A King's Legacy
Chapter 22: Sanctuary
From the moment the fox saw that enormous tree sprout forth from the earth below, Rust knew the battle was over. The silence that fell upon that battlefield in the darkness of the night after only confirmed it. The cub had watched intently as the light of that golden heartbeat illuminated the sky like the rising sun, and knew there could be only one solution. He had seen that light many times over, and it had even come to his rescue back at the caverns, but this time, it was more than the fox ever would've imagined. It was only visible to him above the line of houses, but the glow it cast was reassuring somehow. The fox wasn't afraid anymore. They were safe, they had won, and that mammoth cherry tree climbing into the air after only cemented that claim.
Rust took a single look at his hands, thinking about the gift he had awakened only moments before, and darted off towards the river to help before he ever stopped to think otherwise. The cub worked endlessly throughout the night with the support of Stahl to heal the injured, starting with Aster, who was unconscious by the time the cub arrived on scene. His focus and willpower never wavered for an instant until his part was over, well after dawn rose upon that weary battlefield turned sanctuary... Well after a certain stubborn bull finally found a place to rest for a moment.
The captain was beyond exhausted, going two complete days, a long walk with a sprint back, and fighting a demanding battle before being allowed to stop, his position had demanded such. He demanded as much from himself. The bull ate three pieces of the fruit, and walked around the backside of the tree, letting himself hide away from any that would think to approach him in that moment. His duty was done for the day, and not a beast or orc present ever disturbed that solitude, intentionally or otherwise. The bull finally had a moment to think. The captain let himself mourn.
There had always been a Rixator in every war of every king for the passed four generations of Alora's ruling family. There was a legacy there to uphold for the bovine, and yet, suddenly, he was alone. He didn't have time to mourn his father, but the general had lived a full life. He had raised a fitting heir to lead on after him... Mollis had helped ease that loneliness and keep the bovine distracted after he had died a worthy death. Mollis had been there for him over half his life at that point... But Mollis was the last piece of family the captain had, and he had just watched him fade away from him as well, leaving only the faintest, fading taste of the hare behind.
The captain was alone. The captain was the last of his line. The captain was more tired than he should be... He would be thirty-four soon, and he could feel it. His body was becoming less dependable by the day... His right shoulder was on fire, and his knees felt like they had been ground to dust. The bull was struggling with his mortality, the lack of his own family or legacy that came with it, and the smothering realization that he was truly without anyone then.
The bull closed his eyes, letting the flowers dance around him in the breeze. Despite his despair, his fatigue was winning. The bovine adjusted his head, took in a deep breath of the floral scent swirling around him, and exhaled a long, and drawn out sigh. He could think on such things after he had led his prince to safety...
Something thumped his new horn lightly, clasping itself around the tip of the cherry wood that had replaced it. The bull opened his eyes, and waved a hand near the presence, sitting up just a bit as he did so. A small sparrow jumped off the horn, landing just an arm's length in front of the bull. The captain studied it with a sense of nonbelief, not moving a single inch more as he did so. It had dark brown feathers, with the lightest tan spots dotted around its plumage, just a tiny little sparrow seeming so out of place.
The bird took a few hops forward, and reached down, gathering up pieces of the flowery plant in its stead. It gathered a large beak-full, turned back to the bull one more time, and flittered off. The captain watched as it rose high into the air, and disappeared into the branches of the great tree towering above to start building its nest. The bull let out a huff and fell backwards, folding his arms behind his head as he closed his eyes once more. The captain cracked a smile, and spoke in that whispered tone one last time before yielding to his exhaustion.
"I hear you, Mollis. I'll start building my own nest after my work is done here. I promise."
===
Prince Tyfin was not holding up well after the battle had ended. Mollis had drained him of almost everything, drawing the largest reserve of power the young lion had ever held at once to nothing within seconds. He had badly overused his bloodskill, stressing his nervous system, and leaving him with a dizzying sense of numbness. He couldn't even feel his fingertips anymore, and that feeling was only spreading. As the death count was tallied, the prince found his forces had been decimated, leaving a mere handful to continue forth, the rest either dead, or choosing to stay behind in the village... The prince had failed, at least, in his eyes.
He had reassured his people, calling for strength, and asking them to put their lives on the line... To trust in their king... And now most of them were dead. That trust had only landed them in either a mass cremation, or the belly of fiends. He left that battlefield, choosing to be alone in his shame, finding it difficult to even walk through the prickle of numbness that stabbed at his feet. The prince stumbled off, feeling like he hadn't actually contributed a single thing to the efforts, never realizing that it took far more than swords to take victory. Never realizing that their plan only failed because of the Earthwyrm disrupting everything at the most crucial point.
His ankle gave way, and he lost his balance just before reaching the outskirts of the village, forcing the young king to his knees. He barely caught himself as he fell forward, landing on shaky arms with his face mere inches from the dirt. His dizziness swept through him with new vigor, spiraling his vision as everything swirled beneath him. The lion clenched his teeth, trying desperately to keep from emptying his stomach, but failing as he retched the bile from his lips. The prince didn't understand why his bloodskill was making him so dizzy, so nauseous, so short of breath... The numbing prickle he knew of, but never this. It was the beast standing behind him that pointed out what he was missing.
"It's harder than you thought, isn't it? Being responsible for so many lives... The weight a king must bear." Tyfin couldn't even turn his head to look up at his visitor, barely keeping himself from falling apart completely. He couldn't even manage to speak, his chest was just too tight. Sir Corper just kept talking to the young king, as if he wasn't scarcely managing not to collapse into his own vomit.
"But you show true remorse... True leadership... Traits I didn't want to accept that you had. I wanted to see you as your father, for you are more like him than you know... He went down the wrong path, even with such promise. The same could easily happen for you as well..." The bear went silent for a moment, taking a pause. The lion felt a powerful grip on his shoulder, and the sudden sensation of being pulled upright, held on his knees helplessly as the bear stood behind him. The prince felt the warrior move his other hand around him, bringing it up to his throat, casually letting those burly fingers dig beneath his mane. The bear encased the lion's entire neck within his grasp, gently rubbing his thumbclaw against the pulsing jugular. The prince failed to draw in a breath. The bear was silent for a while, keeping his threatening hold for a moment longer before continuing.
"But... You could also become the type of king your people really need, the kind they don't even realize they need yet. You could repair much of the generations of damage your family has caused... Never all, but you could set a new standard towards making it right, with a little help and guidance... You could lead the way your mother chose to." The prince felt the grip on his shoulder tighten, pulling him to his feet briefly. His legs still just didn't want to work...
"Draw from me." The bear spoke with a hint of solemnity. The prince weakly shook his head and replied.
"I cannot... I have exhausted my bloodskill. United Strength is beyond its limit..." The veteran spoke again, a bit more somber this time.
"Consume is not." The prince's eyes went wide. He protested immediately.
"I will not use my father's bloodskill... Nothing good will ever com-" The bear interrupted the young king, not caring to hear what he was certain was a well practiced excuse.
"I fought beside your mother and father for many years. I've seen the effects of both skills... That numbness you are feeling? It's going to ravage your entire body soon. You're going to scream out in agony as you sweat out the pain, unable to even move from the paralyzing shock of the kickback. Then, your nerves are going to feel like they are catching fire beneath your skin, and your spine and skull will feel like lightning is coursing through them. Finally, you'll erupt into a fit of seizures, as your body manages to set itself right. You'll wake up more sore than you've ever been. You've clearly never overused it to this extent, so you really don't know what true pain awaits you... But your mother had endured it, many times, and it almost killed her every time. She was not known for being weak willed." The prince's legs buckled, but the bear caught him with blinding speed, never letting him shift more than an inch as he carried on.
"But... if you use Consume, if you use your father's bloodskill, you can draw what you need from me. You can draw some clarity and balance for the heavy thoughts that plague you. You can draw some sense of peace for your silent burden of the weight thrust upon you. You can draw the strength your body needs to right itself, to steel your nerves, to fix yourself by borrowing the power of another. Prayer magic never helped your mother... But this should work. It was the entire reason for their arranged marriage in the first place. You cannot rule with only half of your self, young king. You cannot live in fear of your greatest potential, you must learn to trust yourself to know when to stop, to accept your power. I will not repeat myself, Draw from me." The prince winced, his knees falling asleep on him, far beyond his control, yet searing with more pain than ever before. He groaned through his persistent dizziness, not even sure if he could move his arm still. Sir Corper moved it for him, placing it on his own forearm as he spoke shortly, bracing the young prince up carefully.
"You won't get a word out through the screaming soon. Now or never..." Prince Tyfin finally gave in, terrified by that power, but more terrified of what was taking a hold of him... With a hitched voice more like a frightened whimper, he spoke the command at last.
"Consume." A sensation the prince had only felt once before rocked into him, knocking away everything that he was or wasn't feeling in that moment. It reminded him of a hunter, sinking their teeth into their game, taking everything from their prey as their own. The bear grunted immediately, speaking to the lion gruffly.
"Ease back..." The prince almost dropped it completely, but found his head starting to clear just enough to listen to the guidance, and did his best to focus on slowing the draw. He was able to stabilize it at a slow trickle, slowly feeling himself regain control of his body. A sense of peace washed over the beast as he drew out the bear's polished control, and took a piece of it for himself. The prince had something flood into his mind then, as the skill began cracking into the ex-knight's memories. Sir Corper had prepared for as much, focusing on one, and gave the lion another gift that day.
The image of a mighty lioness in her prime, standing valiantly at the edge of a battlefield came to him. She was looking down upon her army with a fierceness in her eyes that commanded attention, and respect. The lion felt the bear's emotions from that moment as his own. She knew the cost of leadership, and she was prepared to lay down her very life to fight beside her people. She knew the price of war, and she would stand against the fiends regardless, knowing she would suffer losses. She would mourn those that perished beneath her watch, and she would fight tirelessly to spare as many of her allies as she could. She was something to be admired. She was something beautiful. She was his mother, shown in a way he was far too young to ever remember in. The young king found a touch of peace indeed.
Tyfin cut the connection, catching himself on now steady limbs. It had worked, he didn't feel like he was dying anymore, and his mind lingered on the image of his mother. Before he could ever finish processing that borrowed memory, the bear spoke again.
"I am choosing to believe that you are more like her... I am betting everything on it. Now, we both need rest. Come." It took everything the prince had to repair his façade, the one he was duty bound to maintain, but the prince locked away his emotions and tears, and headed off towards the village beside the bear, having no real idea what had spurred all of this on. The bear stopped a short ways from the prince's quarters, and turned to open the door to another small room. Sir Corper motioned the lion in with a wave. Tyfin didn't know why, but he trusted the veteran, and followed him in, closing the door behind himself. The prince stared at the bear cautiously, questioning being alone with the beast who had quite clearly made it a point to show he could've killed the lion only moments before. Then Sir Corper started stripping off his clothing, making the prince panic in an entirely new way as he spoke.
"W-wait... I-" The older beast cut him off once more.
"Be silent." The young king closed his mouth immediately, feeling cornered, pressured, and strangely compliant to the larger beast's command. The bear undressed further, tossing his clothing aside before he walked over to the lion and started removing his longer coat. The prince felt frozen in place, simply letting the bear undress him without resistance, knowing this shouldn't be happening. Sir Corper tugged off Tyfin's shirt without a fight, but as the bear reached a claw into the waistband of his pants, the lion suddenly regained some control, and stepped back a pace, clutching at his waistband. The bear just shrugged, and turned to the larger bed, laying down with his back against the wall as he stared towards the regal lion. He spoke out to the prince as he settled in.
"If you don't want to sleep in the nude, suit yourself, but you're getting in this bed, even if I have to put you in it myself. You need this, and I'm probably the only one that can see that you do... You hide it so well. This is the only time your weakness can show. This is somewhere you don't have to be a king. When you wake, you'll have to go back to being a leader, so come, I won't tell you again." The bear patted a massive hand beside himself, beckoning the lion to take the spot next to him.
The prince gulped, his heart racing. He was admittedly a bit turned on by the way the solid beast was ordering him around, it felt nice to not be in charge... It was like when he was with him... The young king had only ever been with one beast, and wasn't sure if he even wanted to be with anyone but that one beast... But he wasn't being given a choice here, and that was the most exhilarating part to the young burdened king, because he was so damned tired of making choices. Tyfin lowered his head, and submitted his control to the bear, letting him take charge. He brought his hands back to his waistband, pulled down his pants, and stepped over to the bed hesitantly. The beast king crawled next to the older bear, secretly a bit scared, but putting himself at the mercy of the larger knight's whims all the same. The prince almost jumped when the gruff bear spoke softly to him, but with an undertone that demanded an answer.
"Lay against me, however feels natural... I know you're a submissive." The lion felt his sheath tingle at the words. Deep in his mind, something screamed for him to run somewhere, for the bear would surely break him given the chance. Perhaps he should have listened to that voice, for it was correct in a way the lion wasn't expecting, but the prince rolled over, raised his tail up, and slid back against the front of the bear, claiming the little spoon position. The lion felt the presence of a massive sheath along the ridge of his rear and tail, and trembled in pure uncertainty.
Sir Corper brought his arm over the royal cat with an encompassing embrace, his bigger bicep nearly covering the lion's entire torso. The bear tilted his forearm up to cradle the top of the prince's head tenderly, and moved his other arm above the prince, leaning forward a bit to encompass him. He placed his larger head over the prince's own, letting gravity push his weight down against the lion gently. As he brought up a leg to cover the young king's bottom half, the bear shifted a bit, drawing the smaller beast closer to him, locking Tyfin in a complete and total pin without ever putting too much pressure on him. The prince's sheath throbbed at the show of domination, and his façade shattered at last when an unstoppable moan escaped his lips. He just felt so wonderfully secure for the first time in weeks... The bear spoke to the young king in his control firmly.
"Good. You can feel the strength behind these arms. Know they are a sanctuary for you now... Know they will keep you safe here, hidden beneath me, away from all of those troubles on the other side of that door... Know they will hold you while you let yourself crumble into pieces. You may rest here, young king, for you have much to do on tomorrow's horizon. Accept all these things, for they are the truth." The bear gave the younger beast a tight squeeze, as if driving in his point before he continued.
"Your father is gone now, but you can learn from his past. With any battle comes loss, but accepting that risk is part of what a soldier's life is. Any power you hold is only as dangerous as you choose to let it be. These things are also truths, and must be accepted as such, though you are allowed to let yourself feel pain when you accept them. You may grieve how you need, even a king is allowed this much in this place." Tyfin listened on in shock, not realizing the bear had seen beneath that mask of his so expertly. But a king didn't have the luxury of such time to grieve... Not in front of his people... As if reading his mind once again, the bear drove the final nail into the coffin.
"I am not your soldier. You are not my king... I told you, you may rest here... You did well, but now you are hidden, and you are safe. Let it all out, I'll hold you together while you break apart, because you can't become the king you'll need to be until you do, and because you are the only real hope Alora has left for peace. You won't become a king anyone will follow until you accept these truths. Do you hear me?" The bear raised his voice just the slightest bit as he ended with the question burning into the lion's ear. The prince shuddered, and nodded before he barely whimpered out an answer, letting himself submit fully, yielding to the bear's demand with the first tears already falling.
"Yes Sir." Prince Tyfin fell apart at last, venting in the way he had needed to. He tucked his head into the reassuring presence of the weight against him, smothering his sobs into the burly beast's fur before they could ever be heard by anyone else. The bear's great arms hiding the young king's frailty from the world, but letting him know that somebody knew what was going on beneath the surface. He could finally breathe for a second. He could finally admit that he was afraid. He could finally rest, and the bear held him tightly through the night.
===
Aster awoke with a start some time later in the smaller room he had been staying in, stripped bare aside from his pants. The human immediately brought a hand to the back of his head, and panicked a bit as he felt a good deal of dried blood. His head was throbbing still, but after he dared to press on it a bit, he was immediately relieved to find the wound wasn't that serious after all. He kept feeling around, waiting for the pain to hit, when he realized there simply was no wound anymore... The human sat up a bit stiffly, and reached to touch his ankle... There was nothing, no pain at all... His joints were sore, but his leg was fine.
Aster fell backwards onto the bed, not exactly helping his headache, but feeling too angry and guilty that he had somehow survived unscathed when Mollis had been lost to care. There was a healer among the orcs after all, or so he thought. The boy glanced over, and saw Rust passed out with a small blanket on the floor nearby, snoring softly. Stahl was in a chair with his arms crossed, leaning into a corner where his exhaustion had overtaken him. The wolf was snoring much louder, wearing only his pants himself. Aster saw afternoon sunlight through the window, and swung his feet off the bed quietly, careful to let both snoring beasts get the rest they probably hadn't had a chance to. He grabbed his bloodied shirt and the soiled scarlet headband, threw them over his shoulder, and made his way over to the door with as little noise as possible, leaving his boots behind. He stepped outside without waking either beast, slowly turning to close the door carefully.
The human turned to see a handful of orcs nearby staring at him with a look he couldn't quite identify. The boy averted his gaze, and walked towards the river without much pause, ignoring whoever wanted to stare at his shirtless form. It just didn't seem to matter right then... The human kept on going, never slowing, never really looking up at anyone as his mind struggled to accept that the hare was gone.
He finally came to the river, just a short ways away from the remodeled battlefield. Aster refrained from looking towards the tree, and instead simply walked a few paces into the water, sat down for a moment, and let the cooler water wash over him. He idly grabbed his bloodstained shirt and crusty headband from his shoulder, and submerged them in his grasp, just letting himself sit chest deep for a while after. Just being still.
After a long time simply staring down at the water, the boy finally dipped backwards, and let himself sink beneath the current for a moment, the roar of the river filling his muffled hearing underwater. It was deafening, but it drowned out all of those terrible thoughts for just a moment. It washed away any signs that the tears were ever there at all. Aster rubbed a hand over the back of his head, clearing the dried blood away from his scalp and the little hair he still had. He finally sat back up a while later, leaning forward before simply breathing as the water trickled off of him. He stayed like that for another ten minutes undisturbed by anyone.
Aster submerged himself once more before he finally stood, stepping out of the river with his pants soaked and dripping, and his shirt still a brownish color from the blood. He took a few paces further before he stopped in surprise. Folded neatly upon a nearby boulder was a new pair of pants, a fresh shirt, and a set of new leather boots, all in his size. The boy looked around briefly, and saw nobody. The human dropped his soiled shirt with a plop, and kicked out of his sopping wet pants shortly after. He changed into the fresh clothes without much pause, just going through the motion. He wiped his feet on his discarded pants, and laced up the new boots after. Aster strained as much water as he could from the headband, and tied it around his wrist for the time being. The boy was thankful for the fresh clothes, but he just didn't have the drive to find out who had left the gift. Instead, he headed off towards the battlefield, looking up at the enormous tree at last.
===
Oust had been busy after the first stage of cleanup had ended. The dead that actually had bodies left to bury weren't many in number, and the hare had reshaped the battlefield into a small garden with tiny ponds scattered about with his final act. The fox had tended to the injured quickly enough, so there wasn't much left for the tiger to do to help. Oust knew rest would not come to him for some time, for his mind was still racing from the entire experience... There was one thing the beast still needed to do though, and looking around that battlefield at the garden of flowers left in the wake of death gave the tiger the perfect idea.
Oust stepped off a ways into a particularly dense patch of the flora, knelt down to the earth below, and carefully started picking out longer flowers, laying them in a small pile as he aptly worked on until he had amassed a good amount. It took him about 45 minutes of careful weaving, but just as his mother had shown him in what seemed like a lifetime ago, the tiger had weaved together a flowery crown by the end. The beast stood, cradling the ring of small, white flowers, and started walking off a short ways further near the tree. The fluffy beast Milky was softly strumming their lute for the sleeping, hidden bull on the other side of the tree as they sat cross legged in front of the massive arbor.
The tiger walked up quietly behind the canine, careful to let them finish their song before clearing his throat, drawing their attention. The tiger held the crown out with both hands, and walked up to the beast, gently placing it on their head. He had thought hard on an acceptable apology for lashing out against the canine, and this just seemed like something the dog would like. A very accurate assumption.
Milky gently touched the crown, and their eyes lit up as a happy smile plastered across their face. The simple beast surprised the tiger by letting out a shallow, happy howl in approval as their bushy tail thumped happily behind them. The apology had been more than accepted. The canine gently picked their lute back up, and started strumming a new song. Oust took a seat beside them, and simply listened on, closing his eyes as he inhaled the aromatic scent of the flowers beneath the shade of the great tree. The duo went undisturbed for quite some time, until the crunching of boots filled the tiger's ears.
Oust turned his head, and saw the human approaching the tree. His eyes were low, and the tiger wasn't certain the runt had noticed him at all until he was nearly upon them. When Aster did, he simply gave the pair a passing glance, and looked back forward. The boy didn't say a single word, and just took a seat on the other side of the strumming beast. Aster listened absent-mindedly to the song as he humbly gazed up to the towering tree before him, hating himself for the part he played in the rabbit's end, and for the cold treatment he had given him.
Oust watched him from the corner of his eye, noting how detached the boy seemed. It was like he was halfway there... With a shocking realization, Oust couldn't help but notice something was different about the human. There was a lot less brown in his eyes now. Oust wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but it seemed the flecks of gold had most certainly grown larger in the light of day.
Milky finished their song, and looked over at the human softly with a look of sadness. The beast gently laid the lute down before them, used both hands to carefully lift the flowery crown from their head, and tenderly set it on the boy's own. Aster gave the beast a forced smile, grateful for the show of kindness, but unable to get a single word of thanks out. Milky didn't need such thanks to make someone feel better, and simply picked back up their instrument before they started playing a new tune. Milky strummed slowly this time, repeating the chords with perfect timing. They replayed this somber opening for a moment, giving the melody time to build into the air.
Oust thought his heart was going to sink to his stomach at the sound... He knew this song... The tiger didn't know what spurred him to do so, but before he realized it, he was already singing. Aster's weary eyes went wide when that soldier began. Oust was using that softer voice of his... The one he had first apologized to the simple beast with before... The smoothness and the lightness of such a pained tone made for a very somber and humbling performance, even for such a simple lullaby.
Aster was caught off guard, and felt himself get pulled into the song, helpless against such a tender performance. There was something medicinal in the way it made his heart ache in yearning for things to be different. His eyes clenched tightly as the tears were forced from him without mercy as he simply listened to the lyrics closely.
`I'll hold you tight, till you feel right. I'll sing to you this lullaby. Just stop your fight, and rest tonight. And wait right here for morning's light.
So cry no more, your painful roar. Move on from where you were before. Should hearts at war, leave you too sore Know that is what I am here for.
So stay your claws, and tired paws, Come hide with me, escape from all. If doom befalls, away we'll crawl Never again to feel too small.
Now stop your chase, just lie in place, I'll keep you in a close embrace. Kiss on your face, your fears erased, I'll hold your hand, for just in case.
I'll hold you tight, till you feel right. I'll sing to you this lullaby. And if your fight, should lead to plight, I'll guide you through the darkest night.
And if your fight, should end in plight, May this song guide you to the light.'
When the tiger finished, and as the last note hummed off into the distance, the human finally stood. With eyes still leaking out tears, the boy turned back towards the simple beast, and gently returned their flowery crown in gratitude. Everything still hurt, but there were the faintest traces of a soft smile on the human then. Aster briefly made eye contact with Oust, gave the beast a slow nod in thanks, and stepped away, leaving the great living monument to their fallen ally behind as he made his way back towards the town. He only made it a few paces before he heard another set of footsteps behind him. The boy turned to see Oust following him. The tiger called out to the human.
"Where are you going?" Aster almost let himself laugh, but he only turned his head forward and answered the beast behind him.
"I honestly don't even know..." The boy kept walking, never passing another glance back towards the tiger trailing behind him. He made it back to the village before he even realized it, and simply turned up the main road, noting how much quieter the place seemed, even in such broad daylight.
`How much less alive it is...' Aster couldn't stop the thought from crossing his mind if he wanted to, but honestly, he was still far too tired to fight it. The boy walked on, entirely ignoring the glances from the orcs nearby, but finally starting to feel conscious of their stares. The human made it a ways more before he came across a familiar building, one that seemed to still have some life left in it. Aster stared at the wooden door in a daze, never really knowing why, but choosing to step inside the tavern anyway. He was met with silence, and even more assaulting eyes. The human simply lowered his head a bit, and walked forward with his gaze mostly to the floor.
The only tables that weren't already full of orcs were the bigger ones, so Aster found himself taking a seat at an empty, large, and circular one near a wall. He kept his back to the other patrons and stared down at the table, never giving another orc a passing glance, unreactive to their gazes. He understood... He would have to get used to that feeling... Anyone that didn't see him as a threat before certainly would now that he had awakened the heartbeat... Aster was going to live his life as the human that was hated and feared, despite all his efforts otherwise... That was simply another thing that stole his hope away from him then.
"CLINK."
Aster looked up with a start, seeing the lady orc from his last tavern visit set a clay mug on the table in front of him. She looked into the boy's eyes, and gave him a small smile. Aster looked away, and simply spoke what seemed the obvious thing to him.
"Sorry... I don't have any money with me..." The barmaid spoke once before turning and walking away, leaving the boy to his mug of stout smelling mead.
"You've already more than paid enough." Something moved to his left, and Aster turned to see Oust taking a seat next to him, a mug of his own drink in his grasp. Before the human could say anything, he heard the screech of a chair to his right, and saw the orc chief Crag himself take that seat next. The surprise and worry on the human's face was evident, as one by one, more orcs came to have a seat at his table until there wasn't a single chair left empty. Aster was suddenly a bit afraid that he was about to be taken care of for good. The human was speechless, but the chief was not
"That was quite the first battle, human king." Aster's eyes went wide, but not nearly as much as Oust's own did. The boy looked back down to the table as he answered with a bit of bitterness to his tone.
"I am no king... Who my birth father used to be doesn't change that at all." The orc replied swiftly.
"You are the last heir to the human king, this is true... But that isn't what makes you a king... Tell me, boy, do you think we would still be here were it not for you and that shield?" Aster scoffed, feeling himself getting irritated for receiving praise when he had so clearly failed.
"Mollis is the reason we are still here... If I had only realized his plan... I never would've used it." The chief took a short pause, sipping from his mug before answering.
"I am more thankful for the mage's sacrifice than you will ever know... I am not too proud to admit that we would have stood no chance without him... But were it not for that shield, he never could've pulled it off. If you wouldn't have held it still, the Earthwyrm would've evaded us, and picked us apart until we had all fallen. You stood upon that pillar, broken and bloodied, yet still, you beat your shield to stand against the fiends for the sake of this village, for people not your own. You cast that light upon us, and it saved us all. You wield the power to subjugate everyone here if you so desire, and yet, you use that power only to defend, to bring relief and aid to those that fight on alongside you. That is what makes you worthy of being a king. That is why I call you by your rightful title, for you have earned such respect... You have earned more than we could ever repay. You have earned the right to be revered as a king worthy of following."
Aster kept his eyes low as the orc went off on his spill. When the great warrior had finished, he polished off the last of the drink in his mug, and sat it down sharply on the wooden table. He turned to the boy then, and spoke just a bit more, losing his patience with the defeatist attitude.
"If you doubt my words, ask anyone here. Ask why you have a table of our greatest warriors sitting among you, eager to hear more about that shield. Ask them how that light felt as it washed over us, sparing many mere seconds from their approaching deaths. Ask them what it felt like, to have hope restored when all seemed lost, and our struggle futile in the throes of battle. Ask them if they think you are worthy of your birthright, of both that legendary shield, and of the blood of a king you have coursing through your veins. Ask them, as a true king is one that listens to those that would follow him into the darkest of battles." The barmaid dropped another mug off to the chief as he finished, taking his empty one.
Aster didn't realize he was staring at the chief with a stunned expression until he finally pulled his eyes off the orc, and turned his gaze to meet those around him at last. He looked from orc to orc, studying the emotions held behind their eyes when he finally came to rest upon Oust, staring back with those beautiful, scarlet eyes. Without even knowing the boy was a royal by birth, the tiger had felt the same as the orcs. He held the gaze for a moment before he gave the human the slightest nod.
Aster let his eyes fall back to the table in front of him, feeling a strange emotion welling up inside of him. He couldn't name it, but it threatened to send him back into a fit of tears. Instead the boy gripped his mug gently with both hands, lifted it up before him, and tasted his first taste of alcohol that day. For the first real time in his life, Aster found himself finally feeling like he had found a place at the table. Seemingly even more impossible, was that the table had built itself around him, filled with those that would follow such a king into any battle.
===
About two hours, and three stout drinks later, Aster learned something about himself that day... He was very friendly when he was drunk. Oust watched the human shed his depression, and his usual reservation at astounding speed, chatting the orcs up lightly on all manner of subjects. They talked about the shield a lot at first, Barraging the boy with questions he didn't really have answers for. In the end, Aster sated their curiosity by raising a shield over the center of the table, and letting the orcs prod at it to satisfy their curiosity.
As Aster finished his current drink, they moved on to more trivial topics, telling personal stories and recounts of past victories, pointing to the marks on their skins as they bragged on their most outlandish skirmishes with pride. Aster couldn't help but think of Stahl in that moment with a chuckle, being quite the braggart himself. As the boy started on his next mug, another question came up from a younger orc.
"So what mark did you choose before battle, human?" Aster finished his gulp, and placed the mug down gently, turning to the orc for a moment. A frown crossed his face, his mind returning to the hare. Aster stood up, influenced by a bit by the liquid courage he had been drinking, and actually removed his shirt in a room full of people, joining the rest of the orcs in the bared torso dress code after battle. The boy sat down after, and pointed to the triangular mark on the left side of his chest, just over his heart. It had three arrowheads spouting off in different directions along the flat sides, making what appeared to be a star of sorts. The boy forced a half smile, and answered the orc.
"Protector... That's all I've ever wanted to be. I just want this shield to mean that those I stand beside can always find shelter and safety behind it. Though, I am learning I may not be strong enough for that after all..." Oust finally spoke for the first time, choosing to mostly listen up to that point.
"We all feel too weak sometimes... But we have to remember the strength we do have. The strength we've proven to have by surviving... Sometimes, it's just enough to make a difference. Sometimes, that's all we could hope for... Or at least, that's what I was told recently..." The tiger ended by finishing off his second mug, pacing himself responsibly. Aster weighed those words carefully, actually finding the slightest bit of comfort in them. He passed the tiger a glance from the corner of his eye, finding it strange to be sitting beside him of all creatures now, but thankful none the less. The boy cracked a half smile, returning to his better spirits as the conversation moved on, and the drink count rose as the sun started to fall.
Another two hours later, shortly after dusk had faded into the early night, Aster could barely keep his head up anymore. The table had started dispersing as the conversation dwindled and spirits were put at ease, leaving all who had remained awake after the battle ready for a bit of rest at last. When the orc chief left with a final pat on the back for the human, Aster was smiling like a fool, leaning forward on the table. Oust had paced himself, barely drinking three throughout the night, but finding his exhaustion catching up to himself at last. Even so, the tiger stayed beside the boy until only they were left. He finally spoke casually towards the human with a bit of a sigh.
"Come on... I'll walk you back." The larger cat stood, offering a hand down towards the drunken human. Aster had to close one eye to lock on to the hand, but was able to grasp it without too much trouble. The beast braced him a bit as he got his footing, feeling the world swirl around him. The human let out a light groan at the strange new feeling, and swayed a bit before steadying himself. He released the hand, took a single staggering step forward, and lost his balance, falling forward. The tiger caught him before he ever collided with the dirt.
Oust let out another long sigh, realizing how far gone the human clearly was. The cat helped steady the boy once more, released him, and walked in front of him, kneeling down with his back towards him. As the beast looked back, Aster realized the intention. The human blushed a bit beneath his alcohol flushed cheeks, but accepted the offer, climbing on to the tiger's muscular back once more. Aster wrapped his unsteady arms around the burly shoulders and neck, and leaned his head forward just a bit to rest in the nook of the tiger's neck, finding it eased his dizziness then just as it had before.
Aster could feel the beast's heart beating strongly, and smiled at the sensation. Oust stood, adjusted his grip to support the boy's legs, and started out the door, opting for a slower walking pace than normal, enjoying the moment more than he would admit. They walked on beneath the stars for a while in silence, both listening to the other's breathing. Finally, Aster spoke softly to the tiger through his rattled thoughts.
"That song you sang back there... It was really nice." Oust felt a touch of warmth within himself at the words, thinking fondly of the one who had taught it to him. He answered with his more gentle voice in turn.
"Thank you... It's called the Soldier's Lullaby... My mother used to sing it to me. She was a lot better at it than I am though." Aster smiled against the beast, finding that hard to believe. He thought Oust had a beautiful voice. Still, the boy answered in turn, enjoying talking to the tiger like this.
"I bet your mom is really pretty." Oust tensed up just the slightest before he replied.
"She was... My sister looks a lot like her. Though they certainly don't behave alike..." Aster nodded, not meaning to press on painful things, but caught up in the conversation.
"Your mom must have been really nice then, you had to get it from somewhere." Oust scoffed a laugh, answering objectively.
"I am not nice..." Aster's louder laugh pierced the air a bit, the boy nuzzling further into the defensive cat as he spoke after.
"Well... You've been a lot nicer to me lately... You don't have to admit it... But thank you, Oust." The beast didn't respond, leaving that conversation dead in the water. He did eventually open up elsewhere though, confessing something different to the human.
"I just stopped blaming you for beating me when we met.... Losing to a simple human? It made me feel like it only confirmed my worthlessness, and for it to happen right in front of my sister caused me a lot of trouble... But none of that was really your fault." Aster paused for a moment, giving his retort.
"Well, to be honest, I shouldn't have won that match. I only beat you because you didn't know about the shield. You cornered and overwhelmed me immediately, so you should've been mad about the loss..." The beast stopped walking, adjusting his grip on the boy and staring up at the night sky dazedly as he spoke.
"Well, if it helps... I'm glad I lost now. If I would've beaten you, you wouldn't have made it to the ceremony, and we would all probably be dead by now... It took me a long time to acknowledge your worth, because I couldn't ever even value mine... But you are a worthy warrior, Runt." Aster had a warm feeling of his own sweep through him at the confession. The boy chuckled again, and answered while the beast continued their walk.
"Thank you, Oust... That means more than you know... Will you do something for me though? Will you use my name again, like before?" The beast flashed the first true smile he had worn in a long time as he answered the boy.
"I just did, Runt." Aster scoffed, but smiled after, pressing his face a little more into the burly beast. Oust continued a short time after, asking what was on his mind.
"So... Your father was a human king then? Must be strange, knowing you were royalty." It was Aster's turn to flinch, replying a bit flatly.
"Yeah... But I don't like people knowing that... I don't think I have what it takes to be a king, so in a sense, I'm glad I am just Aster now..." The tiger nodded, understanding being complacent with the simple pleasures.
"Solis... It was a nice name." Aster reeled at the statement, pulling his head up and closing a single eye to stop the doubling vision, glaring at the tiger. Oust returned the look over his shoulder, and kept talking. "I heard the rabbit say it back there on the pillar... I didn't know what he meant by it then, but I get it now. Solis is your old name, right? Your human one? It was a strong name. You don't have to cut that past out entirely is all. You have more kingly qualities than you, or most others have realized is what I mean..."
The tiger trailed off, coming to stop just in front of the smaller building the boy was staying at with the wolf. They had arrived. He eased the runt down, guiding him carefully, and turning to face him after. Aster looked up into those stern, scarlet eyes, and saw the slightest touch of admiration shining beneath them in that moment. Before the human ever realized it, he was stepping forward, and learning up to kiss the beast once more. Two larger fingers pressed against the boy's lips delicately before they ever got too close, stopping his passage. Aster looked up a bit caught off guard, but the tiger was just smiling gently before he spoke in a very caring tone.
"Not like this... Not when you're like this..." The beast dropped his fingers, leaving the boy a bit embarrassed about his blatant, drunken attempt being brushed away. He was about to turn away from the beast in shame when Oust leaned in, tenderly placed a larger paw on either side of the human's head, and drew him in to plant his lips firmly on the boy's brow for a moment before pulling away. The beast released the human after, motioned towards the door of his room, and left the boy with only a final nod in departure, and two words, never glancing back after.
"Goodnight, Aster." Aster watched the tiger go for a moment, a truly stupid, drunken smile plastered over his face. The human king turned, opened the door, and returned to his quarters with a touch of warmth lingering on his already flushed face. Everyone had coped with the aftermath of that battle in their own way that night, readying them for what stood on tomorrow's horizon.
===
Many, many miles away, at the estate of a certain white tiger family, a visitor arrived in the throes of the night, cloaked and moving silently through the halls. Their padded paws took the most quiet steps across the courtyard, working carefully to go unnoticed by the lord of the house as they hugged the wall near his bedroom. The beast edged along a bit further, remaining unnoticed by all, or so he had thought.
The hooded hyena jumped back immediately in surprise as the burly, hulking form of Reiner Candori stepped right through the walls before him, phasing through completely in the nude as the moonlight lit up the pure, white fur of his massive frame, broken only by stark stripes of the blackest night along his back, and appendages. The beast was a true monster, standing at 7' 9" with the same starkly red eyes as Oust, but lacking any traces of such kindness within them, all while having half a foot height advantage over his disowned son. His physical strength had never been bested in weaponless combat, and the mighty form of the seasoned warrior only backed such a claim. The great general took three paces forward, mostly ignoring his visitor entirely as he stared up into the night sky, crossing his arms in annoyance before speaking in a threatening manner.
"What do you want, Logos? Of all times, now is not a wise one to be lurking about my home." The hyena chuckled a bit loudly, finally breaking his silence with the foreboding sound as he lowered his hood.
"Oh... Just thought I should share a few things with the future king... I'm certain you'd love to know-" The tiger cut the beast off quickly, pushing the point along.
"I'm well aware Talan Venatus is on the move with what's left of the Aschefells. I am not so without my own informers. You are wasting my time..." The hyena cackled again before he spoke, much to the annoyance of the tiger.
"Oh, this is true... And the Raxos line threatens to tear itself apart in the meantime... But anyone of any importance already knows this much... I have something even more interesting for you... For a price that is." The tiger only growled menacingly, losing patience by the second. He finally snarled back a retort.
"This better be worth my time, Logos. For your sake." The hyena's laughter rocked into the night air once more, delivering his damning rumor with delight.
===
I took a short break to rest after the big battle, so thanks for the patience. They depart the village next chapter, and we get a few more smaller scenes then. (and a good deal of backstory from them.) The next arc is fast approaching, and almost all of your questions will have answers when shit goes down.
That poem took way too much time haha. I'll be going on vacation the last week of April, so don't expect much update at that time. As always, I love hearing from y'all! Thanks for taking the time to send a review, drop a rating, or even a comment. Hope you enjoy what comes next. -Pup Bayou.