"Why me?" I asked as I took a long swig from the spiced ale.
After our little duel, I was led to what looked as the King's personal study while the others were shown around Breura. As I waited for Thirteen, I looked around the large room. I was somewhat impressed to find that a king had quite the collection of literature as two mid-sized bookcases filled to the brim ran along the far wall. Two chairs, one of which I sat, of an elegant blue cloth sat opposite a matching couch with a wooden table between them in the center of the room. In front of the window, an elegant desk sat undisturbed with a pile of paperwork neatly stacked in one corner. Pictures hung throughout the open space of the walls that weren't occupied by shelves of varying statuettes.
Sighing, Izras answered, "If I had to guess, the king trusts you more than any other suitor."
"Why though? We tried to kill one another last time our paths met," I placed a hand over the brand I was given back then hiding it once more.
Izras just shrugged as her body slumped into the couch in front of me, "My King talked very much about you to the two of us," she nodded to Queen Udreth who silently sipped tea from her cup as her piercing eyes analyzed me once more, "He told us that you were somewhat of a favorite to the crowd that gathered. That you killed without remorse back then. Tell me, did it ever get easy to take a life?"
(What kind of question is that?) I sighed as I sat back into the chair trying to make myself comfortable for what looked to be some kind of interrogation. I thought for a moment as the words began to form, "It depends on those I killed. Could you be a little more specific?"
Izras chuckled as she sat up, placing her elbows on her knees to support her head, "How about your fellow slaves?"
I just gave a small smile as I looked to the ground, my skin sweaty as I thought about those years. I thought about the first time I had killed someone for survival. My first was an Lepus girl that looked to be a year or two older than I was. With one look, I could tell she was well toned like the soldiers I once adored even in the tattered rags we were forced to wear. Her eyes were cold as she stared at me through the blank half mask she wore.
I remembered the feeling of her hands wrapped around my throat as she tightened her grip. Such joy I saw in the act of causing pain deep within her very soul. The struggle I went through trying to free myself and the blood painting my thumbs as I clawed her eyes out. My ears ringing with her wild crazed scream as my body fell hard to the ground. The cheers of the crowd as I dodged her blinded strikes. I remember pleading for her to give up as my small figure wrapped around her like a snake would its prey. Lastly, I remember hearing the snap of her neck as I pulled with all my might, the first signs of my will to survive, and the vomit that came afterward.
With those thoughts in mind, I looked to Izras and gave my answer "Taking lives never gets easy especially those you formed bonds with. Their faces haunt my dreams to this very day as do their final words."
I stood and made my way over to a nearby shelf and picked up a statuette that resembled a gryphon. "Though that is only for those I came to care for," I smiled as I turned with a shadowy copy of the creature in my other palm, "killing became easier when the prey is the slavers themselves."
Queen Udreth broke her silence as she asked, "You mean Alabasta, correct?"
I nodded as the shadowy replica became animate in my palm as it shifted to a humanoid figure waving its arms as black flames consumed it. "I took delight in killing him for all the pain he caused. The expression of fear forever frozen on his face as I claimed his head and put it on display with a collar gagged in his mouth for all to see before I made my exit. Though if I am being honest, I owe him for the man I am now."
"As do I," Thirteen's voice came from the doorway.
Looking at him, I found both of the Crows from earlier had taken a position on either side of him as he made his way to take a seat behind the desk. I watched the smallest of the two as the familiar scent of honey lilacs and crushed black berries tickled my nose. Though I knew the scent, I couldn't remember where I had smelt it before. The crow saw that my eyes wandered over her body as a familiar tail began to shift from side to side underneath the cloak. I at least thought it was familiar then again other nekojin had black tails as well. That being the case my mind went back to the scent trying to figure out where I had smelt it once before.
Sighing, I put the thought away for now as my attention fell on Thirteen who had a cigar in his mouth and a plume of smoke around his head. "So tell me Thirteen, why me? Why not one of your own nobility?"
Thirteen didn't say anything as he blew a grey puff of smoke. Taking a glass, he made a silent toast and drank. "As I came in, you were discussing Alabasta. On the topic of slavers, I am told that you ran into Spatonamus at the gates of Ironclad. I am told that you set three of my subjects free after taking that pig's ear. Tell me why didn't you kill him out after all the torment you went through by his hands? Why set those three free even when it didn't benefit you?"
(Why did I let him live? Why did I free those three?) At the time, I was merely running on instinct upon seeing the tormentor that got away from me long ago. Part of me did want to end the miserable wretch where he stood, but didn't. Maybe I let him live in hopes to get back at him for the pain he caused. In all honesty, I thought about tracking him down and killing him to tie a loose end. Orion is still a growing monster and the protein he'd get from the pig would be immense.
As for the three Lepus, I guess I was reminded of how weak I once was. The pain of cold iron sticking to my flesh during the winters of the Eternal Year. Afraid to be the last to acquire shelter during the rainy season from the discarded wooden planks and tattered cloth. The growing hunger as days turned to months without adequate amounts of food. Finally, growing fear of uncertain death hiding in the shadows. All those feelings came back to me with one glance into their miserable pleading eyes.
"I guess you could say that I wanted to be the hero," I looked to Thirteen as he watched with a raised eyebrow, "a hero that many of us prayed to come save us."
A sudden knock came from the door, "My King, Miss Bennett is here. I had her wait with the other three guests in the courtyard."
"As I expected," Thirteen chuckled as he looked to the grandfather clock towering in a nearby corner. "Come Twenty-one, take a walk with me," he stood and made his way to the door with the Crows once more.
I was surprised to find a large open air courtyard surrounded by lush plants that I've only come across in the wilderness. Patches of Ifyucroot grew near the base of a small incline of moving water as it would in nature. Ifyucroot were tall thin uncommon plants that bloomed twice during the Year of Kings: Nerus and Kozmis. They are sought after by healers for their healing properties and beauty of the swirling white petals. Uhax mushrooms grew along the cement walls that highlighted their vibrant colors. Though used in a majority of poisons, it was common to find in gardens and such for its natural pesticide. Elegant roses grew in a row along the little stream running throughout the courtyard.
I was lost in the foliage when a little voice rang out, "Lord Jackal!"
Following the voice, I chuckled as I saw the three little Lepus children running toward me with Luca on their heels. Phoebe, Alicja, and Sofia were still dressed in the elegant dresses they had gotten in Ironclad. All three had bright shining eyes as they crowded me with a wrapped box in hand. Kneeling down, I held my palm out in front of me urging mana at its center. Three black butterflies once again fluttered freely from the dark void spiraling in my grasp. Once again the three girls were filled with long lost joy as they allowed the butterflies to land on them.
Luca smiled as I greeted him, "There's someone here that would like to meet you, Jackal."
I watched as he looked at Thirteen who nodded giving his approval for some unknown reason. Bidding me to follow him, Luca led me to the far corner where a Lepus woman sat watching the three children laughing as they played. Unlike Luca and the girls, the woman was a Dyr with lush turquoise fur. Curly strawberry blonde hair flowed from the white headband she wore stopping just at her shoulders. With one glance, I could tell that the woman was a laborer that tended one of the farms inside Breura's walls. The woman was clad in a dirt stained olive green smock dress with the sleeves rolled just above the elbow and well worn shoes.
The woman stood as we made our approach. "Momma Chlo, this is the man that freed your daughters," Luca placed a hand on my shoulder, "Jackal."
Momma Chlo's eyes went wide as she bowed her head. She proceeded to make a series of clicks and grunts as if talking. Momma Chlo was speaking Faatari, the language of the old Lepus that lived when the Primordial Deities walked Aquera. Faatari is an ancient dialect that was thought to be forgotten. If I recall from one of the books I read, Faatari was the language that the Lepus once used when the tribes of Beastmen were fighting among themselves. Though lost throughout the years, some travelers spoke of encounters with tribal beastmen that communicated like so.
"It's an honor to meet you Lord," Luca began translating, "I thought my children had been lost for over a year. I thought I was never going to see them again and was about to make memorials for them alongside their father."
Tears began to stream down her face as she fell to her knees. Luca followed her, continuing to translate, "For so long I tried to prepare myself for news of their deaths. I was so relieved to hear that my daughters weren't just alive, but coming home to me," she looked into my eyes, "Those three are the only ones I have left. Without them, my life would have been nothing but misery. I am forever in your debt. You have not only saved them, but me as well."
I went silent as the woman continued to weep at my feet. I watched as the three children along with Luca wrapped their arms around her in an attempt to calm her. For one reason or another, I knelt down and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. Her tear-stained face slowly rose to meet my gaze as I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket. I gently dabbed at her eyes, drying her tears as if she was a child. I smiled as I put away the damp cloth and stood towering over her.
"There is no reason to grovel at my feet," I held my hand down to her, "stand with me and greet me as a fellow demihuman on equal terms."
Momma Chlo smiled as she took hold of my hand, helping her to her feet. She wrapped her arms around me as more clicks and grunts came from her. Luca translated once more, "I truly can't give you anything for such a gift," she took a step back as Phoebe, Alicja, and Sofia crowded in front of her, "Please accept these as a token of my gratitude and my personal invitation to any crops you desire."
After accepting the gifts, I watched as Luca led the four of them to a side corridor. The three children waved goodbye as they disappeared from sight. I stood in the middle of the courtyard alone with Thirteen and his Queens. I felt their eyes burn into me with anxious curiosity as I tore the paper and lifted the lid of the gift Phoebe had given me. I smiled as I lifted a pendant of my namesake from the deep crimson cloth where it once rested. Putting it to the side, I found a large bouquet of freshly trimmed carrots and a small red ball in the box Sofia held, two things that Orion enjoyed: food and play. In the final box, I smiled as I saw the smiling faces of the three girls in a picture with the words 'Thank You' scribbled on it.
I heard footsteps walk closer to me as Thirteen answered my question, "This is why I chose you to marry my daughter," he stopped in front of me, "you know the pain that most of my people have gone through. The heartache of not knowing if you would survive or the feeling of remorse for those we are made to kill. The sympathy to judge people not on their race, but their character. A guiding light that many would follow if the need ever rises. You have the qualities of a king and have my respect. So will you accept my proposal and marry my daughter?"
Looking him in his eye, I gave my reply "No," I sat on one of the stone benches as I stared up at the sky, "I have respect for you as well, but I can not simply marry someone I do not love even if it's for a better alliance between Ironclad and Breura. That being said, I do believe a strong alliance can be formed."
"I had a feeling you'd say something like that," Thirteen chuckled as he sat next to me, "I knew from the start you would disapprove of my intentions the moment I saw you and that Ljósálfar woman."
I watched as Thirteen gave a small sigh and looked to the ground, "Ashe is to be my heir, a position that she is inexperienced in. I know that when I am no longer of this world that there are those that will seek to take advantage of her for their own gain. She will need not only allies of her own, but someone to stand by her side as she rules."
"Is that why you set the stipulation for me to marry her?" I asked.
Thirteen nodded, "It was one last attempt to guarantee her safety. I was truly overjoyed when I heard the rumors of the Jackal throughout my kingdom. I knew I had to have you as her husband and my next heir because of your strength and heart," he began to chuckle as he stood, "You have to excuse me, I tend to carry on in my old age. Feel free to join us at tonight's feast in honor of the coming winter and the birth of an alliance."
I watched as Thirteen and his Queens disappeared behind a door along the corridor we took to get here leaving me alone. After a few moments, I found myself staring at the picture once more as I felt a weight on my shoulder. I felt Orion place his small feline head against my cheek as he purred softly in my ear. He sensed that my mind was once again flustered and tried to help ease my mind like he usually does. I smiled as he leapt from my shoulder into my lap and began to nibble on my fingers.
"Why can't everything be simple?" I muttered as my vision became shrouded by darkness that faded away revealing the bedroom we were given to stay in as honored guests while the stone bench gave way to a soft mattress.
Reaching into Penumbra, I pulled a simple silver chain free and placed the jackal pendant on it. I admired how the craftsmanship seemed to shimmer in the cascading sunlight coming from the window. Little swirls were etched into the metal resembling puffs of fur that ran along the outer ears and covered the top of the face while gold flakes gleamed around the lower jaw. Two small rubies sat in the deep sockets like piercing eyes while an emerald topped the snout. A sly smile forever frozen made the pendant even more of an intriguing piece. All together, the single pendant cost more than a simple farming family could afford, unless they used the gold I had given them.
"Those girls truly are something else," I chuckled as I laid down, "Maybe a little dance will make up for our postponed date."
I stood in front of the large hanging mirror staring at myself in the suit that was given to me by Thirteen which belonged to his now imprisoned son. The jacket was a shade of blue with a somewhat red hue to it that gave it a more refined look than I'm used to. I buttoned up the two lower buttons to help give me more breathing room around the chest due to the somewhat size difference between the two of us. A spare white buttoned down shirt shown through the gap running along the chest. The jackal pendant shimmered in the light of the room as I adjusted the cufflinks around either wrist. I wore a matching pair of pants that gave little to no room for hiding one of the misericordes.
"I look like a pompous asshole," I muttered as Nyxis walked in the room wearing a little black dress with a fishnet style neckline.
"I think you look handsome," Nyxis chuckled as she fixed my shirt collar, "maybe even more than you usually do."
I rolled my eyes as I combed my still damp hair back allowing my forehead and scar to freely be seen. I never enjoyed going to balls or festivals even when younger. I had always tried to find a way to stay at the manor and get lost in a good book, or multiple books. The stories always caught my interest more than my fellow nobility even when most thought less of me as a potential spouse for other family heirs. Marriage was one of the many things I didn't care for when younger, but as I grew closer to Nyxis, my mind changed. I knew I wanted to marry the woman standing with her back toward me as she colored her lips ruby red. Now, my mind was filled with the possible future of being a king of a nation then again, I was the 'Shrouded King'.
Looking at me from the mirror, Nyxis smiled as she asked, "What arrangement did the two of you come to terms with?"
Sighing, I answered as I zipped up the back of her dress, "He will form an alliance between the kingdoms..."
"But?" Nyx turned to face me.
I feared how she would respond, but what kind of man would lie to the one he loves, "He asked if I would consider marrying the little fox as a way to protect her. She is to be his heir and fears for her safety when he is no longer of this world. That being said, he chose me because we shared the same hell long ago. He wishes for me to stand beside her as she rules the Beastdom as her king."
I lowered my head in hopes to not look into her eyes for fear of breaking her heart, but I was surprised when she placed a hand on my chin lifting it up. "You told him no, didn't you?"
I nodded, "That and more, I tried to encourage him that a strong alliance can still be forged even without the stipulation in place. To my surprise, he agreed to form an alliance without so much as a broken thumb."
Nyxis gave an inquisitive look, "You're considering his offer, aren't you?"
I didn't say anything as my mind began to fill with guilt at merely mentioning the thoughts going through my mind. In all honesty, I was tempted by the power that came with the title of king but feared the hidden threats cloaked in the same shadows I ruled. I feared that Nyxis would be killed just like in my nightmare. Under the care of Alabasta, I was taught that power was a necessity of survival along with the mindset to use it wisely. With the power of a country behind me, I could ensure that those nightmares never come true. Then again, I could never marry for such a reason even for the greater good.
I felt her soft lips pressed against mine as my mind took a moment to register what happened. After a moment, she placed her head against my chest. "I'll stand behind your decision whatever it may be," she turned and walked to the door with a seductive strut, "If you do choose to marry another, It'll be alright as long as they know who the main wife is."
I shook my head as I followed behind her through the threshold of the room. I had a feeling that Nyxis would be somewhat alright with the situation present. However, I saw the faint outline of a coiling winged serpent with glowing amber eyes staring at me. The serpent was the manifestation of her will. It only appears whenever she wishes to send a point across to disruptive customers or any trying to cross her. I, too, had such a manifestation, a denizen of Penumbra that I acquired on one of my many excursions into the depths of the void.
I smiled as I shut the door and followed the knight designated to act as our guide. I truly felt that the night would be full of peaceful laughter and celebration. I could already see Zeke swindling pompous nobles from their gold through several games of Rattling Bones. Walking through the doorway into a large open space completely decorated for the coming winter, I was lost in the tranquil colors of white, blue, red, and gold. For a moment, I felt as if the night would be filled with joy and an opportunity for the two of us to enjoy ourselves finally.
Fate, however, had other plans as a gaggle of arms knight ran toward us chasing a humanoid beast as it yelled in an ear piercing voice, "Grotto! Grotto been attacked!"