Chapter 267: GREETED IN HOLLOWBROOKE
The blonde had long since dismounted from her difficult stallion and walked to where a young girl beckoned to her and she obliged. Serena twirled the mane of the stallion gracefully between her fingers and observantly watched the wolves who had come to greet the arriving party.
The girl from earlier turned to her slowly and then her eyes widened, Serena stared back with a raised brow before she flashed a smile. Instantly she dropped the horse’s hair and then clasped her hands in front of her. The way the girl shook unnerved Serena, she wondered if it was a bout of sickness that had overcome her.
"Are you alright?" Serena asked.
The girl flinched and then stuttered for a bit before she found her voice. "Yes, your Excellency."
Serena made an ’ah’ sound and nodded, a chuckle bubbled from her throat and she walked closer to the girl. "And what would your name be?"
The girl pointed to her chest and before she nodded frantically. "Aileen, my name is Aileen."
"Just Aileen?" She asked with a small smile.
Aileen wrung her hands together and looked away briefly. "Just Aileen."
"I see, you seem to have a very important job today," Serena said with a smile.
"Y-yes. It is...it is my honour." Aileen said and then let out a cough.
"I would not like to keep you here talking to me, you can always find me and show me around."
Aileen’s eyes widened slightly before her attention was torn by the sharp call of her name. She gave Serena an apologetic look with a lopsided smile before she scampered away to attention the other arriving members of the small party. Serena exhaled and left the immediate area.
The faint murmur of voices swelled around her, wolves greeting one another, horses being led away, servants scurrying to attend their duties. The air in Hallowbrooke was lively but held a certain grounded calm, a rhythm that spoke of an old, disciplined town.
She stood aside for a moment, taking it in. The sharp scent of pine and smoke drifted through the square, mingling with that faint tang of damp stone. Her eyes wandered to the nearby buildings, built in the sturdy Ironshade style, dark oak beams, stone bases, arched doorways, and long windows framed in iron lattice. It was beautiful.
Serena was still musing when she noticed Livia ahead, surrounded by a small cluster of townsfolk. The woman carried herself with her usual poise, chin high and smile polite, but there was a flicker of unease behind her eyes. Among the group was a woman of about fifty, grey threading through her dark hair, her posture dignified yet softened by age. Her hands were clasped together, and she spoke in a half-chiding tone.
"Livia of Ironshade," the older wolf said, with a familiarity that suggested long acquaintance. "It is quite terrible of you, my dear, to have abandoned us for so long. You used to come by with such regularity. I was beginning to think you had forgotten Hallowbrooke entirely."
Livia laughed lightly, her voice composed yet deliberately charming. "Forgotten? Never. You wound me with such an accusation, Lady Brenna. The castle has kept me far too busy, as have the errands of the Alpha and his council. Between that and the demands of the outer towns, I am afraid my visits have suffered."
Lady Brenna raised a brow, unconvinced. "Demands? Or excuses?"
"Perhaps both," Livia replied, her smile unwavering. "But I assure you, I never meant to neglect this fine town."
Her words seemed to placate some of the gathered crowd, though Brenna herself remained stiff. The woman’s arms folded across her chest, but before she could continue her admonishment, her gaze caught something over Livia’s shoulder.
Serena.
The older woman’s face changed instantly, surprise flashing across her features, followed by an almost exaggerated smile that reached her sharp eyes. Her hand fluttered over her chest as she stepped forward with a flourish.
"Why, my goodness," Brenna exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch. "If I am not mistaken, I am standing in the presence of Crimsonclaw’s own ambassador! Such an honour, truly, to have one of your stature among us."
Serena hesitated only briefly before schooling her expression into composure. She had grown used to moments like this, the sudden shift in tone, the careful politeness that bordered on theatre. Her instinct was to laugh or dismiss it gently, but she remembered her role and steadied her voice.
"The honour is mine, my lady," Serena said, her words touched by the faint Eastern accent that stiffened her consonants and clipped her vowels. "I am grateful to Hallowbrooke for its welcome. It speaks much of your people’s warmth."
The woman seemed momentarily thrown by the tone, formal, crisp, and yet there was something undeniably kind beneath it. Serena had learned long ago that such composure was often its own armour.
"Warmth indeed," Brenna replied, recovering quickly. "We are blessed that you and Lady Livia grace us today. The hall is prepared for your arrival, though I must apologise for keeping you out here so long after your journey. We have had a busy morning."
Serena inclined her head lightly. "No apology is needed. It is a fine day to be among company again."
Her words drew a pleased look from Livia, subtle but genuine. The older woman chuckled softly and gestured toward the grand building ahead, the gathering hall of Hallowbrooke, a broad structure of stone and carved wood, its large doors thrown open to reveal a glimpse of the interior.
"Please, come inside," Brenna said, her tone smoothing into something almost deferential. "Seats have been arranged, and refreshments await. I would not have such guests standing in the courtyard like traders."
Livia gave a nod of thanks, but before stepping forward, she looked to Serena, her brow arched slightly, a wordless prompt to move beside her.
Serena obliged, walking with quiet confidence to Livia’s side. Her boots clicked softly against the stone, and though she felt the weight of many eyes upon her, some curious, others cautious, she met none of them. Her focus stayed ahead.