The Swallow and The Wolf

The Wulver was a solitary creature, he did not mind mankind all that much, but he simply preferred to be alone as they began to forsake the old ways, they became more intolerant, and it was becoming a mild irritant akin to that of the fair folk that he did not have the patience or temperament in time to deal with.

There was no beings nor creatures he disliked more than the fair folk expect for perhaps his less evolved cousin, the wolf. He had been compared to them one too many times with the ferocity in which they play with their prey, he the great Wulver of Shetland was a benevolent beast he did no harm unless harm was done to him. The wolf man liked to fish and leave his catches on the windowsills of poor men who other starve, he hunted no other creature except deer to survive upon and left the rest to ever flowing cycle of life protecting the delicate ecosystem of the land.

In fact, he rarely ever ventured from the hills and cave in which he calls his home, only when he feels the need to fish and leave his gifts does he go near mankind and they in turn have long since been deterred from climbing the hills in which his cave sits. 

Though this increase isolation is new and has only come as a herald as a consequence from the gods being forsaken, the humans beginning to shun and forget where they came from, condemning creatures such as he where once they were embraced. He is now looked upon in disgust for his less than palatable appearance with the body of man yet the head of a wolf, they run from him in fright when once they sought him to guide lost souls to safety, to hold vigil over the sick. 

He feared very little from man until now his main concern was the defence of his home from kelpies, a blight on the land he believes the world would be much better off without them in his opinion.

Though there was one, in time that he would come to allow to rest upon the stones overlooking the rocky shores of his place of birth, the archipelago Shetland, to explore the hills and venture into his cave, his fair maiden Fiona; it had taken but one glance for the Wulver to be entranced, he did not know the name or meaning of the feeling that had taken over at the sight of her fiery red locks, or the enticing pools of sea green eyes. No, all he knew was he would anything in order for her smile never to leave her blood red lips, for that sparkling glint never to leave her eyes, he did not know how for he was made into nothing more than mere mortal before her gaze; a lowly beast she deigned herself to look upon.

He was fishing, when Fiona first caught his eye and it had him shocked into an abrupt stillness, the fish he was about hook rapidly swam away yet it seemed as if the island itself held its breath before her beauty, the goddess as that's all she could possibly be alluded a sense of serenity and peace within her presence. The waves calmed amongst the embracing arms of the sea, and she was bathed in glow of the moonlight. It was not long before she noted his stare and turned to him, her movements graceful and footsteps light, the goddess stopped just a hairsbreadth away from his hunched form before she whistled and with a swift beat of wings a bird landed delicately on her pale shoulders. He took but a moment to admire the creature, a swallow if he was not mistaken before his attention was once again caught by the slight movement of her lips as she opened her mouth to speak.

"You're the Wulver, I had thought that you were nothing, but a tale told amongst poor fishermen" She spoke softly as though she did not want to interrupt the peaceful atmosphere that had fallen on them, though her words were at war with her tone as they were quite abrupt and were said without greeting rather uncomely in his humble opinion though he was not one to throw judgement given the very nature of his being.

Her head was tilted slightly, her hair falling in waves past her ample breasts which were rising with every breath she took, as she awaited his response, she blinked slowly her eyelashes fluttering as they lightly grazed the apple of her rosy, red cheeks. The rest of her skin however was devoid of colour, but it did nothing to distract from her beauty for it was as white and pure as freshly fallen snow and her scent carried hints of lavender and rosemary, almost overpowering his senses, for he could not smell anything but her, could not see, hear nor feel beyond her presence.

He pulled himself dazedly from his slow and methodical perusal of her willowy form to answer belle before him for the wolf man was certain if he spent any longer gazing into those vast deep pools of her eyes, he would surely waste away basking within her mesmerising aura.

"I am my Lady, and who are you? For surely you must be the goddess Cliodhna, come to visit me on these shores so I may bath in the aura of your beauty and all-encompassing love"

The vision before paused for a moment as if confused before a delighted but bashful small grace her lips, she looked up at him suddenly shy through a veil of red waves and let out a quiet musical laugh, her eyes lighting up in pure happiness as she did so.

"No," She said simply "I'm Fiona"

And from there the royal bloodline of what was soon to be known as Europe was born, and with it a boy with the power to unite the seven Kingdoms of the world.