It was a cool autumn night on a lovely French estate, the wind playing the leaves to provide an enchanting sound that was just this side of melody. The dogs snuffled and whispered to themselves in their kennels, and there was the occasional stamp of a iron-hoofed foot from the stables nearby.

The little boy smiled at the animal noises and tried to pretend he was a dog, sleek and strong, fast and bright. Coursing a hare with nose in the air, shaking his head like he had water in his ears.

But no matter how hard he imagined, he would never be a dog.

He got the last bits of amusement out from the playacting, looking up at the wide moon with a private glee. This was more fun the etiquette and dancing. His mother thought he was sleeping and so did his nursemaid. If his white night-shift gave any guide, he had been sleeping.

But now, he had more important treasures on his mind than anything he could find in sleep. His little hands dug through the already fallen leaves, finding creepies and crawlies and reveling in their strangeness.

He was a young boy and his curiosity was longer than his patience. A horse nickered to it’s companion, and the boy took it as a call for him. He pranced over like a fine stallion, making click-clopping noises to account for the rhythm of his missing hooves.

Yet he was a young boy, and the night was old. He wearied and went to the kennels, for dogs were warmer and less frightening. An old bitch, muzzle gray and eyes closed didn’t even stir as he slipped into her stall.

He stroked her sleek back, fingers playing with the whorls of white and sunk to his knees. She smelled wild and fresh, despite her age, and he sunk his face into her side. Her ears flickered back and her eyes opened, but this young boy was no threat.

And as she settled back to sleep, so did he.

The stable boy woke him in the morning. His father took him away.

And when he woke up the filth of the night had settled on his body, staining the white shift mottled brown and smudging his high cheekbones.

Ambrose was little better than an animal, and he was filthy.