《Chains of the Dragon King Prophecy》 1 - Shifting Power Year: 786 A.P. ¡°General Yudha, we¡¯ve taken the capital! King Thisavros is in custody along with his queen and three sons. General Aimodipsis was compelled to commit ritual suicide for his failure before we could pin him down.¡± ¡°Casualties?¡± ¡°Unknown at this point.¡± ¡°Keep me posted. Pass Commander Rapax my compliments. His plan was ingenious,¡± General Callida Yudha sighed heavily, mostly from relief, and the messenger left with a stiff salute. Another steadying exhale, and Callida found the war horn tied to her saddle, lifting it to her lips to blast the news of their victory to her men still engaged in combat in front of her ¡ª a call that was repeated and magnified across the vast fields outside the city walls of Grypa Kardia. The beginning of the end. Reins in one hand, sword in the other, the young general supported the relentless advance of her Lion Tribe infantry by urging her horse back into the fray to break a regrouping formation of the enemy Griffin Tribe soldiers. Recklessly diving behind the enemy lines and spurring her horse down the line of scrimmage as far as her momentum could take her, her charge left a bloody wake of slashed and trampled corpses that never saw her coming until it was too late to get out of her way. The thinned enemy were quickly overwhelmed, the breach in their ranks giving the lions an opportunity to flank them. Callida¡¯s horse slowed incrementally, forcing her to return to her own ranks and ending her personal slaughter for the time being. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t just do that,¡± someone yelled over the cacophony of steel and shouts. Callida turned to find Commander Baca glaring at her from where he was perched atop his own horse. Freckles, strawberry blonde hair, broad but wiry build, Baca had been one of her men since her first command assignment. ¡°Yes, you, General! I know you didn¡¯t just do something so completely stupid!¡± She rolled her eyes but flushed from the sudden sheepishness. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± His eyes narrowed at her, but now was hardly the time to argue. ¡°Right flank, move in!¡± Baca shouted instead, the shout repeating through the ranks until the men pressing the position where Callida had come from pushed just a bit harder, and the griffin line crumbled. Callida moved further down the line, looking for areas that were struggling to advance or where there were obvious weaknesses to exploit. She didn¡¯t get very far before a horn blasted in a syncopated rhythm and the Griffin Tribe armies began to fall back to the city only to find that the city had been taken in their absence. Surrounded, exhausted, demoralized, and lacking in rallying leadership, the griffins were left with little choice but to surrender. It was hard to feel victorious when a glance at the field before her, littered with bodies, promised a high casualty count on both sides. The campaign as a whole was one she had resisted for the better part of a year, but when the griffins had traded prisoners for General Eristikos only to have him publicly executed and replaced by a man like General Aimodipsis early last year, Callida knew this would be unavoidable. Aimodipsis was a military leader more interested in conquering than winning ethically. His unapologetic, cowardly targeting of civilians and aggressive invasion efforts had required Callida and her commanders to retaliate with a brutality that, frankly, she still felt guilty about. But this was war, and breaking the griffins¡¯ spirits seemed the only way to end such senseless bloodshed. Which was why they were here at the capital, slaughtering the Griffin Tribe armies, capturing their leaders, pushing and pushing with nothing short of a swift and violent victory the only acceptable option, for hesitation here would mean the desolation of more Lion Tribe towns and cities. ¡°Baca, report!¡± Callida demanded as she rode through the carnage. ¡°We are securing the prisoners and putting them to work burying the dead.¡± ¡°As you were.¡± Callida nodded and rode on to the next section of the field to demand reports from the rest of her commanders. ¡°Arum, report!¡± ¡°We are in control of the situation, Ani¨C uh¡­ General Yudha. Primordials. I know you''re married, but you''re still ''Animo'' in my head. You do realize that I will never get used to that, right?¡± Callida snorted. ¡°You might be the only person allowed to get away with that.¡± ¡°Such high honor,¡± Arum cheesed. ¡°General, are you ready for me to accompany you to the palace? Rapax will be waiting¨C¡± ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Callida cut him off. ¡°I need to check in with the rest of the commanders.¡± ¡°... Or are you just stalling?¡± Her face twisted in annoyance as Arum, predictably, called her out on the exact thing she wasn¡¯t eager to admit to herself or anyone else. That¡¯s what she got for promoting and keeping close one of her best friends of the last seven years. ¡°Both,¡± she countered tersely. ¡°I think your commanders have everything well in hand.¡± Arum grinned in a knowing tease, his soft, intelligent brown eyes shining despite his gore-stained, handsome face and sweat-matted, blonde hair. ¡°What¡¯s got you so worked up?¡± She growled defeat low in her throat. ¡°I¡¯m not a diplomat.¡± ¡°No, I suppose not,¡± Arum agreed, ¡°but then what¡¯s the point of all the letters you¡¯ve been writing back and forth to the Lion King?¡± ¡°Having a list of demands and conditions for a truce and eventual treaty hardly translates into me being a diplomat.¡± Arum rolled his eyes. ¡°Whether you consider yourself a diplomat or not, Animo, you¡¯re good at it.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°Oh, please. How many years have you spent bossing princes and kings alike around?¡± ¡°I do not boss them around,¡± Callida huffed. Arum put on a fake voice in an overly high-pitched falsetto. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan for the next year of everything, and I¡¯m going to go win a war now, so make sure you do all of your chores, play nice with the other kids, and keep things in good condition while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°What voice was that?¡± Callida laughed and Arum shrugged. ¡°My point is, Animo, you¡¯re going to be fine.¡± ¡°Well, thank you for the vote of confidence, I guess.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get Commander Vir and assemble the entourage.¡± Arum smirked, nudging his horse to follow her while they collected the rest of the group predetermined to escort the general to her negotiations with King Thisavros. *** ¡°Good evening, Rapax. It¡¯s good to see you in one piece. How did everything go?¡± ¡°All is well, General,¡± Rapax declared with a confident nod, falling into step with Callida to guide her through the massive, gothic hallways with high, vaulted arches and chiseled columns between walls of windows on one side and the periodic door on the other. ¡°We got away with very minimal casualties.¡± ¡°The aqueducts were a good way in. Good call, Rapax.¡± Callida¡¯s return nod came less easily. ¡°You¡¯re nervous.¡± ¡°Today is one of those days you work to reach, but never expect to see,¡± she laughed, and indeed, she sounded nervous. ¡°Any tips?¡± Rapax frowned in mild amusement. ¡°General, you have more experience with these sorts of things than I do.¡± ¡°No, I mean, you¡¯ve been observing the king, his family, his crisis response. Do you have any related thoughts to impart before I walk in blindly?¡± ¡°Uh, the princes don¡¯t seem to like each other very much. The queen is probably the only ¡®nice¡¯ person in the room. Well, maybe the youngest prince isn¡¯t so bad. The king is just mean, or maybe that¡¯s his way of handling crisis?¡± Rapax shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not as though I¡¯ve been invited to tea with them, General. They don¡¯t like me very much, and they¡¯ve been guarded with Lion Tribe soldiers surrounding them as you might expect.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°How old are the princes? There are three of them?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. Three of them. My rough guess for ages was thirty-five, thirty, and twenty-five, but I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Hm. And they don¡¯t like each other?¡± ¡°¡®All a bunch of spoiled brats in my opinion.¡± Rapax shrugged again. ¡°I don¡¯t really like them either.¡± She snorted. ¡°Ok. Thanks, Rapax. I¡¯ll¡­ bear that in mind.¡± ¡°Through here, General. We¡¯ve been holding the royal family in the throne room.¡± Turning down a grand hallway that led away from all the windows and deeper into the castle, a pair of elaborate, arched doors framed by great, carved columns appeared on the right. Callida approached the throne room doors, pausing to the sounds of raised voices from within. ¡°... now, your high and mightiness?!¡± ¡°Acting like a child isn¡¯t helping your cause, Sfyri!¡± ¡°Like you¡¯re any better, Optikos! Not two minutes ago you were blaming Skiasmenos for somehow failing to do his job overseeing the palace guard. Like this is his fault?! You were the one responsible for the war council with General Aimodipsis, and now he¡¯s dead, we¡¯re stuck in here, who knows what¡¯s become of our military and our people, and you still think blaming this on other people is going to make a difference?¡± ¡°Sfyri, don¡¯t pick another fight on my account. We¡¯re all just¡­ on edge.¡± ¡°No, Skias! He¡¯s the one blaming everyone else for his failings! How is it that Mister Lack-of-accountability is in line for the throne with¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± A tense silence fell on the other side of the door, and Callida waited a moment to see if anyone would speak again. ¡°When this is over, however it ends, you will all be punished for your insufferable bickering!¡± ¡°Fanos, leave the boys alone. For my sake?¡± the first female voice she¡¯d heard, presumably the queen¡¯s voice, asked timidly. ¡°The ¡®boys¡¯ of whom you speak are grown men, Asimana. They don¡¯t fit behind your skirts anymore.¡± ¡°Oh, but they¡¯re good boys!¡± Asimana protested with an impassioned, somewhat delusional cry. ¡°They don¡¯t mean to fight, do you boys?¡± Indistinct mutterings and half-hearted apologies were followed by ¡°there! See! They¡¯re good boys.¡± Callida snorted at the absurdity of a group of men her age and older being referred to as ¡°good boys¡± and turned to find Rapax similarly fighting to hide the laughter on his face. And how kind of them to introduce themselves to me. Once Rapax had regained control of himself, Callida nodded, and Rapax ordered the doors open to reveal a giant square room framed on all sides by more carved stone pillars surrounding a recessed central floor. A great, elevated and gilded throne sat between the columns across the way from the door ¡ª the highest seat in the room. The royal griffins stood gathered around this symbol of their status. ¡°Commander Rapax,¡± King Yperifanos Thisavros, identifiable for his relative age to the other, younger royals, sneered coldly, ¡°welcome back.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Rapax returned with subtle sarcasm. ¡°Allow me to introduce you to Lion General Callida Yudha.¡± The collection of eyes shifted towards her, and Callida put on her falsely pleasant smile. ¡°Thank you, Rapax.¡± And she waited in calculated silence, encouraging the awkwardness to permeate the atmosphere and render her opponents disquieted for the prolonged moment spent staring each other down. The fact that she was still soaked in battle gore had nothing to with the fear in their eyes, right? ¡°You are the Lion General?¡± one of the princes scoffed, and based on his voice, Callida identified him as Sfyri, or more accurately, the second prince, Sfyrilato. ¡°Yes.¡± Neutral, unconcerned, Callida continued to smile at the king and his sons. ¡°I¡¯d heard that the Lion General was female,¡± the Griffin King mused. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected you to be¡­ young.¡± ¡°And how old would I have to be to not be ¡®young¡¯ in your eyes, Your Majesty? Or is youth a matter of experience rather than age? Or perhaps it¡¯s all simply relative to him who determines for himself what youth looks like?¡± ¡°And a philosopher?¡± King Thisavros smirked in a way that made him look predatory. ¡°Hardly. My ¡®youth¡¯ is a tired subject, Your Majesty,¡± Callida stated matter-of-factly, effectively shooting down further discourse on the subject. ¡°I am here to issue the demands of the Lion Tribe government and to discuss the cessation of hostilities to end this war.¡± ¡°You think you can barge into my palace and just demand peace?!¡± Callida laughed a quiet, social laugh. ¡°Oh, Your Majesty, I just did!¡± She allowed her face to twist into something significantly less friendly. ¡°Our demands are quite simple: your tribe¡¯s unconditional surrender, your abdication, but we will allow one of your sons to take the throne in your stead, the immediate release of all Lion Tribe prisoners both military and civilian, an investigation into and the execution of General Aimodipsis¡¯s corrupt advisors and top military officials as he is no longer around to answer for the blood of committed war crimes himself, and a handful of tributes to the Lion Tribe would go a long way to appease the people whose homes General Aimodipsis ordered destroyed.¡± ¡°I will never agree to such¡­ outrageous demands!¡± the king declared. Callida shrugged. ¡°It would be simple enough to kill you and then work with whichever of your sons agrees to cooperate. Let¡¯s see. Crown prince Yperoptikos? I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s you,¡± Callida said silkily, eyeing the prince Rapax had guessed to be about thirty-five years old. ¡°Are you ready to step out of your father¡¯s shadow?¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± Put on the spot, Yperoptikos required a moment to think. Surprise and understanding gave way to a cruel glint in his eyes. He smiled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want you to kill my father,¡± he said, choking back bubbling laughter, ¡°but I¡¯m sure that we could reach a mutually agreeable solution.¡± ¡°Optikos! How dare you?!¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Callida¡¯s eyes narrowed and moved down the row of princes, locating the next in line to the throne as the king continued to rant and rave. ¡°Prince Sfyrilato?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ General?¡± ¡°And what do you have to say about all of this? Do you think your brother would make a worthy king?¡± Callida asked, baiting him with artificial sweetness. ¡°He isn¡¯t fit for the throne,¡± Sfyri snarled under his breath, and it was not lost on Callida how much hatred brewed behind his eyes for his older brother. ¡°And why not?¡± ¡°He only cares about himself,¡± the low hiss continued. ¡°And what do you care about? Or are you also out to gratify yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of the people,¡± Sfyrilato barked. ¡°They deserve better than¡­ him.¡± ¡°And you think you¡¯d be that ¡®better¡¯?¡± ¡°Anyone would be better.¡± ¡°But you are proposing yourself in his place.¡± Callida raised a judgmental eyebrow, and Sfyrilato shifted uncomfortably but challengingly held his head high. Callida¡¯s smirk moved down the line again, a darkness settling on the Thisavros family as everyone realized that she had all the power to name the king of the Griffin Tribe herself, and she likely didn¡¯t care who that was going to be so long as they cooperated with Lion Tribe demands. ¡°And you, prince Skiasmenos, do you have anything to contribute to this discussion on succession?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t want any part of this,¡± Skiasmenos stated nervously. ¡°Indeed? I¡¯m offering you a shot at the throne, your birthright, for some minor concessions, and you want no part of it?¡± Callida¡¯s tone darkened, testing his resolve. ¡°If not the crown, what do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the third son,¡± Skiasmenos stated quietly, but with a subtle confidence that intrigued Callida. ¡°The throne was never my birthright, General. I was born to privilege, but not that privilege. I only want to serve my people in the capacities befitting my station.¡± ¡°So you wish to toil in the shadows of obscurity? A supporting role only?¡± ¡°Whomever wears the crown, he will need trustworthy councilors and officials to help him run the tribe. My ambition only extends that far.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s never occurred to you that you could be so much more? All you have are a couple of obstacles to eliminate. Perhaps one will eliminate the other for you! You are young. You only have to wait.¡± ¡°What are you trying to do, General?¡± Skiasmenos hissed with renewed anxiety. ¡°I thought you were here to end a war, not start one. Or is that a secondary objective? Get us to turn on each other, start a civil war within the Griffin Tribe to weaken us further? Ensure that it will be another decade or two before we can turn on our Lion Tribe neighbors again? I don¡¯t want the throne! I want no part of this, and pitting my brothers against each other even more than they already are can only end in bloodshed. That¡¯s not what I want, and I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you really want.¡± ¡°And what makes you think that I¡¯m not bloodthirsty after countless battles fighting your own griffin blood lust?¡± ¡°You came in here demanding peace, demanding an end to the violence. You¡¯ve left us all alive when you really only need one of us, ordering my father to abdicate but not sentencing him to death. And you want to investigate war crimes before any executions are conducted, but if you were bloodthirsty, why bother with any of that?¡± Callida nodded understanding, a genuine smile twisting an otherwise controlled smirk. ¡°You want no part of this, your highness. I¡¯ll grant you that.¡± Stepping back, she addressed the rest of the Thisavros men. ¡°Three men, one crown. I¡¯ll give you until tomorrow to convince me why the crown should be yours. Rapax, take the youngest prince and the queen somewhere else for safe keeping while the rest of us sort this out.¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± Callida waited for the aforementioned individuals to be escorted out and the door to shut behind them before removing a single dagger from her weapons belt to set on the throne. ¡°Good luck gentlemen,¡± she smirked crookedly and walked out. 2 - Guardians The palace had been well equipped with washrooms, and with the gore of battle scrubbed from her body Callida was able to enjoy a solid night¡¯s sleep spent in a proper bed in the palace. The next morning, she found an odd satisfaction donning a fresh uniform and actually doing her hair and makeup for the first time in literally a year. She felt like a different person ¡ª a shiny new Istiri¨C and there was relief in the option to indulge in the whimsical again. Her half-up, wavy golden hair fell in sleek rivers to her waist, a striking focal-point for an otherwise unexceptional-looking, androgynous young woman of twenty-five. It seemed fitting that her most notable feature was also the one element of her appearance that merged the traits of her mixed heritage. Most lions were born with wild, crimpy, dirty-blonde manes, but Callida was only half lion. Her other half was wolf ¡ª the half that her animal spirit took after. Wolves were generally blessed with silky, straight, black hair, a silkiness that had tempered her lion¡¯s mane in the random shuffle of genetics and somehow made the golden color of her hair less murky ¡ª which didn¡¯t make sense when she thought about it, but when did genetics ever make perfect sense? The rest of her appearance was marred by countless scars earned over the last two decades from encounters with both man and beast. Her two most distinctive scars were the floral brands running down both sides of her body from behind her ears to her ankles and then back up the insides of her legs, earned during a week of torture, and a single, thin, white dueling scar through her left cheek and eyebrow from a fight when she was ten years old. She¡¯d started young ¡ª the benefit (or perhaps curse?) of being born into a family of generational soldiers on both sides, a family of which she was the last remaining living member. ¡°Animo, have you finished negotiations already?!¡± Arum¡¯s surprised voice met her near the front doors of the palace. ¡°Oh. Uh¡­ I¡¯m¡­ waiting,¡± Callida shrugged vaguely. ¡°Stalling or psychological warfare?¡± Arum smirked. ¡°Um¡­. Yes?¡± The friends looked at each other in awkward silence for a moment before Arum found a change of subject to break it. ¡°General, I got a report from the camp this morning.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Supply caravan came in.¡± ¡°Oh?!¡± ¡°My understanding is that the mail alone burdened nearly a dozen carts.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s go!!¡± Callida said, her mannerisms more akin to an excited puppy than a hardened military general, and Arum grinned, enjoying this side of her and not putting up any sort of fight as she eagerly dragged him out the door. ¡°We¡¯ll have to get the mail sorted and passed out, and then trade out Rapax and his men so they can collect their mail too. Oh, it¡¯s been forever!!¡± It was a lengthy walk as they led their battle-worn horses behind them through the eerily quiet city streets. Grypa Kardia was dense and would normally be bustling with life this time in the morning without the threat of a hostile takeover looming over it. The structures here were built from a pale gray and beige granite on and around rolling hills upon the tallest of which the palace sprawled and towered austerely over its subjects. From the outside, the palace looked like the fodder of fairy tales, but like most things with a fairy tale appearance, it was internally corrupted by malcontent and human weaknesses. The second tallest hill in the city was burdened by another monstrous structure, the symbolism meticulously chiseled into the stone an indication of the building¡¯s monastic purposes ¡ª a temple to the ancient Primordial Spirits. Most tribes had at least one such temple, often constructing them in more remote locations to favor transcendence above the mundane. To have such a massive temple built in the heart of the tribe¡¯s capital city, Callida had to wonder which ancient griffin king¡¯s crisis of conscience this temple was the product of. With the temple casting long shadows as a backdrop, it made sense to see Guardians in their pious garb wandering the otherwise abandoned streets below. Her own interest in Primordialism had always been unfocused and fleeting. It was more peripheral awareness than interest, and she¡¯d never stepped foot inside a temple before. It felt odd and illogical to pray to a bunch of dead animals for things like a bounteous crop or the providential meeting of a new lover. ¡°Miss!¡± Callida¡¯s private musings about temples and prayer were interrupted by the urgent approach of a woman, perhaps in her early thirties, in Guardian¡¯s garb ¡ª a plain tunic over simple pants or a skirt with a dark cloak, sometimes embroidered with a symbol of their religious order over the left breast, sweeping behind them. ¡°Miss! A moment!¡± The confusion on her face must have been unmistakable for the Guardian answered the unspoken question with ¡°yes, you!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The Guardian was staring up at her face, and Callida had to wonder why she¡¯d been singled out. However, Callida accepted the silent observation and returned it. The Guardian was beautiful with short, platinum blonde hair, striking, dark eyes, and pale, plump, and perfectly clear skin. Callida took in the way her tunic failed to hide the ideal combination of a slender frame with ample curves, noting the curious patch on this Guardian¡¯s cloak of a thin dagger slowly being choked by a vine of thorned roses. ¡°You have a very¡­ unusual aura.¡± ¡°Thank you?¡± Callida frowned and moved to walk away. ¡°Wait!¡± The Guardian raised an arm to block Callida¡¯s path. ¡°You should visit the temple.¡± Callida laughed uncomfortably. ¡°Yeah, uh, no thank you. I¡¯m not really into that sort of thing.¡± A second effort to walk away was similarly blocked, and Callida began to feel irritated. ¡°Excuse me, please.¡± ¡°General Yudha, you must come to the temple.¡± ¡°How do you know my name?¡± Callida asked, eyes narrowed. ¡°Many things are revealed in the temple,¡± the Guardian said with a crooked grin. ¡°That, and it¡¯s hard to mistake the five stars on your Lion Tribe uniform.¡± Callida provided the obligatory chuckle. ¡°Excuse me.¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Will I see you at the temple?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t count on it. Like I already said, it¡¯s not really my thing.¡± ¡°And what is your ¡®thing¡¯?¡± the Guardian pressed. Callida paused long enough to meet the Guardian¡¯s eyes, her own hardening. ¡°I kill people for a living. I¡¯d think that you¡¯d want to keep me out of your sanctuary, not invite me in.¡± ¡°Our temple is for all ¡ª creators and destroyers alike. Perhaps you should consider a new ¡®thing¡¯ if this one makes you feel unworthy,¡± the Guardian suggested almost coyly, but at long last, she stepped aside, allowing Callida to pass. ¡°May the Primordials bless you until our next encounter, General. I¡¯m certain that we will meet again.¡± ¡°That was weird,¡± Arum remarked in a whisper, and Callida nodded, a scowl darkening her already deep-set, caramel brown eyes. Reflecting on the interaction as she walked away, Callida was left feeling creeped out and evermore determined to never set foot inside a temple, but that was neither here nor there. She quickly brushed off the exchange in favor of happy thoughts and the prospect of letters from home. Escaping the city boundaries, Callida and Arum were quickly enveloped into the Lion Tribe military camp, and Commander Moro, another of her men from her first command assignment, was already prepared to deliver a sizable fistful of letters to Callida as soon as she asked for them. ¡°General, the men are preparing a victory feast this evening,¡± Moro informed her. ¡°I know they were hoping you¡¯d be there. ¡®Nothing elaborate: just normal rations with some musical entertainment and a drink to make a few toasts with.¡± Callida was distractedly flicking through her stack of letters, disappointment merging with annoyance as nearly every letter was penned with the same effortless calligraphy ¡ª reports in which business would be mingled with personal updates from His Majesty, the Lion King, Verum Rex ¡ª the same bitter feelings instantly erased and reversed upon finding a single envelope inked in a particular, scrawly hand near the bottom. ¡°General?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What should I tell the men?¡± Moro prompted. ¡°About¡­?¡± ¡°Tonight?¡± ¡°Oh¡­. Oh! ¡®Sounds good. Yes, I¡¯ll be there,¡± she fumbled, and Moro snorted. ¡°Very good, General.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Callida hummed, back to being distracted. ¡°Thanks, Moro. I¡¯ll be in my tent if you need anything.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my stack of letters?¡± Callida could hear Arum pouting in a half-serious tease as she left. In her tent, Callida curled up on her bedroll and greedily tore open the letter with scrawly penmanship from Qiangde Yudha, suddenly feeling the pain of separation sharpen. It had been ten months now? Eleven? Primordials, war steals everything.
My Lady, I never know what to write in these letters. I feel like I say that every time I start one of these, but the supply train leaves tomorrow, so I guess I¡¯d better figure out something to write, or I know that I¡¯ll never hear the end of it. I still have no idea how to handle the nobility here. I regularly get the odd visitor thinking that making friends with the Lion General¡¯s husband in your absence will earn them points in some obscure game they¡¯ve invented. They usually leave unfulfilled because I have no idea what to talk about. Maybe that¡¯s for the best. It discourages them from trying again at least. I almost never get the same visitor twice. Porro is getting tired of me as the subject of his creativity. He¡¯s been showing me more and more sketches of things he¡¯s dreamed up for you, trying to get my opinion. He tried showing me this one sketch in particular that was, frankly, scandalous, and then laughed when I said as much. He then told me about this one time that you went to a party practically naked? Is it true that you went to some fancy ball in little more than body paint?! I¡¯m not sure how to feel about that, Callida. On the one hand, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m okay with you dressing like that for other people. On the other hand, I can¡¯t believe I missed that!! Primordials, I miss you, speaking of missing things. I¡¯m not cut out for this. I guess that¡¯s a layered statement. I¡¯m missing you like crazy, and I don¡¯t know what to do with myself in this big, drafty house mostly all by myself. Shyaam is losing his mind, and I¡¯m right behind him. Remind me why I couldn¡¯t come with you? I know how to fight! Or, better yet, I¡¯m a doctor! You need doctors on a battlefield, right? And I¡¯d feel so much better being in a position to patch you up rather than waiting to hear from you to confirm that you¡¯re not dead yet. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can take this. Please tell me you¡¯re close? Please tell me you¡¯re coming home soon? Callida, if you miss our two year anniversary, I might just come hunt you down. You already missed our first anniversary, and I still haven¡¯t forgiven you for that. Stay safe if you can possibly help it. I will never forgive you if you die out there. And I¡¯ve lost track of how many kisses you owe me. One for every time I miss you? Yeah, we¡¯re easily in the gazillions by now. When you get back here, I¡¯m going to kiss you until your lips bleed, and I¡¯m not even going to apologize for it. You¡¯ve been warned. Rogue
Callida tilted her head back onto a folded blanket with the letter held to her heart, letting herself cry with the wonderfully mixed bag of emotions these letters always came with. His letters were never very long, nor did they tell her very much about how things were going back in Astu Centralis, the capital of the Lion Tribe. But they sounded like him, and just for a moment, Callida could close her eyes and hear his voice in her head telling her about the annoying social habits of the Lion Tribe nobility that he was still very new to, or the teasing ¡°threat¡± to kiss her until her lips bled that really just underscored how much he missed and loved her, or the way Shyaam, his rogue Alpha wolf spirit for which he¡¯d been nicknamed ¡°Rogue¡±, was losing his mind surrounded by people but without a pack. Callida felt that. Her own wolf, Goldie, named for the color of her essence that matched Callida¡¯s own hair, was struggling in a similar way: surrounded by soldiers, only a select handful of them friends, none of them Rogue. They¡¯d been married for just under a year before duty had called her away, or rather, the threat of an invasion force instructed to destroy civilian targets as a standard practice on their march through the Lion Tribe proved to be all too real. She¡¯d never seen Rogue so angry before ¡ª so angry and so defeated. He¡¯d begged to come with her, but Callida knew that letting him come would be dangerous for both of them. She¡¯d already learned the hard way how easily she was emotionally compromised when someone she loved was nearby, and that was a distraction that she simply couldn¡¯t afford on this campaign. So she¡¯d left him behind. There was no question in her mind that she¡¯d made the right decision, but she also couldn¡¯t help but regret that choice ¡ª especially in moments like these, moments when her heart ached to hear his voice for real. ¡°General?¡± Hastily wiping her face dry, Callida sat up to see Moro poking his head through her tent door. ¡°Yes, what is it, Commander?¡± ¡°General, we¡¯ve received an urgent communication from Commander Rapax.¡± Callida frowned but quickly found her feet and took the report, tearing it open to find the note smudged red.
General, I¡¯m not sure what your intended play was, but one of the men you were trying to negotiate with is dead, and the other two are wounded. The medic I¡¯m sitting next to is telling me that the two breathing ones might not be alive for long. You need to get here quickly. This is either evil genius on your part or seriously messed up. ¨CRapax
Callida sighed heavily. ¡°So they took the bait¡­. ¡®Seriously messed up, definitely.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Moro frowned at her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important, Commander. Well, it is, but it isn¡¯t. I need to return to the palace immediately.¡± ¡°Is everything alright?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she sighed. ¡°Yes. Negotiations with the Griffin Tribe just got a lot simpler.¡± 3 - Dying Wish ¡°Rapax, report!¡± ¡°Nothing new since my last.¡± ¡°Which of the three is dead?¡± ¡°The oldest prince.¡± ¡°Interesting. Who killed him?¡± Rapax smiled a little deviously. ¡°Guess?¡± ¡°The second prince?¡± ¡°Wrong.¡± ¡°Really?! The king killed him?!¡± Callida balked. Rapax nodded. ¡°Apparently we underestimated the king¡¯s hatred for his own sons. Ypefan¨C the king didn¡¯t take kindly to his heirs¡¯ willingness to subvert him to work with you and took it upon himself to ¡®punish¡¯ them. Yperioptifan¨C ugh. These Griffin Tribe names are going to kill me. The first prince took a knife to the back, put there by his father, and then the second prince fought with his father, both taking significant injuries before the king collapsed. Now they are both fighting for their lives.¡± ¡°Have you been able to speak with either of them?¡± ¡°The king is unconscious, but Sfyri has been more than willing to dish dirt on his father¡­ less about his older brother which seems somewhat ironic considering his vitriol towards him earlier.¡± ¡°Perhaps he simply feels that dirt against the dead isn¡¯t worth his breath.¡± ¡°Maybe. He¡¯s been¡­ repentant?¡± Rapax shrugged, and Callida sighed. ¡°I should just talk to him.¡± ¡°Through here.¡± Rapax gestured, and Callida followed him down a hallway to a small room where the second prince was being tended to by a Lion Tribe medic. ¡°Your highness, pardon my interruption,¡± Callida said quietly as she swept into the room to take a seat on the floor next to the bedroll where he was laying. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He chuckled through obvious delirium. ¡°No, please, come in¡­. You know what¡¯s ironic, General? Two minutes. That¡¯s all it took for you to pick the best among us when it¡¯s taken the Griffin Tribe decades, and they still haven¡¯t figured out that our father is a monster. Yperoptikos learned it from somewhere. I learned it from somewhere¡­. Skiasmenos will do a good job. But, General, he¡¯s young, unambitious. He¡¯ll need¡­ guidance.¡± Sfyrilato grunted through a debilitating wave of pain and coughed. ¡°If you survive this, will you challenge your younger brother for the throne?¡± ¡°No. But I¡¯m dying, so it doesn¡¯t matter¡­. Will you help him?¡± ¡°What help do you think he¡¯ll need?¡± ¡°There will be civil unrest when the people realize that the king, his chosen heir, and second heir are all dead. He¡¯ll be blamed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the heat,¡± Callida declared readily. ¡°Like I already said, it¡¯s a simple enough matter to execute the royal family until I find one willing to work with the Lion Tribe.¡± Sfyrilato shook his head. ¡°He¡¯ll be seen as weak, caving to Lion Tribe pressures that his father and brothers died fighting.¡± Callida frowned. ¡°What do you suggest?¡± ¡°Gather the senate; let me tell them the truth; let me give my endorsement¡­. Quickly.¡± *** ¡°Sfyri!¡± Skiasmenos took one look at his brother and freaked out. ¡°What did you do to him?! What¡¯s¡­? Sfyri!!¡± ¡°Skias, she didn¡¯t do anything. It was father.¡± ¡°What?! I don¡¯t understand. She-she¡¯s making you lie to me!¡± ¡°No,¡± Sfyri clasped his brother¡¯s hand. ¡°No. She was right, Skias.¡± Callida bowed out, ordering her men to do likewise so the brothers could speak privately before the Griffin Tribe senate was escorted into the still blood-stained throne room. ¡°General,¡± Rapax appeared next to her right elbow after a minute or two. ¡°General, the Griffin King is dead. Sfyrilato, for all intents and purposes, is the reigning king.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let him know,¡± Callida said and nodded her acknowledgement. ¡°Is the senate gathered?¡± ¡°All but one or two members,¡± Rapax confirmed. ¡°Are you ready for them?¡± ¡°Yes. I just need one minute to break the news to the new king.¡± Callida entered the throne room, finding Skiasmenos in tears and Sfyrilato trying to comfort him. ¡°Your highnesses, I¡¯ve just been informed that your father is dead. Sfyrilato, with your brother dead, you are¨C¡± ¡°¨Cnext in line,¡± the dying prince finished for her, barely above a whisper, and Callida gave a small nod of confirmation while his younger brother¡¯s sobs intensified. ¡°Good. My words will hold the weight of a king, then.¡± ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste getting ready.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I¡¯d¡­ like for you to stay, General, but your men¨C¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°¨Chave already been ordered to stand outside.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Sfyrilato smiled weakly, and Callida went to the doors, throwing them open to let the senate in, a somber group that grew increasingly anxious at the sight of the two youngest princes in obvious distress waiting for them in the center of the room. ¡°Please take your seats,¡± Sfyrilato ordered, his hoarse whisper carrying through the tense silence. ¡°I do not have time to mince words. My father and older brother are dead, and I am soon to join them.¡± ¡°EVERYBODY, SHUT UP!!¡± Callida shouted over the immediate buzz that easily drowned the prince¡¯s voice out. ¡°Thank you. You need to know how they died, and I¡¯m the only witness to what happened,¡± Sfyrilato coughed, doubling over as much as he was able from the agony. ¡°My father murdered Yperoptikos in cold blood for being willing to work with the Lion General to end the war. He then turned the knife on me, we fought, and we both sustained injuries. I was informed just minutes ago that he died from his wounds. Even if I do somehow survive this, I do not deserve the crown. It took the mere suggestion that the power of the throne might shift for the three of us to turn murderous against each other¡­. But my brother, Skiasmenos¡­ I beg of you to accept him as your king. Despite his youth, he is good, better. I know that he will serve well.¡± Another low buzz that quickly hushed of its own accord. ¡°Sfyri, I¡­ I don¡¯t want to be the king,¡± Skiasmenos protested weakly. ¡°The Lion General has promised to help support you, Skias. In fact¡­,¡± Sfyrilato hummed to himself and sat up as best he could, ¡°the war against our lion neighbors started when a marriage between myself and the Lion Tribe princess, Avena Rex, failed. Perhaps now we can correct that grievance. It is my wish for you, Skiasmenos, to marry the Lion General. She is intuitive, intelligent, and already a capable leader. Make her your queen, end the war, and she will be your greatest support as you enter this journey.¡± Callida¡¯s jaw was down by her toes, the shock on her face, the instant blush¡­. ¡°Your highness¡­ Majesty? I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m already married. I¡¯m happy to¡­ help your brother transition into his role as the Griffin King, but I¡¯m¡­ not available in that way.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already married?¡± ¡°Happily, yes.¡± ¡°Is your husband a king?¡± ¡°Well, no. But¨C¡± ¡°Is our throne not good enough for you?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything?! I¡¯m married! I¡¯m¨C¡± ¡°It would be easy enough to end your marriage.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to¨C¡± ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± Callida blinked dumbly, the realization of what he was suggesting hitting hard after a few moments of stunned incomprehension. ¡°Are you threatening him?¡± ¡°I wish for you to marry my brother. You wanted peace, General¡­.¡± Her face and voice took on a dangerous darkness that seemed to fill every crevice of the room. ¡°Threaten my husband again, and peace talks with you will end immediately. Unlike you, I have time to wait for the next king to ascend the throne.¡± Sfyrilato laughed painfully. ¡°See, Skias, she commands the entire room. You need her to be your queen. Get her on your side, and you cannot fail.¡± ¡°My answer is ¡®no¡¯,¡± Callida hissed, ¡°and the next person to suggest that this plan is anything more than the delusions of a dying man will join him in the afterlife. Sfyrilato, I agreed to help your brother. I stand by that, but what you are proposing is out of the question.¡± ¡°It is my wish,¡± he retorted. ¡°Consider it my last request.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste the impact of a dying wish on something that I will never agree to, your highness,¡± Callida said angrily. ¡°Unless, perhaps, your real last wish is to die more quickly? I¡¯d be happy to speed you on your way.¡± ¡°No need, General,¡± he sighed, his body sinking tiredly into his pillows. ¡°Skias, I wish you well. Good luck.¡± It was absolutely unbelievable, but Callida watched as Sfyrilato just¡­ died. Right there! Right then! It was like he¡¯d scheduled his soul to be sucked from his body at the most impactful, most dramatic millisecond, and Callida found herself in the bizarre position of feeling like an absolute jerk for refusing to divorce or murder her husband to fulfill his last wish. Then again, this was a man likely willing to commit patricide and fratricide to take the crown. Her guilt was relieved and replaced with self-righteous indignation. ¡°All hail the new king,¡± Callida snarked morbidly in the silence only punctuated by the same king¡¯s tortured sobs, and with that, she turned on her heel and stormed out. *** ¡°Arum, I¡¯m going to get changed,¡± Callida said tiredly, taking a quick detour toward her tent on her way to the feast her men had prepared. ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°Is what true?¡± she asked, trying to keep the petty whine of irritation out of her voice. ¡°Animo,¡± Arum drew closer so he could whisper, ¡°they¡¯re saying that the king and his two oldest sons are dead. They¡¯re saying that the youngest son is now the king, and you¡¯re engaged to marry him!¡± ¡°Who is saying that?! Holy Primordials, word travels fast! It¡¯s been¡­ seven, eight hours? Maybe?!¡± ¡°So it¡¯s true?!¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s¡­ well, the part about the youngest son being the new king is true, but I am not engaged to marry him,¡± Callida facepalmed in exasperation. ¡°Animo, I want to hear the details.¡± She sighed heavily. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m going to get changed, and we can talk about it after the feast, but I can¡¯t stay up late tonight. I¡¯m tired, and I need to have my head on straight to deal with a grief-stricken young king tomorrow. Give me¡­ three minutes?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Arum agreed, and Callida ducked through the opening in her tent, immediately removing her doublet, a burdened chain necklace, and the pins from her hair before rolling her stiff-from-stress neck and shoulders out. ¡°Ack!¡± Callida hissed as something pricked her neck, and explorative rubbing found a small needle just before an overwhelming weakness overtook her. ¡°A-Arum¡­.¡± She collapsed, not even certain that she¡¯d managed to call out. Her mind began to race, trying to identify the effects of this drug, hopefully in time to do something about it. Her senses seemed erratic, and Callida closed her eyes in an effort to focus on them one at a time, realizing quickly that a heaviness had conquered her limbs, and her breathing and heart rate had slowed to something sluggish, incongruent with the panic she was feeling. Mild hallucinogen and paralytic? Her eyes grudgingly opened when quick, silent hands grabbed at her, and Callida was hoisted like a lamb over shoulders that belonged to a broad-chested stranger. With platinum hair. With a patch on the left breast of his cloak. Roses. Dagger. And Callida wasn¡¯t certain if she could believe what her eyes were telling her. And she needed help. To draw attention. To leave a clue. Before the drug left her completely helpless, Callida fought her arms for every inch of movement, drawing a knife, slashing at the strap holding the cloak around his neck, nicking his chest, and drawing blood. He grunted quietly, too quietly to draw attention, but he had to set her down to adjust his cloak, and Callida¡¯s blood-tipped knife severed a strip of his hem before falling to the ground. ¡°Arum,¡± she whimpered mutely, the paralytic rendering her vocal cords inoperative. And she was on his shoulders again, no longer able to make her fingers twitch, let alone put up any additional resistance. The hallucinogen was truly mild, only warping images and sounds slightly without making them confusing. The paralytic was absolute, and yet, Callida was conscious through every torturous moment of her kidnapping. She was unable to fight, unable to cry out ¡ª an observer only as she was lifted into a saddle and another Guardian¡¯s arms, galloped from the military camp to the temple, and limply passed from one Guardian to the next until finally being set on a large stone slab beneath the vaulted ceilings of a massive ceremonial chamber and into the arms of the female Guardian she¡¯d been approached by that morning ¡ª the pretty one with short hair, dark eyes, and perfect skin. ¡°It is my pleasure to welcome you to our temple, General Yudha.¡± 4 - The Price of Victory The room cleared of men as the Guardian continued speaking in a soft, almost soothing voice. Almost. ¡°I am gratified by the honor of your presence.¡± She smiled, and Callida took a deeper breath than the paralytic had allowed since being pricked, the vaguest suggestion of protest in its depths. ¡°Guardians, let us move quickly. She is as strong as we¡¯d predicted.¡± Callida was stripped bare and put in a thin, white ceremonial robe that tied closed in three places at the front for semi-decency so the male Guardians could return to the room. By the time they¡¯d finished dressing her, Callida was able to express her distress by pinching her face and controlling her breath in weak grunts and groans, and for that, her limbs were strapped down before she could gain control of them. ¡°It¡¯s alright, General,¡± the pretty Guardian soothed, stroking and smoothing Callida¡¯s unique hair away from her neck and face and into a cascading golden waterfall over the top of the stone table. ¡°This is for the greater good. Shh,¡± Callida was hushed before her desperate efforts to utter anything at all were successful. ¡°Stop,¡± she gasped, her neck arching backwards in a pathetic strain. ¡°Shh. Please, General, the more you fight us, the more it will hurt. We are not cruel. We do not wish to hurt you any more than absolutely necessary.¡± The tears were the involuntary product of helplessness despite the paralytic rapidly wearing off. ¡°Wha¡¯d¡¯you''ant?¡± ¡°We must confirm your destiny. If you are not what we predicted, you will be free to go.¡± ¡°Wha¡¯¡­ d¡¯you f¡¯ink¡­ I am?¡± ¡°All in good time.¡± ¡°No. Ans¡¯er now. Why¡¯re you doing this?¡± But the Guardian merely smiled gently at her, withdrawing a thin knife that seemed to be made of glass from a fur-lined, silver tray behind her, and for the first time, Callida caught a hint of green in the Guardian¡¯s dark eyes. ¡°Who are you?!¡± Callida demanded, her arms now testing their restraints. The knife moved to her throat, and Callida froze as the impossibly sharp blade barely glanced off her flesh but drew blood in a slow, steady trickle before the Guardian returned the knife to its tray. ¡°The more you fight, the more it will hurt,¡± the Guardian repeated herself quietly while Callida resumed fighting her restraints, causing the Guardian to sigh. ¡°Very well. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that you would choose the hardest path.¡± Callida fought with everything she had to no avail, and the Guardian lifted herself onto the table to straddle Callida¡¯s hips and set her palm against the bare skin of Callida¡¯s sternum. ¡°NO!¡± Callida shouted as she realized the Guardian¡¯s intentions. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! Don¡¯t¨C!¡± It was instant torture, and Callida¡¯s wolf was snarling viciously in her chest cavity as the Guardian forced the spiritual connection on her. The agony only intensified when the Guardian leaned down to lick and suck the blood trickling down the side of Callida¡¯s neck ¡ª the physical intimacy aiding the strength of the spiritual connection. Callida was certain that she was dying. Everything inside of her was fighting a brutal, intangible battle, thrashing and screaming, or maybe the screaming wasn¡¯t on the inside. The violating connection invading her chest seemed to rip and tear at her from the inside out, searching, hunting, exposing. Callida felt her consciousness drifting, the pain lessening slightly for it and giving her the opportunity to analyze the darkness lashing at her soul. Something in her chest moved to counter it, and that something was familiar. Goldie caught an offending tendril in her fangs, and the screaming became undeniably audible, echoing off the sterile stone walls of the temple. First, the pain lessened in an instant as the Guardian collapsed and sprawled across her, her palm no longer against Callida¡¯s chest. Second, blood dripping from an unknown source fell across Callida''s neck, joining the trickle of her own blood and somehow adding to Callida¡¯s control. And she was in control. The violating connection was hers, and Callida followed it from its place in her chest to a space where a fowl of white light lay battered, its wing crippled. There was no thought given about what happened next. Goldie, of her own volition, took the broken owl in her jaws and mercilessly killed it, shredded it, the white essence dissipating into nothing before Goldie was satisfied and the connection was broken. ¡°Pouli!¡± A very confused and disoriented Callida nauseously watched as the Guardian above her was lifted and cradled in another Guardian¡¯s arms ¡ª the male one with broad shoulders and a cut on his chest. ¡°Pouli! Oh, Primordials! What¡¯s wrong?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± the Guardian choked, tears streaking down cheeks already stained with the blood from her gushing nose. ¡°It¡¯s her: the Mother of Prophecy.¡± Whether the Guardian died or simply passed out, Callida wasn¡¯t sure, but two dramatic deaths in one day was two too many, and Callida found herself becoming angry for that reason alone. ¡°What do we do now?¡± a rattled Guardian asked the one cradling the limp spiritualist. ¡°Pouli said it¡¯s her. Now¡­ we end it.¡± He stood up and collected the ritual glass knife. Callida could see murder in his eyes, and she braced herself for the inevitable as his hands raised the knife above his head and over her heart. Thunk! Callida almost couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. The Guardian above her faltered, glancing at his chest to find an arrow lodged under his ribs, and just as comprehension entered his eyes, they went dark, his body toppling backwards and the knife shattering on the floor. Callida¡¯s head whipped around in time to watch Commanders Arum, Moro, and Baca charge into the room, swords drawn and quickly stained crimson, while another of her commanders, Commander Adjutus, took a handful of shots, picking off the Guardians closest to her before exchanging the bow for his own sword. Callida found herself grumbling (Primordials! The drama today is excessive!) rather than feeling grateful. She waited patiently for the slaughter to end before ribbing her concerned commanders about their dramatic entrance. ¡°¡®Cutting it a bit close, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Give us a break, General,¡± Arum chuckled darkly. ¡°A barely bloody knife and strip of cloth isn¡¯t much to go off of. You¡¯re lucky I was there when that one Guardian talked to you earlier today.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Your investigative skills are to be commended,¡± Callida rolled her eyes. ¡°And thank you for the rescue. Truly. Would you mind untying me now?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Arum became sheepish, and each of her commanders took a limb. ¡°So what happened, Animo? Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Arum.¡± ¡°Are you¡­ sure? How¡¯d they get the drop on you, and get you out of the camp without anyone hardly noticing while I was standing right outside your tent?¡± ¡°Drugged needle. Paralytic. And, I don¡¯t know. They were quick, likely created a back entrance in my tent, and they had horses,¡± Callida explained, rolling unsteadily off the table and onto her knees. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding!¡± Adjutus exclaimed, his hands fumbling for a handkerchief to press against Callida¡¯s throat. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of blood! Let me see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a small cut; not all of the blood is mine. I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied half-heartedly, accepting the handkerchief and redirecting her commanders¡¯ attention by reaching out to probe Pouli¡¯s neck for a pulse. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that,¡± she sighed. ¡°Sorry?¡± Arum frowned quizzically as she stood up, the scantiness of her robe feeling suddenly awkward. ¡°That¡¯s the Guardian from earlier today?¡± ¡°Yeah. And she¡¯s dead, but look closely. Notice anything¡­ odd?¡± Arum moved closer and crouched down. ¡°She¡¯s not injured ¡ª I mean, apart from a nasty nosebleed. But we never hit her!¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Callida confirmed, her eyes narrowing pensively, the struggle to make sense of the night¡¯s events ponderous. ¡°General, what¡¯s significant about¡­ this?¡± Moro asked shrewdly. ¡°Why¡¯d a bunch of Guardians kidnap you and try to kill you? Was this some sort of sick human sacrifice?¡± ¡°¡®No idea, but if they thought they were sacrificing an unblemished virgin or something, they were going to be disappointed,¡± Callida snorted as her commanders blushed. ¡°I¡¯d kind of like to get my own clothes back on. ¡®Excuse me a minute?¡± ¡°General,¡± Arum snatched at her arm before she could run away, meeting her eyes with deep, probing concern in his, ¡°you are alright, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, Arum. I¡¯m ok.¡± He released her, but shared a furtive glance with her other Commanders. Callida ignored their worries and located her uniform folded neatly on a ceremonial table. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Leaving the main chamber, she found a small, nearby room in which to change while her mind unproductively struggled to process the trauma of the evening, and the detached part of herself mused that many tears would eventually be shed over tonight. She was about to leave when something caught her eye. It was a genealogical chart going back over eight hundred years and emblazoned with the symbol of a serpentine dragon in one corner, the most recent generation listed bore the names Chikitsak Yudha and Shouzi Lang with a long line beneath them blotted out in black ink and then labeled off to the side: ¡°surviving child ¡ª unknown rogue Alpha wolf¡±. Callida glanced between the dragon symbol in the corner and the black family crest ring on her finger. It matched perfectly. Rogue? What in the Primordials'' names does all of this have to do with my husband?! *** They were late. The Lion Tribe troops were growing anxious. Upon arrival, Callida and her commanders were immediately ushered to a table at the center of the crowd where a goblet made its way into her hands before she could even find her seat. ¡°Would you like to say a few words, General?¡± Callida¡¯s distracted search for a seat halted as abruptly as the surge of embarrassment colored her cheeks. Everyone was looking at her, their own cups at the ready. Bewildered, Callida turned to her nearest commander. ¡°They¡¯re expecting a toast, General,¡± Baca whispered. Crap. She took a moment to settle her nerves and gather her thoughts while scanning the expectant faces all around her. Some of them sported injuries: bandages, slings, and splints holding them together. Some of them looked as exhausted as she felt. Some of them appeared battered from the inside out. The weight of it all hit hard despite the fact that this was supposed to be a victory feast. ¡°Gentlemen¨C¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± Arum cleared his throat behind her. ¡°Louder, General,¡± he whispered and then winked. She exhaled and then sucked in a deep breath to help her project. ¡°GENTLEMEN¡­ HERE WE ARE ON THE EVE OF PEACE!¡± Her men shouted a brief cheer. ¡°YOU¡¯VE SACRIFICED MUCH TO GET US HERE. It¡¯s been a hard year,¡± she added soberly to herself. ¡°AS WE RAISE OUR CUPS, LET US REMEMBER THOSE WHOSE BLOOD PAID FOR THIS VICTORY.¡± She had to stop to swallow a hardening lump in her throat. ¡°THIS IS THEIR DAY!¡± The tears fell anyway. She made the mistake of trying to quell them before continuing, and suddenly she was fighting heaving sobs. One hand moved to clasp the burdened chain recently returned to her neck; the other raised her glass as words failed. ¡°To our fallen,¡± she choked and turned to beg for help from Arum with her eyes. ¡°TO OUR FALLEN COMRADES!¡± he shouted, and everyone drank heavily from their cups. Except Callida. Clasping her cup to her heart, the young general instead watched the faces of her men as they each personalized her dedication with their individual grief. A metal band on the goblet clinked gently against her necklace bearing the family crest rings of her own fallen family members and close friends. Victory was expensive. The gloom established by her toast was gradually replaced with the laughter of a celebratory feast despite the alcohol being rationed and otherwise in short supply, but Callida didn¡¯t feel like celebrating. While her commanders conversed jovially over dinner, she bowed out, allowing herself to be swallowed by the raucous chaos on her way to her tent. Beyond the throngs of triumphant soldiers, the wall of tents enveloped her and muffled the din of the feast as she slipped away unnoticed. Or so she thought. ¡°Animo? Where are you going?¡± She spun on her heel to find Arum scowling at her. ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± was her lame reply. His frown deepened as he crossed the distance between them. ¡°It¡¯s a party. We¡¯re celebrating the end of this campaign. You should be there, General¡­ with them¡­ with us.¡± She shook her head, the grief, the pain, the trauma all too raw and unprocessed. ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± she repeated quietly. The weight of his hand fell against her shoulder as he sighed loudly. ¡°Animo, what really happened in the temple today? What did they do to you?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± she deflected, her eyes seeking an escape from his probing. ¡°Why are you lying to me?¡± Looking up, Callida nearly cowered beneath his earnestness. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. Nothing happened.¡± He sighed again, his forehead pinching as though he were debating something. ¡°We could hear you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We heard screaming,¡± he clarified. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± she said, arms crossing defiantly in front of her. ¡°Really?¡± Arum¡¯s eyes narrowed in suspicion as he studied her every microexpression. ¡°Really. You were hearing the Guardian ¡ª the one we met this morning who died from an apparent bloody nose?¡± He took a small step forward, entering whispering range. ¡°There were two screams, Animo. Two distinctly different cries one right after the other. The first one sounded like you.¡± Holding his gaze became suddenly harder. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± Callida insisted, and Arum sighed again, breaking eye contact to glare at a point in the distance. ¡°It freaked us out, General. It sounded like you were being tortured. It sounded like they were killing you.¡± ¡°Arum, I don¡¯t know what you heard, but it wasn¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you off the hook tonight so you can go sulk in your tent, but I know you¡¯re lying to me. I guess¡­ let me know when you¡¯re ready to come clean.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to come clean about,¡± she huffed. Arum merely continued to stare anxiously ¡ª knowingly ¡ª at her. ¡°Goodnight, General. Don¡¯t get kidnapped again.¡± 5 - Home The next few months passed unremarkably. Callida kept her promise and helped Skiasmenos to ascend the throne with minimal difficulty ¡ª a king who readily agreed that his brother¡¯s demands for her to marry him were unreasonable ¡ª and through weeks of negotiations, the Griffin-Lion War ended in a tense but peaceful resolution. As a part of that resolution, the griffins buried the temple massacre and pretended that it never happened. Meanwhile, Callida passed another birthday and easily missed her two year anniversary with Rogue. He¡¯s going to be so mad. The march back to Astu Centralis felt surreal and somehow anticlimactic after a year of vicious fighting. Standard procedures suggested that all soldiers returning from war should pass through the palace military base before taking leave, but Callida found that a little ridiculous and dismissed soldiers as they passed through or near their hometowns with the request that they report to the palace base sometime in the next month either for honorable dismissal or reassignment. For the first time in decades, the Lion Tribe wasn¡¯t at war (even though the Griffin-Lion War specifically had only lasted six years), so the Lion Tribe was probably looking at downsizing their military ¡ª something to discuss with the Lion King and his council. They were down to the last few miles, and Callida¡¯s eagerness to get home was only matched by those of her soldiers that had their own families ¡ª soldiers like Commander Vir who had a wife and two daughters (one that he¡¯d never even met) ¡ª to get home to. ¡°Primordials,¡± Vir¡¯s antsy shuffling made Callida laugh. ¡°It just feels like forever! It¡¯s been a year and a half since I¡¯ve been home. That¡¯s a long time for a small child, or for someone to raise two babies by herself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they miss you. Do you think Callida will recognize you?¡± ¡°I¡­ hope so,¡± Vir grimaced. ¡°She¡¯s almost five now?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yeah. You keep a better track of that than I do. I keep forgetting that you¡¯re her domina.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to do when I¡¯m always absent,¡± Callida sighed in self-deprecation. ¡°No more absent than me,¡± Vir said a little bitterly. ¡°Hey, with the war over, that won¡¯t be the case much longer, and I¡¯m sure they understand. I know Ancora does, and she will be telling those little girls all about their brave daddy fighting to protect them,¡± Callida smiled gently and nudged his shoulder. ¡°Are you excited to meet Valeni? She¡¯s about a year old, right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ and yeah ¡ª born a year ago¡­. What¡¯s today¡¯s date?¡± ¡°Uh, June 11th? I think?¡± ¡°Valeni¡¯s birthday is tomorrow! Primordials! I get to be there for her first birthday!¡± Vir realized with a hand to his forehead in disbelief. And he was gone, lost in his own little world of fatherhood, trying to come up with a gift idea for his baby. Callida chuckled, a giddy sensation bubbling in her gut at the first glimpse of Astu Centralis entering their view as the army rounded a bend in the road. Home. Some of her men whooped with excitement, the collective pace quickening by degree with the promise of warm hugs, comfortable beds, and home-cooked meals just another two miles away. What they hadn¡¯t expected was that the city was waiting for them. The triumphal return of the tribe¡¯s heroes was greeted by the celebratory roar of cheers and applause as the army funneled through the streets in an impromptu parade they hadn¡¯t realized they¡¯d signed up for. Callida spread the orders through the ranks that soldiers were allowed to break formation to greet loved ones, and each emotional reunion was met with localized explosions of celebration. ¡°Vir, isn¡¯t that Ancora?¡± Callida pointed his wife out to him and joyfully watched as Vir ran to throw his arms around her and kiss his little girls. More cheering. ¡°Animo, I see my parents!¡± Arum said excitedly in her right ear. ¡°Well, go!¡± She shoved him, and Arum grinned, breaking into a jog to hug his mother first and then his father. The march to the palace was a steady string of joyful tears, and Callida grew increasingly anxious for her own highly-anticipated reunions. They reached the gates of the palace, a prepared guard falling into step with what remained of the enormous army, guiding them not to the palace military base, but instead to the palace itself. Callida followed them irritably, just another side quest away from her home located on the base. The great stairs leading up to the front doors of the palace presented themselves, palace guards lining the edges as a sign of respect. Callida looked up to see familiar faces ¡ª her good friend, His Majesty Verum Rex, beaming down at her, to his left his wife and queen, another dear friend, Flore Rex, and off to the side¡­. Callida¡¯s heart stuttered. Black, wild hair, and a playful smirk that made her feel weak at the knees for how badly she¡¯d missed it ¡ª Rogue. She forgot that there was anyone else in the world and took the long flight of stairs two at a time in a sprint that ignored all conventions and all other people and ended with him. The inability to decide what needed to be said or done first resulted in frantic, desperate kisses that couldn¡¯t focus on any one location of his face and tears she hadn¡¯t known she needed to shed. And when kisses couldn¡¯t satisfy, Callida settled into an embrace secured by her death grip around his neck where she sobbed, the release, the longing coming to a head all at once. She couldn¡¯t let go. She couldn¡¯t make herself let go, and Rogue didn¡¯t rush her with one arm holding her close so the other hand could gently embed itself in her hair. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you,¡± he whispered, his breath fluttering the stray strands by her ear, and Callida¡¯s arms constricted just a bit more around his neck in reply, drinking in the scent of pine and medicinal herbs that she so strongly associated with him. ¡°M¡¯lady, look at me.¡± She pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, and Rogue looked her over, carefully soaking in every detail of her face. ¡°Primordials, you are so beautiful.¡± Callida snorted. She couldn¡¯t help it. With a scarred, currently tear-swollen face, and otherwise long, lanky, barely feminine features, Callida was anything but vain about her appearance, but she knew what he meant. This was his way of saying ¡°I love you.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°I love you too.¡± Rocking onto the balls of her feet, Rogue met her halfway, and Callida soaked in every moment of the connection, finally relaxing into his gentle, steadying, but no less passionate way of kissing her. ¡°Ahem.¡± Callida unwillingly pulled away, turning around and finally remembering that they had an audience ¡ª a literal army of people watching them, the throat clearer only one of tens of thousands. ¡°General, let¡¯s make this brief, so you can get back to¡­ that.¡± Verum smirked, his eyes darting towards Rogue. Callida accepted his terms with a small nod, returning to the head of the army to distractedly hear but not listen to Verum¡¯s very short speech praising the military and blah, blah, blah. She had but one objective, and as soon as Verum had said his piece and dismissed the military, Callida beelined back into Rogue¡¯s arms, snatching his wrist to drag him home where they could continue catching up without an audience. ¡°Callida! Before you disappear,¡± Verum¡¯s voice cut through the chaotic noise of a dispersing crowd, ¡°well done. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°Thank you, Verum.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not expecting to see you again until tomorrow for the standard council meeting and debriefing. I¡¯ll try to keep things short,¡± he said with a knowing smirk and another glance in Rogue¡¯s direction, ¡°but we do have a lot of housekeeping to work through.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Callida stated shortly. ¡°Of course you are,¡± Verum chuckled. ¡°¡®See you tomorrow.¡± *** Rogue felt truly relaxed for the first time since Callida had left. Shyaam was basking in the afterglow of reconnecting with his Beta, and that radiating contentment left him feeling sleepy and fulfilled in a way he¡¯d forgotten was even possible. He loved the way Callida got snuggly afterwards too, her slender frame finding every gap in his posture, filling the spaces and literally molding herself into the puzzle piece that fit his. And his contentment only grew with the citrusy scent of her hair filling his nose and the methodical and disciplined deescalating breathing pattern flush against his still erratically panting chest. It was in this moment that he was reminded why he had missed her so much and why it had hurt so badly to be separated. When compared to this blissful togetherness, the last fourteen months needing what was nowhere to be found had felt like a living hell. Callida sighed heavily, releasing a deep breath that his own body mimicked, his palm moving to her sternum in the habit of letting Shyaam and Goldie connect in the still after-moments under less chaotic circumstances. And Callida flinched. ¡°Callida?¡± Rogue withdrew with a sudden twisting in his gut, trying to meet and read her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Callida quickly breathed an anxious apology, but Rogue couldn¡¯t help but notice the way her breathing had once again accelerated. The twisting in his gut clenched with the arrival of a deep fear and the memory of a violent, unexplained panic attack that had rattled him to his very core and seemed to stem from some instinctive knowledge that Callida was in terrible, life-threatening trouble just a few months prior. Why that memory was surfacing now, he couldn¡¯t explain, but something about it seemed to make sense in the ambiguity of his concerns. He tried again, extending his hand more slowly, hurting that, while she didn¡¯t flinch exactly, she remained tense as though bracing against expected pain. ¡°Callida, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said, forcing a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just been a while.¡± She¡¯s lying! Why is she lying?! His wolf, Shyaam, growled anxiously, and Rogue was compelled to pull further away from her, propping himself up so he could look her more directly in the eyes. The inexplicable fear that he saw looking back at him had Shyaam in instant hysteria. Possessiveness, protectiveness, fury. Shyaam¡¯s instincts were rarely wrong, and Rogue had come to rely upon them over the years, but for Callida to fear him in this moment of raw, vulnerable intimacy¡­. A hatred like none he¡¯d ever felt before had him trembling with a blistering lust for blood. ¡°Who touched you?! Who violated you?!¡± She turned away from him as her eyes filled with tears, that disciplined soldier''s breathing returning in an effort to keep her emotions from surfacing. ¡°Callida,¡± he hissed, struggling to tamp down his anger into something more benign, ¡°what happened?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t explain it,¡± she barely whispered, her voice hitching with the strain of keeping it even. ¡°They, u-um¡­. Temple Guardians forced me into some sort of ritual involving a¡­ um, a spiritualist.¡± A shuddery breath. ¡°She was looking for something¡­ i-in me.¡± ¡°She forced a connection,¡± Rogue snarled lowly. ¡°She hurt you? Enough that now any connection makes you wary? Even a connection with me?!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Callida shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Qiangde there was nothing I could do and I can¡¯t help it now,¡± she rambled in a sudden gush without any inflection to indicate syntax. ¡°You fought?¡± ¡°I did everything I could,¡± Callida nodded, her tears breaking free, ripping his heart apart. ¡°What was she looking for?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t get to ask. She, um, she died¡­ immediately after the connection was severed. Her last words¡­. She called me the ¡®Mother of Prophecy¡¯, and that meant something to the rest of them. They planned to kill me, but my men got there in time to rescue me before they could.¡± He studied her face, searching it, finding pain and trauma behind the measured calm and learned composure of a career killer, and he ached to comfort her, to take that fear and hurt away from her. ¡°Primordials, Callida, come here,¡± he said, drawing her close, very intentionally creating a safe space where she could grieve and process without judgment, waiting until her tears had lessened before adding, ¡°I¡¯ve got you. Be still.¡± His hand moved to the space between her shoulder blades, and Callida instantly settled against the weight of his hand and the comfort he was offering her with his unique ability to soothe even the most worked-up animal spirit. While Callida¡¯s body relaxed against his, Goldie too seemed to shudder with the release of trauma, and Rogue had to very consciously not get upset before his wife had a chance to fully settle. But as soon as she was asleep, Rogue¡¯s thoughts turned murderous. Shyaam was baying for blood, the fact that her assaulters were already dead somehow thwarting his need for vengeance. This contempt and utter hatred were new to him at these caustic depths. Never before had he wanted to inflict pain so badly, a realization that left him feeling a little unsettled for the conflict with his already well-established self-perception. He was a naturally gifted healer who had studied and experimented with ways to relieve suffering. Maybe he needed to adjust his identity to include the caveat of ¡°healer unless you hurt my wife¡±. This bitter thought was chased by a callous smugness pushed forward by Shyaam: unless you hurt my Beta. 6 - New Normal Callida woke up to the first light of morning like she always did, nervous to open her eyes for fear that it had all been nothing more than a dream. Instead, she took a deep breath, probing the air for the smells that could prepare her for either eventuality, her entire being suddenly giddy to catch the subtle scents of pine and medicinal herbs that could only mean one thing. And her eyes snapped open, lips parting in a broad smile to see Rogue still very much asleep on the pillow next to her. She indulged for just a moment, watching him sleep until habit compelled her to get up and start her day. A gentle brush of the tip of his nose with her lips, and Callida rolled out of bed, careful not to take the blankets with her. She washed quickly in an adjoining bathroom and pulled on one of the untouched uniforms from her wardrobe long ago abandoned for deployment. Porro¡¯s been busy, Callida mused as her wardrobe was now crammed full with cleverly-designed, unique uniforms she¡¯d never seen before prepared for her by her personal stylist. I¡¯ll have to thank him. She was loath to leave, but meetings with the king¡¯s council started early and she had an entire wrap-up presentation to prepare about the end of the war and the terms she¡¯d negotiated with King Skiasmenos Thisavros, not to mention a formal report of recommendation for how to proceed with military matters now that the war against the Griffin Tribe was over. She sighed, quietly circled the bed to leave a last kiss on Rogue¡¯s endearingly wild bedhead, and left. The morning air was cool despite the promise of June heat beating down later that day. Callida actually shivered a little when a gentle breeze rolled lazily over her body, the goosebumps giving her senses a reason to rouse themselves more fully, and it was energizing. The walk through the still mostly quiet base was weirdly nostalgic, as was unlocking and entering the Lion General¡¯s office, her office, found exactly how she¡¯d left it over fourteen months ago. Primordials! Has it really been that long?! Callida settled into the seat at her desk, rifling through drawers, kicking up decades worth of ink and parchment smells along with a settled layer of dust. She coughed. First things first: dusting! While she wiped down the cases of books, the decorative weaponry on the walls, the desk, furniture, and a small mantle clean of buildup, Callida organized her thoughts, thinking through the main points she needed to address in her presentation to the king, deciding which points weren¡¯t worth the council¡¯s time, and mentally preparing to return to the routine of daily public presentations that still made her squirm after three years as the Lion General. To be fair, nearly half of that time had been spent on the front lines of one war or another. Oh, it was going to be so weird not being at war! Callida had been a soldier her entire life ¡ª at war her entire life. Yes, literally. This was all she knew, and she was the type of person that needed to stay busy. She¡¯d always hoped to see the world at peace; she¡¯d worked tirelessly to make that a reality. But now that the world was at peace¡­. What do I do? *** Presentation and all related materials in hand, Callida walked to the palace. The base was still eerily quiet, and then she remembered that she¡¯d given her soldiers permission to go home, connect with loved ones, only to return sometime in the next month to declare intentions to either stay in the military or accept an honorable discharge and return home. The only soldiers left on the base were those directly responsible for the security of the palace ¡ª the palace guards, and they rotated through around the clock duty shifts, alternating sleeping and training schedules with other units. An irrational anxiety was building in Callida¡¯s chest. Things were changing. For the better!! But things were changing, and Callida, a creature of well-trained habit, a career soldier who always woke up at the crack of dawn, started her day promptly, followed the routine of meetings and trainings and the comfortable teasing of her comrades and the camaraderie of literal armies of people and meals in mess halls and¡­. And some of that would stay the same. Right? She went up the great sandstone staircase, through the massive double doors into the palace, straight down a hallway lined with carved pillars to another pair of doors symbolically gilded with gold, and into the throne room ¡ª domed glass above, the council seating to the right, her preferred place to stand to the left against a tapestry-ornamented stone wall, the thrones, three of them in a panel of distinguished seating, directly ahead. This room held many memories, most of them uncomfortable, many of them painful. It was a room in which she¡¯d grown both professionally and personally, and for that, it held significance and a place of importance in her heart. ¡°Callida! Good morning!¡± Verum greeted her warmly. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she reciprocated, dropping to one knee in the formal bow of a Lion Tribe soldier to her king, her arms forming a great circle in front of her. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Verum asked, and the tease was subtle enough that only Callida caught it. ¡°Yes,¡± she sassed and rolled her eyes. ¡°How have you been, Verum?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been impressed by your reports,¡± he deflected casually, and Callida¡¯s eyes narrowed, making a mental note to return to the question of his welfare in a more private setting. ¡°Would you like to start us off today, General?¡± ¡°I¡­ could,¡± Callida agreed, and Verum chuckled knowing full well that ¡°like¡± was too strong of a word for her preferences. The report itself was concise; the question and answer session that followed was anything but. It was in these moments that Callida was infinitely grateful all over again to be a soldier and to not be the king. Sitting here, watching the council members compete for their opinions and ideas and questions and comments to be the most well received and praised, listening to them argue over inconsequential details, fielding interminably nit-picking, nuanced questions that held very little importance¡­. Callida would go insane in this environment for any period of time greater than the already mandated military council she was responsible to officiate. Oh, make it stop! Callida grumbled internally, her hands rubbing her forehead in agitation after the sixth question about the exact terms of the abdication of the former Griffin King (who was dead!!) and the rise of his only living heir. How was this so complicated?! The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for today,¡± Verum cut off the questions abruptly as Callida¡¯s obvious glazed-over look seemed to be provoking the councilmen into vexation. ¡°Gentlemen, let¡¯s take an hour recess for lunch. General, welcome home. And thank you for a most thorough report.¡± Callida¡¯s lips pursed, tightening to prevent an offensive smirk from forming. ¡°Callida, would you like to catch up over lunch?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got some time,¡± Callida nodded, following Verum and his bodyguard, one Captain Pius, out the door and through a stretch of hallways to a small dining room. ¡°¡®Care to join me?¡± Verum asked, quirking an eyebrow at her and nodding at an adjacent seat. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to eat, but I¡¯ll sit with you, sure. ¡®Catch up,¡± she said significantly. ¡°Pius, would you mind standing outside the door? I¡¯ll call you in when I need you.¡± While Pius nodded, Verum slouched back into his seat with a heavy sigh, the door thudding quietly shut the trigger for him to start speaking. ¡°Alright. Let me have it.¡± ¡°You avoided my question earlier: how are you?¡± Verum sighed again and leaned forward to set his elbows on the table and run his fingers through his hair. The action released the familiar scent of spices that Callida easily picked up and made her smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ how to explain myself.¡± ¡°Oh, this will be good,¡± Callida snorted, leaning back in her seat to cross her arms. ¡°What did you do this time?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be flippant with¡­. It¡¯s not like that, Callida. This is serious.¡± ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry,¡± she sobered immediately. ¡°What did you mean then?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, but I¡¯ve been married for three and a half years and I have yet to become a father.¡± ¡°I had noticed,¡± Callida said slowly, ¡°but I thought things between you and Flore were going well.¡± ¡°They are. That¡¯s¡­. It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°Ok. Then¡­?¡± Verum growled, using frustration to cover other emotions. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. Flore is beside herself, the council is at my throat trying to convince me that I need to take a mistress, and I don¡¯t want to do that to her. Not after¡­. She¡¯s been through enough.¡± ¡°You mean¡­ that first year?¡± ¡°No. I mean¡­ ok, well that, yes, but, Callida, it¡¯s not that Flore can¡¯t get pregnant,¡± Verum said, staring at the floor. ¡°This stays between us.¡± Callida nodded and Verum continued, ¡°Flore just lost another pregnancy last month.¡± ¡°Another? How many has she lost?¡± ¡°That we know of, this one makes five.¡± ¡°Five?!¡± Callida¡¯s shock was quickly replaced by sympathetic hurt. His face pinched, his eyes avoiding the contact that would overflow his tears. ¡°The thing is, they¡¯re not normal miscarriages. Well¡­. The couple that she lost early, like two or even three months in, the doctors say is fairly common. The theory is that that happens when there is something wrong with the baby, but the other three¡­. Callida, Flore is losing pregnancies six, seven months in. And the babies come out¡­ perfect,¡± he said through a shuddery breath. ¡°Does she go into labor too early?¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s the thing. She just starts hemorrhaging! The doctors don¡¯t know what to make of it, and¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do. It¡¯s not the getting pregnant that¡¯s the problem. It¡¯s the staying pregnant, and Flore is healthy and young. It doesn¡¯t make sense. And when it happens that late, it doesn¡¯t feel like losing just a pregnancy, you know? Not that that doesn¡¯t hurt, because it does. But when it happens that late, it feels like losing a child.¡± ¡°Oh, Verum. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Callida said quietly, setting a comforting hand against his arm and gnawing on her bottom lip while Verum fought a little harder to not break down. ¡°I know you probably don¡¯t want to hear this, but have you considered that maybe this isn¡¯t¡­ spontaneous?¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking foul play? Poison or something?¡± Callida nodded, and Verum seemed to deflate. ¡°Yeah. That was one of the first things I looked into after Flore lost her first late term pregnancy. The thing is, I don¡¯t know how anyone would get to her. We¡¯ve been so, so careful ¡ª especially these last two pregnancies.¡± ¡°Do you want me to look into it?¡± Callida volunteered, and Verum appraised her ¡ª cautiously so his tears wouldn¡¯t fall. ¡°If you¡¯d be willing¡­.¡± ¡°Consider it done.¡± She stood up with a gentle smile and nod to reassure him, only to take a knee again in a formal bow. "Your Majesty." He snorted and waved her off with a roll of his eyes. "Dismissed, General." She stood up wearing a smirk and headed to the door. "Callida?" She paused with her hand on the knob, glancing over her shoulder to acknowledge him. "It''s good to have you back." Another nod, and Callida walked out. 7 - Out of Place She was lost in thought. He could tell because she wasn¡¯t paying much attention to her surroundings, the space between her eyebrows was furrowed, and her lips were manifesting some internal dialogue with barely there twitching. Rogue waited until she¡¯d walked past the shrub he was peeking around before bravely (or perhaps foolishly) risking his life to sneak up on her. His arm snatched at her waist from behind while he playfully growled in her ear, and Callida gasped from the jumpscare, whipped around, throwing an elbow that Rogue narrowly avoided, and got kissed. With his fingers against her neck, Rogue could feel the adrenaline pumping through her bloodstream while her fight or flight caught up to the harmlessness of reality, the rapid thumping of her heartbeat slowing gradually until it synchronized with the rhythm of their canoodling. ¡°Why did you have to do that?¡± Callida accused when Rogue broke off the kissing in favor of a hug. He just chuckled, squeezing her around her waist a little more snugly before letting go to lace his fingers through hers. ¡°Qiangde, what¡¯s your plan for today?¡± ¡°Harass my wife. All day,¡± he needled impishly. ¡°Really?¡± Callida deadpanned, eventually rolling her eyes when he merely winked at her. ¡°Come on, Callida. You just got back! Besides, what else am I supposed to do?¡± he whined in what he hoped was a tease, but in reality hid a much deeper frustration. ¡°Well, what have you been doing for the last¡­ however long I was gone?¡± He huffed, the bitterness seeping into his voice against his will, leaving him to feel guilty when Callida planted her feet and pulled him to a stop so she could watch his face more carefully. ¡°I¡­ whiled away missing you?¡± he offered coyly, his over-used smirk cropping up as an unconscious shield, and Callida¡¯s scowl hardened. Crap, he sighed to himself, his smirk failing when he remembered that Callida was the only person in the world with enough personal confidence and insight to see right through his mask. ¡°You¡¯re bored. More than that, you¡¯re floundering still,¡± Callida deconstructed him with unnerving accuracy. ¡°You still haven¡¯t found a purpose.¡± He sighed again and dropped his head, shaking it in defeat. ¡°I thought you were going to work on that while I was gone! Rogue, look at me,¡± she scolded gently, and Rogue cautiously lifted his face, anxious about the disappointment he might find on hers. What he saw was concern ¡ª which wasn¡¯t better; he dropped his gaze again. ¡°Rogue, talk to me. What¡¯s going on?¡± She drew closer, wheedling him into talking with her head snuggling against his shoulder and her hand pressing in a subtle massage against his chest where Shyaam, at least, prepared to spill their every inner thought to her. ¡°Callida,¡± Rogue captured the seductive hand at his chest so she couldn¡¯t continue directly appealing to Shyaam, ¡°it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t try. I studied every medical text I could get my hands on, I applied to work at the base hospital and the palace hospital and the handful of hospitals and medical centers I could find in town. None of them recognized my skill set. I mean, a spiritualist healer without owl ancestry?! And none of them felt comfortable hiring...¡± ¡°... a former bandit?¡± Callida supplied. ¡°N-... sure.¡± ¡°The Lion General¡¯s husband?¡± she tried again, and Rogue involuntarily deflated a little. ¡°So that¡¯s it. And you¡¯re just giving up?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t my world, Callida,¡± he shrugged defeat. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the social rules here, and I don¡¯t¡­ see how¡­.¡± He was already struggling for words when he made the mistake of meeting her eyes, and suddenly he couldn¡¯t hardly remember what he was trying to say. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at you like what?¡± she asked softly, something in her tone changing to become unintentionally sultry. And the way her eyes glanced up at him without her head tilting back ¡ª those rich, caramel brown eyes¡­. ¡°Callida, I¡­.¡± Citrus oil. Gold hair twisted around his fingers. Her hands gripping his belt to keep him in place. The way she anxiously bit into her lower lip while she hung on his every word. Yeah. He couldn¡¯t remember what they¡¯d been talking about. ¡°I just want you to be happy,¡± she whispered. ¡°How can I help? I can¡­ vouch for you to the hospitals? But you said you wanted to do this on your own. Is that still the case? Because it would be easy enough for me to write a letter or even go visit someone personally, but I don¡¯t want to overstep. This is your life, so tell me what you need from me.¡± He¡¯d been aware that she was still talking, troubleshooting ways around the roadblocks to his intended career and offering her help, but he was too distracted to really internalize any of it. ¡°Be still, M¡¯lady,¡± he cut her off as his hand found her chin, lifting it a little while his thumb delicately stroked the curve of her bottom lip. ¡°This. This is what I need from you.¡± He tugged her into a tangle of limbs, eventually lifting her into his arms where, predictably, her legs secured themselves around his waist. ¡°Primordials, I¡¯ve missed this.¡± Carrying her into a deep corner of the estate gardens, he found a stone bench on which to lay her down, escalating things by degree as the euphoria built upon itself. ¡°Qiangde, slow down.¡± She giggled as Rogue comically puffed and flopped over the top of her as though she¡¯d literally just burst his bubble, and despite the letdown, Rogue grinned at the sound. ¡°Don¡¯t we need to talk about things?¡± He groaned and rolled off of both Callida and the bench to sprawl in the grass and whimper petulantly. ¡°Such drama!¡± Callida laughed, rolling off the bench herself to sit cross-legged on the grass next to him and poke at his ribs. ¡°Hey! Cut that out!¡± Rogue grabbed at her wrists, eventually sitting up to return her rib poking for tickling that quickly had her writhing and scrambling to get away from him. ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± She shrieked through peals of unbidden laughter when his grip on her wrists proved too strong for her to break free of while being tickled. Rogue tackled her, and they ended where they¡¯d started with Callida on her back while Rogue tried for a second time to escalate their makeout into something more. ¡°Primordials, Rogue!¡± Callida laughed and rolled him over so she could take control. ¡°You have a one-track mind today.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°You abandoned me for over a year, and you just got back yesterday!¡± he protested. ¡°Cut me some slack.¡± ¡°Mn,¡± Callida hummed to herself through a flirty smirk playing on lips that she was keeping just an inch too far away to kiss. ¡°Then talk to me.¡± ¡°Callida,¡± he whined, ¡°can¡¯t we talk later?¡± ¡°No,¡± she replied coolly. ¡°Consider this your incentive.¡± ¡°What incentive?¡± he frowned. Her smirk grew. ¡°Talk first, and I¡¯ll make it worth your while.¡± ¡°I hope this isn¡¯t how you negotiated world peace with King Thisavros,¡± Rogue laughed. ¡°Well¡­ not exactly,¡± she grinned, and even though he knew it was a tease, Rogue still prickled, and the look of smug triumph on her face told him that she was delighted to be getting a reaction out of him. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?!¡± ¡°At one point they tried to persuade me to divorce you or have you killed so I could remarry and become the Griffin Queen.¡± Rogue pushed himself up into a sitting position so fast¡­. ¡°They--!! They what?!¡± Callida merely laughed and leaned in in a failed attempt to kiss him. ¡°Callida, are you serious? They wanted you to¡­ to be the queen?!¡± ¡°Is that really so surprising? The Lion and Griffin Tribes both use political marriages regularly to patch otherwise shoddy diplomatic efforts. At the time, the Griffin Tribe capital had just been beaten into submission by the Lion Tribe military, and a young woman was at the head of that army. The rising king was unmarried and needed help securing his position on the throne, and a marriage between the Griffin King and the Lion General would certainly be an efficient way to both stabilize his position and ensure that a peace treaty was reached with the Lion Tribe.¡± ¡°And you were tempted?¡± Rogue asked coldly to which Callida snorted. ¡°No. Not even a little bit. I am very, very happily married.¡± She was leaning in to kiss him again, but the mood was gone. Rogue pulled away to stand up and grumble to himself, and Callida stood up behind him. ¡°Rogue?¡± ¡°How many does that make?¡± ¡°How many what?¡± ¡°Thrones. How many thrones have you been offered now?¡± Rogue turned to glare the heat of his jealousy at her. ¡°Rogue¨C¡± ¡°Three? Is that what you¡¯re up to? The Wolf, Lion, and now Griffin Tribes?! Or have there been others that I just don¡¯t know about?!¡± ¡°Now, hold on,¡± Callida¡¯s tease had changed to a frown. ¡°Are you accusing me of something? Because if you are accusing me of something, let¡¯s hash this out right now before it turns into¡­ something else.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not accusing you of anything!¡± Rogue glowered, feeling the tides of resentment swelling despite efforts to sweep them to the side. ¡°So you¡¯re jealous.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve never had the exes conversation,¡± Rogue found himself blundering foolishly onward. ¡°I mean, not really. I know that you have a history with the Wolf Tribe Alpha and the Lion Tribe King. I know that you, by happenstance or choice, saved intimacy for marriage. I know about a few other guys you dated¡­. But Callida, apart from the end result of those relationships, I know nothing about your¡­ before me!¡± ¡°And you want to know? Why?¡± ¡°I need to know what I¡¯m up against.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re up against?!¡± Callida laughed dismissively and drew him into a hug that he accepted with protest. ¡°You aren¡¯t ¡®up against¡¯ anything or anyone! You are mine! I chose you. Out of everyone, I chose you. And I¡¯ve chosen you again and again since then. Every day.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve had choices,¡± Rogue stubbornly clung to his insecurities. ¡°You have choices.¡± ¡°After meeting you, I couldn''t even look anywhere else. And I tried, Qiangde. Believe me, I tried. We were on opposite sides of the Great War! You were fighting for the Resistance; I was fighting for the main tribes; I couldn¡¯t imagine a scenario in which a relationship with you could work. But I guess the Primordials had better imaginations,¡± she said, leaning in to try and kiss him again, and this time, he allowed it. ¡°So when the war was ending ¡ª when I saw you again at that first peace meeting ¡ª I didn¡¯t hesitate. Because I already knew that I wanted you. And I still love you more than anything and more than anyone.¡± He sighed, willing himself to find solace in her reassurance and to let go of his jealousy¡­ for now. ¡°You wanted to talk about finding something for me to do?¡± he changed the subject. She smiled. ¡°You still want to be a healer, right?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°How good are you at caring for pregnant women and delivering babies?¡± ¡°Uh, I¡¯ve delivered quite a few, actually. Why?¡± ¡°Because¡­ I have need of a doctor for a mission, and I need someone that I can trust.¡± ¡°M¡¯lady¡­ are you trying to tell me something?¡± he asked, a frown forming between his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯ve only been back a day. If you¡¯re¡­ expecting¨C¡± ¡°Oh, no, Rogue! Not me!¡± ¡°Not you?¡± ¡°No! Oh, Primordials, no! I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m still not ready for¡­ for that. I only just got back from a war, and I need to make sure that the peace treaty sticks, and I need to settle into whatever this new routine is going to be and¡­.¡± She stopped, her eyes widening at him a little. ¡°Are¡­ are you saying that you¡¯re ready?!¡± Rogue flushed, feeling suddenly embarrassed and strangely giddy. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before: when to start our family needs to be your choice.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not opposed to the idea,¡± Callida read between the lines a little too well, and Rogue felt somehow exposed. ¡°You want a baby?¡± ¡°I¡­. Like you said, I¡¯m not opposed to the idea, but I¡¯m not in any hurry either.¡± ¡°Ok. Ok, good,¡± Callida said with a sudden finality. ¡°So, erm, this mission you need a doctor for¡­?¡± Rogue returned to the original subject. ¡°Oh, right. It¡¯s still in the earliest of planning stages, but would you be interested?¡± ¡°Possibly.¡± Rogue grinned. 8 - Preparations It was finally starting to feel real that the war was actually over a month later, and while Callida threw herself into this new assignment from the king that she couldn¡¯t talk about, Rogue set about studying obstetrics in earnest. It was interesting to merge his already significant experience and self-developed treatments and methods with actual, scientifically studied medical knowledge and find existing overlap, things he disagreed with, and things that were new and worth further study. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Callida asked, rapping her knuckles against the doorframe of the parlor where he was sprawled across a couch on his stomach, resting his chin against his hands, and staring at an illustration detailing how to turn a baby in its mother¡¯s womb for easier delivery. He puffed and rolled over to stretch and grin at the beautiful creature now quirking her head to the side expectantly. ¡°It¡¯s going well.¡± ¡°Are you still studying childbirth complications?¡± ¡°Uh, not so much. I mean, yes?¡± Rogue frowned in thought and sat up to pull the book into his lap. ¡°I¡¯ve moved on from the ¡®rare¡¯ complications and I¡¯m trying to focus on the more common ones that really aren¡¯t so complicated but still need some know-how.¡± ¡°¡®Anything particularly interesting?¡± Callida queried, and helped herself to the seat next to him where she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek before looking over his shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She pointed, and Rogue grinned at her curiosity. ¡°That is a very simple procedure to try and encourage labor. Basically, you reach up to the cervix and gently separate it and part the uterus from the amniotic sac¨C¡± ¡°Where the baby grows?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t that hurt¡­ something?¡± ¡°It could. If the placenta is covering the cervix, which is an entirely different and very serious problem, trying to strip it from the cervix could kill the baby and be dangerous to the mother.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, the placenta is the thing that connects the baby to the mother, and a lot of blood flows through it to support the baby and allow it to live and grow. It¡¯s all quite fascinating, actually, but to your original question, damaging the connection between the mother and baby can kill the baby and result in severe blood loss for the mother.¡± ¡°So then, why would you risk the procedure at all?¡± ¡°Well, either way, you need to know if the placenta is in a bad position.¡± ¡°And if it is?¡± ¡°Uh, well, if the placenta is covering the cervix, that¡¯s the baby¡¯s way out, so you¡¯d have to perform surgery to get the baby out at all.¡± ¡°Surgery?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not very well studied, and it¡¯s highly controversial, but there is a technique I¡¯ve been studying where, when the baby isn¡¯t able to exit the body safely for one reason or another, you literally cut it out of the mother¡¯s body through a carefully created surgical opening¨C¡± ¡°Ugh! Ok, I don¡¯t want to know,¡± Callida¡¯s nose scrunched up. ¡°Wow, really? This grosses you out?¡± Rogue snorted and rotated his torso to look her in the eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not that it grosses me out!¡± Callida protested. ¡°It just¡­ I don¡¯t know. Cutting someone open to expose their insides, rummage around in the entrails, and pull things out of them sounds¡­.¡± She gagged. ¡°Ok. Yeah. It grosses me out.¡± ¡°Which one of us kills people for a living?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Callida smacked his arm but giggled and snuggled in more tightly to nuzzle her nose into the mop of black hair behind his ear. ¡°Hm. You¡¯re quite overdue for a haircut; it¡¯s getting long,¡± she fussed, her fingers combing through the gently textured locks. ¡°Meh,¡± Rogue shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t have any excuses with Tonsor on staff,¡± Callida snorted. ¡°Or are you growing it out on purpose?¡± ¡°¡®Just don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°And you cared more when you were a bandit living in the wilderness? You did a better job keeping your hair trimmed out there than here with a designated hair specialist in your house,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Shaving too,¡± she observed, her fingers moving to trace his scratchy jawline. ¡°Whatever,¡± he grumbled ¡°Hm,¡± Callida got up to stretch. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off to work again.¡± ¡°Already?!¡± his head snapped up to project disappointment. ¡°Sorry, I got a late start on my lunch break, and I have a meeting with the council this afternoon about some public works project. Wish me luck,¡± she added with a small snort and eye roll. ¡°But you¡¯ll be home for dinner, right? Remember, I was gonna cook tonight ¡ª give the kitchen staff the night off.¡± ¡°¡®Which means that dinner will be an adventure,¡± she teased, leaning down to peck his cheek, her eyes sparkling. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better not,¡± Rogue pouted playfully. ¡°When was the last time I skipped out on dinner, Qiangde?¡± she grinned, tapping his nose before standing up straight again. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡± ¡°Bye,¡± Rogue muttered, trying to keep the sulking to a minimum. *** ¡°Callida!¡± Verum beckoned her closer as the council conversed in clusters amongst themselves before the meeting. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Callida, come here.¡± He gestured more animatedly, standing up from his throne to get¡­ really close, his hand holding her waist to keep her in place while he whispered in her ear. ¡°Flore thinks she might be pregnant again.¡± She pulled back barely an inch so she could meet his anxious gaze. ¡°Is it confirmed?¡± ¡°No. We¡¯ve followed your instructions: no doctors.¡± ¡°How far along?¡± ¡°Maybe a few weeks?¡± ¡°Ok, so really early.¡± Callida looked down, the wheels in her head spinning at about a million miles an hour, calculating the time it would take to prepare the last few details. ¡°We could be ready tonight if this is it,¡± she whispered, stepping back to create the space to justify speaking a little louder. ¡°Would you and Her Majesty care to come over for a¡­ culinary experience this evening?¡± Verum quirked an eyebrow at her choice of words. ¡°You mean dinner?¡± ¡°No. I said it right the first time.¡± Callida smirked cryptically. ¡°So¡­ should we eat beforehand, or¡­.¡± ¡°Maybe a light meal.¡± Callida nodded. ¡°Just in case.¡± ¡°In case of what?!¡± Verum squawked with some mix of amusement, curiosity, and pure nerves. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°In case it¡¯s inedible,¡± Callida laughed. ¡°Uh, we¡¯d be happy to join you¡­ I think?¡± ¡°Good. ¡®See you tonight.¡± *** Dinner was a marriage of flavors that may or may not end in divorce as per Qiangde¡¯s usual cooking style. Growing up in the wastelands from the time he was ten years old, Rogue had always just made do with whatever edible things were available, often not accounting for flavor at all, and when there were spices and flavorings to be had, he wasn¡¯t picky about the combinations, often throwing all of them together all at once. Occasionally, now that he had access to more spices and herbs than he¡¯d even heard of, he¡¯d still get a nostalgic itch and want to throw all the flavors together in an explosion that was borderline sacrilegious to anyone with taste buds. ¡°Smells interesting,¡± Callida said generously, wrapping her arms around Rogue¡¯s waist while he cooked. ¡°What are you making?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ an experiment?¡± ¡°Are you making enough for four?¡± ¡°Callida!¡± He turned to growl at her. ¡°What?¡± She batted her eyes at him innocently, and Qiangde sighed. ¡°Who did you invite?¡± ¡°Verum and Flore.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± Rogue slapped aside the ladle he was using to stir something with to better grouch at her. ¡°Tonight?! The king?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t have picked a night when the usual cooks are working?¡± Callida just grinned and lifted onto her tiptoes to kiss him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to spring this on you last minute, but it needed to be tonight.¡± ¡°But why?!¡± ¡°Qiangde, how long would it take you to pack for a long trip?¡± His eyes widened, something flirty adding to a sudden smirk. ¡°How long of a trip are we talking?¡± ¡°Seven to nine months?¡± ¡°Months?!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Yeah?!¡± Rogue¡¯s smirk became an excited grin as his hand snaked around her waist to her lower back and drew her in closer to sway gently from side to side. ¡°Where would we be going?¡± ¡°Would you want to go visit Saghira?¡± ¡°The Sphinx Tribe?¡± ¡°What do you think? How much time would you need to pack? Do you think Saghira would be alright with that?¡± ¡°Oh, Saghira would be thrilled! I could be packed in ten minutes, and I think I¡¯ll manage quite happily keeping you all to myself for seven to nine months.¡± ¡°Wait, what are you talking about?¡± Callida frowned. ¡°The¡­ trip? ¡­That you suggested we might go on?¡± ¡°Oh! Oh, no, I¡¯m sorry, Rogue. I didn¡¯t communicate that very well. I¡¯m talking about that assignment that you¡¯ve been studying for. You know¡­ pregnant, not me, woman? Seven to nine months?¡± ¡°Whoa, wait. So¡­ you¡¯re not coming with me?¡± ¡°Well, no. I can¡¯t get away for that long.¡± ¡°You¨C! You¡¯re sending me away for seven to nine months?!¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ but eventually, definitely. Why? Was that not clear?¡± ¡°Callida, you just got back! We¡­ we have spent more of our marriage apart than together at this point! And now you¡¯re sending me away?!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, I can¡­ find someone else. I just already know that I can trust you,¡± Callida explained, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip for the scolding. ¡°Sorry. I know I haven¡¯t exactly been forthcoming with the details of this mission. It¡¯s just really quite sensitive.¡± Rogue sighed. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. I guess I just didn¡¯t put all the pieces together.¡± Another sigh, and he turned back to his pot of flavor explosion. ¡°So this mission: do you know when I¡¯ll be leaving?¡± ¡°Possibly tonight.¡± ¡°Tonight?!¡± He wheeled around again. ¡°Uh¨C¡± ¡°Callida! You couldn¡¯t give me any notice?¡± ¡°I only just heard that it might be time this afternoon! It¡¯s not the sort of thing that I could predict an exact timeline for. That¡¯s why I told you to just do whatever you needed to do to be ready.¡± He was back to stirring, a little more aggressively than before. ¡°You¡¯re upset.¡± ¡°I¨C!¡± He huffed a little, taking control of his temper while he worked. ¡°You gave me very minimal information to work with and base my expectations off of, and now you¡¯re throwing this at me all at once, giving me no time before it¡¯s time to go to process it, and our possibly last night together for the next seven to nine months is going to be spent entertaining royalty over experimental food of the not high cuisine variety, and it¡¯s just a lot! All at once!¡± ¡°Yeah. I can see why that would be upsetting.¡± Callida bit into her lip again, her head bowing in surrender. ¡°I promise that I had good reasons for¡­ the way I did things. But I am sorry.¡± ¡°Can you tell me now what this mission is and what it entails?¡± ¡°Over dinner. But first, I¡¯m going to need you to confirm a pregnancy.¡± His brow lifted in a question that he knew she wouldn¡¯t answer before he turned back to his cooking yet again, and Callida watched his scowl shift subtly to a vague understanding. She¡¯d given him most of the pieces at this point. ¡°This isn¡¯t a run-of-the-mill pregnancy we¡¯re talking about, is it?¡± ¡°No,¡± she confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re coming over?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And the reason I¡¯m going on a trip for seven to nine months is because¡­?¡± ¡°I think you already know that I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re investigating that reason while I work the other side of the issue.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I like that you¡¯re going to be here with him while I¡¯m there with her.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s your ex, isn¡¯t he?!¡± Qiangde growled. ¡°That was a long time ago.¡± ¡°Not long enough!¡± he spat, and Callida¡¯s already prominent frown deepened. She had yet to learn how to manage and soothe Rogue¡¯s jealous insecurities, and she had very little personal experience with those types of feelings to inform her next steps. ¡°He was the complicated one right before you met me, wasn¡¯t he?!¡± ¡°We¡¯re just friends, Qiangde,¡± Callida said with tempered exasperation. ¡°We were never in a relationship officially, and I never wanted¨C¡± ¡°Oh, please! You told me about him when I asked you about any¨C¡± ¡°Rogue, stop!¡± Callida cut him off, feeling a sudden urge to cry. ¡°Is this really how you want to spend what might be our last night together for the next however many months? Verum and I have history together, yes. I have a past, yes! But Verum and I have reached a hard-won understanding, and we are only friends, and he¡¯s not you. I don¡¯t know how to prove to you that you¡¯re the only one I want, and, I¡¯m not going to lie, the fact that you don¡¯t trust me¡­ well, it really sucks!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not you that I don¡¯t trust; it¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that! Don¡¯t villainize him because he has the misfortune of being someone that I used to have feelings for. We all have a past.¡± ¡°And yet you are choosing him over me right now,¡± Rogue insisted angrily. ¡°Do you honestly believe that?¡± Callida asked quietly after a moment spent staring numbly at his left ear. ¡°I¡¯m doing my job. The role I had in mind for you is not compulsory. If it bothers you so much, you could back out now and stay here so you can babysit me and make sure I don¡¯t cross any lines. Primordials, Rogue! What do you want from me?!¡± He huffed, his shoulders slumping in shame and continued jealousy. ¡°I just¡­ I hate that you spend so much time with him as it is, and I¡¯m trying not to¨C¡± He exhaled heavily, and Callida could tell that he was fighting an internal struggle to calm down ¡ª which meant that Shyaam was probably driving his current jealousy. ¡°Look, m¡¯lady, I¡¯m sorry. I told you I¡¯d take that assignment; I¡¯ll follow through. And I know rationally that you¡¯re just doing your job, but it¡¯s still hard to¡­¡± ¡°¡­ convince Shyaam?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s been struggling without a pack. I mean, you are his entire pack right now; Goldie is, anyway. When you¡¯re not around, he just feels sort of lost. And he¡¯s easily threatened by anyone he thinks might try to take Goldie from him. ''Take you from me. You know?¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Callida caught his cheek to guide his gaze to hers. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. You know that the reciprocal is true, right? You are my pack. That year after my brother died and you disappeared? That¡¯s how I felt. Goldie felt? We? Whatever. Spiritualism makes this way too complicated. Anyway, that year I just felt lost without¡­. You call it a pack, but I call it a family. Qiangde, you have to understand, when I chose you, I chose you. No take backs, and no regrets. Please, if nothing else, trust that.¡± ¡°I do, Callida. I trust you. The jealousy isn¡¯t exactly rational.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still coming from a place of insecurity,¡± Callida argued. ¡°Why are you feeling insecure? Am I doing something wrong?¡± ¡°No. In fact, maybe that¡¯s part of the problem,¡± he snorted in wry amusement. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine anybody not wanting you.¡± She grinned and shook her head for the absurdity of such a statement and then smacked him playfully upside his head. ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous, and I love you.¡± He grinned, his teeth baring in a low growl, and Callida realized too late his intentions. She squeaked, attempted to dodge, and ended up only delaying the inevitable. He got an arm around her fleeing hips and yanked her backwards, off her feet, and into a hug that quickly turned into a strange wrestling, makeout fusion. 9 - Into the Night ¡°Verum, Flore, welcome!¡± Callida ushered them in quickly, directing them into the dark, cluttered parlor off the foyer where Qiangde stood waiting in a corner. ¡°Callida, where¡¯s Celarus?¡± Flore asked. ¡°Oh, Qiangde and I gave the entire staff the next few days off, including this evening. Have a seat, Flore,¡± Callida said and gestured to the plush couch near the room center. ¡°Verum told me you think you might be pregnant again?¡± Flore¡¯s large brown eyes grew larger, but she nodded quietly. ¡°Have you told anyone besides Verum?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Callida released an unconsciously held breath. ¡°Your Majesties, have I ever told you that Qiangde is a healer?¡± ¡°I¡­ I knew that at one point,¡± Verum scowled, dredging up forgotten memories as he glanced at the quiet Alpha wolf host standing sentry near the door. ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± ¡°Verum, I¡¯ve picked Qiangde for this mission. There is no one that I trust more, and he¡¯s good. The best,¡± she qualified. ¡°He already has significant experience, and he¡¯s been studying for the last month in preparation for this.¡± Verum caught Callida¡¯s wrist and tugged her deeper into a dark pocket of the room to ask in hushed tones, ¡°Callida, are you certain?¡± ¡°Yes. Absolutely.¡± ¡°If this were your child¨C¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t let me finish.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to. If this were my child, yes, I would trust Qiangde with the prenatal care and labor and delivery. He¡¯s the best, Verum. I¡¯m not just saying that. And I¡¯d trust him with my life in a heartbeat.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± Verum nodded. ¡°Sorry. I had to ask.¡± ¡°Flore,¡± Callida turned back to the young queen, ¡°would it be alright if Qiangde took a look at you? We need to confirm that you¡¯re pregnant.¡± ¡°O-oh. Um, do you just want me to¡­ undress right here?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Rogue inserted himself into the conversation for the first time. ¡°You don¡¯t need to undress.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t?¡± Flore glanced between Rogue and her husband with nothing short of confusion on her face. ¡°I work a little differently,¡± Rogue explained, stepping forward to kneel down next to the couch. ¡°May I?¡± he asked, extending a hand towards her belly. ¡°Um¡­. Sure?¡± Flore nodded nervously. Callida watched as Rogue smiled reassuringly at his patient and carefully, slowly, set his hand against her lower abdomen, getting into position before closing his eyes to concentrate. His hand adjusted slightly, a small smile tugging on his lips before he opened his eyes again and nodded at the expectant mother. ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty,¡± he offered quietly. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Flore asked, obviously accustomed to more invasive procedures to confirm her pregnancies. ¡°The baby is small, you¡¯re maybe only a month along, but it¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°H-how do you know? How can you tell?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a bit of a spiritualist, Flore,¡± Callida offered, ¡°He doesn¡¯t require a physical exam to confirm that you¡¯re expecting.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s kind of nice.¡± Flore flushed. ¡°Yeah,¡± Callida laughed with nervous energy. ¡°Um, shall we move this to the dinner table? We have a lot to discuss.¡± The group shuffled down the hall to a large room well-lit by candles and oil lamps with a great, wood table stretching across a rich carpet at the center of the floor. Already arranged with four settings, Callida took the seat across from where Verum and Flore sat, giving Qiangde the head of the table. Something resembling a stew was dished out and served with thick slices of bread before conversation resumed. ¡°Callida, can you tell us what your plan is now?¡± Verum was the first to break the silence while everyone settled. ¡°¡®Makes me feel better that I¡¯m not the only one you haven¡¯t told,¡± Rogue muttered cheekily to her right as he tucked into his meal, and Callida nudged his leg under the table. ¡°Verum, I actually don¡¯t want to tell you everything so you can claim plausible deniability when people ask you questions. I don¡¯t want anyone except myself to know what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°What can you tell me then?¡± Verum asked, becoming increasingly anxious. ¡°We¡¯re going to send Flore away for her health with the expectation that she will not return for up to a year. She¡¯s had five miscarriages in rapid succession, so before you try again for a baby, she¡¯s taking some time to recover her wellness, both body and mind.¡± ¡°And where is she going?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that, Verum.¡± ¡°When is she going?¡± Callida took a moment to meet his eyes before she answered him. ¡°Tonight.¡± ¡°Tonight?!¡± Verum balked. ¡°Tonight,¡± Callida repeated calmly. ¡°I have her traveling party already arranged, her bags packed, and a trusted doctor ready to go with her,¡± Callida said, indicating her husband with a small nod. ¡°After dinner, I¡¯m going to assemble the party, and they will be on the road within an hour, leaving from this house.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sending her away?!¡± ¡°At least until I can ensure her safety here, yes.¡± ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that,¡± Callida said with a small sigh. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to risk your wife and child¡¯s lives while I stir the pot. They need to be far, far out of harm¡¯s way, and to minimize the knowledge of her departure, she needs to leave immediately before there is even a rumor that she might leave. That¡¯s why I have been keeping the details of this plan so close to my chest, Verum. I literally haven¡¯t told anyone anything until right now except to expect being sent away on a last minute mission that requires traveling at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± Verum slouched back into his chair with a look of bewilderment glazing his eyes over. ¡°Tonight?¡± he muttered quietly to himself, glancing to his right where Flore was calmly eating and listening to the conversation. ¡°What do you think about all of this?¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°About leaving the palace?¡± Flore clarified. ¡°Yeah. It means, you might be giving birth¡­ not here. And I won¡¯t be there. And¡­ how do you feel about that?¡± Flore took the time required to chew and swallow her most recent bite to consider her answer. ¡°If it means that I¡¯ll be holding a living, breathing baby at the end of this pregnancy, it¡¯s worth it, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m so tired of losing my ¡ª our ¡ª babies, Verum. If¡­ if Callida thinks this will give us the best shot, I¡¯m willing to try anything.¡± ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work?¡± Verum asked with a hesitancy that suggested a much more sensitive underscoring issue was at play. ¡°Then¡­¡± Flore swallowed hard as her eyes filled with tears. ¡°Then I¡¯m the problem.¡± Flore looked down at her lap, her bottom lip trembling as her tears fell. ¡°Flore¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, Verum. Please?¡± she sniffed. ¡°You and I both know that it¡¯s not a choice we get to make at that point. The council will make it for you. I know you¡¯ve been trying to protect me from that, but I¡¯m not blind or deaf or stupid. I know this is likely my last shot.¡± Flore¡¯s pain effectively silenced the table, and eventually she went back to her stew, finishing her bowl and then serving herself another ladleful. While the silence stretched, Verum and Callida both started on their own stew, the latter taking a cautious bite and chewing it thoughtfully, and the former mindlessly spooning up a mouthful that made him choke. He tried to play it off by coughing and then downing an entire glass of water that gave him hiccups, but his watering eyes and flushed face were difficult to ignore. Callida smirked and dropped her gaze, taking another bite and much more inconspicuously washing it down with a swig of water. Meanwhile, Flore went back for thirds. ¡°What is in this?¡± Flore asked. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ weird, but it¡¯s strangely satisfying.¡± Callida quirked her head mischievously at Rogue who was staring at Flore with wide, disbelieving eyes. ¡°You¡­ you like it?¡± he asked. ¡°I think so?¡± Flore laughed. ¡°At least, I keep going back for more.¡± ¡°Uh. I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s in it,¡± Rogue admitted. ¡°I just sort of kept throwing things in until it smelled interesting.¡± ¡°You made this?!¡± Flore asked. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Rogue flushed with sudden embarrassment. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that you cooked,¡± Flore stated conversationally. ¡°A doctor, a cook, a spiritualist¡­ What else can you do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it,¡± Rogue shrugged. ¡°He was a camp leader for a really long time,¡± Callida supplied for him. ¡°Back when he was a member of the Resistance, he was responsible for the wolf camp.¡± ¡°A camp leader?¡± Flore looked Qiangde over thoughtfully. ¡°Is that sort of like a tribe leader?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± Callida nodded when Rogue didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Think smaller. ¡®More like a Regulus perhaps? Or a leader of a small town?¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Flore said with a kind smile. ¡°Qiangde, I¡¯ve heard the rumors that you are a host to a rogue Alpha wolf spirit. Is that why you were put in charge of the wolf camp?¡± ¡°It had something to do with that, yeah.¡± Rogue nodded sheepishly. ¡°Well, it sounds like we are going to be getting to know each other really well over the next while. You¡¯ll have to tell me more about that.¡± ¡°Ok. Uh, yeah, sure,¡± Rogue agreed. Callida cleared her throat and set her spoon down. ¡°I¡¯m going to go and inform the rest of the party. ¡®Scuse me.¡± *** He was feeling¡­. Well, he wasn¡¯t sure what he was feeling. It was some mix of trepidation and eagerness and something akin to desperation. This was happening. His bag was packed, the cart was loaded, Callida was adjusting the cart¡¯s contents to create an inhabitable space in the middle where a pregnant woman might be able to rest comfortably on a spread of blankets and pillows, the luggage forming smuggling privacy walls all around her. ¡°Gravis, Arum, Adjutus, Moro, Rapax¡­.¡± Callida identified the out-of-uniform heads in the dark. ¡°Has anyone seen Baca?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, General.¡± ¡°Oh! Sorry, Commander. I don¡¯t know how I missed you. Is your luggage on the cart already, and I missed that too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s this one,¡± Baca pointed with a teasing grin. ¡°Well, alright then,¡± Callida laughed at herself. ¡°I think that¡¯s everything except the lady. Do you boys have any questions?¡± ¡°About a million, actually,¡± Arum sniggered. ¡°Where are we going? What are we doing when we get there? How long will we be gone?¡± ¡°¡®All fair questions,¡± Callida grinned and collected a messenger bag from a corner of the cart, removing a handful of formal-looking papers to pass out. ¡°The answers to your questions are in this bag, but apart from these travel papers, you are not to open the bag until you have left the Lion Tribe. This mission is extremely sensitive and secret. Once you leave this base, you are not to contact anyone, not even me unless it is an emergency. Do you understand? You will travel under the aliases in these papers, and Qiangde knows enough to at least provide instructions until you get out of our borders.¡± ¡°I do?¡± Rogue frowned, and Callida sighed. ¡°Do you remember who you¡¯re going to go visit?¡± ¡°Oh. You were serious?¡± ¡°Absolutely. You¡¯re expected.¡± ¡°We are?!¡± he asked with surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve been setting this up for nearly a month,¡± Callida snorted. ¡°Yes. You are expected.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, alright then,¡± Rogue laughed self-consciously and ran his fingers through his shaggy, black locks. ¡°Ok. Well, that¡¯s just about everything. I¡¯ll go get your charge.¡± ¡°Our charge?¡± Arum frowned. ¡°This is an escort mission, Arum,¡± Callida declared and hopped nimbly off the side of the cart. ¡°Ah.¡± Rogue followed Callida into the house, snatching at her arm to pull her off to the side before she could enter the parlor where the king and queen were waiting. ¡°Callida, a minute?¡± She followed him into a small office expectantly. ¡°Wha¨C? Mn.¡± This was the reason for that stomach-hollowing sense of desperation. Saying goodbye. Shyaam was complaining bitterly about leaving his Beta behind, and the time was short and the opportunity not there for a more satisfying farewell. Instead Rogue kissed her until he could no longer justify continuing, and Callida was patient with him. ¡°Is that sufficiently out of your system?¡± ¡°For now,¡± Rogue huffed. ¡°Callida¨C¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ve been dreading this part too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to be investigating dangerous people, aren¡¯t you?¡± She sighed. ¡°This is the new war.¡± ¡°¡®Cleaning up internal affairs?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Callida, promise me you¡¯ll be careful. No unnecessary risks.¡± ¡°I promise, but you have to promise me that, when this is over, you¡¯ll still be mine.¡± He snorted. ¡°Was that even a question?!¡± ¡°Just¡­ promise me.¡± ¡°M¡¯lady, I¡¯ll always be yours.¡± She smiled up at him gently, stroking the hair out of his face in a last show of affection. ¡°You need to get going. Come on.¡± They collected the young queen, trailed closely by her husband who followed her outside and then helped her gingerly into the cart after saying their own farewells. ¡°Come back to me,¡± Callida reminded him in a whisper, and Qiangde nodded and lifted her chin into a last kiss. ¡°M¡¯lady.¡± He smirked and winked on his way to follow the cart into the night, projecting a cheerful confidence that he didn¡¯t exactly feel. This was uncomfortable for him to say the least, and a quick glance over his shoulder to where Callida and Verum were standing side-by-side to watch the cart fade into the darkness together made his stomach clench with that same flare of jealousy that Shyaam wouldn¡¯t let go of where the Lion King was concerned. He tried not to think about how much he resented the king¡¯s intimate history with his wife, or the fact that they were still close friends, or the fact that the king still had obvious feelings for Callida, or maybe he was just interpreting trust and affection for something more? But Shyaam refused to allow rational thought to win this internal debate, and Rogue was utterly failing at not thinking about how much he hated leaving Callida and Verum together¡­ alone. Shyaam, shut up already! We have other things to worry about. You trust Callida, don¡¯t you? ¡®You trust Goldie? I know that I do. A grudging confirmation and self-stifling informed Rogue of his wolf¡¯s unwilling agreement. She¡¯s counting on us to do our best on this mission. Reluctant agreement. And, hey! Callida sent us with a bunch of her commanders. This could be fun getting to know them and listening to the war stories Callida always glosses over, right? ¡°Unless they tell us things that we don¡¯t want to hear,¡± Shyaam countered bitterly. 10 - Poking the Wasps Nest It had been almost three days since she¡¯d sent Rogue off. Both Callida and Verum were actively pretending that nothing had happened, and for all anyone else in their lives knew, Rogue was at home studying and Flore was floating around the palace gardens. At least, no one had asked any related questions. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Councilman Legatus, the council spokesman, stood up to outline the issues that had been submitted for discussion, ¡°respectfully, we¡¯d like to request an update on the state of the military from the Lion General.¡± ¡°Callida, are you prepared to present the latest information?¡± Callida nodded curtly at Verum and Legatus continued. ¡°There are some requests to discuss from a few of the Reguluses, the committee assigned to prepare for the Dapsilis Banquet next week has an updated report to submit, and the issue of succession has been submitted by sufficient among us to¨C¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Verum cut him off sourly, his eyes flickering briefly in Callida¡¯s direction. ¡°Is that all, Legatus?¡± ¡°Uh¡­. Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°So you all want a report on my bedroom activities,¡± Verum growled irritably. ¡°Shall we get this over with first? Callida, would you like to kick this off?¡± A startled council turned to a smirking Lion General. ¡°Certainly, Your Majesty,¡± Callida silkily stepped forward, not missing a beat. ¡°As you all know, Her Majesty has suffered a series of pregnancy losses in rapid succession. I¡¯ve been consulting with doctors that have confirmed that nearly constant pregnancy and repeated pregnancy loss is¡­ taxing on the wellbeing of the hopeful mother. A simple nine month pregnancy ending with the delivery of a healthy baby is difficult enough, but Her Majesty has spent the better part of the last three years in a state of pregnancy with only heartache to show for it through no fault of her own. In fact, rapid, repeated loss may increase the likelihood of future loss. She needs a break, and I propose that we, the council, permit her up to a year to rest and recover before ordering her to try again.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®through no fault of her own¡¯? As the mother of His Majesty¡¯s heir, it is her responsibility to carry the babies to term. She is required only to care for her own health and ensure that the birth of an heir is successful. She is failing in her commitment as the queen of this tribe.¡± Callida glared at the offending, older councilman with nothing short of hatred for this statement. ¡°It¡¯s Councilman Sectarius?¡± The man nodded, his chest puffing up. ¡°I understand that you were recently diagnosed with gout and a weak heart.¡± ¡°What do my personal ailments have to do with the issue at hand, General?¡± Sectarius¡¯s puffed demeanor became combative. ¡°I¡¯d have thought that was obvious, Councilman,¡± Callida simpered dangerously. ¡°Are you not responsible for your own health ¡ª for the maintenance of your heart and joints? What should you have done differently to prevent such a grievous diagnosis from befalling you? You have failed, Councilman, in the maintenance of your own body.¡± ¡°I never!¡± Sectarius hissed. ¡°I have taken the utmost care of my body for nearly eighty years, and I¨C!¡± ¡°Who are you to judge a young woman struggling to care for the health of another entity entirely when you can¡¯t maintain your own heart?¡± Callida asked with icy forbearance. ¡°I assure you that Her Majesty is doing everything that she can to care for her own health and to provide the best possible outcomes for the children she¡¯s been struggling to bear. Just as your failing heart and arthritic joints are not your ¡®fault¡¯, Her Majesty¡¯s pregnancy complications are not her fault. It is not productive to seek blame in this case, Councilman, and if you dare to accuse a bereft mother of somehow not doing enough to maintain the health of her own child, then it is only fair for me to accuse you of sabotaging your own health and, by extension, question your commitment to this council.¡± ¡°How do you go from my poor health to my¡­ loyalty to this council?!¡± Sectarius balked with a sudden fear. ¡°Poor health can only lead to poor performance, or, in severe cases, death. If you are committed to this council, you will surely maintain perfect health so you can fulfill your commitments in an unhindered, undistracted manner.¡± ¡°Your logic is flawed, General!¡± he spat. ¡°Then so too is yours, Councilman,¡± Callida said with a crooked smile that dared him to argue with her. ¡°Just as you may need to seek special accommodation to perform your duties on account of your ailing health, so too should we, as a council, afford that same understanding to our queen. Again, I propose that we grant her up to a year of leave for her health. The time will be spent resting and recovering so that she can resume her duty of bearing the king an heir in earnest upon her return.¡± ¡°And if, upon her return, she still fails?¡± Councilman Trebax, one of the more quiet but calculating among them, asked. ¡°If this council allows the queen to take this leave of absence for her health, and it proves to be ineffective, what then?¡± ¡°I gather that you have something in mind, Trebax,¡± Callida stated shrewdly, offering him the floor, and the councilman stood up with a smirk of his own curling his lips and narrowing his eyes. ¡°You want to give Her Majesty a break. In the spirit of fairness, that is a reasonable request. However, if an entire year of recovery ends, and the queen returns still unable to bear a child to term, I believe it is also fair to require His Majesty to¡­ outsource the task of bearing an heir.¡± ¡°It never ceases to amaze me the lengths you all go to in order to avoid the term ¡®mistress¡¯,¡± Callida snorted. ¡°So your terms are, in exchange for granting Her Majesty this leave of absence, His Majesty must agree to take a mistress if his wife is still unable to bear a child successfully upon her return?¡± Trebax nodded a slow, deliberate acknowledgement at Callida, his lips still twisted in an unfeeling grin of self-satisfaction. ¡°That is¡­ reasonable. Your Majesty, are these terms acceptable?¡± Verum swallowed and reluctantly nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°In that case, I would also like to propose that His Majesty should declare to this council who he intends to take as a mistress within the next six months as a sign of good faith,¡± Trebax added, and Callida¡¯s eyes narrowed subtly at him. So people can be put in position to sabotage another woman¡¯s pregnancies? Note to self: look into Trebax. ¡°Your Majesty, what do you think of this additional requirement?¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Verum shifted on his throne in Callida¡¯s peripheral vision while she continued to stare Trebax down. ¡°Why six months? Six months is quite arbitrary of a timeframe. If the council wants me to declare an intended mistress, why not wait until my wife¡¯s pregnancy fails first?¡± ¡°If the mistress is already declared, you can¡¯t back out of the plan when the pregnancy does fail,¡± Trebax said simply, his eyes still locked unflinchingly with Callida¡¯s. When it does fail. ¡°I¡¯ll be frank. This council is growing impatient, Your Majesty. You are nearly thirty years of age and have yet to father a child, let alone a male heir. Your own mother toiled for over ten years of successful pregnancies before she finally gave birth to a son. A throne without an heir is a recipe for civil war. This is as much about the future of our tribe as it is about the privacy of your bedchambers. Surely you can understand our concerns.¡± And then Trebax¡¯s eyes seemed to glint. ¡°Since the Lion General has taken such a proactive interest in your private life, perhaps she would care to offer her own womb for the siring of your heir?¡± The room went so still, the barest shift in movement was an audible disruption. Every eye in the room turned to Callida, her own eyes still locked with Trebax¡¯s. ¡°Everyone knows that you have an intimate history with His Majesty, General,¡± Trebax continued in a challenging hiss. ¡°You want to bully this council into granting Her Majesty reprieve? Your personal stakes should match your adamance.¡± ¡°You want me to have personal stakes in the matter? Fine,¡± Callida declared with a darkness that gave Trebax his first moment of real pause since he¡¯d started talking. ¡°I will finance the queen¡¯s entire retreat. Her year of rest will cost this tribe and this council nothing except a single year more without an heir to the throne. And if the subsequent pregnancy following that year fails, I will personally help His Majesty select a substitute ¡®womb¡¯.¡± ¡°Indeed?¡± Trebax cooed. ¡°You are prepared to shoulder the burden of persuading His Majesty to take a mistress?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°On your honor, General?¡± Trebax pressed. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to swear it.¡± ¡°Of the members of this council, you are the one with the greatest influence on His Majesty,¡± Trebax stated with a certain flippancy that stoked Callida¡¯s already burning anger. ¡°I, for one, would take great comfort in knowing that you, personally, were taking responsibility for His Majesty¡¯s commitment to producing an heir one way or another, because, surely, with you pushing him, he will proceed in earnest.¡± ¡°His Majesty is not a child to be ordered about and manipulated by your capricious whims! He is not only your king but also a man ¡ª a husband and a friend. And then you wonder why I have His Majesty¡¯s ear and you do not. I am astounded by your lack of respect! Yes, I understand that the need to produce an heir is one that affects more than his private family, but if you cannot treat this matter with the sensitivity it deserves, then perhaps you shouldn¡¯t be here, Trebax.¡± He laughed. ¡°I make a valid point, and you threaten me?¡± ¡°His Majesty already agreed to accept a mistress in the event that his wife is given time to recover and she is still unable to successfully bear a child, but apparently his word wasn¡¯t good enough for you. Now you want me to promise that I will personally coerce or seduce him into keeping his word. Never mind the personal insult to myself, how you can justify the insult to His Majesty¡¯s honor I cannot fathom!¡± An appraising eyebrow lifted, and Trebax backed down subtly. ¡°Then, let us formally declare the terms of this agreement, shall we? The Lion General will generously sponsor a retreat for Her Majesty for up to one year. Upon the queen¡¯s return, she will resume her duty to produce an heir. If, at that time, her pregnancy fails, His Majesty will take a mistress, and the Lion General will help him select an appropriate young woman to carry his child. Have I left anything out, General?¡± ¡°I believe that covers it,¡± Callida said icily. ¡°Then I propose that we put it to a vote,¡± Trebax declared and sat back on his seat with a flourish, and Callida finally looked away from him to nod at Councilman Legatus who took that as his signal to lead the vote. ¡°All in favor?¡± Callida glared at Trebax from across the room while he raised his hand for the tallying. ¡°All opposed?¡± Another moment of tallying. ¡°The motion passes in a five to one vote,¡± Legatus announced, and Callida¡¯s eyes moved to exchange a glance with Verum. ¡°When will Her Majesty begin this leave of absence?¡± someone asked, and everyone turned once again to Callida for answers. ¡°Oh,¡± Callida smiled, ¡°she already left.¡± The room erupted in angry comments and questions as everyone rose to their feet at once, an ubiquitous tirade that rolled harmlessly down Callida¡¯s back and shoulders. She was unconcerned with the indignation of the subverted council; instead, she glanced around the room looking for signs of genuine distress ¡ª like the quiet circle gathered in animated but hushed whispers near Trebax¡¯s seat that scattered as soon as Trebax noticed the return of Callida¡¯s observing gaze. Seven men returned to their seats. Seven men sat stoically in thought while the rest of the council berated Callida for her insolence. ¡°THAT¡¯S ENOUGH!!¡± Verum shouted, and the council began the process of hushing each other back into their seats. ¡°What¡¯s done is done!¡± ¡°This is outrageous, Your Majesty,¡± Sectarius declared adamantly. ¡°This is not the way things are done! It is a requirement to seek the approval of the council before the queen leaves the palace. To merely inform the council after the fact is¡­ treason!¡± ¡°Sit down, Sectarius!¡± Verum growled. ¡°And it is not treason because I approved it.¡± ¡°When were you planning on informing this council of the queen¡¯s absence?¡± Legatus asked with much more diplomacy. ¡°The plan was to inform this council as soon as the matter of succession was brought up again, which, seeing as this has been a recurring discussion biweekly for the last year, you can rest assured that this is all a very recent development.¡± ¡°And where did you send Her Majesty?¡± someone towards the back shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Verum said honestly. ¡°The Lion General was put in charge of the details of the trip, and I know nothing.¡± ¡°Of course the General is behind this,¡± someone snarled. ¡°You enjoy toying with this council,¡± someone else accused, and Callida accepted the impugnment of her character with barely an extra blink for acknowledgment. Verum sighed and produced the cover-story Callida had fed him. ¡°General Yudha was ordered to help Flore seek alternative treatments and secondary medical opinions for her pregnancy struggles. It was recommended by multiple doctors that she take some time for herself to recover and to not be pregnant, and expediency in her treatment seemed prudent as producing an heir is somewhat time sensitive. In order to protect her sanctuary and privacy, only Callida knows Flore¡¯s itinerary, accommodations, and all other travel-related details, and that was also the reason Flore left before seeking the council¡¯s approval for her trip. It was important to give Flore the best chance of a true break from the stresses of her everyday life. Seeing as you have now approved Her Majesty¡¯s travels, I don¡¯t feel that it makes much difference whether she left last week or leaves tomorrow. And the conditions approved by this council concerning Her Majesty¡¯s trip stand. You have my commitment to accept a mistress should this treatment fail.¡± The room settled unwillingly even as Callida continued to field an excessive number of dirty looks without reacting to them. ¡°An approved trip and a concrete plan for the succession of the throne¡­. Is it really worth quibbling over a few days and the order of operations?¡± Callida asked calmly. ¡°His Majesty and I predicted that the council would extend this measure of grace to Her Majesty, and, in return, you¡¯ve been granted long-sought concessions. Either His Majesty will have a child within the next two years, or he will have a mistress.¡± 11 - Old Friends ¡°Excuse me, General,¡± Celarus, the steward over the Lion General¡¯s estate, peeked through the open door of Callida¡¯s study. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You have some visitors.¡± ¡°Visitors? At this time of night?¡± ¡°They said you¡¯re expecting them, so I put them in the receiving room.¡± Callida stood up with hopeful suspicion on her face and strapped her weapons belt to her hips on her way to follow Celarus back down the stairs to the parlor, her heart skipping a beat to the familiar mutterings around the corner. And suddenly she was trying not to cry. She¡¯d sent for them a month ago, as soon as Flore and Rogue had left. ¡°You came.¡± Despite her own quietness, four men silenced and rose to their feet, their towering forms an indication of their bear spirits within. Primordials, she¡¯d missed them. ¡°Six. Years!¡± the chubbiest and blondest among them accused. ¡°You couldn¡¯t come up with an excuse to see us in all that time?!¡± Callida laughed and sobbed all at once, rushing forward to wrap her accuser in a hug. ¡°How¡¯ve you been, Animo?¡± he asked softly through her mane. ¡°Buhne, it¡¯s been way, way too long,¡± she sniffed and pulled back, wiping the dampness from her eyes onto her sleeve. ¡°How have you all been?!¡± ¡°Seriously? None of the rest of us get hugged?¡± She laughed and allowed herself to be passed around the circle. All of them smelled vaguely of sandalwood mixed with other things that individualized their scents, and Callida was once again teary by the last hug. ¡°Primordials, I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s been six years. Have you guys eaten dinner yet?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Buhne supplied for the group. Callida nodded and turned back to the door. ¡°Celarus, is the kitchen staff still around or have they all gone home for the night?¡± ¡°This time in the evening, they''re probably on their way home.¡± ¡°Mess hall it is, then,¡± Callida chirped readily and led the way out the door. ¡°Don¡¯t wait up for me, Celarus.¡± *** Oh, how she¡¯d missed this! This was the retired Special Forces Reconnaissance and Intelligence Squad 14 ¡ª Squad 14 for short. She¡¯d missed her close-knit team from her brief stint in the Bear Tribe military as an eighteen-year-old. She¡¯d missed the odd way that silence felt natural around them like words got in the way of communicating and just being together was enough. She¡¯d missed the camaraderie of a squad of equals in which she wasn¡¯t the commanding officer. Buhne, Spahen, Ablenkung, and Erkunden; codenames: Parrot, Professor, Shield, and Stag, respectively. ¡°Guys, I need the highlights,¡± Callida declared over dinner. ¡°What are you up to these days?¡± Buhne¡¯s crooked smile held a mix of forlorn nostalgia and contented ease. He was the front man of the team and had also taken it upon himself to be the designated voice for the rest of the squad, not that there was any competition for that particular role. ¡°Six years is a lot of ground to cover. ¡®Last time we saw you was when Bern died?¡± He sighed, struggling to dredge up the required history. ¡°Well, Squad 14 remained active until about a year ago? Does that sound right boys?¡± ¡°The war against the Resistance officially ended May 784?¡± Spahen, the team mastermind, frowned. ¡°We were discharged the following summer, August 785.¡± Callida snorted. ¡°Well, that leaves you with less than a year to bring you current. Come on, tell me. What sorts of things were you working on during those five years?¡± ¡°Looking for you,¡± Ablenkung, the equipment specialist usually assigned to the background support roles on missions, offered quietly. ¡°Looking for your brother,¡± Erkunden, the team scout, paralleled and slouched into his seat with his spoon combing disinterestedly through his stew. The tension suspended in the silence was telling ¡ª the way their faces dropped and zoned out, each dealing with the grief privately. ¡°Hey,¡± Callida broke the quiet and set a hand on Erkunden¡¯s arm, ¡°I know you did everything that you could to find Germanus.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry it wasn¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made peace with it.¡± She smiled half-heartedly in an effort to be comforting and changed the subject. ¡°So you got discharged last summer; did any of you stay in the military?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve all taken adjunct roles that straddle the gaps between our former lives and our military experience,¡± Buhne said with a shrug. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Well, as you know, I was a merchant¡¯s son before I joined the military. Now I help broker deals between the military and merchant suppliers. Spahen was grandfathered into the Council of Elders and has been advocating for veteran interests and tribe security. Ablenkung has gone back to being a blacksmith full time, but he has a standing contract with the military. And Erkunden returned to being a professional hunter, but my understanding is that he keeps an eye on some of the more remote areas of the tribe. Actually, Erkunden, are you still functioning as a peripheral contact in the intelligence network?¡± Erkunden smirked. ¡°You know that I can neither confirm nor deny such a thing, Buhne.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s a ¡®yes¡¯. Figures,¡± Buhne grumbled with vague jealousy. ¡°Oh, by the way, Animo, General Gutig sends his regards,¡± Erkunden added cheekily. Callida rolled her eyes. ¡°Has his new successor been declared yet? I know he came out of retirement after Germanus got captured.¡± ¡°He¡¯s working on it,¡± Erkunden confirmed. ¡°Gutig likes gentle transitions. You remember how long he groomed Germanus before making things official.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she sighed. ¡°Well, what about personal updates?¡± The boys chuckled and collectively turned to Buhne, giving him first dibs. ¡°I got married,¡± he said casually, but his grin was loaded with a happiness that was impossible to overlook. ¡°Her name¡¯s Treu, and we are expecting a baby in about four months.¡± An involuntary squeal of delight escaped Callida¡¯s throat. ¡°You got married and you didn¡¯t tell me?!¡± ¡°Oh, and look who¡¯s talking!¡± Buhne returned her tease-laced accusation. ¡°You¡¯re the one who eloped without telling anyone, and then instead of announcing that you were married, you simply changed your name! You have no idea how confusing it was to suddenly learn that the Lion General¡¯s name was General Yudha. We had to submit a formal inquiry to confirm that you hadn¡¯t been replaced or killed or something.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Callida cheesed sheepishly and deflected. ¡°So when did you get married?¡± ¡°¡®Year and a half ago.¡± ¡°Aw! Well, congratulations!¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°What about the rest of you?¡± Callida asked, turning next to Spahen who shrugged. ¡°Technically, I have a girlfriend. My grandfather picked her out for me.¡± ¡°¡®A fellow aristocrat?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Spahen sighed. ¡°You seem thrilled,¡± Callida snorted. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Ehrste. She¡¯s¡­ fine.¡± ¡°But¡­?¡± she probed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t have feelings for her. She¡¯s a good person, but without my grandfather setting us up and pushing us together, ¡®never would have happened.¡± ¡°Hm. There isn¡¯t someone else, is there?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Spahen frowned, but the pink tinging his ears undermined his intentional casualness. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Callida sing-songed. Spahen¡¯s face twisted while the rest of the squad tuned in more intently, surprise lifting their brows. ¡°Come on, Professor. Who is she?¡± ¡°Her name¡¯s Netti,¡± he mumbled almost inaudibly. ¡°She¡¯s Ehrste¡¯s handmaid.¡± ¡°Oh ho!¡± Callida crowed behind her hand, an indelicate chuckle spreading through the rest of the squad and deepening Spahen¡¯s blush. ¡°Mm. That¡¯s spicy. Have you told her?¡± ¡°I think she knows,¡± he growled in annoyance. ¡°Oh?¡± An eyebrow quirked above a twinkling eye. ¡°How would she know?¡± ¡°Well, because I¡­ I sort of kissed her¡­ once¡­ you know, whatever!¡± He flopped back in his seat, arms crossing petulantly against the roars of laughter from his comrades. ¡°I think you¡¯d better break up with Ehrste and tell Netti properly,¡± Callida said once her laughter was reined in again. ¡°Alright, Ablenkung. What¡¯s your update?¡± ¡°¡®Nothin¡¯ to tell,¡± he shrugged, mirth still making the corners of his eyes crinkle. ¡°¡®Still single and unattached.¡± ¡°¡®Any interests?¡± ¡°No. Not really. I¡¯ve been enjoying having a proper forge again. ¡®Started dabbling in jewelry smithing and family crest ring design.¡± ¡°I could see you being really good at that.¡± Callida nodded approvingly as he closed out by way of an indifferent shrug. ¡°You¡¯re last, Erkunden. How¡¯ve you been?¡± ¡°¡®Can¡¯t complain. I, uh, I actually haven¡¯t told the boys this yet. I was saving it to tell you all together¡­¡± ¡°Tell us what?!¡± Callida demanded with an excited squeak. ¡°I got married last month.¡± ¡°You what?!¡± Erkunden laughed while accepting the friendly shoulder punches and playful indignation. ¡°Who¡¯s the girl?!¡± ¡°Delila is her name. She¡¯s a girl I¡¯ve gotten to know this last year. My hunting route takes me through her village a couple times a month, and¡­ I like her?¡± Callida snorted. ¡°You like her?¡± ¡°Ok. I like her a lot.¡± ¡°Enough to marry her, apparently.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Erkunden grinned and dropped his gaze bashfully. ¡°So, Animo,¡± Buhne said while fixing her with a pointed gaze, ¡°you¡¯ve got some explaining to do.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± she smirked. ¡°Mhm. Give us your six year update.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Callida buzzed her lips as she sank into her chair to give it some thought. ¡°Well, I quit the whole bodyguard thing and was assigned a battalion. ¡®Got deployed to the front lines, got captured for a year, came back, took a series of promotions, became the Lion General, uncovered a conspiracy to end the Great War against the Resistance, got married, finished off the war with the griffins¡­. Yup. That sums things up.¡± ¡°Yeah. No big deal,¡± Buhne snorted. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°Always. I don¡¯t think that honestly surprises you though.¡± ¡°No. You have a knack for finding trouble, Beta. ¡®Always have.¡± Callida smiled to hear her old codename again. ¡°Thanks again for coming. I¡¯ve missed you guys.¡± Her old squad exchanged cryptic glances before Buhne leaned forward and lowered his voice. ¡°We¡¯ve all guessed that you didn¡¯t invite us here for a family reunion.¡± ¡°Not here,¡± Callida confirmed their suspicions and ended the conversation simultaneously. ¡°Could I entice you all with some dessert at my place after dinner?¡± *** ¡°Dessert¡± was served in her private study on the second floor of the Lion General¡¯s estate after Callida checked to make sure that all of the estate servants had gone home for the day. Like much of the rest of the estate, Callida¡¯s study was richly furnished and boasted walls of built-in shelving cluttered with old tomes and expensive trinkets that had been passed down through the many successions of Lion Generals. Directing Squad 14 to a collection of seating near a great hearth, Callida opened the briefing. ¡°All cards on the table, I called you here to ask for your help.¡± ¡°We figured,¡± Buhne replied after exchanging a few glances and chuckles with the rest of the guys. ¡°What¡¯s the mission?¡± ¡°¡®Looking for evidence of a conspiracy within the Lion Tribe court or at least those close to the crown.¡± A moment spent processing passed before Spahen chimed in. ¡°What sort of conspiracy?¡± ¡°A conspiracy to prevent the Lion King from fathering an heir by sabotaging his wife¡¯s pregnancies,¡± Callida said. ¡°What is the justification for this investigation?¡± Spahen probed. ¡°The young queen has lost five pregnancies in the last two to three years, three of them in the late second or early third trimesters. All five pregnancies were perfectly healthy up until the point that she started spontaneously hemorrhaging.¡± ¡°Poison?¡± Buhne asked with a dark scowl. ¡°That seems a likely culprit.¡± Callida nodded. ¡°However, whatever the poison is, doctors have been unable to identify it in the queen¡¯s body nor in any obvious food or product that could serve to deliver the poison. We have our work cut out for us, gentlemen,¡± Callida said and stood up to pace while she unraveled the current situation. ¡°I¡¯ve been¡­ poking the hornet¡¯s nest. Last month, I secretly sent the queen on a retreat for her health to get her out of harm¡¯s way. After the fact, I declared as much to the king¡¯s council. As you might expect, they weren¡¯t very happy with me, and some of their reactions were suspicious given the rest of the circumstances. I have a list of councilmen that I want to investigate first, but if we can¡¯t find anything among them¡­. I¡¯m not even sure where else to look. We¡¯re either going to get lucky, or we¡¯re going to have to eventually start over from scratch. My biggest problem is they know me and they know my men.¡± ¡°So you need some faces they won¡¯t recognize or tie back to you,¡± Spahen continued the thought. ¡°Exactly,¡± Callida said with a sigh and slouched back into her seat. ¡°Have you made a plan for how to position us?¡± Ablenkung asked. ¡°Only a very loose one. Spahen, you will be going in as yourself as you have experience serving in the Council of Elders. One of our councilmen retired last month. At my urging, Verum has accepted a foreign councilman to serve as a placeholder for the position in the name of diplomacy while he deliberates on who to invite into his court permanently. You will be going in as that placeholder.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been planning this for a while then,¡± Spahen said with a frown. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly pack the wardrobe to serve as a member of the Lion King¡¯s council.¡± ¡°I have people who can help with that,¡± Callida said with a small laugh. ¡°For the rest of you, the plan is to find employment at the palace in different capacities. I need eyes and ears in the places I can¡¯t infiltrate with soldiers, but I¡¯m open to ideas on how to get your eyes and ears into those places.¡± ¡°Do we need to be officially employed? Or can we get away with merely being officially uniformed?¡± Buhne asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s a valid point, and one that I¡¯ve already considered at least somewhat. The benefit of being officially employed is, in a long-term sting operation, which my guess is that this will take a while, you¡¯ll develop actual relationships with other palace employees that can help you expand the net for your intelligence gathering. Even just regularly flirting with the gossipy maids could yield important breakthroughs.¡± Spahen nodded agreement and started fidgeting with the large family crest ring on his finger while he pondered. ¡°I take it then that once we are in position, we¡¯ll need to maintain minimal contact with each other and especially with you. We¡¯ll need to autonomously collect information and follow our own leads until we have something concrete.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. No contact. If one of you gets burned, just walk out so the rest of the team doesn¡¯t burn with you. We can slip notes to each other in passing, and only risk that if you find something specific and significant or you need to coordinate a sting. Obviously, use your best judgment,¡± Callida confirmed. ¡°Now, let¡¯s figure out where to position the rest of you.¡± 12 - Councilman Spahen Spahen took a deep breath and knocked on the intricately carved lion¡¯s head door, turning the handle when a voice from within called for him to enter the oversized and excessively rich study where the Lion King, his bodyguard, and a small handful of men were having a midday meeting of some sort over lunch. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he said and bowed with a flourish. ¡°Ah! You must be our new councilman from the Bear Tribe,¡± the king said, standing up to walk the length of the room and greet him by the door while the rest of the men scrambled to respectfully find their feet as well. ¡°I¡¯ve been expecting you. You seem¡­ familiar. Have we met before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve had that honor, Your Majesty,¡± Spahen said with a barely there, for-the-king¡¯s-eyes-only wink that caused a slight upward twitch of his target¡¯s lips. ¡°I must have one of those faces. My name is Brennen Spahen, sent by tribe leader Recht from the Council of Elders for this diplomatic immersion assignment, and I am at your service. I hope to learn a great deal as a temporary member of your court.¡± ¡°Wonderful! I¡¯m glad you can be here, Councilman Spahen,¡± King Rex reciprocated and then turned to gesture to the group still surrounding a large table. ¡°Would you care to join us?¡± ¡°Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty, but I do not wish to intrude on your meeting any more than I already have.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wanting to get settled in as well.¡± ¡°I connected with one of the palace stewards on my way in. I believe they are preparing a guest room for me as we speak, and I shouldn¡¯t keep them waiting.¡± ¡°I understand. In that case, I¡¯ll see you again in a couple of hours when we gather for the afternoon meetings. You can introduce yourself to the council then.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll look forward to it,¡± Spahen closed with another bow and took his leave, the door clicking into the latch gently behind him with the help of the guards posted outside the door. He¡¯d never been inside a palace before. The Bear Tribe was unusual in that the center of government, including the tribe leader herself, was housed at the Leader¡¯s Lodge, an elaborate network of log cabin-styled structures connected by a web of boardwalks with gardens and courtyards filling the open spaces in between. The Leader¡¯s Lodge was at once a single structure and an entire city, a compact community and the capital of the Bear Tribe. By contrast, the Lion Tribe¡¯s center of government ¡ª the king and much of his council ¡ª were housed in a single sandstone palace with mazes of hallways, entire wings serving different functions, multiple floors, and plenty of enormous entertaining spaces for parties. Connected to the palace military base with great courtyards and a grove of trees creating a visual barrier between the two, the palace and base were separated from the capital city of Astu Centralis by a few miles of empty road. It made the two governments intrinsically different from each other. The Bear Tribe government was a part of the Bear Tribe ¡ª integrated; the Lion Tribe government was apart from the Lion Tribe ¡ª above it. Spahen spent the walk to the wing of guest rooms pondering how these differences might affect policies and the overall relationship between the crown and its subjects. Ultimately, he determined that it might be interesting merely observing the Lion King¡¯s court to take note of such things. ¡°Ah! Councilman Spahen, your room is just this way.¡± Spahen pulled his head out of his thoughts and made an effort to pay closer attention to his surroundings as the steward guided him up some stairs and through the hallways with more intention than his previous meandering. The guest rooms were housed in a wing on the north west side of the palace. The halls here were built from a darker, rosier sandstone than the front face of the palace, but the architecture was no less extravagant. Meticulously carved columns with detailed bases, floral capitals, and fluted shafts in between, the floors a smooth, polished stone with nearly seamless joints between each massive tile, the ceilings high and also carved with intricate artistic scenes that seemed to tell a story from panel to panel ¡ª the artisanship was exquisite, and Spahen found himself distractedly watching the ceiling rather than paying attention to where his room was. The steward stopped him beneath an image of a man in armor ¡ª a warrior ¡ª peacefully sleeping on a carpet of wildflowers, his helmet removed to reveal curly hair and a chiseled jaw, the forest beyond the meadow of his resting place ominously hiding a figure brandishing a knife. He¡¯d have to explore the rest of the hallway to see if that knife slit the warrior¡¯s throat in his sleep. ¡°Sir? Is the room to your liking?¡± Tearing his eyes away from the intriguing story above him, Spahen entered the guest room. Richly furnished with an oversized, four-poster bed burdened with too many pillows and privacy drapes and beautifully decorated with elaborately woven tapestries and masterful paintings, it was evident that in Lion Tribe culture it was important to present well to guests. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, thank you.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± the steward said with a small bow that revealed a small bald spot at the back of his graying head. ¡°If ever you need anything, please let any of the palace servants know.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Spahen repeated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what was your name again?¡± ¡°Steward Negotium, at your service,¡± the steward bowed a second time while Spahen committed his name and appearance to memory: the formed and forming wrinkles of his face, his resting expression, his rigid posture and wiry frame, his oversized, triangular nose and large, leathery ears. ¡°Steward Negotium, were I to find a need for something, where would I find you?¡± ¡°Ah! Any of the servants can help you.¡± ¡°But if I wanted to speak with you personally?¡± Spahen pressed delicately. ¡°Any of my staff could find me for you,¡± Negotium insisted, and Spahen donned an appeased smile. ¡°Thank you again.¡± ¡°My pleasure, Councilman.¡± As the steward shut the door behind him, Spahen turned to better take in his surroundings. The room was dark except for an oil lamp on a bedside table. He looked for a window and found an entire wall of them hiding behind tapestries cleverly proportioned to double as floor-to-ceiling curtains without disrupting the glamorous hunting scene woven across their threads. In the winter, the tapestries would be important to insulate the windows and keep the room warm. Tasseled curtain ties made the tapestries easy to pin back, and soon the room was flooded with sunlight. The windows doubled as doors, opening in pairs onto a private, covered porch overlooking a pristine water garden and the well-manicured western courtyards. Beyond that lay a sprawling meadow that looked a little too perfect to be truly wild, and beyond that, an ancient, desert forest, the trees shorter, scragglier, and more spaced out compared to the forests of the Bear Tribe¡¯s lush, evergreen mountains. It was undeniably beautiful though. But he wanted to know what happened to the sleeping warrior on the hallway ceiling, and if he was to find out before the afternoon council meetings, he needed to get moving. He exited the room, taking stock of his surroundings so he could find the correct door later, and looked up once again, following the scenic ceiling art to the next panel. It portrayed a close up of the forest where a cloaked figure had now fully emerged, still brandishing a naked knife, building suspense before the hallway turned a corner, and Spahen was impressed by the artistry in the storytelling. He turned to find the cloaked figure now hunched over the sleeping soldier, long, wavy hair spilling from the depths of its hood. Having reunited with her recently, the hair reminded him of Beta¡¯s tresses. Next panel: the soldier was awake, staring up into the hood with wide eyes and a slack jaw. Either fear or awe was intended from such an expression; Spahen moved on quickly to determine which. In the last panel, the hood had fallen back, revealing a beautiful woman. The warrior now sat upright, controlling her wrist holding the knife with one hand while cupping her cheek with the other. Spahen snorted involuntarily as the parallel of the wavy hair superimposed Beta¡¯s image over the woman¡¯s. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯d slit his throat just for touching her like that without permission,¡± he muttered to himself. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Spahen startled, looking down and meeting a pair of clever brown eyes peering up from the face of a thirty-something aged man. ¡°I apologize for startling you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± Spahen said with an easy, politician¡¯s smile. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not paying attention to my surroundings." ¡°I see you¡¯ve found the murals of Caelus and Lamia,¡± the man observed. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with that story.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not from here, are you?¡± ¡°You are correct,¡± Spahen nodded, looking back up at the carved scene above him. ¡°I¡¯m here on temporary exchange from the Bear Tribe Council of Elders to the Lion King¡¯s court.¡± ¡°A fellow councilman! I¡¯m Sollers Trebax.¡± ¡°Brennen Spahen,¡± he returned, his interest in this councilman doubly piqued because of his familiar name. ¡°I was just heading to the afternoon council meeting. Would you care to join me?¡± ¡°Thank you, yes. I¡¯m still gathering my bearings,¡± Spahen laughed a little in self-deprecation as he fell into step with Councilman Trebax. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d like to tell me the story of Caelus and Lamia?¡± ¡°If you¡¯d like,¡± Trebax chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s little more than a children¡¯s fairytale.¡± ¡°It¡¯s new to me,¡± Spahen encouraged him. ¡°The story starts with a holy war ¡ª the great animal Guardians of the spirit realm, Sidus, fighting the lifeless troops of the Black Dragon to prevent him from stealing the souls he would need to expand his army into an extermination force against humanity. The Lion Primordial was one such Guardian who led his pride into battle. He was wounded, and as such, he fell from the heavens into our realm. ¡°Unstable in his spirit form and otherwise damaged, the great Lion was found by Caelus, an ambitious young soldier of the Probitas Dynasty, and the Lion Primordial appealed to him for his hospitality. Caelus agreed to host the Lion spirit if the Lion would consent to share his power with him. The Lion warned Caelus that such power, uncontrolled, could destroy him, but Caelus insisted, and the Lion was desperate. They joined, host and animal spirit, and Caelus, ever ambitious, used the power of the Lion Primordial to overthrow the Probitas Dynasty and name himself the new king. Drunk with power, Caelus was a tyrant, selfishly using his people as pawns to pursue his whims of wars, wine, and women. ¡°Meanwhile, the Guardians of Sidus, the lionesses of his pride, having pushed back the Black Dragon¡¯s forces, started looking for their lost leader, and they found him, bound to the cruel and capricious Caelus. The lionesses couldn¡¯t bear to watch his suffering and formed a plan. Semel, the first lioness of his pride, entered the human realm and found Lamia, a young woman renowned for her beauty and virtue in a neighboring tribe that was struggling to fight off Caelus¡¯s armies. Semel proposed a new bond that would give Lamia the power to help her tribe resist and kill Caelus, and thereby free the Lion Primordial from his host. Lamia agreed willingly. ¡°With the power of Semel, Lamia rallied her tribe and fought back against Caelus¡¯s armies. The battle was brutal, a stalemate, and Caelus withdrew with his army to regroup. Lamia, at Semel¡¯s urging, followed Caelus¡¯s retreat on her own and concealed herself nearby to wait for exhaustion to overtake the camp. Soon Caelus and his men fell into a deep sleep, and Lamia crept forward, determined to assassinate the tyrant. ¡°Knife already in hand, she stooped over his sleeping form and hesitated. Caelus, for all his cruelty, was peaceful as he slept. The hesitation cost Lamia her opportunity. Caelus awoke and was immediately entranced by Lamia¡¯s beauty, and the deep bonds of the lions they both hosted only added to their instant connection. Lamia was seduced by Caelus, only to discover that giving herself to him didn¡¯t change anything. Caelus was still cruel and ambitious and determined to subject her people. So she killed him, freeing the Lion Primordial, and in her grief, Lamia took her own life, freeing Semel as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Spahen frowned. ¡°That¡¯s how the story ends?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Trebax confirmed as they approached a pair of massive, gaudily gilded, carved desert acacia wood doors at the end of a column-lined hall. ¡°That¡¯s depressing,¡± he mused softly. ¡°That¡¯s a Lion Tribe fairytale?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Trebax laughed at the scowl lining Spahen¡¯s forehead. ¡°It¡¯s a cautionary tale, to be sure.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it supposed to caution you about?¡± ¡°Well, there isn¡¯t a specific moral,¡± Trebax shrugged, ¡°but it certainly explores the dangers of making deals with people you don¡¯t know well, or hesitating in your duty, or being seduced by a pretty face.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s so Lion Tribe-y.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Trebax laughed, a pair of palace guards opening the double doors leading into the throne room. It was beautiful. The room itself was massive. Straight ahead sat a set of three high-backed thrones on a raised platform at the center of the room. The largest, middle throne was obviously intended for the Lion King himself; the other two, Spahen speculated, were most likely for his queen and his heir. Like the doors, the thrones were made from beautifully carved acacia wood and gilded with gold leaf. They were also luxuriously cushioned between tall armrests on either side ¡ª probably by necessity, as the Lion King surely spent many hours sitting upon that throne in council meetings every day. To the right, the floor raised a couple of steps to where the king¡¯s council sat upon shallow platforms outfitted with thick cushions, a single, low armrest to lean against, and a small desk. A cursory estimate suggested that there were around two hundred such platforms, and therefore around two hundred councilmembers. The wall behind the council sported open clerestory windows and a solitary door tucked in the corner, allowing council members to make quiet entrances and exits as needed. To his immediate left, a heavy table was being stored where the room opened shallowly to a tall wall with more clerestory windows ushering in a cross breeze. The wall was lined with the most decadent tapestries he¡¯d ever seen that continued across the wall behind the thrones. But the focal point was the pointed dome of skylights above him that centered on the king¡¯s throne. An architectural marvel all on its own, the glass panels made the need for alternative light sources moot and artistically emphasized the Lion King as the center of the government. ¡°Councilman Spahen, come take a seat,¡± Trebax ushered him to the right. ¡°Which seats are vacant?¡± ¡°I assume you are here to take Councilman Ars¡¯s old seat,¡± Trebax said, guiding him to a platform on the second row next to the south-most wall. ¡°He retired last month, and the king has yet to replace him. Let me know if you need anything. My seat is on the other side.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Spahen said, accepting his seat to then debate how to most comfortably sit in it. The cushion was quite large, the armrest positioned on the left-hand side. Glancing around at the few councilmen already sitting down, the idea was to lounge against the armrest on one¡¯s hip, leaving the right and presumably dominant hand available for taking notes¡­ or he could simply sit cross-legged on the cushion, which seemed more comfortable and more professional. He sat down, and struck up a conversation with the councilman in front of him. ¡°Hello, allow me to introduce myself. I¡¯m Brennen Spahen, here on temporary exchange from the Bear Tribe.¡± ¡°Ah! Yes, I had heard that the king was considering an exchange,¡± the man said with a welcoming smile. ¡°I¡¯m Muto Legatus, the council spokesman. If you have any items you¡¯d like to add to the council agenda, I¡¯m the person to talk to. And this,¡± Legatus indicated the man sitting to his right, ¡°is Councilman Epistola. He¡¯s the one primarily responsible for recording the meeting minutes. Next to you is Councilman Notarius; he¡¯s Epistola¡¯s backup scribe.¡± ¡°It means we aren¡¯t much good for company during meetings,¡± Epistola noted wryly. ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Spahen said with a smile. ¡°I tend to keep to myself anyway.¡± ¡°And what is your background, Councilman Spahen? What brings you here from the Bear Tribe?¡± Legatus queried curiously. ¡°In the Bear Tribe, I come from a long line of council elders ¡ª my father, his father, and his father before him and so on. My grandfather is still a member of the Council of Elders, and I¡¯ve been serving as a member for the last few years. When the Lion King reached out to Tribe Leader Recht about a potential exchange, I volunteered. I am quite interested to learn more about your tribe''s philosophies and law and how the Lion Tribe manages their internal affairs. And, of course, I hope to represent my own government well while I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Well welcome,¡± Legatus said, before turning to face the front in time to witness the Lion King enter the throne room and start the meeting. 13 - Establishing Covers ¡°Schakern Latebros,¡± Buhne presented himself to the steward, giving his real first name but a false surname he¡¯d come up with that morning for this new persona. ¡°Most people call me Kern, at least, that¡¯s what my mother called me. It¡¯s a Bear Tribe name. I¡¯m a mix.¡± He stopped talking, allowing the guileless ramblings to settle while he shrewdly watched for a reaction. The steward was¡­ amused by them, but pushing too far would cause annoyance. ¡°You said you have experience as a servant. What skills do you have?¡± ¡°I have a talent for brokering deals with merchants, and I can clean things as well as the next person. Everything from manual labor to maintaining armor to entertaining guests, I do a little bit of everything, and if I don¡¯t know how to do something, I¡¯m a quick learner.¡± The steward hummed and scanned through his personnel list a second time. ¡°You might do well assigned to crew seven. They¡¯ve been needing another pair of hands. Do you work well in groups?¡± ¡°I prefer it!¡± Buhne declared readily. ¡°I like holding a conversation while I work. Make no mistake, the work will get done, but it¡¯s preferable to keep company while doing it.¡± The steward chuckled. ¡°The starting pay is seven Velli a week plus room and board. Uniforms will be provided. Being assigned to a crew means that, in addition to a set of standard, daily tasks, the palace stewards will call you in as needed for various other jobs ¡ª perhaps to help set up for a party in the palace, make up work for people who are out sick, serve food at a banquet, or unload carts of supplies being delivered. Some days you will be asked to work long hours. Other days, you will get off early. Can you handle that?¡± ¡°Stability and variety all rolled into one job!¡± Buhne observed cheerfully. ¡°Yes, I believe that will do nicely.¡± ¡°Very good. Your crew leader¡¯s name is Mannus. He will provide the needed orientation. Come, I¡¯ll introduce you to him.¡± Buhne followed the steward from the small office through the ground-level, narrow hallways to a set of stairs leading up to one of the palace wings. ¡°Which wing is this?¡± he asked as a long, much more spacious hallway came into view at the top of the stairs. ¡°This is the hospital wing,¡± the steward said and led Buhne down the hallway to a set of private, empty patient rooms being cleaned by a crew of servants. ¡°Is Mannus here?¡± the steward asked of one of the servants. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± a voice sounded behind them from the next room over. ¡°Mannus, excellent. I¡¯d like you to meet Kern Latebros. I¡¯m assigning him to your crew. Can you have him outfitted and get him started for me?¡± Mannus nodded while looking Buhne over thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ll leave him to you,¡± the steward said by way of excusing himself. ¡°I¡¯ll show you around Mr. Latebros,¡± Mannus said. ¡°You can just call me Kern,¡± Buhne said pleasantly, and Mannus sniffed, unimpressed. ¡°So you¡¯re my crew leader?¡± Buhne tried a less chipper approach. ¡°Where do I start?¡± His crew leader raised an eyebrow at him and then launched into a rapid-fire orientation. ¡°You will arrive for work at sunrise and meet the rest of the crew at the bottom of the stairs to the hospital wing. We clean the rooms and hallways top to bottom every day, except the rooms with patients in them ¡ª those are left to the medical personnel. Understaffed, our crew typically finishes our daily assignment in the early afternoon. With you on the team, we should be able to finish more quickly ¡ª ideally before lunch. Fully staffed, our afternoons should be spent taking on miscellaneous tasks. I¡¯m sure Steward Curo explained the job description to you.¡± ¡°He did.¡± Buhne nodded. ¡°Good. Then you can help us finish up in these last few rooms. Afterwards, I will take you to the tailors to get you outfitted.¡± Abrupt, concise, efficient, strict. Mannus was going to be challenging to work under. No. Mannus was going to be challenging to investigate under, but what luck landing in a crew that works the hospital wing regularly! In theory, this would increase his likelihood of interacting with the medical staff who treated the young queen and possibly create an opportunity to glimpse her medical records. Maybe. Or not. Buhne sighed as he was handed a rag and bucket of sudsy water, getting to work quickly so Mannus wouldn¡¯t boot him from the team before he¡¯d had an opportunity to accomplish something. He had time ¡ª that was the good news ¡ª time to develop profitable relationships and take advantage of them. For now, however, he had a floor to scrub. *** The palace and military base stables were easy to miss if you weren¡¯t looking for them. Located within the thicket that separated the base from the palace grounds, it made sense that they would consolidate their equestrian resources. Erkunden was looking for the ¡°Steward of Hunting and Grounds¡±; apparently he kept his office near the stables along with the marshal and head gardener¡¯s offices. That made sense. Stepping off the main road to follow a well maintained lane into the trees, Erkunden wondered about the different types of flora and fauna he would find here in the Lion Tribe. It would be more scarce on average; striking the appropriate balance between harvesting and conservation would be more critical here. And yet the trees around the palace were much more dense and well-established than he¡¯d expected to find in the desert. There had to be tenacious creeks or a river system running through this area to sustain so much growth for so long. He wasn¡¯t complaining though. The shade from the trees dampened the dry summer heat significantly, and that was a relief as mid-afternoon approached. Erkunden wasn¡¯t used to the aggressive sun-scorching. The low humidity made the high temperatures relatively tolerable, but heat was still heat, and the Lion Tribe sun was oppressive, beating against you like an oven had just been opened to breathe on the back of your neck. It was going to be important to stay hydrated here. ¡°Whoa. Who are you? Civilians aren¡¯t allowed in this area,¡± someone in the black and gold uniform of the Lion Tribe military informed him while holding a halting hand up in the way of his trajectory. ¡°My name is Stetig Incedo. I¡¯m looking for Steward Pax,¡± Erkunden stated comfortably, giving his real first name and false surname as discussed with the rest of Squad 14 that morning. The young soldier looked him over thoughtfully. ¡°Why are you looking for him?¡± ¡°¡®Inquiring about a job.¡± ¡°A job, huh?¡± The soldier thumbed his chin, contemplating something for a moment while studying Erkunden¡¯s appearance: his obviously tall, broad, Bear Tribe build, blue eyes, and dark brown hair, the bow and quiver on his back, the cross-body belt of well-loved hunting knives, the standard sword belt and sword. ¡°You¡¯re really tall,¡± he observed, his eyes curious more than anything else, and Erkunden waited steadily. ¡°You¡¯re a hunter?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± He nodded. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Well, I hate to disappoint you, mister¡­ I forgot your name already. Sorry.¡± ¡°Stetig Incedo.¡± ¡°Riiight. Well, I hate to disappoint you, but Steward Pax isn¡¯t hiring right now.¡± Erkunden¡¯s lips pursed in thought. Improvisation wasn¡¯t his greatest strength; that was usually left to Buhne or Ablenkung ¡ª or even Spahen in a pinch. ¡°Well¡­.¡± ¡°Well?¡± Erkunden probed when the soldier didn¡¯t continue. ¡°I was just thinking¡­. The marshal is almost always hiring.¡± ¡°The marshal?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. He was complaining just yesterday that he never has enough people on staff¡­. How are you with horses?¡± ¡°Oh. Uh, I do alright,¡± he floundered. ¡°And you¡¯re a hunter too¡­.¡± Erkunden waited, and his patience was rewarded with ¡°why don¡¯t you come with me.¡± The soldier turned and began to lead him through the trees to a wide field of wild grasses that was fenced off with a massive, beautiful stable built from some sort of desert mud or concrete to the right. They turned, heading for the stable when another, freestanding structure came into view behind it. ¡°Hey, Coda, have you seen the marshal?¡± the soldier called to someone who looked like a stable hand. ¡°He¡¯s working with Bane, last I heard.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Erkunden smiled to himself, appreciating the open informality he was picking up on; he could work with that. He followed the soldier around the back of the stables to where a smaller area of the field was cordoned off; a stocky man with graying blonde hair was holding a lead and coaxing a young gelding with a pitch black coat into a trot around him. ¡°That¡¯s it, Bane,¡± the man murmured, clicking his tongue encouragingly. ¡°Marshal, when you have a minute¨C¡± ¡°¡®With you in a sec,¡± he cut the soldier off in favor of continuing the training. The gelding bobbed his head, his mane both fluffy and silky as it caught the air. ¡°Ta!¡± The horse changed pace, entering a canter while the marshal rotated at the center of the corral, tracking the horse with his rope. ¡°Ho!¡± Bane slowed immediately. ¡°Whoa, whoa.¡± The gelding stopped, and the marshal rewarded him by sending him into the stable with instructions for the nearest hands to find him an apple. ¡°Alright, Mr. Incedo, this is Marshal Freno. Marshal, Mr. Incedo,¡± the soldier provided a bare introduction and then bowed out, leaving Erkunden to gaze awkwardly at a man climbing over a fence. ¡°Incedo, huh?¡± the marshal said with a small hop back to the ground. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you here?¡± ¡°¡®Looking for a job,¡± Erkunden supplied. ¡°What kind of job?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a hunter, but I have a little experience with animals too.¡± ¡°A hunter¡­.¡± The marshal frowned in thought. ¡°That¡¯s more the type of thing Steward Pax hires for.¡± ¡°I was told that Steward Pax isn¡¯t hiring at the moment.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be, no,¡± the marshal mused and started walking away; Erkunden thought it best to follow him. The marshal led him into the stable, through rows of gorgeous horses, to the end where a much shabbier, dapple gray mare was shifting her weight irritably. ¡°Her name¡¯s May. Show me what you can do.¡± A little taken aback, Erkunden started removing his weapons and set them to lean against May¡¯s stall. He knew a little about horses, but not that much, and the marshal¡¯s instructions were¡­ nonexistent. ¡°¡®Anything in particular you want me to do with her?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Even more confused, Erkunden opened the stall door, and May started thrashing against the rope tying her to a post. He recalculated, stepping back to close the gate and wait for May to calm down again. He watched, patiently observing May¡¯s movements for a long while, waiting for her anxiety to dissipate, and he started humming quietly to himself. There wasn¡¯t a tune or specific purpose to the humming ¡ª actually, he was next to tone-deaf ¡ª but May settled just a little to listen to it. His humming grew softer, deeper, more intentional. May¡¯s fears seemed to cool by degree. ¡°Here,¡± the marshal whispered, handing Erkunden a bucket full of oats. Continuing the indistinct, low humming, Erkunden shifted the bucket of oats in his hands to add the gentle percussion of swishing grains to his tuneless song. May¡¯s already perked ears twitched, her fight against her ropes forgotten for the moment. Not wanting to risk opening the stall again, Erkunden made use of his long arms and extended a handful of oats for May to sniff. She was hesitant. And then she was cautiously interested. Nibbly lips explored his offering, and Erkunden opened his palm to allow her to partake. ¡°You like that, huh?¡± he murmured, and May snorted. He collected the bucket, extending the whole thing to her over the wall of her stall, shaking it gently and returning to his quiet droning when she became once again agitated. Instead, another handful was extended; May accepted it skeptically. Another handful¡­. And another¡­. Eventually, May stepped forward to accept what was left of her oats from the pail ¡ª which was for the best as Erkunden¡¯s arm was growing tired from all the reaching. When she¡¯d finished, May returned to being mistrustful, stepping back to scrutinize Erkunden. He simply stared back as he was not really sure what the goal was nor was he really interested in pressing his luck. ¡°You¡¯re hired,¡± Marshal Freno muttered next to him, walking away and leaving Erkunden and May to study each other in peace. *** Despite Beta¡¯s instructions, it was challenging finding the tailors¡¯ workshop. All he knew was that it was tucked away at the back of the palace on the ground level where all the servants lived and worked. Carrying a half-filled sack of potatoes, Ablenkung was counting on getting lost in the shuffle of human movement as the daytime servants were replaced by a much smaller nighttime crew, but that was a tall order considering his Bear Tribe size and coloring. He blended in about as well as a red wine on a white tablecloth, so it was that much more important to look and act like he was where he was supposed to be. Aplomb and disinterest prevented unwanted disruptions, and soon he found what he was looking for. There was no one in the workshop, and for that it felt eerie. But it did make thieving easier. The uniforms were hanging on racks along one wall, partitioned by gender, then type, then size. He could pretty safely assume that he was best suited for the largest size in everything. Dumping the potatoes on the ground, he targeted one uniform of every type, collecting the garments in the empty burlap sack as quickly as he could find them. While the rest of Squad 14 had taken on long-term infiltration roles, he¡¯d been assigned the flexible support role, and thus, the uniforms were crucial. He was used to the support roles during operations ¡ª that was sort of his thing ¡ª but usually he was better equipped to simply blend in. Lions averaged about three inches shorter than bears, and Ablenkung was a little above average for a bear. Where, in the Bear Tribe, a couple extra inches wasn¡¯t noteworthy, that translated to five or more extra inches in the Lion Tribe. Oh¡­ this mission was going to be hard. That was beside that fact that he was going to have to let the seams out in all the pants and hope the shoulders in the shirts and jackets didn¡¯t tear. The pressing question was: where to start? Ablenkung was budgeting the first few weeks for simply getting the lay of the land. Who were all the players? Where had his squadmates landed and were therefore covering? What remaining holes would he need to fill? Beta¡¯s guess that the king¡¯s council were somehow responsible for sabotaging the queen¡¯s pregnancies was just that: a guess. There were a lot of moving parts in a palace, and the Lion King had a lot of enemies and potential enemies. The Lion Tribe had just ended a war with the Griffin Tribe, and the Great War (that had ended about the time the miscarriages started) had been discovered to be a conspiracy of the former Lion King, Imperium Rex, Verum¡¯s father. Yes, the young king surely had enemies, and there were likely more than a few members of the disbanded Resistance holding a grudge strong enough to do something like this. There were people throughout all of Ulakam harboring hatred for the Lion King because his father was no longer alive to be the subject of their ire. But then, what was the end game of this conspiracy? To inflict pain? Was this a ¡°you stole my loved ones, so I¡¯m stealing yours¡± sort of revenge? Or maybe it was an attempt to humiliate the royal family? Was this simply a hate fueled effort to end the Rex family line? Or perhaps it was more sinister. If the Rex family line ended, what would the consequences be? What laws were in place for such a contingency? Was this an attempt to steal the crown? Reform the government? Start a civil war? That was a nasty thought, and on a scale from petty revenge to watching the Lion Tribe destroy itself from the inside out, the perpetrators behind this plot could be emotionally fueled or calculating, multi-step thinkers. That did very little to narrow down the suspects list, and there was a real risk of outsmarting oneself by over- or under-complicating the situation. While such thoughts burdened his mind, Ablenkung completed his thievery and added the potatoes back to the top of the sack to hide the clothes beneath. Careful to make sure the immediately surrounding halls were empty, he slipped out of the workshop and into the shuffling of human activity around the corner. 14 - Memorial Day ¡°Memorial Day is tomorrow,¡± Councilman Legatus reminded the court at the end of their meeting, and Callida felt an electric pang twinge through her chest. How she had overlooked that bitter anniversary, she wasn¡¯t sure, but she was wholly unprepared for it. ¡°The committee reports that the commemorative feast has been planned as you requested, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Verum nodded. ¡°General Yudha, I¡¯ve been meaning to inform you that your presence at the feast tomorrow is expected, and you will undoubtedly be required to give a speech or a toast of some sort.¡± ¡°Thanks for the warning,¡± Callida acknowledged tersely. Just one more presentation to prepare. At least this one could be brief. ¡°Sorry to put you on the spot,¡± came the return snicker. Callida rolled her eyes, her departure brisk as the council was dismissed. Habit drove her to the training arena, an enormous amphitheater reserved for the senior officers of the military and the rare competitive events or military displays. This was her job: appear wholly unconcerned and maintain a rigorously boring schedule. If she was relaxed, the conspirators would be relaxed, making it that much easier for Squad 14 to catch them with their pants down. And yet, it had been three weeks, and she hadn¡¯t heard a single word from her team nor seen any of them besides Spahen in council meetings since she¡¯d briefed them on the assignment. She wasn¡¯t even sure that they¡¯d all successfully found covers. Which is how it should be, she reminded herself again. They were doing their jobs; these men were masters of their craft; she trusted their competence and integrity. They were intentionally playing the long game; she just had to be patient. ¡°General Yudha?¡± She stopped in her tracks, turning to the unfamiliar voice and finding a young soldier approaching her awkwardly. ¡°Yes, soldier?¡± ¡°Your horse is ready.¡± ¡°My horse?¡± Callida frowned, lifting a brow. ¡°You¡­ requested one?¡± he faltered. Maybe this was a ploy to draw her into a meeting? Or perhaps the ploy was nefarious: an effort to get her alone and relatively vulnerable. She felt for the steel at her hip and plastered on a false smile. ¡°Oh, of course! My horse! I forgot I had some errands to run this afternoon. ¡®Good thing I requested the horse when I still remembered. Thank you for the reminder.¡± The soldier chuckled awkwardly but relaxed. ¡°The stables are this way.¡± She followed him along the familiar path, wary of what may be hidden among the trees, but there weren¡¯t any jump scares. Instead, the stable came into view where a disembodied hand was watering a horse already fitted with a saddle and bridle, the owner of that hand obscured by the silky chestnut mare. She could hear gentle humming as she drew closer, the voice familiar and comfortable if a little out of tune. She smiled. ¡°Ah, General,¡± Erkunden bowed slightly and passed her the reins. ¡°Her name¡¯s Serica.¡± ¡°Serica,¡± Callida repeated, looking the horse over. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°May I offer you a hand into the saddle?¡± She looked up, caramel brown meeting blue, something subtle passing from the latter to the former. ¡°Thank you, yes.¡± She got a foot in the stirrup and took his hand, accepting the rolled parchment that passed effortlessly between them by the time she¡¯d made it into the saddle. ¡°I¡¯ll return the horse in a few hours." ¡°Very good, General,¡± Erkunden said with another bow, though his eyes never left hers. ¡°Ta!¡± Callida urged the horse forward, riding her to and through the base gates toward Astu Centralis and finding a very empty stretch of road before opening her palm to read the note there.
All positioned. Shield took samples. Tested. No hit. Seeking alt delivery. Parrot talking to docs/ seen records. No hit yet.
Callida frowned, mulling the report over. She would need to find a fire source in town to burn the message. Breaking it down, ¡°Shield took samples¡± meant that Ablenkung was positioned somewhere in the palace and had accessed all the consumable products in Flore¡¯s room to test ¡ª the agreed upon first step. ¡°Tested¡± meant that someone, probably Erkunden, had exposed pregnant rabbits to those products (also discussed). Working in the stables, Erkunden had likely set up a rabbit farm in the near area, probably convinced Steward Pax to allow him to artificially inflate the rabbit population for hunting. ¡°No hit. Seeking alt delivery.¡± None of the sampled products appeared poisoned, so now they would be looking into the kitchen staff as food was the next most likely poison delivery method. ¡°Parrot talking to docs/ seen records¡± meant that Buhne was working the medical angle: chatting up doctors, rifling through Flore¡¯s medical records, keeping an eye out for suspicious interactions between hospital staff and seemingly unrelated players. ¡°No hit yet¡± meant nothing had turned up, but there was more to be done so the report wasn¡¯t final. She sighed, relief of old stress in conflict with a flood of new stress. Everyone had successfully been positioned, and they were running through the checklist they¡¯d discussed. But they weren¡¯t finding anything. Unless Spahen discovered something amongst the councilmen, they were back at square one. ¡°Crap,¡± she muttered to herself before slipping the note into her pocket and slapping the reins. ¡°Ta!¡± *** Callida had been especially eager to escape the throne room and its stifling company. It wasn¡¯t exactly a coincidence that Memorial Day was observed on the anniversary of her father¡¯s death, but that only served to add to the grief of an otherwise bitter holiday. Memorial Day: the day commemorated by the Lion Tribe for the remembrance of soldiers lost to war, and there were so, so many men (and some women) to remember. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The morning¡¯s meetings had passed in a blur of immaterial matters that had been difficult to care much about, and the walk to the military graveyard northeast of the palace base was spent in contemplative silence as her fingers mindlessly toyed with the necklace of family crest rings she always wore beneath her uniform. She had many, many friends, family members, and comrades to honor on such a day as this, only an intimate fraction of whom were represented on her chain. The graveyard itself was difficult to measure, the number of graves seemingly endless, and the number of fields constantly expanding with each year spent at war. Today the graveyard was crowded for the holiday, especially where the newest section of graves stretched across a field marked by a giant monument on behalf of those whose bodies had been dumped into mass battlefield graves during the war against the Griffin Tribe. Callida felt obligated to pay her respects despite the crowd. Yes, visiting her father¡¯s grave would have to wait until she¡¯d honored the men who¡¯d fallen under her command. She steeled herself and entered the throngs. The open whisperings began almost immediately, and Callida groaned internally, wishing in vain to keep her grief private. I should have changed out of my uniform. ¡°Primordials, isn¡¯t that the Lion General?¡± ¡°... actually came herself!¡± ¡°Oh my¨C, I think it is!¡± ¡°... visiting personally? Isn¡¯t that her?¡± ¡°... General herself! What is¡­¡± ¡°... came for the holiday. I wonder if she¡¯ll say anything¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she lost a lot of friends¡­¡± On the plus side, her uniform granted her direct access to the monument as the mob parted to let her through. ¡°General Yudha!¡± That voice, at least, was familiar and welcome. She turned to the sound, ignoring the crowd, the corners of her lips lifting in recognition. ¡°Commander Vir, how are you?¡± The man in question, also in his formal military uniform, snapped into an attentive salute, and Callida¡¯s slight smile became a crooked grin. Vir had always been a stickler for the rules. It made him predictable, and that was comforting. ¡°At ease, Commander.¡± Vir relaxed, and Callida looked him over. He was short and slender in build, especially for a lion, his looks plain but his eyes kind. Always kind: somehow the years of battles hadn¡¯t hardened him. ¡°How are Ancora and the girls?¡± ¡°You are in trouble,¡± Vir answered cheekily. ¡°Apart from catching a glimpse of you in the homecoming parade, they haven¡¯t seen you since we got back.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t wanted to intrude on your family time.¡± ¡°We got back two and a half months ago,¡± he reminded her brusquely. ¡°Ancora wants to have you over for dinner, but she¡¯s worried about being an imposition by asking.¡± She nodded, snorting a little to herself as her hand moved to her popped hip. ¡°Alright, when?¡± ¡°I think you could about pick your day, General,¡± he returned with a toothy smile. Taking a moment to consider her schedule, Callida landed on ¡°tomorrow?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let Ancora know,¡± Vir acknowledged and then snapped to attention before bowing deeply. ¡°Happy Memorial Day, General.¡± Callida returned the bow and turned to once again face the monument.
Illis qui pro victoria sanguinem dederunt.
She wasn¡¯t entirely sure what the inscription meant even though she¡¯d been in the room when Verum had decided on the sentiment with her commanders and the council. It had something to do with her victory toast all those months ago, but she wasn¡¯t even certain what she¡¯d said then. That felt like a lifetime ago. Regardless, Callida set her hand against the cool, polished stone and let her fingers lightly trace the letters there. ¡°Blood. It had something to do with blood,¡± she muttered to herself, ¡°and victory. Blood for victory?¡± She frowned, trying to conjure the elusive memory as the cost of that victory hit her incrementally harder. Callida sighed, her head bowing in guilty grief as her first tears of the day were liberated. It was time to move on. Quickly wiping her tears away, she left, the mass of holiday observers replacing the path of physical obstacles with one flooded with gossip ¡ª gossip that both her head and her heart were too overwhelmed to absorb. She turned northwest, following the west edge of the cemetery to pass several fields of graves, eventually entering a quiet part of the graveyard that felt ancient and sleepy when compared to the bustling of the newer plots drawing the crowds. A great, shoestring acacia bowed in protection over the largest monument here.
Sospes Animo Salvatoris regis. Amicus fidelis in vita et morte.
This was her great-great-something-eth-grandfather and the beginning of the noble Animo family line ¡ª a line both figurative and literal as the Animo family headstones stretched along the edge of this field, ending with her father, Probus Animo, and a pair of small markers Callida had added just a couple of years ago in honor of her mother, Jineng Bishou Animo, and her brother, Germanus Animo. This way, at least her family could be together in memory. ¡°Hi, guys,¡± she greeted them tiredly, and dropped to her knees, preparing for a potential flood by finding the handkerchief in her pocket. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I was here last.¡­ I guess you¡¯ll be wanting an update on things. Um¡­ another war is over, and with the end of the Lion-Griffin war, Ulakam is finally at peace. I know; it¡¯s a little unreal to me too. Though, it¡¯s not really... at peace, I mean. Not yet. There are still battles to be won on the political front. The difference is, I¡¯m not really sure who the enemies are this time; they don¡¯t exactly wear enemy colors. In fact, they wear the colors of our allies¡­.¡± She sighed and changed the subject to something less grim. ¡°I¡¯ve been married for¡­ coming up on two and half years now? I really wish you all could have met him. I mean, I know you met him briefly, Germanus, but I wish you could have really gotten to know him. It hasn¡¯t been what I expected, though ¡ª being married. I guess, mom and dad, you guys always made it look so easy. I think it probably helped that you were both soldiers ¡ª made things simple. You always had something in common to talk about, and you could train together and just understood each other because you had a lot of similar experiences. Qiangde is¡­ not a soldier. I don¡¯t think he realized when we got married how much time gets stolen by deployments and training and such. He¡¯s figuring it out though. We both are. It¡¯s just been different from what I remember from you guys¡­. I miss you.¡± The breeze was cool and peaceful, rustling through the grasses and gently tangling the loose strands of hair by her face. She closed her eyes, pretending that somehow the breeze had been sent by them to comfort her ¡ª like maybe they¡¯d heard her, like maybe they weren¡¯t truly gone. Eyes closed, breathing deeply, a few stray tears drying on her cheeks with the wind still whistling: it was oddly soporific. Her consciousness waffled between abstract dreams and a more intentional meditative state, simply existing in this moment of wishful sorrow. But it hurt when she opened her eyes to see that their names, etched into the stones in front of her, were all that was left of them. Only a memory ¡ª her memory. She was the last of this family line shaded by the shoestring acacia. So she cried. 15 - Memorial Day 2 Verum¡¯s commemorative feast was aggravatingly festive. It felt disrespectful to celebrate a day honoring the deaths of thousands upon tens of thousands of soldiers, but it was also so lionish to throw a party despite the heaviness ¡ª or perhaps even because of it. Removed from the tragedy of loss of life themselves, the Lion Tribe nobility especially thrived on the drama of war, romanticizing and swooning over stories of impressive courage and honor. After the initial, appropriately sober round of toasts, the feast grew merry and was then cleared to make room for a dance. A half an hour into the dance she was actively avoiding, having already provided her required ¡°speech¡± during the toasts, Callida began her casual shuffle toward the exit. ¡°General Yudha, I know you¡¯re not trying to slip out already.¡± She sighed heavily, deflating her shoulders as she turned to face her accuser. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she greeted him with the appropriate bow despite feeling annoyed by the knowing smirk quirking handsome features that were currently glistening slightly from exertion. ¡°May I have the next dance, General?¡± She huffed, a less extreme response than the outright groan that felt more apt. ¡°As much as I appreciate the invitation, I don¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a ¡®yes¡¯,¡± he said, cutting her off quickly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to muster up enough enthusiasm to make it convincing by the time the music starts.¡± Inclining his head to her while giving her a pointed, amused glance, he took his leave, seeking out a corner of the dance floor where his dutiful bodyguard, Captain Pius, could keep tabs on him from the sidelines. Growling her frustration low in her throat, Callida stalked to the back wall to wait for the current dance to end. She hated dancing. Well, she didn¡¯t hate dancing; she hated the flaunted showiness of dancing in this nobility-dominated ballroom. As the music transitioned, Callida grudgingly left the wall to find her royal dance partner, an intentionally fake smile taking up residence on her lips. It was her only recourse for protest. Verum only laughed when he caught sight of her and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor. ¡°I requested a waltz,¡± he informed her. ¡°I know you know how to dance the waltz.¡± She rolled her eyes but accepted his hand on her waist while setting her own on his shoulder, falling into step with him easily. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you have a reason for dragging me out here?¡± Verum chuckled and nudged her into a spin that made her blood red, velvet dress swish around her legs. ¡°Do I need an ulterior motive to ask an old friend to dance?¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t have one?¡± she quipped back. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t say that.¡± She raised an eyebrow expectantly as they fell back into the basic steps. ¡°So¡­?¡± His expression became serious, and Callida began studying his eyes more intently. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about¡­ things with Flore. More specifically, the issues we¡¯ve been discussing.¡± ¡°Do we need to take this somewhere private?¡± ¡°After this waltz?¡± She nodded once, still searching his face for hidden depths of meaning. He met her eyes unflinchingly, pulling her in close and matching her intensity as they twirled around the room. The music ended before she could decipher much, and Callida felt her cheeks burn hot when she finally broke eye contact to find half of the crowd watching them. Before she could pull away, Verum caught hold of her elbow, drawing her even closer to whisper into her ear, ¡°meet me in my study in an hour.¡± He pulled back, meeting her eyes again, and Callida tipped her head in a barely there nod. He smiled and stepped back to offer his dance partner a short bow, a bow she quickly reciprocated before turning on her heel and leaving. *** She¡¯d been waiting for well over an hour. She didn¡¯t mind the quiet, but she was annoyed by his tardiness. To be fair, he¡¯d probably gotten stuck as the host of the feast, and Callida knew firsthand how demanding the nobility could be. While she waited for Verum, Callida made herself comfortable on the large couch by the fireplace, kicking her shoes off to tuck her feet under her while she curled up with the giant pillow against the armrest. If he was going to be late, she was going to take a nap. It felt like she¡¯d merely blinked when the sensation of being watched startled her into alertness. Verum, chuckling, watched her snap into a sitting position and accepted the indignant smack against his shoulder. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Primordials, Verum! You couldn¡¯t make some noise or poke me or something?!¡± ¡°Aww, but you¡¯re so peaceful when you¡¯re asleep,¡± he teased. Callida smacked his arm again and stood up to stretch and scrub the sleep from her eyes. She yawned indelicately and squeaked a little as the stretch arched her back. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°I dunno. Late? My apologies.¡± She waved the apology off and turned to look him over. ¡°You wanted to talk?¡± Much of his tease extinguished immediately, and Verum flopped onto the couch she¡¯d just vacated, his lips buzzing through a sigh. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve been debating for a while now how to approach this, and I think with you, it¡¯d probably be best if I just¡­ came out with it.¡± ¡°Ok. Please do,¡± Callida prompted when he didn¡¯t continue, and Verum stood up to pace the length of the hearth, his brow furrowed with apparent distress. ¡°I¡¯m worried about¡­¡± he stopped, meeting her eyes and lowering his voice despite being alone together, ¡°I¡¯m worried about the investigation failing. Have you heard back from your team?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been slow going,¡± Callida confirmed, and Verum¡¯s brow pinched further. ¡°Callida, if there is a conspiracy, we may need to force their hand.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± He released a heavy breath and drew closer, agitation in every movement. ¡°I¡¯m going to hope for the best and assume that Flore is going to come back with a healthy baby.¡± ¡°Ok?¡± ¡°That would seem to imply that someone has been sabotaging her pregnancies.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°So then what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not following,¡± Callida said with a frown. ¡°Whomever this person is, whoever these people are, I can only assume that they¡¯ve been trying to prevent me from fathering an heir. Why?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t know until we find them and can assess their motives.¡± Callida¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Ok. Let¡¯s say that not only is Flore¡¯s pregnancy a success, but she returns bringing me a son ¡ª an heir. Will they go after my son?¡± ¡°Verum¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to put Flore through that, Callida. She¡¯s been through enough, and if you can¡¯t promise me this will be taken care of before she gets back¡­.¡± Callida stopped trying to come up with reassurances and strategies to instead read her friend¡¯s distress. Angry, bitter tears were welling up in the corners of brown eyes burning with a determination under threat by fear. His jaw was set, his posture rigid and unyielding ¡ª stubborn. ¡°What are you proposing?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How do you propose we force their hand?¡± She watched Verum roll his shoulders out, trying to force them to relax, his expression softening despite the remaining tension. ¡°Give them a new target.¡± ¡°A new target,¡± she repeated slowly. ¡°You mean, take a mistress after all? Verum, I thought you didn¡¯t want to put Flore through that either.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he said a little harshly before his voice softened again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to actually take a mistress. I just want to give whomever is hurting Flore something to do while she¡¯s gone, so your people can¡­ can catch them.¡± ¡°And you already have someone in mind for this rather dangerous job?¡± she asked, not really wanting the answer. He stepped closer. ¡°We already have a history together, Callida.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she said, stepping back and shaking her head. ¡°It would be believable.¡± ¡°Verum¨C¡± ¡°It would be irresponsible of me to ask a civilian to take this risk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Verum, I can¡¯t!¡± She insisted, feeling a little desperate. ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± he probed softly. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± He snorted. ¡°Well, yeah. All of this is complicated.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not¨C I can¡¯t do this to Rogue,¡± she confessed unwillingly. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯d actually be doing anything.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Then what did you mean?¡± he pressed again. ¡°He¡¯s not even here for me to discuss this with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s perfect. He¡¯s not here; Flore¡¯s not here. It will look like we both found excuses to get rid of our spouses so we can¡­ have an affair. And it¡¯s not like Qiangde or Flore ever need to know about this.¡± ¡°But you know that they¡¯ll find out anyway! Verum, I can¡¯t do that to him. Not even a pretend affair. I just can¡¯t hurt him like that.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, or you won¡¯t?¡± ¡°Do the semantics matter?¡± He sighed, turning away to resume anxiously pacing the hearth. ¡°I¡¯m scared, Callida. I just¡­ feel so helpless. I¡¯m not going to lie to you, while I want to protect my child and I don¡¯t want to put Flore through any more heartbreak, I¡¯m also trying to protect myself. This has been a real trial.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re feeling vulnerable,¡± Callida surmised. ¡°More than that.¡± He stopped pacing to meet her eyes again. ¡°For me, it¡¯s not just about the pain of losing my children or even the humiliation of infertility. I¡¯m failing my family, yes, but I¡¯m also failing my tribe. It¡¯s my duty to protect them, and I don¡¯t think I need to spell out for you the consequences of failing to produce an heir.¡± ¡°No. You don¡¯t.¡± ¡°This might be our only chance to catch them, Callida, and we both know that if we fail here, it won¡¯t matter if I take a mistress or not.¡± Choking on her protests, she had to look away from him and begin her own burdened pacing. He was right, and these were the exact same fears she was harboring. But this wouldn¡¯t be fair to Qiangde. Already she¡¯d been asked to sacrifice so much for the greater good to his detriment. He wasn¡¯t some pawn or an acceptable sacrifice. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take some time to think about it?¡± Verum sighed tiredly and flopped onto the couch. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to think about it, Verum. The answer is no. I won¡¯t do that to Rogue. We¡¯ll find another way.¡± She bowed out awkwardly, that burdened feeling only growing heavier. 16 - Enemies and Allies Mid-October. The court session this morning was a dry rehashing of the previous afternoon¡¯s debate on water rights and which of two cities should be required to help supply a small village of farmers toiling exactly between them. Spahen mused irritably that he¡¯d been attending the Lion King¡¯s court meetings for two months and he had yet to make any sort of headway with anything relating to the primary mission. Getting close to any of the councilmen had proven frustrating. The social politics of the Lion Tribe were way more complicated than the actual politics. Lions were suspicious, conniving, under-handed, manipulative¨C no. No, they were just different, and surely lions would find fault with the way bears did things too. But it made so much more sense now why Beta had struggled to integrate into the Lion Tribe. She was one of the most brutally straightforward people he¡¯d ever met, and that was saying something coming from a tribe where people usually didn¡¯t say much unless they had something specific to communicate. Where the Bear Tribe was efficient, the Lion Tribe was pedantic thorough, and Spahen found himself regularly lost in details as his mind wandered to other things. ¡­ like how to break through the impenetrable cliques of pre-established social circles. After that first day of introductions, Spahen had only managed to exchange a few brief comments with Councilman Trebax in passing. The seven men in the Trebax et al. clique that Beta had identified as suspects kept to themselves on the opposite side of the room. Two months in silent observation from across the room had given him only a few insights. First, relative to the average age of the rest of the king¡¯s councilmen, these men were young with only Councilman Gemma and Councilman Placo appearing to be in the more average fifties to sixties range; the other five were somewhere in their thirties, possibly younger. Second, they were all contrarians of the Lion General. Some, like Trebax, artfully and subtly picked her ideas apart or contested her assertions; others, like Councilman Laniger, regularly championed arguments in direct opposition to hers; and then there was Councilman Unguis who deliberately tried to bait her into fights at least once a week. It amused him how little this seemed to bother Beta; in fact, she seemed quite oblivious (or at least apathetic) to their concerted efforts to undermine her. Third, they were all frustrated for obvious reasons. The Lion Tribe court consisted of an assemblage of two hundred and twenty well-educated, ambitious men serving as advisors to a young king with ultimate executive, legislative, and judicial power. For all the advisors¡¯ bluster, at the end of the day, the only thing that mattered was the king¡¯s vote, and the king¡¯s ear was permanently bent to the will of the Lion General, someone who was easily the least qualified advisor (on paper, at least) in the room and only attended the morning meetings. Most big things discussed in the afternoon meetings would be shelved until the king could get Callida¡¯s opinion on it, and then, regardless of what the council had come up with in the hours of debates the day prior, he would align his opinion with hers nine times out of ten. To be fair, Callida¡¯s was the only viewpoint securely founded in pragmatism and separate from the larger complications of nobility drama, so nine times out of ten, her ideas genuinely made the most sense. However, from the ambitious, young councilman¡¯s perspective, Callida was an exhausting force to contend with ¡ª which also amused Spahen greatly. Spahen had been playing his role well. When required to have an opinion, he¡¯d remained as neutral as possible, sometimes foregoing his vote entirely. He wasn¡¯t there to improve Lion Tribe policies; he was there to help the king sire an heir by catching those who were sabotaging those efforts. But it had been two months of quiet observation and nothing more. It was time to take a stand. ¡°Do we know where the farmers take their produce to sell?¡± Beta asked boredly, and Spahen found himself stifling a small chuckle. He knew exactly where this was heading. ¡°Uh, no,¡± the councilman presenting the case said, frowning at his notes. ¡°Well, it would seem to make sense that the city benefitting from their labor should be the one to supply the village with water,¡± she stated simply, unwittingly undoing two hours of debate the previous afternoon. ¡°And if they both benefit?¡± the Lion King prompted. ¡°Then the cities should split the cost of supplying the village with water. Maybe one provides the water while the other provides the labor to dig the needed aqueducts, or perhaps they each dig a certain number of wells?¡± Spahen watched the king gnaw on a knuckle in a failed effort to hide laughter. ¡°Very good, General. I think that¡¯s a very sensible approach.¡± It was now or never. ¡°Councilman Legatus, what¨C¡± ¡°I beg your pardon, Your Majesty,¡± Spahen said, standing up to address the court for the first time ever. ¡°It¡¯s Councilman Spahen, is it not?¡± The king appraised him curiously. ¡°It is. Your Majesty, forgive the impertinence, but we discussed this matter at length yesterday as a whole council. We had an actionable plan that we all came here prepared to vote on. What is to become of that plan?¡± The king¡¯s eyes widened a little with surprise. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand what you are suggesting.¡± ¡°Then let me speak plainly,¡± Spahen said, taking a small step forward. ¡°This is a pattern I¡¯ve observed since I joined your council two months ago. Far be it from me as an outsider to tell you how you should run your council meetings, but you consistently ignore and subvert your council as soon as the Lion General opens her mouth, someone who is arguably the least qualified in this room to offer Your Majesty advice on these matters. Certainly the Lion General is unmatched as a soldier and battle strategist. When matters of security or war are admitted to this council, it would be foolish not to seek her advice. But the Lion Tribe is not at war. These are matters of public affairs and policy. It does not make sense to seek and side with her opinions so consistently unless¡­.¡± He trailed off, leaving the comment unfinished for he himself had not finished the thought. But the silence that blanketed the room was pregnant with a suggestion he had not intended. Perhaps he should have spent more time thinking this through, and a glance at Beta, her body on high alert and eyes downcast, made something in his gut clench. He¡¯d inadvertently struck a nerve, and he determined to close out quickly. ¡°Your Majesty, if hers is the only council you care to listen to, why do you insult the rest of your councilmen by holding these meetings at all?¡± Spahen took his seat, feeling unexpectedly guilty for the carefully controlled expression on Beta¡¯s face. She was trembling, and it almost looked like she was trying not to cry. Primordials, what did I say!? While the king fumbled through a declaration of dismissal to the council, giving Beta the opportunity to bolt, Spahen obsessively ran through his statement. ¡°It does not make sense to seek and side with her opinions so consistently unless¡­¡± you know something about her resume that the rest of us do not. Or something like that. That was the sentiment in his head, but he¡¯d left it open to interpretation. Unless¡­ you think she¡¯s smarter than over two hundred of the most educated men in the Lion Tribe. Unless¡­ you¡¯ve been conspiring with her and supplying her with the solutions you like the best in advance. Unless¡­. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of gumption.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Spahen turned distractedly to find Trebax looking up at him, mirth is his eyes. ¡°My compliments, Councilman Spahen. You¡¯ve actually said what the rest of us have been thinking for years.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen the Lion General look so¡­ disquieted before,¡± Councilman Unguis snickered, and Spahen hadn¡¯t noticed him for how distracted he was; he nearly startled. ¡°My only regret is that I wasn¡¯t the one to provoke her.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve only been trying to get under her skin for¡­ how long now?¡± Trebax said, sharing a laugh with Unguis. ¡°I¡¯m just impressed that you dared to suggest an affair between them. We¡¯ve all thought it at some point or another, but you actually said it,¡± Laniger added in a whisper, and a helplessly disoriented Spahen finally took in his surroundings and registered that four of the Trebax clique had crowded around him. ¡°Wait¡­ an affair?!¡± That clenching in his gut twisted. Oh, Primordials. What have I done? This wasn¡¯t the Bear Tribe. Clearly. ¡°... and as an outsider, too. Very astute. Were you aware of His Majesty¡¯s history with the Lion General?¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Uh, just that she was his bodyguard for a while,¡± Spahen stated dully, his head still spinning unproductively through ways to correct his unintentional mistake. And then he remembered that this was the whole reason he¡¯d said anything to begin with. He needed to focus ¡ª to capitalize on the moment. ¡°... Bear Tribe way of speaking. It appears to be much more direct.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Spahen laughed socially. ¡°Our council meetings in the Bear Tribe are a lot shorter for it.¡± They laughed, and Spahen pressed the advantage. ¡°Would you care to join me for lunch?¡± They glanced at each other, each nodding his head subtly. ¡°Thank you, yes,¡± Trebax agreed for the group and then led the way to the back door. ¡°I, for one, would like to get to know you better, Spahen. Do you like hunting?¡± *** Verum sat at his desk, drumming his fingers rapidly against the lacquered wood in a vain effort to release some nervous energy while he waited. Councilman Spahen¡¯s comments last week had been¡­. He couldn¡¯t think of the right adjective. How do you describe something that was surprising, upsetting, confusing, and generally landed like a punch to the gut while simultaneously making you feel relieved? A month and a half ago, Callida had said no to his plan to fake an affair. It was a solid plan for drawing out the conspirators, but he understood why it made her uncomfortable. But last week¡­. While he had no direct confirmation, Verum had assumed that Councilman Spahen was Callida¡¯s inside man unless he¡¯d misread all the signals ¡ª which was possible, actually. However, if he was correct, and Councilman Spahen was her inside man, why would she suddenly change her mind and give him the order to promote the rumor of an affair? His anxiety was less about her changing her mind, and more about how she¡¯d been behaving since the councilman¡¯s statement. She hadn¡¯t been playing up the rumor ¡ª far from it. She¡¯d been ignoring him, refusing him eye contact during council meetings, keeping her head down, only speaking when directly addressed, her statements succinct and lackluster. Every day, she was the last to arrive and the first to leave. She seemed¡­ upset. Maybe she was just really, really hamming up the discomfort of being caught in an affair? But it wasn¡¯t adding up, so Verum¡¯s fingers kept drumming. The knock on the door interrupted his concentration, and Verum made eye contact with Captain Pius standing sentinel across the room. A silent nod was exchanged, and his bodyguard answered the door. ¡°General Yudha,¡± Pius greeted her with a showy bow and stepped aside to let her in as Verum stood up in acknowledgement of his visitor. ¡°Pius, you may go. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± Verum dismissed him, watching as Callida took up an especially rigid stance just inside the room and fixed her gaze on a faraway point nowhere near where he was standing. She didn¡¯t look simply upset. She looked¡­ angry. He¡¯d clearly missed something. The door closed behind Pius, and Verum stood studying his friend, trying to assess the situation without provoking her further. ¡°You summoned me, Your Majesty?¡± Yes. She was definitely angry. Verum sighed back into his seat, knowing better than to approach her when she was ready to spit fire. ¡°Let me have it, General.¡± Venomous eyes shifted to dagger in his direction; Verum met them with as much composure as he could, but, honestly, she was a little terrifying when she was mad at him. ¡°I. Cannot. Believe you,¡± she hissed. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m at a loss for words, Verum! I told you no! I told you in no uncertain terms that your plan was unacceptable, that I wouldn¡¯t do that to my husband. So what do you do?! You go behind my back, plot with someone else to launch those rumors despite my feelings? Where do you get the gall?! I¡­ I cannot believe you!! How dare you? Just¡­ how dare you?!¡± Incredulity left her shaking her head, rage left her trembling, and Verum left the silence following her impassioned snarling to linger until he was certain she¡¯d finished. ¡°Will you kill me if I try to defend myself?¡± She threw her hands up with indignation and stormed over to the couch to perch aggressively on the very edge of the cushion, arms and legs crossed in front of her defensively, head cocked in a challenge to the side, jaw clenched from carefully controlled rage. Verum took that as permission to cautiously sit across from her in a high, wing-backed chair. ¡°Callida, I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t what?¡± she spat. ¡°Look, you told me on Memorial Day that you didn¡¯t want to playact an affair. You told me that you¡¯d find another way. Despite frustration with your response, I accepted it, and I trusted you to make an alternate plan happen. I was actually sitting here wondering why you didn¡¯t just tell me that you¡¯d changed your mind.¡± He stopped talking to gauge her reaction; she wasn¡¯t giving him anything to work with as her posture and expression remained unchanged. ¡°Callida, please. I swear I didn¡¯t go against your wishes. You told me no, and I¡¯ve been respecting that.¡± She remained unmoved, and Verum growled in frustration and dropped his head into his hands. ¡°You don¡¯t exactly have the best record for making honorable choices when you¡¯re emotionally compromised, Verum.¡± Now he was angry ¡ª angry and bitter. He stood up in a huff and moved to the hearth to dig his fingers into the corner of the mantle. ¡°So that¡¯s it? You won¡¯t believe me?¡± ¡°Should I?!¡± Callida launched off the couch to match his bitterness by the fireplace. ¡°Tell me honestly what¡¯s going on in that head of yours!¡± ¡°I¨C!¡± He turned away to tamp down a rising temper, releasing a few deep breaths before trying again. ¡°I did already. No lies, no hidden meanings. Councilman Spahen¡¯s comments last week¡­ shocked me. I didn¡¯t go behind your back.¡± When he looked up again, Callida was searching his face, scrutinizing him, trying to decide if she trusted him. ¡°No lies, no hidden meanings?¡± ¡°Callida, I swear. You can ask the councilman himself! No lies, no hidden meanings,¡± he all but begged her to believe him, and slowly but surely, some of the tension left her body. He relaxed a little when she began to wander the room, measuring her breath and stretching out tight muscles as she systematically willed herself to calm down. ¡°I guess the question then becomes, what do you want to do about this?¡± She rolled her neck out with a slight pop and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. At this point, attempting to deny an affair would only seem to confirm one.¡± Verum flopped back into the wing-backed chair and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so.¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡± He chuckled wryly and shook his head. ¡°I just barely convinced you to not hate me. I¡¯m not going to incriminate myself with suggestions.¡± ¡°You think we should take advantage of the situation,¡± she observed shrewdly. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is the cards are down whether we wanted them there or not. Anything we do to combat the rumor will only serve to confirm it; going about our normal routine, the rumor might eventually fizzle out; but if we use this to catch the bastards behind this conspiracy, later we can say the rumor was planted intentionally to set them up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s assuming a lot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dependent upon your mission being a success, yes. How confident are you that you can nail these guys?¡± he countered, and the question had the intended effect. Callida¡¯s brow pinched in a scowl. She was weighing the options against how confident she was in the success of her assignment. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Verum.¡± He stood up with another heavy sigh and crossed the room to where she was still debating their options. ¡°I know. I don¡¯t like it either, but we can¡¯t change it, so how are we going to proceed?¡± She was shaking her head again, her nose flaring in extreme distaste. ¡°I will not do anything overt.¡± He couldn¡¯t help the grin quirking one corner of mouth. ¡°You want to use this to our advantage then?¡± ¡°No. We are going to go about our regular routines.¡± She huffed, unwillingly adding, ¡°but we might start holding the occasional evening conferences in your study¡­ kind of like this.¡± ¡°Oh? And what are these meetings about?¡± She smiled mischievously, a good sign that she was warming up to this plan despite her reservations. ¡°Spahen was right about one thing, Verum. Always siding with me is frustrating to the rest of your councilmen. Perhaps we should confer privately before you discuss things with your council so you can instead guide their discussions?¡± ¡°Hm. That¡¯s a thought.¡± And then he had an idea that would almost certainly seal the deal. ¡°If we¡¯re discussing things in advance of the council meetings, I won¡¯t need you during the actual meetings except to deliver reports on the military. I can¡¯t see you complaining about getting out of council meetings early.¡± ¡°Is this your way of putting a positive spin on the situation and incentivizing my cooperation?¡± she asked suspiciously. He smirked. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s working,¡± she grudgingly admitted and began a burdened circuit around the room. ¡°Alright. You win, Verum. We will neither confirm nor deny the rumors of an affair. We¡¯ll let things take their course, and I will plan on meeting with you for an hour or so in the evenings instead of sticking around through council meetings. Deal?¡± Verum smirked again and nodded once. ¡°Deal.¡± 17 - Hunting The Lion Tribe had a lot of holidays, Spahen found himself musing. He was walking to the south courtyard where he would be meeting Trebax and his friends for a morning hunt in celebration of the Lion Primordial Festival. After that, Trebax had promised to guide him through Astu Centralis for the evening festivities. While accepting the invitation had been primarily motivated by the investigation, Spahen would be lying to say he wasn¡¯t curious or excited to study and experience the customs and traditions surrounding this holiday. The Lion Tribe was a proud people that prioritized superior, artistic presentation in everything that they did. Certainly a holiday celebrating their origins and very essence would be spectacular. ¡°Ah! Councilman Spahen, I¡¯m glad you could make it,¡± Trebax greeted him as he entered the beautifully cobbled courtyard with a repeating radial mosaic and different colors of stone to depict a sun at the center of each circle with rays that merged with the rays of other suns. Even the artisanship and details of the external floors were impressive! ¡°Thank you for the invitation,¡± Spahen said with a gracious bow. ¡°You know Councilmen Ungius, Laniger, Gemma, Placo, and Rallus. We¡¯re just waiting on Asper. I think I¡¯ve yet to introduce you to him.¡± ¡°I know his name and would probably recognize his face from council meetings, but no, I have not met him yet,¡± Spahen agreed, pleased to be spending this hunt with the entire Trebax et al. group. ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± Trebax acknowledged someone around Spahen¡¯s shoulder, and Spahen turned to see Asper strolling up to the party. ¡°Shall we?¡± As the group collectively turned toward the stables, Spahen extended a friendly hand to Asper. ¡°Good morning. I¡¯m¨C¡± ¡°Councilman Spahen,¡± Asper said, taking his hand. ¡°Asper.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± Spahen offered, attempting to casually read the councilman¡¯s face¡­ which was oddly blank. A moment spent too long staring garnered an awkward side-eye from his target. ¡°Was there something else?¡± Spahen smiled and quickly offered a self-deprecating apology. ¡°I¡¯ve done it again. It¡¯s a habit of the Bear Tribe Elders to commit new faces to memory, but I have found that it makes people uncomfortable in the Lion Tribe. I haven¡¯t managed to unlearn the practice yet.¡± ¡°I see.¡± That was all he got. Cold, blank, aloof¡­ calculated. Asper was the least vocal amongst the Trebax group, but he was likely one of the most intelligent. Tuning back into the rest of the group in front of him, Spahen took advantage of the opportunity to observe the greater group dynamics and the laughter being shared by Rallus, Unguis and Laniger. ¡°She actually said that?!¡± Laniger was saying. ¡°I warned her that I wasn¡¯t looking for anything serious,¡± Rallus nodded, smirking. ¡°Women are stupid. They see what they want to see and then accuse us of being players when we do exactly what we say we¡¯ll do,¡± Unguis said, shaking his head. ¡°Because you have so much experience with such things,¡± Trebax teased, and Unguis¡¯s face soured but bowed in submission. ¡°And that¡¯s why I won¡¯t let the lot of you anywhere near my daughter,¡± Gemma scolded softly. ¡°Don¡¯t lump me in with them, Gemma.¡± Trebax seemed to pout. ¡°How is Flava these days? I haven¡¯t seen her in a while.¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Gemma raised an appraising eyebrow, and Trebax subtly backed off. ¡°I enjoyed speaking with her at the Dapsilis Banquet ¡ª easily my favorite dance partner of the night. I thought we got along quite well.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Gemma hummed and ignored the original question. ¡°Condeceo asked about Flava the other day,¡± Placo stated conversationally. ¡°¡®Second time this fortnight.¡± ¡°Send him by sometime.¡± Gemma smiled almost smugly. ¡°I think Flava enjoyed their first date.¡± Spahen schooled a smirk for the displeasure unintentionally commanding Trebax¡¯s features, and the group moved on to other topics. The clique was an interesting one that spanned a wide age gap and at least two generations. Trebax was the ¡°leader¡± which seemed obvious, but he wasn¡¯t the leader because he was the most respected or most intelligent. He was the leader simply because he had the assertiveness and charisma to take charge. And he was observant, flattering, well-spoken, and capable of bridging the generational divide ¡ª again, charisma. Unguis was a hothead, likely the youngest member of the group ¡ª loud, relatively impulsive, persistent, and seemed the most likely to have a temper¡ª but he was the low man in the pecking order and somehow also a suck-up despite his obvious pride. The real power belonged to Councilman Gemma. One of the two older councilmen in the group, Gemma held the most natural confidence, and even Trebax didn¡¯t attempt to jockey with Gemma for social dominance. It was subtle, as most things were with lions, but the vaguest suggestions by Gemma were immediately met with compliance and submission. And apparently Gemma had a pretty daughter, so even Trebax found himself in the position of a reluctant bootlicker. Placo was kind of clueless, likely an old friend of Gemma¡¯s from a previous clique that had mostly retired and moved on. His long-term association and respectful standing with Gemma gave him a high, middle position on this remade totem pole, but his natural talents for working up the social ladder were lacking. Laniger and Rallus were¡­ young. It seemed fair from the recent conversation to call them playboys, and Spahen had witnessed their competitive ambition on a regular basis in council meetings. Intelligent (but not smart), impatient, self-serving ¡ª they were middle-low players ¡ª followers carving out a corner of belonging in a winner-takes-all world and riding the coattails of well-established players until they came into their own. And then there was Asper. Silent. Observant. Wheels constantly turning behind guarded, always slightly narrowed eyes. Even in council meetings, his position in this clique was ambiguous, but that made him easy to overlook. What was his game? The stables came into view and disrupted Spahen¡¯s internal analysis. They were, frankly, stunning, especially for a set of stables. Constructed of a cement made from a crushed version of the same sandstone from which the palace was built, they were immaculately kept and practical in a rustic-chic sort of way. ¡°Marshal Freno,¡± Trebax greeted a short, broad man with salt mixed in his flaxen mane, ¡°are the horses prepared?¡± ¡°Councilman Trebax,¡± the marshal greeted him with a bow. ¡°Yes, your horses are prepared, and Steward Pax has your weapons ready and the bag limit and conservation instructions.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Trebax approved and led the way to a small building where they were greeted by a gnarled middle-aged man with leathery, tanned skin and platinum, bleached-blonde hair. ¡°Steward Pax, what are we hunting today?¡± ¡°Rabbits are fair game up to five a person, and two bucks for the group. Beware the does. They¡¯re either pregnant or have a suckling fawn,¡± came a grizzled reply for an equally grizzled man. ¡°I¡¯ve got four hunt servants ready to go with you. If you have any questions, you can ask them. Collect your tools from the weaponry and I¡¯ll see you when you get back.¡± Gathering bows, quivers, and hunting knives, the group returned to the stables where Marshal Freno had twelve gorgeous horses, distributed across four servants, waiting. ¡°Good fortune on your hunt, Councilmen,¡± the marshal said by way of bowing out, and everyone selected a horse and climbed into their saddles. It really should have been obvious, especially considering that they¡¯d discussed the stables and grounds crews as potential places to find a cover, but Spahen did a double take when, once on his horse, he scanned the group and made eye contact with Erkunden. That¡¯s convenient. Spahen smirked. *** The hunt was¡­ well, it was obvious that the councilmen weren¡¯t really there to hunt. Erkunden shared a judgemental look more than once with the other hunt servants. The way they all chattered, laughing loudly and speaking over the top of each other while they rode aimlessly through the trees, it would be pure dumb luck if they found literally any animal deaf enough to not scamper away before they caught a glimpse of it. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. He couldn¡¯t really complain though. He¡¯d gotten lucky just to be assigned to this hunt. This wasn¡¯t exactly a part of his regular job description as a stable hand, but with ¡°professional hunter¡± on his resume, and the originally assigned hunt servant showing up for duty with a fever, Steward Pax had raided the nearest available replacements and found him among Marshal Freno¡¯s staff. From the way that Professor was engaging the targets, it was apparent that he was still infiltrating the group. He was remaining unobtrusive, passively observing from the sidelines while mirroring mannerisms and mimicking reactions. There wasn¡¯t much to eavesdrop on without Spahen probing more intentionally, but Erkunden remained vigilant, knowing he¡¯d try eventually. ¡°So, Councilman Spahen, you seem like a clever young man,¡± one of the older councilmen (Erkunden didn¡¯t know any of their names) addressed Professor directly, his bombastic confidence somehow understated. Erkunden tuned in. ¡°Your observations about the Lion General were¡­ blunt.¡± Professor laughed, a social laugh that Erkunden had heard a thousand times on these sorts of operations ¡ª relaxed and disarming. He was going to attempt a play. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°Come now, you need not hold back with us. I¡¯m sure we¡¯d all be quite interested to hear more of your court observations. Your perspective is unique and refreshing.¡± ¡°Specifically about General Yudha?¡± Spahen asked casually. ¡°Not necessarily. But I don¡¯t think any of us have tried to hide our¡­ personal persuasions in that regard.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a know-it-all,¡± Professor said with a certain clipped-ness that at once conveyed distaste to the councilmen and hidden regret. While the councilmen chuckled approvingly, Erkunden acknowledged Spahen¡¯s struggle by bowing his head. ¡°But I think we all have to admit that she¡¯s uncommonly intelligent, and obviously her charms are effective.¡± ¡°Much to our chagrin,¡± a younger councilman chimed in. ¡°Did you know that the Lion General isn¡¯t even a lion?¡± ¡°I did not,¡± Professor feigned surprise. ¡°She¡¯s a wolf. Not only that, but she grew up in the Wolf Tribe as a soldier ¡ª a commoner,¡± the councilman continued, his nose wrinkling with snobbery. ¡°I was aware that she is a commoner.¡± ¡°Well,¡± another councilman rolled his eyes, ¡°technically, she¡¯s not. In the Lion Tribe, at least, she descends from a noble line, but she was not raised nor educated as a noble.¡± ¡°She was educated as a soldier,¡± Spahen prompted, stating the obvious. ¡°And a seductress,¡± someone else snorted. ¡°You¡¯ve seen how she controls the king ¡ª has him wrapped around her baby finger.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve picked up that there¡¯s some sort of history there. She was his bodyguard?¡± ¡°Yes. It was covered up by the late king, but the then crown prince was about as obvious as a man can be that he was lusting after her. She nearly broke up his wedding, and since then¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done some digging since your statement in court, Spahen,¡± another younger councilman dropped the volume of the gossip to a low whisper, ¡°no one has seen ¡®Mr. Yudha¡¯ in weeks. In fact, it would seem that he disappeared about the same time that the general sent Her Majesty on vacation.¡± ¡°No!¡± someone gasped. ¡°Oh, yes,¡± the bearer of this gossip smirked in satisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s just too perfect.¡± ¡°What are the odds that they both disappear at the same time?¡± ¡°There¡¯s more,¡± another councilman added cryptically. ¡°She¡¯s been spending an hour or two in His Majesty¡¯s private study every evening for the past week.¡± ¡°Primordials, that¡¯s juicy! Is it confirmed, then?¡± ¡°What exactly? The secret meetings or the sex?¡± ¡°Both,¡± two of them chimed at once. ¡°The meetings are confirmed, but without peeking through the keyhole, the affair remains speculative. I am curious about their pillow talk, though,¡± he snickered. ¡°Can you just imagine all the conspiracies they dream up together?! The Lion King and the Lion General ¡ª it sounds like a dramatic fable in the making.¡± ¡°Well, an affair would certainly explain the king¡¯s affinity for General Yudha¡¯s council. It would be interesting to witness what would happen if the Lion General were successful where Her Majesty has not been ¡ª as an outside observer, of course,¡± Spahen said with another light chuckle and dismounted. Everyone pulled up on the reins of their gently meandering horses. ¡°Would you excuse me a minute? I need to relieve myself.¡± Erkunden had to work really hard to keep the surprise out of his face. That was the angle Professor had come up with? Dangling Beta in front of their targets as bait? Primordials! Does she know?! As Professor disappeared into the surrounding trees, Erkunden made it a point to appear thoroughly distracted by the saddlebags on his mount, shifting them around as though trying to adjust something that was bothering him. ¡°He has a point,¡± someone muttered. ¡°Have you reported the rumors to her? You know she¡¯ll want to know.¡± ¡°Not yet. Anything without substantial evidence isn¡¯t worth her time, but if the general really is spending her evenings in the king¡¯s study¡­.¡± ¡°She is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re confident in your sources?¡± There wasn¡¯t an audible reply, and someone sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll pass it along. You¡¯re right. She¡¯ll want to know.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea what she¡¯s doing with this information?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but I have a guess, and her interest is obvious. If the king fails to father an heir¡­.¡± ¡°You think she is lining up a candidate?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Who do you think it is?¡± ¡°Probably one of the princess¡¯s husbands ¡ª whichever one she thinks she can control.¡± ¡°A logical choice, but the court battle alone will be¡­ messy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all messy.¡± ¡°We only have to keep the pressure on him through the next couple of years.¡± ¡°How do you figure?¡± ¡°The queen comes back in no more than ten months. Assuming her next pregnancy fails, the king swore to take a mistress. Let¡¯s give that a generous eight month timeline. Then the mistress gets to try and bear him a child. If, at that point, the mistress¡¯s pregnancy ends in failure, maybe give that process a year, the council will be forced to consider a vote of no confidence in the king¡¯s ability to produce an heir. That¡¯s two and a half years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s assuming a lot,¡± someone murmured. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of moving parts. One can¡¯t control everything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something you have to worry about, Laniger.¡± ¡°Well, I know that,¡± someone, presumably ¡®Laniger¡¯, snapped irritably. ¡°It¡¯s not like she tells us much anyway.¡± ¡°True¡­¡± ¡°Where is Councilman Spahen? Do you think he got lost?¡± Crunching through the underbrush in the direction Professor had left announced his near arrival, and Erkunden suspected he¡¯d been hovering for a while, letting the targets talk until they got suspicious. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting,¡± Spahen said as he emerged, presenting a rabbit carcass to the group. ¡°I found a friend.¡± ¡°Ah! Well spotted,¡± one of the older councilmen cheered his success, and Spahen shoved the rabbit into his kill bag with a grin. Erkunden stopped fussing with his saddle bags as Spahen mounted his horse, the pair sharing the briefest moment of eye contact during which Erkunden barely nodded and Spahen¡¯s lips twitched upwards. *** Back at the stables, Spahen traded his hunting weapons for Rallus¡¯s horse, returning both equines to their stalls and unnecessarily helping to unbridle and unsaddle them. Stag seized the intentionally made opportunity to exchange a brief conversation. ¡°Did they talk?¡± Spahen asked in a barely-there whisper, his lips hardly moving as he mindlessly petted the horse in front of him. ¡°Yes. Suspicions confirmed. They¡¯re connected, but I¡¯m not sure how much they know. ¡®She¡¯ seems to be calling the shots,¡± Erkunden returned in kind. ¡°She?¡± ¡°No name.¡± Spahen¡¯s next exhale was a carefully muted sigh of relief. At least they had a concrete starting point. ¡°I¡¯ll keep working on them. You¡¯ll tell the team?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Another puffed exhale. ¡°While you¡¯re at it, would you please forward Beta my apologies?¡± ¡°For what exactly?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll know,¡± Spahen sighed again. ¡°Tell her I didn¡¯t think it all the way through, and I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± With a side-eyed glance and vague nod at Stag, Spahen left the stables to continue his schmoozing, finding the rest of the councilmen returning from the weaponry and animatedly discussing options for lunch. ¡°Let¡¯s hit a few street vendors,¡± Unguis suggested. ¡°It¡¯s the Lion Primordial festival! The street vendors always have the best stuff.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gotten food poisoning a few too many times from the street vendors over the years,¡± Gemma rejected the idea. ¡°How about¡­.¡± Spahen tuned their conversation out, contemplating Stag¡¯s report. Suspicions confirmed, but I¡¯m not sure how much they know. ¡®She¡¯ seems to be calling the shots. So the councilmen were not necessarily the masterminds of this conspiracy, though that hadn¡¯t been entirely ruled out. And who was ¡®she¡¯? A simple debate warred in his head between the pros and cons of pressing his luck and guiding the conversation to what he wanted to discuss at the risk of raising suspicions versus waiting for the subject to come up organically, which would take time but would limit the risks of blowing the entire investigation. Patience, he reminded himself. Play the long game. ¡°Does anything sound good to you, Spahen?¡± He returned to the conversation with a small chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I am not qualified to have an opinion yet. I¡¯ve had very little cause to go into town before today and don¡¯t know what¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Trebax frowned in thought. ¡°I vote we get a big lunch somewhere nice and then top off with whatever pleases us as the evening progresses. Councilman Spahen, do you like steak?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been known to turn away a good steak.¡± 18 - Means and Motive December was the month the nobility were obligated to be generous. Callida found it somewhere between amusing and annoying that ¡°charity¡± was a social expectation in the Lion Tribe rather than an automatic practice. It made sense, though, that to ensure the needs of the ¡°little people¡± were met in a tribe where the nobility hoarded a disproportionate amount of the wealth, a weeklong event of giving sponsored by the palace had become standard practice as the weather became more bitter and the needs more dire. There was a certain genius to the way the event was hosted too. Every nobleman household was expected to donate to an auction where they were then invited to bid on arranged lots of exorbitant luxury items. This hit the nobility twice in glorious fashion. The proud noblemen with deep pockets would carefully select quality items to donate to the auction knowing that their peers would be appraising the items and judging those who donated them, and then they would pay through the nose to beat their peers in the competition to outbid each other during the auction. And they called it ¡°fun¡±. The proceeds of the auction were then used to buy up the needed goods collecting dust on store shelves and in warehouses for distribution to those who could not afford to purchase the necessities. Excess funds, for there was always excess, were put towards other charitable projects. This morning¡¯s council meeting had been set aside to discuss the plans and arrangements for this year¡¯s charity week, and it was one of the few mornings Callida had opted to stay longer than her military report since her agreement with Verum to meet privately in the evenings instead. She stood quietly at attention by the western wall listening to the proceedings. ¡°The requests and invitations have been sent to every noble household,¡± someone reported. ¡°The stewards have prepared a place to receive the pending donations, and work crews have been assigned to help sort the items into lots.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Verum approved casually and turned to the committee head reporting on distribution preparations. ¡°How are your arrangements coming along, Councilman Stips?¡± Callida was invested in this report, even though no one in the council aside from Verum knew she was the hidden brains behind it. She and Verum had spent well over a week of evening meetings just scheming ways to better fulfill the needs of the people throughout the tribe. ¡°We have teams in every main city as you requested, Your Majesty. Booths are being set up in central locations of the cities for the distribution days, and carts have been arranged to deliver goods to outlying locations. Our teams have been meeting with local officials to assess the needs of their cities and satellite communities, and they are haggling with reliable, local providers to solidify deals to meet those needs. We¡¯re in good shape provided the auction rakes in the needed revenue.¡± ¡°Do you have an estimate of what we need to raise to meet all the needs?¡± Verum asked. ¡°We do, Your Majesty,¡± Stips said, becoming awkward and hesitant. ¡°Because of the reformed organization this year, the total is¡­ higher than previous years.¡± ¡°Well, the goal with the reorganization was to ensure that the needs of people in more obscure locations would be met. Previously, they¡¯ve fallen through the cracks. We were also hoping to maximize resources by actually targeting the specific needs of each location instead of simply throwing resources at them and hoping that¡¯s what they needed. It makes sense that the known needs will be higher once they are intentionally accounted for. What is our fundraising goal, Stips?¡± Councilman Stips looked down at his notes and sighed, growing quiet. ¡°We¡¯re estimating one hundred thousand Tankam, possibly more once the last few teams report back.¡± Verum¡¯s eyes widened, as did Callida¡¯s, and the council seemed to freeze in momentary shock. Previous charity week events had only required a small fraction of such a sum. Clearly there was a great deal of need that had been routinely overlooked. ¡°Well, the good news is that I think we will be able to cover that. The less good news is there won¡¯t be much left in excess for other projects. We¡¯ll need to prioritize those projects much more carefully this year. I would like to see a sample of the reports from your teams, Councilman. We¡¯ve clearly been ignoring a lot of problems for a long time for the total to be so high,¡± Verum said what Callida was already thinking. ¡°Certainly, sire. I¡¯ll prepare copies of their reports for you to evaluate. I should note, the members of my committee have been auditing the reports to make sure the charitable money is being used appropriately. So far, everything appears to check out. A substantial chunk of the money will be going toward shelter: home repairs or builds and rebuilds. Especially along the northwest border, there are several areas that have not yet recovered from the war against the Griffin Tribe, and our population has not yet recovered from the loss of so many of our young, able-bodied men who could provide the labor for such projects.¡± That hit like a punch to the gut. Callida choked back a lump forming in her throat and stepped forward. ¡°Your Majesty, with the cold already upon us, speed is of the essence to provide your subjects with reliable shelter. In advance of charity week, can we dip into the charitable trusts from previous years to purchase the needed materials and dispatch military units to provide the needed labor for these constructions? I could have units ready to travel as early as tomorrow morning, and the trusts could be replenished with the proceeds of this year¡¯s charity auction.¡± Verum smiled at her and then turned to the council, playing things more conservatively since Spahen¡¯s commentary. ¡°Council, I put it to you. I have to agree that speed is of the essence here.¡± Predictably, Councilman Trebax was the first to stand and offer his opinion on Callida¡¯s idea. ¡°I think we can all agree that shelter is an urgent need this time of year, but simply throwing money and manpower at the issue is¡­ misguided,¡± began the silky breakdown. ¡°To my knowledge, the military does not train their men in construction or to develop skills with any tools beyond weapons of war. Sending men without the skills to perform the required labor is as meaningful as sending a pair of shoes to a man with no feet.¡± ¡°If I may, Your Majesty,¡± Councilman Stips stood again to mediate, ¡°both the General and Councilman Trebax are correct. For these types of projects, we will need a combination of skill, labor, and materials. Our committee¡¯s teams have reported that the areas most desperate for these projects do have skilled artisans; what they lack are the resources and manpower to get the jobs done in a timely manner. For this reason, General Yudha¡¯s idea to support these efforts with military manpower has merit. However, we also need to source the construction supplies before such labor would even be useful. Funding is the first issue that needs to be addressed.¡± ¡°What of the General¡¯s idea to use funds from previous years¡¯ charitable trusts to get things moving?¡± Verum asked, and Stips nodded patiently. ¡°The idea has merit if the council is willing to be flexible with shifting the funds around.¡± ¡°It is decided then. How much money is needed for these construction projects, Stips?¡± ¡°Upwards of fifty or sixty thousand Tankam, Your Majesty, but, realistically, fifteen thousand would get things started.¡± ¡°Then we need to find fifteen thousand Tankam available for reallocation? While that is being procured, Councilman Stips, it would be helpful to know where manpower is needed before deploying military units, perhaps while the greater council discusses the reallocation of funds, you and your committee can identify where manpower would be best served?¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Certainly, Your Majesty,¡± Stips said with a bow and led the aforementioned committee of councilmen out of the throne room. While Verum launched a discussion about where to find the needed seed money, Callida tuned the council¡¯s deliberations out, her thoughts threading in and out of inchoate burdens. She¡¯d been back in the Lion Tribe for less than six months; the war was a relic of past memories, and yet it was ever present where she existed. She was still fighting on the front lines in the back of her subconscious mind, and whenever her conscious thoughts were quiet enough, she could still make out the cries of men dying all around her, their shouts and grunting and straining and screaming¡­ the clang of steel on steel, the thud of flesh hitting dirt, the whinnies of terrified horses, the whiz of arrows, the blare of warhorns, and the violent thrum of her pulse coursing with adrenaline. Callida snapped her mind out of the darkness and forced her brain to engage in something more present. The irony of no longer being at war was she didn¡¯t have enough to busy herself with to prevent her mind from drifting into the traumas of past battles. She cast her thoughts about, seeking something to focus on. She could think about her secret mission again, but there wasn¡¯t much to really ponder on still. Spahen and Erkunden had confirmed that her instincts about Trebax and his friends had been accurate. Ablenkung had since found an excuse to search their rooms and found cryptic, unsigned notes bearing the same rose and dagger seal pressed into black wax. It further connected the group together, but the evidence was circumstantial at best and didn¡¯t tell them anything new. Spahen was working on that. He was practically a member of that clique now, and it was only a matter of time before he got more out of them ¡ª like finding out who ¡°she¡± is. ¡°She¡±... Oh, Buhne was on paternity leave. Callida smiled a little to herself remembering the letter she¡¯d gotten from the Bear Tribe.
Baby Parrot is a girl! We named her Ruhe. Mother and chick are both well.
But it did mean that they were a man down ¡ª a man down, and still so much ground to cover. And Callida felt helpless to speed things along. Thinking about it gave her anxiety. Anxiety was better than listening to the screaming in the back of her mind. March. They had until the end of March, tops. Flore was due sometime around then, so they had less than four months to wrap this up. They needed to be making more progress. The anxiety was building. How was Flore doing? No news was good news. She would be entering her third trimester in a few weeks, but she wasn¡¯t out of danger yet. She¡¯d lost a pregnancy at seven months before ¡ª and once at six months. Anxiety became a mental frenzy. And what if their best efforts failed? What if Flore returned without a babe in her arms? What if Squad 14 couldn¡¯t get to the root of this conspiracy? What if¡­ what if Flore brought a newborn home only for it to be murdered? What then? She was breathing a little too hard, and she was getting lightheaded. It gave her something new to concentrate on, so Callida worked to curb the hyperventilation, holding her breath between quick, shallow inhales. The incoming panic was successfully averted. She needed something new to think about ¡ª something calming. Rogue. Her mind settled into wishful thinking and daydreams. Primordials, she missed him! How was he doing? Was he happy with something to work on? How was he filling his time? What nerdy geek-outs had she missed out on since he¡¯d left? Had the rumors of her non-affair with Verum reached his ears yet? Her mood fell. Was he jealous? Hurting? Feeling betrayed? Was he angry? Would any of this be worth it? Commotion around her, Callida looked up and realized that the council was being dismissed, and Verum was beckoning to her. She straightened up and met him by his throne as he stood up to stretch. ¡°You¡¯re scowling,¡± he teased and poked the spot on her forehead where her eyebrows had knit together. Callida automatically batted his hand away, and he broke into a grin. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± she answered quietly, and Verum¡¯s grin froze as he studied her face. And then he changed the subject. ¡°I think the meeting went well, don¡¯t you? We have an actionable plan, money pending the approval of a vote this afternoon, and, with any luck, you¡¯ll be deploying soldiers as work crews in less than a week.¡± ¡°Mn,¡± Callida hummed distractedly. He was disappointed by her lack of enthusiasm; she could tell because his sigh gave him away. ¡°Hey,¡± he called her attention back and waited for her to meet his eyes before a premeditated hand on her waist reeled her in slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight?¡± he whispered. She forced her lips to twitch upwards and nodded in confirmation. ¡°See you then.¡± *** ¡°You, the big guy subbing in crew four, come help unload these carts.¡± Ablenkung quietly accepted the orders, moving to where barrels of grain were being stacked against a storage room wall. It had been a chaotic week preparing for the charity auction and now sorting through the goods to be distributed to those in need. It was all hands on deck; all but three crews of palace servants had been asked to skip their normal maintenance tasks to instead facilitate this event. The three exempted crews included the manservants assigned to the king and his council, the crew responsible for maintaining the guest quarters, and the maids assigned to the queen. It took a minute for Ablenkung to piece together why the queen¡¯s maids had been exempted: these maids were assigned to tend to two queens and not just the one on retreat for her health. Currently, they were exclusively waiting upon the dowager queen ¡ª the king¡¯s mother. But while the king¡¯s manservants and the guestwing crew were obviously kept busy with their regular tasks, the queen¡¯s maids were¡­ underwhelmed. And for that, they stuck out: a huddle of very pretty young women clustered around a table in a back garden, sipping tea and watching all the other servants scramble. Ablenkung curiously observed one of the stewards approach this congregation to request their assistance only to be met with raised, judgemental eyebrows and a cold silence that ultimately ignored his request. The steward then backed away, browbeaten and muttering apologies, and Ablenkung returned to work pondering what he¡¯d witnessed. Stewards outranked maids. Clearly there was more here than readily met the eye ¡ª some crappy palace politics, no doubt. The queen¡¯s maids¡­. No. The queens¡¯ maids. They served both. And then it occurred to him that Stag¡¯s last report held intel that an unnamed ¡°she¡± was somehow connected to all of this and possibly the mastermind behind the conspiracy they were investigating. Through the maids, the dowager queen was a ¡°she¡± with the means to access the private, invisible, behind-the-scenes comings and goings surrounding the young queen. It was just a passing thought, but it was one that rooted firmly in his mind and demanded attention. Ablenkung began weaving together an unfounded argument for why this might make sense. The dowager queen was more shadow and rumor than flesh and blood. He¡¯d never seen her before ¡ª never strolling the gardens, never even leaving her chambers. Why? Why would a woman free from any responsibility with access to all the wealth she could ever want confine herself to her room? Illness, or perhaps depression or disfigurement might keep her locked inside. Or the complex social pressures and expectations of the Lion Tribe that he didn¡¯t have a prayer of unraveling¡­ or political drama¡­. Full stop. Political drama. That would make sense given the political nature of the conspiracy. But then, why would the dowager queen want to prevent her own son from fathering an heir? On a purely human level, that didn¡¯t seem to make sense, but then, sometimes families got messy ¡ª especially royal families. It was just a hunch, one that he felt silly about, but the dowager queen seemed to make sense as a hidden hand behind this conspiracy. After all, her husband had been the hidden hand behind the Great War for decades before Beta discovered and exposed his nefarious addiction. Somehow it didn¡¯t feel like much of a stretch to assign this conspiracy to his queen. What a couple, Ablenkung snorted to himself in wry amusement and then wondered how it was possible for two sociopaths to raise someone normal enough for Beta to trust and care about so completely. Maybe the queen being psychotic didn¡¯t make as much sense as he thought. ¡°Hey, you, could you help me with this?¡± someone grunted behind him, and he turned to quietly help the older servant lift a heavy barrel onto the growing pile. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Regardless, he¡¯d forward his hunch on to the rest of the team later and at least mention the queens¡¯ maids, but for now¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve got another cart to unload over here,¡± someone shouted. 19 - New Years Ball The black suit was a conservative but expensive one with vague hints of blue in the sheen of his white satin shirt. Spahen checked the tuck of that shirt one last time and ran his fingers through his styled hair to encourage a more ¡°effortless¡± look before exiting his guestroom. The New Year¡¯s Ball had been anticipated with much enthusiasm among the Trebax clique, of which he had become a solid member through the last month. Trebax especially seemed to enjoy soliciting his company, and Spahen made it a point to encourage that solicitation. ¡°Spahen!¡± Trebax greeted him in the hallway near the throne room as promised wearing his own black and white suit accented with gold buttons. ¡°Careful, man! Looking that smart, you¡¯ll have all the ladies swooning. I hope you¡¯re prepared to catch them,¡± he teased. Spahen chuckled good-naturedly and returned the compliment. ¡°You will have too many of your own affected maidens to worry about to concern yourself with me. This way to the ballroom?¡± Spahen asked rhetorically as the hallways had been lined with elaborate garlands and palace guards to indicate the right direction. The pair of councilmen fell into step, following the smattering of fellow guests through the halls while exchanging the usual pleasantries. The ballroom was¡­ otherworldly. There simply wasn¡¯t another way to describe it. With the theme ¡°black and white¡±, the three interior walls and towering, vaulted ceilings had somehow been densely blanketed with gauzy cloth banners and more fabric garlands strung with polished beads and dancing crystals. The achieved texture and topography was as bizarre as it was beautiful, and the effect was both ethereal and formal. Gothic, crystal chandeliers plunged through the sea of fabric above, casting a low, shimmering glow throughout the room. The fourth wall was essentially a full wall of windows, but the ceiling dripped enough monochromatic textiles of varying lengths and textures to keep the wall in theme while preserving the impressive display of architecture. One corner of the glass wall housed a high, built-in, grand platform from where, presumably, the king would address the party when most of the guests arrived. To maximize the space for dancing, the floor itself was left uncluttered by decor except along the walls where voluminous, black-and-white floral arrangements sat upon high, columned stands spaced evenly apart between the professionally attentive palace guards and tables burdened equally with elaborate refreshments and rich accoutrements. Finally, a full orchestra was playing somewhere, and it took a while for Spahen to locate the musicians on a stage that was largely obscured by the decorations he¡¯d thought were covering a wall. Getting closer to the stage, he realized that the decorations here were actually a lacy black curtain that allowed the music to engulf the ballroom while hiding its source. The splendor was all-consuming as Spahen wandered distractedly behind Trebax with his eyes continuously scanning the walls and ceiling. He finally tore his eyes away when Trebax started laughing, and Spahen realized that he was laughing at him. ¡°Sorry, I missed something,¡± he frowned. ¡°I asked, ¡®what do you think of the view, Councilman Spahen?¡¯¡± Trebax repeated through a delighted smirk. ¡°Oh. It¡¯s¡­ I¡¯ve never seen anything quite like it. It¡¯s stunning,¡± he replied, not trying to hide his sense of awe. ¡°Do they not have balls like this in the Bear Tribe?¡± ¡°Balls? Yes. Like this? Nothing like this. Our balls are not nearly so opulent, and they usually take place outside during the summer.¡± Trebax chuckled again. ¡°That sounds more like a village dance than a palace ball!¡± ¡°Well, we don¡¯t exactly have a proper palace.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I forget. You explained it before. Your Leader¡¯s Lodge is more like a community than a palace.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like a palace,¡± Spahen corrected him with a laugh of his own. ¡°Well, come! Let me introduce you to some people, namely some young ladies. You know how to dance, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well enough.¡± Spahen followed Trebax through the crowd, his focus shifting from the magnificence of the hall to the extravagance of its occupants. Every article of clothing was a work of art, every piece of jewelry expensive and masterfully crafted. The hair styles and makeup were elaborate and dramatic, and even the perfumes were obviously of the finest quality. He felt underdressed in his simple but well tailored suit by comparison. Oh, well. He would still enjoy observing the fashions everyone else had chosen. ¡°Councilman Gemma!¡± ¡°Councilman Trebax, Councilman Spahen.¡± Upon hearing his name, Spahen quickly turned to acknowledge the party in front of him: a circle including Gemma, an older woman on his arm, a thirty-something man looking about the room disinterestedly, and an exceptionally pretty young woman with bright eyes and a positively captivating smile. ¡°May I introduce you to my wife and children, Councilman?¡± Gemma began the introductions, and Spahen tore his eyes away from the siren¡¯s smile. ¡°This is Gratia,¡± Gemma said while indicating the woman on his arm; Spahen made the appropriate bow. ¡°And this is my son, Elatus, and my daughter, Flava.¡± Again, Spahen bowed, and while Elatus barely tipped his head in return, Flava¡¯s already dazzling smile broadened with a light giggle as she extended her hand out for him to take ¡ª or kiss if the fancy struck him. He opted to simply accept her hand with yet another small bow. ¡°So you¡¯re the Councilman Spahen from the Bear Tribe that my father has told me so much about,¡± Flava effectively skipped the need for further introductions. ¡°My father tells me that you are gifted at reading people. Is it true?¡± ¡°I¡­ suppose?¡± Spahen floundered, not really sure how to answer her. ¡°Read me,¡± she immediately demanded, a coy smile pursing her lips expectantly as her hips swayed lazily from side to side for his benefit. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± This was a terrible moment for his mind to go blank. He forced himself to focus, taking in her attire (rich but relatively simply dressed and undeniably pleasing), her posture (seductive but relaxed despite his eyes raking her up and down), and her face (intelligent, eagerly awaiting his analysis through a determinedly flirtatious expression). ¡°Well?¡± Spahen exhaled and smirked, relaxing into the well-practiced role of people analyst. ¡°You are uncommonly pretty, and you know it. That knowledge serves as both your sword and your shield ¡ª that is, you use it to quickly gain the upper hand in social settings while also hiding your intelligence behind it. Which is a shame, if you ask me. I rather prefer a smart woman over a pretty one.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Spahen held Flava¡¯s gaze as her eyes widened in apparent shock, and Councilman Gemma guffawed loudly. ¡°You do not disappoint, Spahen,¡± he declared, reaching across the circle to cuff Spahen¡¯s shoulder and break his continued eye contact with Flava. ¡°Come! Let¡¯s get a drink together.¡± Obediently, Spahen followed the councilman to the nearest refreshment table where a servant was pouring wine upon request. Drinks in hand, Gemma began a slow shuffle about the room. ¡°So, Spahen,¡± he began, ¡°we haven¡¯t properly sniffed each other yet.¡± Spahen quirked a brow at the turn of phrase. ¡°To what end?¡± ¡°Well, naturally, I make it a habit of getting to know the young men that catch my daughter¡¯s eye!¡± Spahen frowned at this explanation. It¡¯s not that there was anything wrong with it, exactly. It was more that it felt forced. It felt manipulative. ¡°That would be impressive considering that we barely met just three minutes ago.¡± ¡°Oh, believe me, that¡¯s long enough.¡± Gemma took a sip of his wine, his eyes never leaving Spahen¡¯s over the rim of the glass, and again, something about this conversation felt off. ¡°Councilman, is there something specific that you would like to ¡®sniff out¡¯ about me?¡± Gemma¡¯s brow pinched, as did his lips; his hand, cupping his glass, began to mindlessly twirl the wine around. ¡°As you wish. Who are you?¡± The abrupt, suspicious question caught him off guard, and Spahen resorted to his usual, masking social laugh. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that I understand the question.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple enough,¡± Gemma pressed lightly. ¡°Who are you? And why are you here, in the Lion Tribe?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Spahen exclaimed softly. ¡°Well, as you know, my name is Brennen Spahen. I come from a long line of elders in the Bear Tribe Council of¨C¡± ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Gemma cut him off. ¡°But why are you here?¡± ¡°His Majesty requested the exchange. I¡¯m here on temporary assignment on a mission to strengthen diplomatic ties between the Lion and Bear Tribes by participating in His Majesty¡¯s council, thereby enhancing understanding between our tribes.¡± ¡°Yes, that is all lovely propaganda,¡± Gemma said shortly. ¡°But why did they send you, Brennen Spahen, to fill that assignment?¡± ¡°Well, the short answer is that I was young enough to make the trip easily, and I was not specifically needed in the Council of Elders because my grandfather is still occupying the seat I¡¯m being groomed to fill.¡± ¡°And the choice had nothing to do with your more colorful resume?¡± Gemma challenged. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Spahen frowned again. ¡°You were an officer in the Bear Tribe military before you began your service in the Council of Elders.¡± His eyes widened (slightly). ¡°You¡¯ve been checking up on me?¡± ¡°... under the direct command of General Germanus Animo.¡± Spahen¡¯s stomach did a small, nauseating backflip. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a point in there somewhere.¡± ¡°Did you know that General Yudha¡¯s maiden name is Animo?¡± Gemma asked, possibly rhetorically, and Spahen feigned surprise. ¡°I guess¡­ now that you mention it, I think I did know that at one point. Are the two Animo¡¯s related?¡± ¡°Siblings,¡± Gemma¡¯s eyes continued to bore into his. ¡°Huh. Well, what do you know! The military prowess is genetic.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± The suspicion was still lingering in his voice and narrowed eyes, but Gemma¡¯s posture relaxed marginally. ¡°What was your relationship with General Animo?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Spahen puffed and casually scratched his head, glancing off to the side. ¡°I mean, he was my commanding officer, so the person I took orders from. Well, for a while¡­ until he got captured by the Resistance. He didn¡¯t last terribly long as the Bear General.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t get to know him more personally?¡± ¡°Uh, I mean, we chatted once or twice. It was his job to keep tabs on the senior officers under his command, but he was a busy man ¡ª a good general though. Why do you ask?¡± Gemma was nodding slowly, the wheels turning in his head as he processed and carefully analyzed Spahen¡¯s answer. ¡°Did you know General Yudha before coming here?¡± Spahen¡¯s brain jumped into high gear. How much did Gemma already know? If Gemma caught him in a lie, his cover would be blown, and everything he¡¯d worked towards for this investigation would go up in smoke just like that. But admitting to knowing Beta would be an instant cover-killer too. He¡¯d have to lie and pray that Gemma was stabbing in the dark. ¡°Councilman?¡± Gemma prodded. ¡°I¡¯m trying to think if maybe I met her before,¡± Spahen eventually answered with a frown of concentration. ¡°I might have met her; it would have been years ago. But did I know her? No.¡± ¡°I see. And, as a former military officer, what do you think of General Yudha?¡± ¡°If she¡¯s anything like her brother, she would be a formidable opponent on a battlefield. Regrettably, I think that¡¯s where her greatest talents lie¡­ and would best remain.¡± Gemma chuckled lowly and clapped Spahen on the back, all tension in Gemma''s mannerisms dissipating immediately and almost alarmingly. Gemma nudged him into forward motion back to where Trebax was trying very hard to flirt with Flava to limited success. Spahen, feeling cautiously relieved, glanced around, unexpectedly meeting gaze with a familiar face. Ablenkung looked¡­ different in a formal suit, really quite striking actually, and he seemed to need to talk. Spahen watched as Ablenkung very intentionally moved toward a set of doors in the short wall of the ballroom opposite the stage and orchestra ¡ª presumably towards the restrooms which gave Spahen an excuse to step out. ¡°Would you excuse me, Councilman?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Gemma queried. ¡°I, uh, am finding myself in need of the facilities. Will you be with your family when I return?¡± ¡°Most likely,¡± Gemma confirmed. ¡°Hurry back, Spahen. There is someone I¡¯d like to introduce you to.¡± ¡°Oh? Consider me incentivized to return shortly.¡± With that, Spahen bowed out, wending his way through the crowd. Someone cleared their throat the moment he¡¯d walked through the doors, and Ablenkung began a casual stroll back into the noisy ballroom. Spahen followed a moment later to the nearest table of refreshments; Shield was already contemplating the hors d''oeuvres. ¡°Queens¡¯ maids,¡± Shield declared the topic quietly with his head down, the background noise making him audible only to Spahen who was contemplating a near flower arrangement. ¡°They serve both queens.¡± Spahen frowned. That was already known information. He glanced at his comrade just long enough to read the silent shift in topic in his familiar blue eyes. ¡°Ah. ¡®She¡¯?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t get close enough,¡± Ablenkung muttered bitterly, selecting some sort of savory pastry and a napkin, an indication that he¡¯d said his piece. In other words, his hunch remained just that after nearly a month of investigative efforts. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Spahen sighed, understanding the handoff without any idea yet on what to do with it, and he too collected a napkin. ¡°I was just confronted about my background.¡± Next to him, Ablenkung stiffened. ¡°You¡¯ve been burned!?¡± ¡°Not yet, but they were close.¡± Shield nodded and popped his pastry into his mouth, chewing it thoughtfully before swallowing and straightening. ¡°These pastries are delicious,¡± he said to no one in particular. ¡°Mn,¡± Spahen hummed, acknowledging the backup support with a small smile twitching his lips: Shield would be stationed near this table if Spahen needed him. He collected a pastry for himself and returned to his circle just in time to watch a rather austere, older woman part a bowing crowd on her way to the corner platform where the Lion King was already seated. The orchestra quieted and people stilled, and the king, seated on the platform already, stood up to give a brief opening address that Spahen didn¡¯t pay any attention to. He was too busy studying the woman now sitting behind the king. She was cold, her head held very high ¡ª aloof seemed a fitting descriptor ¡ª and she was an especially beautiful woman, slender and graceful, in spite of her age. The orchestra resumed the music once the king had said his piece, and the crowd grew loud again. 20 - Dowager ¡°Perfect timing, Spahen!¡± Gemma said, half shouting over the crowd. ¡°Gemma, who is the lady sitting with the king?¡± ¡°Ah! She is the king¡¯s mother, the dowager queen, Ustrina Rex. She is a very impressive lady, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Quite stunning,¡± Spahen agreed distractedly, his mind honing in on the new target. ¡°Would you like to meet her?¡± Gemma asked, much to Spahen¡¯s surprise. How convenient. They were overdue for a lucky break. ¡°Would you introduce me?¡± ¡°I¡¯d already intended to.¡± He smirked and beckoned Spahen to follow him to the platform stairs where palace guards were gatekeeping access. Gemma withdrew a note of some sort from his pocket to present to the guards, and the pair were granted access. At the top of the stairs, more palace guards, perhaps bodyguards, halted them until the queen gave a slight nod, and Gemma entered the queen¡¯s presence with a deep bow that Spahen copied. The king had already descended the platform apparently; he was conspicuously missing. ¡°Your Majesty, may I present to you Councilman Brennen Spahen from the Bear Tribe?¡± Gemma provided the introduction, and the queen¡¯s eyes swept over him without the slightest turn of her high head or shift in her rigid posture, giving Spahen the distinct impression that her attention was granted only as a benevolent condescension to the select few. Yes, ¡°aloof¡± was the right word. Aloof and intentionally detached. ¡°Take a seat, Councilmen.¡± Silky. Authoritative. Cold. Very cold. There were chairs off to the side to help themselves to, and Gemma led the way, collecting the chairs and setting them both to the right of Her Majesty¡¯s throne. Gemma began to take the seat immediately next to the queen. ¡°Not there, Gemma. What is the point of your introduction if I cannot converse with him? Trade seats.¡± ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty,¡± Gemma groveled immediately, and the queen flicked her fingers dismissively at him, her head still unturned, her posture still statuesque. Spahen, reading Ustrina¡¯s impatience, took the vacated seat immediately, then stoically paralleled her forward-facing position, assuming a softer version of her strict, upright demeanor. And he waited, letting her take a good look should she want to before initiating a conversation on her own terms. At long last, she turned her face to him, and Spahen mirrored the action, meeting Ustrina¡¯s eyes for the first time. Brown eyes, beautiful eyes ¡ª icy and severe but curious ¡ª stared back at him. There was cunning in her gaze and a perceptiveness that would be difficult to fool. And there was something else too ¡ª something¡­ elusive. After a moment studying each other, Spahen smiled easily and respectfully tipped his head to her, turning back to observe the crowd below with Gemma fidgeting uncomfortably on his other side. ¡°Look at me,¡± Ustrina demanded after a moment, and Spahen complied, returning his gaze to hers. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen such blue eyes before.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t met many bears then,¡± Spahen took the risk of teasing her. Her eyes narrowed, but her lips quirked to one side. ¡°Blue eyes are indeed a known mark of the Bear Tribe,¡± she eventually mused, and something subtle changed about the way she held herself. Her posture was still exact, but her movement was more relaxed. And she actually moved, her torso twisting to more fully give Spahen her attention. ¡°Are all bears so¡­ still?¡± ¡°They are not,¡± Spahen replied with a smirk, deliberately building upon the tease by not elaborating, and unconsciously adopting her language patterns. ¡°Tell me about yourself, Brennen Spahen.¡± ¡°What would you like to know?¡± ¡°Something interesting,¡± Ustrina said, raising a single eyebrow. ¡°Alright. The study of comparative cultures is one of my hobbies. I am especially fascinated by culturally significant themes and values in art, storytelling, and law.¡± Ustrina¡¯s smirk broadened into a smile. ¡°Yes. That is very interesting. And what have you learned about the Lion Tribe since coming here?¡± Spahen matched the luminosity of her smile and rotated in his seat to face her properly. ¡°The Lion Tribe culture prizes beauty, high quality products, hospitality, feats of strength and courage, and salacious drama, especially between lovers.¡± She laughed, a crisp, melodic sound, like the chinking of crystal, that matched her perfectly. ¡°You are quite right, Councilman. I¡¯ve heard reports that you have little patience for the impropriety of our Lion Tribe drama.¡± ¡°I suppose that would depend entirely on the nature of the impropriety,¡± he quipped, and Ustrina returned to studying him curiously. ¡°You are very guarded in your manner of speaking. You speak efficiently, imply much, and confirm little. What are you hiding?¡± ¡°Careful, Your Majesty,¡± Spahen laughed, enjoying the odd banter. ¡°Do not mistake simplicity for complexity where there is none.¡± ¡°Are you truly so guileless?¡± ¡°Would you be disappointed if I said ¡®yes¡¯?¡± ¡°Well, are you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to discover that for yourself,¡± he smirked. ¡°Frankly, I doubt you would believe an affirmative answer, while a negative one would seem proof to the contrary.¡± ¡°A point to you.¡± Ustrina simpered, returning her gaze to the party in front of her. Her face quickly became stern again, and something flickered behind her eyes. ¡°The blithering fool,¡± she hissed under her breath. ¡°Sorry?¡± Spahen probed gently, and Ustrina schooled her features to appear more pleasant, though her eyes remained cold and fixed on the dance floor. ¡°What do you think of His Majesty, the king, Councilman Spahen?¡± she asked tightly. His expression registered mild surprise, and he began searching the room for what had caught her attention. ¡°In what sense? As a person? As a man? As a leader? As a ruler?¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Just, you¡¯ve spent significant time in his company as a member of his council. What is your opinion of him?¡± He found the king in question in the crowd near the orchestra, animatedly talking with a woman who, from this distance, was only recognizable as such by the dress she was wearing, and the long, silky, golden waves tumbling down her back. Spahen frowned, picking up on the double entendre in the queen¡¯s inquiry and feeling uncomfortable that he would be required to have this conversation. ¡°He is¡­ young, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Young?¡± She laughed lightly, her eyes still focused on her son. ¡°Are you not yourself young?¡± ¡°Perhaps the youth of which I speak has less to do with years lived and more to do with maturity and wisdom acquired.¡± ¡°Indeed? You consider yourself wise and mature then?¡± ¡°Hardly,¡± Spahen snorted with self-deprecation. ¡°Then in this case, what is it that makes you say ¡®he is young¡¯?¡± ¡°Hm. There are three sources of passion in all men: the mind or logic, the heart representing love, and the groin, lust. Youth tends to favor the latter two over the first.¡± His philosophical answer earned him a brief, side-eye glance. ¡°I see. And which, would you say, does His Majesty favor?¡± ¡°Well, the heart, of course! That is not an inherently bad thing, but it has its obvious pitfalls. In time, he may yet learn to use his head.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Ustrina hummed, her lips pursing in thought mingled with disgust and¡­. It was still elusive, but it was there ¡ª a bitterness perhaps? Spahen found it intriguing¡­ and vaguely terrifying. While Ustrina scowled at His Highness, Spahen took advantage of her engrossment to study the details of her appearance. Her dress was a rich material with elaborate embroidery stitching white rose vines onto black satin. She wore multiple necklaces of varying lengths: a short, gaudy piece heavily embedded with diamonds and precious onyx stones, a mid-length string of milky white pearls, and then a long chain bearing a dagger pendant that fell into the negative space of her plunging neckline. Her dangly earrings sported charms marrying the roses of her dress with the dagger of her pendant into a single motif. And something about it fit. ¡°Your earrings are quite unique,¡± Spahen said. ¡°A rose and dagger?¡± ¡°The earrings are one-of-a-kind, yes, but the symbolism is far from it,¡± she explained benevolently. ¡°Great beauty and great pain often go hand-in-hand. As one who enjoys studying the themes and values in foreign tribes¡¯ art and stories, you may notice that this is a common theme in Lion Tribe folktales, though it is often subtle and buried beneath other morals.¡± ¡°Like the tale of Caelus and Lamia?¡± He¡¯d earned her interest, and Ustrina met his eyes with a smile in hers. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°You would certainly know if beauty and pain go together.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± He maintained willful eye contact. ¡°Forgive my audacity for asking, Your Majesty, but has your own incomparable beauty been a source of pain?¡± ¡°Are you trying to flatter me?¡± Ustrina laughed. ¡°I¡¯m making an observation.¡± She leaned an elbow against the high armrest of her seat, bringing her hand up to cradle her chin in the most casual posture Spahen had seen from her yet. Her brown eyes looked up at him through long lashes and arched brows. ¡°You are quite brazen to say such things.¡± ¡°The question stands,¡± he prompted again. ¡°Have you found that your beauty has brought you pain?¡± ¡°... Yes.¡± Spahen nodded in respectful acknowledgement of her answer and turned to watch the crowd below, his eyes drawn immediately to where the Lion King was trying to coax Beta onto the dancefloor. She obviously wasn¡¯t happy about it, but when the orchestra began to play a waltz, Callida grudgingly accepted the king¡¯s hand, her heavy, velvet skirts swishing fluidly around her long, slender frame. And the dance floor opened up to give them room. Ustrina was an unparalleled beauty; Beta was anything but. But while the queen was glamorous, wearing excessive finery to accentuate her natural beauty, Callida was stunning for the bold simplicity of her style and because of the glowing confidence and raw power that veritably oozed out of her. From the queen¡¯s vantage, it was easy to see how Beta might be threatening, especially in the arms of a young king who was utterly devoted to her ¡ª even if only platonically. And it made sense how the nobility might see an inappropriate relationship where there was already obvious chemistry, trust, and affection. In fact, had he not known Beta quite so well, he might have bought into the speculations of an affair between the king and his general. They were so¡­ harmonious together. Spahen shook his head, dislodging that thought immediately. The fact was, he did know Callida, and she wasn¡¯t that kind of person. That¡¯s why she could carry herself with such unadulterated confidence ¡ª because her integrity was above reproach, even if she was the only one who knew it. *** He crashed through the bunker doors, relief only approximating the mind-altering emotions flooding his system when he caught sight of her gold hair shimmering in the far corner. Back from the brink of death, not missing, not dead¡­ ¡°Callida.¡± She was busy buttoning up her uniform, faithfully answering the call of duty and asking clarifying questions about what was going on. Steady. Dependable. Trustworthy. The one true constant in his life. The one thing he couldn¡¯t bear to live without. The one person he loved more than his own life. ¡°Turn around.¡± She began to protest. ¡°Turn around, Callida.¡± He could barely see her through the tears blurring his vision. ¡°Verum? Who¨C?¡± ¡°YOU! You wonderful, stupid idiot!¡± He gave in to the desperation; he already knew that he would. His hands captured her face and drew her in, her arms bracing against his chest as she toppled into him. The feel of her weight against him¡­ The smell of oranges in her hair¡­ The warmth of her lips pressed to his¡­ ¡°Verum¨C¡± ¡°Shut up and let me kiss you!¡± His hands at her waist slid beneath her doublet, his palms gliding over her thin shirt and pressing firmly against the toned musculature beneath. With the taste of her lips already on his tongue, the anatomy of her throat became too tempting to resist, and his mouth greedily ravaged every part of her he could make contact with. Her back somehow braced against something hard and sturdy, and it became easier to satisfy his frenzied hunger now that pressing himself against her didn¡¯t push her over backwards. ¡°Verum, please.¡± She coughed, a violent hacking that reminded him why he¡¯d been so panicked to find her in the first place. He paused, waiting for her to look up at him again. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She nodded, and a less violent version of his earlier relief tugged on his tears and filled him with a deep, loving tenderness. And they were in his room ¡ª somehow ¡ª her kisses as passionate and intense as she was. ¡°Verum.¡± It was a whisper, and it sent intoxicating shivers down his spine. His mouth attempted to swallow her soft moan¡­ she whimpered, her body responding to the rise and fall of his kisses¡­ she tasted like desire¡­ just like he remembered¡­ ¡°Callida, I love you.¡± He felt her lips smile against his. ¡°I love you too.¡± And it was all wrong. This isn¡¯t how things had happened; she¡¯d never said it back. She would never say it back. This was a fantasy. Just a fantasy. He tried to convince himself that he was wrong even as he struggled to cling to the fading dream, and when his eyes finally opened again, she was gone. But the gutted feeling of the floor being ripped out from under him was painfully real. Verum laid in bed, very much alone, struggling to reconcile the dream with reality, and he hated that he still wanted her so much despite years of stringently disciplining and dismissing those feelings. Persuading Callida to dance with him had been a mistake ¡ª holding her had been a mistake. Staying up late talking with her after the ball had only compounded that mistake. Callida might be able to completely shut the door on their intimate past, but he¡¯d never be able to achieve the same level of professional detachment. The recent, frequent quality time was nudging his ajar door wide again. And feeling her between his arms, smelling her hair, gazing into her warm eyes¡­. That was despite the fact that he had developed a genuine love for Flore ¡ª though a different sort of love. That was despite knowing that Callida would never, ever even consider him in that way ever again. And that was also despite the fact that he hadn¡¯t tortured himself with thoughts like this for a long, long time. So even though he knew it was all just a fleeting fantasy of his unconscious mind, he still felt guilty because it meant that he hadn¡¯t stopped loving her. And he knew that he probably never would. 21 - Running Out of Time The best thing Ablenkung could say for them was that they did get their work done, but the queens¡¯ maids were a collection of back-stabbing, elitist brats. He¡¯d been observing them for¡­ a month and a half now? Two months? Too long. He¡¯d lost track, and he was so sick of eavesdropping on petty squabbles, way too much gossip, much of which was slander on Beta¡¯s name, and just¡­ meanness. But, being mean wasn¡¯t a crime, nor was it evidence of a conspiracy. The maids remained above suspicion. Ish. Ablenkung still felt that he was missing something. It didn¡¯t help that once the maids went inside the dowager queen¡¯s chambers, he couldn¡¯t see nor hear anything. If the dowager queen was the ¡°she¡± from Erkunden¡¯s overheard conversation, the evidence he needed was behind closed doors that he couldn¡¯t devise a sufficient excuse to breach. Professor¡¯s New Year¡¯s ball report on Ustrina had been tantalizing but also lacking any actual evidence. What were the odds that the queen would choose a rose and dagger motif for her costume? A motif that matched the black wax seal on the cryptic notes he¡¯d found months ago in the relevant councilmen¡¯s chambers? But circumstantial evidence was just that, and the evidence was thin besides. Professor¡¯s analysis on the dowager¡¯s profile was interesting; intelligence and bitterness had the potential to become a lethal combination, but the queen remained isolated in her room constantly. When Ablenkung got tired of eavesdropping on maids, he¡¯d sometimes stake out the door to the queen¡¯s chambers. It was extremely boring; apart from the maids coming and going, he¡¯d only ever seen notes pass through that door ¡ª notes that he could not really see from the distance he had to keep. Most of the notes were ingoing, and the few outgoing notes he¡¯d tracked to all sorts of different people all over the palace. He rarely got an opportunity to sneak peeks at the contents of those notes, and they never seemed to say much when he did. It was all very frustrating. He sighed and slapped at his drowsy face while he waited for the maids to finish dusting the young queen¡¯s room. He couldn¡¯t imagine what there was to dust in a room that the maids cleaned daily when no one was living there currently, but the maids were taking their time fluffing the pillows and beating the carpets. Today¡¯s self-determined task: collect fresh samples of all the things in the queen¡¯s room for testing¡­ again. Yeah. The well of ideas was running dry. Which wasn¡¯t good. But it felt like they were close. They should be close ¡ª no ¡ª they had to be close. It was mid-February; the deadline was sometime in March. At that point, if they hadn¡¯t successfully uncovered the conspiracy, the mission would become as much about protecting the young queen and, hopefully, an infant as it would be about exposing those seeking to harm them. At that point, it would be a mess, and the stakes would be unacceptably high. Finally, he grumbled internally as the maids began to file out of the young queen¡¯s chambers, waiting for them to clear the area before leaving his hiding spot behind a door down the hallway. Maid one: ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. She hasn¡¯t been to see a doctor, at least.¡± Maid two: ¡°She could be seeing a private doctor though. If it were me, I¡¯d be seeing a doctor every week until they could tell me something.¡± One: ¡°Regardless, her condition would become obvious eventually. You can¡¯t hide something like that. That¡¯s my point!¡± Two: ¡°But if you are waiting to see symptoms, you have to hope it¡¯s not too late to do something about them. That¡¯s my point. The medicine is only guaranteed effective when administered early.¡± One: ¡°Well, it¡¯s all speculation either way, and until there¡¯s actual symptoms, there¡¯s nothing to be done for it.¡± Two: ¡°Then you need to catch it early. If she does ¡®become symptomatic¡¯, how do you think that will affect the crew?¡± One: ¡°Well, I, for one, would take great pleasure in dishing out some overdue consequences, even if it breaks our crew up. I¡¯d love to see her disgraced and humiliated.¡± Two: ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s her own fault putting herself in this situation.¡± Maid three: ¡°Disgraced and humiliated? It¡¯ll never happen. She¡¯s not an idiot. I think she knows exactly what she¡¯s doing, and I¡¯m sure she has a plan.¡± One: ¡°Oh, let me dream!¡± Ablenkung rolled his eyes at the squabbly gossip and made his move as the maids turned a corner. He entered the young queen¡¯s deserted chambers and dumped a collection of small, cork-stoppered vials onto the bed, quickly getting to work sampling and labeling each and every product in her makeup vanity and the bathroom. He even collected articles of clothing in case the poison had been applied to her laundry somehow. And then he went to the bed and stole (and replaced) the fragrant pillowcase, because why not?! At this point, they were desperate. Shoving everything into a leather bag at his waist, he looked around for a final time. Maybe he¡¯d missed something. The nightstand. Last time he¡¯d checked the nightstand, the single drawer had only contained a collection of books, letters, and pictures, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to look again. He knelt down, pulling the drawer open and rummaging around inside. Yes, everything was as he remembered it. Except¡­ It was a small perfume bottle. Or something like it? That hadn¡¯t been there the first time he¡¯d done this. Or maybe it had and he¡¯d just missed it? And if it was new, there was no way of knowing who had put it there. He sighed and collected a sample in a fresh vial and labeled it. It smelled soapy and floral-y ¡ª kind of like the pillowcase. Maybe this was a pillow perfume? Ablenkung had never heard of such a luxury before, but then, he¡¯d never before associated with royalty or even the nobility for that matter, well, apart from Professor. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He stood up, and with another scan of the room checking to make sure he hadn¡¯t left a trace of his intrusion, he left. Dressed in the uniform of a steward¡¯s assistant today, Ablenkung simply strolled to the nearest set of stairs, descended to the ground-level servant¡¯s floor, and exited through a back door. Moving with purpose while being too high in rank to ask for help with menial things and too low in rank to be in charge, no one looked at him twice. The walk to the stables was a pleasant one despite the chilly weather. It was starting to warm up again. Spring seemed just around the corner. That was a disturbing thought. He¡¯d been in the Lion Tribe for seven months, and it felt like he¡¯d accomplished so little. His brow pinched into a scowl as the familiar gardens, roads, and courtyards passed. ¡°Ahem.¡± He looked up, meeting a slightly pudgy and very welcome face approaching from the other direction, his pack of luggage still on his back from traveling. ¡°Stables,¡± he whispered in passing, and Buhne nodded once in acknowledgement in his peripheral vision. Ablenkung smiled to himself and continued on his way. It would be good to catch up with Parrot about Mrs. Parrot and the baby Parrot ¡ª something to look forward to. *** The cages were crude but sufficient, especially for a transient project such as this. Steward Pax had been skeptical of the idea to breed rabbits but quickly gave Erkunden permission anyway as he¡¯d been willing to tackle the job personally and it would take the pressure off the hunters and the local wildlife populations if it was successful. Apparently, previous breeding projects hadn¡¯t been worth much. Fortunately, this wasn¡¯t the first time Erkunden had bred wild rabbits, and he¡¯d learned a few things from the first round, though the circumstances of his first round were classified. The cages to the left were currently being nested by pregnant females. These were the unfortunate test subjects. Erkunden didn¡¯t quite have enough pregnant rabbits to test all the things that Ablenkung had sampled, so some of them were getting exposed to more than one thing in step one of a process of elimination method. ¡°This one has the rouge and face powder,¡± Erkunden said quietly to Ablenkung who was jotting everything down in a slapdash effort to be marginally scientific about the process. ¡°Cage twelve is adding the pillowcase to her nest, and cage thirteen has¡­ what is this, Shield?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ underwear,¡± Ablenkung muttered, refusing eye contact. Ekrunden snorted then released a bout of more potent laughter. ¡°You rifled through¡­!¡± He checked his volume, dropping it to a whisper. ¡°You went through her underwear?!¡± Shield shrugged and rolled his eyes. ¡°It was worth a shot.¡± ¡°A stab in the dark, more like,¡± Erkunden sighed. ¡°A little over a month left?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The humor was sucked clean out of the air. Suddenly, everything felt very heavy. ¡°Hey, guys!¡± Shield perked up and turned to Buhne¡¯s voice, and Erkunden was hardly less happy to see Parrot again. ¡°How are things?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯d both prefer to hear how your paternity leave went,¡± Ablenkung reversed the question, and Parrot immediately launched into a well-deserved gushing about his little family that left Erkunden feeling homesick for his own wife and home. ¡°Ruhe is¡­ perfect. Treu is an amazing mom, which is good because I haven¡¯t got a clue,¡± Buhne laughed. ¡°Ruhe is a really good baby: calm and happy most of the time and actually sleeps pretty well at night. It made it hard to leave, but it also made it easier knowing that she¡¯ll be good for Treu. Oh, she¡¯s so chunky!! Ruhe, not Treu. Her cheeks are just¡­¡± Buhne puffed his cheeks out and gestured with his hands to indicate big, round chops. ¡°Yeah. Ruhe is just¡­ so perfect, and Treu is amazing¡­. Ok. I¡¯m done now. How have things been here?¡± ¡°Well, where were we at when you left?¡± Shield asked. ¡°Erm.¡± Parrot frowned, trying to scrounge up what he remembered and then looking around to confirm they were alone before continuing in hushed tones. ¡°Well, Professor and you, Stag, got confirmation of things with the targets. Shield, you¡¯d found vague notes with the same seal in each of their rooms. You were looking for a female backer? If I recall correctly? And¡­ that¡¯s it.¡± Ablenkung deflated a little with frustration, his voice also dropping to a whisper. ¡°You haven¡¯t missed much. We still have no evidence for who ¡®she¡¯ is, though I¡¯ve been chasing a hunch that it might be the dowager queen. Right now, we are running a second round of tests looking for a source or delivery method for a poison or an abortion drug. Professor observed the same symbols as on the letter seal in the costume being worn by the dowager at the New Year¡¯s ball, but it is all circumstantial. End of the day, we¡¯ve got nothing.¡± ¡°No one is targeting Beta after, you know, the rumors?¡± Parrot asked. Erkunden shook his head. ¡°Not that we¡¯ve been able to tell.¡± ¡°Wow. Looks like I¡¯ve got my work cut out for me. Maybe¡­. No, never mind,¡± Buhne changed his mind mid-thought. ¡°What were you going to say?¡± Shield prodded. ¡°Just¡­ nah, man! I don¡¯t even want to say it.¡± ¡°Spit it out anyway! We need fresh ideas.¡± Parrot sighed heavily and checked the perimeter again. ¡°I was going to suggest dangling Beta out as bait even more than she already is ¡ª making her a bigger target. Maybe she needs to, you know, get pregnant ¡ª not literally. But¡­ if this is a conspiracy to prevent the birth of an heir¡­. They haven¡¯t tried to kill the queen; they¡¯ve only been sabotaging her pregnancies. If Beta were to become pregnant¡­. But I don¡¯t like it. Somehow, Beta always winds up as the sacrificial lamb in these sorts of missions, and one of these days, it¡¯s gonna catch up to her.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Erkunden added his two cents and returned to feeding his rabbits. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair to ask that of her,¡± Ablenkung endorsed. ¡°I was at the New Year¡¯s ball. As it is, she¡¯s taking a lot of heat for the mere suggestion of the affair. Lions are¡­ cruel that way.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Buhne returned to sighing. ¡°Well, I need to report to my steward, let him know I¡¯m back from leave and see if I can¡¯t get my old job back. I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do, it seems. It was good seeing you guys.¡± ¡°You too,¡± Ablenkung returned, and Erkunden seconded it with a nod and half smile. Buhne had been gone for two months, and they had practically nothing to show for all that time. He wasn¡¯t typically one given to despair and self-defeatism, but this case was exceptionally frustrating, and Erkunden was rather sick of the Lion Tribe. ¡°Do you think we can do this?¡± he asked Shield after Parrot had left. ¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t know.¡± 22 - Secrets
The rabbits didn¡¯t like the lavender pillow oil. Where did it come from? Potential medicinal uses?
Parrot burned the note as soon as he¡¯d finished reading it. Lavender pillow oil? That was oddly specific. Why not a lavender oil perfume or hair oil? But pillow oil?! How did they know it was intended for the pillow? At least they had a source now. With only a matter of weeks (days?) left to wrap the investigation up before the young queen¡¯s return, follow-up on the pillow oil was urgent. Closing the last buttons of his servant¡¯s uniform, Buhne left the servant¡¯s quarters ¡ª kinda like a bunker when he stopped to think about it ¡ª full of beds sleeping dozens of male servants who all slept in shifts depending on when their crews were assigned to work. As the sun rose, so did crew seven, and Buhne was grateful that the steward hadn¡¯t filled his position after he¡¯d left to ¡°tend to his ailing mother¡±... who was now dead. Sad. Rest in peace, mother dearest. He met his crew at the bottom of the stairs to the hospital wing, followed them up, and began the mundane task of cleaning the treatment rooms. It was mindless work at this point. Mindless enough to leave plenty of brain space for thinking. Buhne wanted to find an excuse to talk to the doctors. That was the singular benefit of working in this section of the palace, and it was an underutilized resource so far. He had so many questions to put to them if he could just find a way to weasel out of cleaning duty and into schmoozing duty. The opportunity came with the arrival of their lunch break when one of the more administrative doctors, a more seasoned veteran of the hospital wing, poked his head in for a casual check-in. ¡°Is everything in order?¡± Mannus, Buhne¡¯s crew leader, answered in the affirmative. ¡°We are almost finished here. Is there anything you need before we move on?¡± ¡°No, thank you. Well¡­ if you had a spare set of hands, we are restocking shelves and could use the muscle.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Buhne volunteered before Mannus could reply one way or the other. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, even if you need me through lunch.¡± Mannus rolled his eyes; he still didn¡¯t care for Buhne¡¯s intentional enthusiasm. The doctor, on the other hand, smiled with crinkly eyes and beckoned to him with long, age-atrophied fingers. Buhne followed him out feeling the pressure to not screw this up. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Schakern Latebros,¡± Buhne introduced himself. ¡°And you are¡­?¡± ¡°Doctor Sanus.¡± ¡°How long have you been working in the palace, Doctor Sanus?¡± ¡°Oh, quite possibly longer than you¡¯ve been alive,¡± came the reply. ¡°You must have seen a lot of interesting cases then,¡± Buhne invited casually. ¡°Yes,¡± Sanus chuckled. ¡°Some more than others.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious, have you delivered many babies here in the palace?¡± Sanus¡¯s good humor immediately sank into hesitant suspicion. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°My sister¡¯s pregnant,¡± Buhne immediately spun a disarming lie together. ¡°It¡¯s her first baby, well, second pregnancy. She lost the first pregnancy and now she is really stressed about this one, which I suppose is understandable. I said I¡¯d ask the palace physicians some questions for her if I ever got the chance to, so I¡¯m asking.¡± He laughed awkwardly, selling the bit and returning the casual tone of the conversation. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to answer what questions I can,¡± Sanus offered pleasantly. ¡°That¡¯s very gracious of you,¡± Buhne flattered. ¡°Oh, where to start? Well, first, my sister is worrying herself sick over the idea that one miscarriage might mean all of her pregnancies are doomed to failure. Is that true?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, in fact, most likely not. Though, I have had a few patients that consistently struggle with their pregnancies. I¡¯ve seen cases in which females, for some reason, are born healthy, but males are repeatedly miscarried or stillborn. And I¡¯ve had a case or two when, no matter what we try, we can¡¯t bring the pregnancy to term. But those are statistically rare scenarios.¡± Buhne frowned, absorbing the information and trying to decide what was most important to follow up on. Someone consistently struggling with pregnancy: the young queen certainly qualified. Someone who only lost male pregnancies? His Majesty was the only son born after a streak of six sisters. Perhaps this was the case Sanus was referring to? ¡°Was there anything else you wanted to ask?¡± Sanus prompted, and Buhne realized he¡¯d spent entirely too long in thought. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was thinking about what you said.¡± Maybe it was best to simply continue with the planned line of questioning. ¡°Um, my sister wanted me to ask you about lavender oil?¡± ¡°Let me guess, her doctors are worried about her being too stressed and prescribed it as an aromatherapy to help her sleep?¡± Sanus rolled his eyes, and Buhne¡¯s mind churned harder for it. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s an old wives¡¯ remedy.¡± ¡°Does it¡­ do anything?¡± Sanus seemed to grow tired, like this was a nuisance he was weary of dealing with. ¡°There is no evidence that lavender oil has any benefit whatsoever for expectant mothers. It won¡¯t do any harm, mind you, and it might¡­ soothe the young mother because she thinks it¡¯s doing something, but lavender oil might as well be called snake oil.¡± ¡°A placebo?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly,¡± Sanus seemed relieved not to get any pushback on that assertion. ¡°Have you ever prescribed it before?¡± ¡°Not directly, no.¡± ¡°But you have indirectly?¡± He was growing more agitated again, so this would most likely need to be the last question on this subject. ¡°It is a battle I no longer fight with young mothers and their mothers and mother-in-laws. If they want to drown in the aroma of lavender oil every night, I¡¯m not going to stop them. It¡¯s harmless but useless.¡± Buhne grinned, appreciating his position¡­ and also detecting an opportunity. ¡°My sister¡¯s mother-in-law has been obsessed with her pregnancy. I realize that this will be her first grandbaby, but her interest feels¡­ extreme maybe? Is that normal?¡± Sanus laughed, a slightly wheezy echo of a once youthful joviality. ¡°You might be surprised. I¡¯ve had a patient recently whose mother-in-law has been acting like she¡¯s the one that¡¯s pregnant.¡± ¡°Women are so fussy sometimes!¡± Buhne egged him on as they arrived at their destination, both men pausing to finish their conversation before getting to work. ¡°Yes, well, the fairer sex certainly deals with a lot more than we men do. They¡¯ve earned the right to be a little fussy.¡± ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°Forgive the indelicacy of saying so, but have you ever stopped to consider what it costs a woman to maintain her fertility? Most men only consider the inconvenience to themselves when their sisters or wives spend a week or more of every month cleansing their wombs with life blood and the pain that comes with it. Primordials forbid that she feels unwell or cranky during the process! And then pregnancy is its own endeavor with symptoms that can rival the worst illness man has ever contended with, and women bear it with grace and even reverence. Not to mention childbirth! Not all women survive childbirth. Consider that the next time you lay with someone. It¡¯s a sobering thought that your moments of pleasure might sign away her life.¡± Buhne, genuinely, felt his face drain a little. He was thinking about Treu. He¡¯d left her while she was pregnant, returning only after Ruhe had been born to help with the baby while she recovered. What if he¡¯d left only to return for her funeral? He¡¯d barely been back at the palace a few weeks, but he was suddenly quite homesick. ¡°Ah, yes. The dawning of understanding,¡± Sanus commented on Buhne¡¯s contemplative silence. ¡°Perhaps you will better excuse the female sex for being a bit fussy now.¡± ¡°Your thoughts were¡­ provocative,¡± Buhne conceded earnestly, and then he returned to business. ¡°You must feel passionately about this.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Any particular reason why?¡± Buhne pressed, sensing a bitterness that warranted investigation. Sanus sniffed. ¡°Suffice it to say that I have my reasons.¡± That was it. Sanus walked away, into the storage room where a couple of other physicians were already busy with the task of unloading products from wooden crates and onto shelves. ¡°Mr. Latebros, there are more boxes like this just down the hall that need to be brought here. Please fetch them.¡± Buhne gave a short bow and left to collect the crates in question, finding another doctor, a much younger doctor, already in negotiations with the towering stack of supplies. He put on a cheerful smile. ¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡± ¡°Oh! Oh, excellent. Thank you, mister¡­?¡± ¡°Latebros.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Doctor Avens.¡± Introductions completed, Buhne wasted little time. ¡°I was wondering if, while I¡¯m helping you, you might be willing to answer some questions for me?¡± Doctor Avens laughed pleasantly and then heaved a crate up as Buhne did the same. ¡°I can certainly try.¡± Buhne smiled and gave the doctor the same story about his sister being anxious about her pregnancy before launching into his questions. ¡°Do you treat many pregnant women here at the palace?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Avens shook his head. ¡°Apart from the queen, obviously, and the odd emergency with a pregnant maid, it¡¯s rare that we deal with obstetrics.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Buhne frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t treat the maids here?¡± ¡°Only emergencies,¡± he reiterated. ¡°Hm. I was talking with doctor Sanus, and he seemed to know a lot about the subject.¡± ¡°He would certainly know more than I would,¡± Avens admitted. ¡°Before he came to work in the palace hospital wing, he was an obstetrician. He got called in to consult on the last queen¡¯s fertility struggles, and they offered him a full-time position after His Majesty was successfully born.¡± Buhne resisted the reflex to express surprise. ¡°I see. So he hasn¡¯t seen many pregnant women in¡­ thirty years?¡± ¡°Give or take,¡± Avens laughed again. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m not more help.¡± ¡°Oh, no, I appreciate your willingness,¡± Buhne pardoned him readily. He had things to ponder anyway. His mind was racing, trying to recall the exact wording Sanus had used. ¡°Recently.¡± Buhne was certain Sanus had said ¡°recently¡±, but he couldn¡¯t remember the exact context. He began reviewing the points of conversation: miscarriages and extreme cases, lavender oil is a placebo he no longer fights patients about, meddling mothers and mothers-in-law, the lecture on women being fussy, he has his reasons. ¡°Recently.¡± Primordials! Where had that word been used?! Buhne kicked himself for not remembering and attempted to apply the word to the different points to see where it best fit. Hold on. Doctor Sanus had said that he no longer fights women about using lavender oil¡­ which made sense given that they¡¯d found some in the young queen¡¯s room. No! He¡¯d said that he no longer fought women or their mothers/mothers-in-law. That would imply ¡°recently¡±. And then that comment had transitioned into the lecture about women being allowed to be fussy. Oh, Primordials! It was right there on the fringes of his memory teasing him but just out of reach. He couldn¡¯t remember. He sighed, giving it a rest to see if maybe the memory would float a little closer without him trying to force it. He reoriented his thoughts and approached the gleaned information from a different angle. This all begged the question, was he hearing what he expected to hear? Shield¡¯s hunch that the dowager queen was behind the conspiracy made sense in a way that was hard to ignore, but that didn¡¯t mean that Doctor Sanus was referring to Ustrina Rex when he mentioned involved and pushy mothers-in-law. That was it! Recently, Sanus had been treating a patient whose mother-in-law was acting like she was the one who was pregnant. Ok. So the only recent patient would have to be the young queen. This comment confirmed that the dowager queen had been, well, fussy about her daughter-in-law¡¯s pregnancies. But then, if Ustrina had experienced her own fertility struggles, perhaps her involvement in Flore¡¯s pregnancies was an expression of empathy? At the very least, this wasn¡¯t proof of her involvement in a conspiracy; in fact, the contrary seemed more likely knowing what he did now. There was nothing inherently suspicious about an invested mother-in-law. If he could just prove that Ustrina had been the one to suggest the use of lavender oil, then maybe he¡¯d have a case to further investigate the dowager queen, but even if she had pressured the palace doctors into the prescriptions, who¡¯s to say that her motives were anything beyond genuine concern for the healthy birth of her grandchild? Who¡¯s to say that someone else hadn¡¯t added the abortion drug to the lavender oil later? No. There was no case here, only speculation. Undefined grumbles of frustration cluttered his internal musings. They were down to the wire on this one, and they still had no concrete suspects beyond the councilmen whose roles in this conspiracy were limited to information gathering and reporting. It was time to risk a meeting. *** ¡°General, your horse is ready.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you, soldier.¡± Callida smiled and accepted the ¡°reminder¡± without question. Maybe this meant they had finally found something? She could only hope. She was expecting Flore to return sometime in the next couple of weeks; she¡¯d almost certainly had the baby by now, but traveling with an infant would be slow. She allowed the soldier to escort her down the familiar paths and through the trees, the stables coming into view where a stable hand she did not recognize stood with her supposedly requested mount. Confused and suddenly on edge, she began to finger the hilt of her sword. ¡°Coda! Hey!¡± Someone darted out of the stables, and Callida instantly relaxed to see Erkunden. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Coda, my fault. Nympha is still nursing an injury.¡± ¡°But¡­ but the General is already here!¡± Coda protested quietly but indignantly enough to still be heard. ¡°I¡¯ll take the heat for this and trade out the horses,¡± Stag promised his coworker and took the reins from him before turning towards Callida. ¡°General, I apologize. We prepared the wrong horse for you. This mare has an injury.¡± ¡°I can wait,¡± Callida played along. Stag fixed her with an expectant look, and Callida started scrounging for the hidden intentions. ¡°I could¡­¡± she was on the right track, ¡°... join you? That way I can inspect the mount for myself before you saddle her ¡ª make sure you get it right this time.¡± Stag¡¯s lips twitched upwards, and he began a show of groveling. ¡°Certainly, General. I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience. Would you like to pick the horse yourself?¡± ¡°I would.¡± Unlike Erkunden, Callida¡¯s smirk escaped as she led the way into the stables. It became evident very quickly what the goal here was. Erkunden returned Nympha to her stall without bothering to remove the bridle and saddle and instead led Callida to the far back corner of the stable, quickly making sure that they were alone before ducking into an empty stall full of hay and equipment. The rest of Squad 14 was already waiting silently behind a giant haystack in the corner. This was either really good or really bad. ¡°Parrot, how¡¯s the family,¡± Callida immediately whispered to Buhne as she took her place in the huddle with her back against one of the walls. The wistful joy on his face told her more than words ever could, and Callida beamed back at him. ¡°When did you get back?¡± ¡°Early February.¡± She nodded, and turned to the rest of the group. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Ablenkung provided the recap, and Callida was instantly disheartened to learn that there was nothing new in it since they¡¯d identified the poison in the pillow oil. ¡°So where does that leave us?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been pursuing Shield¡¯s hunch,¡± Buhne took over. ¡°I¡¯ve been talking to physicians in the hospital wing, and I came out with more questions than answers.¡± He took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°I¡¯ve discovered that the dowager is invested in the young queen¡¯s pregnancies and may have even pushed for the prescription of lavender oil ¡ª it¡¯s apparently an old wives¡¯ remedy for restless sleep ¡ª but her motives are unclear at best. Have any of you heard anything about the dowager¡¯s personal struggles with pregnancy?¡± While the rest of the group shook their heads, something in Callida¡¯s memory triggered. It had been a long time since she¡¯d thought about this, but it also wasn¡¯t her secret to tell. ¡°The thing is,¡± Parrot was saying, ¡°if the dowager struggled with pregnancy herself, it makes sense that she would be sympathetic to her daughter-in-law and suggest remedies and such. She is carrying her grandchildren after all. It just doesn¡¯t make sense to me, and there could be any number of opportunists who poisoned the oil afterwards. All I¡¯m saying is¨C¡± ¡°I have something¡­ you need to hear,¡± Callida interrupted him as she came to a decision. ¡°It¡¯s a secret I swore to protect, but it¡¯s one you need to¡­ it¡¯s one you need to possibly make sense of things.¡± She choked on the guilty knot in her throat. ¡°It won¡¯t leave this circle,¡± Professor promised, and the rest of the squad nodded their solemn agreement. She swallowed. ¡°The dowager queen is not His Majesty¡¯s mother.¡± The group stood in stunned, processing silence. Callida ducked her head to her chest, still struggling against the guilt of sharing this secret. Verum had told her in confidence years ago, back when she was still a new bodyguard ¡ª still a teenager. ¡°That changes things,¡± Professor finally broke the silence. ¡°The councilman did say that ¡®she¡¯ wanted to replace the king with someone ¡®she¡¯ could control,¡± Stag added. ¡°If the dowager isn¡¯t¡­ it would make sense that she feels her power has been undermined.¡± ¡°There is a lot of tension in their relationship,¡± Callida confirmed. ¡°Has been since His Majesty was quite young.¡± Parrot shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Enough tension to motivate the murder of his unborn children?¡± Callida frowned, looking at her toes as she pondered. ¡°Enough tension that a power-grab scheme would make sense coming from her. Murder though? I¡¯m not sure, but possibly. These tensions have been brewing for a long time.¡± ¡°So where do we go from here?¡± Shield asked. ¡°We¡¯ve been investigating the dowager for months already. I can¡¯t get close enough; Professor can¡¯t get close enough¡­. We¡¯re running out of time.¡± Callida sagged against the stable wall and leaned her head back. ¡°Guys, if you can¡¯t find your evidence by the time Her Majesty gets back¡­.¡± She sighed and looked back at the demoralized faces watching her. ¡°I¡¯m going to assign twenty-four hour bodyguards to the queen and baby the moment they get back, but you should know, if we don¡¯t have the answers we need by then, I plan to rattle the councilmen¡¯s cages. Just be prepared to watch the way they panic.¡± ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± Spahen was scowling at her, and Callida recognized the surfacing protectiveness in his blue eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, but if the queen arrives with a baby in her arms, they¡¯ll already be spooked. I¡¯m going to try to provoke them into making a mistake.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll just come after you!¡± Stag exclaimed as loudly as a whisper would allow, the anxiety in his posture mirrored by the rest of her team. ¡°Maybe,¡± Callida conceded tiredly. ¡°Beta, you¡¯re going to get yourself killed.¡± She shook her head with a faint smile attempting to be reassuring. ¡°Nothing else has worked. I have to try.¡± 23 - A Little Push It had been a really long walk with many interruptions, and Rogue was tired. However, Callida¡¯s instructions had been explicit. When the baby was born, success or failure, Flore¡¯s escort was to return her directly to the palace and specifically to her husband. Which was fair. The entire company navigated the halls to the king¡¯s bedchambers, for, surely at this hour, His Majesty was already asleep. Knock, knock. The great oak door, carved with a regal lion¡¯s head swung open a few moments later, revealing a definitely not asleep Lion King. ¡°Flore?!¡± The king¡¯s surprise was obvious. His sweet little wife extended a bundle of blankets to him, and both of them burst into tears without another word required. ¡°It¡¯s a son, Verum,¡± Flore managed to say through her tears. ¡°He¡¯s a host. We did it.¡± ¡°He¡¯s beautiful. Primordials¡­. I¡¯ve missed you, Flore.¡± With his sleeping newborn son in one arm, the new father tugged his wife gently into a hug with his other arm. ¡°Thank you,¡± the king acknowledged the group of soldiers and Rogue with a tearful nod. ¡°Get some sleep, gentlemen.¡± Rogue turned to leave with the rest of the group, wearing a sleepy smile. ¡°Qiangde! Wait, uh¡­ take your wife home since you¡¯re heading that direction.¡± ¡°My wife?¡± Rogue reversed course with a frown. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s here,¡± Verum said distractedly, and Rogue prickled. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­. We were having a meeting, and she sort of fell asleep on the couch. She¡¯s been burning the candle at both ends for the last several days, and I thought it best to just leave her be.¡± While the reunited royal couple moved deeper into the room to gush over the newest member of their family, Rogue slipped in behind them, feeling a resurgence of his insecurities merge with a deep possessiveness. He tamped it down and located his wife, somehow finding the room to feel excitement and affection to see Callida curled up in one corner, her arms and legs tucked to her chest with her head leaned against the arm of the couch. He took a moment to study her. Just a moment. And then he smirked, leaning forward to plant the biggest, juiciest kiss he could on her lips. She startled awake, squawking in surprise and protest with her hands flailing in an effort to push him away. He caught her wrists and forced back laughter while she processed, the sounds of her dismay shifting to become confused recognition and then joyful acceptance. He released her arms, allowing her to tangle her fingers through his hair and draw him in as he took a knee in front of her. ¡°Rogue, what¡¯s all this?!¡± Callida pulled back with a laugh. ¡°I see you still haven¡¯t gotten that haircut.¡± He merely grinned as her fingers curiously combed through his loose, black curls, watching her face as she studied the way his hair now fell to just above his shoulder. ¡°And you¡¯ve forgotten how to shave,¡± she teased, her fingers moving to run through the short, two weeks old beard softening his jawline. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too, M¡¯lady,¡± he reversed the tease, leaning in to kiss her again. ¡°When did you get back?¡± ¡°Just now.¡± ¡°The mission!¡± Callida seemed to remember the reason for his absence all at once. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± ¡°See for yourself,¡± Rogue smirked and glanced over his shoulder to where the happy parents were cooing quietly, looking back at his wife to watch the tension release from her shoulders. ¡°Boy or girl?¡± ¡°Boy. Flore named him Optatio. The Lion Tribe throne now has an heir.¡± The bags under Callida¡¯s eyes grew puffy with threatening tears of relief, and Rogue accepted the grateful kisses that came with them most willingly. ¡°Oh, I was going to ask you. What is a nobilis?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Well, because Flore asked me to be Optatio''s nobilis. I said ¡®sure¡¯, but I don''t actually know what I agreed to.¡± Callida laughed tiredly. ¡°You know how I''m Callida Vir''s domina? It''s like that but for a boy.¡± ¡°So¡­ no, I still don''t get it.¡± ¡°A donum domina or a donum nobilis is a role assigned to a caring, trusted adult to act as a bonus aunt or uncle. It¡¯s a measure of extra security for the child, especially in times of war, in the event that something happens to their parents, and it¡¯s an invitation to be involved in the child¡¯s life as they grow up.¡± ¡°Oh. I see,¡± Rogue dumbly processed. ¡°It¡¯s generally considered to be an honor to get asked,¡± Callida said with a flirty smirk that invited more canoodling. ¡°Alright, you two, get your own room,¡± Verum dismissed them with an amused snort, and Callida grinned, standing up with a small groan to stretch and rub tired eyes and then squawk again when a pressure at her hips lifted her feet off the ground and folded her over Rogue¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t wake the baby, Callida,¡± Rogue chuckled, and spanked her gently on his way out the door. *** ¡°Primordials, I¡¯ve missed you.¡± She was still curiously raking her fingers through his beard, and Rogue, comfortably sprawled out next to her, chuckled and captured those long, slender fingers, bringing them to his lips to kiss before initiating a roll that put her on her back so he could trace his fingers over the lines of her face. She giggled and writhed a little when his scruffy face nuzzled playfully into the crook of her neck. ¡°You¡¯re prickly,¡± she accused. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I¡¯ve been traveling.¡± ¡°How was it?¡± Her question was vague and abruptly laced with undefined anxiety. ¡°How was what? Traveling?¡± ¡°The mission. All of it.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± he hummed, frowning in thought. ¡°It was successful,¡± she prompted. ¡°Any complications or anything?¡± ¡°No. Not at all. Saghira was a little surprised to see us. Your messages warning her of visitors were apparently pretty vague.¡± ¡°That was necessary,¡± Callida confirmed. ¡°But she was ok with everything?¡± ¡°We gave her the note you sent with us explaining everything, and she barely batted an eye at it. She gave us the royal treatment. Literally. And then Flore¡¯s pregnancy was textbook: uncomplicated, easy delivery, healthy baby, short recovery.¡± He smiled and kissed his wife. ¡°So, how have things been here?¡± Her head sank more fully into the pillow with a heavy sigh, and her eyes found a space over his head to stare at. ¡°Uh, oh.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s been¡­ frustrating. The investigation has stalled again, and¡­.¡± She was choosing her words carefully. ¡°I¡­ I have something I need to confess, um¡­. It would be best if you heard from me first¡­ i-if you haven¡¯t already heard.¡± ¡°Ok?¡± Another heavy sigh, but she met his eyes again. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor going around¡­. You have to understand, there¡¯s literally nothing behind the rumor beyond a poorly thought through comment, but¡­.¡± ¡°What rumor?¡± ¡°Um, well, the rumor is that His Majesty and I are¡­ are having an affair.¡± His brain shorted. A blind rage dropped into his stomach and flooded his body with a sudden, numbing anxiety. He felt his face twist and his fists clench, and then he forced himself to calm down so he could think through a response. Halfway between beneath and next to him, Callida was gnawing on her bottom lip and studying him as she waited for a reply. ¡°Maybe you should just tell me what happened.¡± She scooted out from underneath him, sitting up and inviting him to do the same. He obliged and she launched into an explanation while nervously massaging his palm with her thumbs. Rogue watched what he could see of her apologetic, downcast face through her hair and only sort of heard what she was saying. A member of her investigation team had made a derogatory comment about her in a council meeting to earn the trust of their targets, but his comment had been vague and interpreted to imply an affair. The rumors had sprung from there. It hadn¡¯t helped that both he and Flore had disappeared at the same time, and Callida had been meeting with Verum in his study ¡ª which was connected to his private bedchambers ¡ª in the evenings to discuss things. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Qiangde. There isn¡¯t anything I can do about the rumors except to uncover the conspiracy and then reveal that the rumors were a part of the plan to flush out the conspirators. I want you to know that I¡¯m upset about the rumor, but I¡¯m even more upset that you¡¯re upset by it.¡± She stopped her explanations and finally looked up from his hand to read his face. ¡°Please say something?¡± She was back to gnawing on her lip, and Rogue was feeling quite defeated, though much of his initial rage had tempered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Her face dropped and then turned to the side in a way that curtained it off from him with her hair. Her hand moved behind that curtain, and Callida sniffed a little, drawing a shuddery breath before turning her face back to him. She was trying (unsuccessfully) to hide her tears. ¡°I suppose I deserve that.¡± ¡°Callida, what do you want me to say?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­. Nothing specific. Just something? I¡¯d take you ranting and raving at me over silence.¡± She was swallowing and blinking more than seemed necessary, her face dropping again, preparing another curtain to hide behind as her tears welled up. This was eating her up inside ¡ª had been eating her up inside for a while. He¡¯d seen enough. He shifted closer before hooking her hips and drawing them into his lap where the proximity prevented her from hiding from him. His hand settled against her sternum and allowed Shyaam to make the connection, giving him a mind¡¯s eye view of the golden wolf spirit within willfully submitting to his own black wolf¡¯s offended sensibilities. Animal spirits had simpler emotions than their hosts, though their emotions were reciprocally affected and connected, and Shyaam would more readily trust Goldie than Rogue would Callida (even though they were two parts of a whole). The question was hesitant and quietly delivered: ¡°Callida, are you still mine?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my only, Qiangde,¡± she immediately choked out through a stifled sob, and Goldie seemed to whimper in agreement, her golden essence humble and pleading. ¡°I love you more than anything, or anyone, or even life itself.¡± The half of him that was Shyaam accepted his Beta¡¯s reply utterly while Rogue struggled to do the same. It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t believe her; it was more that he couldn¡¯t as readily dislodge the hurt. He exhaled as much of it as he could, his hand moving from the connection at her chest up the anatomy of her throat to her jaw, feeling the steadiness of her pulse jump when he leaned in to kiss her. ¡°Ok. If you say the rumor is baseless, I believe you¡­ as long as you¡¯re still mine.¡± She nodded against his forehead, her arms wrapping around his neck and drawing him into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry the rumor exists at all.¡± He sighed and returned the hug in time for Callida to pull back and lift his face to hers. ¡°Let me try to make it up to you.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but smile against her kisses and allowed her to push him over backwards, much of the heaviness lost to a renewed, affectionate playfulness. Her fingers combed his curls behind his left ear, giving her easy access to whisper in his ear and send pleasant shivers down his spine. ¡°I love you, Qiangde.¡± *** Callida exchanged a subtle nod with Verum as she entered the throne room and adopted her usual stance by the western wall from which to stare down the council. They hadn¡¯t heard yet, and Callida didn¡¯t bother schooling the smirk that formed from this thought. ¡°Councilman Legatus, what is the agenda this morning?¡± Verum opened the meeting, and his council settled, finding their seats and silencing to listen to their spokesman prattle off the to-do list. ¡°Very well,¡± Verum acknowledged as Legatus sat back down. ¡°Forgive the departure from protocol,¡± Verum began, sparing a conspiratory glance at Callida, ¡°but I have a rather important announcement to make. General, if you would, please?¡± Callida¡¯s smirk grew as she bowed and moved to the throne room doors, ordering them open to then escort Flore, carrying her infant son (and trailed closely by her escort party now serving as temporary bodyguards), to the center of the room. ¡°Gentlemen of the court, we would like to formally present to you Optatio Rex, His Majesty¡¯s son and heir.¡± The instant buzz of the blindsided council as Flore peeled back the blanket to reveal the yearned for babe within startled the sleeping prince awake. He whimpered, and his mother lovingly drew him to her shoulder, cradling his head and patting his back until he¡¯d settled again. A precious scene for those that watched. But Callida was not one of them. Her narrowed eyes were trained on the Trebax clique to the far left of the council. Now clustered together in a tight, arguing huddle, Callida could practically taste their panic. Eventually, one of the group noticed her leering and alerted the circle; all of them turned to meet her gaze and then nervously took their seats in silence. Callida merely continued to smirk at the way they all failed to look up again after that. Oh, yes. They were well primed to break. They just needed a final push¡­. *** The meeting ended and Callida made her move, making eye contact with Spahen before deliberately strolling across the throne room and into the throngs of bustling councilmen. ¡°Councilman Trebax, I trust that you are satisfied that the king no longer needs a mistress to sire an heir.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± came the terse reply. Her eyes bored into his icily, and she allowed the return of a cruel smirk. ¡°And to think that all Her Majesty needed to do for a successful pregnancy was to get away from the palace and all the doctors and treatments and servants¡­ and meddling councilmen. Very interesting, don¡¯t you think?¡± Her smirk fell, the ice in her eyes suddenly burning, and Trebax cowered, unconsciously stepping back and shrinking in on himself defensively. ¡°Councilman,¡± Callida tilted her head forward in a subtle bow and turned on her heel, leaving him to stew, feeling the rest of his posse stare at her as she left, and trusting Spahen to water the seeds of chaos she¡¯d planted. 24 - The Toast Captain Gravis was the only member of the group who was a properly trained and experienced bodyguard, so he was the default leader of the security detail. He didn¡¯t mind. Being on a team of bodyguards was a lot more rewarding than being a solo one, especially if you liked your team. He had gotten to know Commanders Rapax, Baca, Moro and Adjutus quite well on their eight month escort mission; he¡¯d already known Commander Arum from long before, but it had been nice to get to know him as more than just a coworker. Rogue still checked in daily on the queen¡¯s recovery and his highness¡¯s growth, always sticking around afterwards to visit for a few hours. They were understandably close after so long spent in each other¡¯s isolated company, so this assignment had been an easy transition. However, they were operating on limited information. It was generally understood that an entire team of elite soldiers had been given this assignment because there was a direct threat to the queen¡¯s and prince¡¯s safety, but no one was quite sure what that threat was, and General Yudha hadn¡¯t been able to be forthcoming because either she herself didn¡¯t have the answers or the information was especially sensitive. It did make it difficult to understand where to expect a threat from, which meant everything felt threatening as they walked the hallways of the palace to the throne room. Today was a special day. Today, Optatio would be ratified as the crown prince by the king¡¯s council, sealing his future as the next king of the Lion Tribe. Her Majesty had spent much of the morning bathing and dressing and cooing over her little prince, preparing him for the event. The doors to the throne room opened in front of them, and Gravis led the way through them, stepping to the side to allow Her Majesty to take the throne to her husband¡¯s right, and the team of bodyguards moved to join the Lion General against the western wall. Gravis only sort of listened to the formal pomp and circumstance and the dry reading of legalese. His interest was slightly piqued when Rogue was briefly called in as the witnessing doctor to give his testimony that Optatio was, in fact, Flore¡¯s flesh and blood. He said his piece, signed his statement, and left. Gravis and his team were then asked to add their witness to Rogue¡¯s, his personal contribution limited to ¡°I swear¡± and his sloppy signature on an official-looking form. Next was the council¡¯s part. Each member stood in turn to come forward and sign the ratifying document, a symbolic act of swearing loyalty to the future king. ¡°That will do.¡± His Majesty stood up after everyone had had their turn and gestured to a steward patiently waiting near the council. The steward bowed, exiting the room to return with serving trays loaded with wine glasses. ¡°Let us toast the successful succession of the throne!¡± The king and queen were served first, then the council starting with the council spokesman, and last the Lion General. (Bodyguards weren¡¯t allowed food and drink while on duty for practical safety reasons.) Next to him, General Yudha seemed to accept her glass unwillingly. It caught his attention, though he remembered that she didn¡¯t like drinking and dismissed her hesitation as such. ¡°To the crown prince!¡± The shout was repeated and those with a cup drank the toast. Afterwards, the council began conversing merrily with each other, the chittering crowd cheerful and distracting, but not so loud that he couldn¡¯t hear the sudden gasp next to him. ¡°General?¡± She was bracing herself against the tapestried wall behind her, and her face was draining of color in real time. ¡°General?!¡± He tried again more urgently. She merely doubled over, her barely touched goblet of wine clattering to the floor as she clutched at her stomach. ¡°General!¡± He grabbed her shoulders in an effort to lift her face ¡ª pale, sweaty, twisted in agony. ¡°Rogue,¡± she gasped, her trembling fingers now clinging to his sleeves. ¡°Gravis, get me to Rogue.¡± He gave her his arm to escort her out, only barely making it through the throne room doors before she collapsed altogether. ¡°General!!¡± ¡°Rogue,¡± she repeated faintly, and Gravis slung her over his shoulders to begin an urgent search for her husband. ¡°Did you see which way Rogue went?¡± he demanded of the nearest guard. ¡°Who¨C?¡± ¡°The general¡¯s husband! Have you seen him?¡± ¡°He left the palace.¡± Gravis started running ¡ª down the hall, through the front doors, down the palace steps. Fortunately, Rogue seemed to have been waiting for his wife to emerge from the meeting in the main courtyard, and instant fear entered his face when he saw Gravis coming. Over his shoulder, Gravis heard the general gag. ¡°What happened?!¡± Rogue was asking, scrambling to help her down to the ground so he could assess her. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Primordials, Callida, what¨C?¡± She retched, her body twisting to the side to expel a horrifying mix of vomit and blood ¡ª so much blood. Poison. She whimpered and strained weakly against the obvious agony while her husband worked to do something before it was too late. ¡°Primordials, Callida!¡± He was fighting panic; that much was clear. Gravis watched helplessly as Rogue¡¯s fingers fumbled with the buttons of her uniform. She heaved again, her head turning to the side to spill another fountain of thick blood that she couldn¡¯t get enough force behind to project. Instead, the blood oozed slowly down her chin and neck, and she started choking. Rogue rolled her onto her side to allow gravity to help her. ¡°M¡¯lady, please,¡± he was begging, his hand against her sticky chest as her coughing grew weaker, and the general reached a bloodied hand out to him. ¡°I love you,¡± she breathed, and that breath grew evermore shallow as she rolled onto her back again, her eyes shut. All at once, she went still. She was no longer straining against her pain. She was no longer retching or choking. She was no longer breathing. ¡°Callida, no!¡± In a final act of desperation, Rogue leaned in to kiss her ¡ª never mind the blood. His right hand still lingered against her chest, his left moved to her throat, feeling for a pulse that he couldn¡¯t seem to find and helping to brace her jaw against his kiss. He pulled back trembling, on the edge a total breakdown. ¡°Rogue?¡± Gravis prodded numbly. ¡°No.¡± Rogue shook his head in denial and leaned in, this time to breathe for her. ¡°Come on, Callida.¡± He leaned in again. ¡°Breathe!¡± And again. ¡°COME ON!¡± And again. ¡°Primordials, BREATHE!!¡± And¨C She gasped back to life ¡ª this time her chest heaving to bring fresh air into them. She curled onto her side, coughing, and Rogue seemed to collapse against her from relief, exhaustion, and an aggressive adrenaline crash as her heavy panting became post-traumatic sobs. He joined his tears with hers. ¡°I thought I¡¯d lost you,¡± Rogue mumbled into her gore-soaked hair, but the blood didn¡¯t stop him from clutching her to his chest, pulling her up with him as he lifted onto his knees. Relieved himself and a little wobbly in his knees, Gravis retreated to allow them some relative privacy while he processed what had just happened and just how close he¡¯d come to losing one of the closest people he had to family. In fact, he wasn¡¯t so sure that he hadn¡¯t just witnessed a miracle. She¡¯d stopped breathing completely. Her heart had stopped beating. She¡¯d been dead! At least dying. How was she not dead? Rogue hadn¡¯t administered an antidote. What had he done? Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. And who had poisoned her? A murderous rage began to simmer low in his belly. Someone had tried to kill her. They¡¯d almost succeeded too. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them.¡± It took Gravis a moment to realize he hadn¡¯t been the one to say that out loud. ¡°M¡¯lady, what are you talking about?¡± Rogue balked as the general ponderously lifted herself to her feet. Disgusted, she wordlessly loosed her dripping hair and started stripping her ruined doublet and white shirt, using them to ineffectively towel off the stickiness still dripping horrifyingly down her scarred neck and chest and now soaking into her camisole. The clothes fell in a heap at her feet before she drew her sword and began the ascent up the stairs to the palace. ¡°Callida, stop! You¡­ you¡¯re barely alive. What are you doing?!¡± The general stopped to consider her husband¡¯s plea, returning to the bottom step to kiss him tenderly and brush the tears from his cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Qiangde, but this can¡¯t wait. Let me take care of this, and then I¡¯m all yours. I promise.¡± *** ¡°Did you see where General Yudha went?¡± Verum was brimming with relief and joy and wanted to thank Callida for her help in making this day possible. It was only after he¡¯d asked the Commanders his question that he realized how anxious they looked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? And where¡¯s Gravis?¡± ¡°They left,¡± Commander Rapax said, stepping forward to bow to his king. ¡°What do you mean ¡®they left¡¯?¡± Behind the commander, some of his comrades exchanged nervous glances, and Verum¡¯s stomach began to hollow out. ¡°Is everything ok?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Rapax stated quietly, glancing at the throne room doors. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty. They left suddenly. They didn¡¯t say why.¡± A familiar jolt of electric dread shot through his chest and pooled in his gut. Despite the inconclusive statements, Verum could tell the commanders were worried or even fearful about something. Something was wrong, and it didn¡¯t take a genius to deduce that Callida was probably in the middle of that something. At least she¡¯d taken Gravis with her. Verum returned to his throne, noting the way the commanders continued to shift their weight from side to side and glance expectantly at the throne room doors. What were they waiting for?! It was hard to enjoy the celebratory chatter after that. Verum kept glancing between the commanders, the door, and his queen and newborn son, the sound of his heartbeat in his ears drowning out most other sounds. BANG! Verum jumped to his feet as the doors were flung open hard enough to slam them into the walls at the limits of their hinges, and a half-naked, blood-drenched, desperately pale Callida stalked into the room with her sword already drawn but still clean. Gravis and a similarly blood-soaked Qiandge followed protectively behind her. The entire room froze. ¡°Commanders, take Her Majesty and the crown prince to their room immediately. Gravis, you stay.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Rapax accepted the order for the group while Callida stared down the council. ¡°Steward!¡± she called as soon as the door had been shut behind them, and the startled man stepped forward. ¡°G-General?¡± ¡°Who was the last person you served wine to before me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his name.¡± ¡°Then take me to him,¡± she snarled dangerously. Verum knew that tone; he knew what it meant: someone was going to die. The steward wove through the crowd to the back, north corner of the council area. ¡°He sat in this seat, General.¡± She sheathed her sword, but the councilmen were still wise to part for her as Callida plunged through them. ¡°Whose seat is this?!¡± she demanded of the room. ¡°That¡¯s Councilman Unguis¡¯s seat,¡± someone answered, and moments later, there was a shout of alarm as Callida dragged the young councilman out of the crowd and shoved him to the stone floor at the center of the throne room. ¡°Detain him!¡± she ordered, and two palace guards stepped forward to grab his arms. She then rounded on Unguis¡¯s usual circle of friends ¡ª men who also sat in the same back corner ¡ª calling them out by name and ordering the palace guards to detain them as well. Seven men now stood front and center, most of them pale, some retaining more composure than others. ¡°Search them!¡± Cries of indignation fell on deaf ears. Their pockets were turned out and their persons patted down while Callida slowly circled them. ¡°We¡¯ve finished, General.¡± ¡°And what did you find?¡± She was presented with a serving tray repurposed to collect the councilmen¡¯s belongings, and Verum watched her pick through them slowly. She rifled through a handful of notes, reading some of them, skimming others, looking up at the men they¡¯d been collected off of with burning fury in between. And then she picked up something very small, and a new darkness entered her eyes. ¡°Who did you find this on?¡± she asked quietly, holding the object up to her soldiers who indicated the man in question. ¡°Unguis,¡± she tsked, stepping forward to shove the object in his face, ¡°what is this?¡± ¡°A tonic,¡± he croaked, but there was no mistaking his terror. ¡°A tonic,¡± she parroted softly. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°H-health reasons.¡± ¡°Your health?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She stepped closer, and Verum found himself feeling nervous for Unguis. ¡°Then drink it,¡± she called his bluff. ¡°General?¡± Unguis gasped and recoiled. ¡°Drink. It.¡± She unstoppered what Verum assumed to be a small vial, and Unguis shook his head, pinching his lips together and trembling visibly. Without warning, Callida grabbed the councilman¡¯s face, pinching it and jerking it upwards to where the vial was waiting. She released him, and Unguis staggered back, choking and spluttering. ¡°You¡¯re going to start feeling weak,¡± Callida began an ice-cold narration, once again circling the collection of detained councilmen as a predator would her prey. ¡°Next, you¡¯ll feel a sharp pain begin to build in your stomach.¡± Almost on cue, Unguis doubled over, collapsing to the ground. His pained moans quickly became screams of agony. ¡°And then you¡¯ll start vomiting blood,¡± Callida announced calmly through his cries, and indeed, Unguis started heaving violently, the sickening splatter sounds of his spilling insides alternating with his continued screams. Verum gagged and had to look away before it was over. And soon all was silent. ¡°And then you die,¡± she declared the final step with callous cruelty, stepping over the now corpse on the ground to approach the dead man¡¯s friends. ¡°Trials are messy and take too much time,¡± she said, addressing the remaining six councilmen. ¡°Councilmen Gemma, Trebax, Placo, Rallus, Laniger, and Asper, I hereby challenge you to an immediate duel to the death.¡± ¡°On what grounds?¡± Trebax stepped forward to rebut her with a green pallor and clammy hands. ¡°First degree treason, conspiracy, accessories to attempted murder¡­ and you made my husband cry,¡± came the silky venom but a breath away from Trebax¡¯s face. ¡°Take your pick, Councilman.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have proof,¡± he growled belligerently, but Callida merely smirked and stepped back to where the tray of belongings was being held to rifle through the notes there. ¡°Don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± someone gasped. Verum couldn¡¯t see who. ¡°I didn''t get a chance to burn it.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please.¡± Councilman Gemma dropped to his knees next to the grisly scene of death before him to beg. ¡°Give us a trial. Don¡¯t allow her to murder us in cold blood.¡± Verum looked between the groveling councilmen and Callida, her eyes still trained on her prey, still covered in blood ¡ª her blood ¡ª and his brain reluctantly engaged. ¡°The challenge has already been issued, Gemma. The Lion General is perfectly within her rights to challenge you to a duel, especially given that you conspired to poison her first. Perhaps this was an effort to murder the witness to your treason?¡± ¡°What treason?!¡± Gemma cried. Verum looked at Callida who finally looked back and nodded slightly at him. ¡°The conspiracy to sabotage Her Majesty¡¯s pregnancies as a prelude to seizing the throne!¡± Gemma was dumbstruck and somehow managed to pale even further from a ghostly white to a corpse gray. ¡°Guards, see to it that they are given swords.¡± ¡°W-we don¡¯t stand a chance¡­. This is a death sentence, Your Majesty,¡± Gemma pleaded. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Callida scoffed mercilessly. ¡°In the spirit of fairness, you¡¯re being sentenced together, so it only makes sense that you¡¯d fight together. I did just return from the dead. Maybe one of you will get lucky.¡± ¡°General, are you sure?¡± Verum asked. ¡°I¡¯m certain,¡± she hissed back. ¡°So be it.¡± 25 - The Duel If she were to be honest with herself, she was exhausted ¡ª more than exhausted, really. There was no doubt in her mind that she should be dead right now, and the waning adrenaline had left her feeling weak and dizzy. But this was the final straw, and there was no outcome here that ended with her mercy. ¡°M¡¯lady.¡± Callida looked up from where she was kneeling, facing the western wall and trying to center herself while the throne room was prepared and the councilmen were being equipped with swords for their duel. ¡°Rogue?¡± He knelt down next to her, and Callida immediately picked up on the way his hands were trembling and his eyes were watery. ¡°Callida, please don¡¯t do this. There has to be another way. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll fight the duel for you!¡± ¡°Rogue¨C¡± ¡°You were dead! You were gone, and I can¡¯t lose you twice in one day. You should be resting right now, not fighting battles!¡± She rotated to kiss him ¡ª the only gentle way to silence his protests. ¡°I have to do this¨C¡± ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°¨CI don¡¯t want you to watch, Qiangde.¡± ¡°¨CCallida, you don¡¯t¡­. You what?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to see this. I want you to leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡± he snarled so viciously, Callida actually startled. ¡°If you¡¯re going to insist on fighting after¡­! I¡¯m not going anywhere. Do you hear me? I¡¯m going to be right here by your side in case you get hurt.¡± ¡°Qiangde, you¡¯ll never look at me the same way again.¡± ¡°M¡¯lady¨C¡± ¡°No, listen to me! It¡¯s one thing for you to know that I¡¯m a trained, cold-blooded killer. It¡¯s another thing to watch me kill, and I don¡¯t intend to hold back. I don¡¯t want you to see me like that, and I don¡¯t¨C¡± It was his turn to kiss her into silence. ¡°If you¡¯re going to insist on doing this, I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± She felt her tears well-up, but she surrendered. ¡°Then, please don¡¯t hate me after what you¡¯re about to see.¡± ¡°Never.¡± ¡°General,¡± Captain Gravis¡¯s shadow fell over the couple, and Callida looked up to greet him. ¡°Yes, Captain?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± She dragged herself up to her feet, the effort to do so much greater than it should have been, but the adrenaline was back ¡ª a jittery energy that made her heart pound and tired muscles find new strength. She took Rogue¡¯s hand and led him to where Verum was still sitting on his throne. ¡°Stay here for me? Gravis, stay close to Rogue.¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± She smiled and turned to face the rest of the room and roll her shoulders out, making eye contact with a distressed Spahen across the way amongst the crowd of spectators. She gave him a small, crooked smile. ¡°Psst, Gravis,¡± Verum whispered behind her, and Callida welcomed the distraction and tuned in. ¡°You¡¯re Majesty?¡± ¡°How long do you think this is going to take?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ three minutes?¡± ¡°I was thinking two minutes tops.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be more than two minutes,¡± Gravis scoffed. ¡°She was just poisoned and nearly died!¡± ¡°I¡¯d take that bet!¡± ¡°Guys, stop betting on my wife,¡± Rogue snapped nervously, and Callida suppressed a laugh as Verum rose to address the room. ¡°This is a duel to the death. Good luck, Councilmen. You¡¯ll need it.¡± Callida took a deep breath and drew her sword. One look at the men she was supposed to be fighting, and she already knew that ¡°fight¡± was too generous of a descriptor. She stepped forward, and the group charged haphazardly, swords raised, exposing most of the vital areas of their bodies. She spun into the middle of them, entering an efficient, dance-like rhythm. Slash, dodge, slash, stab. Dodge, slash, slash, stab. And just like that, six became one. Callida could see the resignation in Trebax¡¯s eyes as she raised her gore-dripping sword in his direction. He stumbled backwards, tripping over bodies in a futile effort to flee. Callida pursued him relentlessly. Trebax shakily raised his sword, and in a single, definitive move, she sliced it out of his hand. He screamed and fell, clutching a hand now missing a couple fingers to his chest. Callida pounced, landing on her knees, straddling his thighs to fist his shirt and force his nose to hers. He was gasping from fear and pain, braced for the final blow that would end his life. ¡°Trebax,¡± she sing-songed softly, drawing his attention with the cold, bloodied steel of her sword teasing the tender flesh of his cheek, ¡°you realize that this doesn¡¯t end with your death, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± he spat. ¡°You and your fellow councilmen are accused of high treason against His Majesty. The trial will not go well for your families.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°We both know that without a backer, you and your cronies would never have the guts to try something like this. You placed your bets and you lost. Now your families will pay the price. I might be inclined to encourage mercy on their behalf in exchange for her.¡± His eyes widened with surprise and instant terror. ¡°Her?¡± Callida smirked coldly and leaned further forward to hiss directly into his ear. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have to decide which of us you fear more: me or her. Keep in mind, she¡¯s already lost, and I¡¯m just getting started. Hm¡­.¡± She pulled back just enough to allow Trebax to meet her eyes. ¡°I wonder how Gemma¡¯s pretty little daughter will fare, rotting in prison for the rest of her miserable life. Her name¡¯s Flava, isn¡¯t it?¡± Trebax broke. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you,¡± he gasped hoarsely, ¡°if you swear to protect them from¡­ from her.¡± ¡°You have my word. Who¡¯s your backer, Trebax? Who did you bet on?¡± She watched his fight to bring the name forward, noting the warring fears behind his eyes. ¡°Her Majesty, Ustrina Rex.¡± She couldn¡¯t say that she was surprised, but a roiling hatred for the dowager queen blossomed in Callida¡¯s chest all at once as she studied the reluctant earnestness in Trebax¡¯s eyes. ¡°I swear,¡± he added when Callida failed to verbally acknowledge his testimony. He was telling the truth. ¡°Thank you, Trebax,¡± she whispered, and released him to brace his fall with his elbows. Trebax watched her every move as she slowly rose to her feet, and then he closed his eyes, accepting her blade across his throat. Callida numbly stepped over their bodies, her sword clattering to the ground as her exhaustion caught up with her. She stumbled over her own feet and fell hard on her hands and knees. And suddenly she was sobbing bitter, angry, miserable tears. Rogue was kneeling next to her a moment later, his hand brushing her half sticky, half scabby hair over one shoulder so he could access her back. ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± he soothed, and Callida felt suddenly sleepy ¡ª impossibly sleepy. She lifted her head into his lap and curled up on her side, allowing his healer¡¯s hands to calm her troubled mind, body, and spirit. ¡°Let¡¯s get you home.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to do,¡± she mumbled and peeled herself off the ground to stand up shakily. She found Spahen in the crowd and gave him a loaded look before turning to the king. ¡°Verum, the show¡¯s over.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Taking the hint, Verum stood up and dismissed the council. Callida similarly dismissed Gravis and the rest of the palace guards, including Verum¡¯s bodyguard to stand just outside the throne room doors. The room cleared quickly except for Verum, Rogue, Callida, and... ¡°Come here, Spahen,¡± Callida called. ¡°Quick introductions, Spahen, you¡¯ve met His Majesty, but this is my husband, Rogue. Rogue this is one of my squad mates from when I served in the Bear Tribe military forever ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I recognized you!¡± Verum crowed and then put his hand over his mouth. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s been bothering me for nearly eight months now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to cut straight to the chase," Callida returned to the matter at hand, "but I¡¯d like to take a bath. Spahen, she is who we thought she was.¡± ¡°You¡¯re certain?¡± the blue-eyed bear asked, searching her face. ¡°It was Trebax¡¯s dying confession. I¡¯m certain.¡± ¡°Callida, what are you talking about?¡± Verum interjected, and Callida sighed. ¡°This isn¡¯t over yet, Verum, but you have a right to know.¡± ¡°What do you mean this isn¡¯t over? Know what?!¡± She gestured tiredly to the slaughter around them. ¡°They had a backer, someone they were reporting to: the mastermind of this conspiracy and the person pulling all the strings as far as we can tell at this point.¡± ¡°Who, Callida?¡± ¡°Verum, listen to me. Before I tell you, you have to swear to me that you won¡¯t do anything rash.¡± ¡°Just tell me who did this!¡± Callida deflated. ¡°Ustrina.¡± Verum dropped into his seat, an overwhelming hurt and exquisite hatred sapping his soul dry. ¡°Ustrina?¡± ¡°Verum.¡± Callida set a hand on his arm and dropped to one knee in an attempt to refocus his attention. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± ¡°Ustrina¡­¡± *** Rogue was playing with Callida¡¯s clean, silky hair, winding and unwinding it around his hands and running his fingers through it to release the comforting smell of citrus oil. But mostly he was watching her sleep with a new appreciation that could only come from nearly losing her. She¡¯d lost a lot of blood, her pale face and cold hands an indication of her anemia, and her stomach was still a source of incredible pain. He¡¯d compelled her to eat something before she went to bed, but she couldn¡¯t keep it down for the pain. He¡¯d settled for a few swallows of broth after that, as many as she thought she could manage without losing that too. Councilman Unguis screaming and writhing on the floor. He tried to shove the invasive thought from his mind. Such memories had been preventing him from falling asleep. And that was a particularly horrific scene. He¡¯d always known that Callida was an unusually tough person, and he knew that she had a high tolerance for pain, but it maybe hadn¡¯t settled in his mind just how tough she was. Relative to Unguis, Callida¡¯s response to the poison was¡­ ¡­ her body straining silently against the pain, her bloodied, trembling hand reaching out to him, gore pouring from her mouth, ¡°I love you.¡± Somehow still in control despite¡­ He couldn¡¯t get it out of his head. She¡¯d known that she was dying; it had been in her eyes ¡ª acceptance. And she had died, sort of. Her body had given up, but her indomitable spirit had kept fighting, Goldie had kept fighting, so he¡¯d kept fighting, and somehow¡­ ¡­ somehow she wasn¡¯t dead. More than that, she¡¯d found the strength to take on her murderers. Attempted murderers? They were both. They¡¯d successfully killed her; it just hadn¡¯t stuck. So she¡¯d killed them. Her body anemic, broken, and barely back from the dead, she¡¯d killed them easily and with a brutal, merciless precision. He¡¯d known she was a skilled fighter, he¡¯d seen her spar and outmatch dozens of soldiers. But he¡¯d never seen her kill before, and the unflinching ease with which she cut those men down was¡­ unnerving. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to watch. You¡¯ll never look at me the same way again.¡± Now he understood what she¡¯d meant, and it was true to a point. In the short term, he¡¯d have to reconcile the Callida he knew and loved with the woman that could poison a man and narrate his suffering without showing a trace of sympathy ¡ª a woman that could intimidate a man into confessing his darkest sins and then slaughter him. The Callida he knew was warm, playful, honorable, tender, and passionate, but now he understood that she could be cold, ruthless, detached, terrible, and terrifying. And he understood why she¡¯d wanted to keep those two halves of herself separate. ¡°Gravis, how long do you think this is going to take? I was thinking two minutes tops.¡± He¡¯d known. His Majesty, Captain Gravis, they¡¯d already known this side of her. The king had won the bet; Gravis had chuckled while he paid up with some comment about how ¡°not even death slows her down¡±. It made Rogue feel insecure that somehow everyone seemed to know who and what Callida was better than he did. To be fair, it¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t know, it was more that he hadn¡¯t truly understood ¡ª which didn¡¯t make him feel any better. The fight visibly washing out of her, Callida stumbling to the ground, sobbing, publicly processing even more trauma, then getting straight back to business as though nothing had happened. How often did she set trauma aside like that? How many days had she come home from work wearing a brave, unaffected face while utterly broken inside? How regularly must someone be broken in order to be able to do that?! His fingers moved on from twisting her hair to lightly tracing some of the many scars covering her body by the faint glow of moonlight. She¡¯d told him how she¡¯d gotten most of her scars, but there were too many for her to remember how she¡¯d gotten them all. And these were just the superficial, visible scars. She stirred beneath his fingertips and attempted to roll over, becoming fitful. Rogue watched silently as her legs rolled off the bed and Callida sat up, collected her hair over one shoulder, and then slumped forward with one hand on her stomach, the other on her forehead. She took a deep, tired breath and held it, releasing it slowly before finding her feet. Rogue watched her roll her neck and shoulders out and listened to her soft groans of discomfort. Then she went to the window, cracking it open slightly and moving close to breathe in the cool night air. He waited for her to return for what felt like a long time, but she didn¡¯t. ¡°Callida?¡± ¡°Rogue? I¡¯m sorry. Did I wake you?¡± she whispered back. ¡°No.¡± Reluctantly rolling off the bed himself, Rogue joined her by the window. ¡°I¡¯m having trouble sleeping tonight.¡± ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She looked down at her toes, her narrow frame shrinking even more somehow. ¡°Do you¡­ want to talk about it?¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­. My stomach still hurts, but the rest of me feels¡­ ok?¡± Her eye contact was as hesitant as her speech. ¡°M¡¯lady, look at me.¡± She tried, but her eyes dropped again. Rogue lifted her chin. The next time she met his eyes, hers were threatening tears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Qiangde. I¡¯m sorry you had to see that.¡± She pulled away and turned her back to him, her shoulders shuddering with silent sobs she was struggling to hide. That was becoming a thing, and he didn¡¯t like it: the hiding. She was already measuring her breath, wiping her tears away, shutting them down ¡ª putting her brave face back on ¡ª for him. She stiffened slightly with his hands slowly tugging her back towards him so he could hold her better. With her hair still to one side, Rogue kissed the floral branding behind her exposed ear and then grinned when she gasped in response. ¡°Primordials, I love you, Callida.¡± She wheeled around, searching his face. ¡°You what?!¡± He smirked at her reaction and caught her chin again, lifting it to very intentionally hold her gaze. ¡°I love you,¡± he repeated. She blinked dumbly, so he kissed her, chuckling when afterwards she still looked gobsmacked. ¡°You almost never say it.¡± ¡°What? That I love you?¡± She nodded. ¡°You find other ways to communicate the sentiment, but you almost never say it directly like that.¡± ¡°Hm. Shame on me. I should fix that.¡± He pulled her close and then advanced, pushing her back into the wall next to the window and holding her securely in place. ¡°Callida?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± His hand snaked around her neck, embedding in her hair and tilting her head back with his thumb. She watched him debate how to proceed from there ¡ª so steady and calm. And he knew that he could simply continue to look at her and she¡¯d remain still and peaceful, or he could nuzzle and nip and she¡¯d become playful and affectionate. He could choose to talk, and she¡¯d be respectful, loving and supportive, or he could kiss her deeply and bring out her passionate side. That was the Callida he knew ¡ª the version of herself that she held in reserve for him and him alone. He smiled with fresh understanding. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to hide her inner demons from him; she simply wanted to always give him her best self, as ridiculous and misguided as that was. ¡°M¡¯lady, I love you: the good, the wonderful, but also the bad and the ugly. You don¡¯t have to hide it from me, and you don¡¯t have to be strong all the time.¡± She started to cry again, but with his hand holding her face, this time she couldn¡¯t hide it. He watched her tears fall and lovingly wiped them away, waiting until they¡¯d finished. She sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand and a small laugh. ¡°I¡¯m a mess.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my mess, Callida. And I love you.¡± He went for the kissing her deeply option, sealing the renewal of his confession and inviting her to take whatever she needed from him, at least, it certainly didn¡¯t hurt his feelings when she returned his kisses with interest. ¡°Callida?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± She was panting, clearly worked up. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Mmm. Suddenly a lot better.¡± Her fingers tugged the neck of his shirt, and Rogue shivered deliciously with the heat of her mouth against his collarbone. ¡°You¡­ should be resting.¡± ¡°You started it,¡± she countered. ¡°Keep going, and I¡¯ll finish it too.¡± ¡°Mmm, that¡¯s not much of an incentive for me to stop.¡± He chuckled and grabbed her face, forcing her to stop in a last-ditch effort to be responsible. ¡°You are a terrible patient.¡± ¡°Yes. Yes, I am. We¡¯ve established that many times over. Now the question remains, are you a terrible doctor?¡± She smirked and pulled her face free, immediately burrowing into his neck again to test the limit of his self-control. She found it¡­ and surpassed it. ¡°I guess I am.¡± He scooped her up. ¡°You should be in bed,¡± he teased. ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± 26 - Something Stupid Verum had been sitting on the revelation that Ustrina was the one behind all of Flore¡¯s heart-shattering pregnancies for two days. Two days, and he¡¯d heard absolutely nothing since then from either Callida or Councilman Spahen. Sure, Callida was on sick leave, and sure, Councilman Spahen had been¡­ preoccupied, but¨C Primordials, what am I supposed to do?! ¡°You have a right to know, but don¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± or something like that. What qualifies as ¡°stupid¡± exactly? Verum paced his study as he brooded and tried not to think about how much he hated Ustrina: his father¡¯s wife but not his mother. She¡¯d pretended to be his mother for the first twelve years of his life, and then, when his father had told him the truth about his heritage, she¡¯d changed. He¡¯d spent a long time trying to understand; he knew now that his father had been a monster. It hurt knowing that the man he¡¯d idolized and loved had been¡­ that. It hurt looking back at the years he¡¯d spent obsessively studying and training to become like his father in a vain effort to earn his love and approval. And it hurt for him to realize that his father had sabotaged Verum¡¯s fragile relationship with Ustrina, most likely for his own entertainment. He was never supposed to know that Ustrina was not his mother. When Ustrina found out that Verum knew, something inside of her snapped. She became cold and hostile overnight. Verum had never known his birth mother, so this betrayal in tandem with the revelation of his heritage had crushed his twelve-year-old self. Blinding bitterness on both sides had driven an insuperable wedge between them, and as the years of hurt and anger piled up, so too had their mutual hatred. This was his father¡¯s legacy: pitting people against each other so he could watch and laugh at the ensuing battles from the shadows. He¡¯d manipulated the entire world into the Great War over the course of decades, so why not do the same to his wife and illegitimate son? Cheat on his wife and convince her to accept a son that wasn¡¯t hers, starve the son for love and affection, and then turn them on each other ¡ª make them blame each other for the hurt he had caused. Yes, Verum had found out after his father was exposed and killed that he was the product of an illegitimate union that had only been patched up afterwards because he¡¯d been born a son and a lion spirit host and, therefore, an heir. The fiction his father had fed him that his mother had been a legitimate, council approved mistress whom he¡¯d genuinely fallen in love with was just that: a fiction, so, in a way, it made sense that Ustrina hated him. He was a living reminder of her husband¡¯s infidelity. But the rest of it was unforgivable. Ustrina had become the monster she¡¯d hated by redirecting her ire onto him, then a young child, and now she was targeting his wife and children as well. She had to be stopped! Verum was determined that his father¡¯s legacy of manipulation and abuse would end with him. It had to end with him. Which was why he couldn¡¯t help himself. Bang! Bang! Bang! ¡°Ustrina, open the door!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! ¡°Open up!¡± The ornate door swung on silent hinges, and Ustrina appeared on the other side. ¡°Your Majesty, what a pleasant surprise,¡± she hissed. He pushed past her and slammed the door shut behind him. ¡°Please, do come in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over, Ustrina!¡± he roared. ¡°You¡¯ve been caught in your own web! Your trial will be held next week.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± She simpered at him. ¡°And what are you accusing me of, Your Majesty? I go nowhere, I do nothing, I see no one.¡± ¡°Which means you have all the time in the world to sit in your room plotting!¡± Verum snarled back. ¡°And who told you that? Your precious Lion General? Are these the things you talk about in bed together?¡± she laughed, a manipulative attempt to bait and distract him. ¡°You need better spies, Ustrina,¡± Verum said darkly, stalking towards her. ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping with the Lion General ¡ª I never was ¡ª but she is the one that got your council spies to talk, and she¡¯s the one that slaughtered them. I¡¯ll have your head for this.¡± ¡°I see.¡± She stepped around him, casually slinking across the room to a hutch full of stoppered, glass decanters and flasks. ¡°That¡¯s it?! That¡¯s all you have to say for yourself?¡± Verum glared at her back. ¡°And what would you have me say, Your Majesty? The great general has spoken! You accept her every whim as fact, so there¡¯s nothing I can say to persuade you otherwise.¡± ¡°Coward!¡± She sneered in reply, then asked bitingly, ¡°would you care for a drink, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not foolish enough to accept a drink from you.¡± ¡°A shame. Then would you mind if I had one?¡± she asked, but she was already pulling out a goblet and pouring her drink. She swirled the glass in her hands a few times and slouched into a seat by the hearth. ¡°Here¡¯s to¡­ here¡¯s to you,¡± she toasted boredly. ¡°May you receive everything that¡¯s coming to you and everything that you deserve.¡± She imbibed her wine in one go and tossed the empty goblet to the floor. ¡°Enjoy your smug satisfaction, Verum. Your victory will not last.¡± ¡°Are you trying to threaten me?¡± Verum scoffed, and Ustrina laughed coldly. ¡°Oh, child. You pathetic little fool. I don¡¯t need to threaten you. Your fate is already sealed, and so is mine.¡± ¡°Quit speaking in riddles, Ustrina. What do you mean?¡± She merely laughed. ¡°Why not ask the Lion General, since she¡¯s so clever?¡± She laughed again, and something about it was off, even for her. ¡°Ustrina?¡± Verum watched in morbid fascination as she began to sink back into her cushions and then slowly slide forward off of them. She fell to the floor, her legs folding beneath her, her body slumping precariously against the chair behind her, and her face frozen in an expression of cruel mockery. She was dead. Primordials. Callida¡¯s gonna kill me. *** ¡°What do you want to do today, M¡¯lady?¡± Callida hadn¡¯t even opened her eyes yet. She grinned sleepily and stretched, giggling when Rogue grew impatient and started skipping light kisses all over her face. ¡°Good morning to you too!¡± ¡°Good morning,¡± he returned between kisses. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m awake. You can stop now.¡± ¡°But what if I don¡¯t want to stop?¡± he pouted playfully. ¡°Is this what you¡¯re hoping to do today?¡± He merely grinned and tugged her into a roll that brought her over the top of him. She humored him for a moment and nuzzled her nose under his jaw before pulling away and rolling off the bed. ¡°I want to go for a walk.¡± ¡°Oof,¡± Rogue deflated comically. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stop harassing you.¡± She went to the bathroom to indulge in a leisurely routine of washing her face, cleaning her teeth, brushing her hair out, and putting on minimal makeup. It was a nice break from the hustled efficiency of this same routine most other mornings. She emerged to rummage through a wardrobe stuffed with things she almost never wore, randomly selecting a deep purple dress she didn''t recognize. She had an entire team of people who worked behind the scenes to curate her style for her. It was rare that she spoke with them these days, and it was even more rare that she had the opportunity to wear any of the magnificent things they¡¯d dreamed up for her. ¡°Ready for breakfast?¡± Rogue asked when she¡¯d finished getting dressed, and Callida groaned. Food sat like a bucket of hot coals in Callida¡¯s stomach which made sense given the way the poison had attacked her body. Limited to sips of broth and miniscule nibbles of plain bread until her gut healed, her body was feeling the strain of a low calorie diet, but eating was worse. ¡°Come on, Callida. You have to eat.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Can I eat after the walk? That way I might actually enjoy the walk.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he sighed and offered her his hand. ¡°You promise?¡± She smiled and laced her fingers through his. ¡°Promise.¡± They left the room, walking the length of the hall to a flight of stairs that ended in the foyer below. Celarus, the estate steward, met them at the door. ¡°Good morning, General.¡± ¡°Good morning, Celarus. We¡¯re going to take a walk through the gardens.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± he said, and opened the door for them. They walked outside, and Callida happily soaked in the morning light and fresh air. She tugged Qiangde¡¯s hand and led him into the nearest section of estate gardens to wordlessly weave through the shrubbery and admire the Springtime flowers. ¡°Beta!¡± She startled and turned to see Erkunden. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s urgent,¡± he said, pulling a crinkled note out of his pocket to extend to her. She snatched it up quickly, and unfolded it:
The dowager is dead. Please advise. ¨CProfessor
¡°When?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know any more than you do,¡± Stag replied. ¡°How?!¡± ¡°Again, I don¡¯t know any more than you do.¡± ¡°Primordials¡­.¡± She was feeling a little clammy and lightheaded as her weakened body responded poorly to the adrenaline and anxiety. ¡°Verum¡­. I need to speak with Verum. Stag, get a team meeting together this evening.¡± ¡°Same place?¡± ¡°No. Here. I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll be able to salvage the situation or not. Come prepared to discuss options.¡± ¡°On it,¡± Erkunden said and left. ¡°Callida, who was that?¡± Rogue asked. ¡°Is everything ok? He called you Beta?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Qiangde, but this is urgent.¡± She pecked his cheek and took off jogging after Erkunden. ¡°Where are you going?!¡± he shouted after her, but Callida was too distracted to reply. The dowager queen was dead ¡ª their one lead. And she was angry more than anything. She could only think of three reasons why the queen would be dead. One, Verum had done something really stupid and executed her. Two, Verum had done something really stupid and tipped her off that they knew her role in the conspiracy, and she¡¯d opted for death over torture and the humiliation of a trial and public execution. Or three, Verum had done something really stupid and told people he shouldn¡¯t have about Ustrina¡¯s treachery, and she¡¯d been murdered before she could talk. One way or another, it all started with Verum being stupid. Seething, Callida ran all the way to the palace and up the lengthy flight of stairs through the palace doors and down the grand hallway to the gilded double doors of the throne room. She took a moment to compose herself and run her fingers through her now wind-tangled locks before taking the plunge. She set her jaw and gave the go ahead to the palace guards to open the doors. Verum took one look at who was entering and squirmed, his eyes immediately looking away and his lips pinching into a thin, resigned line. He knew he was in trouble. The speaking councilman faltered with Callida¡¯s eyes throwing silent daggers at the king, and the room went still. Verum sighed and accepted his fate. ¡°Council, would you excuse me for a few minutes?¡± He too set his jaw and led the way back out of the throne room, through the grand hall, and then down a different hall to a small council room. Callida followed him in. ¡°Pius, would you wait outside please,¡± Verum dismissed his bodyguard. The door clicked shut, and Verum deflated, leaning against the heavy, wood table at the center of the room. ¡°Alright, Callida, let me have it.¡± ¡°I figured I¡¯d give you an opportunity to explain yourself first.¡± ¡°She committed suicide.¡± ¡°You tipped her off?!¡± ¡°I wanted to confront her! Alright? I wanted to put her on house arrest, prevent her from doing anymore damage. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d kill herself!¡± ¡°You went to crow over her!¡± Callida accused. ¡°You wanted to tell her that she was cornered and watch her squirm! Didn¡¯t you?!¡± ¡°Alright! I admit it! I wanted to put her in her place. I wanted to confront her and tell her that she was going to get what she deserved. I wanted¡­.¡± he trailed off, his eyes zoning out on the wall to one side. ¡°You wanted closure,¡± Callida realized out loud, her volume dropping but voice hardening. ¡°You wanted to show her how much you didn¡¯t need her ¡ª how small and unimportant she really was. You wanted to make her feel the way she made you feel.¡± Verum swallowed and looked down at his toes, his head hanging in shame. ¡°Do you even understand what you¡¯ve done, Verum?¡± He looked up and then looked away. ¡°Ustrina was our only lead. We never figured out how the poison made it into Flore¡¯s room or who put it there. We don¡¯t know who else is out there still, who Ustrina was connected to, how large her network is, if she was being backed by someone¡­. We don¡¯t know how big this conspiracy is! We don¡¯t know if it was just her trying to hurt you, or if she was a pawn and someone else was using her to take over the Lion Tribe. Verum we don¡¯t know! We¡¯ve got nothing! Without Ustrina, we have nothing. Primordials, Verum! Do you understand that?!¡± She paused for a reply, but Verum was back to hanging his head. ¡°Verum, I can¡¯t protect you or Flore or Optatio from a threat I don¡¯t understand! I can¡¯t protect the Lion Tribe from whatever is lurking undetected in the shadows! I can¡¯t protect you.¡± Callida huffed in bitter frustration and then slumped against the wall by the door, sinking to the floor and tilting her head back against the cool stone. She¡¯d run out of angry steam, and, suddenly, she was utterly exhausted. Her eyes closed. Her breath leveled and deepened. She was feeling dizzy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Callida.¡± She lifted her head to find Verum studying her with regret and deep concern written on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he repeated. ¡°Yeah¡­. Me too.¡± ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°Honestly?¡± She sighed. ¡°I have no idea.¡± *** Seated around the hearth in Callida¡¯s home office, Squad 14 was miserably quiet, and Callida just felt drained. ¡°I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is, we are back at square one, and I¡­. No¡­. Thank you for everything ¡ª your time, your talents ¡ª I owe you. But you have your own lives to return to, and some of you have families now. I¡¯m calling it. It¡¯s time to pack up and go home.¡± Next to her on the couch, Erkunden nudged her shoulder. ¡°You alright, Beta?¡± ¡°Just tired.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to keep trying?¡± ¡°Stag, your sweet wife is probably wondering if you¡¯re dead,¡± Callida snorted with a pale attempt at humor. ¡°Remind me her name?¡± ¡°Delila,¡± Stag said, smiling. ¡°I want to meet her someday. I want to meet Treu and Ruhe too, Parrot. And Professor, good luck with your girlfriend¡¯s maid,¡± she teased, and everyone chuckled. ¡°I guess, Shield, let me know when you find your sweetheart. We¡¯re all terrible pen pals, you know that? Oh, I have something to give you before you go.¡± She stood up laboriously and went to her desk, grunting as she pulled a small but very heavy chest out from underneath it to set in the middle of the group. ¡°This is from the Lion King as a token of his appreciation for your help.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t complete the mission, Beta,¡± Ablenkung protested. ¡°You gave eight months of your lives to this mission, and you helped uncover at least a part of the conspiracy against the royal family. You¡¯ve earned it,¡± Callida assured him. She produced a small key and opened the strongbox to reveal its contents: gold coins with a handful of other precious treasures mixed in. ¡°Are those all Tankam?!¡± Buhne asked, reaching out to grab and play with one of the gold coins. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ so much money,¡± Erkunden mused. ¡°Split four ways, it¡¯s not unduly excessive,¡± Callida laughed. ¡°I ran the math. It¡¯s about four Tankam per week per person plus the odd bonus treasures thrown in.¡± ¡°Four Tankam per week?!¡± Buhne balked. ¡°That¡¯s still so much money, and we were all working actual palace jobs at the same time. Talk about a side hustle!¡± ¡°And these jewels are worth a small fortune by themselves,¡± Spahen added. ¡°Beta, this is too much.¡± ¡°The Lion King disagrees, and he¡¯s the one paying you, so his is the opinion that matters. Don¡¯t spend it all in one place,¡± Callida teased and locked up the chest before passing Spahen the key. I trust that you¡¯ll be able to figure out how to divide your spoils equitably.¡± Spahen nodded and stowed the key in a secure pocket. ¡°And now there¡¯s little left to do but say goodbye. I¡¯m going to miss you guys.¡± ¡°Whoa, slow down, Beta,¡± Parrot scolded. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce us to your husband?¡± ¡°Oh! Do you want to meet him?¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± he snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll go get him!¡± Callida left, returning just a minute later with a slightly confused Rogue in tow. ¡°Guys, I¡¯d like you to meet Qiangde Yudha, my husband. Rogue, this is my old Bear Tribe squad.¡± The group of bears stood up in greeting and extended their hands for him to shake as they each gave him their names. ¡°So, you¡¯re the guy Beta married?¡± Ablenkung made a paltry bid for conversation. ¡°I am,¡± Rogue said with a frown. ¡°Why do you call her ¡®Beta¡¯?¡± ¡°Just a nickname,¡± Buhne shrugged with a casualness that made Callida smirk. ¡°I¡¯m assuming there¡¯s a story behind it.¡± ¡°We all have nicknames for each other. That¡¯s the nature of being in a small squad: you become more like family,¡± Spahen offered a more eloquent but still misleading answer. ¡°Which means Beta¡¯s kind of like our little sister,¡± Erkunden added, and Ablenkung snorted. ¡°Yeah, a little sister we all crushed on at one point or another.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that!¡± Callida squawked. ¡°Well¡­ OK, that''s not entirely true. I knew that you were all girl-starved when I met you.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Buhne laughed. ¡°Bern wasn¡¯t the only one to flirt with the idea of asking you out. He was just the only one with enough guts to actually do it, and, to be fair, while the rest of us only ever crushed on you, Bern had real feelings and serious intentions.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Callida said softly. ¡°The night he died, he talked about wanting to move to the Lion Tribe to¡­.¡± She trailed off. The atmosphere of the room had become rather grim for the mention of their lost comrade. ¡°And now three of us are married!¡± Buhne broke the tension. ¡°Rogue, you must be a high caliber person for Beta to marry you. She has uncompromising standards. I wish we had more time to get to know you properly.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll keep him,¡± Callida said cheerfully before Rogue could respond, taking advantage of his flusteredness to wrap her arms around his waist, peck his cheek, and smile up at him. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, Beta,¡± Spahen declared after a moment. ¡°We need to be heading out.¡± Callida nodded sadly and released Rogue to distribute hugs to her departing team. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll miss you too. Take care of yourself,¡± Buhne said on behalf of the group. ¡°You too.¡± 27 - Not Ready ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡± Rogue walked into the bedroom to find Callida curled up in the fetal position on the bed, and it wasn¡¯t even dinnertime ¡ª suspicious at best. This was the woman with seemingly boundless energy who almost never got sick and fought battles despite debilitating injuries, getting poisoned, or being barely alive. ¡°Callida? M¡¯lady? Are you alright?¡± he tried again without an immediate response. ¡°Oh¡­. Rogue, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t realize,¡± she muttered and sat up. ¡°How long have you been standing there?¡± Callida asked, and Rogue noted the tones of exhaustion in her voice. ¡°Not long¡­. I thought you were getting better. Is your stomach hurting again? Are you getting sick? You¡¯re not acting like yourself.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she sighed, leaning forward to rest her forehead in her hands and rub her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like myself.¡± Concerned, Rogue sat down next to her and put a hand to her forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever,¡± he frowned. ¡°That¡¯s good, at least,¡± she sighed and slouched back onto her pillow. ¡°How¡¯s your stomach? Any pain?¡± ¡°No. No pain.¡± ¡°Are you just tired?¡± he prompted gently. ¡°Are you not sleeping well?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± she winced. ¡°It started a couple weeks ago with weird dreams that I can never remember but wake me up, and then I started getting headaches, which, if I¡¯m not sleeping well, that makes sense. But now I¡¯m nauseous too, ¡®have been for the last week. Maybe the result of the headaches? Or maybe these are remnant symptoms from the poison? But it¡¯s getting worse, not better. The dreams, the headaches, the nausea¡­. I¡¯ve been pushing through it, but I threw up today. Primordials! I felt so bad. Coquus made me a special lunch in the mess hall, some sort of soup that¡¯s supposed to be gentle on the stomach, but I took one whiff and that was it.¡± Rogue sat in silent thought for what was apparently too long for Callida¡¯s patience. ¡°Well, say something!¡± ¡°Sorry. I was thinking.¡± ¡°What about?¡± ¡°Your symptoms. You were feeling better from the poison, right? You¡¯re eating full meals without any pain, your energy came back, you¡¯re fully recovered as far as you can tell¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Yes to all of the above!¡± He hummed in thought and ran the list of her symptoms: tired, weird dreams, headaches, nausea. Oh. ¡°Callida, have you been feeling weirdly emotional?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?!¡± she snapped and teared up all at once. That would be a ¡®yes¡¯. He had to fight himself to not laugh as mirth merged with a fluttery feeling in his gut. ¡°M¡¯lady, I think you might be pregnant.¡± ¡°Pregnant?!¡± she jumped off the bed to back away from him, and Rogue waited patiently for her to grapple with her reaction. ¡°No! We were going to wait! We were being careful! I can¡¯t be pregnant! I¡¯m the freaking Lion General! I have way too much to do still, and I can¡¯t¨C¡± He couldn¡¯t help himself and started to laugh. ¡°Rogue! This isn¡¯t funny!¡± ¡°Be that as it may, you have all the classic symptoms. You¨C¡± ¡°This is all your fault!¡± she accused angrily. He smirked. ¡°Well, I sure hope so!¡± ¡°You¨C!¡± Rogue watched as the anger gave way to reluctant humor, and Callida sank to the floor where she laughed and cried simultaneously. Rogue joined her on the floor, his hand finding her lower abdomen where the telltale energy of new life confirmed his suspicions. That¡¯s when reality set in. She¡¯s pregnant. Primordials, she¡¯s going to be an incredible mother! ¡®Good thing too, ¡®cause I know next to nothing about being a father. Wordlessly, Rogue shifted to pull his (definitely weirdly emotional) wife closer while she regained control over herself. ¡°Well?¡± Callida lifted her head to meet his eyes, her own splotchy. ¡°Well what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m assuming you just confirmed it.¡± He smiled and wordlessly hugged her tight, bringing her forehead close enough to kiss. ¡°A baby, Rogue? Really? What are we supposed to do with a baby? Are we even ready for this?¡± ¡°At this point, there¡¯s no going back. Whether or not we¡¯re ready doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± She started crying again, burying her face in the crook of his neck, and Rogue mindlessly stroked his fingers through her hair and breathed in her scent. Her hair was so incredibly beautiful and long, down to her waist. I hope our baby gets her hair. Our baby. ¡°Callida, do you know that I love you?¡± She quieted her sniffles to listen to him talk. ¡°We¡¯re in this together.¡± Gently, because she was already in enough distress, Rogue lifted her chin and kissed his incredible, newly expecting wife. ¡°I love you too,¡± she said through a resolved, shuddery breath. ¡°I love you even though you did do this to me.¡± He laughed. ¡°Primordials, Callida, I wish I could say I was sorry, but I¡¯m too excited for that to be honest. That said, I am sorry this happened before you felt ready for it.¡± She pulled away, and Rogue snorted at her puckering bottom lip protruding in a pout. ¡°I wish I could be excited.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Give it some time, M¡¯lady.¡± *** ¡°Have you seen Callida, erm, the general?¡± Rogue sleepily asked one of the estate maids. They¡¯d gone to bed early because Callida had been tired after her cry over the pregnancy, so he was up earlier than normal. She usually left for work before he woke up in the mornings, but it wasn¡¯t even dawn yet. ¡°Oh, the Lion General left for work about an hour ago, just after first light,¡± she said with a small curtsy. ¡°Already?¡± ¡°She always leaves early¡­ for work, that is. If you¡¯re looking for her, she said something about training with her commanding officers before her council meetings.¡± Rogue felt his gut clench. It was still a little vague to him what Callida did all day as the Lion General, but training?! Oh, Primordials! Callida training? With swords?! WHILE PREGNANT?! She could get hurt! The baby could get hurt! Rogue left a very confused maid to wonder why he was in such a hurry. But he was in such a hurry. Literally overnight, a switch had flipped in his brain. He¡¯d had to really work hard to not smother Callida with his concerns for her safety, but hell would freeze over before he¡¯d let her put their child in similar danger. When he¡¯d started to feel angry, he had no idea, but by the time he found Callida in the training arena, definitely training with swords (blunted, but that was immaterial), Rogue was ready to spit fire. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Distracted by his sudden arrival, Callida looked away from her sparring match with Commander Arum and took a solid punch to the shoulder that knocked her backwards and off-balance. Rogue saw red. ¡°Hold, Arum,¡± Callida grinned. ¡°Nice punch, by the way.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Arum chirped happily. ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing with¨C¡± ¡°Callida!!¡± Rogue interrupted by aggressively yanking his wife away. Her happy, affectionate smile to be seeing him so unexpectedly fell hard. ¡°Rogue?¡± ¡°What do you think you are doing?!¡± he repeated. ¡°My job? It¡¯s Thursday. I always train my commanders on¨C¡± ¡°You CAN¡¯T. DO THAT. ANYMORE! Not in your condition! You just got punched!¡± Rogue could see that she was rattled and trying not to cry as he very publicly scolded her in front of all of her men, but he couldn¡¯t swallow his building temper. ¡°What makes you think that any of this is ok?!¡± ¡°Rogue, please,¡± she whispered and took his arm in an effort to sooth him while she blinked back tears. ¡°Please, not here. We can talk about this later.¡± ¡°LATER?! It could be too late by then!¡± ¡°Rogue, please!¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s one thing to jeopardize your own health with these insane risks¨C¡± ¡°Rogue¨C¡± ¡°¨Cbut it¡¯s not just about you anymore!¡± ¡°Rogue!¡± she warned. He grabbed her shoulders to square up against her. ¡°Primordials, Callida! You¡¯re pregnant!¡± All around them, soldiers gasped, no longer able to pretend like they weren¡¯t listening to this spat. Callida hung her head in embarrassment as the tears broke free, eventually knocking Rogue¡¯s hands off her shoulders so she could push past him. ¡°Callida!¡± ¡°Go home, Rogue,¡± she said, barely audibly with her back to him. ¡°Callida!¡± He snatched at her arm and almost immediately found himself looking up at her from the hard ground. ¡°I said ¡®go home¡¯. We can talk about this later,¡± she snarled lowly. ¡°You can¡¯t do this,¡± he growled back, rising to his feet. ¡°I have a job to do here.¡± She turned on him, and Rogue took an unconscious step back as his tearful wife seemed like she was ready to throw a punch of her own. ¡°Go home and cool off.¡± ¡°You are putting the baby¡¯s life at risk!¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing my job; my mother did hers while she was pregnant with me.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s somehow an excuse?! Prioritizing your job over the life of your child is¡­ is irresponsible! And selfish! And terrible parenting! If this is how you¡¯re going to be before the baby is even born¨C!¡± He knew he¡¯d gone too far even as he said it. ¡°You think I¡¯m going to be a terrible mother,¡± she stated numbly, terrifyingly quiet, her tears drying and her face hardening. ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Callida¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°Well you should have thought about that before you KNOCKED ME UP! Get out of here, Rogue! Now! Go! Before I do something I¡¯ll regret!¡± ¡°Callida¨C¡± ¡°GO!!¡± She turned away from him and drew her sword, every muscle in her body rigid and on high alert. ¡°AGAIN!¡± she shouted to her men who nervously obeyed. ¡°G-General, are you sure¨C¡± ¡°I said, ¡®again¡¯,¡± she spat at Arum who shrank back looking helplessly between Callida and her husband, eventually drawing his sword to obey orders and return to his sparring match with her. Rogue forced himself to leave as the clashing of steel resumed. His fury had been supplanted by guilt, fear, and something approximating grief. Callida had never truly lost her temper with him before. She¡¯d gotten upset once or twice, sure, but¡­. Oh, crap. He¡¯d gone too far. Publicly. In front of her men. Men who looked up to her and practically worshiped the ground she walked on. He¡¯d accused his wife of being a terrible mother, which he didn¡¯t really mean ¡ª didn¡¯t mean at all, actually. He¡¯d humiliated her, degraded her, and spilled a sensitive secret she likely wasn¡¯t ready to share. And now he felt nothing but regret. Except, there was also fear, and not the fear of the baby being hurt in some way, though that was also present. This fear was building a precarious shrine to his doubts and insecurities. She doesn¡¯t need me. And when it came right down to it, she really didn¡¯t. Callida was the single most capable, most driven, most independent woman he¡¯d ever met. He was fiercely attracted to her because of it, and now he¡¯d thrown those same qualities in her face as though they were bad things ¡ª as though they made her less ¡ª less worthy, less loving, and less deserving of being loved¡­. And somehow less of a mother, something that she was already feeling woefully unprepared to be. Primordials, I screwed up. He wanted to turn around, find his wife, and hold her, take everything back, assure her in no uncertain terms that she was the most wonderful person in the world and the one he would forever love the most. But that look on her face. If he tried to approach her now, she¡¯d probably rip his head off. Better to let her cool down a little first. 28 - Smothered She still wasn¡¯t home. It was well after dark. Dinner was room temperature. Rogue was wearing a hole in the floor. She never stayed out this late. Ever. Even on her longest days, she always made it back in time for dinner, even if she had to leave again afterwards. Rogue¡¯s guilt and gnawing insecurities were eating him alive. What if she never came home? What if she really was angry enough to do something rash? What if she realized that she didn¡¯t need him? What if she decided that she didn¡¯t want him? He couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He couldn¡¯t just stand there waiting for someone that might never show up. Rogue left the estate, seeking out her usual haunts: the Lion General¡¯s office, the training arena, the training fields. Nothing. The palace? He cringed. His relationship with the Lion King was uncomfortable and awkward. Callida wouldn¡¯t go to the king, would she? It was a thought that left him feeling panicked. Not only did Callida not need him, but she had so, so many options. Attractive options. Like the king. Not that she would actually do something like that, because Callida wasn¡¯t that sort of person¡­ but then, this was new territory. She was a woman scorned, pregnant with a child she wasn¡¯t ready for, and openly shamed and humiliated by the one person who was supposed to love and support her no matter what. ¡°Halt!¡± Rogue snapped out of his thoughts as a pair of palace guards barred his entry. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Uh, Rogue, uh, sorry. Qiangde Yudha.¡± ¡°Yudha? As in General Yudha?¡± It still felt strange using his real name (he¡¯d spent his youth and adult life before getting married doing everything he could to forget his real name) but it felt even more strange being recognized by it because his wife now bore that name rather than because it was his to begin with. ¡°The general is my wife.¡± ¡°What is your business at the palace?¡± ¡°Um, I¡¯m actually looking for my wife ¡ª for the general. You haven¡¯t seen her, have you?¡± The guards glanced at each other and shrugged. ¡°We just started our duty shifts. She might be in a meeting with the king though.¡± He was permitted entrance, only to have a nearly identical conversation with the guards posted outside the throne room before gaining an audience with the Lion King. ¡°Qiangde,¡± the king welcomed him warmly. He was obviously done with any formal meetings for the day, but he was likely hosting an unofficial one, not with Callida though. ¡°This is¡­ unexpected. What can I do for you?¡± Rogue found himself in a conflicted position. It was embarrassing having to ask another man about the location and welfare of his own wife, but here he was. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Callida.¡± The surprise on the king¡¯s face was genuine as was the concern, something that created a twisting sensation in Rogue¡¯s chest. ¡°Is she alright?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to believe that she¡¯s not. I just can¡¯t seem to find her,¡± Rogue replied tersely. ¡°I was wondering if you had seen her.¡± The king spent a considerable moment studying Rogue, trying to decipher an underlying meaning. Rogue was about ready to cut his losses when he finally replied. ¡°Come with me. Gentlemen,¡± His Majesty addressed the rest of the room, ¡°excuse me, please.¡± Rogue followed His Majesty back into the hallway and to the left, entering a small meeting room where the king excused his body guard with a short, ¡°please wait outside, Pius.¡± And then the two men were alone. ¡°So, Qiangde, Callida disappeared on you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± Rogue grumbled and turned to leave. ¡°It would help¡­¡± Rogue turned back around reluctantly. ¡°It would help to understand why she disappeared.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Rogue glared at him, and the king smiled crookedly back. ¡°Different moods, different places,¡± he stated with maddening simplicity. ¡°Callida is a creature of habit. She¡¯ll pick a place that matches her current mood. So¡­?¡± Rogue swallowed his pride, reminding himself that Callida was more important than this humiliation. ¡°She¡¯s angry.¡± ¡°Angry? Did the two of you have a fight?¡± He laughed knowingly, and Rogue resisted the urge to storm out. ¡°So just how badly did you screw up?¡± ¡°Do you know where she would go?¡± he demanded. ¡°Maybe.¡± His Majesty sobered, but his eyes had narrowed, and Rogue felt subtly threatened. ¡°If she¡¯s just blowing off steam, I¡¯d check the gardens. If she¡¯s hurting¡­ she¡¯ll be in Avena¡¯s old room. Or she might not be at the palace at all,¡± Verum explained. ¡°If she¡¯s grieving, you might find her at her father¡¯s grave. Then again, she might be trying to drown her feelings under a sea of paperwork somewhere on the base. She has access to the list of all the unoccupied bunkers and military family housing, and she knows where all the private, restricted access points on the base are. She might be hiding out in one of them. If she is, you won¡¯t find her until she wants to be found.¡± On the one hand, the king was providing very helpful information. On the other hand, Rogue hated him for his ability to do so. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Qiangde, from experience¡­. Well, never mind. You¡¯ll figure it out,¡± the king said with a grin and walked out. Good thing too. Focus, Rogue chided himself. Angry, gardens. Hurting, Avena¡¯s room. Grieving, father¡¯s grave. Hiding and drowning feelings, doesn¡¯t want to be found. He replayed the horrible things he¡¯d said that morning for the millionth time. It really didn¡¯t narrow things down. But then, Callida was tired and felt ill with all of her pregnancy symptoms. Avena¡¯s room would have a bed, right? That seemed as likely of a place as any. And now he just needed to find the room in question. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Help came in the form of an older maid, someone who¡¯d been around long enough to know what ¡®Avena¡¯s room¡¯ even meant, and then he was standing outside of a beautifully carved, floral door, nervously formulating an apology in his head and suddenly not sure if he really wanted to find Callida. But he¡¯d come this far. Turning the knob, the heavy door swung open on silent hinges. ¡°Callida? Are you in here?¡± The room was quiet and dark except for a single candle flickering on a table in one corner. It was enough to warrant further investigation. Cautiously, Rogue entered the room, helping the door shut quietly behind him. A cursory search revealed nothing. No one on the bed. No one in the bedroom. But then, there was a washroom adjacent¡­ nothing. He was about to give up when he noticed another door cracked open, leading to a large wardrobe closet. Someone was sniffing softly from within. ¡°Callida?¡± ¡°Please leave me alone, Rogue. You are literally the last person in Ulakam that I want to see right now.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it,¡± Rogue vomited his unbidden explanation. ¡°Callida, I didn¡¯t mean any of it. I swear. I just¡­ I just got angry, and it just¡­ came out!¡± ¡°And so you said the most hurtful things you could think of? How is that better than not meaning it, Rogue?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please, Callida. Please? I¡¯m so sorry. I regretted it as soon as I said it, and I¡¯ve been¡­ please?¡± Somehow, Rogue was now kneeling in front of where she was sitting slouched against racks of luxurious gowns that provided an unconventional pillow to support her back and head. A small window near the ceiling provided just enough light to make out her face and the tears reflecting the moon beams where they¡¯d streaked down her cheeks. Rogue felt like he might break seeing her cry like this. ¡°Primordials, Callida. If I could take it back¡­. I love you. And I already love that baby so much. I just needed to protect it, and it went to my head, and I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly. Callida, please, I can¡¯t stand myself knowing that I hurt you.¡± ¡°Do you really mean that?¡± ¡°I really do.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m just supposed to forgive you now? Tell you that it¡¯s all ok? That you undermining me in front of my men is no big deal? That shouting for everyone within earshot who cares to hear that I¡¯m not only pregnant but also a selfish, irresponsible parent is all just water under the bridge? Is that what you want to hear?¡± Rogue swallowed as he choked up. ¡°What I said was unforgivable.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better believe it! Do you have any idea how easy it is to break someone¡¯s reputation here in the Lion Tribe? Do you have any idea how hard I had to work just to be taken seriously as a woman in the military here? I have to work with these men! They¡¯re my friends and comrades. Never mind how horrible the things you said were. You really think that I don¡¯t care about our baby? Just because I didn¡¯t want to get pregnant in the first place, now any time I simply do my job, I¡¯m a terrible mother? You said it, Rogue. Even if you didn¡¯t think it through, you still said it, so on some level I have to believe you meant it.¡± ¡°I swear, Callida! I didn¡¯t mean it. I think you¡¯re going to make an incredible mother, and I didn¡¯t mean¨C How can I¨C What can I do?¡± he begged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please, I¡¯ll do whatever you¨C¡± She hushed him. ¡°Rogue, I have to be able to do my job.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Do you? Look, I understand that I need to be careful to protect this pregnancy, but I still have to be the Lion General. And I don¡¯t need you shaming me for that.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not unreasonable though. Maybe I should consult my doctor about what sorts of activities are safe during pregnancy?¡± Her tone was almost a tease, enough so that Rogue had to think extra hard about what she was saying¡­ and what she wasn¡¯t saying. ¡°Do you know anyone who could answer my questions about that?¡± He frowned. ¡°What are your intentions for this conversation, M¡¯lady? If we talk about what activities are and aren¡¯t safe during pregnancy, would that change anything?¡± ¡°Maybe. Would it help you to know that I was being careful?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he said with a small, hopeful grin. ¡°Then tell me, what do I need to know?¡± ¡°Anything that can cause abdominal trauma is dangerous, especially as your belly grows,¡± he stated the obvious. ¡°So things like sparring or falling.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°What about form work without a sparring partner?¡± she asked. ¡°That should be fine.¡± ¡°What about running?¡± ¡°That will be fine until it becomes too uncomfortable ¡ª probably about half way through the pregnancy. You¡¯ll just need to listen to your body closely.¡± ¡°Martial arts?¡± Her eyebrow quirked at him in an undefined mix of curiosity and humor. ¡°Use extreme caution, and don¡¯t spar.¡± ¡°So just no physical contact?¡± she clarified. ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡± Her eyes narrowed slyly. ¡°Then what about wrestling you?¡± Rogue coughed a little, taken by surprise. ¡°Um¡­ that¡¯s still ok.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s not ok to wrestle someone to the ground for training, but it is ok to wrestle you on the bed for¡­ other things?¡± she challenged slyly. ¡°Well, I mean, not¡­ no,¡± he floundered. ¡°We should be careful, and how is that even comparable?! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m body-slamming you onto the pillows or choking you out or throwing punches at you. It¡¯s not¡­!¡± She was smirking at him ¡ª definitely teasing now. ¡°So most activities are ok as long as I¡¯m smart about it, listen to my body, and protect my belly as it grows?¡± ¡°Yeah. I guess? Something like that.¡± ¡°Do you trust me to do those things?¡± ¡°I¡­ yes. I do.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Callida leaned in to kiss him. ¡°So is that ok?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He rolled his eyes but smiled just the same. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be mad at me right now?¡± ¡°You apologized.¡± She shrugged. ¡°So what if I did this?¡± Her arms immediately yanked him off-balance in a takedown that pinned his back to the floor. Before he could do more than grunt from the impact, Callida was straddling his waist and bending low to kiss him again ¡°Is this ok?¡± she whispered a moment later. ¡°I-it should be.¡± She smirked. ¡°Oh, good. For a moment there I thought you were suggesting I not have any physical contact with anyone during this pregnancy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¨C!¡± She squelched his indignant protest with a smothering kiss, and Rogue relaxed as he realized the uncomplicated forgiveness she was offering him. ¡°It would really be a shame if I had to stop doing that,¡± she said with a smirk. ¡°Mhm,¡± he agreed, allowing her to smother him to her heart¡¯s content. 29 - Anthology of Moments ¡°You don¡¯t think we¡¯re over-stepping here, do you?¡± Commander Vir fussed. ¡°General Yudha asked us to keep the news of her pregnancy quiet, and, reading between the lines, I think she¡¯d prefer we didn¡¯t know at all yet.¡± Commander Rapax sighed and shook his head. ¡°We aren¡¯t going against orders to talk to her husband about it. This is his news too, and I think he¡¯d appreciate the limited peace of mind we can give him. The fact is, if I had a hard-ass wife who insisted on sword training during her pregnancy, I¡¯d be freaking pissed too.¡± ¡°Vir, you haven¡¯t gotten to know Rogue the way we have,¡± Commander Moro added. ¡°He¡¯s a chill guy, competent doctor, natural leader too under the right circumstances, and he¡¯s a pretty private person. For him to get so worked up last week was kind of a big deal.¡± The group fell quiet after that, and Rapax went back to studying the bookcases built into the front parlor of the Lion General¡¯s estate. Apart from the section of old tomes that Commander Arum was perusing, the rest of the bookshelves were cluttered with antiquated relics, trophies, and treasures of previous Lion Generals. It felt like a museum more than a parlor, and the austere drapes blocking out much of the natural light of the windows married with the dark paint palette and stuffy furniture to add to that feeling. Rapax was poking at a peculiar retracting dagger when the parlor doors opened again. ¡°Hey, guys!¡± Rogue said cheerfully. ¡°What brings you here? Have a seat.¡± Rapax joined his comrades in finding seats on cushioned couches, each adjusting their sword belts to keep their weapons from poking each other, and Rogue joined them. ¡°Are you just here for a visit, or¡­? Actually, I don¡¯t know that I know you,¡± Rogue said with a frown, indicating Commander Vir who introduced himself briefly. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re Callida¡¯s father! Erm¡­ little Callida¡¯s father. You have two daughters, right? Callida and¡­?¡± ¡°Valeni, Val. Yeah. She¡¯ll be two this June,¡± Vir said, nodding awkwardly. ¡°So, Rogue,¡± Rapax spared the group from groping for more small talk, ¡°we¡¯re actually here to let you know that we are aware of your concerns about your wife¡¯s pregnancy, and we have collectively agreed to help protect the general from being an idiot.¡± Rogue blinked in the face of Rapax¡¯s bluntness. ¡°What does that mean, exactly?¡± ¡°We intend to do what we can to prevent her from entering hazardous situations like sparring or taking potentially dangerous assignments. We also intend for at least one of us to observe her training every day to make sure she doesn¡¯t overdo things,¡± Rapax explained. ¡°We¡¯re going to do what we can without looking like we are trying to protect her,¡± Moro added. ¡°We know she doesn¡¯t respond well to people interfering with her life choices,¡± Arum contributed with a laugh, ¡°but we wanted to let you know that we¡¯re watching out for her, and we¡¯ve gotten all the commanding officers who know about her condition in on it.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t know it, and we¡¯ll all staunchly deny it if she asks, but we¡¯re watching out for her,¡± Rapax concluded. ¡°Hopefully knowing that will help you worry less.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Rogue stammered. ¡°Then don¡¯t say anything,¡± Rapax said, rising to his feet, the rest of his comrades following his example. ¡°Congratulations, by the way,¡± he added on his way out the door. *** For the first time ever, Callida requested a chair to sit in during the morning council meeting. Of course that wasn¡¯t a problem, but it set off alarm bells in Verum¡¯s brain. Was she sick? Or injured? Just tired? Or¡­? He wasn¡¯t really sure what other options there were, but none of them seemed very good. Verum found himself scrutinizing her every move throughout the meeting, looking for a tell. Her mobility seemed fine. She was perfectly attentive, and her mind seemed as sharp as ever. When called upon to deliver her brief ¡°state of the military report¡± at the end of the meeting, she rose easily from her seat and moved about just fine, speaking clearly and confidently as always. And then it hit him all at once when she turned around to retake her seat. Her new uniform hid it well, very well, in fact. Cleverly cut to give the illusion of a fitted waist, Callida¡¯s lean, slender form was much rounder than normal, especially at the front. He had a guess. As Verum dismissed the council, he beckoned to Callida. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± She quirked a brow when the council had dissipated enough to carry a relatively private conversation. Verum stood up smirking to approach her. ¡°General, it¡¯s been quite a while since we¡¯ve caught up. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine?¡± She shrugged. ¡°How are you? How¡¯s Flore and Optatio?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all well. How¡¯s Rogue?¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing well? Verum, what¡¯s this really about?¡± Her brows were pinched with suspicion and maybe a little concern, and Verum decided to be direct. ¡°How long were you planning on trying to hide that?¡± he asked, nodding at her belly. She sighed, long and drawn out with a slight growl of frustration added at the end. She looked up, biting her bottom lip ¡ª an indication of stress or annoyance or¡­. Hm. That wasn¡¯t the response I was expecting. ¡°Callida? Is everything ok?¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I guess I was waiting to get called out on it before I told people.¡± ¡°Before you told people what?¡± he prompted. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m pregnant.¡± She was back to gnawing on her lip. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m¡­. I haven¡¯t told anyone else yet, though, my commanding officers know because¡­ because reasons.¡± ¡°Well, congratulations,¡± Verum offered. Why did it feel like he was treading thin ice with such a comment? ¡°Um, when are you due?¡± ¡°Mid-December.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± he ran the math, ¡°five months?¡± ¡°Something like that, yeah.¡± ¡°You¡¯re almost halfway!¡± ¡°I know. I finally started showing earlier this week. Rogue called it ¡®popping¡¯? Um¡­ my belly finally popped? Something like that.¡± ¡°Yeah. I noticed,¡± Verum said, culling an urge to laugh. ¡°And how has the pregnancy been so far?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t love it, but it¡¯s fine.¡± Reading the signals, it seemed clear that Callida wasn¡¯t enjoying this conversation, so Verum made the decision to end it. ¡°Well, congratulations again. Um, let me know if you¡­ need anything, any special accommodations or some time off or anything.¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± She bowed out and exited the room, leaving Verum to wonder at her lackluster response to the conversation. Maybe she was just tired? But her response was so different from the first few times Flore had gotten pregnant. Flore was a radiantly glowing pregnant woman who was excited and happy about her pregnancies. Callida¡­ Callida was not. Obviously. Verum hummed to himself. Callida pregnant. Practically speaking, she¡¯d probably need some time off after the baby was born to recover; that was something they could try to anticipate. It would be interesting seeing how motherhood affected her life and work as the Lion General. Verum returned to his throne and collected a small stack of documents on his way out the door to lunch. Callida¡¯s pregnant, he chuckled to himself quietly, internalizing that fact. That¡¯s going to be interesting. *** Callida was curled up on the couch across from him, her knees tucked as high as her growing belly would allow, and as uncomfortable as she looked, something about the image made Rogue unbelievably happy. He could sit there all day just watching her sleep, but Callida would kill him if he didn¡¯t wake her now that her lunch break was over. He got up and walked the width of the parlor to take a knee next to the couch. ¡°M¡¯lady, it¡¯s time to get up.¡± Her eyes fluttered open so readily, Rogue wasn¡¯t certain she¡¯d actually been sleeping, but, then again, Callida was a notoriously light sleeper barring exceptional circumstances. ¡°How long was I out?¡± she mumbled while stretching her legs, and Rogue took advantage of her new position to set an affectionate hand against her belly. ¡°About an hour, as you instructed.¡± ¡°It feels like I barely blinked.¡± He smiled and then registered movement beneath his palm, immediately becoming excited. ¡°Primordials, did you feel that?!¡± She smiled and rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course I felt that. How could I not?¡± Her hand dropped to guide his to the epicenter of the baby¡¯s activity, and Rogue gently prodded to provoke a reaction. He chuckled when the baby fluttered against his hand and set his other hand on the other side of his wife¡¯s tummy to more fully feel the baby move. ¡°You know, Callida, you¡¯re measuring big for how far along you supposedly are.¡± ¡°Are you calling me fat?¡± she teased. ¡°I¡¯m maybe calling the baby fat, but it¡¯s more likely that you¡¯re a little further along than we thought,¡± he said with a frown, his hands now registering something to give him pause. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­.¡± He trailed off, now concentrating on what he was feeling. The baby¡¯s spiritual energy was strange¡­ spread out. Both hands were picking up an equal amount of energy, but he could only feel the baby kicking against his right hand. And then something beneath his left hand squirmed. ¡°Primordials¡­.¡± ¡°What? What is it?¡± Callida pestered impatiently. ¡°Hold on¡­.¡± His hands tested both points of contact one more time; he got a reaction in both places ¡ª two separate reactions, two separate energies. ¡°Callida¡­.¡± ¡°What?! You¡¯re making me nervous, Rogue!¡± ¡°There¡¯s two of them.¡± ¡°Two of what?¡± ¡°Babies. Two babies. You¡¯re carrying twins!¡± While his wife sat up scowling, Rogue started laughing joyfully. ¡°Rogue, stop it. What do you¨C? Twins?! Are you serious?! It¡¯s not funny!¡± But Rogue couldn¡¯t stop laughing; he was fit to burst with happiness. So he kissed her, easily ignoring her offended protests until she grudgingly kissed him back. ¡°Rogue, I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°This is what scares you?¡± He forced back continued laughter, sobering more readily when her face dropped, her teeth gnawing on her lower lip. ¡°M¡¯lady, why are you scared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ready for this,¡± she admitted quietly, and her chin tucked further. ¡°Hey. We¡¯re in this together, alright? And what¡¯s a baby or two compared to¡­ fighting battles or being poisoned or¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing. Out there, I know what I¡¯m doing, and I know I¡¯m good at it, and¡­ and the only life I have to worry about is mine if I fail.¡± ¡°Then how is this so different from being a bodyguard?¡± ¡°Keeping someone alive is the bare minimum of being a parent. These babies are going to depend on us for more than just safety from being murdered.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Rogue nodded. ¡°But it¡¯s not like we have to have everything perfectly figured out all at once. I guess, we just start by loving them and being the best we know how to be, and then we take things one day at a time. Does that seem reasonable?¡± He watched her blink back tears and put on her brave face, smiling despite an obvious urge to cry. ¡°How¡¯d you get so wise?¡± He smirked ¡ª the answer seemed too obvious ¡ª and carefully met her eyes. ¡°By watching you.¡± She burst into tears all at once, and Rogue chuckled gently as he pulled her into a hug. ¡°You are going to be the most incredible mother, Callida. You never do anything half-way, and you always give your best self. And I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± 30 - Just Another Meeting No one was wandering the base casually today. It was nippy as mid-November threatened the first snow of the season. The breeze was made especially bitter for the gray skies depriving the ground of the sun¡¯s heat, and the world felt heavy and sleepy as both wind and cloud bore down upon them. Commander Rapax regretted not wearing a cloak over his uniform as he, Baca, and Arum were among the few braving the chill that afternoon. The commanders walked with purpose to the Lion General¡¯s office. Knock, knock! ¡°Come in,¡± the general ordered, and Rapax wasted little time turning the knob to usher the group inside, quickly shutting the door to leave the cold behind them. ¡°Have a seat, gentlemen,¡± she said, indicating the chairs in front of her desk. ¡°Forgive me for not getting up to greet you properly.¡± ¡°¡®Nothing to forgive,¡± Rapax returned with a crooked smile. ¡°How are you feeling, General?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± From behind her desk, the general didn¡¯t look pregnant ¡ª her burdened waistline hid behind the heavy wood, but Rapax had seen her walking to her office earlier that morning. Then, her belly had seemed as big as the rest of her, and he knew she was horribly uncomfortable if her once spry gait, now more of a waddle, was any indication. As it was, she was shifting uncomfortably in her seat, her face pinching without any relief to find. ¡°Let¡¯s get to it, gentlemen. What¡¯s your report?¡± Commander Arum kicked things off. ¡°Everything is normal with palace security, General.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve¡­¡± she winced and shifted again, ¡°... talked to all the captains?¡± ¡°Yes, General. Their reports are all as boring as you¡¯d hope.¡± ¡°And their training?¡± she probed through a tight breath. Arum frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve been overseeing their training, keeping it rigorous¡­. General, are you alright?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she readily dismissed and did her best to settle. ¡°Keep mixing up their training, Arum. Baca, how is the city¡¯s security?¡± ¡°The Astu Centralis precincts have all reported a few incidents of petty crime this week.¡± Baca shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been working with the station captains to train their men to look for early warnings of conspiracies or terrorism, and, obviously, I¡¯ve been making sure they are staying on top of their physical training and sword skills,¡± Baca reported, and then waited awkwardly while the general breathed through an apparent wave of pain. ¡°General,¡± Rapax prompted, ¡°are you¨C?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she cut him off. ¡°You don¡¯t seem fine,¡± Rapax insisted, his scowl hardening. ¡°You¡¯re in obvious pain, and that¡¯s significant when it comes to you.¡± ¡°This is normal,¡± she insisted. ¡°As things get closer, your body is supposed to prepare for delivery, kind of like practice labor.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not in labor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early,¡± she dismissed again, her voice constricting with yet another wave of pain that she had to consciously work through. ¡°I think we should get Rogue.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Rapax. Just deliver your report.¡± Doing his best to shrug off what he was seeing in favor of what she was saying, Rapax continued the meeting. ¡°Captain Gravis reports that the palace bodyguards are all in good shape, their training remains aggressive, and he is satisfied with their progress. Captain Indago says the facilities are well stocked, and¨C¡± He cut himself off as his friend braced against her desk, her face pinching in a subtle grimace, and Rapax stood up to take a knee next to her. Up close, he could see the sweat beading on her forehead and hear every hiss of her strained breath. ¡°General, how long has your body been ¡®practicing¡¯ today?¡± ¡°Stop fussing Rapax. Finish your¨C¡± She couldn¡¯t even speak through the next wave, and they were coming right on top of each other. ¡°Nope! I¡¯m calling it, General. Arum, go get her husband.¡± ¡°Belay that order,¡± she rejected as Arum moved to stand. Half-standing, half-sitting, Arum glanced between Rapax and the general, not really sure whose orders to follow. ¡°It¡¯s too early.¡± And then the general doubled over her desk with a poorly stifled grunt of pain. ¡°Her husband, Arum! Now!¡± Rapax ordered much more harshly. Convinced, Arum left in a rush. Instead of getting upset, General Yudah surrendered, and suddenly she looked exhausted. She submitted to the next wave, groaning helplessly as her body buckled from the strain. ¡°Primordials, she¡¯s already pushing,¡± Baca gasped, and Rapax¡¯s head snapped in his direction. ¡°What do you mean, she¡¯s pushing?!¡± ¡°I mean she¡¯s pushing!¡± Baca shouted, hastily standing up. ¡°How can you tell?!¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it obvious?!¡± Normally calm and collected, Rapax turned back to see his commanding officer straining, her white-knuckled fingers clenching the wood trim of her desk as hard as she could, and he felt an unnerving jolt of panic hit him all at once. ¡°What do we do?!¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°You grew up on a farm didn¡¯t you?!¡± ¡°An orchard! We don¡¯t have livestock! Once our pet dog gave birth, but it¡¯s not like¨C!¡± ¡°That¡¯s more than me!¡± Rapax yelled. ¡°What do we do? Think, man!¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Uh, um¡­ towels! We need towels!¡± ¡°Good! And?¡± ¡°Help her lie down, and give me your jacket!¡± ¡°Right.¡± Rapax got up, stripped his doublet, and tossed it to Baca. ¡°Apologies, General.¡± Helping her up whether she wanted the help or not, Rapax got General Yudha out of her seat, kicked her chair away, and eased her onto the floor behind her desk where he did his best to support her head and shoulders with his lap. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some sort of towel and be right back,¡± Baca declared, scrambling to the door. ¡°There¡¯s a blanket¡­ in the cupboard,¡± the general gasped through another building contraction. Baca changed course and found the blanket in question, stumbling back to the desk in a rush to drape it over the general¡¯s legs. ¡°Excuse me, General,¡± Baca offered, his hands moving to the waist of her pants and pausing for permission. ¡°Just do what you have to,¡± she whimpered, and Baca carefully peeled her pants off, respecting her privacy as much as possible by keeping his eyes above the blanket. ¡°What do I do?¡± Rapax asked, still trying not to panic. ¡°Just give me your hand!¡± the general cried, and moments later, Rapax stifled a yelp as his hand was crushed. Her grip relaxed and Rapax looked up at Baca who was white as a sheet. ¡°I can see the head.¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± Baca shook himself and became stern. ¡°General, you need to push.¡± ¡°How do you do that?!¡± she cried. ¡°I don¡¯t know! You¡­ you push!¡± ¡°Gee! That clarifies a lot!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¨C!¡± Baca was cut off as the general started folding in half, a guttural growl escaping her throat, and Rapax got his hand crushed again. ¡°That¡¯s it! That¡¯s¨C¡± A slick, wet sound preceded the wail of a baby near the general¡¯s feet and Baca wrapped the baby in Rapax¡¯s jacket before flopping it gently onto its mother¡¯s chest. ¡°It¡¯s a boy!¡± Just then the door flew open, and Arum returned with the new father. ¡°Congratulations, Rogue! It¡¯s a boy!¡± ¡°Both of them?!¡± Rogue asked excitedly. ¡°B-both of them?¡± Baca frowned. ¡°She¡¯s having twins.¡± ¡°Twins?!¡± the three commanders chimed in unison. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell them?¡± Rogue asked his wife. ¡°It never¡­ came up.¡± And suddenly she was pushing again. Rapax snatched the baby off the general¡¯s chest before he could fall to the floor. ¡°Move, Baca!¡± Rogue ordered, and Commander Baca gratefully relinquished his position as the baby catcher and started stripping his own doublet for the next baby. ¡°You¡¯re doing great Callida,¡± Rogue encouraged, tying and cutting the cord connecting the first baby, now crying in the crook of Rapax¡¯s elbow, to his mother. An eternity later, but probably really only a minute or two, another wailing infant emerged to be wrapped in a doublet and immediately passed to Baca so Rogue could tie off and clip the second umbilical cord. ¡°It¡¯s another boy!¡± On the other side of the desk, Rapax caught a glimpse of Commander Arum as he swooned against the wall and crumpled haphazardly to the floor and out of sight. ¡°You alright, Arum?¡± Rapax called. ¡°Yeah. I think I was holding my breath,¡± came the muffled reply. ¡°I just need a minute.¡± ¡°Primordials, Callida, you¡¯re losing too much blood,¡± Rogue was muttering, and the general whimpered with her husband¡¯s fist massaging her gut. And then he stopped. ¡°Oh. Oh, Primordials¡­.¡± ¡°What?¡± the general asked what everyone was wondering. And suddenly she was pushing again. ¡°What¡­ was that?¡± ¡°Callida, there¡¯s another one,¡± Rogue informed her, sounding stunned himself. ¡°No there isn¡¯t,¡± she rejected immediately. ¡°M¡¯lady, listen to me. I need you to push.¡± She snapped. ¡°People need to stop telling me to push! I already¨C¡± She was straining again, but even Rapax could tell it was different this time. Instead of helping or even allowing her body to push, she was fighting the contraction. ¡°Callida, you have to push!¡± ¡°No!¡± Her head still resting against Rapax¡¯s leg, the general started crying. ¡°No, Rogue. There are two of them. You said there were two of them. I¨C¡± Another contraction. She was weak, refusing to bear down, and panting unproductively from the exertion between her tears, and it occurred to Rapax that, not only was she in denial, but she was absolutely terrified. For General Yudha, of all people, to be crippled by fear, something had to be terribly, terribly wrong. Rapax felt another growing surge of panic. Rogue moved to grab her face and force eye contact. ¡°Callida, if you don¡¯t push, you¡¯ll die. You¡¯re bleeding out, and I can¡¯t do anything to help you until you push.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Please, Rogue¡­. I can¡¯t¨C I can¡¯t do this.¡± She was begging and rapidly approaching delirium from blood loss. ¡°You have to. Please? For me?¡± After a moment, she set her jaw and braced herself, rallying her strength and determination. ¡°Give me one good push, Callida.¡± The contraction was building, and the general came through, bearing down with everything she had left. Moments later, a third screaming infant escaped from beneath the blanket. ¡°Arum, take the baby!¡± ¡°Me?! I don¡¯t know what to do with¨C¡± ¡°TAKE THE BABY!¡± Rogue shouted, holding the naked, screaming child out to him. ¡°She¡¯s bleeding out!¡± Arum scrambled, reaching out to catch, and while Rogue returned to his wife, Baca gave Arum instructions. ¡°Don¡¯t hold the baby out like that; hold it to your chest.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± Arum asked, flopping the baby uncontrolled against his shoulder where it started screaming harder. ¡°Oh. Uh¡­ he doesn¡¯t like me very much! Why is he so slimy?!¡± ¡°Tuck him into your jacket! He¡¯s cold!¡± Baca ordered. ¡°Right. Erm¡­¡± One hand keeping the baby against his shoulder, the other unbuttoning his uniform, Arum managed to slip the infant down the front of his doublet, providing a little extra head support and the necessary heat. ¡°Rapax, I need you to set Callida¡¯s head on the floor,¡± Rogue said, and Rapax shifted. He wasn¡¯t sure when the general had passed out, but all the blood puddling on the floor and staining Rogue¡¯s sleeves seemed a likely reason. ¡°Rogue, is she¡­?¡± Rapax couldn¡¯t finish the question, and Rogue was busy concentrating anyway, his eyes closing and fist mercilessly digging into the general¡¯s gut as though trying to put pressure on an internal bleed. ¡°Come on, Callida. Almost there,¡± he was muttering, mostly to himself. A minute later, Rogue reached out to check the general¡¯s pulse and then sat back on his heels, his face sweaty but relieved. Reading his reaction, the commanders released their own collective sigh of relief, and Rogue moved to find a chair with which to prop the general¡¯s feet up. ¡°So, they¡¯re all boys?¡± Baca asked. ¡°I mean, mine is.¡± ¡°Mine is,¡± Rapax nodded and then chuckled at Arum who was rummaging through his jacket to check what was between the legs of the infant resting against his chest. ¡°Mine too!¡± ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t believe that just happened,¡± Baca mused with an uncertain laugh. With the babies now calm and quiet, the group sat in processing silence. ¡°What now, Rogue?¡± Rapax asked after a minute. ¡°Now? Now I need to get Callida home and to bed ¡ª the babies too.¡± ¡°Hey, congrats, by the way,¡± Baca said, nudging Rogue¡¯s shoulder. ¡°From zero to three kids in record time.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­.¡± From Rogue¡¯s response, it was clear that he was still in disbelief about the whole thing. ¡°I need to go clean everything up, find a stretcher, and¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Arum volunteered. ¡°I¡¯ll find a stretcher and a medical clean-up crew.¡± He stood up and stripped his doublet so he could pass it along with the baby to the new father. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± 31 - Names With an unconscious but stable Callida cleaned up and safely tucked in bed with her feet elevated, Rogue finally turned his attention to the babies lying next to her, still wrapped in the doublets of the commanders¡¯ uniforms. They¡¯d been born in order of hair color; that was really the only feature he¡¯d been able to identify to keep them all straight. The firstborn was blonde like his mother, the last had pitch black hair like him, and the middle was, well, somewhere in the middle with a very dark brown hair color. Rapax and Baca had both commented that all three of them looked exactly like him. Poor kids, he laughed to himself. Maybe when their faces were less squishy they¡¯d look less like him. The babies were starting to fuss, probably getting hungry; Celarus had sent for the nurse when they first walked in ¡ª a young woman Callida had found through referrals who lost her own baby a couple of years ago but had since been nursing other babies. They would probably need to find a second nurse with three babies to feed instead of the expected two. Until the nurse arrived, all three boys needed baths, and Rogue needed to wash up and change his clothes too. Cleaning himself up quickly, Rogue prepared some warm water in a wash basin and began bathtime, enjoying the different ways each boy reacted to the water. The first baby, (Primordials, you need names!), hated the water and protested loudly, his little face turning a beet red from screaming so hard before the bath was over. He quickly calmed down once clothed and swaddled, becoming sleepy after his tantrum, and Rogue was tickled by the way the baby suckled on his finger while drifting off to sleep, his sparse, blond hair now fluffy like the down of a duckling. When it was his turn, the second baby flailed excitedly in the water, accidentally sloshing much of it over the edge of the basin. He was a delight to bathe but then got mad when the bath inevitably came to an end. Clothed and swaddled, he exchanged fussing for rooting, looking for food, and was disappointed to only find one of his father¡¯s fingers to suck on. His demands became insistent. Rogue hurried to get the third baby bathed. Immediately relaxing in the warm water, the baby watched quietly as Rogue washed his silky, black hair. He complained only a little about the cold air when Rogue wrapped him in a towel, and then returned to watching quietly while being dressed and swaddled. Laid on the bed between his brothers, the black-haired baby squirmed around, trying to see things, eventually finding the second baby, still screaming for food, to stare at. ¡°You¡¯re a curious little guy, aren¡¯t you?¡± With all three boys lined up on the bed, Rogue couldn¡¯t help but grin at their already wildly different personalities: one asleep, one screeching, one patiently observing. A light knock on the door sounded, and Rogue got up to answer it, finding Celarus returned with a young woman. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Tutella. You hired me as your baby¡¯s nurse?¡± ¡°Perfect timing,¡± Rogue said quietly. Celarus bowed out, and the nurse followed Rogue in to start with the baby screaming his head off. ¡°Wow. Three of them?!¡± Tutella exclaimed in a whisper upon seeing the babies lying next to their mother. ¡°Yeah. It was a surprise.¡± ¡°I¡­ have never nursed three babies at once,¡± the nurse frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve done two before, but I might not be able to keep up with three. Well, eventually. This early, they don¡¯t eat much yet, but eventually¡­¡± ¡°I had the same thought,¡± Rogue nodded. ¡°If we need to get a second nurse, we will.¡± The nurse nodded and collected the second baby to carry to a chair near the hearth for his first feeding, and Rogue took the opportunity to send for some food for Callida. The boys were rotated through, and Rogue dismissed Tutella to get set up for the night in her own room near the nursery down the hall as a tray arrived from the kitchen. Time to wake Callida. Rogue arranged the bathed, fed and sleepy triplets on Callida¡¯s chest and held them in place while he nudged his wife awake. ¡°M¡¯lady, can you wake up for me? There are some boys here who¡¯d like to meet you.¡± She struggled to wake up, but eventually her eyes fluttered open and her arms wrapped almost instinctively around the babies on her chest. ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°Home. In bed.¡± She looked down at the heads resting against her chest and blinked with confusion. ¡°Rogue, whose baby did you steal?¡± Rogue chuckled and leaned down to peck her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Rogue. Which one of these babies isn¡¯t ours?¡± Now he frowned. ¡°What do you mean which one isn¡¯t ours? They¡¯re all¨C?¡± ¡°Which one!¡± she shrieked, and the babies startled. Rogue realized a little late that she was panicking, her breath shallow and rapid, her hands trembling, and she was trying to roll the babies off and onto the bed. ¡°Whoa! Whoa, Callida!¡± Quickly, he helped her get the babies lined up on the bed next to her and then captured her in a hug, holding her tightly while she broke down. ¡°It¡¯s not mine! Which one, Rogue?! Which one is the imposter?!¡± She was serious, and Rogue felt sick. He racked his brain for ways to help her overcome her denial. The labor and delivery had been traumatic. Maybe this was the trauma in the never-ending string of them that would finally shatter her mental health, and in her vulnerable psychological condition, there was a real risk of the new mother rejecting at least one of her babies permanently. ¡°Callida, let¡¯s feed you. You need to eat something before¡­.¡± He recalculated. ¡°You need to eat something.¡± She was blubbering incoherently into his neck, and Rogue made the decision to remove her from the situation entirely until she could compose herself again. He picked her up and carried her to the sitting area by the hearth, holding her until her panic lessened. Then, he coaxed her into eating, playing with her hair and rubbing her back while she calmed down. When she¡¯d eaten her fill, Rogue allowed her to curl up in his lap and doze in and out of a light sleep for a while until her heart rate and breathing had settled into a steady rhythm. Now, how do I reintroduce her to her babies? Accepting every baby had been a struggle for her: accepting the initial pregnancy, accepting twins, and now accepting triplets. But if he could just get her to hold them and really look at them, maybe she wouldn¡¯t be so quick to reject them. Or smell them. Newborns had a uniquely wonderful scent to them, and Callida had an unusually strong sense of smell. Maybe if he appealed to her nose, she¡¯d be able to overcome this mental hurdle. The thought made him smile. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°I¡¯m going to set you down, Callida,¡± he whispered and rotated to shift her into the chair so he could get out from under her. He stretched and then knelt by her knees. ¡°M¡¯lady, can you trust me for a minute?¡± She was already trembling again when she next spoke. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I just want you to close your eyes for a few minutes. Can you do that?¡± ¡°What are you going to do?!¡± ¡°Callida, can you trust me enough to close your eyes for a few minutes?¡± he repeated deliberately slowly and steadily, trying to stave off her returning anxiety attack. ¡°I¡­ yes.¡± He smiled encouragingly. ¡°Then close your eyes.¡± She set her jaw and obeyed, leaning her head back into the chair, and Rogue quietly left her side to collect all three sleeping bundles from the bed, returning to kneel in front of her again. ¡°Alright, Callida. Lean forward a bit. Tell me what you smell?¡± ¡°What sort of trick is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trick. I just want you to smell them.¡± She leaned forward hesitantly, testing the air. ¡°Take your time, Callida. Feel free to get close.¡± Slowly scooting closer, Callida eventually dropped her nose into the neck of the blonde baby and inhaled deeply. The baby gurgled in his sleep and shifted, unwittingly nuzzling against his mother¡¯s cheek. Callida moved down the line, smelling the black-haired baby next, and then the brunette baby. She pulled away frowning and went back for a second pass while Rogue held his breath. Finally, she slouched back in the chair, tears streaking silently down her face by the time she opened her eyes again. ¡°Callida?¡± She turned away, wiping her tears and sniffing back more. ¡°M¡¯lady? What are you thinking?¡± Her response was limited to a tearful nod. Rogue smiled and leaned forward, and Callida shakily met him halfway to accept the intended kiss. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful, Callida. All three of them.¡± *** Callida had yet to hold them or to even touch them really. Rogue had offered to help her hold them at least a dozen times, but she simply didn¡¯t feel¡­. It didn¡¯t feel right. She¡¯d been crying continuously since Rogue had asked her to smell them, and she didn¡¯t want to hold them until she could stop. At least, that¡¯s what she told herself. For now, she simply watched them sleep on the bed next to her ¡ª watched and cried. She wasn¡¯t even sure why she was crying anymore, but her heart was aching just the same. ¡°Callida, what should we name them?¡± Rogue asked from behind her, and Callida rotated slightly to lean against him, finding comfort in the warm pressure against her back. ¡°We talked at one point about naming a pair of boys after our fathers, but we have three of them, and I don¡¯t much care for the name Chikitsak anyway, even if it was my father¡¯s name. I like Probus though. Do any of them look like a Probus to you?¡± Callida¡¯s eyes immediately fell on the blonde one. Her father had had blonde hair; he¡¯d been a lion. People had told her she looked like her father. She missed him. And mom. Part of her wondered what they would think of this little family she¡¯d created for herself. That ache in her heart twinged at the thought. ¡°M¡¯lady?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Do you think any of them look like a Probus?¡± She nodded, her tears somehow falling harder, and pointed. Rogue kissed her neck before reaching out to touch the baby¡¯s downy hair. ¡°Nice to meet you, Probus. Callida, do you have any ideas on what you want to name the other two?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Maybe you should get to know them a little.¡± A shuddery breath later, Callida set her hand lightly against the chest of the brunette baby who was stirring in his sleep. How does one ¡°get to know¡± a baby? How does one name a person they don¡¯t know? And at the same time, it felt like he already had a name that she only needed to discover. The sounds formed in her head involuntarily ¡ª something strong and succinct¡­ ¡°Tiaki.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Tiaki.¡± ¡°Tiaki? That¡¯s¡­ an unusual name. Where¡¯d that come from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just¡­ fits,¡± she mumbled, withdrawing her hand now that the baby beneath it had settled. ¡°Tiaki,¡± Rogue rolled the name over his tongue a few times and grinned. ¡°I could get used to that.¡± ¡°Tiaki Chikitsak?¡± Callida suggested, rotating to look her husband in the eyes. ¡°The names sort of fit together, if you still want to name one of them after your father.¡± He smiled and kissed her, reaching out to gently squeeze the baby¡¯s foot through his blanket. ¡°Tiaki Chikitsak, nice to meet you. Does Probus get a middle name too?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Probus Animo?¡± Rogue suggested. ¡°Your father¡¯s full name? Probus Animo Yudha. How does that sound to you?¡± She couldn¡¯t find words and instead wiped her eyes dry. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a ¡®yes¡¯. So what about this little guy?¡± Rogue prompted, pointing to the darkest head of the three. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Do that thing you did with Tiaki,¡± he suggested and physically coaxed her hand to reach out. With her palm against the baby¡¯s chest, Callida closed her eyes, seeking the sounds that somehow made sense assigned to this little person ¡ª something gentler, subtle¡­ intelligent¡­ ¡°Mana¡­ Manasik?¡± ¡°What?¡± Rogue laughed. ¡°Manasik.¡± ¡°Mah-nah-seek,¡± Rogue broke it down into syllables and then played with the sounds. ¡°Why Manasik? Where did that even come from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Do you like the name?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. It just seems to fit him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard that name before,¡± Rogue pondered. ¡°Me neither.¡± ¡°Are you just making names up on the spot then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe, I guess,¡± she admitted tiredly. ¡°It sort of just popped into my head. If you don¡¯t like it¨C¡± ¡°No! No, Callida. Actually, you¡¯re right. It does seem to fit him. I just don¡¯t understand how. Do you want to give him a middle name?¡± Callida curled up, tucking her hands to her chin and knees to her chest as she snuggled into the pillow and closed her eyes. She was honestly so, very tired. ¡°You choose.¡± Behind her, Rogue shifted and kissed her left temple. ¡°In that case, what do you think of the name Manasik Germanus? After your brother.¡± And just like that, she was sobbing. Losing their dad when she was only ten, Germanus had become her father-figure, and then mom was killed when she was sixteen. Germanus had raised her on his own after that. Callida had envisioned what her life would look like without any parents: growing up, dating, getting married and having children of her own¡­. She¡¯d wondered what that would be like with only Germanus to represent her side of the family, and, ever since, Germanus had always been a part of those moments in her head ¡ª even still. So it hurt now that this moment was here and he wasn¡¯t. She wasn¡¯t ready. She would never be ready for these moments of motherhood without letting go of that vision in her mind, and that ache ¡ª that bitter, twisting, intangible ache ¡ª blossomed and burned from the fresh grief of missing loved ones, dashed hopes, and thwarted expectations. Rotating around to muffle her tears against Rogue¡¯s chest, Callida clung to his shirt and felt his fingers glide through her hair. ¡°Welcome to the family, Manasik Germanus.¡± 32 - Unraveling ¡°Did you get any sleep last night?¡± Rogue asked when she walked in, and Callida merely yawned before disappearing into the bathroom to splash her face with water. A week into parenthood, Callida had finally recovered enough to take the night shift with the boys for the first time. The nurse only worked during the day, so the boys had to accept a bottle for their night feedings. Callida hadn¡¯t bothered trying to build up a milk supply knowing that the demands of her job wouldn¡¯t allow her to stay on maternity leave for more than a week or two, and Rogue didn¡¯t exactly have the equipment for nursing. He could help with child care, and that was it. That¡¯s why Callida had hired the nurse from the get-go. Rogue chuckled as his sleepy wife returned from the bathroom and immediately flopped onto a chair by the hearth, her eyes closed before she¡¯d even settled fully. He chose to let her be and resumed cooing at the boys in that ridiculous baby voice that everyone adopts when talking to small, cute creatures; he recognized his tone as such, felt self-conscious about it, and then continued to use it anyway. They¡¯d just finished the morning routine of a feeding followed by a bath, and now the boys were looking around, soaking up some attention before their morning nap while their nurse got herself ready for the day. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ve been doing this all week, Qiangde,¡± Callida mused sleepily. ¡°One night, and I just feel completely dead.¡± Rogue chuckled again, his hands busy playing with tiny, squirming feet. ¡°It doesn''t help that you''re so anemic still.¡± ¡°Mn. You know, it occurred to me¡­ sometime last night, the boys are due to be examined by a spiritualist, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Rogue realized, feeling excited. ¡°I can do it, though!¡± ¡°You can only identify wolves though, right?¡± Callida frowned. ¡°What am I saying? We¡¯re both wolves! That would only matter if we were a mixed family like mine and yours were growing up. Assuming they¡¯re hosts at all, their animal spirits will all be wolves. But they¡¯re about a week old. Isn¡¯t that the normal timeframe?¡± ¡°I actually have no idea: is there some sort of traditional event that surrounds the whole identifying ceremony? Or do you normally just go to a temple or visit a spiritualist?¡± ¡°No idea. I don¡¯t think any of that would matter though. The point is just to confirm that they are hosts, right? And in a mixed family, it¡¯s fun to know which parent they take after.¡± ¡°So, then, do I just¡­ go for it?¡± Rogue laughed, and Callida grudgingly peeled herself out of the chair to join him on the bed with the boys. ¡°I want to watch,¡± she explained, and assumed a much more awake, cross legged position next to him. ¡°Who are you going to start with?¡± ¡°I guess¡­ I¡¯ll start with Probus ¡ª go in birth order.¡± She nodded, and Rogue¡¯s excitement multiplied. Setting a hand on Probus¡¯s chest, Rogue concentrated, and his wolf, Shyaam, made the connection. The essence he detected beneath his palm was a shimmery black, like Shyaam¡¯s, and the energy was curious and excited. Focusing on the image in his mind¡¯s eye, he could see the essence clearly now, and he waited for it to take the expected appearance of a wolf¡­ but it didn¡¯t. He kept waiting, but there was no change. It simply remained amorphous. Confused, he broke the connection. ¡°So?¡± Callida probed. ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a host,¡± Rogue said quietly, still trying to understand what he saw ¡ª or rather didn¡¯t see ¡ª and moved on to Tiaki before Callida could ask any more questions. Black essence, playful and aggressive, but without form. Rogue¡¯s brow knit together. ¡°Rogue, what¨C?¡± He switched to Manasik. More black essence, this time cautious and clever, but it was still only essence. Retracting his hand, Rogue¡¯s mind began churning. Shyaam is a wolf. Goldie is a wolf. These babies have to be wolves! Unless¡­. No. No, wait. Surely there was a simple explanation that wasn¡¯t that. ¡°Callida, is there a reason people typically wait until the baby is a week old before they take them to see a spiritualist?¡± ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know. Why do you ask? What did you see?!¡± she asked eagerly. ¡°Are they hosts?¡± ¡°They¡­ yes.¡± ¡°What color are their wolves?!¡± ¡°They, uh, they¡¯re black¨C¡± ¡°All of them?!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Ugh! So even their wolves take after you,¡± she teased playfully and pecked his cheek. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think you were the only one involved in making them.¡± Rogue watched as Callida got up and stretched with another sleep-deprived yawn, but his mind was still grinding, and his hand cycled over each of the boys¡¯ chests again, confirming his original observations: black essence, no form. They have to be wolves. Black essence, no form. If they were wolves, their essences would look like wolves. Black essence, no form. But I can¡¯t identify anything that isn¡¯t a wolf. Black essence¡­. No form meant that they weren¡¯t wolves, and if they weren¡¯t wolves, then¡­ ¡­ then he couldn¡¯t be their father. That logical step hit like a kick to the gut and a punch to the face all at once, and Rogue was appropriately winded. ¡°Callida¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± she prompted when he didn¡¯t continue. ¡°They aren¡¯t wolves.¡± She laughed, like it was a joke, and then she frowned. Confusion sat at the center of her forehead. And then her eyes widened from surprise when she realized that he wasn¡¯t joking. He watched her process, likely following the same thread of logic he¡¯d just worked through himself ¡ª the look of horror when she came to the same conclusion. ¡°Rogue, you don¡¯t¡­ you don¡¯t think¡­. Primordials. But they have to be wolves! Are you certain? I mean, absolutely sure that they aren¡¯t just¡­. Maybe it takes a while for the animal spirit to take form. Maybe¡­ maybe that¡¯s why you¡¯re supposed to wait a week before having them identified. They were born early, Qiangde. Maybe they just haven¡¯t formed yet. Maybe we just have to wait a while longer.¡± But he could hear it in her voice that she didn¡¯t really believe that theory either. Which meant she had another explanation. He launched off the bed, entering a feverish back-and-forth pacing as he battled back a temper threatening to explode from the instant poison of rage, jealousy, and agony that was narrowing his vision and making the rest of him go numb. The harrowing betrayal left him unable to think straight while two crystalline sentences echoed through his skull on repeat: They¡¯re not my sons. They¡¯re someone else¡¯s. They¡¯re not my sons. They¡¯re someone else¡¯s. They¡¯re not my sons. They¡¯re someone else¡¯s. ¡°Rogue?¡± He went rigid to the touch of her fingertips on his arm. ¡°Rogue, please¨C¡± ¡°Who¡¯s their father, Callida?¡± he snarled lowly. She froze. For a moment, time seemed to stand still before she recovered. ¡°There¡¯s no one else, Qiangde.¡± His anguish and anger seized control of his being. Rogue gripped her arm violently. He didn¡¯t even know what words spilled from his mouth as drove her backwards. Her hands came up defensively to brace against his shoulders when she inevitably ran out of room to retreat, and some completely deranged part of him wanted to hurt her. He must have been acting like he intended to follow through with that impulse because Callida flinched. It caught his attention and gave him pause. She was watching his every move, tears pooling in her eyes, and Rogue could tell that every nerve, every muscle in her body was on high alert despite the fact that she had done nothing to either run or fight. She was simply watching, waiting ¡ª consciously submitting. And he was out of his mind and out of control. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He stepped back, his arm came up in a self-silencing gesture, and he turned on his heel and stormed out. They¡¯re not my sons. They¡¯re someone else¡¯s. The thoughts screamed in his head. He listened to them as he escaped the house¡­ then the military base¡­ then the palace grounds. He listened to them as he ran down the road, and wiped away angry tears, and bloodied his knuckles against the trunk of a scraggly tree. And he listened to them as he came to the entrance of a tavern, sat down at a table, and ordered something strong to drink. ¡°Will that be all for you?¡± the server asked. ¡°Just keep them coming.¡± ¡°Rough morning?¡± He ignored the question and began an attempt to drown out the continued chanting in his head. They¡¯re not my sons. They¡¯re someone else¡¯s. *** Council meetings without Callida were¡­. It had only been a week since Commander Rapax had informed the council that the Lion General had given birth and would be taking a temporary leave of absence. One week and Verum missed her terribly. One week and it felt like the council was unraveling without her common sense to keep things moving productively. How he¡¯d gotten along without her during her deployment to the Griffin Tribe, he couldn¡¯t recall. To be fair, her commanders had been doing a fine job taking care of military matters, but that was the limit of their contributions during morning meetings. Verum was pacing in front of his throne, needing to move his body while the councilmen nit-picked the latest issue of resource management that he¡¯d already tried to redirect and refocus seven times. He could feel the frustration and tension slowly building both in himself and throughout the room. ¡°That¡¯s enough. For today. I want to give this some thought, and we¡¯ll pick this up again tomorrow. Dismissed.¡± How long did it take to recover from childbirth anyway? Flore started traveling a week after giving birth to Optatio. It¡¯s been a week. Surely it wouldn¡¯t be insensitive at this point to ask when she thought she¡¯d be ready to come back, right? I could bring a baby gift and meet her baby as an excuse. Determined, Verum found a steward and ordered him to prepare a baby gift for the Lion General. ¡°I don¡¯t care what it is. Just something nice that you can prepare quickly.¡± Thirty minutes later, the steward returned with a very large, elegantly presented package. ¡°I took the liberty of selecting some clothes his highness has already grown out of, and there are a few things in here for the new mother.¡± ¡°Excellent. Thank you,¡± Verum approved and led the way to the Lion General¡¯s estate with Captain Pius and the burdened steward serving as his shadows. There was a thin, relatively undisturbed layer of snow on the ground, and the chill in the air felt cleansing after a day spent in stuffy company. Verum inhaled deeply. I should take walks more often. He¡¯d only ever been to the Lion General¡¯s estate a handful of times; normally, people came to him. The heavy lion¡¯s head knocker on the door clanged loudly, and Verum recognized the steward who appeared through the door. Celcarum? Celarum? Something like that. ¡°Your Majesty! How may I serve you?¡± the steward said with a bow and ushered his party into the parlor off the entryway foyer where a fire in the hearth was producing a pleasant heat. ¡°I¡¯m here to visit the Lion General.¡± A beck directed at his own steward produced the slapdash baby gift, and the package was passed from one steward to the other. ¡°Is she accepting visitors?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask.¡± The steward ¡ª Celarus! That¡¯s his name! ¡ª dashed out of the room and up the stairs. Verum took the opportunity to mindlessly scan the room and appreciate the classic design elements. It seemed to make sense that generations upon generations of Lion Generals couldn¡¯t be bothered to update the decor of the estate. The estate itself was almost a time capsule of the year it was built. Instead of updating things to stay en vogue with current fashions, this room was almost nostalgic for a bygone era. The furnishings and decor were rich and classic, repaired or replicated as needed. How many Lion Generals has this estate housed over the years? How old is this house anyway?! But it was very well maintained, so there was little to find fault with. Celarus returned quickly, breathing a little more heavily. ¡°The general has invited you to join her upstairs. She is tending to a baby.¡± ¡°Pius, stay here; steward, you may return to the palace,¡± Verum instructed on his way to follow Celarus up the stairs to a nursery where Callida was gently swaying and hushing a fussing baby. The friends made eye contact, and Callida put a finger to her lips and indicated an oversized bassinet to his right. Confused, Verum moved to peer into the crib and was shocked to find two more sleeping babies! He wheeled around, his jaw by his toes, to express his bewilderment to Callida, but she¡¯d already returned to ambling about the room with the babe on her shoulder. Eventually, his shock lessened, and Verum chuckled to himself. It was just like her to keep something like this a secret, successfully no less, and it also seemed to make sense that her motherhood would be as extreme as she was. Triplets?! Primordials help her. When the third baby finally settled, Callida carefully added it to the bassinet and released an exhausted breath. ¡°Hi,¡± she whispered. He muted a return chuckle as best he could and met her eyes. ¡°Triplets, huh? And here I came expecting to find only one baby keeping you up at night.¡± She accepted his snark with a tired shrug. ¡°What are their names?¡± She pointed to them, out of order from how they were laying, so Verum guessed in birth order. ¡°Probus, Tiaki, and Manasik.¡± ¡°All boys?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Probus, huh? After your father?¡± She nodded, and Verum peered at the squishy faces a little more closely. The one she¡¯d called Probus looked the most like her with blonde hair and an intense, resting scowl, but Verum saw a lot of Qiangde in him ¡ª in all three of them. The middle one, Verum had already forgotten his name, looked exactly like his father, except maybe his hair color. ¡°Where¡¯s Qiangde?¡± ¡°Um¡­ he went out,¡± she said simply. ¡°Should we take this somewhere else?¡± ¡°I just came to meet your baby. I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d be meeting three of them,¡± Verum ribbed her again and nudged her shoulder. She clearly wasn¡¯t in a playful mood; she barely reacted to the tease. Verum cleared his throat and tried a different tact. ¡°I also came to ask you if you needed anything and if you had an idea of when you¡¯ll be ready to come back to work.¡± Callida sighed and moved around the bassinet to stand by the window and part a gossamer curtain. Verum watched her stare out at the white world beyond. She seemed¡­ heavy ¡ª distracted and quietly burdened ¡ª and tired. He joined her by the window and noted the puffiness in her very pale face when she looked up at him. The last time he¡¯d seen her so pale, she¡¯d nearly bled out from a stab wound in her lower back. ¡°Callida, are you alright?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she replied quickly ¡ª perhaps too quickly. ¡°I¡¯m just tired.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pale.¡± ¡°The delivery was rough,¡± she explained through a weak smile. ¡°I need a few more days, Verum. I¡¯m still recovering.¡± He frowned and nodded slowly. He couldn¡¯t remember a time when Callida had actually asked for more time off to take care of her health. Not that that was a bad thing! But he had to wonder what she wasn¡¯t telling him. Just how rough was the delivery? ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± She smiled more sincerely, shook her head, and then reconsidered. ¡°Actually, I need to look for a spiritualist¡­ to identify the boys.¡± Verum quirked an eyebrow at that. ¡°I thought Qiangde was a spiritualist.¡± ¡°He is, but only sort of. Well, he is a spiritualist, but his skillset is extremely specialized.¡± ¡°Ah. Healing, right?¡± She nodded again, her eyes returning to the window. ¡°The council summoned a pair of spiritualists to identify Optatio and certify him as a host before his ratification. Would you like me to summon them?¡± ¡°Can they be discreet?¡± Surprised by the question, Verum fumbled through a response. ¡°Um, I mean, it¡¯s not as though their status as hosts or not matters much, but I¡¯m sure you could draw up whatever type of contract you wanted. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d honor any terms you set as long as they get paid.¡± She nodded again, something in her face pinching so subtly, Verum almost missed it. ¡°Callida, are you sure everything¡¯s ok?¡± She snorted, her lips parting in a crooked grin as she glanced up at him out of the corners of her eyes. ¡°I just gave birth to triplets last week. I¡¯m healing and adjusting, and I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s normal. Thank you for your concern just the same, but I¡¯m fine. If you could send for the spiritualists, I¡¯d appreciate it.¡± She was back to staring blankly out the window, and Verum wasn¡¯t quite certain if she was lying or if he was just reading too much into things. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that right away.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she repeated and actually turned to look at him again. ¡°Truly.¡± ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re ready to come back. You¡¯ve been missed.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine that your council misses me all that much, Verum.¡± ¡°Alright, fine,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I miss you. Managing the council on my own this week has been a nightmare.¡± ¡°Duly noted. I think I just need one more week. Think you can last that much longer?¡± Verum grinned at the intended tease, and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll manage. It¡¯s good to see you, Callida. Good luck with everything.¡± He squeezed her shoulder and showed himself out, collecting Captain Pius on his way to the front door. At the front gate of the estate grounds, Verum looked up to see Qiangde returning home and called to him, frowning when he didn¡¯t immediately reply. There was something off about him. His gait was sloppier, his posture slumped. ¡°Course yer ¡®ere,¡± Qiangde slurred almost as though he hadn¡¯t seen Verum standing there until he was right next to him. ¡°Why m¡¯I s¡¯prised?¡± ¡°Erm, congratulations, Qiangde,¡± Verum offered and then recoiled, repulsed by Qiangde¡¯s sudden laugh. It sounded unhinged, and his breath was potent. He reeked of alcohol. ¡°It¡¯s a little early to be drinking so much.¡± ¡°Yeah. Prob¡¯ly had one too many,¡± he slurred. ¡°Di¡¯doo see the boys? Yer a host, aren¡¯choo? Bein¡¯ Yer Majes¡¯dy ¡®n all¡­¡± ¡°I¡­ yeah. I¨C¡± Qiangde¡¯s hand was suddenly gripping the front of Verum¡¯s cloak, yanking him forward, and Verum halted Pius who was reactively drawing his sword. Qiangde stared him down. There was some unknown madness in his eyes that, without any context, Verum couldn¡¯t identify. And Verum felt¡­ weird ¡ª confused and vaguely violated, but mostly just confused. ¡°Qiangde? Are we ok?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, releasing Verum¡¯s clothes with a slight shove. ¡°We¡¯re good¡­ Yer Majes¡¯dy.¡± Qiangde tilted his head in a bow and moved past him, and Verum stood pondering for a moment, watching him walk away. He¡¯d never seen Qiangde drunk before and hardly ever interacted with him besides, but Flore had nothing but good things to say about her experiences with him. And Callida had married the guy, so this seemed out of character. ¡°That was weird,¡± Pius muttered. ¡°Yeah. I guess he just had a drink or two too many.¡± 33 - Miracle Callida was exhausted. She¡¯d returned to work at the beginning of December, and after Rogue¡¯s initial attempts to identify the boys himself, he¡¯d kind of checked out. Actually, there was no ¡°kind of¡± about it. She was trying to be understanding. If she were the one in his shoes, and the boys weren¡¯t wolves, the only explanation with any logic to it would be that she had cheated. It didn¡¯t help that Rogue had already been struggling with a certain jealousy even before there were questions surrounding her fidelity, and then she¡¯d been the subject of adultery rumors with Verum right up until conception had happened¡­. His conclusion was valid. And yet, she knew the truth, and his abandonment was so deeply personal. While Rogue was spending his nights drowning his pain and his days sleeping it off, Callida was working full days and then tending to three babies all night. She was just doing what she could to hold out until the spiritualists that Verum had sent for could come and provide some answers. The sons of the Lion General were of lower priority than the potential heir of the Lion King, so the spiritualists had been less hurried in their reply to the invitation. Now, nearly four weeks from the time they¡¯d been summoned, they finally showed up at Callida¡¯s office. ¡°I¡¯m Vanha,¡± an older woman in a simple gray cloak introduced herself and then gestured to her companion: a silent, middle-aged man standing slightly behind her. ¡°This is Haluton. We are spiritualists and Guardians of the North Temple to the Lion Primordial. The Lion King requested our visit on your behalf. Was there a reason you didn¡¯t simply visit the temple yourself?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for coming,¡± Callida ignored the question, and Vanha unhappily pursed her lips. ¡°We understood that there was more than one child that you wanted us to see.¡± ¡°Correct. There are three.¡± ¡°Since we are here, take us to them.¡± ¡°Before I do that, I want you both to sign a nondisclosure agreement,¡± Callida informed them, withdrawing the prepared contracts from her desk. ¡°Whatever for?¡± That displeasure deepened, and Callida again ignored Vanha¡¯s question. ¡°This is a contract legally binding you to silence. You were never here, you never saw my sons, and anything you see, hear, or do while you are here will not be disclosed under penalty of the law. In exchange for your silence, you will be well paid. Are we agreed?¡± she asked, offering them a pen. ¡°I¡¯d like to read through the contract, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Vanha replied, and while Vanha went through the document with Haluton, Callida returned to her chair and did her best to not fall asleep while she waited. ¡°Your terms are agreeable,¡± was the eventual verdict, and both spiritualists signed beneath Callida¡¯s own signature. Callida gave them a copy of the contract for their records and stowed the signed copy. ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me, please?¡± The walk to the house passed in silence. Callida didn¡¯t care to attempt small talk, nor did she have the mental energy to try. Her exhaustion was that absolute. Once they¡¯d arrived at the house, Celarus helped to guide her guests to the parlor while Callida hiked the stairs. This was going to be the tricky bit. She went first to her bedroom, a room she¡¯d been avoiding for nearly a month, and found Rogue predictably still passed out on the bed and wearing his clothes from the previous day. The curtains were shut tight to block out the afternoon sunlight. That was the first step: opening the curtains. Rogue growled at the offending glow, and Callida returned to the bedside to take his hand and try coaxing him the rest of the way awake more gently. ¡°Rogue, can you wake up for me?¡± His hand tensed and pulled away almost immediately. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Please, Qiangde. This is important.¡± He sat up, projecting irritation and hurt. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve called in some spiritualists to¨C¡± he scoffed and Callida waited a moment ¡°¨Cto identify the boys. I need you to be there.¡± ¡°Why? So they can tell me what I already know?¡± ¡°Hopefully so they can tell us something we don¡¯t,¡± she returned patiently. ¡°Will you come? Please?¡± she added when he didn¡¯t immediately respond. ¡°Give me a minute.¡± She nodded and left, going next to the nursery. ¡°General! You¡¯re home early,¡± Tutella greeted her, and Calora, the recently hired second nurse, smiled from where she was bouncing with a sleeping baby. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, especially during naptime, but I need to borrow the boys for a few minutes. It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± The nurses helped Callida gather all three babies together in her arms, and Callida walked out in time to meet Rogue as he was exiting the bedroom. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Where do you want me?¡± ¡°The front parlor.¡± He seemed to consider taking one of the boys from her and then thought better of it and descended the stairs ahead of her. Callida fought herself to not tear up. ¡°Vanha, Haluton, this is Rogue, and these are the boys you¡¯re here to identify,¡± she acquainted everyone, and Vanha smiled as she took Manasik from her arms. ¡°Hello, little one,¡± Vanha cooed, and Callida got the distinct impression that holding babies was Vanha¡¯s favorite part of her job. Haluton, on the other hand, remained silent and unmoved. ¡°I can already tell you that he¡¯s a host,¡± Vanha said. ¡°His aura is very strong. Let¡¯s see what you are!¡± The Guardian placed two fingers against Manasik¡¯s chest, her smile fading immediately. ¡°Haluton, what do you see?¡± she asked, and held the baby out to him. Her partner seemed surprised, but obligingly placed his own fingers against the baby¡¯s chest, his green eyes widening a moment later. Callida watched the pair exchange something cryptically, her own anxiety spiking. ¡°What is it? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°We¡¯d like to continue with the other babies,¡± Vanha said and exchanged Manasik for Probus. The same procedure was observed, both spiritualists taking it in turns to identify Probus¡¯s animal spirit, and this time they seemed relieved. ¡°Yes, you are a very handsome black lion, young man,¡± Vanha cooed. ¡°Such an unusual color for a lion!¡± Behind her, Rogue stood up in a rush to leave, and Callida wheeled around still holding Manasik and Tiaki, to kick Rogue back into his chair. ¡°Stay,¡± she hissed. When Rogue bitterly slouched into his seat, Callida turned back to the very startled spiritualists to trade Tiaki for Probus. Again, upon performing the ritual, Vanha and Haluton exchanged confused glances. ¡°What do you see?¡± Callida practically begged. ¡°Well, all three of them have a black essence, but it¡¯s strange,¡± Vanha began very cautiously. ¡°I¡¯ve identified children from every tribe in Ulakam, but I have never seen animal spirits like these. Except for the one lion, I¡¯m not sure what they are.¡± ¡°What are you seeing? Can you describe them?¡± More cryptic glances passed between the Guardians, and this time, Haluton spoke. His voice was surprisingly deep. ¡°The first one looked almost like a dragon, reptilian and serpentine but without limbs or wings.¡± ¡°So¡­ like a snake?¡± Callida hazarded. ¡°But that would be impossible,¡± Vanha said. ¡°The snake tribe went extinct at the time of the last Primordials. No. He must be a very strange dragon.¡± ¡°And what about Tiaki ¡ª the baby you¡¯re holding?¡± ¡°Well, um, his animal spirit is also very strange,¡± Vanha padded the response and passed the torch to Haluton. ¡°He appears to be some sort of fish.¡± ¡°A fish. But there isn¡¯t a fish tribe!¡± Callida exclaimed. ¡°No,¡± Haluton said with a frown. ¡°The only tribe that would seem to make sense is the Shark Tribe, but they too went extinct at the time of the Last Primordials.¡± ¡°So what are you saying?¡± Callida balked. ¡°My babies shouldn¡¯t exist?!¡± ¡°Tell us, from where did you adopt them?¡± Vanha asked. ¡°I gave birth to them! They¡¯re triplets.¡± ¡°Well that can¡¯t be,¡± Vanha frowned. ¡°They are hosts to three different species. You¡¯re a lion, I presume?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m a wolf.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more impossible,¡± Vanha laughed. ¡°Is your wolf at least black?¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s gold¡­ like a lion.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Vanha dismissed. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that a single pregnancy of a golden wolf spirit host produced a black, snake-like dragon, a black lion, and a¡­ a black shark?! At least one of those is extinct! Who was the father? A chimera?!¡± ¡°The father¡¯s animal spirit was black?¡± Haluton asked. ¡°Yes. That, at least, I can confirm,¡± Callida said with as much significance as she could, her eyes suddenly tearing up. ¡°My dear, your story doesn¡¯t add up,¡± Vanha declared patronizingly, returning Tiaki to her. ¡°They are beautiful babies, but consider the importance of telling them the truth of their identity and heritage as they get older.¡± ¡°So what are they, then?¡± Callida dug in her heels. ¡°You¡¯ve only identified one of them absolutely.¡± ¡°We can only guess what the other two are.¡± ¡°Then guess,¡± she snarled. ¡°Assume anything is possible and tell me what you think they are. Don¡¯t mince words.¡± The ambiance of the room grew dark and tense as the two spiritualists glanced at each other again. ¡°My best guess is that you are holding a snake, a lion, and a shark, but that would be nothing short of a miracle given that two of them are known to be extinct,¡± Haluton said. ¡°It would be doubly miraculous if they were all three fathered by the same man with the same woman. I don¡¯t know what trick you¡¯re pulling, General, but Vanha and I don¡¯t appreciate being manipulated like this. Now, we¡¯ve done as you asked. We¡¯ll take what you promised us and leave.¡± Without a word, Callida left to return the boys to the nursery and collect the substantial fee she¡¯d promised the spiritualists. When she returned to settle with them, Rogue was already gone. The Guardians left, and Callida slumped into the nearest chair for a good cry. They really weren¡¯t wolves, and instead of finding answers, she¡¯d only found more questions. Probus was a lion. Tiaki was a shark. Manasik was a snake¡­ maybe. Callida¡¯s frazzled mind spun unproductively looking for a way for that to be possible, gaslighting herself into wondering if she really had somehow cheated and forgotten or been drugged and assaulted or¡­. But even if Qiangde wasn¡¯t the father, who could be? I wonder if chimeras are an actual thing. Maybe this is what happens when two mixes have babies? The fact that she was half lion and Rogue was half dragon might somehow explain how Probus was a lion and Manasik was a wingless, limbless dragon. But Tiaki? Miracle, my foot. This is a nightmare! 34 - Drunken Clarity The old Wolf Tribe merchant was tired after the day¡¯s travels, but he needed to fulfill his promise to an old friend and make the effort to stop by. It had been¡­ two years since his travels had last taken him through the Lion Tribe? Rogue¡¯s wife had been deployed at the time ¡ª the Lion Tribe soldier. Yansu still wasn¡¯t sure how Rogue and Callida had managed to become a couple while fighting on opposite sides of the Great War, but he was one of the very few who¡¯d been there to witness the beginning of their relationship. Yansu¡¯s relationship with Rogue was unusual. Rogue was sort of like an adopted nephew, but also his former camp leader and Alpha wolf to his wolf spirit under whom he¡¯d served as a functional Beta ¡ª the second in command ¡ª obviously minus any romantic implications. Breaking from Rogue¡¯s pack after the Great War ended had been¡­ challenging. Reintegrating into the Wolf Tribe with the Alpha of the Blood as his new Alpha had also been uncomfortable, and then visiting Rogue two years ago after successfully making that transition had been awkward. Honestly, sometimes being a wolf spirit host was annoying with all the mystical ins and outs of packs and loyalties. It was just wolves too, at least, Yansu wasn¡¯t aware of any other tribe with similar issues. ¡°Papers?¡± Ah, yes. When visiting someone on the palace military base, you have to pass inspection at the base gates. Yansu produced his identification papers and commerce license, and the guards jotted the information down on a ledger of some sort. ¡°What are you here for?¡± ¡°Visiting an old friend at the Lion General¡¯s estate.¡± ¡°Mn,¡± the guard hummed to himself and added an addendum to his logs. ¡°Right, well, you¡¯re clear.¡± Yansu was looking forward to sitting next to a warm fire. It was getting dark out, and the new year had brought with it a healthy dumping of snow. Incidentally, that¡¯s why his caravan had been hitting the more southerly tribes. They at least had less snow than the Bear Tribe and their neighbors. The butler (or whatever fancy title they called him) answered the door when he knocked, and Yansu gratefully accepted residence in the parlor next to that fire he¡¯d been daydreaming about. ¡°Yansu?¡± That was not the voice he was expecting, but it wasn¡¯t unwelcome. Yansu stood up to give a respectful bow, and Callida swept into the room to¡­ hug him? That was a new one. As much as he liked her, he wasn¡¯t exactly close with Rogue¡¯s soldier-wife. The hug was awkward. ¡°Yansu, how are you? What brings you here? I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re here to see Rogue. He¡¯s not here though,¡± her voice grew hard. ¡°If you want to see him, you¡¯ll find him in the tavern nearest to the base.¡± ¡°Let me get my bearings,¡± Yansu grumbled. ¡°Wait. Rogue¡¯s out drinking?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yansu took a moment to study the soldier-wife. She looked unwell, but Yansu couldn¡¯t quite identify why she looked unwell. More interesting to him was the way she spoke about her husband: willfully neutral and guarded. Before he could form a cohesive enough thought to say anything, Callida was talking again. ¡°Do you want to meet our sons?¡± His brows raised in surprise. ¡°You¡¯ve added to your family since I was here last?¡± ¡°Rogue didn¡¯t send word? No, of course not. Why would he? When you see him, he¡¯s going to tell you they¡¯re not his.¡± Now her tone was distinctively bitter, and the puzzle pieces began to fall into place. ¡°I¡¯d love to see them.¡± She smiled, but there was something terribly sad in that smile. Despite feeling as though he hardly knew her, he felt a certain compulsion to comfort her ¡ª a compulsion he brushed aside in favor of not making things any more awkward. Yansu was shown up the stairs to a nursery where three infants had been carefully spaced across a carpet near the hearth for warmth while they looked around and grabbed at each other. They were too young to be mobile yet. Yansu sat down next to their play mat and picked them up in turn, looking them over, asking their names, passing one of them off to their mother for cleaning. The boys looked undeniably like Rogue, and Yansu hummed in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to pry, but why would Rogue think these boys aren¡¯t his?¡± Callida sighed and sank to the floor with a freshly changed Tiaki. ¡°Because they¡¯re not wolves.¡± ¡°You mean, they¡¯re not hosts?¡± ¡°No, I mean, they are hosts, but they¡¯re not wolves.¡± ¡°Then¡­ what are they?¡± ¡°Oh, Primordials. You¡¯re going to think I¡¯m crazy.¡± He waited patiently, and the soldier-wife eventually continued. ¡°They¡¯ve been identified as a black lion, a black snake, and a black shark.¡± ¡°Two of those are lost tribes,¡± he observed, a quizzical brow challenging the statement. ¡°I know. I know it doesn¡¯t make any sense. I can¡¯t explain it.¡± Still holding Tiaki, the soldier-wife hugged the baby to her chest, her face pinching and then methodically relaxing into a blank expression. Yansu felt uncomfortable knowing that she was getting emotional. ¡°Well, if Rogue isn¡¯t here, I should probably take my leave,¡± he said and stood up. Callida set the baby down with his brothers and also stood to send Yansu off. Her blank expression had completely hardened and closed off. ¡°It was nice seeing you again, Yansu.¡± He¡¯d been dismissed. Yansu tipped his graying head to her and left. He spent the walk back through the military base and along the road to Astu Centralis pondering. It had been a while since Yansu had thought about his ¡°pre-bandit¡± life, or in other words, the time before he and Rogue had joined the Resistance out of desperation. In some ways, it was ancient history that simply didn¡¯t come up, but it was also painful to think about. Before the Resistance, Yansu had lived in a colony, the Yudha Colony, named for its leader and Rogue¡¯s father Chikitsak Yudha. Yansu had been twenty-something when Rogue was born and in his thirties the night the colony had been attacked. That night was a blur of terror. Someone, he couldn¡¯t remember who, had told him to take Rogue, then a ten year old kid, and run. As far as Yansu knew, he and Rogue were the only two members of that colony to make it out alive. While he and Rogue struggled to find shelter and eventually found place amongst the refugees of a wandering tribe, the speculations of why the colony had been attacked and everyone who lived there slaughtered was a matter of heated discussion for years afterwards. Unlike the wandering tribes ¡ª victims of the conspiracy behind the Great War ¡ª the Yudha colony had no enemies. An extermination force simply showed up in the middle of the night and began murdering people, but it was commonly accepted that the colony had been destroyed because of the mythos surrounding the Yudha name. Then starving and struggling for basic survival for both himself and his unlikely charge, Yansu couldn¡¯t be bothered with the rumors, but now¡­. Yansu entered the tavern, locating Rogue immediately in a corner, the only black head of hair in a room full of blondes, and took a seat at his table. ¡°Yansu?¡± ¡°Rogue.¡± ¡°Are you really here, or am I already drunk?¡± ¡°What are you drinking tonight?¡± ¡°Beer. The hangover is less awful than with the heavier stuff.¡± Yansu stole Rogue¡¯s cup and took a small swig, his nose curling in disgust. ¡°You get used to it.¡± ¡°I talked to your wife.¡± Rogue responded by chugging the rest of his beer and ordering a refill. ¡°I saw the babies.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not mine.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°She said you¡¯d say that.¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re not.¡± ¡°Are you so sure?¡± Yansu challenged, and Rogue started chugging again. ¡°Manasik looks exactly like Lianmin did at that age.¡± Rogue¡¯s tumbler slammed against the table, inadvertently triggering Yansu¡¯s old habit of scolding him whenever he was acting like an idiot ¡ª prerogative of being the Beta. ¡°You¡¯re going to side with her?!¡± Yansu waited for Rogue to finish his round before speaking again, carefully planning out the most impactful way to lay into him. ¡°Rogue, have you stopped to even consider that maybe you really are their father?¡± ¡°Because one of them looks vaguely like my dead brother?!¡± ¡°No. Because Callida is their mother. It¡¯s why you fell in love with her in the first place, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Her ¡®uncompromising moral high-ground¡¯.¡± Yansu waited for the statement to sink in, and Rogue started on yet another drink. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t take long for him to become sloppy drunk, and Yansu was cognizant of the urgency to make his point before then. ¡°I seem to recall a time when you felt the need to prove yourself to her because ¡®her respect was worth earning¡¯.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Rogue snarled. ¡°Have you considered that maybe you are the reason those boys aren¡¯t wolves?¡± ¡°How so?!¡± ¡°The Yudha colony was destroyed because someone feared the fulfillment of the Great Prophecy.¡± ¡°You don¡¯ know that.¡± Rogue was beginning to slur. ¡°You don¡¯t either. But what if it¡¯s true?¡± Yansu argued. ¡°Combine the legend of the Yudha name with the mysticism of a rogue Alpha wolf?¡± Rogue actually set his drink down to consider what he was saying, and Yansu continued, feeling self-satisfied. ¡°The restoration of the Lost Tribes, Rogue? That¡¯s straight out of the prophecy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the Great Unifier!¡± ¡°But what if you¡¯re supposed to be? And even if you¡¯re not, there isn¡¯t a man in this world who could father hosts to three different species of animal spirits without sleeping around, and you know Callida would never compromise her honor by doing the sleeping around. Are you willing to ruin your marriage over something you can¡¯t explain?¡± ¡°Wha¡¯ d¡¯ya mean?¡± ¡°Think it through, Alpha. Keep this up, and you¡¯re going to lose her. A woman as independent and capable as Callida doesn¡¯t need the dead weight of a drunken no-show holding her back. Actually, she doesn¡¯t need a man at all, and that¡¯s just a plain fact. Either be the man she deserves, or get out of her way.¡± After a silent moment, Rogue rose to his feet all at once and collected the cloak draped over the back of his chair, leaving without another word. Yansu watched, invested to know which direction Rogue¡¯s drunken backside would choose to turn on the road. He turned right, toward the military base, and Yansu slouched smugly into his seat, taking a swallow of what remained in Rogue¡¯s cup. It still tasted terrible, and Yansu shoved it aside. Good luck, Alpha. *** Callida was mostly asleep kneeling on the floor next to the boys¡¯ bassinet, her hand and forearm a heated, weighted blanket across their swaddled tummies. It wasn¡¯t comfortable, but Callida was tired enough that uncomfortable sleep was better than none, and this was the one thing that seemed to keep them down. She startled when a body staggered through the hallway: Rogue was home earlier than had become his habit, but he was obviously drunk already. She did her best to settle again, her head lulling against the bassinet. But the knob of the nursery door rattled, followed by the uncontrolled swing of the door, and Rogue barreled through the entryway. ¡°You in¡¯ere C¡¯lida?¡± Now she was very awake. Blessedly the boys were not. ¡°Rogue!¡± she whispered, reluctantly removing her arm from the colicky tummies to intercept their drunk father. ¡°C¡¯lida, I need¡¯a¨C¡± ¡°Shh!!!¡± she hushed him and began shoving him out of the room, somehow making it to the hallway without waking the babies. ¡°Primordials, Rogue! Just how drunk are you?¡± she accused in a whisper. ¡°I need¡¯a talk t¡¯ya, C¡¯lida. Id¡¯z all my¨C¡± ¡°Not here, Rogue,¡± she cut him off and resumed shoving him, this time toward the bedroom he¡¯d taken over. ¡°You need to sleep it off. If you want to talk, we can talk tomorrow.¡± ¡°I need¡¯a tell ya b¡¯fore I ferget.¡± ¡°Rogue, not now.¡± She¡¯d made it through the door despite Rogue being difficult. ¡°Get some sleep.¡± She turned to leave, and Rogue caught her wrist. ¡°Don¡¯ go. C¡¯lida¡­.¡± The fire in the hearth provided just enough light to let her see his face ¡ª pained, scared, softened. It was different from how he¡¯d been looking at her for the last month and a half. She studied him, even as his alcohol breath drew ever closer. She watched him lean in, watched what she could see of his face as he kissed her, watched him pull back to adjust. His hands rose to cup her face and steady himself against her, and she was careful to observe every shift in his expression. ¡°C¡¯lida, ¡®m sorry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡± ¡°Thiz iz my faul¡¯d. ¡®M sorry.¡± ¡°Rogue, what do you m¨C¡± She could taste his beer, and, Primordials, he smelled awful, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to push him away. She watched him kiss her, eventually closing her eyes and kissing him back. Rogue staggered forward, shutting the door by knocking Callida against it, and one of his hands dropped to her hip, anchoring himself to her. She knew where this was headed. ¡°I¡¯m not ready for this yet.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to hear her. ¡°Rogue, please. I¡­ I haven¡¯t healed all the way yet.¡± His kisses remained undeterred, and Callida was left to reason through her options with a sleep-deprived brain. Push him away? Let him continue? Maybe there was a third option, but she couldn¡¯t come up with one. It was stupid how badly she needed this though: his affection and attention; the rest of it her body wasn¡¯t ready for, but she was starved enough for the former, that she found herself rationalizing making concessions for the latter. And she wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that he was sorry, because, if he was sorry, then things could change. Maybe she¡¯d be able to talk through things with him. Maybe he¡¯d believe her. Maybe he¡¯d come back. So she let him continue. *** Rogue woke up with his usual hangover and the vague memory of his former Beta sharing a drink with him, but, honestly, as reliable as his memories were these days, it seemed much more likely that he¡¯d had a dream of Yansu meeting him at the tavern for drinks. He shrugged it off as such and got up unwillingly, disgusted with himself that it was already past noon but also resigned to the routine of misery he was spiraling in. He washed up in the dark afforded by the heavy drapes, put on fresh clothes, and returned to sit on the bed feeling useless and worthless and damaged. And the worst part was, there was no end goal. What was he going to do? Drink himself into the grave? Just the thought of her had him counting down to a socially acceptable time to start drinking again. He didn¡¯t want to think about her anymore. He didn¡¯t want to think about her sons or how they¡¯d come into existence. He didn¡¯t want to think about how much he missed her and still wanted her. Come to think of it, he simply didn¡¯t want to think anymore. Or feel. Or breathe. Rogue sighed onto the sheets and spent an unknown amount of time staring at the ceiling, entirely disconnected from his mind. Simply not thinking was only sustainable for so long before errant brain activity became distracting from the nothingness. When he reached that point, Rogue grumbled and rolled over to instead stare at the sheets. The sheets with blood stains. Rogue frowned. He didn¡¯t remember there being blood stains on the sheets when he¡¯d stared at them yesterday. Had he come in with a bloody nose or something last night? He hadn¡¯t noticed any blood when he¡¯d washed up that morning. Huh. How odd. And then he returned to contemplating the nature of a void. *** Hopeful for change for the first time in a month, Callida found a way to rearrange her schedule to get home early. She wanted to connect with Rogue, follow up on last night and really hash things out. She had spent most of her day¡¯s mental energy imagining what she wanted to say and how she wanted to say it, and now she was fit to bursting with all the things left unsaid over the weeks. She ran home. ¡°Celarus, have you seen Rogue?¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°He went out about an hour ago.¡± It felt like a punch to the chest. She felt winded. ¡°Did he say where he was going?¡± Celarus shook his head. ¡°The usual¡­ I assumed.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she barely breathed and turned to head into the parlor and collapse onto the nearest chair, her mind stalled but racing ¡ª her heart broken all over again. ¡°General, forgive me if I¡¯m out of line, but¡­ is there anything I can do?¡± She looked up. Celarus was offering her a handkerchief which she accepted numbly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Mn. Is there anything else I can do for you?¡± ¡°Dismissed,¡± she said automatically when she couldn¡¯t even process his question, and Celarus left shaking his head and sighing to himself. Callida wiped her tears and went upstairs. She dismissed the nurses with as much awareness as she had Celarus and shut the doors of the nursery behind them. The boys were lying on the carpet near the fire. Probus was sucking on his fist and Tiaki kicked excitedly when he saw his mom approaching. Manasik was on his tummy, lifting his head and doing his best to draw the longer fibers of the carpet into his mouth. They were so perfect. How anyone could reject them¡­. It was her fault Rogue had rejected them. Really, he¡¯d rejected her. She dropped to the floor next to them and bawled, feeling like she¡¯d failed her sons for failing to persuade their father to be the dad they deserved. All three boys reactively started fussing with mom crying, and Callida did her best to comfort them as she was unable to quell her own tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± 35 - Defeated Despite the February frost, Callida would sometimes leave the window in the nursery cracked open at night when it got stuffy because she was always there to close the window again if it became too cold or drafty. It helped everyone sleep a little bit better. Her cot was set up in a corner near the window, so she was the first to know if it got too cold. She¡¯d been resisting the gentle suggestions from Celarus to put a real bed in the nursery for herself. The perpetual state of exhaustion would seem to indicate that any and all efforts to improve her sleep quality were worth it, for she was at the mercy of the triplets for the quantity of sleep she got. But officially moving into the nursery felt like giving up, and she wasn¡¯t ready to give up. Not yet. They were chubby and getting more fun ¡ª the triplets. Cooing and giggling and grabbing at things more and more, Callida appreciated being able to interact with them meaningfully even when they managed to snag a fistful of her hair. All three of the boys were trying to roll over too. Tiaki had succeeded quite by accident the other day; he had yet to repeat the maneuver, but the two nurses had excitedly informed Callida that this was the first step to becoming mobile. She wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that. More relevant to her sleep dilemma, the boys had started teething. Between the coos and giggles, they fussed and gnawed on anything and everything. It took longer to get them to sleep, and they struggled more to stay asleep because of the discomfort. Her own body ratcheted up on shots of sleep-deprived adrenaline, it also took her longer to fall asleep. Finally getting all three boys down, Callida would slump into her cot and then curse the elusiveness of sleep. Inevitably, the exact moment that the adrenaline would wear off and Callida would begin to drift was the moment a baby would start crying, and a new hit of adrenaline would start the cycle all over again. She was drifting. The window was cracked. The babies were quiet. But something moved in the dark. It was silent, undetected but for the hairs prickling on the back of her neck. She resisted the awareness, desperate for sleep. And then she remembered that unknown, silent things that moved at night were usually dangerous. She opened her eyes to see a figure hovering over the bassinet. His back was to her, his hair white in the moonlight and slicked into a short ponytail just above the nape of his neck. She knew him, but she didn¡¯t know his name. He¡¯d only ever introduced himself to her as ¡°the Master of Assassins¡±; secretive, self-serving, unpredictable but as clever as they came, always knew more than he should, only found when he wanted to be, he was, put simply, extremely dangerous ¡ª a phantom. Incidentally, Callida had nicknamed him ¡°Kopam¡± after a phantom of folklore; he, in turn, called her ¡°Steel Shadow¡±, the public nickname she¡¯d acquired as Verum¡¯s bodyguard. Callida slipped off the cot, pulling the knife from under her pillow and moving swiftly to set the blade against his throat before she could be detected. ¡°What are you doing here, Kopam?¡± In the moonlight, the Master of Assassins grinned, turning slowly to reveal luminous (glistening?) green eyes, a deceptively middle-aged appearance incongruent with his pure white hair, and the sleeping bundle in his arms. Already jittery from the overdose of adrenaline, Callida¡¯s knife nearly slipped. The MOA flinched. ¡°I¡¯m only testing a theory.¡± ¡°Put him down,¡± she hissed, and he obliged, moving slowly but fluidly to return Manasik to his bed. His next move was a deliberate display of surrender. He stepped back with his hands up, allowing the jumpy mother to place herself between him and her babies. ¡°Good evening, Steel Shadow,¡± he greeted her with a slight nod. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°What did you do to them?¡± Callida opted to skip the pleasantries. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°You said you were testing a theory. I know how you test your theories, Kopam. I¡¯ve been the subject of your tests before, remember?¡± ¡°Ah. A poor choice of words on my part then.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I intend no harm. I was merely curious to meet your children.¡± ¡°Then knock on the door.¡± He smiled at that. ¡°You know that¡¯s not my way.¡± ¡°What do you want? Why are you curious about my sons?¡± His smile transitioned into a smirk that held secrets she knew he wouldn¡¯t reveal readily if at all. ¡°They are unusual,¡± was all he said, and Callida¡¯s brain started spinning with the implications. ¡°You are a spiritualist, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah, but what is a spiri¨C¡± ¡°Cut the riddles, Kopam! We¡¯ve been through this exact definitions game before.¡± ¡°Have we indeed?¡± ¡°Can you or can you not tell me what they are?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t already know?¡± ¡°Can you explain what it means or how it happened?¡± His brow quirked, and Callida held his eye contact unflinchingly, watching his expression as the deflective banter became calculated. He began a slow back-and-forth ambling, mindful not to wander too close to the bassinet, his hands interlocking in front of him, index fingers pointed in thought. ¡°Would you like to see for yourself what they are?¡± ¡°How? I¡¯m not a spiritualist.¡± ¡°It will require you to trust me.¡± ¡°Trust you.¡± She nearly scoffed at the idea, but she lowered the knife just the same. He chuckled softly and approached her, still careful. ¡°Would you like to introduce me to your sons properly?¡± ¡°No tricks, Kopam.¡± ¡°My dear, given your current condition, trying any tricks would be hazardous to my health,¡± he said, but Callida detected something more sincere beneath the superficial tease. For that, she stowed the knife in her waistband, prepared to trust his intentions for one night. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± He gestured toward the crib behind her, and Callida turned, feeling Kopam creep up behind her until she could feel his heat without any physical contact. ¡°Reach out and touch them.¡± She extended her hand, placing it on Probus¡¯s chest. Kopam¡¯s right hand settled lightly over the top of hers, and she gasped a little when his left splayed between her shoulder blades. ¡°Shut your eyes,¡± he whispered. The moment her eyes closed, her consciousness seemed to travel to her chest, level with where his hand rested against her back. From there, it moved through her arm down to where her hand was touching Probus, but it also subtly leaked into Kopam¡¯s hand at her back and through to where his hand hovered over hers. It was bizarre¡­ and distracting. Which point of contact ¡ª the top of her hand or her palm ¡ª was she supposed to pay attention to? ¡°You have to look,¡± he instructed, a moment later adding, ¡°not with your eyes. Use your wolf¡¯s eyes.¡± It simultaneously made perfect sense and no sense at all, but as she focused on her connection with Goldie, something materialized in her mind¡¯s eye. What she saw was a sleepy, fluffy feline formed from a glittery black light. Large, round ears and a tuft at the end of its tail, the creature, though black, was unmistakably a lion cub. That precious ball of fuzzy ether was as much her son as Probus was ¡ª another thought that both did and didn¡¯t make sense. She wasn¡¯t ready to move on when Kopam¡¯s hand coaxed hers to transition to Tiaki¡¯s chest, but no sooner had her skin come into contact with his blanket than she saw more shimmery black. This creature in Tiaki¡¯s chest swam steadily in a circle, the loops synchronized with his resting heart rate. Long and lean, the creature was different from any she¡¯d ever seen before. It was like a fish but with predatory power. Having lived in land-locked tribes her entire life, Callida had never seen a shark before, but she could easily imagine that this was what one looked like. Kopam moved her hand to Manasik¡¯s chest where another animal spirit was resting in a tight coil. How anyone could confuse this creature with a dragon, Callida had no idea. It looked exactly like an obsidian-scaled, baby waste serpent ¡ª a snake. It was sleek and beautiful. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. And it made sense. Somehow it all made sense. Of course Probus hosted a lion, Tiaki a shark, and Manasik a snake. How could they not? This was what¨C This was who they were, much like how their names had simply fit. The Master of Assassins stepped back, giving her space and silence in which to process after the connection was broken. ¡°Thank you,¡± Callida whispered tearfully when her mind returned to the moment. ¡°Mn,¡± he hummed. Another minute passed before Kopam bowed out and went to the window. ¡°Wait!¡± she called to him, and he paused, allowing her to approach him. ¡°What does it mean? How did this happen? Why did this happen?¡± ¡°All in good time, my dear,¡± he replied softly, and intentionally benign hands moved to tilt her face downward so he could kiss the crown of her head. She accepted the gesture, and her eyes closed to the gentle pressure. She blinked. He was already gone. *** ¡°General, what do you think of the proposed changes?¡± Verum asked after the presentation had been thoroughly picked apart by his council to the point that he almost couldn¡¯t even remember the main points up for consideration. He was counting on her military efficiency to bring the discussion full circle and back on track. ¡°General Yudha?¡± he prompted when she didn¡¯t readily respond. After a moment more spent in silence, Verum pulled his head out of the documents he was scanning to look for her in her usual place against the western wall. ¡°General?¡± Her head was bowed, her hands clasped behind a back now leaning precariously against the tapestried wall behind her. ¡°Callida?¡± Her posture seemed to sag even further as he watched until¨C ¡°Primordials, Callida!¡± He was on his feet, rushing to where she¡¯d¡­ fallen asleep? Even the impact against the hard, stone floor hadn¡¯t woken her, and rolling her onto her back barely elicited a small pinching between her eyebrows, the forming bruise above her temple already transitioning from a lush red into a deep purple that promised an impressive goose egg. ¡°You, soldier, get a doctor,¡± he ordered, and the palace guard in question left quickly, leaving the council to circle and fret until his return. Meanwhile, Verum removed the regal cloak he was wearing and lifted his friend¡¯s head off the hard ground to stuff it underneath her. Threading the gap between appropriate concern and inappropriate intimacy was, as usual, a challenge when it came to Callida. Apart from brushing the loose hair out of her face, he resisted doing anything more than simply looking her over ¡ª the knot swelling on the left side of her head, the heavy makeup concealing dark bags under her eyes, how hollow her cheeks were, how pale her skin had become, things he¡¯d never have noticed without studying her like this. Pondering for a moment, he realized that the last time he¡¯d really looked her over, she was still on maternity leave. Though pale, she¡¯d looked better then. That was only three months ago? Four? The doctor arrived, procuring a packet of smelling salts that roused Callida into a groggy consciousness. ¡°What happened?¡± she mumbled, sitting up slowly with the doctor¡¯s hand supporting her back. She winced a little when her hand moved to rub the sleep from her eyes and accidentally found the bump on her head. The doctor conducted a cursory exam, declared that she¡¯d simply fainted, prescribed rest, and packed up, the rest of the room once again settling into their assigned seats as he left. ¡°Callida, a word?¡± Verum asked when she¡¯d found her feet. ¡°Council, excuse us a minute.¡± Leading Callida to a small room down the hallway, Verum dismissed Captain Pius to stand outside the door while he debated where to begin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Verum. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°What?¡± He frowned and turned to where she was standing with her hands behind her back once more, her head now hanging with apologetic shame. ¡°Callida, I¡¯m more worried about it happening at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to disrupt the council. I-¡± ¡°Stop apologizing! I didn¡¯t bring you here to scold you.¡± Verum waited for a response, watched her head lift and face pinch in confusion, watched it drop again with a defeat that made him hurt. ¡°Callida, are you alright?¡± The jagged staccato of her next inhale, the way she ducked her face and turned further away from him ¡ª Verum felt momentarily winded. ¡°Primordials.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± It came out in a pale gasp. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Verum.¡± His arms wrapped around her before he could think to stop himself, and though her hands remained stubbornly clasped behind her, her face buried into his chest, and Verum couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d seen her so utterly broken. ¡°I¡¯m failing at literally everything,¡± she puffed between sobs. ¡°I¡¯m passing out during council meetings, I can¡¯t get through my own training, I¡¯m barely functioning as a commanding officer, I¡¯m a terrible mother and a worse wife¡­ I can¡¯t do everything! I can¡¯t, Verum! I can¡¯t explain what happened. I don¡¯t know why the boys aren¡¯t wolves! I¡¯m sorry. I¡­ I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m telling you this. I¡­ Primordials! I can¡¯t believe I just told you that!¡± She pulled away, embarrassment in the way she choked back whatever remained unsaid. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Forget I said anything¡­.¡± ¡°Callida,¡± Verum probed cautiously, ¡°what¡¯s going on with your boys?¡± ¡°Nothing. They¡¯re fine,¡± she deflected clumsily. ¡°But they aren¡¯t wolves?¡± Anguished tears welled up again, and Verum watched his friend methodically stifle them. ¡°No. They¡¯re not. They¡¯re not even the same as each other. I can¡¯t explain what happened.¡± ¡°What species are they hosts to?¡± ¡°They shouldn¡¯t even exist, Verum.¡± ¡°Callida, what are they?¡± he asked as gently as he could while Callida grew frantic. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. They shouldn¡¯t exist. Even if I had cheated, who could father three different species all at once?¡± The surprise that had lifted his brow initially pinched into a scowl. ¡°Qiangde is questioning your faithfulness?¡± ¡°How could he not?¡± she whispered painfully, that same defeat from earlier becoming heavy enough to drive her into a chair, and Verum was once again struck by how exhausted she looked. ¡°How could he not, Verum? I mean, what would you think? I¡¯m surrounded by men constantly, most of them lions, and Probus at least is a lion. What would you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not him, Callida. I would think it was weird and take the boys to a temple to see if the Guardians there could explain anything.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t doubt that you were the father, even for a second?¡± ¡°I know you too well for that.¡± Two fat tears rolled down her face as she met his eyes, and it hurt to see how badly she wanted to believe him ¡ª how she couldn¡¯t believe him. ¡°There wasn¡¯t anyone else?¡± ¡°No. No one. Verum, I swear, Qiangde¨C¡± ¡°I believe you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Verum sat down in the seat across from hers, taking her hand and very intentionally leveling their eyes. ¡°Callida, I believe you.¡± She burst into tears again, this time folding in half as the sobs overwhelmed her, and Verum set his free hand against her shoulder until she¡¯d cried herself dry. It hurt to watch, and suddenly that strange interaction with a drunk Qiangde all those months ago started to make sense. Verum found himself growing angry on Callida''s behalf. ¡°Where are your boys at?¡± ¡°Home, with their nurses.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring them to the palace nursery? Their nurses can come with them, and we have an incredible, rotating, twenty-four hour staff that¡¯s, frankly, underwhelmed with only Tatio to look after.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very generous, Verum, but¨C¡± ¡°Go get your boys. Our staff can keep them overnight so you can get a solid night¡¯s sleep. For future reference, taking advantage of the palace nursery is a standing offer, but I¡¯m ordering you to use it for at least the next twenty-four hours. You need the support, Callida, and I need you to be functional.¡± ¡°Verum¨C¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep in Avena¡¯s old room? That way you can be closer should there be an emergency or should your boys need something. The nursery is just upstairs from there.¡± She¡¯d run out of specific protests, and Verum waited, watching her fierce independence contend with her exhaustion through the window of her eyes. ¡°Let me help you, Callida. There is no reason why you should have to do this alone, and the ladies in the nursery would absolutely die to have a few new babies to cuddle,¡± he added with a small chuckle. ¡°Optatio is approaching his first birthday, and Flore told me last week that his nurses were probing about when they could expect the next installment.¡± ¡°Ok, you win. I¡¯ll go get the boys.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let the nursery know that you¡¯re coming.¡± 36 - Ultimatum Apart from confirming that the Yudha boys had successfully made their way to the nursery and that Callida had taken up residence in Avena¡¯s room for a desperately needed nap, Verum hadn¡¯t had the time to think too hard about the Lion General and her family, but when the day¡¯s business had finished, dinner with his own wife and son was eaten distractedly. ¡°The nurses were thrilled to have Callida¡¯s babies in the nursery today,¡± Flore was saying, and Verum did his best to engage in the conversation fully. ¡°They''re so cute! I can¡¯t even imagine trying to juggle three babies all at once. I thought just the one was challenging, and I had all the help in the world! I don¡¯t know how Callida and Rogue do it all.¡± ¡°She¡¯s been really tired.¡± ¡°I can only imagine,¡± Flore nodded with appreciation while coaxing Optatio into eating another bite of ground up¡­ something. ¡°Flore, I¡¯m sorry, would you excuse me? I have something I need to take care of.¡± ¡°I thought you said you¡¯d finished all of your council business for the day,¡± she pouted. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not council business. It shouldn¡¯t take long. Maybe an hour? I should be back in time to help put Tatio to sleep.¡± Flore¡¯s frown deepened just a little, but she didn¡¯t press the issue. ¡°One hour?¡± Verum stood up with a smile and leaned over the corner of the table to kiss her. ¡°I¡¯ll be in my study if you need me. Thank you, Dearest.¡± Once in his study, Verum got to work writing out a formal note in his usual, carefully crafted calligraphy, finishing it off with a crimson wax seal and the royal crest before passing it to a messenger for immediate delivery. And now we wait. *** Time was about as relevant as he felt. Rogue had woken up sometime in the afternoon to a quiet house with a hangover making his head pound. He¡¯d gotten up, bathed, forced himself to swallow the water his body was screaming for, and then aimlessly wandered the gardens while waiting for an appropriate hour to return to the tavern for dinner and another bottomless round of mind-numbing beers. And he hated himself for choosing the alcohol over his wife and¡­ her kids. But he also hated his life, how useless he felt, how badly he needed her even through this crisis of trust and self. And he hated how, recently, Shyaam had been fighting him ¡ª trying to persuade him that the boys were his despite logic saying otherwise¡­ despite logic not existing at all. None of this made sense! ¡°Qiangde Yudha?¡± A palace messenger interrupted his brooding as the day¡¯s light had faded just enough to justify the trek into town. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have a message for you from the palace.¡± One look at the seal and Rogue felt viscerally angry. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for the Lion General, she¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°No, sir, I¡¯m looking for you.¡± The messenger rotated the letter to display the name of the intended recipient, and Rogue found fault with the gorgeous penmanship when the messenger was proved correct. Accepting the letter and breaking the seal, Rogue sped through the invitation and only barely managed to stifle a rising scoff. ¡°He wants to see me right now?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± the messenger said with a snip to his voice that made Rogue prickle all the more. ¡°Follow me, please.¡± Spending the walk to the palace brooding about what the Lion King wanted with him, Rogue found himself staring at the door of the royal study prepared to accept the worst case scenario he¡¯d been able to conjure: the Lion King had fathered Callida¡¯s children and had now found an excuse to get rid of her husband. ¡°Come in!¡± He took a deep breath and took the plunge. ¡°You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Ah, Qiangde, yes. Thank you for coming,¡± the king began with a somberness that set the tone for a dark conversation. ¡°What can I do for you, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Verum,¡± he corrected, and Rogue felt his temper flare. ¡°Flore has told me that you are an incredible healer. I¡­ have need of your talents.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± That was not the direction he¡¯d seen this conversation taking at all. ¡°One of my best councilmen collapsed this morning in the middle of our meeting. I know he¡¯s been under a lot of stress recently, but he¡¯s young and otherwise very healthy¡­. I think he might be depressed? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s been sleeping well, he¡¯s lost weight, and¡­ well, I¡¯m worried about him. Would you be willing to examine him?¡± Rogue blinked, processing things a half second slower than he¡¯d have liked. ¡°I¡­ sure. I¡¯ll need to get my medical supplies, but¨C¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. Assuming you¡¯d be willing, I took the liberty of requesting a full medkit from the hospital wing. It¡¯s just there by the door.¡± Rogue¡¯s brow lifted in surprise, but he knelt down to indeed find the medkit very thoroughly stocked. ¡°It looks good,¡± he admitted awkwardly. ¡°Um, where¡¯s the patient.¡± ¡°¡®Next room over. I¡¯ll take you to him.¡± Rogue nodded and followed the king out, arriving in front of a floral-carved door that seemed vaguely familiar. ¡°In there,¡± Verum directed, and Rogue let himself in, taking in the darkness of the room and the vaguely human shape on a large bed to the left before the door was shut quietly behind him¡­ and locked. ¡°Hey!¡± The shout was muffled automatically for the professional quiet he¡¯d adopted for his patient¡¯s sake. But trying the handle, the door was definitely locked from the outside. Ok. I guess¡­ check on the patient? But as he got closer, Shyaam¡¯s growing agitation told him who was on the bed before he could see her face, and his wolf¡¯s desperation was quickly matched by his own feelings of betrayal. She set this up: some plot to manipulate me by forcing me into a confrontation. But even as he thought it, he knew it didn¡¯t make sense. Callida wasn¡¯t waiting for him to arrive. In fact, she was so deeply asleep, she hadn¡¯t even budged from his shout of surprise and subsequent bumbling about. He sighed and drew a curtain back, letting the last rays of sunlight help him locate a different light source, returning to the side of the bed with an oil lamp flickering in his palm. She looked haggard. Male pronouns aside, the king¡¯s assessment of his ¡°patient¡± seemed accurate if her gaunt cheeks, dark eye sockets, and bruised head were any indication. Had she really collapsed? A twinge of guilt mingled with a need to help her¡­ Rogue shoved Shyaam¡¯s feelings aside and began the promised examination. The bruise on her head was recent and swollen. Her breathing and heart rate were normal. Her temperature was normal, but her hands were cold. Poor circulation? That didn¡¯t mean anything by itself, but it might indicate that she was still battling anemia after giving birth. It¡¯s been over three months though. She shouldn¡¯t be anemic still¡­ unless she hasn¡¯t been eating. And she was skinny. Wearing a thin, cotton night dress, Rogue didn¡¯t need to do more than watch the rise and fall of her chest while she breathed to count her ribs. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Primordials¡­¡± he found himself muttering as the guilty feeling Shyaam was projecting suddenly became oppressive. My fault¡­ And then he started noticing other details ¡ª her normally silky hair heaped in an oily, sweaty tangle against her throat instead of sprawled across the pillow in a fluffy, citrusy curtain, the rigidness of her posture as she lay on her back, rather than curling comfortably on her side, the tension in her jaw, the permanent furrowing between her eyebrows, a subtle, periodic twitch in her left hand as she fought the demons in her dreams. He couldn¡¯t help it; he reached out a hand, setting it against her sternum, his eyes closing in reluctant concentration. Shyaam found his Beta at least as tortured as Callida appeared. A naturally vibrant and vivacious creature, Goldie was pale, her glowing gold essence dull and taking on a similar appearance to Callida¡¯s snaggled mane. Instead of welcoming Shyaam¡¯s connection with her usual affectionate enthusiasm, she couldn¡¯t muster more than a bankrupt acknowledgement. Self-imposed hatred¡­ His need to connect, comfort, and strengthen was building into a frenzy. ¡°Rogue?! What¨C What are you doing here?! Get out!¡± She¡¯d rolled away from him and off the bed, breaking the connection before he could even open his eyes and putting as much distance between them as she could. Shyaam was begging; Rogue teared up. ¡°Get out. Please, Rogue, don¡¯t do this to me again. I can¡¯t¡­ do this again.¡± ¡°Again?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember? Of course not,¡± she laughed and sobbed all at once. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t remember. That would be way too convenient.¡± ¡°What are you¨C?¡± ¡°Last month? You came into the boys¡¯ room sloppy drunk? It was all I could do to redirect you to our room before you could wake them. You started apologizing; I wanted to believe you. I let you kiss me even though I wasn¡¯t ready¡­ even though it hurt. Maybe you remember waking up and finding blood on the sheets,¡± she accused. ¡°I¨C¡± ¡°Well, congratulations, Rogue. You¡¯re going to be a father again, if you care to claim the child this time. I confirmed the pregnancy last week.¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re pregnant again? Already?!¡± She was trembling, even in the pale light and across the room, he could tell. ¡°Just get out!¡± ¡°Callida¨C¡± ¡°No. No, I don¡¯t want to hear it! You promised me last time that we were in this together. You lied. I can¡¯t handle any more empty promises from you. I can¡¯t. If you want to walk away from this family, then go. I don¡¯t have that luxury. I can¡¯t explain why they are what they are, but I can¡¯t conveniently reject and abandon them because they came out of my body! It doesn¡¯t matter that I wasn¡¯t ready for one, let alone three of them. It doesn¡¯t matter that I know you are their father. It doesn¡¯t matter that I love you more than anything in this world or that you are the only man I even want. So if you want to run away, then¡­ then DO IT already! And this time, don¡¯t come back.¡± The tumble of words felt like a dagger to his heart ¡ª delivered with a tearful earnestness that testified of a deep, underlying pain ¡ª because they were true. And he hated that he couldn¡¯t help but believe her because he still wasn¡¯t ready to accept what she was saying. He didn¡¯t even want to ask: ¡°do you want me to leave?¡± ¡°No¡­. Primordials, Rogue! But I can¡¯t take this anymore. If you don¡¯t trust me, then there is literally nothing that I can do to convince you that those babies are yours! You¡¯re my only, Qiangde. That¡¯s a fact. They can only be yours, so if you don¡¯t believe me, just go. Please. Every time you come back drunk, every time you leave¡­ it breaks me all over again, and I can¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°Callida¨C¡± ¡°CHOOSE! You either trust me and believe me, or you don¡¯t. You¡¯re either my husband and their father, or you¡¯re not. Choose to engage, or choose to leave. I can¡¯t do this in between anymore. I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving me an ultimatum?¡± he gasped as he suddenly couldn¡¯t breathe. Somehow, despite the logic requiring him to doubt her loyalty, despite the rift he¡¯d been tearing through their family, it hadn¡¯t really sunk in that he could completely lose his family ¡ª lose her ¡ª permanently. ¡°I guess I am,¡± she replied after her own moment spent in stunned silence. Perhaps she hadn¡¯t fully realized the gravity of what she was proposing. His mouth went dry while his sober brain grappled with the pain he¡¯d spent the last three months trying to drown in liquor. Time had complicated and compounded that pain with a blistering guilt ¡ª guilt of rejecting three infant boys and abandoning their mother to care for them by herself. If he accepted that Callida was telling him the truth, had been telling him the truth all along, then he¡¯d have to accept that ponderous burden of guilt too. The facts that he couldn¡¯t ignore remained unchanged despite an unwillingness to acknowledge them. The boys each hosted a different species, and there wasn¡¯t a man alive who could reasonably claim to have fathered all three of them. The boys looked like him; literally everyone thought so. But perhaps the most pressing, Callida really was the most honorable person he¡¯d ever met; that¡¯s why he¡¯d married her. Her raw, guileless pleadings were honest¡­ which meant¡­. Shyaam continued to beg while Rogue wrestled with his thoughts, and Callida remained quietly crying in a corner where the early glimmers of moonlight brought her trembling frame into sharp relief. It felt like it had been forever since he¡¯d truly seen her and recognized her as a person, and there she was respectfully awaiting his decision to her ultimatum ¡ª a decision that could truly break her. Yet, she stood bravely, unapologetic and unwavering despite the obvious torture he was putting her through¡­ And he knew. ¡°M¡¯lady¡­.¡± Words wholly failed him, but it didn¡¯t matter. Callida sank to her hands and knees and bawled for the use of the nearly forgotten endearment, and Rogue gingerly approached her to take a knee and set a hand against her back, just hoping that the contact wouldn¡¯t be rejected. Drained and weakened, Callida collapsed further beneath his palm, curling up on the stone floor at his toes. ¡°Callida, let¡¯s get you in bed.¡± She allowed him to help her to her feet, support her walk back to the bed, and tuck her into the blankets without any resistance. As soon as he tried to step back, however, Callida¡¯s hand snatched his wrist in a death grip. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Again, the words he needed to express himself didn¡¯t seem to exist, and the vulnerability and fear in her eyes were not lost on him. He bent down to offer her a delicate kiss, a kiss that she leaned into hesitantly but became a short series of cautiously hopeful caresses. ¡°Do you want me to sleep here or on the couch?¡± Her grip still tight around his wrist, Callida tugged his hand to her heart. ¡°Do you believe me? Rogue, please, do you believe me, or are you just going to run again? I need to know.¡± He searched her face, the way her very soul seemed to lay bare before him... ¡°If you tell me right now that they¡¯re mine, I¡¯ll believe you.¡± A small, desperate sob¡­ ¡°They are, Qiangde. They¡¯re yours. There never was, never has been, anyone else.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he choked, willing himself to internalize his next statement. ¡°I believe you.¡± Her tears of relief merged with his tears of regret, and while Rogue wanted to hide in shame, Callida couldn¡¯t get her arms around him quickly enough. Nudging and coaxing him onto the bed next to her, Callida adjusted to curl up in the crook of his shoulder, her head against his chest seeking the comfort of their former sleeping habits as she quickly grew sleepy. But Rogue was troubled. Even if Callida really could so easily forgive him for months of neglect and abandonment, he couldn¡¯t forgive himself. And¡­ Primordials! She said she¡¯s pregnant again?! His hand dropped to her abdomen in a sudden panic, hoping that somehow she was mistaken or that he¡¯d misunderstood, but there was no mistaking the telltale energy beneath his palm. He felt sick. It was dangerous for her to get pregnant so soon after the last high-risk pregnancy, especially in her current condition¡­. He curled into her, drawing her close to kiss her forehead with the fear of losing her forever morphing to take on a new shape. My fault. This is all my fault. I did this to her. His self-hatred was approaching fever pitch when his wife sleepily shifted, wrapping an arm up and around his neck with the bleary-eyed, mumbled declaration, ¡°love you, Qiangde.¡± Time stopped, just for a moment, suspending the opposing narratives in a bizarre juxtaposition that demanded resolution: on the one hand, his broiling self-hatred, on the other, her fiercely undeterred love. And while he was making the choice to trust and believe her, it seemed to make sense that he should also accept her version of this narrative while his own judgment remained clouded by a mind in turmoil. One thing was certain: holding her and soaking up her stubbornly uncomplicated, unyielding love, he needed this, and for the first time in months, Rogue found sleep easily without a drop of alcohol. 37 - Contrition Rogue wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the morning light filtering through the dark curtains of a room he was unfamiliar with. He woke up slowly, absorbing his surroundings. A shift in his position alerted him to the comfortable weight against his left shoulder, and Rogue tucked his chin to find Callida¡¯s head resting there. It all came back at once, and Rogue felt like he was drowning under the suffocating feelings that came with the memories of the night before. In an effort to keep himself from entering a guilt spiral after barely escaping another of grief, Rogue started brainstorming productive things to do. Most of them required supplies that he didn¡¯t have, so he got up, went to the door, and tested the knob to find it unlocked. Opening it, however, Rogue was barred by guards on either side. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Rogue offered in a placating whisper. ¡°Sorry, sir, but we have our orders,¡± the guard to the right stated. ¡°What orders?¡± ¡°His Majesty¡¯s orders are to not allow anyone out of this room until he returns to say otherwise.¡± ¡°But we can send for something if you need it,¡± the guard on the left offered. ¡°And His Majesty left this for you.¡± The guard handed him a sealed note that he placed in his pocket for the moment while he frowned at the bizarre concoction of formless thoughts and emotions triggered by this exchange. He pushed the resulting discomfort aside to make some requests: food, drinking water, water for a bath, and a change of linens for the bed. The guards acknowledged his list and pulled the doors shut again, leaving Rogue to stew behind them. Withdrawing the note from his pocket, Rogue broke the crimson seal. To Callida ¡ª I¡¯m excusing you from council meetings today. I also took the liberty of checking on your boys this morning because I know you¡¯ll need an update as soon as you wake up. I left the nurses, yours included, with explicit instructions on where to find you in the event of an emergency, but your boys were all very happily playing when I checked in. The ladies in the nursery are practically drooling over them, so rest assured that they are being very well looked after. And I do mean rest assured. That¡¯s an order, General. To Qiangde ¡ª I will expect a full report on my councilman¡¯s condition and recommendations for her treatment when I return in the early afternoon. See to it that she is taken care of until then. I need the Lion General to be functional, and I can¡¯t have her passing out during council meetings again. His Majesty, Verum Rex Rogue set the letter down on the nightstand next to Callida and began pacing, feeling strangely numb. His Majesty had set this up: care for the babies, her forced leave of absence to rest, his own cooperation achieved through careful deception, the subsequent confrontation, and now house arrest ¡ª all of it, everything that Callida needed the most whether she herself realized or willingly accepted it or not. That numb feeling in his chest seemed to crack open, guilt seeping out to flood his entire body. And that unfounded jealousy where the Lion King was concerned merged with his own guilt in the bitter acknowledgement: His Majesty is better for Callida than I am. I¡¯m not good enough for her. The door opened, and Rogue closed the drapes around the giant four-poster bed to shield Callida while the maids brought in trays of breakfast, clean bedding, and hot water for a bath. Soon the maids left again, and Rogue returned to a couch by the hearth, slouching miserably into the cushions and closing his eyes. He hadn¡¯t meant to doze off, and Rogue startled to realize the ill patient with wheezy lungs and a stuffy nose in his dream was actually mimicking the real life sounds of someone in distress. ¡°Callida?¡± The drapes still closed around the bed obscured his view, and Rogue got up to check on her. He found her sitting up and suppressing tears. ¡°Primordials, Callida, what¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked and took the space next to her on the bed. Her arms folded around his neck immediately. ¡°Y-you¡¯re still here,¡± she breathed shakily into his shoulder. ¡°I-I thought¡­. I thought¡­. Rogue, tell me you still believe me? Tell me you¡¯re going to stay?¡± Her palm moved to his chest; Shyaam responded to her despite the words remaining lodged in Rogue¡¯s throat. ¡°Qiangde, please. Do you believe me now?¡± He nodded, and Callida kissed indiscriminately at whatever part of him was most accessible to her before resting against his shoulder again. ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± she sighed sleepily. ¡°M¡¯lady, let¡¯s get you cleaned up.¡± She nodded and obediently rose to her feet, the amount of strain required to do so more akin to an old lady three or four times her age. ¡°Do you need any help?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of some things out here then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She disappeared, and Rogue got to work refreshing the bedding and relocating the trays of lukewarm food. He then went to open a window, letting in a chilly, but refreshing breeze. ¡°Oh, Primordials!!¡± The exclamation startled him, and Rogue hurried to the bathroom to check that everything was okay, nearly colliding with a haphazardly toweled Callida heading the other direction. ¡°Callida, what¡¯s wrong?!¡± ¡°Primordials, it¡¯s so late!¡± she explained in a panic on her way to snatch up a neatly folded uniform. Rogue had never seen anyone get dressed so quickly before. ¡°Callida, slow down!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea what time it is!¡± She was braiding her sopping but clean hair back, her loose uniform plastered to her damp skin. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go! I haven¡¯t checked on the boys since yesterday afternoon, and I¡¯m so late!¡± ¡°Late for what?¡± ¡°The council meeting, obviously!¡± He smirked. He couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Callida, you need to slow down, and read this,¡± Rogue said, collecting His Majesty¡¯s most recent orders from the nightstand to shove in her face. She impatiently snatched the note out of his hands, reading it as she tugged her boots on, one only making it halfway over her foot before she stopped tugging to read the note more closely. ¡°Oh.¡± The urgency left, and suddenly Callida appeared to be on the verge of collapse. She swayed on her feet, and Rogue caught her elbow. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to bed.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She accepted his guidance and stepped out of the half-on boot. Back at the bed, Rogue pulled her other boot off, and helped her out of her uniform and into a clean nightdress. ¡°Eat something before you pass out again.¡± Another nod, and she accepted her breakfast tray, picking at it distractedly. Rogue sat behind her so he could better towel off her hair and run a brush through it. She wasn¡¯t eating much, and Rogue frowned. ¡°Callida, aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been nauseous.¡± Right. The pregnancy. He cringed against the twinge of guilt. ¡°When was the last time you ate something?¡± ¡°Um? Yesterday¡­ maybe?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± His frown deepened. ¡°Um¡­. It might have been the night before.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten in nearly two days?!¡± She started to protest, and then slumped forward. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± ¡°Callida, you have to eat. If you keep going this way¡­.¡± Rogue swallowed and second-guessed himself three or four times in a matter of seconds. ¡°M¡¯lady, look at me,¡± he said, coaxing her to rotate. ¡°It¡­ it might be wise to terminate the pregnancy, and before you get mad at me¡­. Callida, this pregnancy could kill you. You¡¯re still anemic from the last high-risk pregnancy, you¡¯re beyond exhausted, and I haven¡¯t seen you this skinny since I first met you, and you were a prisoner of war back then! If you can¡¯t take care of yourself, then as a doctor, I have to recommend termination of the pregnancy, or I run the risk of losing both patients. You can¡¯t sustain both yourself and a pregnancy in this condition, and at this rate your body might even reject the pregnancy all on its own.¡± She was very quiet ¡ª very still. ¡°Callida?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the habit of killing innocents, Rogue.¡± He deflated against the pillows behind him. Anxiety. Fear. Shame. Guilt. Mostly guilt. ¡°We made the choices that got us into this situation, which means it¡¯s our responsibility to fix it,¡± she countered with undeniable logic. ¡°So how do we fix it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m asking the other guy in this room,¡± Callida snarked, a feeble effort to lighten the mood. ¡°Rogue, what are our other options?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to rest and go on a strict diet to address your anemia and build you back up to a normal weight while nourishing the baby. You will have to eat even if you feel nauseous and eat again if you throw it up. Do you understand?¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. She answered by picking up her discarded breakfast tray to try again in earnest. ¡°It¡¯s better than the alternative.¡± *** Verum knocked on the floral-carved door quietly in case someone was napping. After a few moments, Qiangde came to the door, and the two men stared at each other awkwardly. ¡°May I come in?¡± Verum asked after a moment, and Qiangde stepped back to allow him through. ¡°How¡¯s the Lion General?¡± ¡°Asleep,¡± he replied in a whisper, gesturing to the figure curled up on the bed, and Verum adjusted his own volume accordingly. ¡°What¡¯s your report on her condition?¡± Qiangde was acting strange again, something flashing in his eyes, something defiant in his rigid posture, playing it off with a smirk and a muscle twitching in his jaw. Verum recalculated. ¡°Maybe we should talk in my office? It¡¯s just down the hall.¡± Qiangde tipped his head forward in agreement, and Verum led the way to the next room over with a giant lion¡¯s head carved in the door. ¡°Have a seat, Qiangde,¡± Verum gestured to the inviting living space by the hearth and went to a cabinet to pour a couple of drinks. Qiangde accepted the offered wine with a hesitant ¡°thanks¡± and then sat fidgeting with the glass without drinking any of it. ¡°How¡¯s your wife, Qiangde?¡± Verum asked and slouched into the seat across from his guest. Now the wolf took a sip¡­ a swallow¡­ a gulp¡­. Verum watched with a single, raised eyebrow and set his own glass down on a side table. ¡°Would you care for another glass?¡± ¡°No. One is plenty.¡± ¡°Are you ready to answer me now? How¡¯s Callida?¡± ¡°Why do you care so much, Your Majesty?¡± Qiangde shot back, eyes burning. ¡°Should I not care?¡± Verum countered silkily and then looked at the fireplace as a way to avoid more burning eye contact. ¡°I¡¯ve known Callida since she was eighteen years old. We¡¯ve been through a lot together ¡ª many life or death situations, and despite personal failures that could have easily sabotaged our relationship, she remains my best friend. She¡¯s also an invaluable Lion General and source of counsel. There¡¯s no one that I trust more, and I¡¯m a better man and a better king for knowing her. Does that answer your question?¡± ¡°Only the one I asked.¡± Verum met Qiangde¡¯s eyes again and quirked an eyebrow. ¡°And the one you didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Are you still in love with her?¡± He snorted reactively, his face growing hot despite his best efforts to appear unaffected by the startling question. Verum¡¯s eyes returned to the hearth, his mind racing. ¡°Is that why you still refuse to call me Verum? I have a history with your wife, so I¡¯m, what? A threat?¡± A glance in Qiangde¡¯s direction confirmed that he was glaring at him. Verum sighed. ¡°Does it really matter? The answer to that question?¡± he eventually deflected. ¡°She¡¯s chosen you. She needs you. She won¡¯t look anywhere else, regardless of anyone else¡¯s feelings. That¡¯s just the way she is.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t need me. She doesn¡¯t need anyone,¡± Qiangde returned bitterly. ¡°Do you honestly believe that?¡± Verum found himself angry all at once. ¡°Callida¡¯s a soldier. Have you ever stopped to try and understand why she¡¯s a soldier? Have you even bothered to ask her? Maybe you¡¯ve watched her grieve. Have you asked her to tell you about all those family crest rings on her necklace ¡ª I mean more than simply asking her who they once belonged to?¡± Verum¡¯s building anger compelled him to his feet. ¡°Right now, Callida is broken! I¡¯ve seen her break before, and I understand what breaks her. I don¡¯t have the power to break her, Qiangde, but you do. And then you actually think that she doesn¡¯t need you? Just look at her!¡± Verum shouted and began pacing feverishly. ¡°Do you know what happened during that time when I was the one hurting her? Yes, I hurt her, so she went off to war, returning after every assignment stronger, more capable, more valuable, more powerful ¡ª the opposite of broken. And then she thought you were dead¡­. General Iuba had to recall her because her captains started reporting that she was acting recklessly. I was still being an idiot at the time. I didn¡¯t recognize her pain for what it was until much later, but she also didn¡¯t come running to me. In fact, she pushed me away! And here we are again: history repeats itself, except, this time, I already know who she needs, and I know it¡¯s not me¡­ even if I wish it were.¡± Verum reeled in his tirade to see if it was making a dent. Qiangde¡¯s bitterness had turned inward, and much of Verum¡¯s anger was appeased to see his contrition. ¡°Qiangde, I already know that I can¡¯t give Callida what she needs ¡ª believe me, I¡¯ve tried. But I know that you can.¡± Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Verum returned to his seat. ¡°So¡­. Your report? What support can I offer you to help get her back on her feet?¡± Qiangde swallowed his pride, exchanging it for an uncomfortable humility. ¡°She needs time for rest and proper nutrition.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told Callida that the palace nursery is at her disposal. We have nurses on staff through the night. I¡¯m also prepared to order her to take time off, and I can adjust her workload, to a point, when she¡¯s ready to come back. Part of the problem is she¡¯s a terrible delegator. If she were to share more of her responsibilities with her commanders, she wouldn¡¯t be so swamped all the time.¡± Qiangde nodded thoughtfully and stood to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s start with a couple days off so she can catch up on lost sleep, and we¡¯ll go from there. Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Verum grinned crookedly as he found his own feet. ¡°Qiangde, my name is Verum. You¡¯re Tatio¡¯s nobilis, my best friend¡¯s husband, and the doctor that took care of my wife through her pregnancy and recovery. I think that merits a first-name relationship, don¡¯t you?¡± Verum took great pleasure in the way Qiangde¡¯s face twisted. ¡°As you wish¡­ Verum.¡± *** Rogue sat watching Callida sleep and played with her freshly washed hair. The impassioned lecture from the king was churning over and over in his head. ¡°Have you even bothered to ask her?¡± What frustrated him the most was that His Majesty ¡ª Verum ¡ª was right. There were a lot of questions that Rogue had never thought to ask her. Why though?! Callida started shifting in her sleep and woke up as she struggled to get comfortable. A groggy grin greeted Rogue when she met his eyes a moment later. ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°Hi,¡± he returned and then shifted to lie next to her on his stomach when she tugged on his sleeve in an effort to draw him closer. ¡°Hi,¡± she repeated, and the new proximity let him feel the warmth of her breath on his cheek. Rogue smiled and lifted a hand to fidget with the golden waves framing her face, his eyes following his fingers. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s approaching dinner time.¡± ¡°Have I been asleep all day?!¡± ¡°Pretty close. You were tired.¡± It¡¯s my fault. You¡¯ve been doing everything by yourself for too long. I should have been helping you. I shouldn¡¯t have abandoned you. Her hand snatched at the continued combing of her hair, capturing his palm against her cheek. ¡°Qiangde, look at me.¡± He met her eyes, finding a scowl scrunching her forehead. ¡°Why do you look so sad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sad,¡± he denied with a ready smirk. The smirk was a mistake; Callida¡¯s scowl deepened. She sat up studying him intently, and Rogue sighed, shifting once again to sit cross-legged next to her. ¡°What?¡± She merely continued watching him; Rogue felt exposed. ¡°Callida, why did you become a soldier?¡± Her scowl raised in surprise. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Just something His Majesty said.¡± ¡°Verum was here?¡± ¡°He¡­ stopped by between meetings.¡± She nodded, her scowl returning. ¡°And how¡¯d that go?¡± Rogue snorted. This was so typical of her, turning the tables on him to gather information rather than share it. It certainly contributed to his inexperience leading the conversation. ¡°Callida, I want a turn asking the questions. Ok?¡± She nodded slowly, her deep-set, caramel eyes never deviating from his. ¡°Why did I become a soldier?¡± Callida looked down and drew his hand into her lap to hold while she struggled through an answer to his question. ¡°Well, the short answer is that I want to protect people.¡± ¡°And the long answer?¡± ¡°I started because it was a huge part of my family culture, and then I stuck with it as a child because I was good at it and because I was stubborn, but¡­. I was eight years old the first time I fought in a real fight. I wasn¡¯t supposed to join in or even be there, really. My father¡¯s unit was on patrol, I was tagging along because mom and Germanus were both on duty and my babysitter had to cancel for some reason. There was a bandit raid. Dad stowed me in a corner somewhere and told me to stay put, but I couldn¡¯t help but watch. There was a cluster of young soldiers; they¡¯d gotten cornered, and they looked scared. I forgot my father¡¯s instructions and my own fear and left my hiding place to help them. It worked; the bandits didn¡¯t expect to be attacked from behind by someone shorter than their waists. That was the first time I considered what it meant to be a soldier beyond just simply training and patrol duty. And then I spent the next year going through intensive survival training with my father. We talked a lot about the ethics of being a soldier, strength of character, listening to your heart or conscience, and¡­. Those talks were very formative for me, and then dad was killed a year later. That¡¯s when it all sunk in. He died protecting people who couldn¡¯t protect themselves, but there wasn¡¯t anyone to protect him.¡± She paused, her eyes zoned on a point to her left as she thought. ¡°That¡¯s not strictly true. He was one of many soldiers who fought that day, but as a ten-year-old, I regretted that I wasn¡¯t one of them. I regretted that I wasn¡¯t there to protect him, and I¡¯ve been making up for it ever since. To answer your question, I¡¯m a soldier because there are people I want¨C people I need to protect.¡± ¡°Who do you think you need to protect?¡± ¡°You. Our boys.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you feel the need to protect me at all.¡± ¡°Because I love you, Qiangde. When I protect you, I protect my own heart, and if I were to lose you¡­.¡± She swallowed, unable to complete that thought for how devastating it was to even imagine. ¡°So you protect people to protect your own heart?¡± ¡°It sounds so selfish when you put it like that. But¡­ I guess? The truth is, I¡¯ve lost so many people over the years, I¡¯ve lost count. The irony of being a soldier is that most of your friends are also soldiers. Inevitably, you lose people. It¡¯s only a matter of who and when. And when your family members are all soldiers¡­ I¡¯ve lost my entire family to war, and there was a time when I thought I¡¯d lost you too. What¡¯s the point of being a soldier if you have nothing ¡ª no one ¡ª left to fight for? How can you listen to a heart that¡¯s dead? Without you, I don¡¯t have anything left to protect.¡± She looked up, meeting his eyes and smiling sadly. There was pain behind that smile ¡ª pain and vulnerability. ¡°Callida, why me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why did you choose me?¡± She snorted as though it were a ridiculous question and leaned in to kiss him gently. ¡°So many reasons, Qiangde. You feel like home to me: safe and comfortable. You balance my crazy. My talent is in destroying and killing; yours is calming and healing. You¡¯ve never tried to change or control me, you¡¯re not intimidated by me, and you¡¯re kind, honorable, and a bit of a tease. But mostly, I know I can trust you to take care of the heart I¡¯ve given you.¡± The force of that statement hit, and Rogue was instantly in hysterics, her delusional assessment in conflict with the truth. He didn¡¯t know if he was more grateful for her unfounded faith in him, or more terrified that he¡¯d never live up to it. ¡°No. Callida, if anything, the last few months have proven that I can¡¯t be trusted.¡± ¡°I disagree,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I never said you were perfect, Qiangde. I¡¯m not perfect either. The last few months, your judgment has been clouded by doubt and pain. Despite that, you never betrayed me. Yes, you hurt me. But you came back. You always came back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he gasped repeatedly between sobs. ¡°I know.¡± Rogue allowed her to comfort him, allowed her to brush his tears away, allowed her to kiss him when he¡¯d mostly calmed back down. She hugged him, her hand mindlessly stroking his back as he became sleepy. ¡°I love you, Qiangde, mistakes and all,¡± she whispered into his ear. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you.¡± ¡°Funny. I feel the same way about you.¡± 38 - Anthology of Moments #2 ¡°Commanders, thank you for coming,¡± Callida welcomed Rapax, Baca, and Arum into the house personally and invited them into the parlor where Rogue was playing with the five-month-old triplets. Manasik laughed ¡ª a tight, guttural sound ¡ª with Rogue¡¯s fingers teasing the neck beneath his chubby chin. Despite being tickled, the black haired baby was absolutely determined to pull his toes into his mouth. Probus had rolled halfway across the room simply because he could and because pushing up on his hands and knees had yet to result in any meaningful forward motion. The little lion host was very proud of himself when another series of rolls draped him across the top of Callida¡¯s boot. He looked up at his mom and squirmed happily until Callida picked him up, and then he shoved a fat fist into his mouth, immediately flirting with the commanders entering the room behind her. Meanwhile, Tiaki was swimming slowly but more intentionally towards the bookcases in the opposite direction, his arms managing an uncoordinated army crawl advanced by the inefficient but eager kicking of his pudgy feet. He squawked in protest when Rogue grabbed his ankle and tugged him backwards across the carpet. ¡°They¡¯ve gotten so big!¡± Baca exclaimed, giving Probus one of his fingers to gnaw on. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them since they were born,¡± Rapax noted. ¡°Me neither,¡± Arum added. ¡°Nor I,¡± Baca said, resisting laughing as drool slowly pooled in his palm. ¡°Which one was the first baby?¡± Rapax asked, his eyes skipping between the three of them. ¡°This one. This is Probus,¡± Callida introduced the child on her shoulder and offered him to Rapax. ¡°He¡¯s the one you held right after he was born, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Rapax confirmed with a grin and accepted the blonde baby now sliming his face with tiny, saliva-soaked fingers. ¡°And this one¡­.¡± Callida scooped the still swimming shark host up off the floor to much protest. ¡°This is Tiaki. Baca, he¡¯s the baby you held.¡± Baca happily reached out to take Tiaki from her, despite the baby¡¯s continued complaints. Tiaki took a moment to scowl at this new stranger before resuming his struggle for freedom. Baca merely laughed and assisted Tiaki to the other end of the room before setting him loose to continue his exploring. ¡°Arum, this is Manasik.¡± Callida collected the last baby and passed him to a very uncertain Arum. She had to fight laughter for the look of terrified bewilderment on Arum¡¯s face. While Arum awkwardly adjusted Manasik¡¯s position in his arms, Manasik curiously looked Arum over and eventually reached out to grab Arum¡¯s ear in an effort to bring it to his mouth for a more thorough investigation. ¡°Erm, Animo? A little help?¡± Arum floundered. Callida snorted and helped Arum to dislodge Manasik¡¯s grip on his cartilage. After that, Arum and Manasik simply stared each other down¡­ until Manasik lost interest and resumed looking for new things to explore with the ¡°third eye¡± in his mouth. The nearest gold-colored button on Arum¡¯s doublet was a most interesting find. While her commanders giggled, gamboled, and gawked, Callida sank into the couch behind her husband and leaned forward to hug him around his shoulders, her swelling belly filling the space between her thighs. ¡°What do you think?¡± she whispered in Rogue¡¯s ear. He smiled and turned to peck her cheek. Callida nodded and sat up straight again, waiting for the right moment. ¡°Pardon me for asking, General,¡± Rapax said after a while, ¡°but why are we here?¡± Baca and Arum looked up from the little ones they were playing with, and Callida smiled. ¡°Rogue and I invited you here to ask you if you¡¯d be interested in being their donum nobilises.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Rapax said, a hint of surprise raising his brow. The next moment, Probus squeaked and writhed excitedly in Rapax¡¯s arms for no apparent reason, and the latter couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer right away,¡± Callida qualified. ¡°Feel free to sleep on it, but we wanted to extend the invitation.¡± ¡°Aw, who could say no to that face!¡± Baca exclaimed on his hands and knees from somewhere behind a chair. ¡°I¡¯m in!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Rapax seemed to share that sentiment. ¡°I¡¯ll claim this one.¡± All eyes turned expectantly to Arum. ¡°A-Animo¡­ Rogue¡­ I don¡¯t know the first thing about babies.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no pressure, Arum,¡± Callida assured him, ¡°but they won¡¯t be babies forever.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Arum snorted. ¡°Yeah, I guess, in that case¡­ sure. Yeah! I¡¯m willing.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Callida smiled. There was something wonderful about this Lion Tribe tradition of inviting people to invest in your child. It felt like expanding her extended family, and for that, it was unexpectedly emotional. Happy tears pooled in her eyes as she leaned forward to hug Rogue again ¡ª happy tears accompanied by a new warmth settling in her chest. *** ¡°Did you get enough to eat?¡± Rogue asked pointedly. Callida sighed and picked at her plate a little more, forcing herself to swallow a handful of bites beyond what was comfortable in her stomach. It wasn¡¯t the nausea so much; there just wasn¡¯t enough room for her stomach to expand as she passed the midpoint in her pregnancy. ¡°I want to do a check-up after dinner,¡± Rogue reminded her, and Callida acknowledged his fussing with little more than an eye roll of protest. His fastidiousness was something she merely tolerated, and not because she resented being a patient (though that was also true). Even though she¡¯d frankly forgiven him, he was still doing self-mandated penance for his months of drunken abandonment. She didn¡¯t question him anymore; she simply accepted it, because all efforts to talk Rogue out of his shame and guilt had wholly failed. While Callida finished choking down her extra calories, Rogue cleaned up the triplets who had thoroughly enjoyed squishing their mushed vegetables through their fingers and then smearing the resulting goop across their faces and through their hair. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Give up, Rogue. They¡¯re all going to need a bath.¡± ¡°Yeah, but until then, they don¡¯t need to track it through the house.¡± Callida grinned crookedly when, moments after his comment, Rogue threw in the towel and snatched Manasik out of his highchair to carry him into the kitchen for a sponge bath. He returned, plopping Manasik in Callida¡¯s lap so he could do the same with Probus¡­ and then again with Tiaki. Between her belly and the fact that all three boys were super wiggly these days, it was hard simply containing them in her lap. Rogue returned with Tiaki to find her struggling. Probus was squawking and pinned partially upside down beneath one arm because he¡¯d tried to take a nosedive out of her lap while she was managing Manasik, and Manasik was now doing his best to climb on top of her protruding gut with her relatively free hand protecting him from accidentally tumbling backwards. ¡°A little help?¡± Rogue laughed and collected Probus by a flailing ankle, bringing the chubby baby up so he could right him. ¡°M¡¯lady, if you¡¯re done eating, let¡¯s get the boys up to their room.¡± Callida nodded and led the way to the nursery where the boys were loosed to roam the rug sprinkled with the odd toy. They were officially crawling, climbing, sitting up on their own, pulling themselves up on things, and even taking the occasional, gutsy steps away from their supports. While the boys roamed the room, Rogue directed Callida to the cot near the window. Despite having made up, the cot remained in the room for whomever found need for it while on night duty. ¡°Lie down, Callida,¡± she was instructed. She sighed, complied, and then distractedly watched Tiaki hunt down Manasik and pull his silky black hair. Manasik tolerated the exploratory tugging much in the same way that Callida tolerated Rogue¡¯s gentle probing of her stomach and the squirming of the baby within. ¡°Well, the good news is you¡¯re progressively gaining some weight back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to,¡± she confirmed distractedly. ¡°I¡¯m a little worried that you¡¯re measuring big again.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that for weeks. What does that mean?¡± ¡°You measured big last time. You were about this far along when I was able to identify two separate babies ¡ª obviously I missed the third. The odds of you carrying more than one again are¡­. Well, if you carry multiples once, the odds of doing it again are a lot higher, and it would be even higher if your mom was a twin, had twins, or had siblings who were twins.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t have any siblings, and obviously she didn¡¯t have any twins. So¡­.¡± A vague memory triggered in her head, so vague, she wasn¡¯t even sure if it was real or not. ¡°Actually, she might have been a twin.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to tell me that?!¡± ¡°Well, if she was a twin, the twin didn¡¯t survive long after birth. I¡¯m not sure. I just feel like I heard once that she¡¯d had a twin brother.¡± ¡°And you only thought of that now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Does that make a difference?¡± ¡°Well, it would certainly increase the likelihood of you carrying multiples,¡± Rogue said with an increasing frown. ¡°Between that and the fact you¡¯ve already had triplets¡­. That¡¯s not great, Callida.¡± Callida¡¯s head flopped back into the pillow as Rogue¡¯s probing lingered and became more intentional and uncomfortable. She returned to watching the triplets innocently harassing each other. Probus pulled himself up using a chair and made an attempt at walking, successfully taking two steps after letting go of the chair before losing his balance and landing against Tiaki, who startled and released Manasik¡¯s hair. ¡°Crap,¡± Rogue muttered quietly. Callida didn¡¯t ask; she didn¡¯t want the answer to that question. But she was now watching Rogue¡¯s face. There was something both anxious and resigned in his expression; his brow was pinched, his eyes closed, his hands pressing firmly against opposite sides of her tummy. Callida bit her lip, feeling her face drain. Now she watched the boys play unseeingly. ¡°Callida?¡± She looked back at her husband and took his hand, allowing him to help her into a sitting position. He took a knee in front of her, his hands returning to her belly, his face clouded with concern. ¡°How many this time?¡± ¡°At least two,¡± he whispered darkly, head hanging in some undefined emotional burden. ¡°I looked. If there is a third again, I couldn¡¯t feel it, but I missed one the last time.¡± How else was she supposed to react but to nod numbly and do her best to accept this news? ¡°At least two.¡± She slouched into the cot, resting her head and shoulders against the wall as she processed. ¡°Callida, I¡¯m so sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have¨C¡± ¡°Stop it, Rogue,¡± she cut him off, feeling angry. ¡°Just¡­ stop it. This is no more your fault than it is mine, and I¡¯m tired of you blaming yourself for everything. What¡¯s done is done. What matters is what we choose to do now. I¡¯ve forgiven you, you¡¯re doing everything you can to make amends¡­ just stop this already! Alright?¡± Laboriously sitting up straight again, Callida sighed and collected Rogue¡¯s chin in one hand, lifting his eyes to hers. ¡°What was it you said last time? You were too excited to be sorry?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± he whispered. ¡°At least one of us should try to be excited, Rogue. There¡¯s no going back now, only forward, and if we think of them only as the product of our mistakes, what do you think that will do to them? I need your help finding the right perspective here, so please, no more regrets, no more blaming yourself, no more apologies. Instead, help me figure out how to love at least two more. Can you do that for me?¡± He swallowed and nodded solemnly, and Callida leaned down to kiss him once and then glanced at the boys on the rug. Probus was on his feet again, and Callida realized that he was several feet away from the chair he¡¯d pulled himself up on. ¡°Primordials, Rogue! Look!¡± She got off the cot and knelt on the floor with her arms extended to the blonde baby very proudly grinning to himself, his own arms out in an effort to remain balanced. He managed three more steps towards his mother before he got too excited and toppled to the floor. Callida immediately cheered for him and scooped him up. She then helped him find his feet and pointed him towards Rogue. Probus squealed happily and managed several steps before he overbalanced, and Rogue caught him, drawing him into a brief hug before the determined child insisted on trying again. Probus was so delighted with his new skill discovery, Callida couldn¡¯t help but smile as he toddled back, this time making it all the way to her before diving into her chest. She soaked up the squishy snuggles until Probus was ready to practice walking some more. Meeting Rogue¡¯s eyes across the way, Probus wobbling the distance between them, Callida smiled, and Rogue smiled back. As long as they were in this together, everything was going to be ok. Her smile faltered, her hand unconsciously cradling her burdened belly. What if these babies weren¡¯t wolves either? She tried not to think about it. She tried to trust that Rogue wouldn¡¯t abandon her again after these months of penance. She¡¯d forgiven him ¡ª she was determined to never hold this over his head as he was doing a good enough job of that all on his own ¡ª but she couldn¡¯t forget. Her trust had been broken, and her heart harbored the self-preserving fear that he might break her trust again, preparing contingencies for that possibility and bracing for the pain that would come with it. Probus lost interest in walking for the moment and crawled away to play with a textured wooden block Callida had carved with rounded corners and edges, but Callida remained kneeling on the floor lost in thought. ¡°Callida? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Rogue, what if it happens again? What if¡­ what if these babies aren¡¯t wolves either?¡± His lips became a thin line. Rogue stood up and Callida accepted an assist to her feet next to him. ¡°If it happens again, we¡¯ll take them to a temple, the triplets too.¡± ¡°What if¡­ What if they¡¯re lions again? Like Probus.¡± Rogue sighed, his forehead meeting hers. ¡°There¡¯s no one else?¡± ¡°No one,¡± Callida confirmed yet again and bit into her lip as desperate tears beaded up. ¡°Then, even if they are all lions, we¡¯ll take them to a temple.¡± ¡°You promise?¡± He carefully and tenderly sealed his answer with a kiss. ¡°Promise.¡± 39 - Lullaby It was early on a Thursday morning in September. Callida was observing her commanding officers¡¯ training like she always did on Thursday mornings when the contractions started coming close together and required concentration to breathe through. She¡¯d learned her lesson from the first time, and so had her commanders. Callida halted their exercises and had to do little more than wince to get their attention. She was swarmed immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll go get Rogue,¡± Arum declared and took off before Callida could either acknowledge or protest. Callida wasted little time giving instructions. ¡°Vir, Rapax, could you fill in for me in the morning council meeting today? Inform His Majesty that I¡¯m now on maternity leave?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Rapax acknowledged, obviously grateful that she wasn¡¯t fighting their concerns this round. ¡°Baca, Gravis, I¡¯m putting you in charge to finish the morning training.¡± ¡°Yes, General,¡± the pair agreed in unison as Callida entered another contraction. Gravis caught her elbow, giving her something to brace against as she worked through the pain, and Callida took full advantage, leaning heavily against one of the few humans she might describe as a brick wall. ¡°Thanks, Gravis. Moro, Adjutus, could you help me get home?¡± Without a word, the two commanders each picked a side and offered Callida an escorting arm. ¡°Back to training,¡± she ordered everyone else. ¡°Wish me luck. I¡¯m going to need it.¡± She took a certain satisfaction from the collective chuckles she left behind her as Moro and Adjutus guided her toward the exit. There was only one exit. The training arena was an enormous amphitheater with a single tunnel running under the stands that led into the central area. It effectively limited access to the restricted space reserved for senior officers to train in, but it also made it less efficient to get out. Callida had had three major contractions by the time they made it out of the arena ¡ª the kind of contractions that forced her to stop walking and talking for a full minute or two in favor of simply breathing through them. Things were moving quickly. Either that, or she¡¯d been in labor for a while already and just hadn¡¯t noticed. Thinking back on it, she¡¯d had a rough night tossing and turning, but in labor or not, being this pregnant with ¡°at least two¡± babies was miserably uncomfortable. A rough night was to be expected. ¡°General,¡± Adjutus probed after her fourth contraction, his tone gentle and almost reverent. ¡°General, it¡¯s going to take us forever to get you home if we have to keep stopping like this, and it doesn¡¯t seem like you have that much time before¡­.¡± ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Callida panted, not in a position to come up with solutions herself. Adjutus glanced over her head at Moro who nodded in her peripheral vision. Both of them took a knee, arranging their arms to interlock with each other into a square seat behind her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked. ¡°Arms around our shoulders, General. Take a seat, and we¡¯ll get you home,¡± Moro said with a crooked grin that straddled the gap between assurance and a tease. She accepted the assistance, took a seat, and immediately entered another contraction. ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± she grunted, her fingers automatically fisting their collars as she struggled through the discomfort. They were patient with her, waiting for her to relax again before standing up. But it didn¡¯t take long before another wave hit, and Callida felt a disquieting gush. ¡°Oh, Primordials! Put me down.¡± They obeyed with protest. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Moro asked. ¡°I am so sorry.¡± Callida got up flushing pink. ¡°I think my water just broke.¡± Adjutus just laughed. ¡°Is that all?¡± Another contraction. Another gush of fluid. ¡°Yup,¡± she confirmed through the strain. ¡°Water broke.¡± ¡°Take a seat, General,¡± Adjutus coaxed. ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°I assure you, our uniforms have seen much worse fluids than your water. Sit down.¡± She surrendered, gingerly returning to the seat formed from their arms. ¡°You know, this was the reason I picked the two of you in my first batch of lieutenants,¡± she mused openly, thinking back to a similar moment when the pair of them had helped a young soldier to the infirmary without being asked nor expectation of recognition. ¡°What? Our willingness to put up with body fluids?¡± Moro teased. ¡°It was more¡­.¡± Contraction. ¡°It was more that you were always looking out for your comrades. Team players make good leaders.¡± ¡°You hear that, Moro?¡± Adjustus ribbed. ¡°Sure did! She¡¯s getting soft in her old age.¡± ¡°Nah, man, it¡¯s her motherhood leaking through. All sentimental and whatnot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s her motherhood leaking, alright. Next thing you know, it¡¯ll be leaking from her eyes too.¡± Callida listened to her commanders riff back and forth, the pair going respectfully quiet when the next wave of pain hit. She hissed in through her teeth and groaned, sweat starting to bead on her forehead. ¡°Primordials, that sucks.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be worse than that time you got stabbed,¡± Moro reminded her. ¡°Which time?¡± Adjutus raised an eyebrow. ¡°Uh¡­ I was thinking about that time on the north border, but, I guess both?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. This isn¡¯t as bad as that time on the north border,¡± Callida confirmed despite still grimacing. ¡°What about when you got your brands?¡± Adjutus asked. ¡°The brands were worse.¡± ¡°How does it compare to broken ribs?¡± Moro continued the bit. ¡°Single broken rib is better. More than one is arguably about the same.¡± ¡°Ooo, what about waste serpent venom?¡± ¡°Venom¡¯s worse.¡± Contraction. Callida groaned and found herself doubling over. ¡°This is a different kind of pain though,¡± she explained when she could breathe again. ¡°It comes from the inside, and it feels more desperate ¡ª all consuming. Somehow that makes it worse than just the pain alone.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Callida!¡± Rogue was jogging behind Arum with a medkit in hand, meeting her at the front gate of the Lion General estate grounds. ¡°Callida, hey, what¡¯s your status?¡± ¡°Give it a minute and you can see for yourself. Things seem to be moving quickly,¡± she informed. The commanders continued to carry her home at a steady pace, and Rogue skipped backwards in front of them, trying to assess Callida on the move through each miserable wave. Arum trailed behind, unsure of how to help but also feeling duty-bound to be available until dismissed. They reached the house, and Callida thanked and released all three of the commanders to their regular duties. Rogue and Celarus became her crutches for the remaining hike up the stairs and down the hallway to the bedroom. ¡°Is it time?!¡± One of the triplets¡¯ nurses poked her head out of the nursery to ask as they passed. ¡°Yup,¡± Rogue confirmed. *** Callida just felt dazed and disoriented. She¡¯d lost too much blood again, but less than the last time. At least this time she¡¯d remained conscious. ¡°Seems you¡¯re a bleeder,¡± Rogue had said as his fist kneaded her guts. There were only two of them this time, but they were bigger than the triplets had been ¡ª chubbier, longer, and broader, especially in their chests and shoulders. Two more boys: that was actually a relief. Callida knew what to do with boys; despite being female herself, the same couldn¡¯t be said of girls. She hadn¡¯t the foggiest idea how to deal with girls, much less raise one. They both had brown hair, though one was a light brown and the other a very dark brown, and she wasn¡¯t sure which of the two had been born first. But they were healthy with all their fingers and toes, and now they were peacefully sleeping after screaming their lungs open. She watched them sleep. Sometimes their faces twitched from the dreams they were dreaming. What do babies dream about? The one with darker hair frowned and squirmed, fighting his swaddle, his tiny face bunching up in a single, shrill cry. ¡°Hey,¡± Callida soothed, setting a hand against his tummy to add a gentle pressure. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s ok.¡± She rolled to her side and tugged him closer, tucking him against her chest. She started humming a made-up tune in a rich alto range ¡ª something in a minor key with a simple melody. The baby at her chest settled, listening to her lullaby, his murky, slate-colored baby eyes opening to look up at the source of that tune. ¡°Hello, little one.¡± Callida shifted his sleeping twin closer, the pair fitting comfortably beneath her arm, and she resumed her song, humming sleepily, her own eyes closing with a profound exhaustion. She blinked awake to find Rogue gently extracting the pair of crying infants from beneath her wing. ¡°Sorry to wake you,¡± he whispered. ¡°They¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She rolled onto her back, making it easier for Rogue to collect the twins and pass them to the waiting nurses. With the boys tended to, Rogue turned his attention to Callida. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Sleepy.¡± ¡°Are you up to talking for a minute?¡± ¡°Sure. What¡¯s going on?¡± He sighed, glancing at the suckling babies before stretching out on the bed next to her. ¡°Their essences are black but they¡¯re not wolves. Both of them.¡± Panic lanced through her chest all at once, and Callida jolted upright, hyperventilating and crying through the immediate head rush. She was only peripherally aware of the concern and sadness in his eyes as she began spluttering incoherently. The weight of his hand fell against her sternum; she became too sleepy to continue rambling. ¡°Be still¡± echoed in her right ear where his warm breath tossed a loose ribbon of wavy gold. She resisted sleep, but her head slumped against his shoulder, and an arm fell across her back a moment later to draw her into his lap. ¡°Callida, I only told you that to preface a conversation about planning a trip to a temple. That¡¯s what we discussed, right? That was the plan?¡± She could only sob into his chest in reply, the post-traumatic response giving way to temporary relief and an unexpected bitterness. Why did this keep happening? What was she doing wrong? What if they went to the temple and were told something that Rogue didn¡¯t want to hear? What if this time he left and didn¡¯t come back?! Rogue was helping her back into her pillow, filling the space next to her, draping an arm around her waist. The kiss against her forehead helped her calm down. It was grounding somehow. Her eyes closed. She shuddered. Muscles in her back and shoulders methodically released their tension. ¡°Hey, look at me.¡± She met his eyes, closing hers again as he leaned in to kiss her. ¡°There has to be a reason this keeps happening.¡± She nodded, feeling tentative ¡ª unconvinced but hopeful. His hand against her chest again ¡ª she felt the initiated connection, met his eyes, prepared to assure him yet again that he was her only lover. The question didn¡¯t come. Instead, Qiangde searched her tear-stained face, searching¡­ and finding. ¡°M¡¯lady, I know they¡¯re mine.¡± Overwhelmed, exhausted, and all cried out, Callida released a single sob and nuzzled into him to better enable the gentle hand between her shoulder blades to soothe her back to sleep. *** ¡°What are their names?¡± Rogue asked Callida nearly the instant she¡¯d woken up again. ¡°Let me gather my bearings, Rogue,¡± she protested sleepily, eyes fluttering open to rest upon the two little bundles next to her. ¡°What did you ask me?¡± Rogue grinned and kissed his sleepy wife. ¡°I asked you what their names are.¡± ¡°Well, we haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± she croaked, confusion knitting her eyebrows together. ¡°Callida, you need to do that thing again¡­. You know. You put your hand on their chests and just feel the right name? Or something like that.¡± ¡°You do it! You¡¯re the spiritualist. Shouldn¡¯t you be able to feel for the right name?¡± Rogue shook his head, a smirk quirking one half of his lips. ¡°Callida, I think you have a gift for this. Just try it. I want to see what happens.¡± She frowned, her eyes turning back to the sleeping babies next to her. ¡°Which one was born first?¡± ¡°This one,¡± Rogue said, indicating the baby with lighter brown hair. ¡°They were born in order from light to dark hair color again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s convenient,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Rogue watched her set a hand on the first baby¡¯s chest and close her eyes in concentration. He listened to the string of disjointed sounds she muttered, waiting for them to come together into something cohesive. ¡°Ja¡­ t-ta¡­ Tajam. Tajam?¡± ¡°Tajam,¡± he repeated, looking at the baby beneath her palm. Somehow, it was perfect. He couldn¡¯t explain why or how he knew that it was perfect for him, but it was. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that name before.¡± ¡°Me neither. Is it actually a name?¡± He chuckled and leaned down to peck her cheek. ¡°It is now. What about the other one?¡± Her hand shifted, the process repeating, the baby squirming slightly in his sleep. This time there was no hesitancy in finding the right sounds; they came all at once. ¡°Ddalu.¡± Rogue grinned. She was five for five fitting the perfect name to each child ¡ª names he¡¯d never heard before, names she probably made up on the spot. ¡°You know, sometimes I wonder if you might be a spiritualist yourself, Callida. Have you got any owl blood in you?¡± ¡°I do,¡± she said quietly. ¡°You do?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you that before. Several generations back on my mom¡¯s side: a brown wolf. His mother was an owl.¡± ¡°Primordials, that¡¯s right! I¡¯d forgotten.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not a spiritualist, Rogue. I can¡¯t do any of the things spiritualists do.¡± ¡°Well, by the standard definition of what a spiritualist should be able to do, I¡¯m not a spiritualist either,¡± he laughed. ¡°I tend to think of spiritualists as being anybody with a gift that can¡¯t be explained logically. You have a gift, Callida. Maybe you should look into developing it.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she conceded, and Rogue got the distinct impression that she was surrendering because she was tired and not because she agreed with him. He rolled his eyes and dropped the subject. ¡°So Tajam and Ddalu?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Rogue rumpled their fluffy baby hair and kissed his wife again. ¡°They¡¯re perfect.¡± 40 - Journey Rogue rode in the large carriage with the nurses and babies. The Lion King had loaned them one of the palace carriages and four ebony horses to pull it. Callida was on horseback outside somewhere, guarding them. He knew it made her feel better to be in a position to fight should they meet any unexpected surprises; she¡¯d had a few too many violent encounters on the road in her past to do anything differently. It was fine; such a big carriage would certainly attract attention. But she had to be uncomfortable riding in a saddle so soon after giving birth, right? Callida¡¯s mount was named Kayun, a tall but sleek dapple gray gelding that had proven himself as a reliable war horse with steady nerves in the many battles they¡¯d fought together against the Griffin Tribe. Kayun had been a gift from Horse Tribe leader Hivand Imana after Callida protected his tribe from being ensnared by the conspiracy behind the Great War; with his origins in the Horse Tribe itself, Kayun was likely one of the best bred and trained war horses in Ulakam. That was speculative; Rogue didn¡¯t really know much about horses. What he did know was how impressive Kayun and Callida looked together from his vantage point looking through a carriage window. Armored and uniformed, impressive would become intimidating. He wondered morbidly for how many dead men that had been the last thing they¡¯d seen in this life. The twins were now six weeks old and the triplets less than a month shy of their first birthday. Between Callida¡¯s recovery and then figuring out a time when she could take yet another leave of absence, this was the earliest they¡¯d been able to take this trip. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a terribly long trip to the North Temple to the Lion Primordial ¡ª a three day carriage ride. Tajam and Ddalu had been sleeping through most of the trip, lulled by the perpetual rocking and bumping of the carriage, but the triplets had been complaining about their confinement for the entire three days. To spare everyone some sanity, Callida had been rotating through the triplets, letting them join her on horseback one or two at a time, but Rogue was precariously short on patience by the time Callida alerted him that the temple was finally visible in the distance in the late afternoon of the third day. ¡°First impressions?¡± Callida asked as he and the nurses all stuck their heads out the windows to see. The temple was made from a light, sandy-colored stone and embedded on the perimeter of the only forest they¡¯d seen for miles. It towered over the stubby desert timber, making it an imposing sight on the flat, otherwise barren landscape of golden grasses and sparse, wild shrubbery. From this far away, it was difficult to make out just how big the temple was, even with the trees around it for comparison, but it looked like a fortress more than a temple of enlightenment ¡ª another indication that it was very large and just very far away still. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not what I was expecting,¡± Rogue said after a moment of reflection. ¡°What were you expecting?¡± Callida prompted. ¡°I guess¡­ I¡¯m not sure what I was expecting. Something more ornate and less¡­ military-ish?¡± She laughed at that. ¡°The Lion Primordial is considered the greatest military mind in history, especially in his last incarnation. Why wouldn¡¯t a temple built in his honor be constructed to look ¡®military-ish¡¯?¡± ¡°I dunno,¡± Rogue shrugged. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t think about it like that.¡± ¡°Fair enough. To be honest, I didn¡¯t know what to expect either. I typically avoid temples¡­ whenever possible,¡± she added, and Rogue nearly missed the darkness that flashed through her eyes ever so briefly before she shook it off. ¡°We should be arriving in maybe an hour? Maybe two?¡± Callida estimated. ¡°Callida, are you alright?¡± She met his eyes and smiled. It wasn¡¯t a sincere smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± He frowned at her faltering, fake fa?ade, but he let it go. ¡°How long do you think this will take?¡± ¡°The identification? Only a few minutes, but we¡¯re hoping for real answers to explain why this keeps happening. I can¡¯t begin to guess how long that will take. It will depend entirely on how much knowledge is readily known and available and how much is left to research in the temple archives.¡± ¡°This is where those spiritualists who identified the triplets are Guardians?¡± She nodded. ¡°They did an adequate job identifying them. I¡­ consulted another spiritualist afterwards because they couldn¡¯t commit to any definite answers, but he confirmed their guesses. I¡¯m assuming they won¡¯t be the only Guardians at the temple who are spiritualists, but they¡¯ll be able to do the job if not¡­ assuming they¡¯re here.¡± The rest of the ride went more quickly for having the goal in sight, but it did take another hour and a half to cross the unvaried terrain. The path sloped gently upward toward the forest and then cut across to the right, following the same ambling slope another quarter of a mile up to the temple fortress. Massive stone walls barred entry except through a proportionately massive portcullis that was currently raised. The carriage driver threaded the needle with Callida following behind on Kayun with Tiaki taking a turn to drool on her saddlehorn. The space beyond the wall opened into a great courtyard. They were immediately met by a group of silent Guardians beckoning all to dismount so they could tend to the horses for them. No one complained about getting out of the carriage to stretch and walk around. The triplets, especially, hit the cobbled stone running¡­ in three different directions. Rogue sighed and gave chase. ¡°Tutella, Calora, go with the driver to the stables. Maybe stick with the luggage? I was told to expect that they¡¯ll put us in a room tonight. We¡¯ll find you after meeting with whomever is in charge here,¡± Callida instructed, collecting the sleeping twins from them while Rogue wrangled the freshly freed toddlers. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Rogue considered strapping the boys to his chest as he collected them; he had brought a long cloth draped in loops around his neck for that purpose, but he couldn¡¯t blame them for wanting to run around after their long journey. Instead, he attempted a distraction tactic, grabbing a couple of their chubby hands and leading them in a game to find bugs in the cracks of the cobbles. It mostly worked. Manasik and Probus joined in the game readily, but Tiaki couldn¡¯t be persuaded to stop running laps around his mother. That child hasn¡¯t stopped moving since he learned how to walk. Two for three wasn¡¯t bad though. Meanwhile, Callida had successfully strapped the twins to her chest using her own sling wrap, freeing her hands to chase Tiaki. Rogue watched the game of cat and mouse unfold. Tiaki realized his mom was on to him and changed directions; Callida feinted left then sprung right, cutting him off and snagging his shirt. The child protested and was tickled for it. Callida released him, allowing him to stand up and run again, and she chased, capturing him for a second round of giggly tickles. The game repeated many times over until Tiaki began to wear out. Instead of getting up immediately after being released to run away, he rolled on the ground a few times first, staggering to his feet and half-heartedly dodging his mother¡¯s snatching, and then he surrendered to her tickles by flopping into her arms. When Tiaki allowed Callida to hug him, Rogue knew he was ready to cooperate and called him over to look at the tiny sugar ants Probus and Manasik were accidentally crushing with their curious fingers. ¡°Well done,¡± Rogue congratulated Callida, his arm wrapping around her waist and drawing her cheek close enough to kiss. ¡°Any idea where we are supposed to go from here?¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯m not in any hurry. The boys need the time to get their wiggles out.¡± ¡°The twins are going to get hungry though. We should probably at least figure out where we need to go before they get too fussy.¡± ¡°Fair point,¡± Callida said with a sigh and began looking around the courtyard for a Guardian who could direct them. ¡°Rogue, there¡¯s no one here,¡± she whispered after a moment. Preoccupied watching the triplets, Rogue looked up, startling to realize that she was right. Except for their family, the giant courtyard was empty. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s weird.¡± He glanced at his wife and realized that her own reaction to the vacant courtyard was a lot more extreme than his. She was tense, her hand on the hilt of her sword at her hip, her eyes darting quickly about the space seeking movement of any kind. ¡°Callida?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± she whispered quietly. ¡°Callida, isn¡¯t it possible that they¡¯re in a prayer meeting or something?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. Instead her head snapped to where a pair of double doors opened and a group of three Guardians emerged with their hands tucked in the sleeves of their cloaks in front of them ¡ª one Guardian in front, two following behind. They descended a short set of stairs and approached briskly. Callida less than subtly moved to position herself in between the Guardians and the rest of their family, her hand still teasing the hilt of her sword. ¡°Lion General Yudha!¡± An older female Guardian stepped forward from the back left of the group. ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you!¡± In front of him, Callida stiffened further, and Rogue finally recognized the Guardian from when the triplets had been identified. ¡°Guardian Vanha,¡± Callida greeted her with a slight nod of her head and much less enthusiasm. ¡°You¡¯ve been expecting me? Expecting us?¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± the Guardian smiled tightly. ¡°We saw you coming, after all, and after our last visit, it seemed only a matter of time before you would seek the wisdom of the temple.¡± ¡°Only a matter of time?¡± Vanha only smiled again, her eyes briefly darting to Callida¡¯s sword. ¡°Allow me to introduce to you the Oracle of our temple, General.¡± She gestured to the stern and androgynous older person at the front of the group. ¡°This is Oracle Guardian Okos, and, of course, you¡¯ve already met Guardian Haluton.¡± Callida nodded to each of them in turn, and her hand, at long last, dropped from her sword. Rogue relaxed and turned back to the triplets who had lost interest in the ants and were now wandering the courtyard together. He allowed them to explore while Callida talked with the Guardians, shepherding them just enough to keep them in a cluster. Callida joined him a few minutes later. ¡°Rogue, the Guardians have invited us inside the temple to identify the twins and re-identify the triplets,¡± she said with a scowl darkening her eyes. ¡°Is something wrong,¡± he asked in a low whisper, picking up on her anxiety. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Callida shook her head. ¡°Goldie is not happy to be here. I¡¯m not sure why. I suspect that it might have something to do with her last experience at a temple, but it might not. I¡¯m mostly worried about the ¡®it might not¡¯ part.¡± Her eyes were still darting about the courtyard, her body on high alert. Indeed, something was bothering her. ¡°Callida?¡± Rogue subtly set a hand against her back, finding the space between her shoulder blades before leaning in to kiss her. The kiss had very little to do with expressing affection or reassurance, but the intimate contact aided Shyaam in creating a stronger connection with Goldie much more quickly, giving him a brief window through which to see and feel what was going on. Goldie was in obvious distress, but it was unclear if this was a post-traumatic response or the result of some instinct warning her of danger ¡ª exactly as Callida had said. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± She shook her head again. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°We came all this way,¡± Rogue prompted. ¡°The bigger issue is there isn¡¯t a graceful way to say ¡®never mind¡¯ and walk out. They have our horses and our luggage. If we try to walk out now and there is something nefarious going on here, we¡¯ll only tip them off. I think we have to move forward and tread carefully.¡± He nodded and turned to collect the boys, but before he could get very far, Callida¡¯s hand shot out to grab his wrist, her voice dropping even lower and becoming urgent. ¡°Rogue, if I tell you to run, you take the boys and run. No questions asked.¡± He met her eyes, fierceness smothering fear, and he nodded, swallowing with a dry throat as the gravity of the potential danger hit him full force, and a dark memory threatened to surface. She released him, and Rogue collected the triplets, tying them to his back with Callida¡¯s help in an unspoken agreement that being able to run at a moment¡¯s notice would be easier with the toddlers already strapped on. But maybe this is just an over abundance of caution? He could only hope. The boys fought the sling ¡ª fought being contained again, but they quieted down as Rogue bounced and spun, giving them a fun ride for their troubles. Callida led them back to where the Guardians were waiting for them, and the Guardians, in turn, led them back the way they¡¯d come into the temple. 41 - The North Temple to the Lion Primordial Callida took in their surroundings continuously. Up the stairs, through the double doors, down a dark, gothic hallway¡­. They passed several display cases holding various objects, many of them weapons that she might have found interesting were she not preoccupied building a map in her mind¡¯s eye. They passed five doors spaced between branching passages on each side of the long hallway, eventually turning right at a T. There were no more doors on the left-hand side, but they passed three doors on the right and more display cases before turning left down a very short passage to a grand pair of double doors. The doors creaked open as the Guardians in front of her tugged the circular handles, and Callida flinched at the sudden explosion of light in front of her. Compared to the dark hallway, this room was blinding. As her eyes teared up and adjusted, clerestory windows and skylights came into view above her, and a wall of windows to the west opened to allow the setting sun to light the room on fire. An abundance of shiny, mirrored objects lining the walls only bounced the flaming light further, layering the brilliance of the sunset with its many reflections. It was stunning, and Callida might have been awed, except, just in front of the western wall, there was a stone-topped ceremonial table¡­ like the one she¡¯d been strapped to and violated on in the Griffin Tribe temple. She became dizzy, identified her hyperventilation, and quickly quelled her breath. She had to stay sharp, now more than ever, and it was only a table. Alone, it couldn¡¯t hurt her. More urgently, there were about a dozen Guardians scattered throughout the ceremonial chamber, lining the walls. There were thirteen Guardians, to be precise, plus the three that had escorted them in for sixteen total. Unlike their spiritualist escorts and the Oracle, the Guardians about the room had patches of their monastic orders embroidered on their cloaks. Callida couldn¡¯t see what was on the patches between the lighting of the room and her distance from them, but it seemed interesting that their garments were distinctive in this manner, almost like a military with their rank marked on their clothes. That was not a comforting comparison. Militaristic monks? What next?! ¡°Shall we proceed?¡± Vanha asked, and Callida realized a moment late that Vanha was speaking to her, her arms outstretched expectantly. ¡°They¡¯re sleeping,¡± Callida made up an excuse to only partially expose Tajam, providing access to his chest without removing him from the sling or surrendering him entirely. Vanha raised an irritated eyebrow but didn¡¯t argue, instead reaching a hand out to the baby¡¯s chest. ¡°Oh. Oh, yes. Another confusing one. This one is like a dragon but without wings. Less serpentine¡­ and more¡­ lizard-like.¡± She stepped back to make room for Haluton to step forward. He merely agreed with Vanha by nodding once. ¡°May I?¡± The old Oracle Guardian stepped forward with a hand outstretched. ¡°You¡¯re also a spiritualist?¡± Callida asked, recoiling for unknown reasons and then suppressing her irrational response. ¡°In a different way, yes,¡± they answered, their voice husky and appearance uninformative such that Callida still had no idea if they were male or female. ¡°May I?¡± they repeated. She nodded, watching closely as the Oracle touched a pair of fingers to her son¡¯s chest. ¡°A different kind of dragon,¡± they declared. ¡°A komodo.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that impossible?¡± Vanha questioned and then bowed respectfully when the Oracle turned to look at her without answering. ¡°And the other infant?¡± The Oracle turned again to Callida, and Callida exposed Ddalu¡¯s chest for the Oracle. Again she watched them closely. ¡°Also a reptile: a crocodile,¡± they declared, and Vanha and Haluton stepped forward, eager to see what the Oracle had identified. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Vanha asked with much more reverence than her earlier query. ¡°The Primordials must see it fit to restore the Lost Tribes at this time,¡± the Oracle answered with tonal neutrality that set alarm bells off in Callida¡¯s head for reasons she, yet again, could not explain. ¡°May I examine your other children?¡± Callida agreed but hovered protectively as the Oracle confirmed Probus to be a lion, Tiaki to be a shark, and Manasik to be a snake. ¡°Can you tell me how this could happen?¡± Callida asked when they¡¯d finished. ¡°How is it that my sons aren¡¯t¡­? I¡¯m a wolf. Their father is a wolf. They should be wolves, right?¡± The old Oracle remained quiet for a moment. Callida could see wheels turning in their head, calculating a reply. To her surprise, the Oracle turned to Rogue. ¡°You are the father?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Qiangde Yudha.¡± ¡°You have been identified as a wolf?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But you are half dragon.¡± Rogue¡¯s eyes blew wide and then narrowed suspiciously. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°Are you not half dragon? What is your ancestry, Qiangde Yudha?¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°What does my ancestry have to do with anything?¡± ¡°Such children can only be the product of a powerful heritage, and Yudha is not a common name,¡± the Oracle stated simply. ¡°The line of the ancient Dragon Tribe King was reported to have been broken. Do you claim that the line continues, or do you claim the name only?¡± Rogue began to bounce with the boys becoming cranky on his back, using the action as a way to stall for an answer. ¡°Are you certain that there was only one Yudha line to break?¡± The Oracle raised an unamused eyebrow. ¡°That line was always narrow. A single man¡¯s death along with his family resulted in the ancestral line fading from existence. If you are not willing to be transparent about your heritage, my ability to help you is limited.¡± Rogue¡¯s eyes met Callida¡¯s briefly, her own bewilderment finding its match. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Rogue opted to withhold information, and Callida was torn in her reaction to that choice. Tactically, revealing less was safest, but she was also starving for answers that the Oracle seemed to possess. ¡°Hm,¡± the Oracle pursed their lips and stepped away. ¡°And what is your heritage, General Yudha? It is well known that you are the product of a wolf and lion. What makes your ancestry so powerful?¡± ¡°Absolutely nothing. I descend from a humble line of soldiers,¡± Callida said unhelpfully. ¡°So be it,¡± the Oracle muttered and turned away, their hands entering the sleeves of their cloak again. Callida grew ever more nervous, imagining all the things one might hide inside such billowy sleeves. ¡°I must deliberate with the Guardians about how this can be. You may wait here for your answers,¡± the Oracle suddenly said, and Callida defensively shielded Rogue as the entire group of Guardians turned to exit through another door across the way, following the Oracle. One of the Guardians passed closely, side-eyeing the Yudha family as he went, and Callida got a good look at the patch on his cloak: a dagger, choked by a thorned rose vine. The same patch. The same order as the Guardians in the Griffin Tribe temple. The ones who¡¯d kidnapped her¡­ tortured her¡­ violated her¡­ nearly killed her. And it connected. The same motif as Ustrina¡¯s seal¡­ the dowager targeting unborn babies¡­ seeking political power by any means necessary. What was the real symbolism of roses and a dagger? Was it only a coincidence that two murderous entities shared the same images? Were they connected in more ways than their symbolism? Regardless of the swirling suspicions, all doubt surrounding the source of her unease vanished instantly, and Goldie¡¯s snarling became a warsnare vibrating in Callida¡¯s chest. The moment the door closed behind the last of the Guardians, Callida stripped the sling holding the twins to her chest and transferred them to Rogue¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s time to run.¡± *** Horrified and triggered with five small children under a year old now strapped to his body, Rogue allowed Callida to guide him back the way they¡¯d come with her naked sword in her hand. He was hopelessly turned around, but Callida seemed to know where she was going as the hallways diverged and twisted. Nothing looked familiar until the double doors came into view. Soon they were in the courtyard again. It was still devoid of life, and now Rogue could sense the eeriness hanging in the silence. It seemed so obvious now, and he shuddered from that looming sense of unease. They stuck close to the walls, heading in the direction that their horses had been taken, looking for the stables. ¡°Pst!¡± Someone hissed, and Callida wheeled around so fast, Rogue startled. ¡°Please, do not hurt me!¡± the voice squeaked from somewhere¡­ below? He followed the line of Callida¡¯s sword to its tip now resting against the crook of someone¡¯s neck ¡ª a middle-aged woman ¡ª a Guardian standing in a window well at his feet. He jumped back. ¡°Please, I came to help you!¡± ¡°How?!¡± Callida demanded in a harsh whisper. ¡°The others plan to kill you. They predicted that you would come eventually and have set a trap. I played along, and I know their plans. But I will not help them. They have shut the portcullis, so there is no escape that way. But there is a back exit. It is difficult to find if you do not know the way, but I will take you to it.¡± ¡°Why are you helping us?¡± ¡°Because I believe in the prophecy,¡± she said, fearfully glancing at Callida¡¯s sword. ¡°Please. There is not much time. They will be looking for you by now.¡± Hesitantly, Callida lowered her weapon, and the Guardian smiled, beckoning for Rogue and Callida to follow her. ¡°Come. This way.¡± Callida helped Rogue drop into the window well without jostling the babies around too much; her own drop into the well behind him was much more graceful. He stepped through the window into a small kitchen area, and they blindly followed the Guardian through a series of confusing hallways and rooms, hiding in corners whenever human movement could be heard nearby. The terrifying feeling of being hunted made time do strange things. Mere moments seemed to last hours while minutes flew by in instants. Keeping the toddlers on his back quiet was the most stressful thing he¡¯d ever done in his life, but somehow, they made it to the small door at the bottom of a long, narrow flight of stairs without being caught. The door opened into the forest, and the sunlight was now almost gone. Rogue immediately headed for the refuge of the trees, turning in confusion when he realized that Callida wasn¡¯t following him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡± The next moment felt like an eternity. ¡°Callida?¡± She looked back up the stairs, the pounding of approaching footsteps sounding behind her. She smiled sadly and shook her head. ¡°Callida?!¡± ¡°Run, Qiangde. Just run. I¡¯ll catch up.¡± ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°No questions asked.¡± He froze, hearing the order to run in a different voice... And her hair was mostly black but streaked with silver, and her skin a shade darker, and her figure curvier, and eyes more slanted, and¡­. By the time he got to the door, it had been shut and locked from the inside with Callida disappearing through it. ¡°Callida!¡± He started pounding on the door, begging her to open it and come with him. Then, someone beyond the door shouted, a muffled cry of surprise that soon became one of anguish. There was a blood-curdling scream, the clang of steel hitting stone, and Rogue jumped back when something crashed with a heavy, fleshy thud against the wood in front of him. The babies on his chest startled as he did, and they began to cry. Some paternal instinct kicked in, flooding his mind with fear and his body with adrenaline¡­ ¡­ so he ran. 42 - Blood and Prophecy The Guardians were foolish to threaten her family. Callida was no stranger to desperate one-against-many fights, and despite spending the better part of the last two years pregnant and therefore not training, her relentless mental exercises and form practice had kept her in acceptable fighting form. That, and the Guardians were not trained as fighters and kept arriving in broken waves of two to four people at a time. She, on the other hand, was a seasoned veteran, and she was angry. Yes, mistakes had been made. Callida could see it in their eyes as she slashed, sliced, and stabbed her way back up the stairs, through the nonsensically twisting corridors and rooms, into the courtyard, and back through the hallways to the ceremonial chamber that was now lit by the moonlight filtering through the many windows and the handful of iron torches mounted on the walls. It was here that she was finally greeted by more than a random assortment of scattered Guardians trying to flush her out. The Oracle watched her enter from behind the stone table, shielded by the rows of armed Guardians in front of them, and Callida recognized Vanha and Haluton amongst the enemy forces and took note of the two archers with arrows already nocked and trained on her position. ¡°Surrender, General,¡± the Oracle ordered confidently. ¡°You are outnumbered.¡± ¡°No, Oracle, you should surrender, for you are outmatched.¡± ¡°One against thirty? I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Your funeral,¡± Callida said with an unconcerned shrug that masked the tension in her stance and the intensity of her watchful gaze. Despite his taunting, the Oracle was not the one calling the plays of their haphazard attack. Callida saw the signal to shoot come from a large male guardian on the front row and sprung forward in a roll as the arrows passed over her and hit the back wall. She used her momentum and charged, knocking spears to the side and spinning into the middle of their formation. They were not honestly prepared for her to arrive at their lines unscathed by the arrows. First rending the head from their leader¡¯s shoulders, Callida smirked to watch the rest of the Guardians immediately fall into panic, many of them dropping their weapons in an attempt to flee. An arrow loosed by shaky fingers hit one of the Guardians to her right, and Callida pulled a knife from her belt to drop the archer before they could correct their aim. She was ruthless. After killing those with the backbone to stand their ground, she fell upon the backs of their fleeing comrades, ignoring pleas for mercy or forgiveness, and hunting down the cowards who managed to escape, at least as many as she could find. It seemed unlikely that she managed to find them all. Maintaining her high alert, Callida returned to the ceremonial chamber to assess her work and determine what needed to be done next. It was hauntingly quiet. The blood had stained everything in the room with inky splatters and was running in sticky streams along the depressed grout joining the polished tiles of the floor. ¡°General?¡± The call was timid, but Callida responded to it violently, her sword raising to the woman¡¯s chest before Callida recognized her as the Guardian that had helped Rogue and her sons escape through the back door. She¡¯d forgotten about her amidst the slaughter but quickly dropped her sword. ¡°I owe you my gratitude,¡± she said and offered the Guardian a deep bow. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I am Guardian Sotera of the Eternal Sun Order, the original order of the North Temple to the Lion Primordial,¡± the Guardian said and returned Callida¡¯s bow nervously¡­ which was fair given that the Guardian was completely surrounded by blood and the corpses of her colleagues. Callida could only guess how much blood she herself was wearing. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®the original order¡¯?¡± ¡°This temple was built nearly six hundred years ago in honor of the Lion Primordial, a being who derived his power from the sun. The Eternal Sun Order of Guardians was established to protect this temple and preserve the legacy of the Lion Primordial. The order has always been small, limited by tradition to five living members at a time, one to represent each of the five Primordials. However, the temple has expanded over the centuries. A task force of five would be overwhelmed in such a place as this, and it was always the intention to welcome other orders to the North Temple. At one point, the Guardianship of the temple was shared by ten separate orders. Now, there are only two: The Eternal Sun Order and the Order of the Rose and Dagger. The Rose and Dagger first came to this temple two generations ago and aggressively converted members of other orders to their ideology or pushed them out.¡± ¡°Are there other members of the Eternal Sun Order besides yourself?¡± She hesitated, her eyes darting to the blood stains on Callida¡¯s clothes. ¡°Yes, but I sent them to their rooms when you arrived because¡­.¡± ¡°That was wise,¡± Callida acknowledged. ¡°Then, are there five of you?¡± ¡°Only three. The Order of the Rose and Dagger has made it increasingly difficult to replenish our numbers.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Callida spent a moment struggling to process the information dump meaningfully. The Rose and Dagger sounded like an invasive weed, methodically choking out all other orders. But for what purpose? ¡°What can you tell me about the Order of the Rose and Dagger?¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Guardian Sotera lifted a curled hand to her bottom lip as she thought and began a mindless stroll about the less gory third of the ceremonial chamber. ¡°They are strange to me. Primordialism is an ancient religion that predates the Last Primordials by millenia. The religion celebrates the Primordials, honors them as the protectors of humanity from the great evils of the primitive world. When the Generational One declared a final prophecy, practitioners of the religion everywhere celebrated, eagerly anticipating the return of the ancient Dragon King whom the Primordials served. But not the Order of the Rose and Dagger. Their philosophies are foreign to me and seem almost¡­ sacrilegious. That is, what I know of their philosophies. They are secretive. Primordialism is a religion for the people. It gives them hope and a connection to their history. It should not be hidden from them. The Eternal Sun Order believes in being a beacon pointing people to a sure source of enlightenment and peace. The Order of the Rose and Dagger hides their knowledge, hoarding it for purposes I am not privy to. But they seem to regard the final prophecy with¡­.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Forgive me, but I do not believe that they look upon the prophecy favorably. I do not understand how that can be. My position in the Eternal Sun Order is to represent the Silver Wolf. I have come to know her as I have studied her. She was a great protector, regularly sacrificing everything for the benefit of others. How anyone can view the return of the king who gave her the power to protect as a bad thing, I can not comprehend.¡± ¡°What does that mean in practical terms?¡± ¡°General, I do not wish to misrepresent the dead. I do not understand their beliefs, but I learned not to mention the prophecy in their presence because the conversations that followed were always unpleasant.¡± ¡°Unpleasant in what way?¡± ¡°They wanted to argue instead of seeking understanding or enlightenment.¡± Callida inhaled deeply of the rusty air, releasing it again in a sharp exhale. ¡°Tell me about the prophecy.¡± ¡°Certainly you know of the prophecy yourself,¡± Sotera said with a laugh that quickly faltered in the face of Callida¡¯s stern gaze. She cleared her throat. ¡°The final prophecy, sometimes referred to as the Prophecy of the Dragon King or the Great Unifier Prophecy, speaks of one who will unify the world of man in preparation for the return of the Dragon King. It speaks of a restoration of the Lost Tribes destroyed by the Black Dragon in the Last Primordial war ¡ª a restoration that you, General, appear to be the mother of.¡± ¡°The Mother of Prophecy¡­¡± Callida gasped, her trauma from the Griffin Tribe temple surfacing in a dangerous whirlwind of confused and desperate thoughts. ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°What does that mean?!¡± Sotera stopped wandering to stand directly in front of Callida, a gentle smile forming as her hand lifted to delicately brush Callida¡¯s blood-splattered cheek. ¡°I am unsure.¡± Her hand dropped. Callida felt¡­. She swooned, one knee buckling, the other locking as she tipped, unbalanced, to one side. Her sword clattered to the floor, skittering across the smooth tile as she fell. A panic attack? Shock? Or had the Guardian done something to her? No¡­. No, that was paranoia speaking. Callida let her head rest a moment against the cold tile, forcing her vitals to stabilize until her head stopped spinning. The Guardian above her was already offering her a hand to her feet when she looked up again. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I feel strange,¡± Callida admitted, collecting her sword. ¡°This prophecy¡­ is it written anywhere?¡± Guardian Sotera became suddenly sad. ¡°The Eternal Sun Order has failed. Our records of the prophecy were stolen or destroyed.¡± ¡°Then how do you know what¡¯s in the prophecy?¡± Callida demanded, skepticism quickly hardening her heart to the idea of it again. Sotera sighed heavily. ¡°There is still an oral tradition, but it is incomplete.¡± ¡°What can you tell me that you haven¡¯t already said?¡± ¡°The prophecy promises that the Return of the Dragon King will bring peace to the world and justice to evil, but most of the prophecy describes the signs of the prophecy¡¯s fulfillment. For example, the attributes of the Parents of Prophecy. They are said to be both the same and opposite of each other. They will be great leaders of men. They will combine the power of the Last Primordials through their bloodlines. And they will be the subject of great love and great hatred.¡± She paused, looking Callida over. Callida looked back. Sotera was very tall, taller than Callida¡¯s five foot eleven; Callida was looking up to meet Sotera¡¯s eyes. ¡°I wonder¡­ would you permit me to¡­ see for myself?¡± ¡°See?¡± Callida frowned and then flinched when the Guardian slowly lifted her palm to the level of Callida¡¯s chest. ¡°This would not be your first time,¡± she noted, but the observation did not curb the hunger in her eyes. ¡°May I?¡± ¡°What do you think you¡¯ll see?¡± Callida asked hoarsely. ¡°I am a brown lion. My gift is to see past feats, current power, and future potential. I am most curious to witness the power of the Mother of Prophecy for myself. You have already proven yourself formidable. I wish to understand how this came to be.¡± Callida didn¡¯t remember moving, or the Guardian moving for that matter, but her back hit the shut door, and the expectant distance between herself and the Guardian had not changed. ¡°I will not force you,¡± Sotera assured her, ¡°but I do seek your permission. May I?¡± She willed her panic to subside, hopeful that Sotera could provide answers if she could just stomach the connection in the first place. ¡°Do as you wish,¡± she consented shakily. Sotera smiled and nodded before closing the gap, secondarily trapping Callida within the frame of the door. ¡°Do not be afraid. It will not hurt. It will feel like waking up from a dream you cannot remember.¡± Callida was surprised when the Guardian first took her wrist, lifting it and peeling back the filthy sleeve to expose the tender underside of her forearm and bring it close to her face. Then, the Guardian¡¯s right palm pressed gently against Callida¡¯s chest, her other hand slowly coaxing Callida¡¯s bare arm to her lips. The moment she surrendered to the connection, Callida¡¯s eyes rolled into the back of her head. And the next moment, she was groggily returning to her senses. She was sagging against the doorframe, a leaden arm barely retaining a grip on her sword. Her whole body felt completely relaxed as though buried under the weight of a warm, heavy blanket ¡ª drained, but not in an unpleasant way. Guardian Sotera was studying her face with awe when her eyes finally blinked open. ¡°Did you find what you were looking for?¡± Sotera broke into a warm, deeply affectionate smile and sank to her knees, bowing to the floor. ¡°You are more than I could imagine. It would be my honor to serve you, the true Mother of Prophecy.¡± That post traumatic response stabbed through her chest again. She couldn¡¯t think of a response¡­ or think at all. Her mind had shorted out. She fumbled for the handle of the door behind her, retreated into the hallway beyond, and sheathed her grimy sword. When nothing else made sense, it felt only natural to run. 43 - Let Them Rot Callida¡¯s run took her outside to the main courtyard before she remembered that there were likely still members of the Order of the Rose and Dagger skulking about. Her distracted mind appropriately doused with cold water, Callida remembered the nurses, carriage driver, horses and luggage, and began to feel her way to the stables in the dark. The cobbled courtyard became a narrow, dirt lane that wove between the monastic structures until stopping at a stable erected against the outer fortress wall. While the temple buildings were an imposing work of masonry, the stable was a humble wooden structure with a thatched roof. There was a single, iron torch mounted on a near stone wall, and Callida debated borrowing the torch or putting it out to mask her own presence from potential enemies lurking in the shadows. In the end, she decided to take the light with her, confident that the enemies would be aware of her presence anyway, and she¡¯d rather be able to see in the meantime. She entered the stables to immediate whinnies protesting her light and found all five horses spooked and neatly penned to her left. She spared a soothing but distracted pat for Kayun as she lifted the torch high and glanced cautiously about the room. There was nothing to jump out at her from the dark corners, but the large carriage, its racks still burdened with luggage, blocked her view of nearly half the room. Callida drew her sword on instinct and planted the torch in the dirt ground. Something was off if even Kayun was jumpy. Ducking down to check that no one was beneath the carriage before approaching it, Callida felt her heart skip a beat. Not under the carriage but beyond it was a dark puddle. She braced herself and rounded the corner. Beyond lay piles of hay. On the hay lay three bodies: one male, two female. There was fear etched on Tutella¡¯s frozen face, pain on the driver¡¯s. Callida couldn¡¯t see Calora¡¯s face as she¡¯d fallen forward, but her skirts were dark with blood. Dead. And for what?! A prophecy?! A supposed prophecy?! Callida felt an exquisite rage wash over her. Two wonderful, caring nurses ¡ª members of her household ¡ª and an unfortunate carriage driver had died tonight because of some cursed, Black Dragon nonsense and religious superstitions! Five innocent babies¡¯ lives had been similarly threatened for the same reason! They¡¯d gone after her husband. They¡¯d gone after her. They¡¯d gone too far. Callida turned and left the stables hoping to find more members of the Order of the Rose and Dagger. They would pay for cowardly killing innocents. They would pay for threatening her family. And they would pay for stupidly thinking that she would ever allow some prophecy to control her life. And they would pay that debt with their lives. *** The night spent hunting the Black Dragon spawn had left Callida exhausted and unsatisfied. She¡¯d been careful not to kill the three Guardians from the Eternal Sun Order, but dawn only dared to break after Callida was certain that she¡¯d slaughtered everyone else left at the temple. The Eternal Sun Guardians spent the morning tallying her kills and met Callida where she was burying the nurses and driver outside the walls of the temple. Their report: the temple was now lifeless, and all but two Guardians from the Order of the Rose and Dagger were accounted for. ¡°Who¡¯s missing?¡± she demanded angrily. ¡°We do not know,¡± Guardian Sotera said apologetically ¡ª placatingly. ¡°We did not track names but merely counted heads.¡± Was Rogue chased?! She started feeling panicked, passed the shovel she was using to one of Sotera¡¯s colleagues, and pointed her nose toward the stables. ¡°Please give them a proper burial.¡± ¡°And the others?¡± Sotera asked, referring to the bodies scattered throughout the temple. ¡°Let them rot,¡± Callida snarled. *** The late morning light stabbed at Rogue¡¯s eyes. He couldn¡¯t remember where he was, but¨C Primordials! Callida!! The nightmarish circumstances made him bolt upright. Head rush. While his vision swam, Rogue accounted for each child using their cries. Tajam and Ddalu were wailing somewhere next to him, probably starving. Probus, Tiaki, and Manasik were further away but also undoubtedly hungry. The only thing they¡¯d eaten since lunch yesterday was¡­ goat¡¯s milk? ¡°Don¡¯ move!¡± Rogue froze, his vision returning to find a man pointing the sharpened end of a pitchfork at his chest. He remembered she¡¯d turned around to fight their pursuers¡­ alone¡­ he was running¡­ finding a barn¡­ collapsing with the boys in the stack of hay¡­. ¡°Sallia, get th¡¯ lil ones.¡± ¡°Wait! Stop!¡± Rogue threw a protective arm around the twins as a woman approached to take them from him. Behind her, a girl stood corralling the triplets who were doing everything they could to break free from her grip. ¡°Who are you? What do you want?! Leave them alone!¡± ¡°I should be askin¡¯ you th¡¯ questions!¡± the man roared angrily. ¡°Stealin¡¯ children! Babies even!¡± ¡°Stealing¡­. What, no!? These are my sons!¡± ¡°Like we¡¯re gon¡¯ believe that. Not a one of ¡®em could be mor¡¯n a year old!¡± ¡°Please,¡± Rogue found himself in the bizarre position of trying to persuade a stranger that his sons were, well, his. He was way too sleep deprived for this. Callida would know what to do¡­ would know what to say. ¡°Please, they¡¯re my sons, I swear. The older three over there are triplets, and the babies are twins¡­. Their mother, my wife, should be along shortly.¡± Primordials, please let her be along shortly. Let her be alive at all. The man wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°ROBUR?! Where is tha¡¯ boy? He should be back by now!¡± ¡°PA!¡± someone shouted from outside the barn. ¡°PA! I BROUGHT ¡®EM!¡± ¡°Brought who?¡± Rogue asked, feeling hopeful and terrified all at once. A young man ¡ª teenager ¡ª sprinted into the barn, and a pair of Lion Tribe military uniforms followed behind him a few moments later. They weren¡¯t temple Guardians, so Rogue felt cautiously relieved for that. ¡°Him! He¡¯s th¡¯ one! I found ¡®im in th¡¯ barn this mornin¡¯ with all these lil ones.¡± The soldiers looked Rogue over, moving to intervene, literally stepping between the man with the pitchfork and the man sitting wide-eyed and bewildered on the ground with an arm still guarding a pair of screaming infants. ¡°Would you like to explain?¡± A soldier with two stars on his shoulder asked: a lieutenant. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°These are my sons,¡± Rogue repeated himself. ¡°Please, the others too.¡± The lieutenant raised a brow at that, his head swiveling to take in the terrified triplets screaming and thrashing in the arms of a woman and a young girl for the first time. ¡°Let them go,¡± he ordered the women. ¡°Let¡¯s see what happens.¡± Hesitantly, they let go of the triplets, and all three immediately ran back to their dad, diving into his arms for comfort and protection. Rogue did his best to soothe them, arranging them in his lap so he could hold them all. With the triplets reasonably settled and the threat of the boys being forcibly taken from him held at bay, Rogue collected the twins off the ground and draped one on each shoulder, struggling to tend to all five babies at once, but determined to prove to his audience that he knew and loved each of them. The lieutenant knelt down in front of the burdened parent. Curiosity more than judgment in his lopsided smile. ¡°How ¡®bout we start at the beginning? Who are you? Why are you in this barn? What¡¯s with all the kids?¡± ¡°My name is Qiangde Yudha. These are my sons. We¡­ got lost. I found the barn late last night and took advantage of the hay and the goat¡¯s milk to feed the babies. I was planning to pay the owners for the use of their goat¡¯s milk this morning. I¡¯m sorry for the intrusion.¡± ¡°Why were you lost?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a complicated story,¡± Rogue admitted, suddenly anxious and distracted thinking of his wife again¡­ and realizing that he didn''t have any way to prove that he was who he said he was without her or the traveling papers stowed in his luggage back at the temple. ¡°I¡¯ve got time,¡± the lieutenant insisted. He dropped to sit cross-legged in front of Rogue, and gave an encouraging nod. ¡°The babies are hungry,¡± Rogue deflected. ¡°Can I feed them first?¡± ¡°The small ones are a little young for goat¡¯s milk, aren¡¯t they?¡± the other soldier piped up, and the lieutenant glanced up at his comrade in surprise. ¡°Sorry. They just seem young to be weaned. My wife is particular about these things.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Rogue agreed. ¡°Ideally, they would be fed by their nurses.¡± ¡°And where are their nurses at?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Rogue stated once again. ¡°Iugis,¡± the lieutenant called, and the man with the pitchfork stepped forward, ¡°get the man some milk and bread for the little ones.¡± ¡°I can pay for it,¡± Rogue hastily added. ¡°No need,¡± Iugis said gruffly and gave a nod to the girl, presumably his daughter, who left in a rush. ¡°Robur, would you milk Barba, please?¡± Rogue was soon presented with a day-old loaf of bread and a bucket of milk. The woman, Sallia, offered to feed the twins by soaking a clean handkerchief in the milk for them to suck on. Rogue gratefully accepted the assistance, and, with the boys eating and quiet, the atmosphere relaxed. *** ¡°RO-OGUE!¡± Callida shouted at the top of her voice ¡ª a voice that was soon to give out for all of her screaming. ¡°RO-OGUE!¡± Kayun too moved with urgency. Following Rogue¡¯s tracks had only gotten her so far. She¡¯d inferred this direction when the trail went cold based on the landscape and what seemed to make sense. She¡¯d ended up in a small farming community, and could only hope that Rogue had made it this far on foot in the dark with all of their children strapped to his body¡­. ¡°RO-OGUE!!!¡± Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she galloped blindly through the village roads. Maybe she¡¯d gone the wrong direction. Maybe Rogue had been caught by the two missing Guardians and killed along with their sons. Maybe he¡¯d gotten injured. Maybe¡­. ¡°RO-OGUE!!!¡± ¡°Wha¡¯re you shoutin¡¯ for, soldier?!¡± Halting Kayun, Callida dismounted and lunged desperately at the man, gripping his collar as he staggered back. ¡°I¡¯m looking for my husband. He¡¯s traveling with five small children. Have you seen him?!¡± The man before her was cowering. She¡¯d had the presence of mind to change into her uniform before leaving the temple, but she hadn¡¯t bathed after the night¡¯s battle. Her hand gripping the man¡¯s shirt was still grimy with dried blood and the dirt from burying the dead. Callida could only guess what her hair and face looked like ¡ª probably deranged and equally filthy, but none of that mattered now. She just needed to find Rogue. ¡°Answer me! Have you seen a man traveling with a number of small children? Have you heard anything? Please.¡± ¡°Th¡¯ lieutenant got called out to the Grumus farm this mornin¡¯ due t¡¯ an intruder?¡± ¡°An intruder?¡± ¡°Tha¡¯s all I know.¡± ¡°Which way?!¡± ¡°North o¡¯ here. Tha¡¯ way. Big barn, can¡¯ miss it.¡± She didn¡¯t lose a second jumping back into Kayun¡¯s saddle. ¡°Thank you!¡± The man seemed mostly just grateful that she was moving off. *** Rogue could tell that the lieutenant didn¡¯t believe his story. The reason for their journey to the temple was absurd. Guardians attacking people visiting the temple was absurd. His wife being the Lion General was¡­ improbable. All of it was absurd! ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± was all he could say when the lieutenant said as much, but it didn¡¯t help that Rogue felt crazy for saying it out loud in the first place. ¡°I know it doesn¡¯t make any sense, but¨C¡± ¡°Rogue!¡± It was faint, but his ears perked up. ¡°Ro-ogue!¡± It was getting louder. ¡°Callida!¡± ¡°Sir, stay seated, please,¡± the lieutenant ordered. He stood up anyway. ¡°ROGUE!¡± ¡°CALLIDA!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my wife! CALLIDA!!¡± ¡°ROGUE?!¡± The sound of approaching hooves grew louder. ¡°Rogue? Rogue, are you here?! WHERE ARE YOU?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here! In the barn!¡± Her silhouette appeared at the open door, and, in that moment, she was the most beautiful sight in all of Ulakam. She ran into his arms, flinging hers around his neck as she broke into tears, and Rogue held her tight. It was impossible to quantify the overwhelming relief he felt. But she smelled of blood. ¡°Primordials, Callida, are you hurt?!¡± ¡°No.¡± He stepped back, quickly looking her over. Her fresh uniform couldn¡¯t hide the gore splattered and smeared on her face and through her hair. Convinced that the blood wasn¡¯t hers, Rogue drew her close again. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°General!¡± The two soldiers in the room finally recognized the five stars on her shoulder ¡ª or perhaps recognized her face ¡ª and snapped to attention. ¡°At ease,¡± Callida dismissed the salute absently as Rogue brushed her tears aside and leaned in to kiss her deeply, ignoring the blood. ¡°You scared me!¡± he accused. ¡°I scared you?! Do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been looking for you?!¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been worrying about you?! You went back in there all by yourself!¡± he doubled down. ¡°How did you even get out?!¡± ¡°I killed them.¡± ¡°You¡­ all of them?!¡± ¡°All but the three in the order that helped us¡­ and the two that got away.¡± He suddenly felt rather nauseous. ¡°Rogue, they murdered Tutella and Calora¡­ and the driver.¡± She was doing everything she could to fight her tears; it made Rogue hurt, and that pain returned his numbed senses to him. She¡¯d lost two friends who had supported her through the last year ¡ª one of the hardest years of her life. And Callida could just as easily have been found among the dead. Grief and gratitude merged together. ¡°Come here.¡± Forgetting everyone else in the room, Rogue grabbed her waist and yanked her against his chest. Trauma fueled the connection. The mutual need for comfort made them greedy. He could still smell the blood on her skin, the odor growing stronger as her tears mixed with the rusty stains on her cheeks. Her arms wrapped around his neck; her hands gripped his shoulder-length curls. The urgency with which she was pressing herself against him spoke to how raw her emotions were¡­ how deep her inner wounds were¡­ how desperate she was to fill the void in her soul. Her chest heaved against his, and Callida suddenly disengaged to bury her face in his shoulder, smothering her sobs as best she could while simultaneously shuddering with uncontrollable sorrow. Rogue could do nothing but hold her ¡ª hold her and shield her when he remembered that they were being watched. The soldiers¡¯ were bowing their heads in respect and solidarity. The farmer''s family was¡­ visibly uncomfortable. Their sons were, thankfully, oblivious ¡ª the infants sleeping and the toddlers playing in the hay. Rogue made the conscious choice to not rush her grief, instead tightening his hold around her just a little more. 44 - Ripples ¡°General,¡± Verum called to her from his throne, beckoning her closer before the morning meeting. She obliged with a bow. ¡°Callida, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you about your trip since you got back. What did you think of the temple?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to ask me that, Verum.¡± Callida¡¯s brooding, blank expression pinched, her eyes filling with shadows, and Verum frowned. If he were being honest, he couldn¡¯t care less what Callida thought about the North Temple, but she was acting¡­. She hadn¡¯t been herself ever since she¡¯d returned. It had been over a week, and she was still distracted and distant. The darkness in her eyes was ever present, and he¡¯d overheard some of his councilmen worriedly talking about it in hushed voices the other day. ¡°What happened? Is everything ok with your boys?¡± ¡°They¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°Is¡­¡± he hesitated. ¡°Is everything ok with¡­ with Qiangde?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her clipped responses gave him pause. Were they clipped because she was lying or because she was hiding something else that she didn¡¯t want to discuss? Or was she simply in a bad mood? ¡°No lies, no hidden meanings?¡± he prompted quietly. ¡°No lies. No hidden meanings. My family is fine.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Verum acknowledged, still frowning, but unsure of how else to approach her surliness. He sat back in his throne and looked her over. She was tense, her expression still willfully neutral. But it was the hellfire in her eyes that was really bothering him. Her eyes only got that dark when she was beyond angry or preparing herself to kill someone. She reminded him of a snake, coiled up, ready to strike, but at what?! He decided on a direct approach. ¡°Callida, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, her voice transitioning to become cold ¡ª guarded, suspicious, with an undercurrent of violence and¡­. Verum studied his friend long and hard, trying to identify the emotions hiding beneath the surface. She uncomfortably looked away, her face resetting. ¡°What do you want, Verum?¡± Even her tone had ironed out. Verum had seen enough to make a guess. ¡°Who¡¯s dead?¡± She scoffed, an action that bared her teeth in a secondary snarl, and her coiled posture slackened in defeat and then became even tighter in rapid succession. His own expression now a numb neutral, Verum stabbed in the dark a second time. ¡°Did you kill them?¡± The darkness in her eyes intensified as she glared up at him through her eyebrows. The muscles in her jaw twitched, and a hatred unlike any he¡¯d ever seen in her before burned ominously up at him. He shuddered and his voice dropped to a low whisper. ¡°How many did you kill?¡± ¡°You know better than to ask me that,¡± came the return hiss. ¡°Why did you kill them, then?¡± Tears welled up through a villainous smirk. ¡°They threatened my family and killed my sons¡¯ nurses.¡± ¡°Who did?¡± ¡°The temple Guardians.¡± Verum sat uncomprehendingly staring at his friend, something manic now building in her darkness. ¡°You killed the temple Guardians?! Callida, what happened?!¡± ¡°I already told you.¡± ¡°Why would they¡­?!¡± He recalculated mid-thought in favor of a different question. ¡°If you killed them, then why isn¡¯t it over?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different this time.¡± Before he could come up with more clarifying questions about her cryptic response, Callida inclined her head to him and returned to the western wall, standing stoically ¡ª hauntingly ¡ª at attention. He had to work very hard to shake off the after-effects of the conversation so he could open the council meeting. Even then, he couldn¡¯t muster up much more than a nod to Spokesman Legatus who stood to announce the agenda for the meeting while Verum processed his thoughts. Temple Guardians threatening people was unheard of. Attacking and killing people?! Different this time? What does that mean? *** Soliciting closing remarks on a final issue of taxation from the council before retiring the issue for further consideration, Verum forced himself to focus long enough to jot down a few notes. This was the last item on Legatus¡¯s agenda for the morning meeting, and Verum definitely needed a break to help clear his head. Every time he glanced in Callida¡¯s direction, he was reminded of their pre-meeting conversation and had to refocus all over again. Verum was just about to dismiss the council when the throne room doors opened, and a soldier walked in, bowing deeply to him, to deliver a message.
The Guardians of the Eternal Sun Order from the North Temple to the Lion Primordial respectfully request a brief audience with His Majesty, the Lion King.
Normally, Verum would find such a request odd and intriguing. Today, however, his stomach did a backflip, and his eyes darted to Callida who was staring absently over the heads of his councilmen. He spent a much longer time debating whether to permit the Guardians entrance, but then, if there was to be confrontation with the Guardians, he¡¯d rather that Callida was present should things go poorly. And what were the odds that this visit had nothing to do with her in the first place? Verum glanced apologetically at his oblivious friend and gave the nod of approval to escort the Guardians in. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. The doors opened, and Verum watched Callida¡¯s response to the arriving guests in his peripherals. Her eyes widened, her body tensed, and she¡­ retreated? That was not what he was expecting. She looked shocked and afraid more than angry or bloodthirsty. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± a tall woman leading the group of three inclined her head in a shallow bow of acknowledgement. ¡°Thank you for granting our request. I am Guardian Sotera of the North Temple to the Lion Primordial and the head of the Eternal Sun Order.¡± ¡°What brings you to the palace, Guardian Sotera?¡± Verum asked delicately. ¡°We are here to return some property to the Lion General, Your Majesty,¡± Sotera explained. ¡°She recently came to visit the North Temple and had to leave quickly, leaving many belongings behind. We were hoping that you might be able to direct us to her.¡± Scowling with concern, Verum glanced to his right, meeting Callida¡¯s panic-stricken eyes. The Guardians, for better or worse, followed his gaze and immediately reoriented to address the Lion General directly. ¡°Forgive us. I did not realize that you were here,¡± Guardian Sotera said. Verum watched as the three Guardians approached his bewildered friend, getting close before synchronously prostrating themselves before her. ¡°We come to submit ourselves and swear our loyalty to the Mother of Prophecy and her family. We are your humble servants.¡± Verum rose to his feet, as did much of his council. While Verum was staring wide-eyed at a triggered and cowering Callida, his council started shouting in disapproval, indignation, and outright anger. Yet the Guardians remained undeterred, their foreheads planted on the tile beneath them. Callida bolted. Verum watched her leave at a dead run and sank back onto his throne. The effort to process these proceedings was ponderous. Verum¡¯s own thoughts drowned out the cacophony of the council, but none of his thoughts were cohesive enough to be articulated. As they struggled to congeal into something sensical, the council¡¯s screaming grew loud again. ¡°THAT¡¯S ENOUGH!¡± he roared over the tirade, the council hushed, and Verum stood up to address the Guardians still prostrate on the floor. ¡°Guardians, the Lion General has left. Rise and explain yourselves.¡± ¡°Our lady has not given her permission for us to rise.¡± Verum took a moment to massage the exasperation out of his face before speaking again. ¡°Your lady happens to be my best friend, and I know for a fact that she didn¡¯t want you to bow down to her in the first place. Get up.¡± Grudgingly the Guardians lifted to their knees, Sotera¡¯s face lined with a frown of worry. ¡°Our intention was not to offend the Mother of Prophecy.¡± That title was distracting. The Mother of Prophecy. Verum recognized it, shocked to hear it applied to his friend, and slouched further into his seat as his council began to once again mutter angrily to his left. ¡°Traitors!¡± someone shouted, and soon the rest of the council was calling for a trial and executions. ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Verum had to shout again. ¡°They are not traitors. They are Guardians of the North Temple, and as such, they are exempt by law from the requirements of sovereign allegiance. By definition they cannot be called or, therefore, tried as traitors.¡± ¡°Then try the Lion General in their place!¡± ¡°ON WHAT GROUNDS!¡± Verum roared, flying to his feet. ¡°Sedition!¡± ¡°Inciting rebellion!¡± ¡°Insurrection!¡± ¡°Treason!¡± ¡°GENERAL YUDHA IS NOT A PARTY TO THIS INSANITY!¡± Verum told them off. ¡°She did nothing more than stand there and walk out because their allegiance made her uncomfortable. Now sit down!¡± While the browbeaten council sank into their seats, Guardian Sotera began laughing, utterly delighted for reasons Verum could not even begin to fathom. He turned to glare at her. ¡°How can you laugh at a moment like this?!¡± ¡°It is glorious to see the prophecy unfold,¡± Sotera declared, her hands clasping reverently in front of her. ¡°¡®The Parents of Prophecy shall be the subjects of great love and great hatred,¡¯¡± she quoted a reference only she knew, one hand first gesturing to Verum, the other then gesturing to the council. ¡°It is beautiful ¡ª exactly as the prophecy foretold.¡± ¡°Well, that settles it then,¡± Verum snarked, his expression dropping from falsely pleasant into a cranky snarl as he rounded on the council spokesman. ¡°Legatus, we¡¯ve addressed everything on the agenda, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, Sire.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re all dismissed. Get out.¡± Primordials, Callida! What else haven¡¯t you told me? *** The nursery doors swung open a little too forcefully, and Rogue startled, surprised to find Callida standing framed in the doorway. He knew in an instant that something was wrong ¡ª very, very wrong. Without a word, Rogue passed Tajam off to one of the new nurses, and redirected his wife out of the room. He had to physically guide her down the hallway and into their bedroom. She moved stiffly, not in defiance, but almost as though she lacked control over her own body. ¡°Callida, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She didn¡¯t respond, and it became apparent pretty quickly that she couldn¡¯t respond. She was choking on her own terror ¡ª her eyes wide, blank and flooded, her body rigid in a stalled fight or flight response, her face contorted with fear. He set a finger against her throat, tapping her pulse and finding it erratic and violent, her breath also coming in rapid, strangled gasps. And he had no idea what to do. Wrapping her in an awkward hug only seemed to make things worse. She tensed somehow further, fighting the restraining embrace. But he needed to break her out of her paralysis, get her higher brain functions to take control again. He ran through a short list of terrible options: appeal to her passionate nature by kissing her (that would only succeed in increasing that feeling of being restrained and he didn¡¯t really want to associate her terror with¡­ that), snap her out of things by inflicting just enough pain to return her senses to her (and would likely get himself killed in her current state of fight or flight), let Shyaam connect with Goldie and try to calm her from the inside out (but Shyaam¡¯s instincts told him that would also be suicide). He had never seen Callida in a state like this before, and she wasn¡¯t exactly a normal patient suffering from a panic attack. Make the wrong move, and an out-of-control Callida might snap. He was left trying to coax her down verbally, providing scant physical comfort in whatever ways she would allow while she fought through her demons alone. ¡°Be still, Callida. I¡¯m here. You¡¯re safe. I¡¯m safe. The boys are safe. It¡¯s ok. We¡¯re all ok.¡± He pulled the tie out of her tight updo, loosing her waves to tumble down her back so he could gently tug and run his fingers through her hair. ¡°You¡¯re ok, M¡¯lady. Be still.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how long they stood there, but at long last, Callida¡¯s tension broke with a sharp sob. He took the opportunity to take her pain away from her, and Rogue set his hand between her shoulder blades to make the connection that would allow him to flood her being with an oppressive calm. He witnessed only briefly how worked up Goldie was in Callida¡¯s chest before she latched onto the comfort he was offering her, and Callida collapsed unconscious against him. Gathering her up in his arms, Rogue carried Callida to the bed, removed her weapons belt, boots, and doublet for comfort, and wrapped her snuggly in a blanket to rest. Rogue sat next to her and continued to play mindlessly with her hair as he watched her sleep. It seemed inevitable that this moment would come after everything she¡¯d been through. Callida was impossibly tough, but everyone has limits; it was apparent that she¡¯d finally found hers. He¡¯d have to ask her about what had triggered this episode when she woke up, but in the meantime, Rogue took comfort from curling up on the pillow next to her, draping an arm around her waist, and kissing her cheek. He couldn¡¯t take her demons away, but he could do his best to not be one of them. 45 - Curse Callida was beginning to stir, and Rogue tore his eyes from the dwindling fire to instead watch her resist waking up. She¡¯d slept most of the day away already and probably needed to wake up if she was to have any chance of sleeping that night. As she struggled to roll over, Rogue¡¯s mind once again wandered to the troubling question of what had triggered her earlier breakdown. Treating damage to the mind was not within his current purview as a healer of the body, though the two were obviously intrinsic to each other. Groaning a little as her efforts to stay asleep failed, Callida took a deep, rousing breath. He took that as his signal. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Rogue strode across the room as his wife¡¯s eyes blinked open. ¡°How long was I out?¡± ¡°Hours. Most of the afternoon is gone.¡± Habit compelled him to check her pulse ¡ª steady and strong, fluttering momentarily as she realized the time. ¡°Primordials! I need to get back to the palace,¡± she said groggily, rolling most of the way off the bed before Rogue could stop her. ¡°Whoa. Be still a minute and talk to me. What happened this morning?¡± ¡°I think I must have had a panic attack,¡± she stated the obvious in a rush, already reaching for her boots and weapons belt. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, Callida,¡± Rogue said with a small sigh of exasperation. He took her hands in his, forcing her acknowledgement as she could no longer dress herself. ¡°I meant, what caused the panic attack?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± she deflected in a mumble, her attention stubbornly returning to her boots. Rogue surrendered and stood up to pace while she finished getting dressed. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later?¡± she said, brushing past him to the door, her lips pecking his cheek lightly along the way. Rogue seized the opportunity and snatched her hips, drawing her back. ¡°Rogue,¡± she giggled, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± Her coy deflections extinguished when she caught sight of the anxiety between his eyebrows. ¡°What?¡± Rogue scowled at his toes, struggling to find the words to express the ambiguous bothers in his head. ¡°You always¡­. You never¡­. I know you do this to protect me, Callida, but I¡¯m worried about whatever it is that you¡¯re trying to protect me from. It¡¯s obviously hurting you, and I wish¡­. I wish you¡¯d allow me to help you face it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she tried to insist in a gentle sing-song, a seductive hand lifting to stroke his cheek. It only succeeded in making him angry. ¡°Really?! That was nothing?! The strongest person I¡¯ve ever met has a panic attack, and you expect me to buy into ¡®it¡¯s nothing¡¯?!¡± Rogue¡¯s lips became a thin line as he checked his temper. ¡°Look, M¡¯lady, I¡¯m worried about you. You never let me in. I know that you can¡¯t let me in sometimes, but¡­ if you can¡¯t talk to me, then maybe you need to see a monitor. You need to talk to someone. Anyone. You can¡¯t keep this to yourself, and you shouldn¡¯t have to. I want to understand what¡¯s going on, and I want to help you.¡± Teeth digging into her bottom lip, Callida¡¯s fingers began an anxious massage of his palms, giving her something to focus on that didn¡¯t require sustained eye contact. ¡°You think I need a psych eval?¡± ¡°It probably wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°You¡­ want me to tell you all the messed up things inside my head?¡± ¡°I mean, if it would help you¡­.¡± All at once, it felt somehow like he¡¯d overstepped ¡ª like he was trespassing on her privacy for even suggesting that she open up to him. ¡°Look, Callida, I may be a healer, but I¡¯m not trained as a monitor. I know embarrassingly little about psychiatric disorders. But I know enough to recognize that this is¡­ not good. I just want to get you the help that you obviously need.¡± Her face pinched in a frown as she considered what he was saying and calculated a counterattack. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it, Rogue. You don¡¯t need to worry about¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s a load of crap, and you know it,¡± he huffed before he could stop himself. ¡°Be honest with me for once. Be honest with yourself! You are not okay!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± came the raspy reply. She was submitting, and her fingers began working his palm evermore aggressively while she struggled with where to start. Rogue stayed silent, even breathing more quietly while she pondered. ¡°I¡¯ve been¡­ um¡­. There¡¯ve been a lot of different things that have kind of built up over time. It hasn¡¯t felt important enough to share them though, and I still question the wisdom of bringing them up.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She glanced up briefly, gnawing on her lip and dropping her head again the moment she met his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to mess things up between us again. You know, stir the pot while things are still trying to settle.¡± Stolen story; please report. That hit like a punch to the gut. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No. Please don¡¯t¡­.¡± She fumbled through an apologetic clarification that would take back any perceived blame or lingering resentment. It only made Rogue feel worse that she felt the need to comfort him over his well deserved guilt and shame, and anyway, this wasn¡¯t supposed to be about him. ¡°Callida, what have you been choosing to keep from me?¡± he eventually returned to the original point. ¡°What¡¯s been building up to the point that you had a panic attack this morning?¡± She stalled mid-thought and recalibrated, her mannerisms growing awkward. ¡°I think it really started with¡­ well, it started well before then, but our trip to the temple was the tipping point, and then today was¡­.¡± She sniffed after a prolonged pause, a hand disengaging from his to wipe her nose on the back of her sleeve. ¡°U-um. We¡¯ve never really talked about¡­ about the significance of the Yudha name since we were first married. But maybe we need to?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± He braced against a rooting sense of unease. ¡°The Guardians at the North Temple c-called me¡­ um¡­. They called me the¡­ the Mother of Prophecy¡­ again. Said that¡¯s why, or rather, um, they suspect that the prophecy is the reason why the Rose and Dagger Guardians tried to kill¡­. So I need to understand this prophecy. What it means. I need to understand it so I can protect our family from it. Rogue, what do you know about all of this?¡± He knew even before she looked up and commented on it that he¡¯d gone sheet white. ¡°The prophecy? You¡¯re worried about¡­ about that?! That is what triggered your panic attack?!¡± That curse had finally caught up to him, rattling at the cages he¡¯d carefully set up to lock away his own overwhelming traumas. A curse that had taken his family from him as a child. A curse that was now torturing his wife and stalking his infant sons. A curse that he¡¯d never even believed in to begin with! ¡°It¡¯s all a bunch of nonsense,¡± he snarled the moment his thoughts coalesced, realizing a moment too late that Callida was watching him intently. ¡°It¡¯s a foolish tradition that gets people killed for absolutely no reason, and I want nothing to do with it.¡± ¡°The way things are going, I don¡¯t know that we¡¯ll be able to hide from it¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s worked so far!¡± he bellowed. ¡°What are you saying? You¡¯ve been hiding from this? This. This exact thing? You thought this might happen? You knew?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point, Callida.¡± ¡°Then what, pray tell, is the point?¡± ¡°The Yudha name is cursed. There¡¯s a reason I abandoned it for so long, Callida, and there¡¯s a reason I was so reluctant to pick it up again and to let you take it.¡± ¡°You wanted me to keep my maiden name,¡± she remembered aloud. ¡°You¡¯re just too darn stubborn,¡± he said with a weak laugh, succumbing to a sudden impulse to hug her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The truth is, I know very little about the actual prophecy except that it exists and has brought nothing but trouble and destruction.¡± ¡°Maybe you should see a monitor,¡± she mumbled and pulled away to meet his eyes. Rogue scoffed and shook his head, his tongue bitterly scraping the cusps of his incisors. ¡°Maybe I should,¡± he agreed after a moment¡¯s reflection, more to encourage her own path to therapy than because he had any honest intentions of following through with his own. And also because it was the quickest way to drop the subject. He was keenly aware that somehow this conversation had become about him again. ¡°In the meantime, Rogue, there¡¯s a lot going on right now that¡¯s related to¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to call all of this, but it¡¯s freaking me out a little bit, and I think that¡¯s what had me so worked up when I came home. I¡¯m sorry to worry you.¡± He smiled ruefully and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m glad you told me.¡± But am I? Truthfully, he was even more unsettled now than he had been when things were still ambiguous. ¡°Rogue, I¡¯m sorry to ask this of you, but I need you to stay home with the boys until I can sort things out at the palace. Please? Promise me that you won¡¯t leave this house.¡± He swallowed harder than he¡¯d have liked; he had a lot of anxiety and protests to choke down. ¡°Would that help you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± First kissing her forehead in an effort to settle his own nerves, Rogue agreed. ¡°I promise.¡± He was rewarded with a hug and kiss that were much too brief. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be back in time to help you put the boys to bed.¡± He watched her leave and then dropped into a chair by the fire burning low in the hearth. The cinders seemed to foreshadow darkness and destruction, the bright embers a reminder that where there are ashes, flames once were. He remembered the fire that night. He remembered the heat of it and the fear. He¡¯d spent a long time trying to forget the screams only for them to ring out, clear as day, whenever the traumas were triggered. Nothing else from that night was a reliable memory, that is, he wasn¡¯t sure how much of his ¡°memories¡± were accurate. Rogue had been a boy just shy of eleven years when his colony was destroyed. ¡°Qiangde, you must run! Don¡¯t look back. Run!¡± That had been the last time he¡¯d heard his name until Callida said it for the first time nearly eighteen years later. He balked at the threat that history might repeat itself ¡ª that his family could be taken from him again, or that he might be taken from his family. But it was different this time, right? This time they were aware of the threat, and this time he had Callida. No. It would be different this time. Even if the Yudha curse hunted them for the rest of eternity, Callida wouldn¡¯t let it touch their family, and he wouldn¡¯t either. 46 - Bravery It was early evening, and the council was returning to the throne room for an emergency session after a brief break. From the looks on their faces ¡ª tired and irritable ¡ª Callida deduced from the shadows of a great column that it had been a rough day. She waited until the rest of the council had passed through the doors before she braced herself to do the same. She felt ridiculous for how nervous she felt, but there she stood just outside the gilded doors with her hands clenched at her sides to keep them from shaking. It¡¯s not like she was going into battle; that she could do without hardly batting an eye. This was different. Here, the enemy wore the uniform of allies. Here, she wasn¡¯t even certain what she was fighting against, be it man, mind, or machine. All she knew was she was fighting a new, intangible war; she was fighting for her family and for her own self-preservation. And she was terrified. True bravery is not the absence of fear. It is staring your fear in the face and refusing to yield to it. Over the years, she¡¯d heard, said, and comforted herself with many renditions of this same philosophy, but it always began the same: bravery is not the absence of fear. If fear and bravery were mutually exclusive, then Callida was not brave, for fear was her constant companion ¡ª it had been for as long as she could remember, and she¡¯d accepted that it would be until the day she died. She unclenched her fists, letting them tremble, and nodded at the guards maintaining the doors. ¡°General! Welcome back. I wasn¡¯t sure if we¡¯d see you again today,¡± Verum greeted her with the cheeriness of one grateful for the unwitting assistance of someone passing by. ¡°Could you please dismiss your disciples?¡± ¡°My¡­ my what?!¡± Verum gestured sharply toward the western wall where the three Guardians from the Eternal Sun Order remained sitting exactly where she had left them that morning. It took everything she had to stand her ground. ¡°My lady, you have returned,¡± Sotera declared with delusional happiness. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Callida found herself barking reactively, anxiety instantly replaced with a furious indignation. There was power in a name, and Callida would not allow them to jade this one for their own purposes. ¡°There is only one person in all of Ulakam allowed to call me that, and you are not that person, understood?!¡± ¡°Yes. My deepest apologies,¡± Sotera groveled, bowing in half before her. ¡°Then what shall we call you? Mother of Prophecy?¡± ¡°Absolutely not! You will call me ¡®General Yudha¡¯, ¡®General¡¯, or simply ¡®sir¡¯ just like everyone else.¡± Sotera looked up as if to protest, thought better of it, and then bowed again. ¡°Yes¡­ General.¡± Callida sighed, indignation tempering again into controlled fear, and caught a glimpse of Verum¡¯s unabashed smirk. At least someone was entertained by her discomfort. ¡°Now that we cleared that up, Guardian Sotera, what is your Order still doing here in the throne room?¡± ¡°You did not give us permission to leave.¡± Callida stepped back with a scoff hiding rising panic. ¡°Since when do you need my permission to do anything?!¡± ¡°You are the Mother of Pro¨C¡± ¡°DON¡¯T¡­ say it,¡± Callida viciously cut her off. ¡°We swore our loyalty to you and your family, General Yudha. We are at your command,¡± Sotera insisted. Her feverish pacing began, and Callida was bitterly aware of the king¡¯s council to one side watching with upturned noses to judge her response and the king himself slouched in his throne in front of her, simply enjoying the show. ¡°First of all, I am not the Mother of Prophecy.¡± ¡°Oh, but you are!¡± Sotera cried. ¡°Secondly! Even if I were, it is insanity to suppose that I must now command you in all things simply because you ¡®swore loyalty¡¯ to me. I have been a soldier taking and doling out orders my entire life, but never once have I been micromanaged by a commanding officer, and nor do I care to do any micromanaging! So get up, get out, and get on with your lives! And don¡¯t come back here.¡± ¡°We wish to serve the Mother of¨C¡± ¡°There is no one who goes by that title here!¡± ¡°You are dismissing us?¡± Sotera asked, her face falling with despair. ¡°What did you come here thinking that I would do with you?¡± Callida countered. The Guardians glanced at each other in silent communication, and Callida took their increasingly crestfallen expressions as an encouraging sign. At long last, the Guardians staggered stiffly to their feet. ¡°I see now that we have been foolish to suppose that you were prepared to accept our devotion. We will find other ways to contribute to the fulfillment of prophecy until you are ready to receive us.¡± Synchronously approaching Callida, the Guardians bowed deeply to her. ¡°We wish to leave you with a blessing in parting, if you will allow it,¡± Sotera declared. ¡°Do what you must, and be on your way.¡± Sotera smiled, and a moment later, Callida was being surrounded. The instant panic¡­ her hand held the hilt of her sword. Sotera swiftly stepped forward, preventing Callida from drawing her weapon for the proximity, and Callida¡¯s breath hitched with all three Guardians¡¯ hands touching her body, Sotera¡¯s falling against her sternum. ¡°Strength, wisdom, and protection we leave with you. May the Primordials bless you.¡± The surge of gentle energy they imparted was actually quite pleasant, but the crippling terror from the unexpected connection was anything but. As the Guardians withdrew, Callida crumpled, dropping to her hands and knees as she fought for control over her rational mind. The tumult in the back of her head drew nearer¡­ the cries of the dying¡­ the sobs of the living¡­ her own tortured screaming¡­ and blood¡­ so much blood¡­ rancid rivers running rank with rust¡­ ¡°Callida! Callida, are you alright?!¡± Gentle hands gripping her shoulders. ¡°Callida?¡± The heady scent of spices. ¡°Look at me.¡± Brown eyes beneath a brow bent with worry. ¡°Primordials, you¡¯re pale. What did they do to you?!¡± Callida rocked back onto her ankles, the storm receding as her current surroundings came back into focus. ¡°What happened?¡± Her own voice sounded foreign to her ¡ª distant and distorted. ¡°After their blessing, I had them escorted out,¡± Verum explained. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Just dizzy,¡± was her automatic, baldfaced lie. Such a lie might fool the council, but not Verum. He had probably already come to some conclusion of his own before even asking the question. The way he was scowling at her when she next met his eyes confirmed her suspicions. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Let¡¯s find you somewhere to recover, General.¡± He stood up, not giving her a choice about being dragged to her feet next to him¡­ or about taking his arm¡­ or about being led out of the throne room and down a hall to one of the smaller council rooms. Captain Pius preempted Verum¡¯s command to wait outside and shut the door behind him. No sooner had Verum deposited her on a chair at the great council table than he demanded that she ¡°start talking.¡± ¡°Where do you want me to start?¡± She could have cried from exhaustion alone, never mind the rest of it. It had been a brutal day. ¡°Clearly you didn¡¯t kill all of the Guardians.¡± She snorted humorlessly. ¡°An interesting place to start.¡± ¡°Come on, Callida. I¡¯ve been putting out related fires all day. What in the Black Dragon¡¯s name is going on?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Honest, Verum. I have no idea what¡¯s going on. We showed up at the temple to have the boys identified because¡­ that''s what you¡¯re supposed to do. And the next moment, I was strapping my infant sons to my husband¡¯s chest and telling him to run. I don¡¯t¡­ understand this enemy, Verum. I¡¯ve never subscribed to Primordialism or any form of Spiritualism for that matter.¡± ¡°I might be slightly more aware of spiritual things than you, but my parents neglected my religious education¡­. They kept calling you the Mother of Prophecy,¡± he prompted. ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± ¡°And?¡± She shrugged. ¡°All I know is that all of this is happening because my family and I are being connected to the prophecy somehow, but my awareness of the Last Prophecy has only ever been peripheral at best.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why what?¡± ¡°Why are you being connected to the prophecy?¡± ¡°I can only guess. It might have something to do with the fact that my sons are all hosts, but none of them are wolves or even the same as each other.¡± ¡°You mentioned something about that before.¡± ¡°I did?! Uh¡­ oh, yeah. I guess I did. Sorry. I honestly don¡¯t remember much from the last year,¡± she said with a distracted frown. ¡°But the thing is, this actually all started before I even had kids.¡± ¡°So, wait. When did this start?¡± ¡°I¡­. Crap,¡± she hissed under her breath. ¡°Forget I said anything?¡± Verum rolled his eyes. ¡°But you did say something.¡± ¡°I¡­. Look, I don¡¯t want to talk about it. Suffice it to say that last week wasn¡¯t the first time someone called me the Mother of Prophecy.¡± ¡°When were you¨C?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push this one, Verum!¡± she snapped, probably too harshly. Verum looked momentarily taken-aback, then concerned. ¡°Fine. Tell me what¡¯s happening with your boys.¡± ¡°They¡¯re members of the Lost Tribes.¡± ¡°They what?!¡± ¡°Well, four of them are.¡± ¡°All different tribes?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So four different Lost Tribes have been restored through your sons?!¡± She frowned. There was something too eager in his questions, and Callida found herself becoming suspicious of his motivations, her anxieties once again building subtly in the background of her consciousness. ¡°Yes. Verum, you don¡¯t believe in all of this, do you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you? Even a little bit? I mean, I¡¯m not saying the prophecy is true or anything, but you have to admit, it¡¯s extremely interesting. Four Lost Tribes ¡ª four, Callida ¡ª born into a single family. Isn¡¯t the restoration of the Lost Tribes a major point in the prophecy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she grumbled, becoming petulant. ¡°I have yet to see a copy of this supposed prophecy. Have you seen one?¡± ¡°A copy of the prophecy? No. They¡¯re extremely rare, usually protected by Guardians behind temple doors.¡± ¡°Then, everything you know about the prophecy is pure speculation.¡± ¡°Callida, the prophecy itself is pure speculation. For all we know, the Great Owl was completely bonkers and spun a last tale to entertain people for the next thousand years or so. And it¡¯s been¡­ what year is it? 788 A.P.? So nearly eight hundred years since the prophecy was declared? Do you have any idea how much a prophecy can be changed or misinterpreted and misrepresented hundreds of years after it was first given? Who¡¯s to say that ¡®the prophecy¡¯ we have today is even accurate?¡± Callida¡¯s palms were getting sweaty thinking about it. Many interpretations ¡ª many versions ¡ª of a prophecy would make it a lot harder to find the one that the enemy believed in¡­ making it just that much harder to understand them¡­ and protect her family from them. And copies of the prophecy in any form were rare besides. And most of them were kept locked away in temples. With Guardians. Some of whom wanted to kill her. Some of whom wanted to worship her. She had yet to meet a sane Guardian. Or find a temple that was safe. Or¡­. She dropped her head into her arms on the table in front of her as her vision tunneled. Primordials, what¡¯s wrong with me?! This time, at least, she was able to maintain the upper hand over her panic. ¡°Explain what just happened,¡± Verum ordered as soon as she lifted her head again, his fingers indicating her slumped posture making his meaning unmistakable. ¡°You¡¯re pale again. And sweaty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Liar,¡± he called her out coolly. ¡°That¡¯s the second time that¡¯s happened in the last twenty minutes. Are you sick?¡± ¡°Dizzy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a symptom, not a cause.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re a doctor now?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re the worst, most unreliable patient in Ulakam. And I know you¡¯re underselling it because you¡¯re a stubborn moron to boot. So I¡¯ll ask again ¡ª and you had better not lie to me this time or I¡¯ll bring you up on charges of treason for lying to your king ¡ª are you sick?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, just¡­ overwhelmed? Maybe?¡± ¡°Fine. Overwhelmed, you said? If that¡¯s the case, then I want you to see a monitor.¡± ¡°Why does everyone keep suggesting that?!¡± she blurted thoughtlessly, and Verum latched immediately onto this tidbit of carelessly shared information. ¡°I¡¯m not the first to prescribe a psychiatric evaluation? Let me guess: Qiangde suggested it this morning?¡± Callida sealed her lips and glared at him as his mouth quirked in a victorious smirk. ¡°Seeing that he is an actual healer, you should take his advice.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking, General. That was an order.¡± ¡°And if I disobey orders?¡± she challenged, and Verum¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll take that as evidence that you really are unfit for duty in your current state. And I¡¯ll suspend you on the spot pending your cooperation and a signed note from a competent monitor that clears you for duty.¡± ¡°Ha! You wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°You want to call my bluff?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± He stood up slowly, tall and erect, towering over the top of her as she remained seated, his expression stern. ¡°General Yudha, you are hereby suspended, effective immediately, until you are cleared for duty by a monitor of good repute. I recommend you see that guy General Iuba made you see when you were a Commander. My understanding is that Iuba went out of his way to find the best monitor in the Lion Tribe for you, and I know you¡¯re a sucker for a familiar face.¡± ¡°I¡­ you¡­¡± Callida spluttered incoherently. ¡°How did you know about that?!¡± ¡°What? That you were seeing a monitor back then? Everyone knew. Well, only the most thorough knew, but there were a lot of people back then who were rather invested in your career and were anxious to see you deployed again. You had a well-earned reputation for being effective on the front lines. Iuba had to beat them off with a stick to give you the space he insisted that you needed to ¡®train¡¯. Anyone who actually bothered to read his reports knew what that really meant.¡± He smirked again. ¡°Any other questions?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re actually suspending me?¡± ¡°Effective immediately. You¡¯ll have the orders in writing by morning.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°Why not? Did I stutter or something? Was I not severe enough? Believe it or not, but I actually can manage just fine without you, General. Certainly, you¡¯re very helpful and I would prefer not to, but burning you out short term doesn¡¯t do me any favors in the long run, does it? I¡¯m suspending you, Callida. You are under orders to see a monitor before I will allow you to return to duty.¡± ¡°Unbelievable,¡± was all she could manage. ¡°I believe the response you are looking for is ¡®yes, Your Majesty¡¯,¡± he jabbed. ¡°Dismissed, General¡­ suspended General. Go home.¡± Dazed, she left the room. She wasn¡¯t sure if she should be laughing or crying or¡­. But if she were forced to be honest with herself, even she had to admit that she wasn¡¯t functional like this. Maybe Rogue and Verum had a point. 47 - Suspension Suspended from duty, Callida spent the next week or so wandering aimlessly about the Lion General estate and playing with her sons between many hours of sleep born into the unholy union of boredom with a mind in turmoil. With little choice but to cooperate with Verum¡¯s orders, she¡¯d sent for Monitor Fastidium and was surprised to learn that he was not, in fact, a monitor in the palace base hospital but had merely accepted a temporary consultation assignment on her behalf at the request of her predecessor however many years ago now. The uselessness she felt and lack of productive outlets only served to further batter her soul, so the afternoon that Rogue woke her to tell her there was a Monitor Fastidium waiting for her in the front parlor, Callida actually felt relieved. Monitor Fastidium stood holding a leather bag in one hand, his other hand resting comfortably in the pocket of his pants. He had aged disproportionately to the amount of time that had passed since she¡¯d last seen him. The kindly crinkles around his eyes had deepened into defined valleys, his blonde hair had turned silver all at once, and his trim frame had grown a little round. He smiled when she walked in, his eyes quickly taking in her own appearance. She¡¯d likely changed a lot too, and Callida was suddenly self conscious about her tangled hair falling unkempt down the back of a sleep-wrinkled shirt. ¡°Well, Callida, I¡¯m sure you can imagine my surprise at receiving an invitation from you of all people,¡± he teased, ¡°but it is good to see you again.¡± She nodded mutely, unsure of how to start such an awkward conversation and choosing to instead leave that burden to him. ¡°I met your husband briefly. It¡¯s good to see that you were able to move on with someone new.¡± ¡°Not someone new.¡± ¡°No? But, I thought the one you didn¡¯t want to talk about was dead.¡± ¡°At the time, I thought he was,¡± Callida nodded again, and the monitor smiled pleasantly. ¡°It would seem that we have a great deal to catch up on. Where would you like to talk?¡± Ah. The where-would-you-like-to-sit test. Callida smiled. ¡°I have an office upstairs. It¡¯s quiet and private.¡± Fastidium nodded and gestured for her to lead the way, following her brisk pace into the foyer, back up the stairs, to the right, and down the hallway. Callida invited her guest to take a seat and then busied herself setting a fire in the hearth to combat the late autumn chill. She then took her own seat, comfortably curling up in the corner of a couch with her legs tucked partially beneath her. Only then did Fastidium take a seat of his own ¡ª a tall, wingback chair across from her ¡ª with a decompressing sigh. ¡°Would you indulge me in a brief follow-up from our last session before we jump into your reason for summoning me?¡± Callida smiled at the question and nodded. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± ¡°Well, for one, I¡¯d like to hear the answers to the questions you refused to answer,¡± he chuckled. ¡°You were, hands down, the most uncooperative patient of my career. It probably didn¡¯t help that counseling wasn¡¯t your idea then.¡± ¡°It still isn¡¯t. His Majesty suspended me to force my hand.¡± At that, Fastidium laughed heartily, slapping his knee. ¡°Just like old times!¡± Callida couldn¡¯t help but grin back, despite also rolling her eyes. ¡°So tell me, how did things work out with the dead man, and why didn¡¯t you want to talk about it back then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Callida said with a sobering sigh. ¡°I couldn¡¯t. He was a member of the Resistance.¡± ¡°A bandit?¡± Fastidium¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°Mn,¡± Callida confirmed. ¡°You were protecting yourself from accusations of disloyalty?¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure anymore, but at the time, I didn¡¯t feel like I could share.¡± ¡°I see. And you weren¡¯t simply being stubbornly uncooperative?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Callida snorted, ¡°there was probably some of that too.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve worked things out with His Majesty, I presume.¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re both married to different people, we have a good working relationship now, and we managed to salvage our friendship.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a feat! How did that happen?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ well, I threatened to castrate him if he didn¡¯t screw his head back on straight.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Callida smirked at the look of uneasy shock on the monitor¡¯s face. ¡°Well, I can certainly see how that would be effective.¡± He cleared his throat and reached into his leather bag, withdrawing a large diary, a pen, and portable inkwell to set on the side table next to his chair. ¡°So tell me, why are you being subjected to compulsory therapy this time?¡± Callida took a deep breath, lightly buzzing her lips on the exhale, before admitting ¡°because I actually need it.¡± His eyes snapped up to hers from where he was scribbling something in the diary. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Could you repeat that?¡± She maintained earnest eye contact. ¡°I need your help, Monitor.¡± Fastidium sat up a little straighter in his chair for that comment. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s get to it then, shall we?¡± She smiled weakly, and the Monitor took a moment to think, tapping his pen against his nose as he did so, before continuing. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d better start. Tell me why you need help¡­.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. *** ¡°You keep coming back to this prophecy thing, Callida. You¡¯ve listed off a lot of past traumas, and we¡¯ve unpacked several of them, but you keep circling back to the prophecy. Why?¡± Fastidium asked mid-way through their third session, pen still tapping slowly against the tip of his nose. ¡°I guess, maybe it¡¯s the most recent? But it¡¯s also the most relevant, and this one¡­ feels different¡­ somehow.¡± ¡°In what way does it feel different?¡± Callida frowned as she struggled to articulate it. ¡°I feel so helpless ¡ª like there¡¯s nothing I can do to protect myself from it. I don¡¯t even understand what I¡¯m defending against! And it feels violating in a deeper way, like I¡¯m being coerced into this on a spiritual level, and there¡¯s no way to truly fight back on that level.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve discussed to some extent your experiences in the Griffin Tribe temple. Is that what you mean when you say you feel violated on a spiritual level?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s part of it. That wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve been forced into a connection with a spiritualist, but it was definitely the worst. It¡¯s more than that, though. Since that incident, there have been others, though they have been less noteworthy. Spiritualists have connected with me, mostly with reluctant permission, but they all seem to find something within me that connects me to this prophecy.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t like being connected to the prophecy.¡± ¡°Not at all. It really bothers me, like, it cannot be understated how much it disturbs me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Fastidium slouched back into his seat, his tapping pen dropping to the armrest. ¡°Callida, I wonder if this might not be the root of your panic attacks. You like being in control, and I could see how being the subject of a prophecy might feel like that control has been stripped away from you.¡± A sharp, twinging sensation lancing through her chest suggested that Fastidium was on the right track. ¡°How would a prophecy strip away my control?¡± ¡°Well, it might be a little unnerving to think that someone predicted your life before you even existed, and now it might feel as though you are caught in a rut forcing you to follow the path they laid out for you.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s in the prophecy!¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t that be part of the problem? You¡¯ve been connected to this ¡®prediction¡¯ that other people seem to know a lot about and that, theoretically, spells out the course or purpose or even nature of your life. You might be feeling strung along to be caught on this path that everyone but you can see. These people probably have ideas and expectations for what you should do and be because of this prediction, and I¡¯m sure that''s also overwhelming and uncomfortable.¡± He paused, giving her space to confirm, deny, or otherwise comment, but she remained frozen in silence. ¡°Hm. It¡¯s only a theory until you tell me otherwise. Do you think that might be at least a part of what you are feeling?¡± A bit numb, Callida nodded. ¡°Alright. Then the question becomes, what are we going to do about that?¡± Choking back tears, she could only shake her head in reply. ¡°Hm. I think maybe that should be your homework tonight. Let''s both give this some thought and take a break for today. Same time tomorrow?¡± Another nod. ¡°Oh! Before I forget, I¡¯m prepared to clear you for duty, but on the condition that we continue our sessions for the time being. Are you alright with that?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± *** The note Monitor Fastidium had given her to clear her for duty was received with skepticism. ¡°This isn¡¯t forged, is it?¡± Verum asked with a single raised eyebrow. Already in uniform and standing at attention in his study, Callida huffed. ¡°Primordials, Verum! I¡¯m not that bad of a patient.¡± ¡°Um, yes, you are. Tell me honestly, is this a forgery?¡± ¡°No, of course not!¡± ¡°No lies, no hidden meanings?¡± Callida pinched the bridge of her nose in her exasperation. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± ¡°Answer the question, Callida.¡± ¡°No lies, no hidden meanings,¡± she deadpanned. Verum stood up from his desk and smacked Callida¡¯s arm playfully with Fastidium¡¯s letter, a broad smile revealing dazzling teeth. ¡°Welcome back, General.¡± ¡°Gee, thanks.¡± With that taken care of, Verum¡¯s winning smile faded a bit. ¡°There¡¯s a lot that I need to catch you up on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks. I figured there¡¯d be a bit of catch up. How much is a lot?¡± Verum winced in reply. ¡°Oh, crap, what did you do?!¡± Callida whined. ¡°Nothing!¡± Verum huffed back. ¡°Primordials, Callida, I¡¯m not incompetent! It¡¯s actually related to your Guardian friends, so if anyone is to blame, it¡¯s you!¡± Hit by an abrupt wash of anxiety, Callida spaced out from the conversation momentarily. ¡°... You¡¯re welcome for that, by the way.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, ¡®you¡¯re welcome¡¯. ¡°What¡­ what am I welcome for?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening?¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± She trailed off, and Verum, who was rifling through a stack of documents, paused and looked up. ¡°Whoa. Callida, are you alright?¡± ¡°Sorry. I¡­ blanked. Could you repeat that?¡± Verum stepped closer, scrutinizing her face, his own stern. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re ready to come back to work? You still seem off your game.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°No. You clearly are not fine. I think you might need to go back to counseling.¡± ¡°The counseling is ongoing,¡± Callida countered. ¡°You¡¯re still seeing Monitor Fasti-something?¡± ¡°Daily.¡± ¡°Whoa. Like, actually?!¡± ¡°Yes, Verum. Like, actually actually.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, is it helping?¡± ¡°Maybe? I hope so. Have you ever been in counseling, Verum?¡± ¡°Me? No. What¡¯s it like?¡± ¡°Imagine paying someone to listen to you talk about yourself and ask you lots of questions and then talk about what you said for an hour or two. It¡¯s¡­ yeah, it¡¯s weird. And at this point, the monitor knows secrets about me that I didn¡¯t even know I had.¡± ¡°Huh. Yeah, I can see why you would struggle with that,¡± Verum said thoughtfully and then sniggered. ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine you talking about yourself for more than thirty seconds in one go. You said you do that for an hour or two with this guy? Daily?!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Callida¡¯s arms crossed challengingly in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m just impressed that someone can get you to talk for that long. The man deserves a medal or something,¡± he teased, flashing a boyish grin at her. Callida rolled her eyes at him, her mood falling as she retraced how they¡¯d gotten on the topic of her therapy sessions. ¡°Verum, what were you saying about the Guardians?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± He too sobered. ¡°Well, they¡¯re back. And this time they brought company.¡± 48 - Roles The three Guardians of the Eternal Sun Order hadn¡¯t actually returned to the palace; they were apparently out preaching to the world that the time of the Great Unifier was at hand. The people amassing at the gates were believers in the prophecy, Primordialists, who wanted to catch a glimpse of the apparent fulfillers of that prophecy. The palace guards had been doing their jobs, keeping the mobs off the palace and military base grounds, but the guards were getting jumpy as a handful became dozens¡­ became hundreds. And more were arriving daily. A temporary camp had cropped up just outside the palace gates. The tents followed the edge of the road, with fires behind them. Callida couldn¡¯t understand why anyone would choose to camp outside with the late autumn bringing frost and frigid winds every night. Then again, she wasn¡¯t religious, and Primordialism specifically had never made much sense to her. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that these believers were there, watching and waiting outside the gates constantly ¡ª watching and waiting to catch a glimpse of her family ¡ª to catch a glimpse of her. She felt trapped, and her afternoon sessions with Monitor Fastidium were eaten up simply trying to reduce the harrowing pressure she was under, never mind trying to progress beyond it. ¡°Some of them sent a formal demand to the palace this morning,¡± Callida winced. ¡°What sort of demand?¡± Fastidium asked patiently. ¡°Demanding that His Majesty ¡®allow the miracle to be shared with the world¡¯. Basically, they think we¡¯re being kept prisoner here which is why we haven¡¯t greeted them. It¡¯s looking more and more like I¡¯m going to have to confront these people personally,¡± she said, eyes watering with distress. ¡°Primordials, I hate this. Some of the guards reported arresting a number of people trying to scale the wall into the military base. Commander Rapax is handling it for me, but it¡¯s necessitated posting extra guards around bare stretches of wall at all hours¡­. The council is getting cranky about it too. Well, they¡¯ve been cranky, but a couple of them pitched full-blown fits about it today. I understand why, honestly. The councilmen who are complaining are the ones that have homes in town and have to commute from Astu Centralis every day. They¡¯ve been getting harassed and heckled to some extent¡­. Verum had to stand up for me again. I understand why the council wants to give me up to them. It makes sense in a way, but¡­.¡± She was tired of crying about this. She was tired of saying slight variations of the exact same thing. She was tired of this ruling her reality. ¡°You¡¯re still not ready to confront them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying. Honest. Part of me just wants to get it over with, hear their demands, and send them on their way. The rest of me is scared that nothing will appease them short of me taking on the Mother of Prophecy role they¡¯ve assigned me. I¡¯m not prepared to accept that outcome, and I haven¡¯t figured out how to control these panic attacks at all. I can¡¯t face an entire gauntlet of panic attack triggers safely.¡± ¡°How was your most recent open letter to them received?¡± ¡°It was rejected outright. I think that might have been the supposed proof that this morning¡¯s letter writers were referencing that me and my family are political prisoners here. I think most people believe I was coerced into writing it, or that it was an outright forgery. Nothing short of a personal appearance is going to appease them. Isn¡¯t it a bit fanatical though?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t follow your logical leap, Callida. Isn¡¯t what fanatical?¡± ¡°Just¡­ they¡¯re camping outside of the palace. It¡¯s one step short of a siege. And for what? To catch a glimpse of people they¡¯ve never even met? Protest an assumed human rights violation they have zero proof of?¡± ¡°Well, you have to understand that, in their minds, if you are the Mother of Prophecy, you and your family have been construed as the salvation of the world.¡± ¡°Is that actually in the prophecy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I am familiar enough with the religion to at least provide some interpretive insights. To Primordialists, the prophecy means the coming of a worldwide utopia, Callida. Those who are prophesied to fulfill it are the harbingers of that promise. If you are the Mother of Prophecy, your existence is their hope.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not! I¡¯m just a soldier ¡ª a person!¡± ¡°Callida, I¡¯m not arguing what you are. I¡¯m informing you how others might perceive you,¡± Fastidium reminded her gently. ¡°Remember what we talked about yesterday? You are allowed to define yourself however you wish, but you cannot control how others will see you.¡± ¡°What if they¡¯re right though, and I¡¯m too blind or stupid or uneducated to see what they see?¡± ¡°What if they are?¡± ¡°I asked first,¡± Callida deflected. Fastidium smiled at her. ¡°Let me ask you this then: are you prepared to be their hope?¡± ¡°No.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Then what they see doesn¡¯t matter.¡± *** Somehow, despite her personal struggles, Callida had found the capacity to plan a gathering for the triplets¡¯ first birthday. The usual crowd was arriving, and Rogue was grateful for the company. Keeping his promise to Callida, he¡¯d basically been on house arrest for the last month, staying within the safety of the estate walls while she struggled to sort out the siege of zealots. He resented all of it. The first snow of the season had fallen two days prior, and instead of introducing his one-year-olds to the fluffy precipitation in the gardens, they¡¯d remained penned up inside. He wanted to escape. More than once he¡¯d considered asking Callida if she¡¯d be willing to quit her job as the Lion General and move their family to some far-flung location ¡ª anywhere that was away from all the chaos ¡ª to raise their boys in peace. But he couldn¡¯t ask that of her. A high profile soldier was a huge part of who she was, and he¡¯d accepted that when he married her. And what would that honestly solve? Rogue rolled out his neck and did his best to dispel his malcontent for Callida¡¯s sake and for the sake of the event itself. It had been quite the year, and surviving it all was worth celebrating. He walked into the front parlor, already crowded with his family and the evening¡¯s first guests. ¡°... was asked to send you his regrets, General,¡± Rapax was saying. ¡°Reading between the lines, I think he was anxious about exposing his girls to the crowds. They¡¯re getting more aggressive as they grow impatient. The harassment is¨C¡± ¡°I get the picture,¡± Callida cut him off. ¡°General, is there a reason you haven¡¯t sent them packing? You can¡¯t ignore this for¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on it, Rapax.¡± Rogue could tell that Rapax was restraining more questions, but he read things well and dropped the subject, turning instead to his parum amico to fulfill his nobilis duties by wishing Probus a happy birthday. Probus was distracted chomping on a little toy soldier, but grinned with his big, round cheeks and bright brown eyes all the same when Rapax knelt down to interact with him. Rapax gave a playful growl, and Probus excitedly sped off in the opposite direction, expecting correctly to be chased and suddenly losing interest in his toy. In another corner of the room, Manasik was sitting on Arum¡¯s lap, listening to his nobilis read him a book. Arum was struggling to find the right balance between how many of the words to bother reading verbatim and how much to simply describe the illustrations on the page. Manasik vocally let him know when he got the balance wrong. Eventually, Manasik lost interest in the book and turned around to curiously explore the buttons on Arum¡¯s uniform, pinch at Arum¡¯s nose, and then endearingly cuddle against his chest before finding some other part of Arum to poke and prod. Arum had become much more relaxed around the boys since his initial ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about babies¡± reaction. ¡°Knock, knock!¡± Commander Baca announced his presence and immediately located Tiaki who had joined the chase game between Probus and Rapax. Baca grinned and added himself as another chaser, dropping to his hands and knees to target his own amico with a low growl and tickling fingers. Tiaki shrieked from the thrill of it all and scampered away on chubby legs. Tiaki especially loved to be chased. ¡°Hey, guys, thanks for coming,¡± Callida was saying somewhere behind him, and Rogue turned as Moro, Adjutus, and Gravis walked in together, finding seats on one of the couches. Almost immediately, Probus dove headlong into Gravis¡¯s lap with an excited cry of happy terror as Rapax huffed like a monster on his heels. The group got a good chuckle out of that, and Gravis enjoyed becoming the safe zone in the boys¡¯ game. Both Probus and Tiaki would run about the room, only to dive into Gravis where the palace¡¯s bodyguard trainer would tell off their monsters and send them skulking away only to appear again as soon as the boys left Gravis¡¯s lap. The parlor was now quite full in the best possible way. This was the same group of soldiers Rogue had traveled to the Sphinx Tribe with. They¡¯d been fairly confined then too, protecting the young queen in secret throughout her pregnancy. And since then, these were the men he¡¯d learned he could trust to look out for his own wife and family even when he couldn¡¯t. These were his friends, and sometimes, it felt more like they were family. ¡°Ahem.¡± Rogue turned to find Callida giving him a meaningful look. ¡°Were we going to ask them?¡± ¡°Ask them¡­? Oh! Moro and Adjutus?¡± Callida nodded, and collected Tajam from a cushion on the floor; Rogue did the same, picking up Ddalu. The commanders looked up as Callida sat between them and turned to Moro. ¡°Would you like to hold him?¡± ¡°Sure! Who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Tajam.¡± The commander accepted the baby, watching him lift and then loll his head as he sat on Moro¡¯s knee. ¡°Hey buddy!¡± Moro said to the yawning two-month-old. ¡°Tired of me already, huh?¡± Tajam finished his yawn and then arched his back in a small stretch before relaxing again, his tiny chin finding support from one of Moro¡¯s fingers as his head drooped sleepily forward. ¡°Adjutus,¡± Rogue nudged the onlooking commander and made a gesture to offer Ddalu to him. ¡°Don¡¯t want you to feel left out.¡± Adjutus nodded and accepted the snoozing bundle; Ddalu¡¯s head rested comfortably in the crook of Adjutus¡¯s arm. ¡°He¡¯s so¡­ tiny!¡± ¡°Ddalu is actually a really big baby for his age,¡± Rogue chuckled. ¡°Ddalu, huh? That¡¯s an interesting name. Does he sleep a lot?¡± ¡°Yeah. He likes his sleep.¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡± Adjutus snorted and then settled deeper into the couch. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll nap with him. He¡¯s like a warm water bag. I¡¯m going to get sleepy holding him.¡± ¡°Well, before you take a nap, Moro, Adjutus, would you like to claim these two?¡± Rogue asked. ¡°You mean¡­.¡± ¡°... like claim them as our amicos?¡± Adjutus finished the question Moro started. ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re asking, yes,¡± Callida nodded. ¡°Would you like to be their nobilises? There¡¯s no pressure, but you two were the ones who accepted my labor fluids on your uniforms, so we figured we¡¯d give you first dibs.¡± Moro grinned mischievously. ¡°Which one was born first?¡± ¡°Tajam,¡± Rogue answered. ¡°Ha! You hear that, Adjutus? I got the older twin.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah? Well, I got the bigger one.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Moro protested. ¡°Mine¡¯s actually awake!¡± ¡°Well, mine is more cuddly.¡± The friendly ribbing continued, and Callida grinned up at Rogue. Yeah. Just like family. 49 - Definitions ¡°I¡¯d like to try something different today,¡± Fastidium said, waiting for Callida to nod before continuing. ¡°I found something the other day when I went to visit my friend in Astu Centralis, and I¡¯d like for you to read it so we can discuss it.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she asked as he rifled through his bag, but Fastidium opted to just show her the small pamphlet rather than explain it to her first. ¡°Where did you get this?!¡± she gasped. Fastidium smiled, choosing to leave the answer to her question vague rather than admitting that he hadn¡¯t actually gone into town to visit a friend but rather to seek this out. ¡°Give it a read, Callida. It¡¯s short. I¡¯ll wait.¡± He watched her flip it open, noting the odd mix of desperation and hesitancy. The pamphlet, titled ¡°The Great Prophecy and You¡±, was indeed short. Organized in bullet points and expounded upon with the interpretations of the author, the pamphlet was little more than two pages folded together and then bound at the crease, but it was enough to lay out the common points of the prophecy tormenting his patient, and to give her an idea for how it might be interpreted. As a mental health professional, Fastidium worked very hard to separate his personal beliefs from the needs of his patients, but more than once, he had wondered if perhaps Callida really was the Mother of Prophecy. She was a compelling candidate to say the least; the most intriguing part of all of this was the nature of her sons¡¯ animal spirits in combination with the ancient Yudha name. Assuming her claims to be true ¡ª and Fastidium had no reason to doubt her claims ¡ª the Guardians¡¯ belief that she was the Mother of Prophecy held water. He¡¯d resisted voicing these thoughts. His priority was her health, but that didn¡¯t stop him from wondering privately after her sessions. After a few minutes, Callida set the pamphlet aside scowling, but she quickly picked it back up again to flip through the pages. ¡°I¡¯m confused.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± Fastidium probed. ¡°It just¡­ doesn¡¯t tell me a whole lot.¡± ¡°Do you have a specific example?¡± ¡°I mean¡­. Let me list off the points here. First point, the prophecy promises that ¡®a Great Unifier will be born¡¯, and ¡®the world of man will become a single tribe¡¯. And then it says that there will be signs of this Great Unifier including the restoration of the Lost Tribes and the merging of the bloodlines of the Last Primordials. But it¡¯s vague about what is supposed to happen first. I got the impression that the Great Unifier would either help in restoring the Lost Tribes and in merging the bloodlines, or they would only be born after those things happened. So which is it? ¡°And then the Great Unifier is supposed to prepare the world for the Dragon King to return¡­ or is the Great Unifier the Dragon King himself? And then half of the pamphlet was just vague expositions about the even more vague qualities of the Parents of Prophecy. But apart from these qualities, why do the Parents of Prophecy even matter? Is one of them the Great Unifier? And what are they supposed to do? The prophecy isn¡¯t¡­ isn¡¯t linear? Is that the right word? There¡¯s no obvious cause and effect or threads connecting all the pieces.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s very interpretive,¡± Fastidium nodded, pen tapping his nose every other second or so as he listened. ¡°So, with everything being so vague, how is it possible to connect any single person with the prophecy? I mean, this could be referring to anybody!¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯m glad you see that,¡± Fastidium said with an encouraging smile, ¡°and that¡¯s what I want to discuss with you. This pamphlet has been circulated by the types of people who are standing outside the palace gates. This is the information they have and one of the ways they¡¯ve interpreted that information. So my question is, why would it apply to you?¡± ¡°Well, my sons appear to be members of the Lost Tribes. Apart from that, the rest is too vague to apply to anyone specifically.¡± ¡°Exactly, and a single child does not a tribe make. Whether you are the Mother of Prophecy or not means little when the prophecy itself is so inconclusive about what that entails. This is my point: you are not bound by this prophecy. Even if you were, you are free to interpret it as you see fit and apply it as makes sense to you¡­ or not. And anyone who suggests otherwise clearly does not understand the nature of the prophecy itself. You don¡¯t want to be defined by this prophecy, so don¡¯t be. Be a soldier, and a beloved commanding officer. Be the Lion General. Be a friend, a wife, and a mother. Live your life the way that makes sense for you and your family, and don¡¯t concern yourself with what other people interpret about a prophecy that you have already chosen to not apply to yourself. Does that make sense?¡± Fastidium watched understanding dawn and burdens lift in real time. It was a satisfying feeling as a monitor to witness the moment when things click back into place in a patient¡¯s mind. He¡¯d spent considerable time constructing this narrative for her ¡ª weaving together a perspective on these events that returned her ability to define herself, choose her own path, and control her own destiny. It was a narrative that gave her back her power. Callida¡¯s head leaned heavily against the cushions of the couch she was sitting on, tears of relief beading in the corners of her eyes. Fastidium let her soak in the forming clarity in silence. In truth, Callida¡¯s case was so much more complicated than a single prophecy throwing her life into chaos. She was a patient dealing with the unfortunate merging of many factors: mother¡¯s depression three months after giving birth, significant personal traumas old, new, and current, a soldier¡¯s post-traumatic disorder from participating in too many battles and losing too many comrades and witnessing too much violence, the recent though temporary abandonment of her spouse, the stresses of a high-pressure job, simple sleep deprivation¡­. The list was long, his notes many and the breakthroughs challenging to come by, and it was something of a miracle that she hadn¡¯t had a mental break sooner. But this moment, despite everything else they still needed to work through, was hers. She needed it, and Fastidium waited patiently, his pen ever tapping. *** ¡°The New Year¡¯s ball is in two weeks,¡± Councilmen Citatus despaired. ¡°Your Majesty, more and more of these Primordialists arrive at the palace gates every day. We no longer have an accurate count of how many of them there are, but there are certainly too many to simply shoo on their way.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Military force is inadvisable,¡± someone else shouted out of turn. Verum couldn¡¯t see who. ¡°My point is,¡± Citatus continued irritably, ¡°if we cannot clear the entrance to the palace grounds before the New Year, it would be advisable to cancel the event altogether.¡± ¡°Cancel the New Year¡¯s ball?¡± Verum sat back in his throne feeling cranky. The stewards had already been preparing this event for weeks, and the ballroom was mostly decorated. Never mind the enormous costs that had been sunk into the event already, and the costumes he¡¯d been so excitedly preparing for himself and for Flore. The theme this year was ¡°the primordial spirits¡±, which left so much room for fabulous interpretation amidst the recent excitement, and Verum had been looking forward to showing off his interpretation since the theme had been picked. The council didn¡¯t like the idea of canceling any more than he did. They were grumbling amongst themselves, but no one was prepared to argue the point. The pseudo siege of zealots had been a sore topic for over a month, and everyone was tired of it ¡ª tired and on edge. The massive crowds were a safety hazard, a security risk, and a drain on Astu Centralis¡¯s resources. And they were annoying. They had made the December charity week a nightmare to coordinate, and they continued to heckle those with actual reasons to be at the palace. At least they had hitherto been non-violent in their protests and demands. ¡°The solution is simple,¡± Councilman Gracilis stood up. ¡°General Yudha, why do you continue to allow your worshippers to mob the palace grounds?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t helpful, Gracilis,¡± Verum growled irritably. ¡°This is a matter for the entire council and not the Lion General alone.¡± He¡¯d never liked Gracilis much, but his perpetual insistence to offer Callida as a sacrifice to the masses and framing the issue to imply that she was somehow to blame for the situation only exacerbated that opinion. ¡°That is their one demand!¡± Gracilis continued the tired argument, and Verum prepared for the equally tired but inevitable rebuttal. ¡°The simplest way to end this¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± The frustrated plea cut short, and everyone turned to look at Callida. ¡°General, are you sure?¡± Verum asked with significant concern. ¡°Nothing else has worked, Your Majesty. Your requests that they disperse have been ignored. I¡¯ve likewise sent dozens of letters asking them to leave, and they insist that my letters are being written under duress or forged. I¡¯ve sent parties of my best, highest ranking men with the letters to vouch for me, and they are presumed imposters. Nothing short of my presence is going to satisfy them, and I think we all know it, even me.¡± ¡°We can find another way.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, short of military action, what would you suggest? As far as my men have been able to tell, these are unarmed civilians. Your advisors are correct in that a show of military force will only serve to paint you as a villain, and these people are devoted to their bizarre cause on some illogical, rarefied level, so they will not be dissuaded. If you are hoping to hold your annual ball, I don¡¯t see that we have any other viable options.¡± She stepped into the middle of the room and bowed formally on one knee, her arms raised in a circle. ¡°Permission to confront them, Your Majesty?¡± The council muttered with satisfaction after that, but Verum couldn¡¯t have been less interested in their approval. He stood up, gliding over to where Callida remained on bended knee to snag one of her arms and lift her to her feet on his way to the door. ¡°A quick word?¡± Pius had to catch up to their brisk pace, but Verum didn¡¯t slow down until he and Callida were inside their favored council room for the impromptu sidebar. His bodyguard was getting better at reading unspoken instructions and shut the door to stand guard outside. ¡°Callida, they are not just simple, ¡®unarmed citizens¡¯.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked with a confused frown. ¡°Oh, come on, Callida! I¡¯m not stupid. I knew you weren¡¯t up to handling things, so I¡¯ve had operatives under cover since that first week spying on the camps. They aren¡¯t all Primordialists or even harmless fanatics.¡± ¡°Then what are they?¡± Verum sighed. He¡¯d been waiting for the right moment in her therapy journey to tell her this as none of it was especially pressing, but if she was going to confront them, he didn¡¯t want to risk her being blindsided. ¡°A few of them are anarchists, maybe a lot of them are.¡± ¡°Anarchists? Meaning what?¡± ¡°Meaning they want nothing more than to overthrow the Rex dynasty in favor of a Yudha one.¡± ¡°Primordials,¡± she gasped. ¡°Does the council know?!¡± ¡°Again, I¡¯m not stupid. What¡¯s the first thing the council will demand when they find out?¡± ¡°My head,¡± she deadpanned. ¡°Exactly. This isn¡¯t a you against me thing, Callida, but you can bet your last Istiri that the council will try to make it one. Part of me even wonders if this is a multistep political game on the part of some of these advisors: take advantage of the chaos to plant a few crazies that will start a coup in your name¡­. It¡¯s a gamble, but it would be an effective way to get rid of you.¡± ¡°Considering how they seem to want to get rid of the crowds even more, I doubt it, but I suppose it¡¯s possible. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the greatest of the two evils here. And considering how things ended for the last guys that tried to supplant you on my watch¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, it¡¯s just a theory. And that¡¯s not really what I brought you in here to say anyway. My point is, some of these people are dangerous, maybe even types of dangerous we haven''t detected or accounted for yet! If you¡¯re going to insist on talking to them, I want you to be aware of that fact.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± she said professionally, her shoulders rolling back to assume a more formal, standing at attention stance, like a soldier taking orders from her superior ¡ª which, of course, she was, but it struck Verum as funny. He chuckled. ¡°At ease, soldier.¡± She relaxed marginally, and Verum realized that she was masking her fears with formality. That brought him to the second reason he wanted to speak with her. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up for this?¡± ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± ¡°You always have a choice, Callida. You taught me that.¡± She merely rolled her eyes. ¡°Then what are my choices?¡± He stepped forward to better meet her eyes. ¡°You tell me.¡± ¡°Bravely confront them or continue hiding from them like a coward. I suppose running away with my tail tucked between my legs is also an option.¡± ¡°I vehemently disagree. Sometimes it actually takes more courage to admit defeat than it does to foolishly ¡®just try anyway¡¯. Sometimes to fail is to be brave.¡± She didn¡¯t look like she was convinced, so Verum tried again. ¡°Look, there is wisdom in knowing your limits and knowing when you simply aren¡¯t ready or capable. So I¡¯ll ask you again, are you certain that you¡¯re up for this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you want me to say, Verum. The answer is no, of course I¡¯m not sure. But I¡¯m arguably doing better than I was, and this needs to be addressed. You want your party, everyone wants to be rid of that crowd, I¡¯d imagine that the people in the crowd would prefer to know before the coldest part of winter hits that I¡¯m not what they seem to think I am¡­. This isn¡¯t ¡ª it never has been ¡ª just about me. I can¡¯t justify putting this off any longer.¡± A reluctant Verum surrendered. ¡°Alright. Be careful then.¡± ¡°Always.¡± 50 - History Geek Animo ¡ª erm¡­ General Yudha ¡ª had called him into her office along with the usual crowd of trusted commanders plus Gravis, but no one really knew why. Arum had a reasonable guess though. It started to take shape after he observed Animo¡¯s hands shaking. To his knowledge, everyone in this room had been entrusted via informal channels (aka Rogue) with at least a few vague hints about all the drama of the last two months to explain Animo¡¯s concerningly altered behavior. Arum, being the bookworm and history geek that he was, had put the rest of the pieces together ¡ª that and he¡¯d heard the rumors confirming his theory. People had finally realized that Animo had married into that Yudha family, and their family trip to the temple had resulted in a public service announcement informing all the whack-jobs of this fact. However, the consequences of this whole situation were anything but theoretical, and the fact that Animo was willingly submitting to therapy because of it spoke volumes about how severely this was affecting her. (Of course, he knew nothing about her seeing a monitor.) ¡°Good afternoon, gentlemen,¡± Animo began the meeting when everyone had taken a seat. ¡°I¡¯m going to just come out with it. I¡¯m on my way to confront the crowds at the gate. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the rumors by now, and I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been keeping the details of this one closer to my chest, but¡­. Primordials, where do I even start?¡± Arum waited quietly with the rest of the commanders for her to gather her thoughts, but when she couldn¡¯t seem to find any to express, Rapax started prompting her with questions. ¡°You¡¯re confronting the crowds, General, what do you need from us?¡± ¡°Support. I need you to be my back-up because ¡ª this stays between us ¡ª I¡¯m- I¡¯m not sure I can do this.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°These people¡­ want something from me, something I don¡¯t have.¡± ¡°General, we¡¯re all aware of the prophecy and their claims that you and your family are significant to that prophecy. Is there any validity to their claims?¡± ¡°Whether there is or not, the prophecy is anything but definite, and I am allowed to choose my own path.¡± Arum frowned at that non-answer, but Rapax voiced his thoughts first. ¡°So your fear is that they might be right and you will consequently be saddled with the burden that is this prophecy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe in the prophecy,¡± Animo shook her head. ¡°My fear is that, regardless of my wishes or whether the prophecy is even real, I will still be compelled to fill some interpreted role based on that prophecy.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Rapax nodded. ¡°So back to my original question, what do you need from us?¡± ¡°I need you to run interference to keep the crowds away from me while I speak to them, and, Gravis, I need you to stick close to me and get me out quickly in case I start to¡­ to panic.¡± ¡°Panic?¡± Arum¡¯s frown grew pronounced. ¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t offer further explanation. ¡°If the rest of you could assemble a unit of your men to help control the crowds, I would appreciate it. Please be advised, we have some intelligence that the people might not all be peaceful, so be on guard. Are there any other questions?¡± Arum exchanged uncertain glances with his fellow officers and shook his head. ¡°Then meet me by the front palace gates in an hour with your men. Dismissed.¡± As the group began filing out, Animo called, ¡°Arum, could you stay back a minute?¡± Arum returned to his seat, waiting for everyone else to clear out of the office before asking, ¡°what can I do for you, General?¡± She sighed and got up from behind her desk to take the seat next to him. ¡°It occurred to me that you would know more about¡­ this.¡± ¡°This,¡± he repeated. ¡°This, the prophecy, this?¡± ¡°All of it. The prophecy, why these people are targeting my family, the historical precedents, various interpretations on what the prophecy means¡­ all of it.¡± ¡°I¡­ yes? I mean, I¡¯ve read a lot about it.¡± ¡°Teach me, then. What do you know?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s kind of a massive subject, Animo.¡± ¡°Give me a brief overview then.¡± ¡°Um¡­ ok?¡± Put on the spot but definitely excited to be asked about this, Arum had to take a moment to dredge up his memories of the related texts he¡¯d read. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go chronologically. So, tradition says that the Great Owl declared the prophecy in 0 A.P. to the Last Primordials while the Blue Dragon took notes. Erm, from those notes, a formal prophecy was compiled. Eventually, the prophecy was circulated and people started tracking the lineages of the Last Primordials.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why would they track the lineages? Uh, well, it¡¯s part of the prophecy, well, one of the most accepted interpretations of the prophecy anyway. A significant part of the prophecy is about the restoration and unification of various things.¡± ¡°Like the Lost Tribes.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s part of it too. But also, the unification of the tribes and of the bloodlines of the Last Primordials. As you might imagine, because of the Last Primordials¡¯ close associations with high profile people, most genealogical lines of interest are the royal lines of various tribes. And royal lines are generally easier to track anyway because of the strict rules of succession and such.¡± ¡°So, royal lines like the ancient Dragon King line?¡± ¡°Yup. The Yudha line is on that list, as is the ¡®newer¡¯ royal Dragon Tribe line ¡ª the Ekata line ¡ª and the Wolf Tribe Lang line and the Bear Tribe Tragen line. That¡¯s the short list, but there are certainly lots of ¡®lesser¡¯ lines that fit on that list ¡ª low profile lines like the Arum line, actually. At this point in history, I feel like a lot of people can trace their heritage back to at least one of the Last Primordials. The thing that made ¡ª sorry ¡ª makes the Yudha line such a strong candidate is that, somewhat recently, it actually managed to unify all five of the Last Primordials¡¯ bloodlines in a very direct way, whereas some of the other big names only have three or four of the bloodlines merged much more tangentially. Well, I guess that¡¯s not entirely true. I¡¯m remembering that the Tragen line had all five lines merged a while ago. There was a big fuss made about it towards the end of the sixth century, but nothing ever came of it, so people stopped paying much attention to that line. But I know I told you before about the destruction of the Yudha colony in 766 and all the theories flying around about who did it and why.¡± ¡°You did,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Both the Dragon and Wolf Tribes were implicated for political reasons, but most people believed it was neither and that it actually had something to do with prophecy.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Right. So there¡¯s two different sides to the beliefs surrounding the prophecy. Primordialists, or the traditional believers in Primordialism, look forward to the fulfillment of the prophecy as the salvation of Ulakam.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, the prophecy promises that the world will be united. Most people think that means the world will become utopian, led by the wise and ancient Dragon King. But then, the other side of that coin fears the unification of the tribes. One book coined the term anti-unifiers to describe their beliefs. Essentially, they believe that the Dragon King will be a tyrant who will tear down existing systems and turn humanity into his slaves. So it makes sense that they would oppose the unification of the tribes or anything else indicative of the fulfillment of the prophecy.¡± ¡°And what do you believe?¡± ¡°Me?! Um¡­. It¡¯s interesting? I¡¯m not particularly religious, Animo, but it¡¯s interesting from a historical perspective.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°I mean, the prophecy has shaped history for the better part of the last millennium ¡ª religious beliefs which in turn have shaped cultural practices and priorities. There are so many theories and extrapolations surrounding the prophecy too. My favorites are the metaphysical interpretations which assume that the Great Owl was speaking on a purely spiritual, metaphorical level and not a literal one. That ideology gave rise to an entire branch of Primordialism called Avi-Kankal that believes the fulfillment of the prophecy is a personal journey in which one dedicates their life to developing a spiritual connection with each of the Last Primordials. The belief is that by coming to know each of the five Primordials, one can come to know the Dragon King himself, bringing internal peace and unity. It¡¯s a search for enlightenment, and there are a number of temple orders that have developed from that ideology. I feel like there¡¯s at least one such order in every main tribe that restricts their numbers to five members, each of whom study and represent one of the Last Primordials so that, collectively, they can represent the Dragon King himself. Not all of them subscribe to the Avi-Kankal philosophies, but they all have roots in that interpretation of the prophecy. It¡¯s just fascinating!¡± ¡°Arum, what¡¯s your take on the part of history we are living in now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m assuming you are specifically referring to the part where you are being heralded as the supposed Mother of Prophecy?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You know, the concept of the Mother of Prophecy or the Father of Prophecy isn¡¯t universally accepted.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± ¡°No. The first known references to the Mother and Father of Prophecy were recorded in the second century before the concept went out of vogue and all but disappeared. It then returned to popular view in the late third century, giving rise to a religious ideology called the Iranti Cintanai movement, arguing that the prophecy was actually two separate prophecies that had been conflated in the dying mind of the seer. And that triggered the rise of the Palam Itai-something-that-I-can-never-pronounce ¡ª the name means ¡®bridge gaps¡¯. Anyway, the Palam sub-sect believes that the original prophecy must be interpreted because it was incomplete ¡ª either that it was recorded incompletely, declared incompletely, or the vision itself was incomplete. And that in turn led to a whole slew of sub-sects that have each filled in the apparent gaps of the prophecy with their own bridges. Fascinating stuff¡­. How did I get off on this tangent, Animo?¡± ¡°Uh, the Mother and Father of Prophecy¨C¡± ¡°Oh, right! Not universally accepted doctrine. Right. Well, so prophecy purists have looked at the history and decided that the Parents of Prophecy concept was added into the prophecy after the fact because there are no records of a Mother or Father of Prophecy in that first century after the prophecy was given. Of course, there aren¡¯t many records from that period left to draw from, and the concept has become mainstream regardless. Even purists will sometimes consider it to be a possible sign of the impending fulfillment of the rest of the prophecy. Still others believe that the written record of that first century neglected much of the oral tradition surrounding the prophecy and was therefore incomplete. Oh¡­ there was an owl ¡ª I can¡¯t remember their name ¡ª but, if I¡¯m remembering correctly, they claimed to be a descendant of the Great Owl herself. Anyway, in the third century, they confused the debate about the Parents of Prophecy being a thing or not ¡ª and I¡¯m not going to be able to quote them accurately ¡ª but basically, they said something to the effect that ¡®people are born from people, so even the Great Unifier will have parents, and will likely be a parent¡¯. Obviously, that clarifies nothing, but a lot of people took the idea and ran with it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Arum laughed, recognizing that his geek-out was likely way more than she had bargained for. Animo looked a little punch drunk, and maybe a bit nauseous. ¡°Sorry, Animo. Too much at once?¡± ¡°You could say that,¡± she said with an apologetic wince. ¡°That¡¯s fair. Bottom line? While I find the prophecy and its history fascinating, I don¡¯t put much stock in it ¡ª at least not in any of the modern interpretations of it. Historically, there likely was a prophecy given, but you have to believe in that sort of thing for it to matter. Since then, nearly eight hundred years have passed, and people have interpreted the prophecy differently throughout the years to suit their own purposes. What is real and what is contrived is anyone¡¯s guess at this point, and sadly, there aren¡¯t any original copies of the prophecy anywhere to reference. The oldest texts currently known to still exist only go back to 90-something A.P., and those copies are horribly damaged and probably locked away in a temple vault somewhere. After that, the next oldest records are from the 200s A.P., and they are mostly all written by various sects. There¡¯s an insane amount of disagreement between the records. I read a comparative analysis book on the different records once¡­. Wild stuff.¡± ¡°Why are there so few early records, though? For something supposedly so important, why didn¡¯t people make more copies? Or wouldn¡¯t someone seek to preserve the integrity of the prophecy?¡± ¡°Well, they probably did,¡± Arum explained simply. ¡°Sadly, there was also a counter movement in the late 300s ¡ª a really big one. A lot of those first records were gathered up and destroyed.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I know, right? It sucks. So what remains are fragments of the original prophecy, which, apparently, might have been fragmented to begin with.¡± ¡°So what do people actually know about the prophecy then?!¡± ¡°Not a whole lot, honestly. That comparative analysis book went through dozens of different records and expounded upon the contents for hundreds of pages only to conclude with a brief sum-up paragraph. The only things that seem to be universally accepted are the few things you¡¯ve probably heard a million times. The first is the birth of a Great Unifier and the return of the Dragon King, though what that should look like is heavily debated. Second is the promised restoration of the Lost Tribes, the unification of the tribes of Ulakam, and some vague combining of the Last Primordials that most texts agree to mean the merging of their bloodlines. And third, a union of equal opposites that will somehow bring either balance or peace to the world depending on which text you¡¯re reading.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that last one?¡± ¡°The last one? Well, that¡¯s the part that¡¯s given rise to the various Parents of Prophecy interpretations, but, see, it¡¯s super vague, and different texts provide different details about this supposed union. The thing is, what is it a union of? People? Tribes? Religious sects? And is the union even a literal thing? That is another entire sub-set of interpretations to debate right alongside the beliefs of the Iranti Cintanai movement and Palam sects. But you can see why Iranti Cintanai subscribers believe that there must have been two separate prophecies, right? The union of equal opposites doesn¡¯t obviously fit with the rest of the prophecy.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Animo acknowledged distractedly. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m still rambling,¡± Arum said with a snort of self-deprecation. ¡°Are you overwhelmed yet?¡± ¡°Arum, I was overwhelmed before you started talking. You know I¡¯m not going to remember most of this, right? You¡¯ve given me a lot to think about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable, I guess,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯d probably better go and assemble some men together, huh?¡± ¡°Oh. Uh, yeah. Thank you, Arum.¡± ¡°Any time. I don¡¯t get to geek-out like this very often. It was fun! ¡­ For me, at least.¡± She smiled weakly at that, though Arum could see that her head was spinning. ¡°Dismissed, Commander.¡± ¡°General.¡± He bowed out. 51 - Confrontation After Arum left, Callida went home to prepare herself for the dreaded moment before her. She changed into a fresh, striking uniform and visited Tonsor, her estate beautician, to touch up her hair and makeup. Terrified or not, she was going to present herself as the Lion General to the fullest degree. She looked in the mirror at the dramatically painted face she was wearing. Dark, neutral makeup enhanced deep-set brown eyes, and the carefully emphasized, white scar through her left eyebrow and cheek added a severity to her look that was strengthened by the slicked back, tight knot of hair at the nape of her neck, and a blood red lip stain ¡ª the only pop of color on her body that wasn¡¯t neutral or gold. If the goal was to scare the Primordialist zealots off, which it was, then it was worth it to put in the effort to look intimidating. ¡°Tonsor, if you¡¯d never met me before, what would your first impression of me be?¡± Tonsor grinned. ¡°I¡¯d think you looked very well put together and a little unapproachable.¡± ¡°Darn. I was going for scary or intimidating.¡± ¡°In that case, you need to look less pretty,¡± he cheesed and she snorted reactively. ¡°I¡¯m not pretty.¡± ¡°Not with that attitude. But seriously, General, you don¡¯t need to worry. You don¡¯t need makeup to make you look intimidating. You just are.¡± ¡°Gee. That makes me feel a whole lot better.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Tonsor said with a cheeky grin that Callida caught through the mirror. She took one last look at her reflection, set her jaw, and dropped her gaze to glare up at herself through her eyebrows, steeling herself mentally for anything. ¡°See what I mean? You don¡¯t need makeup to be intimidating,¡± Tonsor said softly from behind her. ¡°I can see it from here: the way your eyes burn. ¡± Callida nodded and thanked Tonsor on her way to the door, and then she spent the walk to the front palace gates reviewing her sword forms in her head. It was a relaxing mental exercise that helped to distract her from what she was facing ahead. But it was hard to stay focused as the shouting at the gate grew nearer. The crowd had spotted her commanders assembling in neat rows with their pared down armies ¡ª someone had had the wisdom and foresight to equip all of the soldiers with shields ¡ª and the miserable masses were yelling at them, taunting them, demanding to know if this was the moment they¡¯d be forcibly chased away or slaughtered. To their credit, her men would not be baited. They remained stoic as they stood at attention, calmly facing their hecklers unflinchingly. Callida drew strength from their poise. This was why she¡¯d called upon them in the first place. She willed herself to match their quiet confidence. Inhale¡­ exhale. ¡°ATTENTION!¡± she shouted, and her six commanders and their six battalions synchronously swiveled to form a path at the center of their ranks for her to walk through them. Gravis fell into step behind her as she marched down the middle. And the crowd beyond the gates went eerily still. ¡°Rapax, report!¡± ¡°We are all accounted for, General!¡± Rapax barked back, never straying from his attentive stance. ¡°As you were!¡± Callida turned to the haggard palace guards and ordered the gates opened. ¡°Forward march!¡± ¡°IT¡¯S HER!!!¡± someone shouted. The crowd started screaming¡­ not from fear. They were cheering. It was the most chaotic fanfare she¡¯d ever witnessed. All around them, people were reacting to her presence so extremely, it felt violent. And it was so absurd, Callida could hardly process any of it. The unfortunate soldiers on the perimeter of their formation were instantly contending with all sorts of nonsense. A mother tried to force her way into the middle of the army with a wailing child in her arms to beg for Callida to ¡°bless my child¡±. A large group of teenage boys attempted to rough her men up, urging her to run while they were there to protect her escape. A knot of Guardians in temple robes refused to move to the side in favor of prostrating themselves on the snowy ground in front of them ¡ª in front of her. Another mass of people began a show of praying loudly to her and the Primordials and about her to the Primordials. She maintained her position at the center of her men, sticking close to Gravis as the army barely managed to all get through the gates for the insistence of the swarm. ¡°FORM RANKS!¡± Obediently and competently, her men fanned out, using their shields to push the shrieking zealots steadily back so they could create tight rows arching in a semicircle around her position near the gate. ¡°HOLD!¡± Shields still up, her men stopped advancing. ¡°SILENCE!¡± she shouted the last command, but the crowd only sort of settled, so Callida began the very intentional process of staring people down, one at a time intimidating the Primordialists into silence¡­ or at least stillness. They in turn rebuked their neighbors, and after a few minutes, her burning glare achieved the desired effect. The volume dimmed to a low hum. Now came the hard part. ¡°I know why you all are here: you believe me to be the Mother of Prophecy. I¡¯m sorry to have to tell you that you¡¯ve been lied to. Go home!¡± Uproar. Callida couldn¡¯t distinguish one voice from the other, but the emotions she read from the crowd ranged from anger and despair to delusional optimism and insistence. ¡°BE QUIET!¡± ¡°WE WANT PROOF!¡± someone screamed, egging the crowd on. All efforts to regain order after that failed; the impassioned and increasingly desperate fanatics only screamed louder to be heard as time ticked by unproductively. Callida glanced helplessly up at Gravis as her austere fa?ade began to crumble under the relentless pressure. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Recognizing her distress, Gravis removed the shield strapped to his back and drew his sword, banging them together and temporarily startling the crowds into hushing. ¡°GENERAL, PERMISSION TO SPEAK?¡± Rapax surprised her a moment later. ¡°Granted.¡± Rapax nodded and stepped out of formation to address the crowds. ¡°You all are a bunch of dumbasses, you know that?! You come here demanding answers and then yell so loud you couldn¡¯t hear one if it arrived on a bolt of thunder! Now SHUT UP!¡± Callida gave him a grateful smile as he returned to his position behind his men with the crowd effectively quieted for the moment. ¡°If you will listen, I will speak. I am Lion General Callida Animo Yudha. I am a soldier, born from a long line of humble soldiers going back many generations. A soldier. Just a soldier, and I intend to continue serving as a soldier for the rest of my life. I¡¯m not religious at all; I never have been. I don¡¯t believe in the prophecy, and I don¡¯t understand this ¡®Mother of Prophecy¡¯ title you are trying to assign me. Furthermore, I don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t want anything to do with your Spiritualism or Primordialism, prophecy, interpretations, Primordial spirits, temples, or Guardians! I want to be left alone! I want to live peacefully and quietly, serving in the occupation I¡¯ve chosen for myself. I am not the ¡®Mother of Prophecy¡¯, nor will I ever be. Please, for the love of all that is good in this world, go home before the winter kills you all, and stop wasting your time waiting for a miracle that doesn¡¯t exist!¡± ¡°What about your husband¡¯s ancestry?¡± one of the men in temple robes ¡ª a Guardian ¡ª asked, stepping forward to present himself on the other side of her soldiers¡¯ shields. The crowd muttered but remained respectfully hushed. ¡°Who are you?¡± Callida demanded. ¡°I am Sudlakh. I was sent by the Order of Embers from the First Temple to the Red Phoenix to investigate the rumors that signs of the prophecy have manifested.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to waste your time.¡± ¡°On the contrary,¡± Sudlakh asserted before she could completely shut him down. ¡°I¡¯ve done my homework. Is it true that your husband is Qiandge Yudha, sole surviving child of Chikitsak Yudha and Shouzi Lang, and host to a rogue Alpha wolf?¡± When Callida didn¡¯t immediately respond, the Guardian pulled a scroll out of his robes and unfurled it over the shoulders of the soldiers in front of him. ¡°Is this not his family crest and genealogy?¡± Morbid curiosity pulled her forward. ¡°Let him through.¡± Sudlakh bowed graciously as the soldiers in front of him parted, closing again as soon as he¡¯d crossed into the semi-circle. The Guardian then lifted the chart in his hand for her inspection. A large family crest of a serpentine dragon had been watermarked across the entire scroll. Miniscule writing had been inked meticulously over the crest, detailing a long ancestral line that branched in five places, going back to five names written in bold lettering across the top of the page with various symbols further highlighting their importance. ¡°What does this have to do with anything?¡± she breathed, barely above a whisper, a sudden flashback to the Griffin Tribe temple leaving her off-balance and not fully present. There¡¯d been a genealogical chart similar to this one in that office, though this one was much more recently crafted. ¡°It has to do with everything,¡± Sudlakh said. ¡°Is this your husband?¡± He was pointing to the name nearest to the bottom of the chart: Qiangde Yichan Yudha. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ personal information.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only asking you for the identity of your husband. Is this, or is this not, your husband?¡± ¡°... Yes,¡± she gasped out. It felt like she was choking. Callida staggered back in a subconscious retreat and bumped into the faithful Gravis who put a hand out to steady her. Meanwhile, Sudlakh¡¯s eyes had lit up, a carefully tempered smile tugging the corners of his lips. ¡°Isn¡¯t your husband a remarkable healer?¡± ¡°H-how do you know about that?¡± ¡°And is it true that your children have been identified as hosts to animal spirits from the Lost Tribes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s none of your business!¡± Feeling desperate not to give anything away, Callida looked to the side, almost certainly revealing her hand anyway. ¡°Oh, but it is. See, you insist that you are only a soldier and that you don¡¯t believe in the prophecy, but all the markers are there: the merged bloodlines of the Last Primordials, the restoration of the Lost Tribes, the sacred union of two people who are equal opposites and balanced in what they bring to the world¡­ a world that was at war until they married.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a coincidence.¡± ¡°Is it though? Are you not the Lion General who discovered and exposed the conspiracy of the late Lion King?¡± ¡°So what if I am?!¡± she snarled as a way to hide that she was fighting tears. ¡°Is it true that your husband was a member of the Resistance and your enemy during the Great War?¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that the reason you could see through the conspiracy was because of the perspective you gained through your courtship with your now husband.¡± ¡°Stop talking!¡± ¡°And isn¡¯t it true that you married each other during the final campaign that brought peace to the world after decades of bloodshed?¡± ¡°Gravis¡­¡± Callida groped blindly behind her back, seeking his arm. ¡°A union of equals, of opposites, bringing peace and balance to the world with their union, merging the bloodlines of the Last Primordials, bearing children who have restored the Lost Tribes,¡± he repeated these points loudly, ensuring the crowd could hear him to renewed cheers. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± As Callida blundered into Gravis, Arum broke ranks to grab the Guardian by his arm and the back of his cloak to frogmarch him out, giving him an earful about the logical fallacies and inaccuracies of his statements. ¡°... and, finally, the General¡¯s children aren¡¯t members of the Lost Tribes! And I should know! One of her sons is my parum amico, for the Primordials¡¯ sakes! Now back off!¡± The crowd booed Arum¡¯s indignant expulsion of Guardian Sudlakh, and Callida took the moment out of the spotlight to regroup her wits. But Sudlakh wasn¡¯t finished and shouted over his shoulder as he was forced back through the wall of shieldbearers. ¡°You¡¯re a great leader, General! Your men are most loyal and obedient, and as an Alpha wolf, I¡¯m sure your husband also commands with great authority!¡± ¡°OUT!¡± Arum roared with a final shove. ¡°If you¡¯re so determined that she is your Mother of Prophecy, shouldn¡¯t you be obedient to her commands?! She ordered you to go home! Now get lost!¡± ¡°Gravis¡­.¡± Callida was riding the razor¡¯s edge of panic, so she was grateful for Gravis¡¯s hand against her back as it steered her towards and then through the palace gates as the disappointed mob shouted after them. It was all she could do to get out of sight before she fell off that precarious razor¡¯s edge. 52 - Should Have Cancelled ¡°We should have just canceled,¡± Verum muttered cantankerously, and Callida sank heavily into the corner of the couch in his study. ¡°We¡¯re doing the best we can, but there¡¯s not much I can do about your noble guests getting harassed as they arrive.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s just¡­ after nearly two weeks of the camp breaking up and people finally leaving¡­ how many did you say there were?¡± ¡°Less than a full battalion, more than I care to admit.¡± Verum snorted humorlessly. ¡°So not quite two thousand? And they just showed up overnight?¡± ¡°No, Verum, most of them are the people who have been stubbornly still sticking around, but their numbers did inflate again over the last two days. Like I already said, that¡¯s what I¡¯m the most worried about. Who is joining them now that the camp is breaking? It might just be late-comers, but with the ball being tonight, my concern is that¨C¡± ¡°¨Cthey¡¯re not Primordialist believers and are just here to hide amongst the masses.¡± ¡°Exactly so. Maybe they¡¯re plotting something.¡± She sighed, her head tipping back to rest against the cushion behind her. ¡°Is it too late to cancel?¡± ¡°Callida, the guests are already arriving, I need to wrap this meeting up so I can get myself ready, and you need to get home so you can get ready! Yes. It¡¯s too late to cancel.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she snapped. ¡°In that case, I want you and Flore to stick close to your bodyguards tonight. Pius, did you hear that?!¡± she shouted to be sure that the captain standing just inside the door could hear her. ¡°Yes, General.¡± ¡°Good. And Pius, let Sal know when you next see him?¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± ¡°What about you and Qiangde?¡± Verum interjected. ¡°You know a potential plot might be targeting you two rather than us, right?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m me, and I¡¯ll be wearing my sword belt,¡± Callida retorted with a smirk, ¡°but Gravis is already planning on watching Rogue¡¯s back for me, and I half expect that Vir will be doing the same for me despite that not being his assignment tonight. I¡¯ve also assigned my boys¡¯ nobilises to guard the palace nursery.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still planning on your boys joining Tatio in the nursery tonight?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve confirmed those plans with the nursery staff already, but, speaking of, I need to go bring the boys to them. They are expected right about now.¡± ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve got everything taken care of,¡± Verum noted with melancholic distraction. ¡°Verum, we¡¯ll get through this, and tomorrow I¡¯ll go chew out whomever is still camping at the gates. Would that make you feel better?¡± ¡°Can I watch?¡± he returned with a sly grin. ¡°That would be fun.¡± Callida laughed and got up to leave. ¡°Sure. Tomorrow, we can ride out together in a display of friendship to show a united front, and you can watch as I lay into these guys. Deal?¡± Verum stood up to offer her his hand to clasp. ¡°Deal. I¡¯ll look forward to it, General.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you tonight, Your Majesty,¡± she said with a bow. *** Her team of stylists had outdone themselves as usual. Callida and Rogue were dressed as the living embodiments of the day and night skies respectively ¡ª the sources of the Primordial power according to mythology. With a shimmery gown of a similar color to her hair ¡ª designed with a fitted, highly detailed bodice, a layered fringe skirt and fringe sleeves falling off her shoulders ¡ª Callida¡¯s look represented the sun and would be fun to twirl in later that night. Contrastingly, Rogue¡¯s black hair was further emphasized by a black suit studded with small, white, sparkly things and a thin crescent-shaped strip of silver subtly patchworked into the material of his jacket ¡ª the night sky. ¡°I will never get used to you looking like that,¡± Callida said of Rogue¡¯s ensemble. ¡°In a good way or a bad way?¡± he smirked back. ¡°You look good, Rogue,¡± she assured him quickly. ¡°You look¡­. You¡¯ll fit in perfectly with the glamorous Lion Tribe nobility¡­ except maybe your hair color. How did I end up with such a handsome husband?¡± ¡°But¡­?¡± She smiled wistfully, her finger winding itself up in one of his freshly coiffed curls falling just to his shoulders. ¡°But I married a bandit¡­ who smelled of campfire smoke most of the time and wore old, patched clothes and tanned animal skins stitched haphazardly together. Now¡­. I¡¯ll never get used to seeing you in costumes like this.¡± Rogue collected her hand, still twisting itself through his hair, and kissed the meat of her palm. He then pointed at her dress, grinning goofily at her. ¡°It¡¯s shiny.¡± She laughed, and Rogue took the opportunity to draw her into a kiss that collected some of her lipstick with his neatly trimmed and shaped scruff. His just-been-kissed grin fell flat as Callida pulled away worrying her bottom lip. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± She quickly smiled and pecked at his lips again. ¡°Yeah, because I bought that, ¡° he snarked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Callida?¡± ¡°Just¡­ stay close to me or Gravis at all times tonight.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just promise me.¡± ¡°I¡­ ok, fine, but why? Does this have anything to do with¨C¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even let me finish,¡± he snorted. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°You were asking if this had anything to do with the people crowding the palace gates.¡± ¡°Tangentially, sure. I was going to ask if it had anything to do with that stupid prophecy.¡± She ignored the correction. ¡°I¡¯m feeling nervous about tonight. I don¡¯t have any concrete reason to be nervous, but I am.¡± Rogue frowned. ¡°Goldie¡¯s intuition?¡± ¡°I¡¯m inclined to trust her instincts. She¡¯s rarely wrong with stuff like this.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he said softly, studying his wife¡¯s troubled caramel eyes. ¡°Yeah¡­. So tonight will be¡­ interesting,¡± Callida said optimistically. ¡°Hopefully not too interesting,¡± he returned with a tease and got kissed for it. *** Neurotically checking on the boys before going to the party in the ballroom, Callida found them all very happily playing or sleeping in the palace nursery. Probus had buddied up with Optatio and the pair were diving off a couch they¡¯d disassembled onto the loose cushions on the floor, laughing hysterically while Rapax kept the pair from jumping on top of each other by accident. Tiaki and Manasik were exploring a bin of new toys, and Callida laughed when Manasik reached for a toy that was too deep and ended up upside down with his chubby feet flailing in the air, requiring a watchful Arum to fish him back out. Apparently that wasn¡¯t the first time that had happened. The twins, Tajam and Ddalu, were sleeping while Moro and Adjutus gabbed nearby with a pair of flirty nurses. Callida was shooed away before she could even ask how everyone was doing. Mind at ease for the moment, she left quietly before the boys could see her, and led Rogue to where the orchestral music and visual splendor became overwhelming. But the atmosphere was all wrong. Normally the New Year¡¯s ball was festive with most of the space reserved for dancing. This year, the only quarter of the room with dancing couples was the space near that enormous observation platform where the king and queen presented themselves before joining the festivities. Callida poked her head out of her metaphorical turtle shell to actually pay attention to the people around her. Her conclusion: the glamorous nobles were nervous. Instead of flaunting their plumage and trying to one-up each other, most of them were engaged in hushed conversations, commiserating in common stresses, worrying about the zealots at the gates ¡ª zealots in their own cities and territories, relaying anecdotes about the things these people were saying and doing¡­ and threatening. The conversations danced around the prophecy, most of them refusing to address it directly, and as soon as they noticed Callida hovering nearby, they silenced, their mannerisms either becoming falsely cheerful or closed off and vaguely hostile. She¡¯d gone from war hero to social pariah in record time, it seemed, and as soon as Rogue was connected to her, he too became an outcast. It¡¯s not that she cared so much about what the nobility thought of her ¡ª frankly, any disinclination was mutual, but, if nothing else, it was uncomfortable dragging Rogue through the mud with her. It was tempting to simply walk out and go home, but that disquieting something niggled at the back of her mind, and her sense of obligation kept her in the room. ¡°Lion General! Qiangde, welcome to the party,¡± Verum greeted them with artificial gusto and a broad smile. He was trying to lighten the mood with Flore at his side and their bodyguards, Pius and Sal, following behind. He was facing an uphill battle. ¡°Well don¡¯t you two look fabulous?!¡± came the requisite compliment. ¡°Embodying the celestial lights, the sources of power for the Primordial spirits. Does that make you a power couple?¡± He laughed at his own joke, and Callida humored him with a grin. ¡°Why don¡¯t you explain your costumes to me, Verum?¡± she asked, knowing full well that the costumes were Verum¡¯s favorite part of this event, and also knowing that he¡¯d designed them himself. Both he and Flore were wearing magnificent outfits pieced from exquisitely detailed panels in the same five colors: black, gold, silver, blue, and red. ¡°Oh, come, now, Callida. Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± He pouted playfully and launched into an overly detailed explanation while Flore rolled her eyes. She¡¯d heard this explanation probably a dozen times already. ¡°So, there are five colors, and each one¨C¡± ¡°¨Crepresents one of the five Primordial spirits,¡± Callida finished his sentence, trying to hurry him along. It backfired. ¡°Very good, General! You¡¯ve been brushing up on your lore!¡± ¡°Everyone knows that, Verum,¡± she rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± He chuckled and continued. ¡°Well, the detailing on each color is symbolic of the essences of the Primordial spirits. So red feathers for the Red Phoenix, blue scales for the Blue Dragon, gold suns for the Golden Lion, silver stars for the Silver Wolf, and black smoke for the Black Bear.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very symbolic,¡± Callida nodded with approval. ¡°But you haven¡¯t seen the best part yet!¡± he exclaimed, and next to him, Flore all but facepalmed. Verum opened his jacket to reveal a white satin also detailed with scales. ¡°It¡¯s the Dragon King! Isn¡¯t it awesome?!¡± ¡°And Flore has her own secret, white panel?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hidden by the bustle of her gown,¡± Verum confirmed, ¡°but I think she¡¯s tired of me showing people,¡± he added and grinned apologetically at his wife. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ awesome,¡± Callida validated dryly, giving Flore a knowing, sympathetic glance. ¡°How are you, Flore?¡± ¡°Oh, the evening is treating me well enough,¡± she declared diplomatically and side-eyed her husband. ¡°Has Verum asked you to dance yet?¡± ¡°One song,¡± Flore rolled her eyes again, and Callida snorted. ¡°Unacceptable. Verum, you need to fix that.¡± ¡°Right, erm, next dance?¡± he asked sheepishly. ¡°Yes, please,¡± Flore said with a polite curtsy, rising again to mouth ¡°thank you¡± at Callida (without any real effort made to hide her silent gratitude) as Verum led her to where people were dancing next to the corner tower. ¡°Callida, everyone is staring at us¡­ well¡­ at you,¡± Rogue drew close to whisper in her ear, his eyes scanning the near groups of people all quickly looking away the moment she too started looking. ¡°How do you stand it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not usually this bad,¡± she whispered back, ¡°but mostly, I just ignore it.¡± ¡°But how?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess I just don¡¯t care enough for it to bother me.¡± ¡°Oh, to be you and able to just not care,¡± he snarked uncomfortably. She laughed at that. ¡°It used to be annoying,¡± she backtracked and began mindlessly fussing with the collar of his shirt as an excuse to snuggle in closer. ¡°Maybe I just got used to it. Someday, you will too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to do this often enough to get used to it,¡± he retorted but grinned with her nose nuzzling softly against his jawline. ¡°Ok. Maybe it¡¯s not so bad. Hey, you wanna pretend we¡¯re teenagers and find a quiet corner somewhere to makeout?¡± Callida snorted and then actually considered the joke proposal. ¡°I wonder if anyone¡¯s found the library yet.¡± ¡°Yeah?!¡± Surprised, Rogue became excited, and Callida took his hand with a wink, leading him through the crowds to the side door and through the hallway beyond it, at the end of which was the library in question. Sadly, someone had already found the library ¡ª unironically, a pair of teenagers. ¡°Dang. Out-teenagered by the teenagers,¡± Rogue sulked and laughed at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s probably just as well,¡± Callida sighed, and laced her fingers through his on the walk back. ¡°Raincheck?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± ¡°I think we lost Gravis somewhere back there. First night with a bodyguard, and you¡¯re already giving him the slip,¡± she grinned impishly as they arrived at the ballroom. And someone screamed. ¡°I¡¯m not that ugly, am I?¡± Rogue quipped for Callida¡¯s benefit, but she was too distracted to hear him. The volume of the room dimmed, there was another cry of alarm, and the next moment, everything fell into chaos as the nervous nobility spooked. Some people were shouting or shrieking, others made a break for the exit. The palace guards began confused efforts to either block people in or help them get out more quickly while others searched for the source of the mayhem. ¡°Rogue, Gravis, now!¡± Callida ordered, pointing at the tall lion just a few feet away, her hand on her sword as she identified a section of the crowd that had stopped to stare. It was an upstream swim, but it became evident pretty quickly what had started the commotion. Faces were turned upwards toward the tall corner platform. At the front edge stood Verum and Flore, knives at their throats. 53 - A Particular Brand of Insanity ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡± Callida cursed as she fought her way to the platform. ¡°General¨C¡± ¡°Converge on the tower! Prepare to catch if they fall!¡± she shouted at Vir on the run. She didn¡¯t wait for his acknowledgement but did register him shouting his own orders somewhere behind her. As the panicking nobles made their escape, those that were left stood in silent shock, and soon the ballroom became unearthly quiet. ¡°The moment is at hand!¡± Someone began a speech from above her, and Callida was doubly disturbed by how many people cheered throughout the room, but mostly from the tower itself. Verum flinched against the knife digging into his neck. ¡°The fulfillers of prophecy have been found!¡± ¡°Hurrah!¡± ¡°The Lost Tribes are restored!¡± ¡°Hurrah!¡± ¡°And the bloodlines of the five are one!¡± ¡°Hurrah!¡± ¡°Now we prepare the way for the unification of the tribes!¡± Screams of excitement split the air. ¡°The powers that be must fall, and the Great Unifier shall rise from the ashes!¡± Above her, Flore wailed with despair, and Verum doubled over, clutching his gut. ¡°NO!¡± The room stilled and turned to where Callida stood trembling, hand still on the hilt of her sword. Adrenaline pumping, Callida went to the tower stairs lined with armed men. How in the world so many men with weapons had cleared all the checkpoints, she had no idea. ¡°You will let me pass,¡± she snarled, and to her great shock, they reverently bowed and stepped out of her way. It was surreal. Men with insanity in their eyes fell into step behind her as she climbed. ¡°My lady, the Mother of Prophecy,¡± someone declared and took a knee in front of her, and Callida recognized his voice from the earlier speech. ¡°You will call me ¡®General¡¯,¡± she snapped viciously. ¡°Yes, General. I am pleased to¨C¡± ¡°What do you think you are doing?!¡± ¡°We meant no offense, General. We wish only to help you ascend¨C¡± ¡°By stealing what is rightfully mine?!¡± Callida wasn¡¯t entirely sure where this was going as her mouth was running faster than her brain, but it seemed to be working. ¡°It is my destiny to unite the tribes. Not yours.¡± ¡°My sincerest apologies,¡± the man groveled. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± It was a terrible moment to panic, but it was hard not to with dozens of Primordialist extremists on every side. She turned to find Verum sweaty and pale on his hands and knees, his hand stained scarlet from a stab wound in his side. Poor Flore was sobbing, unable to help or comfort her husband in any way with a dagger still at her own throat. ¡°Give me your knife!¡± Callida demanded of the man restraining Flore. ¡°They¡¯re mine!¡± He surrendered his knife to her reverently, almost giddy to have been singled out by this request. ¡°Now back off,¡± she ordered, still shocked when all men in the immediate area respectfully backed away, giving Flore the opportunity to tend to Verum. There was no way to safely get the royal couple down the stairs. Callida fought herself not to tremble as she stepped to the very edge of the platform and glanced down, checking that her orders had been followed. ¡°Stand up, Your Majesties,¡± she hissed, adopting a cold, emotionless timbre. ¡°What?¡± Flore squeaked. ¡°On your feet,¡± she spat a bit more loudly. ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°Up!¡± Callida brusquely yanked Flore to her feet and then Verum behind her. Verum groaned in agony, and Callida set her jaw to keep herself from becoming visibly emotional. ¡°Now listen closely. You¡¯ve been good friends to me. It is with no small amount of regret that I have to do this to you, so I¡¯ll try to make it as quick and painless as possible.¡± ¡°Callida?¡± Verum gasped in dismay and confusion, his pain preventing him from thinking about her words in any way beyond the superficial. She changed tactics. ¡°Cross your arms over your chests.¡± They both hesitated. ¡°DO IT!¡± Callida bellowed, and Flore¡¯s tears grew heavier again with a growing sense of betrayal and fear. ¡°Now close your eyes.¡± ¡°Please, General,¡± Flore begged shakily, tears rolling down her cheeks as her eyes closed, ¡°don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Now trust me one last time, and lay out as you fall.¡± ¡°Callida?¡± ¡°And give my regards to Commander Vir.¡± ¡°Callida?!¡± Verum cried one last time before she shoved them both off the platform. The rumbling crowd below screamed collectively. ¡°VIR?!¡± ¡°WE HAVE THEM, GENERAL!¡± ¡°VERUM?! ARE YOU GOOD?!¡± ¡°WOULD APPRECIATE¡­ A LITTLE MORE WARNING¡­ NEXT TIME.¡± ¡°GET HIS MAJESTY TO A DOCTOR!¡± Satisfied, Callida turned at last to face the enemy. ¡°You betrayed us!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know you,¡± she snarled. ¡°And are you really so diluted to think that I¡¯d actually thank you for assassinating two of my best friends?!¡± She drew her sword. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. And that was the moment they all realized just how badly they¡¯d screwed up. Their triumphal shouts were exchanged for shrieks of terror. The men on the stairs began a frantic race back to the bottom where Commander Vir was waiting for them with his force of palace guards. Those bottlenecked at the top of the stairs were no match for the fury they¡¯d stoked in their ¡°Mother of Prophecy¡±. Callida spun into the fray, brutally dealing tenfold what they had done to Verum to anyone unfortunate enough to be in her way. And, yes, it was fun twirling in her fringe-layered skirt. Those who weren¡¯t cut down by her sword were unceremoniously kicked off the platform, but there were no soldiers waiting to catch them as they fell. Callida slashed her way back down the platform, meeting Vir at the bottom, her gown as much scarlet as gold. ¡°Report, Commander!¡± ¡°All is in hand, General. We¡¯ve taken a few prisoners, and the rest of the assassination force is dead. Mr. Yudha is tending to His Majesty as we speak.¡± Vir gestured to one corner, and Callida caught sight of Rogue kneeling over Verum on the floor with Gravis standing sentinel. ¡°What happened, Vir? Where¡¯s Pius and Sal? How did all of these men get in here without anyone noticing?!¡± ¡°We¡¯re investigating, General. What I can tell you is that Pius and Sal were found unconscious in that narrow space behind the platform.¡± Callida frowned. As her adrenaline waned, her emotions began to take over. ¡°This was a well-coordinated attack. This was premeditated and expertly executed. Vir, there could be more of them elsewhere in the palace or on palace grounds. They wanted to topple the Rex dynas¨C Primordials, Optatio! The nursery!¡± Panic-stricken, Callida began an indelicate sprint to where her own sons were also being tended. She only ran faster as she passed bloody bodies strewn about the hallway leading up to the nursery. Moving with too much momentum to stop in time, Callida collided with the door and tried the handle. It was locked. Bang, bang, bang! ¡°Rapax?! Arum?! Adju¨C¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Baca flung the door open to hush her. ¡°You¡¯ll wake the babies! I take it that our message never got to you. Everyone¡¯s ok, but we¨C¡± Baca got hugged with Callida devolving into ugly tears of relief. ¡°Thank you.¡± *** ¡°How is he?¡± someone asked. A female voice. Familiar. Trusted. Verum relaxed a little. ¡°He was lucky.¡± Male voice. Less familiar. Trusted by default. ¡°Just a bit higher, and we would be planning a funeral right now.¡± ¡°Primordials¡­. Will he be alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take some time, but I expect that he¡¯ll make a full recovery, contingent upon his infection not getting out of hand.¡± ¡°The wound is infected?!¡± ¡°He¡¯s running a fever, but I¡¯ve sterilized everything thoroughly. Give it a couple of days. He¡¯ll pull through.¡± Verum heard a small whimper, like maybe someone was crying. ¡°Primordials. This is all my fault,¡± the female voice croaked. ¡°How is any of this your fault, M¡¯lady?¡± ¡°I knew something was off, Rogue. I knew something was off, but I let my guard down anyway, and now¨C¡± ¡°Callida, it¡¯s not your fault! None of this is your fault. Do you hear me? None of it!¡± The room around him went quiet enough that Verum thought he might have drifted into sleep again, but a few moments later, someone¡¯s fingers were lightly brushing his hair off of his forehead to place a cool compress in its place. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Verum.¡± *** Verum¡¯s rest was fitful, marred by pain, feverish chills, and the jittery discomfort of lying still for too long, though he wasn¡¯t sure exactly how long was too long. He¡¯d never been injured this badly before, and it was a harrowing experience to say the least. Despite that, Rogue and the other palace doctors remained optimistic for his recovery; that was the good news. He just had to trust that they knew what they were talking about, because Verum could honestly say that he¡¯d never been in worse pain in his entire life. And Qiangde was stingy with the pain medications ¡ª for valid reasons. But still. Apart from his reluctance to distribute heavier medicines, Qiangde was an attentive and competent doctor. Verum was fascinated by his healing talents. The Alpha wolf host could, essentially, sedate someone with little more than a touch and without the side effects that were inherent to drugs. In lieu of heavier pain relievers, Verum was taking full advantage of this low-risk form of relief. Consequently, he was spending a lot of time sleeping. Today when he woke up, he found Callida sitting in the visitor¡¯s chair, dozing a little as she waited patiently for him to stir, her chin resting in the palm braced by her elbow against the armrest. ¡°Callida?¡± She blinked awake. ¡°Verum! You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°So are you.¡± ¡°Right. How¡­ how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Remind me of this moment the next time I downplay any of your injuries,¡± Verum replied snarkily. ¡°I¡¯ve been better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t stab me, Callida. In fact, I should be thanking you. Except for shoving my wife and me off a two-story tower, you did save our lives. So thank you for that.¡± She scoffed gently and leaned forward in her chair to bury her shaking head into her hands. ¡°Verum, I came here to talk to you about¡­. Primordials. The nobility is clamoring for my head. The gate-dwelling fanatics are growing in numbers again and becoming evermore insistent. The fires are springing up faster than I can put them out! And I can¡¯t¡­. Verum, there are more crazy people. The number of factions in this religion are astounding, and¨C¡± ¡°What are you trying to say, Callida?¡± Verum cut her off with a stern frown. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t protect you from all of it. Verum¡­ I can¡¯t protect you or Flore or Optatio from these people indefinitely, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before some of them try something like this again. You got lucky this time, but next time you might not be.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re getting at. Why are you telling me this? What¡¯s your point?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been giving it a lot of thought. I could take them with me, draw them away from here. Your council certainly wouldn¡¯t complain about killing two birds with one stone.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have someone in mind to replace me. You¡¯d have to train him up a bit, but he¡¯s got a good head on his shoulders. More than that, I¡¯d trust him with my life¡­ with my sons¡¯ lives. He¡¯ll make a good Lion General.¡± ¡°Callida, what¡­? Are you saying¡­?¡± ¡°I need to talk it over with Rogue still, but I wanted to let you know that I¡¯m seriously considering this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re resigning?!¡± ¡°Pending a conversation with my husband, yes.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Drawing close and clasping one of his hands in hers, Callida sniffed sadly. ¡°You nearly died. My presence draws these people here, and I can¡¯t truly protect you from them in any other way, Verum. It¡¯s never been me against you, and I¡¯d like to keep it that way.¡± He had no words. Nothing. Just blank, balking nothingness. She stood up to head for the door as he absorbed the impact of her proposal. ¡°Get well soon, Verum. I¡¯ll return shortly with a decision.¡± 54 - A New Chapter ¡°How is Verum doing?¡± Rogue got the sense that Callida was asking the question more out of obligation than a real desire to know the answer, but he provided it just the same while grinding up a series of dried herbs to add to a salve he was making. ¡°Better every day. He¡¯s in less pain, so he¡¯s more awake and alert. And he¡¯s no longer showing signs of infection.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± she acknowledged his report distractedly, gnawing on her bottom lip. ¡°M¡¯lady, is there something else on your mind?¡± She seemed surprised to be caught so readily, and Rogue couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the way her eyes widened. ¡°I¡­ yes.¡± Rogue waited patiently while she fumbled through an odd preface and a disclaimer that he took note of but didn¡¯t really hear. ¡°How would you feel if we¡­ left?¡± That he heard. ¡°Left? What do you mean?¡± ¡°You know¡­ left the Lion Tribe?¡± Blindsided (he really should have paid closer attention to her prelude), Rogue spent a full ten seconds just staring at her while his thoughts swirled too wildly and too quickly to make sense of them. Leave the Lion Tribe?! Something deep within his gut began to bubble up ¡ª something excited. ¡°Wait. Let me make sure I understand what you¡¯re proposing. You want to move away?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about it. I want your opinion on the idea.¡± ¡°Callida, does this mean you¡¯re considering resigning as the Lion General? You¡¯re thinking of quitting?¡± ¡°It would mean¡­ yes. I¡¯d have to resign and choose a successor.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re ok with that?!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not happy about it,¡± she frowned. ¡°Like I said, my presence here at the palace has created a security risk, which is, ironically, in direct opposition with my job. I am the biggest security risk to the palace right now, and I feel weirdly obligated to eliminate myself as a risk¡­ even if it means resigning.¡± ¡°No, that makes sense. I just never thought I¡¯d see the day when¡­.¡± ¡°I want your opinion on all of this. There are two sides of this proposal, and both of our options are¡­ rough. If we stay here, I¡¯m a threat to the Lion Tribe government, the king, and his family, but if we go, Rogue¡­. If we go, we¡¯re going to be followed, and there won¡¯t be walls and armies to protect us from¡­ from them.¡± That excitement died all at once. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Rogue stared at her for a long while after that, finally understanding what she was asking. ¡°If we were to leave, where would we go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Rogue, if we are a threat to the Lion Tribe government because of the people who will follow us, then we¡¯ll be a threat to every government. These people want a Great Unifier or at least the parents of a prophecy that will produce such a person, and regardless of what we say or do to dissuade them, they think they¡¯ve found one in one of us or both of us or¡­. It doesn¡¯t matter. The point is, if we leave in the name of protecting the Lion Tribe, we can¡¯t just transfer that same danger to another tribe.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re proposing starting a new colony?!¡± Her eyes widened with surprise again, almost as though she hadn¡¯t thought this through. Perhaps she really hadn¡¯t. ¡°That¡­ that actually makes sense. I don¡¯t know the first thing about starting a colony though.¡± ¡°Fortunately, I kinda do,¡± Rogue said with a thoughtful scowl. ¡°I grew up in a colony of one kind or another as you might recall. It¡¯s a ton of hard work, and we¡¯d need to think about things like staking a claim on previously unclaimed land, resources, personnel, planting seasons¡­.¡± Finished with grinding the medicines, he put down the mortar he was using and stood up, walking around the table to take her hand. ¡°Callida, I need you to tell me honestly. How serious are you about all of this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on the fence, and I¡¯m overwhelmed by it,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯m having a hard time thinking through the logistics, but I¡¯m stuck on this feeling that we can¡¯t, in good conscience, stay here. Verum was nearly killed. I don¡¯t want to wait around for someone else to do the job properly, but I also don¡¯t have a plan for walking away. All I know is, we¡¯ll be followed. Wherever we go, Rogue, we¡¯ll be followed by these insane, determined fanatics. And I¡¯m scared. This isn¡¯t a life I want for me, for you, or for our sons. But I don¡¯t know what else to do, and I need your help. This is your life too. This is our family, so this needs to be our decision.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Ok. Let¡¯s take this one step at a time then. How determined are you to resign?¡± ¡°Give me a plan for where we¡¯re going to live and how we¡¯re going to provide for our sons, and I¡¯ll quit tomorrow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± She swallowed hard but held his gaze as he read her resolve. ¡°Then, it sounds like it¡¯s time to make a plan.¡± ¡°Ok,¡± she nodded, becoming a little emotional. ¡°Before we do, though, Callida, do you know that I love you?¡± Vaguely teary, Callida lifted onto her toes, easily closing the gap between them for a single, rallying kiss. ¡°I do.¡± *** She¡¯d stayed up most of the night working on the beginnings of an actionable plan with her husband, but Callida was feeling better about her decision to resign. Step one: declare her resignation and get things moving so she could get her replacement established while she and Rogue plotted out the rest of the plan. Such a transition would take at least a month to complete based on some very loose projections. Hopefully, they¡¯d be able to start traveling in time to arrive at wherever they planned to settle at the beginning of the planting season. That was the goal anyway. Walking through the military base and palace felt different knowing now that she would be leaving it soon. For better or worse, this place had been the closest thing she had to a home for the better part of the last nine years ¡ª about a third of her life. Sure, she¡¯d been deployed elsewhere for much of that time, but she always wound up back here. That didn¡¯t seem likely to be the case this time. A nostalgic melancholy accompanied her through the polished sandstone halls to the hospital wing. She grew nervous as Verum¡¯s hospital room doors came into view. This wasn¡¯t going to be easy. Knock, knock. She let herself in as someone called from within. Verum was sitting, propped up against a stack of pillows. His already brooding expression grew darker when he saw her at the door. ¡°Well, don¡¯t just stand there, Callida. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± She took the seat next to the bed and waited, inviting Verum to say his piece first. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you talked to Qiangde and you¡¯re here to give me your verdict?¡± She nodded, and Verum sank more heavily into his pillows to stare up at the ceiling. ¡°Do I get a say in your decision?¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome to present a case, but it probably won¡¯t change my mind.¡± ¡°I suppose, before I waste my breath, it might be worth asking what you decided.¡± Callida hadn¡¯t planned on getting emotional, but here she was, tearing up. Verum only had to look at her to know her answer. ¡°Primordials, this sucks,¡± he eventually declared after a moment spent trying to clear a lump from his throat to limited success. ¡°You know that I don¡¯t blame you for any of this, right? You know this wasn¡¯t your fault?¡± ¡°Does it matter?¡± ¡°I know that you have it in your head that leaving is the only honorable thing to do ¡ª the only way to protect me and my family, but Callida, have you considered that I need you here? I need you in council meetings. I need your common sense and alternate perspectives and unpopular opinions.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve told me that you don¡¯t really need me. You managed just fine without me while I was deployed.¡± ¡°But everything is so much easier with you here.¡± ¡°Except keeping your council happy. You and I both know how much they resent me,¡± she laughed through her tears. ¡°Yeah. I suppose that¡¯s true, and for good reason. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s any secret that I¡¯d dismiss the whole lot of them if it meant I got to keep you.¡± His face pinched, and Verum turned away from her to regain control over himself. ¡°You¡¯ve made your mind up?¡± She nodded. ¡°So there¡¯s really nothing I can say to persuade you against this?¡± She shook her head and let it bow with the sudden wave of grief that washed over her for that decision, but the conviction that this was the right decision was already burning. It was time for a change; it was time to move on. ¡°Where do you plan to go?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still figuring out the exact details.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a plan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a work in progress.¡± ¡°When do you leave?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll train my successor, but after that.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your intended successor?¡± ¡°Commander Intego Rapax. He¡¯ll do a good job. He¡¯s clever and competent with a level, practical head, and he¡¯s honorable. He¡¯s not afraid to speak his mind if he knows he has permission to do so,¡± she added with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ll like working with him.¡± ¡°And you trust him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s Probus¡¯s nobilis. Yes. I trust him. I wouldn¡¯t leave you with anyone I didn¡¯t trust.¡± Verum sighed at that, growing evermore resigned. ¡°I suppose that¡¯ll have to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Verum.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± she frowned. ¡°Never mind. Don¡¯t mind me, Callida. I¡¯m just¡­ bitter ¡ª bitter about your choice to leave. Even if I understand why. I¡¯m bitter about the circumstances that lead up to this.¡± Another sigh. Verum seemed to grow heavy, his eyes closing tiredly as his head tilted back. ¡°Dismissed, General¡­ while I can still call you that.¡± Without a word, Callida rose to her feet and bowed before leaving her friend to rest. As much as it hurt leaving old friends behind, Callida looked forward with cautious optimism, knowing that it was time to begin a new chapter. 55 - Wonderful Morons The general had summoned the usual crowd for an urgent and emergent meeting, and that didn¡¯t bode well with Rapax. His mind jumped immediately to the worst case scenario: His Majesty¡¯s condition had taken a turn for the worse. No! Some of those psychotic extremists had found a way back into the palace to finish the job. But that didn¡¯t exactly make sense; surely he¡¯d have heard something already if the king was dead. That was the kind of news that couldn¡¯t be kept secret. No, it was probably relating to the zealots at the gate. Maybe General Yudha intended to confront them again? Chew them out for ignoring her orders to disperse? Threaten them with military force for harboring terrorists? That wouldn¡¯t go over well. ¡°Rapax, what do you think is going on?¡± Commander Vir prodded, interrupting his train of thought. ¡°Not sure. Her message didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Hey, guys.¡± Commander Moro appeared behind them. ¡°Do either of you know what this meeting is about?¡± ¡°We were just talking about that,¡± Vir replied, and Rapax tuned them out, returning to his own internal discussion. Tensions at the palace gates had only risen with the attempted assassination of the king. Commander Arum, whose assignment was to oversee palace security, had once again doubled the guard in response. Doubled the doubled guard¡­ so quadrupled? But what difference did the numbers make if the people they were trying to keep out managed to slip unnoticed through the security checks? By the time they¡¯d become an obvious threat, it would be too late to do anything to stop them. That¡¯s what had happened at the New Year¡¯s ball as far as anyone could tell ¡ª the investigation remained inconclusive. Somehow, seventy-eight armed men had slipped through their security net. Or, more likely, they¡¯d had help getting the weapons in separately. Perhaps a few of the noble guests were Primordialist sympathizers and had helped to smuggle the weapons in. And perhaps the would-be assassins had bought or threatened invitations off of the nobility. There were a number of unsubstantiated theories at this point. Regardless, nearly eighty people had cleared the security check at the palace gates and simply entered the ballroom as guests. There wasn¡¯t much they could do to account for terrorists disguised as legitimate guests beyond ensuring that soldiers and bodyguards were in place to deal with any threats swiftly once they were revealed. ¡°... Rapax?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I asked your opinion,¡± Commander Baca apparently repeated himself. When had he shown up? ¡°Sorry. My opinion about¡­? I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡± ¡°Ah, never mind,¡± Baca waved him off with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s no matter. We¡¯re practically there already anyway.¡± Moro sprightly took the two steps up to the office door and knocked. A moment later, the door swung inward, and General Yudha ushered them inside. Rapax frowned when her eyes lingered on his a fraction of a second longer than made sense for a simple greeting. And there was something almost apologetic in the way she was looking back at him. ¡°Have a seat, gentlemen. I think¡­¡± she scanned the room of eight chairs arranged in a circle one last time ¡°... we¡¯re just missing Gravis.¡± A firm knock at the door completed the group, and the General repeated her instructions before taking her own seat with an exhale released through pursed lips. The collection of seven men sat in expectant silence, and Rapax, for one, was beginning to feel anxious. ¡°Thank you all for coming. I¡¯ve been debating all day how to tell you this.¡± She paused to meet everyone¡¯s eyes, saving Rapax for last and once again holding his gaze. Rapax couldn¡¯t begin to fathom exactly why, and her mannerisms were too cryptic to decipher an adjunct meaning. ¡°I called you here to inform you that I¡¯m resigning as the Lion General.¡± While the rest of the room began declaring their surprise, protests, and concerns, the General continued to hold eye contact with him. Now it made sense. She was resigning, and she intended to promote him in her place. She had to do little more than raise her hand to silence the room again. ¡°But why, Animo?!¡± Commander Arum broke the silence the moment her hand dropped. ¡°I think you know why.¡± The collective sobering seemed to confirm her assertion. Yes, while the New Year¡¯s attack was anything but her fault, it was precipitated by her presence. ¡°Where do you intend to go?¡± Rapax asked. She exhaled noisily at that. ¡°Rogue and I are working to figure that out, but¡­ we¡¯re probably going to be starting a colony somewhere.¡± ¡°With the zealots?!¡± She winced, set her jaw, and then nodded. ¡°Rogue and I are not what they are determined to believe we are, but until they figure that out, they are going to¡­ continue this. It¡¯s only a matter of time before another extreme faction finds it fitting to attempt another assassination in my name. But I can draw them away from any potential targets.¡± ¡°So you can¡¯t even move to another tribe, then,¡± he observed. ¡°No. That¡¯s why starting a colony makes the most sense.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Primordials¡­. When do you leave?¡± Her eyes snapped to his again. ¡°As soon as I complete the handoff to my successor.¡± He swallowed hard. ¡°And¡­ how long do you think that will take?¡± ¡°Four to six weeks, depending on how fast of a learner you are.¡± ¡°You intend to declare me your successor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the other reason I called you all here. Intego Rapax, will you accept the position of Lion General?¡± ¡°No!¡± The answer escaped before he could even think it through, and everyone startled, none more so than himself. While the room sat frozen in place, Rapax¡¯s brain kicked into high gear. No? Why would he turn down the promotion of a lifetime?! Lion General Rapax. When he¡¯d been promoted as one of General Yudha¡¯s commanders, the thought had crossed his mind that someday, he might hold that title, and ambitious as he was, the idea had been a pleasant one. But now, in this moment, the more he thought about it, the more it didn¡¯t sit right with him and the more he realized that his interest in the position meant less to him than he¡¯d thought. They were leaving the Lion Tribe. The general, Rogue, his amico and the rest of Probus¡¯s brothers ¡ª they were leaving, and unstable, dangerous people were going to be nipping at their heels for the rest of their lives. They were going to need help. Some things were more important than titles and honors and prestige. Things like actual honor and loyalty and friendship and¡­ and family. ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry, General, but I will not be your successor.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t?¡± She seemed almost dazed by his response. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d decline, did you?¡± he chuckled. ¡°I¡­ I could order you to accept the promotion.¡± ¡°With what authority, General? You resigned.¡± She scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m still the Lion General¡­ for now.¡± ¡°Then let me formally apologize in advance for disobeying orders.¡± Rapax stood up from his seat only to kneel down, bringing his arms together in a circle in front of him as he bowed to her. ¡°Forgive me.¡± ¡°Rapax, cut that out,¡± she scolded irritably. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have a reason for declining the position.¡± ¡°I do actually,¡± he said, no longer bowing but still on his knees in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re going the Primordials only know where to do the Primordials only know what with the Primordials only know whom! You¡¯re an idiot, General, but you¡¯re an idiot who¡¯s going to need help and protection. And did you honestly think I¡¯d allow you to whisk my amico away to some desolate colony without a fight from me? You¡¯re dreaming!¡± She scoffed again, but this time it was to mask rising emotions. ¡°You¡¯re an officer of the Lion Tribe, Rapax. You swore loyalty to your tribe and to the crown to serve and protect them. I¡¯m asking you to fulfill your duty to that loyalty.¡± ¡°There are other loyalties I¡¯ve sworn that also demand my attention. Since I can no longer fulfill the demands of both, General, I¡¯d like to take this opportunity to tend to my resignation as an officer in the Lion Tribe military. Consider this my four to six weeks notice.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she gasped. ¡°Family matters.¡± ¡°Family matters?¡± ¡°Probus is my amico, and he needs me right now.¡± ¡°You are under no obligation to uproot your own life to protect my son. That goes well beyond the scope of your commitment as his nobilis.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m resigning for personal reasons. Regardless of the reason, I am resigning. I will also be joining your colony as either a friend or a zealot ¡ª I couldn¡¯t care less which.¡± ¡°Rapax, your life and your actual family are here in the Lion Tribe.¡± ¡°Which family are you talking about, General? My father? I haven¡¯t spoken to him since I was sixteen and tricked his drunk ass into signing the papers that would give me permission to join the military that young. The closest thing I have to family are the people here in this room.¡± ¡°That¡¯s us too.¡± Rapax turned as both Moro and Adjutus joined him on their knees, fittingly in unison. ¡°And me,¡± Gravis added himself. ¡°I know I¡¯m not one of the nobilises, but maybe I¡¯ll get the next one. Can¡¯t do that unless I¡¯m there to stake a claim when it happens.¡± ¡°Ah, crap,¡± Baca slid off his chair too. ¡°I can¡¯t have Gravis showing me up.¡± ¡°Same,¡± Arum followed suit. ¡°Baca, Arum, you both have family here!¡± ¡°My parents moved to live near my sister during the Griffin Tribe campaign,¡± Arum shrugged. ¡°I almost never see them anymore anyway.¡± ¡°And my family lives on the Phoenix Tribe border. I haven¡¯t seen them since I joined the military. Maybe I¡¯ll visit them before we leave.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t all come with me!¡± The general cried with both subverted indignation and undeniable gratitude. ¡°Vir! Don¡¯t you even think about taking a knee. Ancora would kill you, and I¡¯d kill you for dragging Callida and Val into this mess for no good reason.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, General. I¡¯m sorry. I¡­ I can¡¯t come with you.¡± ¡°Primordials, none of you were supposed to come with me! This is good. I need a sane person whom I can trust to stay in the capital to be my successor, and it looks like that person is you. Commander Fidelis Vir, will you, please, for the love of the Primordials, stay here and accept the position of Lion General?!¡± Vir rose from his seat and bowed. ¡°It would be my honor and a privilege, General.¡± The general sighed in apparent relief. ¡°Thank you, Vir. Now, will the rest of you wonderful morons get back in your seats, please?¡± Rapax grinned as he got up to follow instructions, taking a certain delight in the way she sat shaking her head disbelievingly at them. ¡°You alright, General?¡± ¡°I¨C¡± She¡¯d opened her mouth to talk, only to burst into tears on the first syllable. 56 - The Prize She felt lighter. The decision to resign had taken her a week to build up the courage to admit to herself, and another week to actually vocalize. Confessing her intentions to Verum had been emotionally draining, and calling her commanders together had been similarly taxing. But now that most of them were coming with her¡­. Was it wrong to feel almost excited? The nature of Callida¡¯s resignation and moving her family to some remote location with a following of religious zealots haunting their every step hadn¡¯t changed, but the fact that she was no longer alone in doing so changed everything. She couldn¡¯t wait to tell Rogue about this latest development. Leaving work a little early, Callida went home to find Rogue pouring over dozens of maps strewn across the floor of the front parlor. He was so engrossed in this task that he didn¡¯t even notice her walk in. ¡°Rogue? Sweetheart?¡± He hummed distractedly in reply, only looking up when she prodded his shoulder. ¡°Oh, Callida! Hi! Sorry, I was¡­ looking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. What are you looking at?¡± ¡°I was looking for land we could claim for a colony. Here, have a seat,¡± he said, shuffling a stack of maps to the side to clear some room for her. Her brow lifted in surprise as she sat on the floor to peer over his shoulder. ¡°Have you found anywhere promising?¡± ¡°A few places, actually, but I want to get your opinion on some things. First, I kind of want to avoid the wastelands. I know there are abandoned Resistance camps that might make initial set-up easier, but the land and climate are rough. There isn¡¯t much by way of natural resources, and the current inhabitants are¡­ terrifying.¡± ¡°And by ¡®current inhabitants¡¯ you mean the natural fauna?¡± ¡°Yeah, more like monsters. I¡¯d much rather find somewhere with relatively peaceful residents, assuming that¡¯s even possible.¡± ¡°Fair. Where did you have in mind?¡± ¡°Well, look here. See, the known world is actually quite small. I mean, it¡¯s not small exactly, but we know that there is a lot more land north of the tribe lands, and then there¡¯s a lot of mythology ¡ª primarily from Shark Tribe legends ¡ª about other lands not apparently connected to the mainland. But the tribe lands are saturated. We¡¯re going to have to look outside of the tribe lands if we are hoping to find a territory of any substantial size to claim.¡± ¡°So north.¡± ¡°Yeah. Or, I suppose we could go east, deeper into the desert, but I kind of ruled that one out already.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve ruled out going east and north of the Lion Tribe already. What¡¯s left? North of the Bear Tribe?¡± ¡°North of the Bear Tribe, or actually west of the Bear Tribe. There¡¯s land west of the Wolf Tribe as well, but we know almost nothing about it because of the steep, rocky mountains and cliffs that effectively cut access off from the Wolf Tribe. We could go exploring? To get there, we¡¯d have to cut through the Bear Tribe and then travel south. It would be quite the gamble, but it would be secluded.¡± ¡°Do we want to be that secluded? I mean, what about establishing trade routes?¡± ¡°True. Being too secluded would make trade prohibitive. But anywhere we go is going to be fairly secluded. Given how much of the map we¡¯ve already eliminated, really our only neighbors are going to be the Bear Tribe and maybe the Wolf Tribe if we are willing to carve out the path that would allow traveling between us.¡± ¡°I know Tribe Leader Recht. The Bear Tribe would be a good neighbor.¡± ¡°I thought so too. Which brings me back to this map,¡± he said, and shuffled through a pile of parchment until he found a particularly wide one. ¡°This is the Bear Tribe¡¯s territory as of¡­ thirty years ago?¡± ¡°Before the Great War.¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know how much their boundaries have changed since then, but, as you can see, their territory is long and narrow and located over a swath of the Heiligtumsh¨¹gel mountain range. Beyond that, in all directions as far as I can tell, is more mountains. So the question is, which direction do we want to go? And maybe that actually needs to be determined by the Bear Tribe. We probably should ask for permission. The thing is, no matter where we settle, anyone traveling to or from the colony would have to pass through the Bear Tribe, and that will be a hassle for them. It would just be good form to invite their input on which direction would be the least inconvenient.¡± ¡°So¡­ all of that to say, ¡®let¡¯s go somewhere beyond the Bear Tribe borders and let them choose exactly where¡¯?¡± she asked in a judgey tease. ¡°I was just thinking out loud, Callida,¡± he protested. ¡°But essentially, yeah. That¡¯s what seems to make sense to me. What do you think?¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°It sounds like a decent plan to me,¡± she shrugged. ¡°I have some related news.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Well, first, I told Verum.¡± ¡°And how¡¯d he take that?¡± ¡°Not well. He¡¯s not fighting me about it, but he¡¯s upset.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s to be expected,¡± Rogue said, trying to be understanding. ¡°But that¡¯s not my news!¡± Callida said, gripping Rogue¡¯s arm excitedly. ¡°Good news, I take it?¡± ¡°So, I called my commanders in to inform them of things. Things didn¡¯t go to plan at all, but¡­. You like the commanders, right? Rapax, Arum, Baca¨C¡± ¡°¨CMoro, Adjutus, Captain Gravis if we¡¯re counting him as ¡®one of the commanders¡¯. Even Vir, though I don¡¯t know him super well. Yeah. They¡¯re good guys. Why?¡± Something warm and insistent swelled joyfully in her chest, and Callida found herself growing emotional for the umpteenth time that day. ¡°Except for Vir, they¡¯re all coming with us.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Vir was the only one I could convince to stay; he has a small family to think about, so he¡¯s going to be the new Lion General. But the rest of them¡­ Rogue, the rest of them want to come with us! They insisted, and frankly, I¡¯m just so grateful and overwhelmed and excited that they¡¯re coming, I¡¯m not sure that my efforts to talk them out of it were very convincing. How do you feel about that?¡± From the way Rogue was grinning and also tearing up, Callida knew his answer before he even said anything. ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t think of six other men I¡¯d rather come with us. How soon can we leave?¡± She laughed through happy tears and rested her head against his shoulder. ¡°Soon. Let me get Vir situated, and then we¡¯ll go. I owe both Vir and Verum at least that much.¡± Callida felt Rogue peck the top of her head and nuzzled affectionately into his neck. ¡°M¡¯lady, I know it¡¯s not fair for me to feel this way, but I¡¯m actually excited for this.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah. I never really settled here in the Lion Tribe, as much as I tried to. This place has just never felt like home to me.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said, lifting her head to instead meet his eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be easy, though.¡± ¡°But I think that¡¯s partly why I¡¯m excited. I¡¯ve wanted for nothing here in the Lion Tribe. We have this huge house, all the help we could want, all the food and clothing and stuff¡­. But it all feels so meaningless. I¡¯m a lot more valuable out there. I have a purpose and a role, and I¡¯m needed. I¡¯m sorry, M¡¯lady, but I¡¯m not cut out for a cushy lifestyle,¡± he said with a small chuckle of self-deprecation. ¡°That¡¯s just as well. I guess it¡¯s my turn to step outside my comfort zone.¡± He caught her chin and leaned in to kiss her tenderly, pulling back again with a smirk playing on his lips. ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s my turn to wear the pants.¡± ¡°Ha! You wish.¡± ¡°That sounds like a challenge.¡± His smirk curled into something both playful and vaguely aggressive. Callida¡¯s body coiled like a spring, ready to match him when he chose to strike. But she still squeaked when he lunged, and Callida toppled over backwards onto the thick canvas of another map as Rogue tackled her. She countered by directing his momentum into a roll that switched their positions. ¡°Perfect.¡± Callida couldn¡¯t quite escape his arms before they¡¯d drawn her to his chest and locked around her shoulders. Soon enough, his legs had wrapped around hers as well, and Callida was quite helpless to prevent the next roll that left her on her back again. ¡°You win this round,¡± she giggled, realizing that, while she could dislodge him, she''d probably have to hurt him to do it. ¡°Mn. What did I win?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± He gave her a look to communicate that her question was rather stupid and then leaned down; she let her head tilt back to accept the feather-light warm-up kisses against her throat. ¡°If I get to pick my prize, then I want this neck,¡± he said. ¡°My neck?¡± ¡°Mm-hm.¡± ¡°Just the neck, huh?¡± ¡°Yup. Unless you beg me to take more.¡± ¡°Beg you?¡± she scoffed playfully. He leaned down again, whispering in her ear, ¡°I¡¯m up for the challenge.¡± The gooseflesh blossoming across the length of her body confirmed that indeed he was. Callida shivered pleasantly. ¡°Maybe we should take this upstairs,¡± she suggested, mildly concerned that Celarus or one of the other servants would walk in on them in the front parlor of all places. ¡°No. Not now that I¡¯ve got you exactly where I want you.¡± He collected her arms and pinned her wrists to the side, returning to his prize. ¡°Ro-ogue,¡± she whined, ¡°we should really take this upstairs.¡± ¡°Begging already?¡± he asked, an eyebrow quirking at her. ¡°N-no.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay. Just checking.¡± She pressed her lips together after that, determined not to give him the satisfaction of making her beg, but his hands tracing her arms inward and then feeling their way down her sides to her hips to then snake around and press gradually into her lower back¡­. ¡°That¡¯s cheating.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Her toes curled as he pulled her hips flush against his at the same moment his mouth greedily attacked the flesh over her jugular vein. She bit into her lip to keep herself from reacting audibly. ¡°Primordials, Rogue! That¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not fair?¡± She could hear the snicker in his voice and grew indignant. Not indignant enough. For all her determination to not be seduced¡­. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this here.¡± ¡°Do what here?¡± Ugh! She wanted to smack or kiss that stupid smirk, but it burrowed under her jaw again before she could decide which. ¡°Rogue,¡± she whimpered. ¡°Say ¡®please¡¯.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Say it, and I¡¯ll take you upstairs.¡± Frustrated, Callida growled at him. He merely chuckled and returned to torturing her while stubbornness and desire waged war in her mind. ¡°Fine. You win. Please?¡± ¡°Like you mean it.¡± His breath fluttered the hair by her ear, and Callida snapped at him. ¡°Rogue!¡± ¡°Say it like you mean it, Callida,¡± he coaxed. She wasn¡¯t going to swallow her pride willingly, but his next kisses had her fingers twisting through his hair, and the word escaped involuntarily. ¡°Please,¡± she gasped. ¡°As you wish, M¡¯lady.¡± 57 - Just a Little Longer The doctors cleared Verum to resume normal activities on a snowy day in mid-February, and he couldn¡¯t wait to get out of that stuffy hospital room. Verum went to his long-abandoned bedroom to wash up and change into fresh clothes; he spent the time mulling things over, trying to prioritize all the many things that had piled up in his unexpected absence. First things first, he wanted to see Optatio and pick him up for the first time in a month and a half. That was a long time in the life of a child to be separated from their parent. Tatio would be two at the beginning of March. That was hard to believe. Where had the time gone? Verum entered the nursery to find Optatio eating lunch in a room full of fussy nurses, the only child in the room. He was quiet but curious and particularly well-mannered for a not-quite-two-year-old, and he was a beautiful child, princely in his attire with large, luminous brown eyes, curly blonde hair, and perfect, cherubic cheeks. Well-mannered, beautiful, and lonely ¡ª Verum saw himself in Tatio, and that worried him. ¡°Dada!¡± Tatio caught sight of him standing in the doorway and left his meal to tug on his dad¡¯s pant leg. Verum smiled and scooped his little prince up, careful not to move too quickly. ¡°Dada owie?¡± ¡°Nope! Not anymore.¡± Verum couldn¡¯t help but smile at Tatio¡¯s rapidly developing language and tender concern. ¡°I got better.¡± ¡°Owie all gone?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. My owie is all gone.¡± Tatio gave him a big hug and then indicated that he wanted to be put down again only to grab Verum¡¯s finger and tug him toward the little lunch table. ¡°Dada eat.¡± ¡°This is your lunch, Tatio.¡± ¡°Dada eat!¡± Tatio insisted, and Verum humored him by sitting down and pretending to nibble on the bread and dried fruit the toddler handed to him. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Tatio.¡± Verum tore a piece of the bread off and fed it to Tatio. ¡°Dada turn.¡± Tatio returned the favor, tearing off a piece of bread to shove into Verum¡¯s mouth (despite his protests). It became a game: one bite for Tatio, one bite for Verum, and Tatio absolutely insisted that they feed each other. It was kind of gross, honestly, but it was a precious moment to Verum. He shared Tatio¡¯s meal until the latter had had his fill, and the little prince got his hands wiped clean by his nurses before being set loose to play. ¡°Come. Dada come.¡± Verum really needed to attend to all the things he¡¯d neglected during his hospital stay, but Tatio¡¯s chubby fingers closed around his, and Verum couldn¡¯t bear to deny him. This was important too. This was what his own childhood had lacked. Just a little longer, he justified himself and allowed Tatio to move him to a cushion on the floor, grab a book, and climb into his lap. They read one book together, then two, and then seven. Tatio liked turning the pages, sometimes prematurely, sometimes skipping half the book in the process. Verum allowed it, finding humor in the story that read: ¡°There once was a king who¨C¡± premature page turn to the very end of the book ¡°¨C finally learned the truth of what it meant to be happy. The end.¡± Tatio grew bored of reading after a while and got up, capturing Verum¡¯s hand once again to tug him to a toy chest in one corner. Just a little longer won¡¯t hurt. Tatio was an expert at unlatching the chest on his own, and soon the lid swung open on creaky hinges to reveal an assortment of colorful play things within. Verum was scolded when he tried to withdraw a stuffed lion toy from the box: ¡°No, Dada! Mine!¡± He tried again, choosing instead a bucket of wood blocks. ¡°No! Mine! No, Dada!¡± Verum chuckled as Tatio began removing and hoarding his toys one-by-one, occasionally sharing those that were less desirable in one way or another¡­ like the figurine that was missing a leg or the hat with a torn brim. The exercise was less about playing and more about removing all the things from the box. Eventually, Tatio became distracted by a little wood horse and cart that had been forgotten at the bottom of the toy chest. He started to play, abandoning the pile of things he¡¯d been collecting to instead drive the cart across the carpet. While thus preoccupied, his father began returning the treasure hoard to its box. ¡°Allow me, Your Majesty,¡± one of the nurses said, stepping in to take over. ¡°Ah. Thank you.¡± Verum watched Tatio play for a few minutes and then got up to leave, making it all the way to the door before Tatio started to cry. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The toddler wailed, running to the door to hug Verum¡¯s leg. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No, Dada! No go!¡± Something warm and fuzzy sprouted in his chest, and Verum dropped to one knee to hug his son. Just a little longer wouldn¡¯t hurt, right? *** Time had a strange way of blurring together. Vir could have sworn that it had only been a few days since General Yudha had declared her intentions to resign, but it had already been several weeks. Weeks! She¡¯d been training him relentlessly, day in and day out, every day since that fateful meeting, and Vir was getting comfortable with the rhythm of her disciplined and predictable routine. There were a lot of politics involved in the role of the Lion General. He hadn¡¯t realized that was the case before. Perhaps he was simply blissfully oblivious or blind to it. Perhaps General Yudha was just exceptionally good at ignoring it. Regardless, Vir could tell that this was going to be the hardest part of his new job, and he was going to have to find his own balance. As an example, in council meetings, General Yudha was really good at saying and doing things without caring what the noble advisors thought of her. She had opinions and ideas about everything, and she did her job effectively and efficiently, not pandering to anyone or anything except common sense. On the other hand, Vir was not General Yudha. He actually cared about being liked and diplomatic. While he was encouraged to contribute to the council discussions, Vir was much more likely to keep his thoughts and ideas to himself¡­ or to simply not have any ideas to begin with. And the ideas he did have were anything but controversial, often merely expanding someone else''s idea slightly. It was his nature ¡ª quiet, unassuming, and patient; he preferred to simply listen, though he acknowledged that time and experience might change that eventually. The evening that General Yudha declared his training to be over, Vir¡¯s instinct was to protest. ¡°But how can it already be over, General?!¡± ¡°I''ve taught you the mechanics of the job, Commander. The rest you¡¯ll have to learn through experience.¡± She leaned back in her chair with a casual stretch and looked about the Lion General¡¯s office with something approximating nostalgia. ¡°But¡­ but, General, I¡¯m not ready!¡± ¡°What do you think you lack?¡± she chuckled gently ¡ª knowingly. He pondered the question for a long while, and General Yudha graciously allowed the silent reflection to continue uninterrupted. ¡°I lack your confidence, General. I don¡¯t feel like I know what I¡¯m doing yet. I just¡­ I¡¯m not ready.¡± ¡°Vir, the only way you gain confidence is by doing. You¡¯ve studied and trained for this. You¡¯ve followed me around for six weeks. You have the resources you need to be successful. You can do this! It might take a bit of trial and error, but you can do this. If you don¡¯t have confidence in yourself yet, borrow some of mine. I have confidence in you.¡± It was a good pep talk; too bad he didn¡¯t believe it. That was entirely a him problem, though. Vir knew the general meant every word of it, but self-confidence wasn¡¯t the sort of thing one could borrow from someone else, and he knew that he could only fake that sort of confidence for so long before it would crumble beneath him. ¡°I¡¯m not ready, General,¡± he insisted. ¡°Fine. Then tell me, what would it take for you to be ready.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± She got up from her chair and stepped towards him, studying his face closely. While General Yudha was tall for a wolf, Vir wasn¡¯t particularly tall for a lion, so her eyes were level with his. The intensity of her searching gaze was too much for him to handle. He looked away; the general set a hand on his shoulder, drawing his gaze back to hers for another moment longer. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Vir, will you ever be ready?¡± ¡°No, General.¡± She stepped back and began wandering the room. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready either,¡± she confessed quietly, turning a gentle smile at him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready for my first command, and I wasn¡¯t ready for each subsequent promotion. Being ¡®ready¡¯ is a luxury, Vir. There are many things in this job and in this life generally that you can¡¯t prepare for. My confidence in you is not a foolish belief that you¡¯ll never make mistakes. My confidence is that you will rise to the challenges as they present themselves ¡ª that you won¡¯t quit the moment it gets hard, and you will fulfill your duty to the best of your ability no matter what. Do you think you can at least do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m prepared to do my duty, General.¡± ¡°Then, you are as ready as you will ever be, and you are as ready as I can make you.¡± He didn¡¯t like that answer even though it rang of truth. He nodded anyway, and General Yudha smiled back at him. ¡°You are a worthy successor, Vir. Thank you.¡± He accepted the compliment graciously with a salute, but his lips pressed together in a thin, self-critical line. He felt like an imposter, masquerading as the top military leader of the Lion Tribe, following in the footsteps of true greatness. He was a fraud ¡ª not great, not worthy, and he would never measure up to her legacy. His only hope was that he wouldn¡¯t tear it down. ¡°You¡¯ll be sworn in tomorrow. You should bring Ancora and your girls with you.¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± Fake. Pretender. Sham¡­. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a big day for you. You should get some sleep. Dismissed, Commander.¡± ¡°Thank you, General.¡± Fool. Fraud. Liar¡­. He let himself out, turning his nose toward home. Imposter. Imposter¡­ *** ¡°I hereby swear loyalty to the Lion Tribe, its people, military, and crown. I will serve and protect them with my life and by my honor, or may both be taken from me.¡± Callida had sworn that exact same oath three separate times. Now, Vir¡¯s solemn oath relieved her of hers. She¡¯d had her team of stylists, a team that she¡¯d had grandfathered into the Lion General¡¯s estate permanently, fashion a new uniform for Vir to wear during his swearing in ceremony ¡ª one with the five stars of the Lion General embroidered on his left shoulder. Her own uniform wasn¡¯t even really a uniform but rather an interpretive facsimile of the Lion Tribe military uniform without the stars on her shoulder to indicate rank. It felt fitting ¡ª formal and imposing but lacking in any real authority. A civilian¡¯s costume. Her hair and makeup wasn¡¯t to military regulations either which only added to the symbolic transition from Lion General to common civilian. ¡°Rise, Lion General Fidelis Vir,¡± Verum declared when the oath was completed, and Callida grinned at the trepidatious breath Vir took before standing up. Next to her, Ancora sniffed with emotion, and the little, seven-year-old Callida Vir squeezed her domina¡¯s hand; the ex-general squeezed back. ¡°Aunt Callida?¡± the little girl beckoned as the formal swearing-in ended and the council got up to congratulate the new general. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re dying?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Callida laughed at the unexpected question. ¡°Daddy said new Lion Generals happen when the old one dies,¡± her amica explained timidly and wide-eyed. ¡°Are you going to die?¡± She took a knee to better communicate. ¡°No, Callida. I¡¯m not dying.¡± ¡°Then why is daddy being the Lion General?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t be the Lion General anymore because I¡¯m moving away,¡± Callida explained. ¡°Moving?¡± ¡°Yes. It means I¡¯m going to live somewhere else ¡ª somewhere far away.¡± ¡°But what about Uncle Rogue?¡± ¡°He¡¯s coming with me.¡± ¡°Your babies too?¡± ¡°Yes. My babies too.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll still visit me on my birthday, right? You¡¯re invited to my party. I¡¯m turning eight this year. I¡¯m seven and a half right now, but when I turn eight, mom said I could invite my friends and have a big girl tea party! You remember when my birthday is, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°August 1st,¡± Callida nodded, becoming teary. ¡°Callida, I¡¯m sorry, but I probably won¡¯t be able to be there for your big girl tea party.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Callida hugged her namesake tightly after that, and both of them struggled to not cry. ¡°When will you visit me?¡± ¡°Oh, sweetheart, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Is moving away like dying? Is that just a nice way grown-ups tell kids that they are dying? Daddy used to tell me that when he was in the war, he had to make enemies go away. Now he tells me that that means he had to kill them. Is it like that?¡± ¡°That is a very clever theory, but that¡¯s not what ¡®moving away¡¯ means. ¡®Moving away¡¯ means that I¡¯m going to travel to somewhere new, like a new city or a new tribe, and I¡¯m going to live in that new place. It¡¯s going to be very far away from Astu Centralis, and it will take a lot of days to get there from here.¡± ¡°Why are you moving away?¡± ¡°Because I have to,¡± Callida explained sadly. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°Because¡­. Hm. I¡¯m not sure how to explain it, but I have to.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The conversation ended as her amica puzzled to herself about this whole ¡°moving away¡± concept. Callida stood up feeling the weight of that reality settle more heavily on her heart. Tomorrow was the big day. The Lion General¡¯s estate passed with the title. By rights, the home she and her family were living in now belonged to the Vir family. Callida had promised Ancora that they would move out the next morning, and as much as Ancora insisted that there was no rush, Callida was using their claim on the estate as motivation to drive her moving plans. They were mostly packed. Sturdy, practical clothes now filled a series of chests already burdening one end of a large cart. The rest of that cart was laden with the essentials for survival ¡ª things like garden seeds, tools, weapons, blankets, medical supplies, and emergency equipment. In its own way, moving was a relief to Callida as she found the burden of stuff that came with the Lion General¡¯s estate overwhelming. Paring down to the bare essentials felt cleansing. Anticipating colonizing an area near the Bear Tribe, Callida had already closed out her Lion Tribe bank and storage accounts and had her valuables ¡ª money, jewelry, and the like ¡ª transported to the Bear Tribe where she already, conveniently, had accounts to contribute to. It was a source of peace to know that, financially at least, her family was well provided for. One less thing she needed to worry about. There were plenty of other things to worry about. Callida excused herself from the rest of the council meeting without any fanfare to return home, trading the burdens of the Lion General for those of the supposed Mother of Prophecy. She shuddered at that thought, but at least she¡¯d conquered her panic attacks. (Monitor Fastidium had gone home last week.) ¡°General,¡± Commander Baca ¡ª no, just Baca ¡ª fell into step next to her, and Callida slowed down to listen to his report. But first¡­ ¡°General, Arum sent me with¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m no longer the general, Baca.¡± Baca stopped in his tracks. ¡°Whoa. You¡¯re not¡­. Whoa. That¡¯s weird. So wait, General¡­ erm¡­ what am I supposed to call you, then?¡± ¡°I suppose¡­ Callida will do? Or Yudha?¡± ¡°Nah! I¡¯m sorry, General, but actual general or not, you are the general to me, if you know what I mean. I¡¯ll bet most of the boys will agree with me. So, General,¡± he continued before she could protest, ¡°Arum sent me with the most recent report from the gate.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ well, I don¡¯t really know where to begin. You certainly know how to draw a crowd,¡± he snorted. ¡°After your announcement last week, they¡¯ve been arriving in droves from all over the Lion Tribe, and they just keep coming. We¡¯ve lost count of how many of ¡®em there are at this point.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not great,¡± Callida said with a pronounced frown puckering both her lips and forehead. ¡°How are we supposed to support thousands and thousands of people?!¡± ¡°More like tens of thousands, General,¡± Baca corrected her, and Callida gaped back at him. ¡°That¡¯s not better!¡± ¡°Well, the good news is, they¡¯re arriving prepared. It looks like quite a few of them are farmers. We¡¯ve seen a lot of people arriving with carts of their own supplies. These people come from all walks of life, General. I¡¯m sure most of them will be able to contribute to the colony in one way or another; they aren¡¯t merely more mouths to feed. Oh! That was the other thing I was sent to tell you! We¡¯re building an army.¡± ¡°A what?!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Baca laughed. ¡°It¡¯s all quite by accident, but, uh, a lot of our boys are coming with us.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, us commanders all resigned officially over the last week and informed our men. Quite a few of them have decided to follow suit.¡± ¡°How many is ¡®quite a few of them¡¯?!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ not sure. We haven¡¯t exactly counted. Just don¡¯t be too surprised when a certain chunk of your zealot followers show up in military uniforms.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t sustain a whole army!¡± Callida cried. ¡°Oh, they know that. They¡¯re prepared to work in other capacities to earn their keep. Think of it as a labor force rather than an army, General. Colonies need strapping young men to build and farm and hunt and fight. This is a good thing!¡± ¡°Until they all starve!¡± ¡°Have a little faith, General. These are our men ¡ª your men. You¡¯ve trained them to be disciplined and resourceful. We¡¯ll manage.¡± Callida sighed. ¡°Are you guys all ready to go in the morning.¡± Baca laughed cheerily. ¡°I¡¯ve been ready for the last five days. Can¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you in the morning, Baca.¡± ¡°See you then!¡± 58 - Moving Day Callida knew that Kayun was not bred nor trained as a pulling horse. He was a war horse, and his armor didn¡¯t have to go over his head in the same way that a yoke did. He didn¡¯t like it. He didn¡¯t like being tethered to another horse ¡ª a large, female draft horse bought recently from the Horse Tribe named Amura. The requirement to keep pace with another, slowly plodding horse was irritating for him. And he didn¡¯t like the feel of a cart chasing after his hindquarters. Callida was patient with him, coaxing him gently into cooperating, humming to him and petting him continuously while he stamped and whinnied in protest. Eventually he calmed down and accepted this foreign task, and Amura¡¯s steady, unchanging plodding won out as they took their first steps through the military base. Callida rewarded her reluctant mount and his work partner with a chunk cut from an apple and she stayed close to Kayun, encouraging him through his adjustment to his unfamiliar work environment. While Callida managed the horses, Rogue watched over the boys rolling about a section of the cart that had been left clear for them to ride in. As the triplets curiously bumbled about the space, the twins, now almost six months old and both about as chubby as they come, sat propped up on all sides by giant piles of blankets so they could look around without the jolting of the cart knocking them about too much. The babies grinned and squirmed happily whenever they caught Rogue¡¯s eyes; Rogue took a certain delight watching the way the cobbled road made their jowls bounce and jiggle; Callida didn¡¯t take the blossoming father-son relationships for granted. She sighed, taking in the familiar sights one last time. The bunkers, the training arena, the palace gardens, and the palace itself ¡ª they all rolled by sleepily in the early morning light and were marred only minorly by the entourage the Yudha family collected as they moved through the scenery. Callida determinedly ignored what was behind her, but by the time they reached the turn toward the palace steps, the marching of feet was becoming distracting. ¡°Callida!¡± The call split the morning stillness, and Callida glanced up to where the Lion King was skipping quickly down the stairs, accompanied by his own entourage of bodyguards, his wife and son, and his new Lion General. ¡°You weren¡¯t going to say good-bye before you left?¡± Verum asked in a judgmental tease. There was something sad in the way he was looking at her. ¡°That¡¯s so typical of you,¡± he added in a pained whisper, and it was true. Callida would have preferred to skip the tearful last words entirely. Verum cast his eyes about, blinking a little too much. ¡°So! Should I be suing you for stealing my tribe¡¯s military?¡± ¡°Stealing your¡­.¡± She trailed off as her eyes registered what she¡¯d been avoiding. Baca hadn¡¯t been kidding. They were being followed by a literal army of men, most of them still in the black and gold uniform of the Lion Tribe military, queued up behind her half dozen smirking commanders. Callida was instantly overwhelmed. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not surprised,¡± Verum snorted sadly. ¡°You know, Callida, Mother of Prophecy or not, it makes sense to me why people want to follow you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all insane,¡± she breathed through a wave of threatening tears, her fingers finding the chain of family crest rings hiding beneath her shirt. ¡°My path is, and always has been, stained with blood. I don¡¯t recommend that path to anyone.¡± ¡°And yet, as long as you are the one walking it, people will take that path, and they will consider it an honor to walk it with you for a while.¡± She was wrapped in a hug, and Callida found herself inhaling his familiar spices as her tears broke free, committing that smell to memory for the last time. ¡°It¡¯s been an honor, Verum.¡± ¡°The honor was mine,¡± he countered before releasing her. ¡°Thank you for everything, Callida. I¡¯m sorry to see you go.¡± She nodded and moved past the king to hug Flore, then Optatio, and then Vir, fielding more goodbyes with damp cheeks and mournful smiles. ¡°Remember in the good old days what you always promised us?¡± Vir asked her when it was his turn. ¡°Give me your best¡­¡± ¡°... and I¡¯ll give you mine,¡± she completed. ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll always remember that, because that was a promise I knew you¡¯d keep, and it always felt like I was getting the better end of the deal. It looks like I¡¯m not the only one who felt that way,¡± he said, indicating with a nod the men patiently waiting for her to say her goodbyes. ¡°You¡¯ll be greatly missed, General.¡± ¡°Vir, I¡¯m going to miss you too, but you¡¯re going to be a great Lion General,¡± she said, wiping her cheeks and nose with the back of her sleeve. ¡°Say goodbye to Ancora and the girls for me. Oh, I left something in Callida¡¯s new room. I hope she can forgive me for leaving.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be sad, but we¡¯ll help her understand.¡± Callida did her best to smile and walk away gracefully, but her face kept traitorously pinching, and her tears kept insistently leaking¡­. ¡°Goodbye, General,¡± Verum offered a last parting. ¡°Goodbye, Your Majesty,¡± she returned, tugging Kayun and Amura forward. ¡°Be safe.¡± Nodding a last acknowledgement, Callida took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, her eyes turning once again to the gates where a great many people were waiting to add to the caravan behind her. She never looked back as she marched forward. *** It was really hard to conceptualize thousands of people without seeing thousands of people. It¡¯s not that Rogue hadn¡¯t believed the reports he¡¯d heard about the number of people at the gates; it was more that he hadn¡¯t understood them. Callida had been protecting him and the boys from the chaos of this prophecy nonsense by keeping them home - practically on house arrest - since all of this had started. And now he understood why. So. Many. People. There was no way to know which of them had honest intentions and which of them were dangerous, and the thought that anyone, let alone tens of thousands of people, wanted to follow them blindly into the wilderness was mind-boggling. Rogue was infinitely grateful for the buffer created by the commanders and their men that shielded him and his family from the masses of Primordialists. The commanders had voluntarily taken up positions, three on either side of the Yudha family cart, to direct the believers to enter the line at the back and to keep the fanatics and curious onlookers from harassing the young family. More than once, people had tried to approach the cart to investigate the restoration of the Lost Tribes miracle. More than once, the boys had gotten scared because of these crazy people and started crying. Each time, the commanders took it upon themselves to push the zealots back, shielding their amicos and giving Rogue the space to focus on calming his sons instead of worrying about the crowds. By the time the caravan had begun skirting its way past Astu Centralis, things had mostly settled. The train of believers had all fallen in line behind the group of ex-Lion Tribe soldiers, and the commanders were no longer contending with over-eager zealots. But the boys were hungry and becoming cranky. A stressed out Rogue began awkwardly rummaging through a box of food sitting in the back of the cart. While the triplets were weaned and could eat normal food on the go, the twins were still nursing¡­ well, were nursing. Their nurses had both opted out of the colony life, so Tajam and Ddalu were going to have to wean cold turkey. For this trip, they had bottles and plans to purchase animal milk to refill them as they passed through the different towns. Otherwise, the twins would have to make do with the solid foods that they were still quite new to. It was manageable but inconvenient, and it seemed likely that the stubborn six-month-olds would struggle with the sudden changes to both their diet and routine. Rogue found the small wheat loaf and milk bottles he was looking for and began the challenging task of distributing manageable chunks of bread to three toddlers while holding the bottles in place for the babies over the edge of a moving cart. He felt ridiculous, and he was quite certain that he also looked ridiculous. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°The boys are hungry?¡± Moro appeared by Rogue¡¯s elbow and, without further discourse, collected Tajam from the cart and the respective bottle from Rogue. ¡°Hey, buddy!¡± he cooed, and Tajam happily settled in the crook of Moro¡¯s arm. Half a minute later, Adjutus claimed Ddalu in a similar manner, leaving only the triplets for Rogue to manage. It was such a small thing, but it made all the difference. *** They¡¯d successfully skirted Astu Centralis to the main road leading west, out of the Lion Tribe, but Arum was frustrated by the pace, as were most of the ex-soldiers who had packed light and were readily mobile. The people traveling behind them were not so much ¡ª traveling with carts filled to capacity, many of them on one extreme end or the other of the age spectrum. Arum was of the mind that, if people fell behind, good riddance. They were probably dead weight anyway, but Animo had other ideas and periodically sent small task forces of ex-soldiers down the length of the caravan to look for people who were struggling, instructing them to help those who needed it and then report back on the sustainability of the pace she was setting. It took a while for Arum to realize why she cared about the people falling behind. This was the whole reason she was uprooting her family to begin with: to draw these people away from the Lion Tribe palace. Arum grudgingly had to admit to himself that his impatience was counterproductive to the main objective. They¡¯d only made it a mile or so outside of Astu Centralis before Animo called it for the day. They¡¯d traveled, what, eight miles? Maybe? But it had taken twelve hours with minimal stopping. And now everyone was setting up their tents, and he and his comrades were finding it necessary to gatekeep access to the Yudha family. This was the most enormous camping trip ever ¡ª like camping with an entire city¡¯s worth of people, and all of them wanted a piece of his friends. ¡°But we¡¯ve been waiting to meet them all day!¡± ¡°We only wish to pay our respects.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t keep us away forever!¡± And it was true. They couldn¡¯t. But they could give Animo and her family the time they needed to be able to accept and prepare for these interactions on their own terms. ¡°We wish to see the miracle for ourselves.¡± ¡°We only want to know if these people really are the family of prophecy.¡± ¡°Is it true that the children are members of the Lost Tribes?!¡± ¡°We demand answers!¡± Arum responded to these people the same way every time. ¡°Will the answers you receive make any difference?¡± He was usually met with responses like ¡°of course!¡± or ¡°naturally.¡± And that¡¯s when he¡¯d hit them with this gem: ¡°General Yudha has declared that she and her family have nothing and want nothing to do with the prophecy. She¡¯s not your Mother of Prophecy. Your insistence that they be your Great Unifiers or whatever, not the prophecy, drove them out of their home.¡± And then he¡¯d be met with delusional outrage and an utter unwillingness to accept that answer. It was maddening. You literally just asked for the answers I gave you!! But it also got him thinking. Why were they so determined that Animo and Rogue were the Parents of Prophecy? And was it true that their kids ¡ª including his own amico ¡ª might be members of the Lost Tribes? Surely Animo would have told him if that was the case. Except, Animo had always been an especially private person. When he¡¯d first met her, he¡¯d had to painstakingly pry every single personal detail out of her. It had been a process getting to know her and getting her to open up about super basic things, so maybe she wouldn¡¯t have told him. As the approaching sunset began casting long shadows over the camp, the masses settled, and Arum was at long last freed to find the campfire he was sharing with his fellow commanders and the Yudha family with a lost-in-thought scowl furrowing his brow. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, Arum?¡± Baca called him out almost immediately. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like nothing,¡± Baca teased cheerfully. ¡°Is there something going on that we should know about?¡± Arum frowned. ¡°No. I was just wondering what all of these people are doing here, you know? They have zero proof of anything, but they¡¯re here, and they are so determined that¡­. Animo?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± she responded distractedly as she was busy helping Tiaki with his dinner. ¡°Animo, is there anything you haven¡¯t told us?¡± ¡°Told you about what?¡± she asked, setting the bowl of food in her hand aside as Tiaki was refusing to eat it anyway. Arum found himself hesitating. She¡¯d been avoiding this question for months ¡ª deflecting, redirecting, or straight up refusing to answer this question. ¡°Is there anything I haven¡¯t told you about what, Arum?¡± ¡°Apart from your last name, is there any validity to these peoples¡¯ claims that you are the Mother of Prophecy?¡± She froze and finally met his eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who told me that the prophecy was too vague and too poorly preserved for any of us to draw any conclusions?¡± ¡°Animo, you¡¯re avoiding the question again. These people are claiming that your sons are members of the Lost Tribes. They aren¡¯t, right? It would be a quick way to dissuade a few of these zealots. You and Rogue are both wolves, so your boys all have to be wolves too.¡± Animo shot a nervous glance at her husband, and Arum¡¯s frown returned. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Callida, I thought they knew. You didn¡¯t tell them?¡± Rogue asked, and Animo shook her head, her eyes staring blankly into the campfire. ¡°You didn¡¯t?!¡± She bit into her lip. ¡°Don¡¯t you think they ought to know at this point? I mean, we¡¯re here now. ¡± ¡°Do you wanna tell them?¡± she asked pointedly, and Rogue sighed. ¡°Fine. Short answer, Arum: yes. There¡¯s a reason we took the boys to a temple last October. That¡¯s sort of when this all started.¡± ¡°So, wait,¡± Rapax jumped into the conversation with incredulity written on his face, ¡°what are you saying?¡± ¡°He¡¯s saying that they¡¯re not wolves,¡± Animo said to the fire, and the whole circle fell into stunned silence. And Arum started geeking out. ¡°Then what are they?!¡± He jumped to his feet with a breathless fascination. ¡°Animo, what haven¡¯t you told us?! They¡¯re not wolves?! Are you serious?! Then what are they? Are they actually the Lost Tribes?! You have five sons, and there are five Lost Tribes! Which one is Manasik a host to?! Primordials, Animo, say something!¡± ¡°I would if you¡¯d stop rambling long enough for me to get a word in edgewise,¡± she snarked humorlessly and then sighed as he sat back down. ¡°None of them are wolves, and none of them are the same as each other. And¡­. To answer your question, Arum, Manasik has been identified as a snake host.¡± ¡°A snake?!¡± Arum was on his feet again, freaking out as the rest of the nobilises eagerly asked about their own amicos. ¡°Settle down!¡± Animo had to shout over the excited din. ¡°Baca, Tiaki is a shark host. Moro and Adjutus, Tajam is a komodo host, and Ddalu is a crocodile host. Rapax, Probus is a lion. He¡¯s the only one who isn¡¯t host to a ¡®Lost Tribe¡¯,¡± Animo confessed reluctantly. ¡°So you¡¯re only missing the Badger Tribe?!¡± Arum noted, positively delighted by this information. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us sooner?!¡± She sighed again, and Arum consciously reeled back his enthusiasm. ¡°I guess there are a lot of reasons. One, I didn¡¯t want to fan the flames of¡­ of this. Two, I didn¡¯t want you all to look at them differently. I mean, you¡¯re their nobilises, and they¡¯re still just my sons. I want them to have a normal life that¡¯s not defined by something as arbitrary as their animal spirits. Three, I guess it just didn¡¯t feel important enough to share? And four, I didn¡¯t want people to¡­ to get the wrong idea about things, you know?¡± she added with an awkward glance at Rogue. ¡°Oh.¡± Arum felt his face flush. He hadn¡¯t even considered that people might misconstrue the nature of her sons to mean that Rogue wasn¡¯t their father. ¡°But, Animo, the Lost Tribes!¡± ¡°I know. I can¡¯t explain it.¡± ¡°Have you considered that there might be something to this prophecy thing?¡± Rapax asked, treading carefully. ¡°Reason number five: I don¡¯t need the people closest to me to lose their heads over this,¡± Animo snapped. ¡°Look, I have considered that possibility. Considered and rejected. I want nothing to do with this prophecy, and I¡¯ll thank you to respect that for my sons¡¯ sakes. They are already facing a life of chaos, and I just want to give them as normal of a life as I can. Please?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Rapax agreed, and Arum nodded solemnly along with the rest of the group. ¡°Hey, Animo?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Prophecy aside, have you considered how cool this is?!¡± She snorted and then broke into a full chuckle. ¡°You would, Arum. You would be the person to just find the whole thing ¡®cool¡¯.¡± He grinned at that. ¡°Yes, I would.¡± 59 - To the Bear Tribe Callida was so sick of traveling. It had taken weeks to get to the Bear Tribe border when all of her previous trips to and from the Bear Tribe had only ever taken a small fraction of that, and several of those trips had been made through snow and storms. Traveling just with her own family was slow because it was hard, and it was hard because it was slow. Multiply that by a factor of thousands. This was why she¡¯d been looking forward to today, for today was the day that she would travel by herself to negotiate with Bear Tribe leader Recht over which edge of their borders the Bear Tribe would be the most amenable to having a new neighbor take up residence. She got up at first light, getting herself cleaned up and ready quickly before the rest of the camp had truly roused. Rogue, for one, was still half asleep despite feeding the boys breakfast. ¡°Rogue, I¡¯ll meet you back here in a few days?¡± she said, offering a rushed kiss on her way to grab a toasted slice of stale bread to eat on her way out. ¡°Yeah. Just three or four days, right?¡± Rogue processed sleepily. ¡°Yup! Five, maybe six at the most. I¡¯ll send word if it goes longer for some reason.¡± She strapped on her weapons belt, holding her toast in her teeth as she did so. ¡°Bye!¡± ¡°Whoa! Hold on a moment, M¡¯lady,¡± Rogue scolded. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I thought you were going to take Gravis with you.¡± ¡°I was?¡± She frowned, feeling frustrated for yet another delay. ¡°Yes. You can¡¯t go alone, Callida. We talked about this.¡± ¡°The commanders are needed here.¡± She groaned, becoming petulant. ¡°Right. The commanders. Gravis is a captain.¡± He was splitting hairs. ¡°You know perfectly well that I lump Gravis in with ¡®the commanders¡¯. He was a training captain which is about the same as being a commander, just without the change in official rank. And that¡¯s not the point! I can take care of myself.¡± ¡°M¡¯lady, take Gravis with you. I will feel infinitely better about this if you don¡¯t go alone, and it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t spare him.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she grouched, realizing that it would be faster to surrender and wait for Gravis to get ready than it would be to argue. ¡°Hey, Gravis!¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready, General.¡± ¡°You¡­. Where did you come from?!¡± Callida stepped back with surprise as a fully dressed and ready Gravis magically appeared next to her. ¡°Rogue told me we were going to the Leader¡¯s Lodge today,¡± he informed her, and Callida caught the smug self-satisfaction on Rogue¡¯s face out of the corner of her eye. ¡°I¡­ you¡­ fine. Come along, Gravis.¡± ¡°Have a good trip,¡± Rogue ribbed, and Callida shot him an irritated scowl before ultimately leaving a parting peck on his lips. ¡°Bye,¡± she huffed. ¡°Bye,¡± he laughed. She couldn¡¯t be too annoyed, all things considered, because Gravis was an easy travel companion. For one, he had even longer legs than she did, so he kept pace with her easily and maybe even pushed her to move faster than she might have on her own. For two, he wasn¡¯t the type of person who became awkward if the conversation was nonexistent for an hour or two, and Callida was craving the absence of both noise and people after weeks unable to escape either. Companionable silence with a solitary, brotherly figure was an acceptable compromise. From the Bear Tribe border, it was only a half a day¡¯s journey to the Leader¡¯s Lodge, the ¡°capital¡± of the Bear Tribe, but it was a fairly steep climb up a mountain following a series of switchbacks through coniferous forests to make the ascent manageable with merchants carts and the like. Compared to the sparse deserts of the Lion Tribe, the Bear Tribe was starkly lush, and the air was thick with the fresh scents of evergreens floating on the cold, morning mist. There was still snow on the ground here, some of it recently fallen, and the increasing snowpack the higher they climbed created a certain stillness that Callida relished. Unconsciously relaxing as she hiked, Callida felt like she was home somehow. And she felt happy. ¡°Hey, General, is that the Leader¡¯s Lodge up ahead?¡± Gravis asked, breaking Callida out of her reverie. Callida looked to where he was pointing through the trees to the east and shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s the trading post. That,¡± she said pointing northwest, further up the mountain to an odd web of wood structures, ¡°is the Leader¡¯s Lodge.¡± ¡°Huh. That¡¯s not what I was expecting.¡± ¡°Mhm. And up there,¡± she pointed again, this time more directly north to where she could just make out the tops of a few of the bigger buildings above the trees, ¡°is the main Bear Tribe military base.¡± Gravis nodded and resumed the hike, leaving Callida to her thoughts again. She¡¯d lived on that military base for a brief period when she was eighteen. That was back when she was a member of Squad 14, back when her brother was her captain ¡ª back when Germanus was still alive. Now, she probably didn¡¯t know anyone living on that base. That thought made her sad. They arrived at the Leader¡¯s Lodge alarmingly quickly after that, though Callida was less nervous than she¡¯d anticipated that she¡¯d be. Submitting their travel papers for inspection by a cluster of guards first, they were permitted entrance and an escort to The Great Hall, a building at the center of the Leader¡¯s Lodge and the center of the Bear Tribe government. Callida only half listened through the handoff from their escort to the people at the entrance of The Great Hall, but a few minutes later, she was being ushered inside. She¡¯d been here once before, a massive council room designed in concentric squares of desks and benches that lowered by degree with each ring until it came to a large, open platform at the center. Entering at the top, Callida, with Gravis as her shadow, peered past the rows of sparsely filled benches, down the long flight of stairs to the platform below, and she smiled. ¡°General! What a pleasant surprise!¡± ¡°Tribe Leader Recht,¡± she greeted the kindly woman with a shallow bow. ¡°Please, call me Seliga.¡± ¡°In that case, call me Callida. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.¡± ¡°The pleasure is mine, though I don¡¯t think it will surprise you to know that we¡¯ve been expecting you.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Callida chuckled at that. ¡°No, I suppose not. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been paying close attention to the massive migration of people heading your direction.¡± ¡°Perhaps you would care to clarify what your intentions are for this migration? The Council of Elders and I have merely speculated based on rumors and hearsay what this is all about.¡± ¡°I feel that I owe you at least that much.¡± ¡°In that case, come join me, Callida,¡± Seliga invited her down. ¡°Find a seat, Gravis,¡± Callida whispered and then began skipping down the stairs, pausing a moment to look around when someone cleared their throat rather aggressively as she passed. Of course! Professor is a member of the Council of Elders! Spahen subtly twiddled his fingers at her when she met his familiar blue eyes. The Bear Tribe was a calm place, and it showed. In the Lion Tribe, she would be trembling with anxiety right now. Here, she was grinning to herself as she arrived at the platform. ¡°Alright, Seliga, where would you like me to start?¡± ¡°The beginning. What happened to bring you here? Now that you are here, what are your intentions? And what is this we¡¯ve been hearing about the fulfillment of the Last Prophecy?¡± Callida took and released a deep breath. ¡°With respect, Seliga, you might want to take a seat. We¡¯re going to be here a while.¡± *** The Council of Elders had picked apart Callida¡¯s statements thoroughly, and Callida had been very patient, answering with a frankness that was unusual, even in the Bear Tribe. Naturally, the council had been most interested to obtain proof of the rumors that Callida was the Mother of Prophecy and the prophecy was being fulfilled. Seliga had found her response most intriguing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I do not believe in the prophecy, and so far, it has been my experience that people will see what they want to see concerning the prophecy regardless of any actual proof from me. I will not encourage rumors that I don¡¯t believe are true to begin with, so I will not provide you with proof.¡± Such an answer had shut down the council¡¯s inquiries about the general¡¯s alleged claim to be the Mother of Prophecy, and the subject had naturally shifted to address her request to pass through the Bear Tribe and stake a claim on a piece of land for a colony beyond their borders. Seliga had been impressed by the humility with which she¡¯d made this request, giving the council all the power to select the direction of her company¡¯s travels and a say in which land they claimed. It had made it very easy to accommodate her request, so while the Council of Elders slept on the evening¡¯s events before returning to the matter of which direction they¡¯d prefer to have some new neighbors tomorrow, Seliga invited Callida and her traveling companion to join her for dinner. And for another, more private and less formal chat. ¡°The last time we met, I was in the Lion Tribe to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the end of the Great War,¡± she recalled. ¡°True. It¡¯s been¡­ a while.¡± Callida began counting the time on her fingers. ¡°Almost five years.¡± Dinner was eaten between exchanging pleasantries after that: getting to know each other, catching up on the last few years as though they¡¯d been close friends before, discussing the recovery of the Bear Tribe from the Great War¡­. Callida was very adept at directing the conversation away from herself, Seliga realized after yet another inquiry into the wolf¡¯s personal life that was redirected to somehow segue smoothly into a discussion on Bear Tribe culture without answering the original question. The getting to know you part of their conversation was very lopsided. Seliga realized that Callida¡¯s brother had been similar, though perhaps a little less guarded. Bear General Germanus Animo had been a good friend during the short time that she¡¯d known him: polite, well-spoken, unusually competent and confident, but also reserved ¡ª an intriguing combination to be sure. But where Callida was private almost to the point of being secretive, Germanus had been more outgoing. Seliga¡¯s ulterior conversation was going to be difficult. ¡°Callida, I¡¯m wondering, if you don¡¯t mind, may we speak privately?¡± she asked when dinner was finished and the group had relocated to a sitting area. The younger woman blinked and turned to her companion, a rather large man for a lion who hadn¡¯t said more than a handful of words all evening. ¡°Gravis, would you please wait outside?¡± The man bowed out without a word, and Seliga adjusted in her seat to lean forward eagerly. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you knew this, Callida, given that you don¡¯t believe in Spiritualism, but the Bear Tribe is something of a leader in religious matters. We have an extensive library on the subject and many experts and scholars who have studied not just the prophecy, but also Spiritualism before the prophecy. I, myself, have studied Spiritualism and the Last Prophecy since I was a little girl.¡± Seliga paused to gauge her guest¡¯s reaction, and it wasn¡¯t very promising. Callida was closing off, becoming defensive. The hope that she¡¯d more readily open up with fewer people in the room appeared to be a vain one. ¡°Personal beliefs aside, we are both already facing many questions, but perhaps we can better answer them together.¡± ¡°I appreciate what you¡¯re trying to offer, Seliga, but I must respectfully decline. As I told your Council of Elders this afternoon, I have no intention of supporting rumors that I don¡¯t believe in, so I have no intentions of cooperating with people investigating their validity.¡± The Bear Tribe leader slouched back into her seat at that answer, her elbow landing on the armrest to prop her chin and cheek against her thumb and pointer finger as she studied the woman in front of her and contemplated her own, hampered objectives. Seliga had received the months-old buzz that the parents of prophecy had been identified and confirmed in a Lion Tribe temple with a healthy dose of skepticism, but the rumors had only continued to trickle in and through multiple different sources. She¡¯d done her due diligence and sent people to investigate. What came back had shocked her. Guardians were traveling through the Lion Tribe, preaching the good news and testifying of their evidence. The Lost Tribes were restored! And their mother was the Lion General. Her team of investigators had returned excitedly, relaying the testimonies and evidence purported by the Lion Tribe Guardians. ¡°I want to be sure that I heard you correctly. The Lion General is the one who¡¯s been declared the Mother of Prophecy?¡± she¡¯d asked. Met with confirmation, Seliga had set to work, researching the ancestry of the Animo and Yudha lines. Her findings had been interesting. And then they¡¯d been compelling. Combined with her first hand knowledge of the type of person she knew Callida to be, the types of things she¡¯d accomplished at such a young age, the people she associated with, the family she¡¯d come from ¡ª Seliga found that the rumors made sense. And what the blonde wolf in front of her did not know was that she already had most of the puzzle pieces. The only thing she lacked was concrete proof and a first-hand witness that her information was accurate. ¡°May I ask why you do not believe in the Last Prophecy?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t,¡± Callida answered without hesitation or apology. ¡°It has never made sense to me. Spiritualism or Primordialism, the prophecy, all of it ¡ª it¡¯s never made sense to me.¡± ¡°Well, Primordialism is a sub-sect of Spiritualism. Most people get that confused or use the terms synonymously, but they are distinct from each other. I don¡¯t agree with the things Primordialism tries to add and change about Spiritualism, but I do believe in Spiritualism.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± was the rather flat reply. ¡°What about ¡®all of it¡¯ doesn¡¯t make sense to you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°What do you even know about Spiritualism?¡± Seliga pressed her suspicions. ¡°Not much,¡± Callida admitted crossly, and the bear smiled in subtle victory. ¡°I see. Perhaps that is why it doesn¡¯t make sense to you.¡± ¡°Are you going to try to convert me?¡± ¡°No. Spiritualism is as much a journey as it is a religion, and it¡¯s a personal journey at that. I will not force you to learn any more than you want to on the subject. But I will say that I think it would help you to try and understand it, even if, ultimately, you still don¡¯t accept it, and, if the time comes that you are ready to begin that journey, it would be my honor to help you get started.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a fair point, and I appreciate the sentiment,¡± Callida acknowledged, but her body language remained disinterested. Seliga would have to be patient in seeking her proof. ¡°Well, tomorrow the Council of Elders will vote on the matters concerning your colony. I don¡¯t anticipate there being any problems in allowing you and your people to pass through our lands, though your followers will be subject to our laws while they are in Bear Tribe territory. And which section of unclaimed land beyond our borders you wish to colonize is immaterial in my mind, though I suppose the Elders may have opinions that I do not.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tribe leader Recht smiled. ¡°I hope we will develop a positive working relationship, Callida. Let me know if there¡¯s anything I can do to support you in this endeavor. After all, I already owe you a favor for helping to expose the conspiracy behind the Great War.¡± ¡°Then, this favor ¡ª allowing colonists to pass through your territory ¡ª should clear your conscience of that debt. That way, we can start this working relationship on even ground.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± 60 - Belle Gravis was no stranger to guarding these sorts of closed door meetings. He¡¯d been the prized bodyguard of the late Lion King for several years ¡ª a king who¡¯d been found out to have many secrets and, therefore, many reasons for holding these sorts of meetings. It had never been within Gravis¡¯s purview to question the purpose of those meetings or even to pay much attention to them. In hindsight, perhaps he should have cared more. But it did mean that he was very practiced at standing at attention just outside a door. And General Animo Yudha was hardly Imperium Rex¡­ which was comforting. This evening, he shared the doorway with Tribe Leader Recht¡¯s bodyguard, and for the first time in his adult life, Gravis wasn¡¯t the biggest person in the room. The burly bear bodyguard only had an inch or two on Gravis¡¯s six-foot-five, equally broad frame, but it was enough that Gravis noticed in the time it took for him to exit and take up his practiced stance. And there they stood, two enormous men, sharing the same small space in strict silence¡­. Yup. This was so much less awkward when either he was by himself or he knew the guy he was on duty with, but even though he wasn¡¯t technically a bodyguard anymore, Gravis¡¯s professional pride prevented him from precluding protocol. ¡°Machtig? Who¡¯s the new guy? I wasn¡¯t aware that Seliga hired a new guard. I¡¯m assuming she¡¯s in there?¡± a woman¡¯s voice asked from somewhere to his left. Gravis¡¯s gaze remained fixed in front of him¡­ because he was a professional. ¡°No, I¡¯m guarding an empty room,¡± the bodyguard next to Gravis snarked. ¡°And no idea who this is.¡± ¡°Huh. He¡¯s not in uniform.¡± Gravis could smell her before he could see her ¡ª a decadent, musky perfume that reminded him of a summer flower garden, and he watched the woman approach in his peripherals. ¡°Well, hello, handsome. What¡¯s your name?¡± Now he looked (because he was being addressed directly)... ¡­ and his brain stopped working. She was tall, only a couple inches shorter than he was, and wearing a flirty smirk on an otherwise stern face. And she was stunning. Mature, curvy, perfectly made-up, not a hair out of place. She had the brightest, bluest eyes Gravis had ever seen framed by dark, almost black, silky brown hair. Even in the fading light he could tell that they weren¡¯t your normal blue eyes. They were a rich, gem tone blue ¡ª deep and vibrant, and¡­ ¡°... have to call you ¡®handsome¡¯ forever then,¡± she was saying, her smirk now a full, dazzling smile. Gravis got lost in that smile. Her lips were a bright, glossy red, her teeth were clean and white and mostly straight, but imperfectly so and all the more charming for it, and¡­ and¡­ ¡°... meeting with someone,¡± the other guard was saying. ¡°Well, how important is it that they not be disturbed?¡± she asked. ¡°No idea. Maybe you should ask the mute. He came out of there just a few minutes ago. He probably knows more.¡± She sighed, her sapphire eyes returning to Gravis¡¯s muddy brown ones. ¡°Well, handsome? Do you know whether or not I could poke my head in for a minute? I don¡¯t want to disturb anything important, but I need to ask Seliga a quick question.¡± Gravis nodded dumbly, and her red lips quirked with the rise of a laugh. ¡°Yes, I can go in, or yes, I would be disturbing her?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ first one,¡± Gravis eventually managed clumsily. ¡°Excellent. Thank you!¡± she chirped and knocked lightly on the door. ¡°Come in!¡± The woman disappeared through the door and exited a few minutes later, followed by the general and the Bear Tribe leader, the three of them chatting animatedly. ¡°It¡¯s so fun seeing you again,¡± sapphire-eyes was saying, her fingers running through the general¡¯s wavy blonde hair. ¡°You¡¯ve learned to do your hair since the last time I saw you. Oh, I¡¯d love to have you in my chair again sometime.¡± ¡°Callida is coming to our council meeting tomorrow morning,¡± the Bear Tribe leader said suggestively. ¡°Perhaps beforehand¨C¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t want to impose,¡± Animo cut her off. ¡°No, it would be my absolute pleasure!¡± the lady cried emphatically. ¡°I would love to get my hands in your hair again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled then!¡± tribe leader Recht declared with sufficient finality that the general had no room to protest. ¡°I will see you tomorrow, Callida. Thank you for the visit.¡± ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Seliga.¡± ¡°And I will see you in the morning,¡± she said to the general. ¡°By the way, is handsome here yours?¡± ¡°Gravis mine? My what?¡± ¡°So his name is Gravis.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, Captain Gravis.¡± ¡°Mm, so he is a man in uniform,¡± she said, looking him over, that flirty smirk returning to her luscious lips. ¡°I¡¯m assuming ¡®Captain¡¯ is his rank and not his first name?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± General Yudha chuckled, ¡°you are correct. Gravis, your first name is Cultor, isn¡¯t it? Cultor Gravis?¡± Gravis nodded, and the lady looked him over again. ¡°Cultor Gravis. Will I be seeing you tomorrow morning too?¡± ¡°Would you like to?¡± Animo Yudha asked when Gravis still couldn¡¯t find a response. ¡°Bring him along,¡± the lady said, and then turned on her heel to leave with a small wink directed at him. Gravis nearly fell over. General Yudha and the Bear Tribe leader exchanged parting salutations while he watched her leave. ¡°Gravis!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Animo Yudha snorted. ¡°Come along, then.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Sadly, they left in the opposite direction from the one the lady had gone. Gravis distractedly made up for his brain failure, processing the last few minutes retroactively. Oh, man. He¡¯d looked like an utter fool back there! He cringed. And then he remembered her eyes and her smell and¡­. And the general knew her? ¡°General, who was that?¡± ¡°Who?¡± He felt irrationally angry at such an innocuous, clarifying question. ¡°Her! That¡­ that woman¡­ that you knew.¡± ¡°Seliga? The Bear Tribe leader?¡± ¡°The Bear Tribe leader?! You think I¡¯m asking about¨C?!¡± He cut himself off as the general started laughing. ¡°You¡¯re teasing me.¡± ¡°And you are painfully obvious.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Gravis spent the next moment trying not to despair. ¡®Painfully¡¯ obvious? Primordials, she probably thinks I¡¯m pathetic! ¡°Not all is lost,¡± Animo General Yudha seemed to read his mind. ¡°I think she likes you too.¡± ¡°You do?!¡± ¡°Yeah. She was trying to flirt with you. Too bad your jaw was by your toes.¡± ¡°Primordials. Do you¡­ do you think I have a chance?!¡± She merely chuckled. ¡°Her name is Belle, by the way.¡± ¡°Belle.¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s Seliga¡¯s beautician. I met her back when I was¡­ I guess I¡¯d have been eighteen? So nearly ten years ago? I¡¯ve seen her around since then, but very rarely. I didn¡¯t realize that she still remembered me.¡± ¡°Belle.¡± ¡°Yeah, Belle. My advice? She is probably about your age, Gravis. Late thirties? Early Forties? She doesn¡¯t have time to pussyfoot with relationships. Make a move, make it quick, and then let her set the pace.¡± Under normal circumstances, Gravis would have appreciated this tip, but he was gone, consumed by thoughts of blue eyes and red lips. Belle. *** ¡°Primordials, Cultor! You¡¯re such a gentleman,¡± Belle praised from somewhere behind Callida. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Gravis replied bashfully. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that. Take the compliment,¡± Belle laughed, and Callida slouched further into her seat as she waited irritably once again for Gravis to ¡°help¡± Belle grab some unnecessary product from off a top shelf that the very tall female bear was perfectly capable of reaching herself. Callida was the third wheel of this stylist appointment ¡ª her appointment. Honestly, she really wasn¡¯t sure why she was there. Her makeup was only half done, her hair had been brushed, and that was about it. Belle¡¯s tools and brushes lay abandoned on the table. Callida sighed, found a mirror in one corner of the stuffy room, and completed her makeup herself. It was hard to be truly upset though. Callida had literally never, in all the time she¡¯d known him, seen Gravis this happy and excited about anything. He was glowing, and he certainly deserved happiness, even if his timing was inconvenient. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve practically abandoned you!¡± Belle chirped, though Callida could tell that she was significantly less than sorry. ¡°Goodness! You¡¯ve learned to do your own makeup since I last did it for you. Here, let me help you with your hair.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I have access to all of your products. I can manage on my own,¡± Callida offered her a generous pardon. ¡°Hey, Gravis, would you mind finding me a flower? Maybe take Belle with you. I¡¯m sure she knows where all the prettiest flowers are.¡± ¡°What do you need a flower for,¡± Belle asked. ¡°Oh¡­ erm¡­ tradition?¡± Callida placated. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s tradition¡­ when entering negotiations. For luck.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, is there a particular type of flower that you need?¡± ¡°Just¡­ a pretty one? What¡¯s your favorite flower, Belle?¡± ¡°Oh! Well, this time of year, I like¨C¡± ¡°Maybe just show Gravis. I don¡¯t need an explanation,¡± Callida cut her off and shooed the twitterpated pair out the door before Belle could find another question to ask. The door closed with a hurried bang! as Callida shut it behind them. ¡°The way those two are going¡­.¡± Well, I think I just lost Gravis for the rest of the day. If they get together, they are going to make the most enormous babies, she mused to herself on her way back to the mirror. *** Negotiations had gone perfectly, and Callida was walking away with a formal letter permitting the caravan passage through the Bear Tribe to the newly claimed colony lands west of the Bear Tribe and north of, though inaccessible to, the Wolf Tribe. Spahen had found her afterwards to give her a quick hug and say that they¡¯d be in touch, whatever that meant, and then she¡¯d waited¡­ and waited¡­ for hours¡­ until Gravis remembered that he¡¯d been sent to find her a flower. The wilted white blossoms were delivered sheepishly, and Callida accepted them with a smirk. ¡°How was your date with Belle?¡± Gravis¡¯s grin became flushed and bashful. ¡°Mn. I thought so.¡± ¡°We¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to go¡­. Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to cut you off.¡± His face had fallen and was rearranging into something more stoic and bodyguard-esque. ¡°Yes, General.¡± Callida took a breath with which to protest, but Gravis was already walking away, heading to the guest room to pack up his things. Callida swallowed that protest and followed him pensively. The ex-soldiers took less than three minutes to pack up, and soon they were on the road. ¡°Cultor! You¡­ you¡¯re leaving?¡± Callida turned in time to watch Gravis nod at Belle, his jaw set and face blank, a far cry from the honey-glow he¡¯d worn that morning. ¡°Well. It was nice meeting you, Cultor. If ever you¡¯re in the Bear Tribe again¡­.¡± Belle trailed off as Gravis took her hand and squeezed it gently, his rough thumb stroking the meat of her soft one. ¡°Goodbye.¡± She stiffened and walked away briskly, obviously upset. And Gravis walked away with a sudden sadness making each step sluggish. Callida allowed him to follow her out of the Leader¡¯s Lodge and most of the way to the trading post before she stopped, and a distracted Gravis nearly crashed into her. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, Gravis.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry?¡± ¡°You know you¡¯re not my bodyguard, right. You¡¯re not my bodyguard, and I¡¯m not your commanding officer anymore. You owe me nothing.¡± ¡°Look, Animo, like Rapax said in that meeting, you¡¯re the closest thing I¡¯ve got to family.¡± ¡°Animo? You haven¡¯t called me that in a long time.¡± ¡°I¡­ sorry.¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t mind,¡± she said with a soft smile. ¡°You know, Arum still calls me that.¡± Gravis snorted affectionately. ¡°Yeah. You were a kid when we met you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid anymore.¡± ¡°No.¡± She gave him a hug that was readily reciprocated, and Gravis seemed to relax, the tension in his beefy back and shoulders releasing incrementally. ¡°Are you really going to walk away from a gorgeous woman who is clearly into you? You know, it¡¯s natural for a man to leave his family in order to start a new one. And it¡¯s not as though we wouldn¡¯t take you back. And, if things worked out, we¡¯d welcome her too if that¡¯s what you both wanted, but I think you owe it to yourself and to her to find out what her answer is.¡± ¡°What do I even say?¡± ¡°Just tell her how you feel.¡± He stared blankly at her. ¡°How I¡­?¡± ¡°How you feel. Gravis, how do you feel about Belle? What do you think of her?¡± ¡°I¡­ she-she¡¯s incredible. She¡¯s beautiful and smart and¡­¡± ¡°Do you like her?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve never met anyone like her.¡± ¡°And how does that make you feel?¡± Sitting on that thought for a moment, Gravis broke into a beaming smile. Callida had never seen him smile so much before. Ever. ¡°Thinking about her makes you smile, Gravis.¡± ¡°Primordials, Animo, am I crazy?¡± ¡°No. I think you¡¯re just in love.¡± ¡°I barely know her, but I can¡¯t help but feel like¡­.¡± ¡°When you know, you know,¡± Callida offered. ¡°Yeah.¡± She smacked his shoulder in a friendly, rallying way. ¡°Now go tell her that, and don¡¯t come back until you¡¯ve figured things out.¡± ¡°Thank you, General.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy for you.¡± He grinned and yanked her into another hug that Callida allowed for a couple seconds before she shoved him away. ¡°Quit stalling and go get the girl!¡± He left at a run. Callida smiled. *** Belle opened the door, surprised, confused, and then delighted to find a heavily-breathing Cultor on the other side of it. ¡°I thought you¡¯d left.¡± He opened his mouth as if to speak, but Belle wasn¡¯t surprised when no words came out. She found his inarticulateness adorable and couldn¡¯t help but grin. She turned her head, trying to tame a sudden giddiness, and the next moment she was swept up and tipped off-balance between a pair of very strong arms and sighing into the most romantic kiss she could imagine. ¡°General sent me back,¡± he whispered, still the only thing keeping her from falling over backwards. Belle¡¯s arms wrapped around his neck. ¡°Mn. I like that woman.¡± ~Outtake~ ¡°Wait. Gravis¡­. What?!¡± Arum balked. Callida grinned and repeated herself for the disbelieving commanders. ¡°Gravis found a girlfriend.¡± ¡°You were gone for four days, and in that time, Gravis found a girlfriend?¡± ¡°That sums it up nicely, Arum. Thank you,¡± Callida said with a laugh. ¡°And he¡¯s serious enough about her that he bailed on us to court her?¡± Moro sought further clarification. ¡°Yup. He was all blushy and bashful about her. It was honestly adorable.¡± ¡°Gravis?! Blushy and bashful?! No¡­¡± Arum was obviously reeling. ¡°Never in a million years did I expect him to find a girlfriend before me.¡± ¡°Well, damn,¡± Rapax rocked back onto his heels. ¡°I call dibs as your escort for the next time you need to go on some solo mission, General.¡± 61 - Planting a Flag It was stunning. The land was fertile, if still half frozen. The fertile part of that boded very, very well. The frozen? Well, it would just mean more work. Together with Moro, Adjutus, and one of Adjutus¡¯s former captains ¡ª a man named Altior ¡ª Rogue had traveled ahead of the caravan to scope the land out and look for an area worth settling. And they¡¯d found it. Between the spiring tops of the western, Heiligtumsh¨¹gel Mountain Range ¡ª actually, they could probably name these mountains something else ¡ª there were foothills with narrow valleys in between, springs and rivers carving their way through the lowest points of elevation and plowing great gorges and canyons through the rock there. And there were caverns gaping open where the mountain springs were fed by lakes hidden in a cave system that Rogue didn¡¯t dare to spelunk without the appropriate preparation. The land was varied, wild, and ever-moving, but it would be safe here with food and shelter readily available or easy to create with the necessary effort. They¡¯d start out living in the caverns until homes could be constructed for everyone. Homes would be built in small clusters and otherwise spread out, ensuring that everyone had the land they needed to farm without stripping it of the natural resources they¡¯d be relying upon especially heavily in these first few years while they created their own resources, specifically the forests that would provide timber and game for hunting. Many of the foothills would need to be terraced to make farming easier, so striking the right balance with the population density would be critical right out of the gate. But this was it. This was the place. They just needed to find the best path for a caravan of wagons bearing elders and children to follow, and it was looking like the best way was to follow a gorge down to the base of one of the great mountains and then around to a narrow pass between that mountain and its neighbor. The pass was narrow and steep on both sides but unbroken with little by way of obstacles that they¡¯d need to overcome. The other side of the pass came to a river, and following the river upstream a ways to where the tributaries were narrower and less deep, it became much easier to cross. Someday, they¡¯d construct bridges to make trade easier. From there, there was another narrow pass, this one more treacherous, but that was the last obstacle between Rogue¡¯s scouting party and the caravan; it was also the obstacle that had prompted Callida to send out their scouting party in the first place. ¡°What do you think?¡± Rogue prompted Moro, and the latter nodded with a small smile of approval. ¡°I want to live right there on the top of that hill,¡± Moro declared. Rogue followed Moro¡¯s finger to an average-looking foothill with a rocky section peppering one, especially steep side. ¡°Why that one?¡± ¡°I want to live on the edge with all the rock. No one¡¯s going to be terracing that side, so no one¡¯s going to be building anything there that will obstruct my view of the valley.¡± Rogue chuckled. ¡°You know, I think we have time for you to go plant a flag before we¡¯re due back to meet up with Adjutus and Altior.¡± ¡°Done,¡± Moro declared and began scavenging a nearby bush for a branch he could convert into a post and tie a strip of cloth on. The foothill was deceptively far away. It took nearly two hours to reach and summit, but Moro proudly planted his flag in a spontaneously constructed mound of rocks. ¡°Yeah. This is nice. Alright. We can head back now,¡± Moro said after a moment spent appreciating the view from his future home. ¡°I¡¯m coming back for you,¡± he added, pointing to his makeshift flag. Rogue squeezed Moro¡¯s shoulder as they turned to head back down the hill. ¡°You chose well.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks, man. So where do you want to live?¡± Rogue laughed. ¡°You should know better than to ask me that. I¡¯m living wherever Callida says I¡¯m living.¡± ¡°Ah. Good point.¡± *** Even with the carefully planned route, it took the caravan a full week to get to the identified settlement grounds. Rogue was feeling the urgency to begin their farming efforts as March became April, but Callida knew that everyone needed a day or two to recover from their rather arduous trek. ¡°Rogue, you can¡¯t expect your soldiers to be in shape for a battle when you¡¯ve been marching them for weeks. Another day or two won¡¯t break us, and people will be in better shape to work then.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he grumbled, and Callida rumpled his long curls. ¡°We have bigger things to worry about.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Well, where are we going to find shelter until we build houses?¡± ¡°Like I said, there¡¯s a lot of natural caverns.¡± ¡°And how many of us will that sleep?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°And what is everyone going to eat until we have crops to harvest?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to have to hunt or forage,¡± Rogue said with a tired sigh. ¡°We have people assigned to do the hunting and foraging already.¡± ¡°What about food distribution and cooking?¡± ¡°Good point. It would probably be a lot more efficient to set up a handful of kitchens to feed everyone from¡­ like the wolf pack in the wastelands.¡± ¡°That would support your building and farming efforts too,¡± Callida agreed. ¡°Less people tied up trying to make food for the day. What would you need for that?¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Cooks, and ingredients, and working kitchens.¡± ¡°How many people can a single kitchen reasonably feed?¡± ¡°Well, in the wolf camp, our one kitchen fed a little over two thousand people, but you remember how massive and well established that kitchen was. Realistically, one kitchen for every five hundred people would be more doable, but still ambitious.¡± ¡°Hey, Rapax!¡± Callida called and waved the ex-commander over. ¡°Yes, General?¡± ¡°Did we ever get an accurate final headcount?¡± ¡°Oh. I think Arum has the exact stats. I just remember that we have about three times the number of civilians to ex-soldiers, and about four thousand soldiers that stuck around for the whole trip.¡± ¡°So sixteen thousand people total?¡± ¡°Give or take,¡± Rapax nodded. ¡°That¡¯s so many people to feed. Sixteen thousand people¡­ that¡¯s thirty-two kitchens to staff with cooks, hunters, and foragers?¡± She looked up at Rogue who grimaced and nodded. ¡°We need to make that a priority. And we need to spread out or we¡¯re going to overwhelm the local game population.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve thought of that,¡± Rogue nodded. ¡°I think, tomorrow, we¡¯re going to have to split people up by what skills they declared and then send them out in groups to establish their own camps.¡± ¡°Their own towns?¡± Callida supplied. ¡°Rogue, we can¡¯t support that many people all at once with no infrastructure, and we¡¯re not going to be able to construct a city all at once. These ¡®camps¡¯ need to be permanent. Those thirty-two kitchens? Maybe one needs to be located in each town ¡ª five hundred people, give or take, to a town and the surrounding area. That¡¯s sustainable, right? Or do we need to break it down further?¡± Another heavy sigh. ¡°We need to map out the area and divide the groups up.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s deal with that tomorrow. For tonight, where did you say those caverns were?¡± There were multiple caverns, and they were tall and wide enough to make the mountain seem hollow. But they weren¡¯t deep enough for that to be the case, in fact, they were barely deep enough to sleep everyone without entering the narrow cave systems beyond the caverns. The caravan split up, and everyone claimed a space, setting up campfires to cook over and bedrolls as the sun fell low in the sky and cast long shadows that made the stalactites above and stalagmites below appear ominous, like the teeth of a giant beast. Callida was feeling uncomfortable. Maybe it was the eerie ambiance or the close quarters with people she¡¯d largely been avoiding all this time or the fact that they now had to do all the things they¡¯d been procrastinating doing, but whatever the reason, she was finding it hard to wind down for the night. The boys weren¡¯t making it easy for her either. The triplets kept trying to run away and explore, and losing a toddler in a cave was a parent¡¯s nightmare. That, and the twins were cranky. With the help of her husband and commanders, Callida managed to keep the boys corralled at least. And soon night was upon them. As much as they protested, all of her babies knew that sundown meant sleep. Callida had seen to it that their bedtime routine remained strictly timed with the sunset every night despite traveling, and soon, all five babies were yawning and rubbing their eyes. The boys got a rough sponge bath, a change of clothes, and their teeth cleaned before being wrapped in blankets and laid out in age order across a single, slightly oversized bedroll. They were used to the sounds of the camp around them as they drifted off to sleep. ¡°What are you thinking, M¡¯lady?¡± Rogue asked once the boys were all settled and the rest of the caravan began efforts to prepare for bed. ¡°I¡¯m still puzzling about how to break up the caravan into groups,¡± she said. ¡°Do we want do divide them by skill sets? Or does it make more sense to let them choose their own neighbors? We almost have to send a small company of ex-soldiers with each group to provide manpower, but do the soldiers then have to stay in the settlements they help build or should they be allowed to return to where they have comrades? It¡¯s just more complex than simply optimizing a mix of skills and abilities.¡± ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll have to ask the people tomorrow about what they want to¨C¡± Someone screamed, cutting Rogue off. It echoed in the high-ceilinged space, and people everywhere stood up to look around for the source of that scream, including both Callida and Rogue. There was a commotion somewhere near the back of the cavern, but Callida couldn¡¯t see what was going on through the people thronging around it. ¡°Rapax?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it, General.¡± Callida watched as Rapax wove through the camp and picked his way through the crowd beyond her scope of vision. He returned a few minutes later, wearing a thoughtful frown and shaking his head. ¡°Report?¡± ¡°One of the kids dipped into the caves and came back with an exoskeleton of some creature that he chose to prank his mom with. That was the scream, but the skin was¡­ other-worldly.¡± ¡°Commander?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s huge, General. It was about as long as I am tall.¡± ¡°What is it from?¡± ¡°A giant bug?¡± Rapax guessed with a shrug. Callida¡¯s brow pinched together as her eyes carefully swept the walls and ceiling of the cavern. ¡°Stay wary, and keep an eye out for anything¡­ strange.¡± ¡°Are you worried?¡± ¡°About the skin? No, but something made that skin, and we know almost nothing about it: where it lives, what it eats, if it¡¯s territorial, if it has friends¡­.¡± ¡°I get the point, General,¡± Rapax said with an easy chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll spread the word through the ranks, but there are enough of us here, I don¡¯t think we have too much to worry about. An animal would have to be pretty desperate to walk through a mass of humans this large.¡± ¡°The animals here probably haven''t seen many humans before,¡± she countered. ¡°Their behavior will be unpredictable. Just¨C¡± ¡°¨Ckeep your eyes open. I know,¡± Rapax finished for her. ¡°Should I assign a night watch while I¡¯m at it?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll set it up.¡± Rapax left to do just that, and Callida sat back down on the bedroll that she shared with Rogue. ¡°Callida?¡± He prompted, probably because she was still scowling. ¡°Let¡¯s try to get some sleep.¡± They arranged themselves on the bedroll with Rogue on his back and Callida curled up in the crook of his shoulder as per their usual. ¡°Are you going to be able to get any sleep?¡± Rogue asked, earning points for his perception. ¡°Do you want help drifting off?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be alright,¡± Callida lied. ¡°Thank you anyway.¡± ¡°You know you¡¯re a terrible liar.¡± ¡°Yes, I know,¡± she sighed. ¡°But you don¡¯t want to sleep too deeply in case your concerns have merit?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± His finger found her chin and lifted it to bring her lips up to his. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright.¡± It was funny to her how people always did that, promising an outcome they had no control over for the sake of being comforting. She was guilty of the same artificial confidence from time to time, and, despite knowing it was an empty promise, she was comforted by it ¡ª more by his desire to comfort her in the first place. Callida shifted to more easily close the gap to his kisses, and Rogue soaked up every iota of connection that she¡¯d allow. ¡°Primordials, Callida. I would kill for a room with four walls right now,¡± he whispered when she pulled away. ¡°Mn,¡± she acknowledged, tucking her chin into his shoulder again. ¡°That sounds nice." 62 - The Locals They were being hunted, and there was nowhere to run ¡ª nowhere to hide. Rogue was exhausted behind her, the babies growing fussy. No cover. No variation in the terrain. Just an open field, the grass not long or thick enough to provide any cover. And yet the hunters were practically invisible. She could feel them approaching, knew that they¡¯d been caught, and yet, she could not see the threat. ¡°Stay behind me,¡± she gasped. But which direction was behind her with the enemy approaching from nowhere and everywhere all at once. The ping of a bow loosing an arrow. The sudden flash of a silver dagger. ¡°Rogue!¡± She bolted upright, drenched in a cold sweat, every muscle clenched with her preparedness to fight. Next to her, Rogue was snoring softly. The hard ground did him little favors in that regard. On her other side lay the boys, all peacefully sleeping, though Tiaki had kicked his blanket most of the way off. Callida gently helped to drape it back over his shoulders before standing up to stretch and work the tension out of her cricked neck. That¡¯s when she became aware of the gentle clickity-clacky sound around her, like someone with long nails drumming their fingers against lacquered wood¡­ or a book¡­ or stone. She ran to the fire, little more than smoldering embers at this point in the night, and quickly stoked it, adding more fuel, seeking a flame that would help her to see. The cave walls were moving. Segmented bodies flexing and curling like thick cables as long or longer than a man is tall rolling in waves across the rock on dozens of legs. Antennae on one end, elongated ultimate legs on the other, exoskeletons like armor, Callida stared in fascinated horror. Her eyes traveled across the walls to the cave entrances at the back of the cavern where more flat but impossibly long centipedes crept out from the blackness beyond, some of them forming a rippling carpet on the floor to where the people were sleeping¡­ to where they were feeding on the unsuspecting humans. For a moment she was paralyzed, observing the creatures clamping their legs around their disturbingly silent victims as fangs tore through cloth and flesh and¡­ she gagged and then sounded the alarm. ¡°WE¡¯RE UNDER ATTACK! WAKE UP! EVERYONE WAKE UP! WE¡¯RE UNDER ATTACK!¡± People everywhere started screaming and drunkenly scrambling. Callida made a dive for her weapons belt, buckling it to her hips before helping Rogue to collect their frightened and crying sons. ¡°GET THEM OUT, ROGUE.¡± She had to shout over the screaming, but Rogue accepted the order with a sharp nod. ¡°ANYONE WITH A WEAPON, TO ME!¡± She yelled, drawing her sword and raising it high to help guide the frantic fighting force. She shared a brief moment of eye contact with Arum and then Baca. ¡°GROUP UP WITH YOUR NEAREST COMMANDER AND FORM RANKS! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!¡± Within seconds, the well trained ex-soldiers had assembled in tight battle formations. Everyone else was doing their best to mimic the soldiers. ¡°CHARGE!¡± She led the assault personally, hurtling directly into the mass of fluttering legs and antennae, constructing a tactical analysis of the enemy as she ran. The armored exoskeletons would make slashing strikes ineffective, except perhaps against the leg and antennae. Aiming for the chinks between body segments with stabbing strikes, or perhaps the fangs and mouth, seemed the best strategy for killing them. They were so much bigger than she''d originally thought. The realization hit as she got close enough to the monsters to swing a sword at them, their heads low to the ground - level with her knee. Her first real moment of panic came when throwing all of her strength into a stabbing strike at the centipede peeling someone¡¯s face off didn¡¯t dislodge it in the slightest. Its body merely twisted and adjusted its grip, and the mindless monster continued its meal. She gagged again and adjusted to go for the legs gripping its prey, severing several in a single swing. The monster dislodged, and a pair of fangs clamped into the corpse beneath it, oozing some sort of poison into its victim. ¡°BEWARE THE FANGS!¡± she warned, and continued severing limbs until the creature¡¯s antennae began feeling for something other than its meal as the potential source for its pain. That¡¯s when she realized that the thing was blind, and the antennae served a critical function in its ability to interact with the world. ¡°GO FOR THE ANTENNAE!¡± She waited for it to turn in her direction. Slash! One antenna hit the ground. The creature was stunned, but her slash had alerted the centipede to her position, and despite an attempt to dodge, the thing¡¯s head rammed into her knees. The next moment, Callida was on the ground, and fangs were chomping blindly in the direction of her boot. It was pure luck that the monster missed her leg, and Callida wasted no time finding her feet again, only to realize that she¡¯d been surrounded by a cluster of centipedes seeking their own meals, their antennae feeling for anything that moved¡­ including each other. Two of them bumped heads and entered a strange wrestling match, the larger of the two flipping the smaller one and quickly clamping its fangs into its¡­ neck? The victor of this squabble latched its legs around its victim and began eating, and behind Callida, a smaller centipede found the one she¡¯d already injured and took advantage. It gave her an idea. Callida made use of their cannibalistic natures and teased yet another centipede towards her by batting at its antennae a few times. It lunged, its movement making it a target. Centipedes on either end latched fangs and legs around it, and an extraordinarily disgusting match of tug-o-war ended when the unlucky centipede was torn asunder. While Callida fought the impulse dry heave, another one of those things began feeling its way towards her. She dodged the lunge but was tripped up by the follow-up swing of its head, following the direction of her movement. She had to scramble to not be bitten, and threw herself in a roll to the side with her sword clutched tightly to her chest, landing precariously close to a campfire. She found her feet in time to dodge the next lunge, and the centipede made contact with the fire, immediately recoiling and scuttling away. ¡°They don¡¯t like fire,¡± she realized out loud, and soon she was rushing to get her hands on the stock of torches they had in one of the carts. She filled her arms with as many torches as she could grab quickly, and ran back to the battle, dropping them into the nearest fire pit and frantically distributing them to the nearest soldiers before collecting one in each hand for herself to help chase back the monsters still attacking her men. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. More torches were found, and soon there was a tight line of fire-wielding humans to herd the creatures back into the caves from whence they¡¯d come. And finally, all went quiet. Callida looked around at the grisly scene of half eaten corpses and dismembered centipedes before her, and her utter repulsion merged with her falling adrenaline. She dropped her torches on the ground, folded in half, and wretched. Much to her chagrin, Adjutus soon materialized next to her, wearing a smirk. ¡°You alright, General?¡± ¡°Peachy,¡± she gasped, still spitting bile onto the stone ground. She just knew what was coming next. ¡°This doesn¡¯t gross you out does it?¡± Adjutus asked, holding something out to her. Don¡¯t look, don¡¯t look, don¡¯t¡­. He shoved the severed antenna in front of her face, and Callida violently wrenched away as her stomach turned. She could hear the conflicting apology and unexpected entertainment in his laugh. ¡°Sorry, General. I¡¯ve just never known you to be squeamish before.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not a lot¡­ that really gets to me¡­ but¡­.¡± She made the mistake of looking up again, her eyes immediately falling on a half squashed centipede with legs that were still twitching. A lurching in her gut preceded the splatter. ¡°Primordials,¡± she stood up slowly ¡ª feeling clammy and shivery after the violent expulsion ¡ª to find that Adjutus had been joined by Baca, Arum and Moro. They were all watching her with mirth in their eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t like bugs?¡± Moro asked, an eyebrow raised high above a smirk. ¡°Not particularly. I can deal with the normal sized ones just fine, but the human-eating variety¡­¡± she gagged at the mere thought. ¡°Oh, gosh. I can¡¯t. I just can¡¯t.¡± Keeping her eyes well above the carnage, Callida walked out to the sound of her friends¡¯ laughter, knowing that she was never going to be able to live this one down. *** It hadn¡¯t been a particularly lengthy fight but it had seemed to last forever. Callida was the first and only person to emerge from the cave, but Rogue was just happy to see her alive after listening to the screams and shouts of the people fighting back the¡­ whatever they were. ¡°Rogue, you¡¯re up.¡± She said the moment she got close enough for him to hear her. ¡°It¡¯s your turn. I¡¯m sure there are injured people back there. Check for poison. Those things had fangs, and I¡¯m pretty sure their venom either kills or paralyzes which is why no one screamed.¡± ¡°Right. M¡¯lady, are you hurt at all?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, reaching out to collect Tajam from him. Before she could take Ddalu as well, Rogue caught her chin between his thumb and index finger. ¡°Be still a moment. Look at me.¡± Exasperated though she was, Callida did take a calming breath. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Hey?¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she nodded. ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°Just freaked out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable. How are the boys?¡± ¡°Playing,¡± Rogue said, indicating a small circle of adults surrounding an opening where more children than just the triplets were being distracted from the chaos of the evening with games. ¡°Or sleeping.¡± Rogue nodded at the twins, one in each of their arms. ¡°There really are hurt people back there, Rogue,¡± his wife reminded him as she hit the limit of her patience. ¡°Fine.¡± He kissed her once, tasted bile on her lips, and frowned. ¡°You¡¯re not ok!¡± he accused. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. But I did throw-up.¡± ¡°Why¨C¡± ¡°It grossed me out, alright?! Now hand me Ddalu already, and go play doctor with patients who actually need you!¡± ¡°You threw up?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He failed to keep the laughter out of his voice with his next thought. ¡°Because you got grossed out?¡± ¡°Shut up, Rogue,¡± she said, pouting and smacking his free arm before snatching Ddalu from his other arm. ¡°Go away.¡± ¡°As you wish, M¡¯lady.¡± Rogue left the way she¡¯d come with another peck aimed at her grudging cheek. The cavern was a mess. The caravan had left with such haste and lack of concern for what was beneath their feet that blankets, supplies and personal items lay strewn about the cavern floor. It wasn¡¯t until Rogue moved to the back of the cavern that the true carnage became readily apparent. And, yeah. It was gross. Between all the bugs, blood, and bodies, Rogue found his nose curling in disgust more than once as he surveyed the scene. Callida¡¯s men had begun the necessary cleanup efforts, sorting through the human bodies to find those still sporting a pulse to lay on bedrolls in anticipation of medical care while laying out the corpses in a different area in preparation for burial. Towards the back of the cavern, still other soldiers were setting up fires at every cave entrance. Rogue assumed that was to deter more of the bugs from exiting the caves. He didn¡¯t concern himself too much with what the soldiers were doing beyond his initial observations and instead turned to the patients, many of whom looked dead. He knelt down between two such patients and located pulses ¡ª slow and dull. Paralytic? Callida had mentioned venomous fangs, so Rogue searched for pairs of puncture wounds, finding them on all of the patients now laying in a comatose state. Without an antivenom, there were two major risks. First, that the patients would be unable to clear the venom from their bodies without an antivenom and would remain unconscious until they starved to death. Second, the paralytic would compromise their diaphragm or heart before the venom cleared their bodies, and the patients would either suffocate to death or their heart would simply stop beating. Rogue was reduced to milking the clear fluid from the wounds, hoping for the best as he sterilized and bandaged them up. Anyone who wasn¡¯t unconscious sported battle injuries, a broken bone here, a concussion there, cuts, bruises, sprains¡­. They were straightforward cases to treat, but it took a while. Before he knew it, Rogue was no longer dependent upon the firelight to see what he was doing. With the last arm tied in a sling, Rogue looked up to take stock of his surroundings. The soldiers had made short work of burying the dead ¡ª their first, but likely not last, casualties ¡ª and were now clearing the carcasses and odd body parts of the bugs. Rogue rolled up his sleeves to help them pile the bugs up outside the cavern into a shallow, freshly-dug pit for burning. ¡°Rogue, is the General alright?¡± Rapax found him amidst the shuffle. ¡°She¡¯s fine as far as I can tell.¡± ¡°I heard she got sick.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what she said. I¡¯m going to have to ask her about it later, but the priority was to treat the injured.¡± ¡°How are the patients doing?¡± ¡°Those with basic battle injuries are going to be fine. The ones that got bitten, we¡¯re going to have to wait and see.¡± Rapax nodded slowly as he processed the report. ¡°I think it might be wise to collapse the entrances to those caves or at least construct some walls so the spring water will still be able to get through but the bugs won¡¯t. I don¡¯t think any of us want a repeat of last night. Those things are nasty.¡± ¡°Agreed. Run it by Callida, but I think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± 63 - Contingencies After the excitement of that first night, there hadn¡¯t been any more incidents between the controlled cave-ins, monitored fires, and a constant, twenty-four hour watch. With the return of relative security, the people were free to concern themselves with other things, like dividing into smaller companies and branching out into settlements. Rogue was especially anxious about getting farming efforts underway as this first season of crops would make or break the colony in the coming winter. The caravan of twelve thousand two hundred and fourteen civilians were divided into thirty-five companies of three to four hundred people and sent with units of about seventy ex-soldiers each (for protection and labor) with instructions to build settlements spaced ten miles apart from each other along the various streams and rivers winding through the land. The remaining sixteen hundred or so military men were put to work in the area near the caverns, along with the Yudha family and a hand-picked group of tradesmen, to construct a series of bunkers, massive gardens, terraced fields, and, eventually, smaller cabins for the families. Finally, things were going smoothly, and it was truly impressive what a large group of able-bodied men could accomplish under competent leadership. But food was still a problem. Hunting, fishing and foraging were the primary sources of nutrition, and with each week, those charged with gathering those resources had to search longer and farther to find them. The good news was that Rogue had prepared for this as much as possible, bringing varieties of garden seeds that would produce a harvest quickly ¡ª leafy greens, taproots, and tubers ¡ª and others that would be harvestable throughout the summer, but, despite the success of those crops easing the nutrition burden, Callida was anxious about starvation and spent considerable time brainstorming ways to further reduce that risk. To date, she¡¯d optimized hunting patterns, studied when fishing was most efficient and what bait was the most successful, begun capturing and breeding the bugs that the fish seemed to like the most, charted the rate of growth of each crop to help time the planting of each subsequent wave of each crop to ensure some of everything was ready for picking as frequently as possible, begun irrigation projects to bring water more efficiently to the crop fields¡­. This list of projects she was tracking seemed endless. ¡°What would it take to clear trade routes to the Bear Tribe?¡± she asked Rogue one summer morning with Ddalu bouncing on her knee. Ddalu was especially big for a nine-month-old with chunky cheeks, fat hands, and chubby arms and legs. His twin brother wasn¡¯t far behind him in size, but Tajam wasn¡¯t quite as broad as Ddalu. ¡°What are you scheming now?¡± Rogue cut to the chase as Tajam declared he was done with lunch and squirmed out of his lap to go run after his older brothers. ¡°Nothing! I was just thinking that some egg fowls would be useful. And maybe some more milking goats? We only have the one to feed the boys with, but, with a few more, we could make cheese and butter and have leftover milk to share. And, honestly, we should probably consider getting livestock for all the settlements anyway. Even just breeding pairs for each one. We have the space for barns and fences. What do you think?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have resources to trade for egg fowls and milking goats yet, especially in the herd quantities you¡¯re suggesting.¡± ¡°But we could just purchase them.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have the money for that, do we?¡± ¡°We actually do in the Bear Tribe. I moved our accounts, remember?¡± ¡°Do you even know what a goat costs? Let alone a whole herd of them!¡± ¡°No. Not really. I just know we have a lot of money just sitting in a bank, and I¡¯m tired of stressing about where our next meal is going to come from. It will be a lot easier to purchase animals in the summer than it will be when things start to freeze, and we don¡¯t know when that¡¯s going to be yet. I don¡¯t want to watch people starve this winter, Rogue. I at least feel responsible for the soldiers that came with us, but you know that everyone else will be looking to us to help them out if things don¡¯t go well with their own farming efforts.¡± ¡°We are far from starving, Callida. Yes, things are lean right now, but¨C¡± ¡°¨Cbut they could be a lot less lean with the right livestock, and we have the resources to make that happen, assuming we can safely travel to the Bear Tribe and back. That¡¯s all I¡¯m saying.¡± Rogue sighed and relented. He was tired of trying to assure her that the crops were all doing spectacularly well and that his projections and calculations were promising for the cold months ahead. And, clearly, his assurances were making little difference to her. ¡°What do you propose then?¡± ¡°We need to create a functional path to the Bear Tribe eventually anyway. I think it would be wise to do that sooner than later, and then one of us, either you or me, could travel to the Bear Tribe to broker deals with some farmers for the animals we need. And we¡¯ll need to take enough people with us to help herd them back.¡± Rubbing his face in agitation, Rogue did his best to not flatly reject this idea. ¡°It¡¯s going to be extremely expensive, and it¡¯s going to take a few weeks, months even to get there, clear a path as we go, conduct the intended business, and then travel back.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she responded simply. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°And you¡¯re up for that?! Honestly?¡± Rogue was taken aback and it showed. ¡°One of us will be here, taking care of the settlements, taking care of the boys, running the show all alone while the other of us treks back to the Bear Tribe ¡ª more than a full week away without trying to clear a path ¡ª with a handful of men to help haul a bunch of animals back with us? Callida, are you serious? Have you thought this through?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He sat back in his roughly constructed chair and stared at her long and hard. ¡°You are serious. It really means that much to you,¡± he realized out loud. ¡°We have the resources, Rogue,¡± she reasoned as he stood up to pace his way through his own jumbled thoughts and feelings. ¡°It feels irresponsible not to use them and just hope that the crops are as fruitful as you are projecting.¡± She paused, waiting for him to comment, but continued when he didn¡¯t. ¡°Look, as a commanding officer, it was my job to prepare as many contingencies as possible in case something failed. I don¡¯t screw around with the survival of my men, and I don¡¯t like leaving anything to chance if I can help it. If that means flying solo for a little while in order to prepare those contingencies, so be it! I¡¯ve come up with everything I can to increase our chances of survival without leaving home, and it¡¯s done very little to improve our odds. It¡¯s time to look into external options.¡± Rogue stopped pacing about the small, recently completed, three room cabin, turning to look at his wife. ¡°You said ¡®home¡¯.¡± ¡°I¡­ huh?¡± ¡°Callida, you just called this place home? Is it starting to feel like home to you here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a turn of phrase. I said, ¡®I¡¯ve done everything I can without leaving home.¡¯¡± ¡°Right. Which suggests that this ¡ª this place, this house, this colony ¡ª is now home to you.¡± ¡°I mean, we live here now.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s home!¡± he insisted, a smile cracking through his earlier consternation. ¡°What do you want me to say, Rogue?!¡± He laughed as she got defensive. ¡°Callida, does this place feel like home? Do you think of this place as home now?¡± She rolled her eyes and turned her face away from him to stare at the log wall while she debated her answer, and Rogue found it funny how stubborn and petty she was being about this. ¡°I¡¯m doing what I can to make the best of our situation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked, M¡¯lady. Is this place home?¡± Ddalu squawked to say he too was done eating, and Callida hastily wiped his hands and face with a damp rag before loosing the child fighting to slide out of her lap and onto the floor. She stood up with a stretch and attempted to use the interruption as an excuse to move on from his question without answering it. ¡°How many goats and egg fowls do you think we¡¯d need to breed our own herd?¡± Rogue chuckled and walked the handful of steps to capture her face and peck her forehead. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a complicated question, M¡¯lady. Is this place home?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°True, but that¡¯s not what I asked.¡± ¡°Our family¡¯s here. Our friends. Primordials! We built a house here!¡± ¡°Callida, be still. Just answer ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying, Rogue. Really, I am. I¡¯m trying to feel like this is home, even though this isn¡¯t what I wanted for our family.¡± Much of the affectionate humor he felt was lost as she continued. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of nowhere. It feels dangerous and insecure, like I¡¯m just waiting for the next unknown monster to crawl over those mountains, or an unexpectedly early frost to kill all the crops, or an unanticipated wave of insane prophecy people to turn up and further strain our thin resources, or¡­ or something! I know you want to hear that I¡¯ve settled in, but I¡¯m just waiting for the other boot to drop, and I want to be as ready as possible when it does. This is unknown territory for me, both literally and figuratively, and¡­ I don¡¯t like it. These aren¡¯t the types of battles I know how to fight! I have no sense for how well or how poorly we are actually doing, but I can¡¯t shake this feeling that we¡¯re nowhere close to where we need to be. And I hope I¡¯m wrong, but¨C¡± ¡°Ok. Ok, Callida, I get it,¡± Rogue cut her off as gently as he could with his own frustrations and anxieties surging. He sighed and drew her into a hug that would hopefully help them both to calm down, and he took a few deep breaths, turning his head so his nose could catch the scent of her hair. It was less obviously citrusy these days, the result of not having her favored hair products available, but she still somehow smelled like oranges to him, at least, she had a naturally floral scent that reminded him of orange blossoms ¡ª or perhaps that¡¯s just what he perceived because that¡¯s the smell he expected from her. Regardless, her familiar scent was comforting, and it made him feel both stronger and more protective. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± She took a shaky breath and leaned back to meet his eyes. ¡°I already told you.¡± ¡°Goats and egg fowls?¡± She nodded solemnly. ¡°It would be wise to replenish our seed supply too, in case the crops do fail before they can go to seed. Maybe we should consider buying sheep for wool? And if we¡¯re going anyway, we should put together a shopping list of supplies that¨C mnph.¡± He kissed her, remaining insistent through her immediate protests until she was convinced to kiss him back. ¡°Put a list together so we can go over it together. Do you want to be the one to go to the Bear Tribe, or do you want to stay here?¡± ¡°Do you have a preference?¡± she asked. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I have a lot of things I¡¯m tracking here ¡ª a lot of data I¡¯m trying to collect.¡± He understood. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how well the boys would handle you being gone for that long anyway.¡± ¡°Thank you, Rogue,¡± she offered quietly. ¡°Are you going to be ok here by yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll manage. Will you be ok traveling? You could take some of the guys with you?¡± ¡°Maybe, but I need to leave enough of them behind to keep you in check,¡± he teased, earning him another eye roll. ¡°Hey. I love you.¡± She smiled and tugged his collar. 64 - The Other Boot After the first two days being stressed about leaving his family behind and feeling resentful that he¡¯d agreed to make this trip at all, Rogue had to admit that this really wasn¡¯t so bad. Arum was a fun guy to have around, chatty if you could hit a topic he¡¯d read about, but also introverted and comfortable with merely working and observing their surroundings in silence. The unit of men that were accompanying them had all been selected from Arum¡¯s former command. It made things simple that all of these men had pre-existing command structures to work with. Rogue hadn¡¯t really thought about it until now, but the colony was functioning as though under military rule, the automatically adopted government a direct byproduct of already well established chains of command that were as effective as they were efficient. It helped that Callida¡¯s soldiers had been trained to be disciplined servicemen with altruistic and honorable motives and intentions, and the ones who cared enough to follow their general into the wilderness were those who¡¯d truly internalized her training. There had been very few complaints ¡ª if any ¡ª about the ex- Lion Tribe soldiers by the civilians. Their mission was both simple and daunting: create a trade route to the Bear Tribe so they could conduct their first round of business immediately. This meant clearing and widening narrow paths into roads, building bridges over streams and rivers, and marking the trail as they went. It was arduous, and as the days ticked by into weeks, Rogue settled into the repetitive, exhausting routine, marred only by aching muscles, blisters, and the occasional twinge of anxiety about his family back home. And yes, the colony was home to him. Despite Callida¡¯s continued reservations about the colony, Rogue felt more at home there than he¡¯d ever felt in the Lion Tribe. ¡°Rogue, is that a campfire?¡± Arum asked, pointing to a wispy pillar of smoke just a little ways off. ¡°Kind of looks like it, doesn¡¯t it,¡± Rogue said with a frown. ¡°Should we check it out?¡± ¡°The path leads right to it,¡± Rogue said, answering the semi-rhetorical question with the logic that they were going to walk past it regardless of any shoulds or shouldn¡¯ts. ¡°Who would be camping this far outside of Bear Tribe territory?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± The conversation ended there, for which Rogue was grateful, but it wasn¡¯t entirely truthful that he had ¡®no idea¡¯ who might be out camping. At least, he had an idea of the type of people who might travel this direction. The smoke grew thicker as they drew closer to it. Rogue coughed. They were almost certainly using wet pine wood, an indication that they either didn¡¯t have better firewood, or they had no idea what they were doing. The smoke led them off the path a short distance through some tall evergreen trees to a small clearing crammed full of people. Rogue took one look and could tell these people were in trouble. Travel worn, sick, desperate, scared ¡ª they were all present on the ragtag collection of dirty faces he could see. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Excuse us,¡± Rogue said with a respectful nod. ¡°We saw the smoke from your fire and came to investigate.¡± Rogue looked up to see an old man wearing an odd set of robes looking him over curiously. ¡°What is your name, son?¡± ¡°Rogue.¡± ¡°And what brings you to this land?¡± ¡°Well, I live here.¡± ¡°You live here,¡± the old man repeated, something in his face changing to become hopeful. ¡°Are you from the Unified Colony?¡± ¡°The what now?¡± ¡°The colony of believers following the fulfillers of prophecy.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Rogue wasn¡¯t sure how to answer him. ¡°I am from the colony that was recently established in these lands, yes.¡± ¡°Thank the Primordial Spirits!¡± the man declared loudly, falling to his knees and raising his hands up in praise. Rogue shuffled uncomfortably backwards. ¡°Will you guide us to the colony? We also wish to follow and serve the Great Unifier. We wish to join your people!¡± ¡°How many of you are there?¡± ¡°In our company alone, there are over five hundred of us.¡± ¡°In your company. Alone.¡± Rogue was getting an unpleasant feeling in his gut. ¡°I am Vall¨¢sos, Guardian of the Turul Tribe Temple to the Primordial Spirits. That is to say, I was a Guardian at the temple. I am now merely a humble seeker of truth, as are my companions. We have met many along the way. I hope they have been more successful than we in their search. But now you are here. The Primordial Spirits have answered our prayers!¡± As Vall¨¢sos talked, Rogue had but one thought: Callida was right to worry. *** Vall¨¢sos was a kind and generous man, if a bit of an eccentric. Despite their obvious plight and lack of resources, Rogue, Arum, and their men were invited to spend the night in the camp and share a pithy meal with Vall¨¢sos¡¯s flock of believers. ¡°You said you are from the Turul Tribe?¡± Rogue prompted over dinner. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Yes,¡± Vall¨¢sos confirmed. ¡°We are all from the Turul Tribe. I believe we are the first to have left from the Turul Tribe, but I know my fellow Guardians were preparing their own companies of believers to follow shortly behind us. Considering how long we¡¯ve been lost, it is possible that one of them may have beaten us to the Unified Colony.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯ve met others along the way,¡± Rogue nudged him yet again, and the old Guardian smiled wistfully. ¡°Yes. It is as the prophecy says. The Great Unifier is destined to unite the world of man, and the people are flocking to join his colony from all over Ulakam.¡± ¡°All over Ulakam,¡± Rogue repeated ¡ª stunned. ¡°Of course! Why, we¡¯ve met people from several tribes traveling or preparing to travel to join the Unified Colony. Some of them travel alone, others with their families, and still others, like us, in companies.¡± ¡°How many companies are we talking about here?¡± ¡°That I know of? Oh, let me think.¡± Vall¨¢sos spent a moment pondering and returned with ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Only two that were already traveling. I believe those were both from the Lion Tribe. But we passed through many towns and cities of several different tribes where others were forming. The Guardians from my home temple were each prepared to head future expeditions of the believers gathering at the temple as soon as enough people assembled to justify the pilgrimage. I¡¯m sure it is the same in other tribes.¡± Rogue¡¯s throat was feeling dry. It would seem that Callida¡¯s concerns about the other boot dropping were not only valid but very timely. Considering how many people Vall¨¢sos¡¯s vague estimates suggested they might be adding to the colony in the near future, Rogue made a mental note to double or even triple the supplies and livestock wishlist Callida had sent him with. She¡¯d assured him that they had plenty of money to fund everything, assuming he could find people selling what they were looking for in the first place. He got the feeling that he was going to be testing the limits of their bank account with these changes, though. That night, Rogue¡¯s sleep was troubled. Should he send this company to Callida? Should he try to dissuade them and send them home? What were the odds that these people could be discouraged? But could the colony honestly absorb this many more people? The crops they¡¯d planted had been sown assuming a fairly stable population. He¡¯d clearly miscalculated and misunderstood their situation. But these people needed help, and waking up the next morning, Rogue couldn¡¯t in good conscience not help them. ¡°Vall¨¢sos, my men and I need to continue our mission, but, as luck would have it, we are actually working to create a clear path from the Bear Tribe to the colony. If you¡¯ll follow me, I¡¯ll show you where the path is and what markers to look for.¡± Several of Vall¨¢sos¡¯s followers joined them on the walk through the trees. Vall¨¢sos in particular was most grateful and kept alternating between gratitude for the assistance and praise to the Primordial Spirits. Rogue did his best to ignore both. ¡°Here. This is the path. Follow it west, looking for markers like this,¡± he explained, indicating the carefully notched post they¡¯d pounded into the ground just before following the campfire smoke to the clearing. It will take you about a week or so to get to the main camp, but Callida will help you find a place to settle.¡± ¡°Who is Callida?¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Rogue wasn¡¯t sure how to introduce her. ¡°She¡¯s the former Lion General?¡± Vall¨¢sos¡¯s eyes grew wide with recognition and religious fervor. ¡°The Mother of Prophecy herself will help¨C Oh, thank you, blessed Primordials!¡± Rogue retreated from Vall¨¢sos¡¯s zeal, feeling all sorts of weird, and he turned to his own party for help. One of the younger soldiers that he didn¡¯t know quite so well was the first to understand the assignment. ¡°Erm, Mr. Yudha, we need to return to¨C¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Vall¨¢sos cried. ¡°Mr. Yudha?! You are Mr. Yudha?!¡± ¡°Uh¨C¡± ¡°The Great Unifier himself has come to gather the tribes of men, guiding us home!¡± All at once, Rogue was being worshiped ¡ª aggressively worshiped. With Vall¨¢sos¡¯s followers on all sides, there was no escaping their imploring hands and gusty prayers. The weirdness factor multiplied until Rogue was quite disturbed. ¡°The Great Unifier has other things he needs to do today.¡± Rogue felt a hand close around his bicep and allowed himself to be yanked out of the ring of zealots and into a new ring of Arum¡¯s men. ¡°Please allow us to leave. We have important business to attend to ¡ª unifying business. You understand,¡± Arum explained to the disappointed Primordialists. ¡°Of course,¡± Vall¨¢sos accepted this explanation and called his followers back. ¡°Certainly we are not the only people in need of the Great Unifier.¡± ¡°Right. Thank you for your patience,¡± Arum said by way of bowing out. ¡°Let¡¯s move, gents!¡± ¡°Sorry, sir,¡± someone whispered to Rogue¡¯s right ¡ª the young soldier who¡¯d called him Mr. Yudha. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that through.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rogue dismissed the apology. ¡°For future reference, just call me Rogue.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± *** ¡°Do not touch my sons!¡± Callida snarled viciously, and the old Guardian recalculated to instead prostrate himself humbly, if not nervously, before her. ¡°I meant no harm, Mother of Prophecy.¡± She exhaled sharply and sank into the nearest chair, keeping a wary eye on the man in front of her. ¡°Sit up. You said your name is Vall¨¢sos?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You said Rogue sent you?¡± The Guardian¡¯s nervousness gave way to apparent bliss. ¡°We met the Great Unifier on the road. He showed us the way and said you would help us.¡± The muscles in her jaw twitched, and Callida massaged the tension forming in her temples. ¡°How many people did you say were in your company?¡± ¡°A little over five hundred.¡± ¡°What resources do you bring with you?¡± ¡°Resources?¡± ¡°Seeds, animals, skills, anything that will help you survive out here.¡± ¡°Oh. I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t you think you ought to figure that out?!¡± she snapped, her patience running especially thin. ¡°Come back when you can tell me these things. You can¡¯t live on enthusiasm out here. If you want to survive, you¡¯re going to have to work.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dismissed.¡± Callida coldly watched the Guardian bow his way out the door breathing apologies and praise and gratitude in one continuous chant. With the door shut behind him, she got up to locate the recently commissioned maps of the colony and all of the settlements dotting the land. Five hundred or so people would be either one especially large settlement or two very small ones. Already July, it would be a race against time to get these people settled, gardens planted, and fields sown before the first frost, and Vall¨¢sos had made it sound like his company was the first of many latecomers. Knock, knock. ¡°Come in!¡± ¡°General, what are your orders?¡± Baca wasted no time. ¡°Put together a few units. I¡¯m going to dispatch you ahead of their company.¡± ¡°Standard building procedures?¡± She snorted. ¡°Do we have standard building procedures?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ sort of,¡± Baca shrugged. ¡°Build houses, make sure they¡¯re attached to land for farming, establish the center of the settlement ten miles away from the next settlement over¡­. You know, standard procedures.¡± ¡°Get it done. Thank you, Baca.¡± 65 - Trading Post Arum found the Bear Tribe trading post quite fascinating. Unlike Astu Centralis with permanent, well established stores lining roads where transient merchant stalls cropped up periodically, the trading post was almost the opposite. Only a few shops held any permanence: a bakery here, a restaurant there, a front for a collection of local artisans to display their wares and business information over there¡­. It was an open marketplace, colorful and chaotic, and it smelled delicious. Arum found himself inhaling deeply at every corner, catching whiffs of all the street foods, and commenting with Rogue about particularly interesting smells. ¡°Do you smell that one? It¡¯s almost vinegar-y. Like pickled¡­ something.¡± ¡°Mm, yeah¡­ But it¡¯s herbaceous too,¡± Rogue nodded, testing the air. ¡°I wonder what spices they¡¯re using.¡± ¡°Rogue, Commander, over here!¡± The pair turned to where a couple of Arum¡¯s men were waving them over. ¡°This lady is selling ducks,¡± came the hasty report. ¡°She says she has a lot more she could sell, but she never brings more than a few to the market at a time.¡± Rogue took the baton and entered discussions with the duck lady, asking things like ¡°how many¡± and ¡°how much¡± while Arum kept an eye on their surroundings. There was a healthy crowd at the trading post; Arum suspected that it was usually about this busy. His sweeping gaze took in the boardwalk along the cliff edge of the mountain shelf that the trading post was built upon and scanned an open area near a fountain where buskers were playing folksy music while people danced or clapped along. And he did a double take when he realized he recognized one of the people dancing. Not only that, but he was the last person Arum would ever expect to see dancing! ¡°Rogue, would you excuse me for a minute?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Arum was dismissed distractedly. Arum moved toward the fountain, mesmerized by the sight in front of him and waiting for the song to finish. ¡°GRAVIS!¡± The hulking professional bodyguard took hold of his dance partner¡¯s hand and looked around the crowd for the source of his name. ¡°GRAVIS!¡± Arum repeated himself, adding a full arm wave to draw his attention. ¡°Arum?! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I could ask you the same thing,¡± Arum chortled as his old friend stepped forward to clap him on the shoulder. ¡°The general said you¡¯d found a girlfriend. Is this her?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Gravis cheesed, an odd look for him. ¡°This is Belle. My wife.¡± ¡°You¡­ your-your wife?!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been¡­ five months!!¡± Arum blinked dumbly as Belle cuddled up to Gravis and kissed him. ¡°H-how-how¡­ how did you convince such a beautiful woman to marry you in under five months, Gravis?!¡± And now that Arum was paying attention to such things, Belle really was quite lovely. If nothing else, she was immaculate, tall, possibly taller than he was, curvy, and well put together. ¡°Cultor, aren¡¯t you going to introduce me to your friend?¡± Belle asked after a moment in which Arum waited for a response and Gravis merely stared at his bride. ¡°Mn. Belle, this is Arum. Former Lion Tribe military.¡± ¡°Ah! An old colleague!¡± ¡°A colleague up until five months ago,¡± Arum corrected with a small snort. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to steal him away from you,¡± Belle apologized without any real sincerity. ¡°Erm, so, Belle, catch me up,¡± Arum demanded awkwardly. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You want to hear our love story?¡± Belle asked while stroking Gravis¡¯s jawline in an unnecessarily affectionate way that spoke to their newlywed status. Arum cringed but did his best to not look like he was cringing. ¡°Well, it was practically love at first sight! Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Cultor?¡± ¡°Mn,¡± Gravis grunted in the affirmative and got kissed for it. ¡°Those first couple of days were¡­ perfect, and then you came back after I thought you¡¯d left forever and we practically spent every minute of every day together after that until you proposed and we eloped three weeks ago!¡± ¡°You eloped?¡± Arum asked with surprise. Belle laughed and finally turned away from her husband to look at him. ¡°It was so romantic. Cultor is so good to me. I had been stressing for a month trying to put plans together for a wedding that I wasn¡¯t even happy about, and then Cultor suggested that if the wedding was making me unhappy, then we shouldn¡¯t have one. He was so right. It was fun to rebel against all the expectations, and it was a relief not to have to worry about a wedding. Instead, I took a week off of work and we went on a romantic getaway, got married on the way and honeymooned at this adorable little inn and¡­ well, you get the picture. It was perfect.¡± An added measure of cringe merged with budding jealousy as Belle and Gravis started snogging again. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you.¡± ¡°How are things?¡± Gravis disengaged to ask. ¡°With what? The colony?¡± Arum latched onto this change of subject gladly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been challenging but good for the most part.¡± ¡°People have been talking about it,¡± Gravis mentioned conversationally. ¡°The colony?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s caused quite the kerfuffle!¡± Belle exclaimed, her own interest in the topic more gossipy. ¡°It¡¯s been a major headache for Seliga, and she¡¯s not the only tribe leader dealing with related drama. Have you heard the rumors from the Dragon Tribe?!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say that I have,¡± Arum shook his head. ¡°Well, suffice it to say that the Dragon King has his hands full, what with the threat of civil war and all.¡± ¡°Civil war?!¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t hear that from me,¡± Belle said conspiratorially, placing her fingers over her lips. ¡°Is that not common knowledge?¡± ¡°It¡¯s mostly speculative, but I have sources that recently confirmed those concerns.¡± ¡°I guess, living in the colony, we¡¯ve been pretty isolated from world news. Hey, Gravis, do you have plans to bring your wife home at some point to meet the rest of the family?¡± Arum teased and then immediately regretted it as an undefined tension entered the air space. Belle¡¯s lips pursed and her eyes avoided contact by studying her shoes, and Gravis¡¯s posture was suddenly more rigid. Arum got the sense that this was the one area where their perfect, whirlwind romance maybe wasn¡¯t quite so perfect. ¡°Not sure,¡± was all Gravis said in reply, and Belle made no effort to elaborate for him. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Quite desperate for a change in subject and unable to think of one, Arum made an excuse to bow out. ¡°I should be getting back. The guys will be wondering where I ran off to by now, and I¡¯m supposed to help with¡­ yeah. It was really nice meeting you, Belle, and Gravis, good to see you, man. You lucky dog. Maybe I¡¯ll see you around before we head back to the colony, but if not, want me to tell the guys your news?¡± ¡°Sure. Thanks.¡± ¡°Great. Uh, see you later.¡± Arum weasled indelicately out of the awkwardness and returned to where Rogue was concluding business with the duck lady. ¡°Give me an estimate so I can have enough money on hand,¡± he was saying. ¡°For my entire stock?!¡± ¡°Yup. You said you had a little shy of one hundred laying females ¡ª most of them raising broods still, so we¡¯ll gladly buy those as well ¡ª and the few drakes you are looking to sell this season? I assume you have other ducks that you are keeping as your base flock.¡± ¡°W-well, I¡­ yes. The drakes were intended for a butcher, but if you are hoping to start a flock of your own¡­. You really only need one drake to every four or five ducks though, and the young ones will mature in time to breed them next spring.¡± ¡°A few extra won¡¯t hurt. I¡¯d like to spend time talking to you about how to properly care for a flock, if that¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Oh, certainly. If you¡¯re serious about buying my entire stock, I¡¯ll even prepare instructions for you on how to raise them! You¡¯re saving me countless hours peddling one or two birds at a time at the trading post this summer.¡± ¡°Thank you. And we would gladly accept your invitation to meet your neighbor as well, if that¡¯s still on the table.¡± ¡°Bartig? Oh, sure! I don¡¯t remember what he has for sale this season, but he¡¯d probably know who has what you¡¯re looking for, and he¡¯d certainly know how to tell you what to look for and how to care for those little horned rascals.¡± Rogue chuckled and offered the lady a hand to shake in parting. ¡°Tomorrow morning then.¡± ¡°You have the directions. Come by any time.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Rogue turned to leave and met Arum¡¯s eyes, acknowledging his return with a short nod before slinging an arm over his shoulder. ¡°So! I saw that you found Gravis. How is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s married.¡± ¡°Married?!¡± Rogue laughed and withdrew his arm to better look Arum in the eyes. ¡°Guess things worked out with that lady friend, huh? Good for him!¡± ¡°Yeah. Yeah, good for him.¡± *** ¡°Everything, Arum. We need to know everything about their life cycle from conception to birth to adulthood to breeding and all the care in between ¡ª nutrition, environmental needs, medical pitfalls, predators to watch out for¡­. Everything you can think of. What makes an animal good for breeding? How old do the animals need to be before they are bred? Are there ways to selectively breed for certain traits? Is there a breed already good at everything? Just as a reminder, we¡¯re looking to breed the goats for milk, wool, and maybe meat. Are those traits mutually exclusive? What breeds are the best for each thing? Is there a good breed for all three? Just¡­ yeah. I trust that you¡¯ll be thorough, but those are some good starting points.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Arum took the pencil and pad of paper with an expression of overwhelmed determination on his face. Rogue couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°You¡¯ve got this, Commander.¡± ¡°Right. Let¡¯s go, boys,¡± Arum said, leading the predetermined group to the duck lady¡¯s neighbor¡¯s house down the lane from where they¡¯d heard bleating as they¡¯d walked past it that morning. Rogue chuckled as he turned again to the lady at the door who shouted at Arum¡¯s back: ¡°BARTIG CAN BE A LITTLE CRANKY IN THE MORNINGS! PAY IT NO MIND! HE¡¯S EXPECTING YOU!¡± ¡°THANKS!¡± Arum shouted back. ¡°Well,¡± she said, looking over Rogue and the remaining group of men, ¡°welcome! I had the thought last night that we never exchanged names, Mr¡­.¡± ¡°Rogue,¡± he said, offering a small bow of greeting to her. ¡°And I¡¯m Vernet. The ducks are back this way.¡± She gestured to Rogue¡¯s left and led him and his men around the small house to a picket fence that scraped the slate slab beneath it as she unlatched and pushed it open. They followed her down a narrow lane of stepping stones to a wide but very short barn, the floor of which was littered with rows upon rows of baskets lined with hay and grasses of one variety or another. Only a small handful of the baskets were occupied by a duck. ¡°The ladies in here are all broody. The rest of them are outside.¡± ¡°Broody?¡± Rogue asked and then hopped back as a nearby duck hissed and nipped irritably at his ankle. ¡°As in grumpy?¡± Vernet didn¡¯t clarify. Instead, she ushered them all outside to where a great many ducks were waddling about or swimming while being chased by their ducklings in various developmental stages. ¡°There they are! I need to keep enough of them to breed next year, but the rest are for selling. I like to keep at least thirty laying females, but as you can see, there were a lot of ducklings this year, and the girls in the barn are working on the last wave. In fact, those eggs should be hatching here in the next day or so. Should we start rounding them up? Once we get the hens caught, the ducklings will be easy, and then I can help you load them up in the carts you brought.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Rogue and his men spent the next couple of hours chasing, cornering, and catching skittish mother ducks and the odd drake, but as Vernet had said, once the mothers were caught, the ducklings practically caught themselves, fighting their way into the crates where their mothers were being detained. At long last, Vernet declared that they¡¯d caught as many ducks as she intended to sell that season, and the men gathered the crates to load them carefully into the carts. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure how many ducks we¡¯ve got loaded up, but I think we used up all but one of the crates.¡± ¡°I kept an inventory of what you loaded up,¡± Vernet said, showing him the receipt she¡¯d carefully jotted down. ¡°I believe that comes to four Tankam, four Velli, and two Pattu Cempu.¡± ¡°Wow. For nearly a hundred ducks and all of their ducklings?¡± Rogue found that a bit astoundingly cheap. Well, it was a lot of money, but for how many animals they were buying, that didn¡¯t seem like much. ¡°Seven drakes, and ten females that laid unsuccessful clutches this year, so no ducklings, and eighty-two hens with ducklings in tow,¡± Vernet said, showing him the three categories and appropriate multipliers. ¡°That¡¯s what we agreed upon? Feel free to check my numbers.¡± ¡°Oh, your math is fine. Just, that¡¯s a lot of ducks for the money.¡± ¡°I feel that I¡¯m getting the better end of the deal,¡± Vernet laughed. ¡°Many of those ducklings won¡¯t survive to their first flight. Critters like to eat them. I¡¯m selling you ducks that might not be worth anything.¡± ¡°Well, maybe we¡¯ll be able to keep them alive,¡± Rogue countered optimistically while counting out the appropriate compensation for their haul. ¡°I wish you the best of luck. Do you have any more questions about how to handle them before you go?¡± ¡°Not that I can think of. Your instructions were quite thorough.¡± ¡°Oh! Before you go,¡± Vernet said and then immediately started walking away with a hand beckoning the men to follow, ¡°take some of this duck feed. It¡¯s going to rot before the birds I have left will be able to get to it. You might as well use it to feed the ones you¡¯re taking off my hands.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather it get used than it get wasted,¡± she insisted. ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll even get you to where you need to go before you have to scrounge up more feed.¡± ¡°Thanks, Vernet,¡± Rogue accepted the bonus offering gratefully and began the arduous task of loading the giant sacks of mixed, crushed grains and dried vegetable meal onto the already burdened carts. When they¡¯d finished, Rogue said another brief farewell to Vernet and gave the order to guide the carts back up the road. ¡°Arum! Perfect timing,¡± Rogue greeted the commander just a short distance down the lane. Rogue paused for a moment when Arum didn¡¯t immediately respond. His head was bowed, and the men he¡¯d been sent with were clapping him on the back¡­. And his ears were a delicate shade of pink. ¡°Arum? What happened?¡± Before he could say anything, his men spoke for him. ¡°The commander wasn¡¯t prepared for a demonstration,¡± someone chortled. ¡°Yeah, an¡¯ the farmer sure wasn¡¯t shy either.¡± ¡°Blunter than the wrong side of an ax!¡± With each comment, Arum¡¯s ears grew a progressively darker shade of red. ¡°Primordials,¡± he groaned into his hands. ¡°I can¡¯t unsee it!¡± Rogue snorted. ¡°Can¡¯t unsee what, Arum?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the beginning of August,¡± he said, as though that explained anything. ¡°Yeah. So?¡± ¡°That¡¯s when some of the female goats start going into heat. All that bleating? That was just two of ¡®em calling for a mate. Bartig got it into his head about halfway through that it might be good to¡­ show us¨C Oh, Primordials!¡± Arum groaned into his hands. ¡°Halfway through? Arum, have you been cycling through every shade of scarlet for the last hour and a half?¡± Groan. ¡°Because a couple of goats¨C¡± ¡°Oh, shut up, Rogue!¡± But Arum immediately buried his face again as his cheeks burned anew. ¡°Just let me die of humiliation in peace.¡± ¡°Yeah. Just wait until he realizes that his parents had to¨C¡± ¡°NO! Why would you even say that!¡± Arum snapped at the offending comrade and threw a quick jab at his chest, indignation eventually yielding to his darkest blush yet as his men all devolved into hysterics at his expense. Even Rogue couldn¡¯t entirely contain his laughter. ¡°Boys, leave him be,¡± Rogue admonished when he¡¯d mostly regained control of his twitching lips. He pulled Arum out of the group, helping the flustered commander escape to the front of the carts while he worked to cool his face. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Arum, you know that?¡± Arum merely snorted with embarrassment. ¡°I mean it. And unlike the rest of those dogs back there, I actually trust you with my wife and kids. This is just one of the many reasons why.¡± Rogue smirked a little impishly at Arum¡¯s bewilderment and cuffed his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go buy some goats¡­ now that you¡¯re an expert.¡± ¡°Ugh. Rogue!¡± 66 - The Creek ¡°Abacth!¡± Probus ran to the open door as fast as his little legs could carry him, arms outstretched. Rapax took a knee in time to get hugged and then playfully fell over, pulling his amico onto his chest as though Probus had knocked him over. Probus giggled with delight but was soon on his feet, grabbing his nobilis¡¯s fingers in an effort to pull him back up so he could show him an interesting bug he¡¯d trapped in a cup and partially squished that morning. Baca pouted a little when his own amico didn¡¯t fly into his arms so readily. ¡°Tiaki! Dude! Hello?¡± ¡°Hah, Babac,¡± Tiaki acknowledged him while running infinity loops through his mother¡¯s legs. ¡°Do I get a hug?¡± Tiaki paused to consider, grew a mischievous smirk, and then barrelled headlong into Baca¡¯s legs before Baca could get down all the way. Tiaki really did knock him over backwards, and Baca fell on his backside laughing as the shark host jumped on top of him in a much more intentional take-down. What ensued was a goofy wrestling match. Baca grabbed the toddler and rolled him onto his back, trapping the child between his knees and elbows. Tiaki¡¯s playful shrieking set off Manasik¡¯s brotherly protectiveness, and soon the little snake host was added to the prison formed from Baca¡¯s limbs. Baca rocked back on his heels to tickle the wiley toddlers, and their belly chuckles drew Probus¡¯s attention away from the dead bug in the cup. Soon Baca was contending with the little lion host as well, and Probus got swept off his feet and laid out across his brothers¡¯ tummies so Baca could contain all three of the triplets in a single, squirmy, squishy heap. The happily shrieking toddlers all made repeated, valiant attempts at escape, only to get hooked back into Baca¡¯s lap every time they tried. ¡°Where are you planning on taking them?¡± the general asked Rapax as they watched the noisy fun unfold, and she hoisted a very relaxed, sleepy but snacking, and excessively heavy Ddalu higher onto her hip. ¡°Oh, we figured we¡¯d follow the stream down to where that one creek branches off. It¡¯s shallow and lazy, so there are plenty of bugs to catch and lizards and frogs and things to spot. Tiaki will like splashing in the water, and Probus has gotten into catching bugs recently. I¡¯m sure that just thrills you,¡± he jabbed and then chuckled when she rolled her eyes. ¡°As long as the bugs he finds aren¡¯t nine feet long, I¡¯m good,¡± she snarked. ¡°Moro¡¯s still coming to take Manasik, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. He got held up, but he¡¯s coming. The shaft of the hoe he was weeding with has a crack in it. It¡¯s had a crack for a while, but he hit a rock and the crack¡­ cracked,¡± Rapax said with a snort. ¡°Anyway, he took the tools back to the shed for us so he could look for a new shaft.¡± ¡°Abacth! Abacth!¡± Probus called through hysterical giggles, arms outstretched to him from where Baca was containing him in a tight bear hug with his brothers. ¡°Excuse me, General. Duty calls.¡± Rapax joined the tangle on the floor, staging a dramatic escape from Baca¡¯s clutches by freeing Probus first and then enlisting the toddler to help him tug Manasik and Tiaki free as well. ¡°Good job, my man!¡± Rapax praised, offering Probus a high five and then fist bumps to both Manasik and Tiaki, the latter of whom couldn¡¯t have cared less as he was already preparing his next assault on Baca. Knock, knock. Moro let himself into the already open door. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not late,¡± the general assured him. ¡°Tajam isn¡¯t napping already, is he?¡± Moro asked hopefully. ¡°No. He¡¯s just in the bedroom, probably chewing on something.¡± ¡°Still teething, huh? Can I say ¡®hi¡¯ before we go?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to ask, Moro. Help yourself,¡± the general said, jerking her head gently in the direction of the boys¡¯ room. ¡°He might be a little cranky though. I think he went in there to escape all the chaos out here.¡± Moro laughed at that and disappeared into the larger of the two small bedrooms. ¡°Probus, where are your shoes?¡± Rapax asked, and the cheerful blonde ran to a crate by the door where all the family¡¯s shoes were kept, pointing animatedly. ¡°Which ones are yours?¡± ¡°W¡¯ion shoe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Rapax encouraged him. ¡°Can you find them?¡± Probus proceeded to pull nearly every shoe out of the bin before he found the matching pair with a small, black lion¡¯s head embroidered onto the inside lining of the heel, and he presented the shoes proudly to his nobilis before plopping into Rapax¡¯s lap so he could help put the shoes on Probus¡¯s chubby feet. ¡°Good job, man!¡± Rapax said, giving Probus a high five when he¡¯d been shod. ¡°Alright, Manasik. Your turn. Where are your shoes?¡± The little snake host much more demurely picked through the scattered shoes until he found the two with snakes embroidered on the heels of the insoles. He then proceeded to quietly hand them to Rapax, sit on the floor, and offer him one foot at a time. ¡°Good job, Manasik!¡± Manasik bashfully accepted the praise and high-five before slithering off to play with a toy while he waited for everyone else to get ready. Rapax laughed when Baca realized it was time to put shoes on the boys, only to struggle getting Tiaki to cooperate. Tiaki would not be dissuaded from the wrestling match, nor hold still long enough to put the shoes on after Baca had found the appropriate shoes with shark insoles himself. Tiaki¡¯s mother had to set Ddalu down to intervene. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Hey, Tiaki, want to go outside?! Go on an adventure with Baca?!¡± she asked, holding Tiaki¡¯s face still while the rest of him continued to squirm. ¡°Babac!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Do you want to go play outside with Baca.¡± ¡°Go ¡®side!¡± ¡°Mmhm! Let¡¯s do it! But you have to put your shoes on, or your feet will get owies. Remember what happened the last time you didn¡¯t put your shoes on?¡± ¡°Wo¡¯ ick an¡¯ ow-ie!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You kicked a rock and it gave you an owie,¡± she adeptly deciphered his babble. ¡°So let¡¯s put your shoes on this time.¡± Tiaki sat down after that, sprawling backwards on the floor and rotating his trunk and head about to pick at the dirt-crusted soles of Rapax¡¯s boot while Baca quickly slipped his shoes on. That child did not know how to sit still. As such, Tiaki was the leanest of the triplets while Manasik ¡ª a child that was sometimes easy to forget for how relatively unobtrusive he was ¡ª had retained the most baby chub. ¡°Hey, Moro! Are you about ready?¡± Rapax called. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah! One sec,¡± the disembodied voice floated from the boys¡¯ room. ¡°Ok, buddy, I gotta go. Your momma thinks you need a nap, and she needs a break.¡± Moro appeared at the door a moment later with Tajam very contentedly draped over his shoulder, eyes already growing heavy. ¡°Babac! Babac! Go ¡®side!¡± Tiaki demanded impatiently, and Baca shrugged at the group, opening the door to free the triplets while Moro transferred Tajam to the general¡¯s shoulder, and Rapax helped to give chase. ¡°Have fun!¡± the general called after them, and a moment later, Moro overtook Rapax to catch up to Manasik and scoop him up onto his shoulders. ¡°Last one to the creek is a dragon mole feeler!¡± Moro declared, and Baca and Rapax each collected their amicos on their shoulders for a race as they entered the treeline. It was a delicate balance moving fast enough to be competitive but not so fast that the motion jostled the boys too violently as they bounced and dodged around the thick shrubs and thicker trees along the stream¡¯s edge, and then, half the time, Probus¡¯s arms were wrapped around Rapax¡¯s face in a way that made it either difficult to see or to breathe. But it was still fun, and first or last place, hearing the boys laugh made it worth it. They arrived at the creek in short order, and, predictably, Tiaki wanted to be put down immediately so he could belly flop in the water while Probus started a hunt for critters to catch and Manasik happily clung to Moro¡¯s hair, content to simply look around and watch his brothers play. Rapax was soon being shown a worm or caterpillar of some sort. ¡°Be gentle, little man. You don¡¯t want to squish it. That would¡­ make the bug dead. Here!¡± He took a knee and snatched at a fern frond to extend to Probus. ¡°Put it on this so you can watch it.¡± Probus complied, squatting down to stare and point at the (definitely already half-squished) bug wriggling on the fern. ¡°Buk!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, man. Bug! I think you killed it.¡± ¡°Buk di¡¯ hinum wi¡¯ got!¡± Probus clapped for emphasis. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s cool, man,¡± Rapax replied with no idea what the toddler was saying except that it had something to do with bugs and he was clearly excited about it. Fortunately, Probus didn¡¯t need much more than the occasional validation and a steady stream of enthusiastic head-nodding to confirm that he was listening. ¡°Iss fin¡¯ mi tum. Go!¡± Probus finished, and promptly resumed toddling about, looking for more bugs to accidentally squash. ¡°No idea what you just said, but sure, lead the way,¡± Rapax stood up, quickly brushing himself off as he muttered to himself. He casually followed the little blonde head about as it bobbed up and down, turning over rocks and leaves on his hunt for bugs. Rapax grinned crookedly, realizing that he¡¯d been the one to teach Probus how to do that on their last excursion. ¡°You¡¯re a quick study, my man!¡± But he was less enthused about the giant grub Probus presented to him a moment later. It was¡­. Well, for starters, it was the size of Rapax¡¯s pointer finger, but it was at least twice as fat. ¡°Buk!¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡­ found a bug.¡± ¡°A¡¯ Abacth!¡± ¡°Nah, man, you can have it.¡± ¡°A¡¯ Abacth!¡± Probus insisted and forced the juicy thing into his hand. ¡°Aah¡­ thanks.¡± ¡°We¡¯com,¡± the child chirped and resumed his exploring. ¡°Yeah¡­ better me than your mom,¡± Rapax comforted himself with a laugh, dropping the bug back into the dirt the moment Probus¡¯s head was turned. *** The triplets were tired and getting sleepy as Baca and his two friends carried them home on their shoulders. For once, Tiaki wasn¡¯t urging him to set him down, or jerking excitedly on his sweaty, grown out, strawberry blonde hair, or even swinging his feet. Instead, the toddler was resting his cheek on Baca¡¯s head and sucking his thumb. ¡°I think we actually tired this one out.¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably getting hungry. Those snacks got eaten a while ago. Let¡¯s hope they hold out long enough to get them home. Did you have fun, my man?¡± Rapax asked Probus, jiggling one of his legs. ¡°Did you find enough bugs today?¡± ¡°La¡¯f buk.¡± ¡°Lots of bugs? Yeah.¡± Probus started jabbering in Rapax¡¯s ear, and Baca checked in with his own little shoulder cherub. ¡°How are you doing up there, Tiaki?¡± ¡°B¡¯ikie.¡± ¡°You want your blanket? Are you getting tired, dude?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Tiaki¡¯s cheek rubbed against Baca¡¯s hair as he tried to get comfortable. ¡°Come here, Tiaki. I¡¯ll hold you.¡± The little shark host dove into Baca¡¯s arms and allowed the commander to adjust his position until the little brunette¡¯s head was tucked carefully under his chin, arms loosely draped over his nobilis¡¯s shoulders. Baca could have sworn that, not two steps later, Tiaki was out cold. He didn¡¯t mind, though. Of the Yudha boys, Tiaki made people work the hardest to meaningfully interact with him, so these moments when he was actually still and accommodating were all the more precious for it. The bunkers came into sight after a bit of a walk. It was funny how the distance always seemed so much longer on the return leg of these day trips. Maybe it was the longer shadows of the early evening? Or maybe it was the more tired plodding after playing so hard for so long. ¡°Am I the only one seeing that?¡± Moro asked, and Baca looked up from the path in front of his feet. ¡°Looks like more people showed up,¡± Rapax said with a burdened sigh. ¡°I wonder how many this time.¡± ¡°So much for giving the general a break,¡± Baca contributed dryly. ¡°No, wait!¡± Rapax¡¯s tone shifted to become much warmer, and Baca looked closer. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± ¡°Those are animals!¡± ¡°Primordials! Rogue and Arum are back!¡± Moro whooped excitedly, and suddenly everyone had a new spring to their step. 67 - From the Hilltop Office Callida sat poring over the maps, inventories, settlement reports, and various points of data she¡¯d meticulously collected over the last¡­ Primordials, have we really been here a whole year?! She checked the date ¡ª March 21st, 790 A.P. ¡ª and sat back in her chair. Almost a year. Give it three more weeks. Wow, really?! But it made sense as she scanned the stacks of papers littering the desk of her recently constructed office¡­ cabin¡­ shed¡­ thing. Rogue had gotten tired of her papers on the dining table, and the commanders had gotten tired of Rogue complaining about her papers on the dining table. This was the result: a tiny, office-like, single room structure with two open-air windows with locking shutters, a giant, sturdy desk taking up almost the entire room, a chair, a stack of shelves mounted to the wall above the desk, and a fireplace tucked in one corner. This was her sanctuary. Built atop a small but steep hill with unobstructed views from both windows of the mountains and valleys, Callida was already coming here almost daily to escape and think and work. She¡¯d come to the realization just the other day while talking with Rogue that having an office made their shared compulsory obligation of ¡°colony leader¡± feel a lot more like a job than just some ambiguous role she was filling. Stopping to think about it, being a colony leader wasn¡¯t all that different from being a general, at least in the capacities she¡¯d taken responsibility for. Callida oversaw population deployments - erm, settlements - their resource needs and contributions, personnel, numbers, movements¡­. She spent an inordinate amount of time crunching numbers, pouring over maps, and identifying areas of land that might be worth developing for when the next batch of Primordialists inevitably arrived wanting to settle in the colony. And she administered orders through almost the exact same chain of command she¡¯d used as an actual general. There were now standard protocols in place for receiving new arrivals, identifying a settlement site, preparing settlement infrastructures for them, assigning resources for each settlement to develop¡­. That was a huge relief as she was no longer required to make up those orders on the fly, and her men now knew exactly what each order meant. Somehow they¡¯d survived the winter without anything exciting happening. No one had starved, (which had been Callida¡¯s number one fear), though it had been an extremely lean winter. No new beasts had threatened the peoples¡¯ safety, no settlements had been destroyed in a freak accident or at the whim of nature, and no one had frozen to death. Except for the regular, unexpected arrival of desperate people wishing to join the colony, it had been a very boring year in the best possible way. And things were looking good for the coming year. That¡¯s what today¡¯s session had been about: taking stock of the big picture and planning the year¡¯s resource and agricultural development. Their winter stores were quite dry, but in every settlement, fields were being tilled already, gardens were being planted with seeds that could withstand the fluctuating temperatures of early spring, and Callida had preemptively deployed men to build the next three settlements. The colony was in remarkably good shape. Callida stretched and stood up to do a lap or two around the outside of her office while she internalized her findings. If the colony continued to swell at the current rate, food would forever be a struggle. Maybe she should order all the settlements to plant a certain percentage above their anticipated needs? What percent though? As it was, she¡¯d already ordered recommended that the settlements overplant in the hopes that they¡¯d build up a buffer within their individual stores. But this would look more like a tax to help the colony absorb more settlements worth of people gracefully without having to ration the entire colony through the winter again. Hm. Something to calculate tomorrow. She locked up the office and set off down the hill for home, observing the areas still patchy with snow, the men laboring in the damp gardens, and the herds of animals grazing on the tender plants in their fenced off fields. And she sighed, finding a sort of peace in the simplicity of it all. After nearly a year, this was finally starting to feel like home. Maybe it had something to do with her new office. Callida snorted at that thought. Rogue would feel validated if she admitted that giving her a designated work space had made this valley a place she could call home. He¡¯d been insisting for years that she was a workaholic. A repurposed war horn sounded in the distance ¡ª a single blast alerting the main settlement of incoming people from the east. Well, those preemptive settlement builds were already proving wise. Accelerating from a casual stroll to a purposeful jog, Callida watched for the anticipated company of people to emerge from the treeline. There weren¡¯t very many of them. In fact, it looked like a single family¡¯s worth of people, but they¡¯d brought many, many carts with them. Carts and animals and¡­ a trade caravan?! That would be a first ¡ª an exciting first! But a first. Callida¡¯s jog became a full run, and she arrived at the rows of buildings several minutes later with an invigorated pulse and cold-chapped cheeks. She spent a moment stabilizing her breath before rounding the corner of the last building, only to break into a run again the moment she saw what, or rather whom had rolled into town and were now chatting with the (former) lieutenant on watch duty. ¡°Gravis! Spahen!¡± Both of them got hugged. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± ¡°Ahem¡­.¡± She turned and made eye contact with Erkunden and then Ablenkung, and her jaw dropped to the ground. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re here too,¡± Stag teased, arms open for his own hug. Callida obliged most willingly and then moved on to Shield. ¡°But, wait. Why are you here?¡± ¡°Ah! Straight to the point, like always,¡± Stag accused with a wink. ¡°Actually, we have several reasons for coming,¡± Professor explained vaguely, ¡°though we might be better off taking this conversation somewhere more private.¡± ¡°Of course! The house is this way. It¡¯s a bit overrun with children, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be much of a security risk,¡± she teased. ¡°And holy Primordials, I almost forgot! Gravis! Congrats on the new ¡ª relatively new? ¡ª wife!¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± Gravis blushed. ¡°How¡¯s Belle?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°While we¡¯re congratulating people,¡± Shield chimed in, ¡°Erkunden has some news.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Callida¡¯s whole face lit up with a guess. ¡°Is Delila pregnant?!¡± ¡°Was,¡± Stag said sheepishly. ¡°Was. Was?!¡± Callida balked and then smacked Stag¡¯s arm excitedly while he laughed. ¡°When?! Boy or girl? How¡¯s Delila recovering?¡± ¡°Well, uh¡­ Stetson was born a while ago. He¡¯ll turn two this spring¡­ in April.¡± ¡°So this is old news,¡± she realized with a snort. ¡°We really suck at long distance communication¡­. That¡¯s unreal though. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re a father!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t really talk though, can you? Miss Overachiever.¡± ¡°Fair point,¡± Callida grouched facetiously. ¡°It¡¯s not as though I planned for things to happen that way. I guess, do you boys want to meet the family?¡± ¡°That¡¯s one of the many reasons we¡¯re here,¡± Professor said with a grin. The excited energy at seeing this group of friends so unexpectedly added little hops and skips to her step as she led them through the very uncomplicated ¡°town square¡±, which, honestly, was still only a few neat rows of bunkers, storage rooms, the odd family home, and a few barns for the animals. These predominately log structures were arranged in an enormous L-shape around an open and undeveloped stretch of land currently sporting a fenced off duck pond and little else. ¡°Rogue, I¡¯m home! And I brought some friends with me,¡± she called to the open window as they approached the little house at the very end of the row, and Rogue met her at the door to peck her forehead and then do a double take when he saw Gravis standing in the group behind her. ¡°Gravis?! Welcome back, man!¡± A giant bro-hug later, Rogue realized that the other three dudes seemed vaguely familiar too. ¡°I¡¯ve met you all before.¡± ¡°You have,¡± Professor confirmed with a shallow bow. ¡°My name is Brennan Spahen, though most people just call me Spahen, and this is Stetig Erkunden, and Erzammer Ablenkung.¡± ¡°Erzammer?¡± Callida repeated, one eyebrow quirked. ¡°Ablenkung, I don¡¯t think I ever knew your first name before.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Shield shrugged. ¡°Went by Zam growing up.¡± ¡°Cool,¡± she nodded and then turned to her husband. ¡°They¡¯re members of my old Bear Tribe squad, Rogue. Remember, you met them when they came to the Lion Tribe that one time? Right after Tatio was born?¡± ¡°Ohhhhh,¡± Rogue nodded as the memory finally resurfaced. ¡°Right! Your Bear Tribe bonus brothers. Yeah, it¡¯s coming back. They call you Beta. It¡¯s a little on the nose now, don¡¯t you think?¡± he teased, and then gestured back into the house. ¡°Well, come in. Tell me what brings you here. Actually, Gravis, where¡¯s your wife?¡± ¡°Leader¡¯s Lodge,¡± Gravis muttered. ¡°She didn¡¯t come with you?¡± ¡°Not that kind of trip.¡± Callida frowned at that, not really sure what was meant by such a comment, but picking up a subtle, significant undercurrent in it. It would seem that this was a business trip rather than a family visit. *** The guys had played happily with her boys while she and Rogue made dinner, and the meal had been spent in pleasant conversation, catching each other up on all the personal updates. Spahen was now very single again after both the girlfriend and her maid hadn¡¯t worked out, Ablenkung¡¯s contract with the Bear Tribe military had expired, and he was debating renewing that contract or starting some ambiguous, new adventure, and Erkunden was enjoying the family life, hunting, and ¡°other things¡± which everyone in the former Squad 14 knew meant the occasional covert ops for the military. ¡°Parrot sends his regrets, by the way,¡± Stag mumbled to her privately over sudsy dishwater while Rogue got the boys to bed and Gravis helped Shield unload some things from the carts parked outside. ¡°He wanted to come, but he promised Treu he wouldn¡¯t travel during the last trimester of this pregnancy, and that¡¯s coming up quick.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more than understandable,¡± Callida pardoned their absent friend readily. ¡°Is Ruhe excited to be a big sister?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s still too young to really understand what that means, but my understanding is she gets very excited about babies. We¡¯ll see how she feels when a baby starts monopolizing her mom.¡± ¡°That is one thing I haven¡¯t had to deal with with my boys, for better or worse.¡± Stag chuckled and returned to scrubbing the cooking pot in front of him while Callida dried the plates she¡¯d just finished rinsing of soap suds. ¡°It would be fun to get our boys together someday¡­ and Parrot¡¯s kids too, but I was just thinking that Stetson fits right in between your two sets of boys age-wise.¡± ¡°Almost perfectly,¡± Callida nodded. ¡°I still haven¡¯t met Delila. I need to do that.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m here in an official capacity which you definitely don¡¯t know about¨C¡± ¡°Spying on the colony for Bear Tribe intelligence?¡± ¡°In so many words,¡± Stag snorted. ¡°But I¡¯m also here in an unofficial capacity.¡± Callida waited for him to continue while he organized his thoughts. Meanwhile, Stag finished washing the pot and moved it into the rinse basin, rinsing and drying his hands before turning to meet her eyes. ¡°Beta, Delila is a Primordialist. But she¡¯s far from a zealot. Actually, most bears have struck this peculiar balance when it comes to religious things. For the most part, we are content to wait and watch and work on our own spirituality and enlightenment until something significant happens. Delila is that kind of Primordialist. Actually, I am too to a lesser extent.¡± ¡°So what are you saying, Stag?¡± ¡°Delila¡¯s been wondering if it would make sense for us to join the colony. I¡¯m here to scout out that¡­ potential. Though my own motives for making that move would be much less religious.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Something fluttery and distracting blossomed in Callida¡¯s stomach. ¡°You¡¯re considering moving here? Permanently?!¡± ¡°Possibly.¡± Callida was speechless and stood blinking at him dumbly with a dripping plate in her hand. ¡°It might take a while, and I¡¯d have to convince Delila, but she asked me to return with a report on the colony and whether I thought it would be a good move for our family.¡± He snorted at her continued muteness and jokingly bent down to scoop an imaginary something off the floor to offer to her. ¡°Here¡¯s your jaw.¡± ¡°B-but, when?!¡± Stag merely chuckled and nudged her shoulder. ¡°No. I mean, how serious are you about this?¡± ¡°Beta, if it were just me and I didn¡¯t have a family to consider in all of this, I¡¯d have joined you last spring ¡ª that¡¯s when I first mentioned the idea to Delila. A year later, she¡¯s finally warming up to the idea. But you know I¡¯m a hunter by trade ¡ª an outdoorsman. Exploring a new frontier is every outdoorsman¡¯s dream! Add the fact that you¡¯re the one leading this circus, and yeah. I was ready to sign up the moment Professor told me about it.¡± ¡°Well, in that case, what does Delila need to be convinced?!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk later. Looks like Rogue got the boys down, and I know Professor has about a million things he needs to discuss with the two of you.¡± Almost on cue, Spahen called to her (quietly so as not to disturb the children trying to sleep in the next room), ¡°Hey, Beta, come join us.¡± Erkunden took the drip-drying plate and dish cloth from her with a nod of encouragement. ¡°Thanks, Stag.¡± Callida entered the tight circle of chairs Spahen had arranged while she was talking to Erkunden and took the seat between Spahen and her husband, leaving one half of the circle unoccupied for when the other three joined them. Rogue snagged her hand as soon as she¡¯d settled. ¡°Alright, Spahen, what brings you here?¡± 68 - Bigger Than Us Spahen took a deep breath and then leaned forward, clasping his hands together with his elbows on his knees. ¡°Alright, first things first, from Seliga: congratulations on surviving your first year out here. Except for the handfuls of personal items we stowed on the carts, the supplies we brought are a gift from the Bear Tribe leader, including the carts themselves and the horses that pulled them here.¡± Both Callida and Rogue were floored. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unbelievably generous,¡± Callida eventually managed a response through rising emotions. ¡°I think she¡¯s rooting for you, Beta,¡± Spahen returned with a small smile. ¡°She¡¯s been impressed with how well you¡¯ve been managing here. At least, she has stated on numerous occasions in council meetings that hardy neighbors are good ones to have. Once you get more securely on your feet, I know she hopes to establish more formal relations with your colony.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to write a ¡®thank you¡¯ note for you to take back with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that would be appreciated,¡± Spahen said and sat up in a stretch that became a more formal posture. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m also here to represent the Council of Elders on a few, pressing issues.¡± Just then, the door swung open, and Gravis and Ablenkung blundered through it while carrying too much stuff ¡ª most of it looked like camping gear ¡ª to set against the wall by the family shoe bin. ¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± Shield offered awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re just in time for the heavier stuff,¡± Professor informed him. ¡°Take your seats.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The largest and broadest of the three bears and the hulking Gravis had to scoot their adjacent chairs back to make enough room for their shoulders. It amused Callida greatly, probably more than it should have, and she bit into her lip to keep herself from laughing. ¡°Alright. Council of Elders business. Beta, Ulakam is in a state of upheaval right now. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve heard very little about it being isolated out here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re pretty isolated, yes.¡± Spahen nodded, his lips pinching into a thin line as he decided where to start. ¡°I have four major points I¡¯ve been sent to discuss with you. First, establishing lines of communication to make you less isolated. With your permission, we have some enterprising people in our tribe who would like to take advantage of the marked trail from our territory through yours to this colony to build inns and waypoints, if you will, for travelers to rest or purchase supplies. A chain of establishments like that would more readily enable lines of communication as messengers would have easy stopping places. So that¡¯s the first point, and we can discuss it in finer detail later.¡± ¡°Ok,¡± Callida acknowledged. ¡°Second, we need to discuss the passage of hopeful colonists through the Bear Tribe territory with you. It¡¯s¡­ gotten complicated, which actually leads into the third point. I need to update you on some world events.¡± ¡°Ok. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°There is political upheaval everywhere. Like, it¡¯s ubiquitous. Primordialists everywhere are screaming for their governments to recognize your claim as the parents of prophecy and some of them believe that you, Rogue, specifically, are the Great Unifier himself. In turn, governments everywhere are struggling to navigate things. Some of the smaller tribes are locking down their populations because a mass exodus of believers would cripple their tribe. The Bear Tribe has been asked by several of these tribes to please turn away their own citizens at our borders. It just means these people are taking riskier and less legal routes to get here.¡± ¡°Primordials,¡± Rogue muttered. ¡°And then there are some tribes that have responded by rounding up all the Primordialists in their territories with the intention of sending them packing this spring. We¡¯ve been tracking at least two massive groups that have been expelled from the Turul Tribe and the Bison Tribe. Our estimates have them arriving here in two months, and their numbers are¡­. Beta, based on what we¡¯re seeing, your colony will triple or quadruple in the next six months.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± An icy numbness trickled slowly through her limbs, and Callida felt the early signs of a panic attack grip her chest and mind. Rogue noticed and quietly placed his hand against her back, and Callida started paying attention to her breath, dropping her face into her hands until the panic subsided. ¡°Ok. That¡¯s good to know now while we still have time to prepare. Primordials. Anything else?¡± Spahen¡¯s brow had furrowed, but he continued. ¡°There are other tribes on the brink of civil war over this.¡± ¡°Oh. Is that all?¡± Callida asked sarcastically in a desperate bid for humor. ¡°Which brings me to my fourth point. Dragon King Ekata has sent a rather desperate plea asking ¡®his distant cousin and fellow leader, Qiangde Yudha,¡¯ to join him for a series of open negotiations with the public. It is his hope that these negotiations will help him to stave off civil war. You¡¯ve been called out, Rogue.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± Gravis chimed in a little gruffly. ¡°Seliga thought a bodyguard with a familiar face might make it easier for you to leave with us.¡± ¡°Leave?¡± Rogue clearly wasn¡¯t excited by the thought. ¡°What am I supposed to do to¡­ to prevent war?!¡± ¡°Be the Great Unifier they think you are,¡± Spahen stated simply. ¡°Call for peace. Tell them you don¡¯t want violence committed in your name and welcome them to join you here if that is their wish.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Rogue snorted reactively, finding perverse humor in such a suggestion, and then sobering when no one else even cracked a smile. Callida watched him throw up a defensive smirk. ¡°So I just go visit my long lost cousin, kiss some babies, bestow empty blessings, soak up all the hero worship, and then tell everyone to please cease and desist? It¡¯s not like anyone would listen to me!¡± Callida set an understanding, and hopefully reassuring, hand on his leg. ¡°Rogue¨C¡± ¡°What?! I¡¯m a nobody!¡± He nearly shouted. ¡°You know it; they know it. Everyone knows it! Callida, I¡¯m a nobody. I¡¯m an orphaned waif that found shelter in the wastelands. I¡¯m a nameless, forgettable bandit. The only notable thing I¡¯ve ever done in this life is marry you!¡± ¡°Rogue¨C¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to take our leave for the night, Beta,¡± Spahen said and very deliberately stood up, the rest of the group not a half second behind him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a lot you need to discuss. We can pick this back up tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thank you, Spahen.¡± The group shuffled out with the demeanor of boys caught trying to swipe pies from a window sill, and Callida turned to Rogue the moment the door was shut behind them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rogue blurted before she could say anything. ¡°I ruined the evening.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok. I¡¯m not upset.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not what these people think I am! I¡¯m not a leader, not really, and no, being a camp leader in the Resistance doesn¡¯t count. And you are the leader of this colony more than I am with your ex-military government thing you¡¯ve got going on. Callida, I really am a nobody.¡± ¡°Rogue¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get why people think I¡¯m somehow better than that. Is it because I¡¯m an Alpha wolf host? Like that matters! Is it my surname? I barely even remember my childhood family, Callida. My family name means almost nothing to me! I have no formal training of any kind; I¡¯m not even a proper doctor! What qualifies me to be the Great Unifier? I¡¯ve done nothing to earn that title, and I¡¯m no hero! I¡¯ve unified nothing. I am noth¨C¡± Unable to stand a single, self-derogatory statement more from him, Callida aggressively grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him into a kiss to shut him up, refusing to let him free again until he stopped fighting it. ¡°And yet, you are everything to me.¡± He seemed to want to argue with her before he thought better of it and instead began studying his toes. ¡°Rogue, listen to me. I can¡¯t make you feel like somebody when you are determined to believe that you are nobody, and look, I get it. I¡¯ve been feeling like an imposter since this whole thing started, and I¡¯ve felt inadequate and scared and angry and bitter and exhausted¡­. But maybe it¡¯s not about how we feel anymore. This is bigger than us ¡ª so much bigger ¡ª and I¡¯m not talking about the stupid prophecy. Frankly, I don¡¯t believe in the prophecy, and I know you don¡¯t either, so let¡¯s just take the prophecy nonsense out of the equation for a minute. ¡°This situation isn¡¯t so different from the one that pushed us to leave the Lion Tribe and start the colony. We left the Lion Tribe to protect people under threat, remember? We left to save lives. Now there is an entire tribe of people under threat out there. King Ekata is trying his best to save his people from destroying each other, and he¡¯s asked for your help on the slim chance that you¡¯ll even get the invitation, let alone accept it. ¡°The question we need to discuss is: will you go to the Dragon Tribe to try and help King Ekata save his people from civil war? Is that even possible right now? Rogue, this has nothing to do with you being some fantastical savior of the world or not. This only has to do with your willingness to go.¡± She stopped lecturing him and stepped back to process his reaction to her breakdown. He was frowning, his face pinched in thought and with emotions that were probably as unpleasant as they were overwhelming. Eventually he sighed, shoulders sagging with exhaustion, hand lifting to run irritably over his face. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he admitted with frustration. ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t argue with anything you said. You¡¯re just right. You¡¯re always right.¡± He flopped ungracefully into the nearest chair and sat shaking his head to himself between shifting from one agitated position to another in the prolonged silence that followed. ¡°What do you want me to say to that, Callida? Am I supposed to cheerfully take up this burden that¡¯s been dropped into my lap and skip off to the Dragon Tribe for the next, I don¡¯t know, three to six months? Or more? I figure it¡¯ll be at least a month there and a month back plus however many months are needed spent in ¡®public negotiations¡¯. We have five young children, Callida. This is a time we¡¯ll never get back with them, and in six months, Tajam and Ddalu might not even recognize me anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Callida nodded sadly, and slipped gingerly into the seat next to him. ¡°I¡¯m tired of constantly being separated from you, m¡¯lady. I swear, we¡¯ve spent more or our marriage apart than together. I¡¯m just tired of all of¡­ this. And it¡¯s never going to get easier, is it?¡± ¡°No. Probably not.¡± He sighed heavily again and zoned out on a point far, far away, looking more defeated than anything else. Callida started playing lovingly with his long curls, expressing affection to make up for a lack of comforting words. Eventually, Rogue turned to look at her, and Callida let her hand still upon his shoulder as he studied her. ¡°M¡¯lady, do you know that I love you?¡± She smiled and leaned in to make herself accessible to him, and Rogue partook, something sorrowful and deeply tender in the way he kissed her. When Rogue had gotten his fill, Callida shifted from her chair into his lap so she could hug him and quietly tip her forehead to his while he continued to process. ¡°The real question isn¡¯t if I¡¯m willing to go or not. It¡¯s if I could live with myself knowing that I stood by and ignored pleas for help as an entire tribe fell into war.¡± ¡°Rogue?¡± she prompted after another moment spent in silence. He groaned miserably, and Callida knew it was because he¡¯d found the answer to his revised question and wished that it was different. ¡°M¡¯lady¡­.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Her face dropped sadly, her eyes tearing up from the impact of his choice hitting her with unexpected force. Curse it all if he wasn¡¯t so darn compassionate and wonderful! ¡°We¡¯ll be alright,¡± she mumbled the bitter assurance. ¡°You always are.¡± He lifted her chin to encourage her eyes to meet his, and the next moment, Callida was soaking up more of his kisses as they both grew emotional in the face of yet another long separation. Soon she¡¯d been swept up in a bridal carry, so Rogue could feel their way to the bedroom door without the need to disengage.