @whumpofdory @haro-whumps @flowersarefreetherapy @enigmawritesstuff @quietly-by-myself

recently-coronated noble!caretaker being gifted creature!whumpee as a 'pet' and losing their SHIT on the gifter