JOYCE
Before she opened her eyes the following day, she was warm and comfortable in the furs. But she could smell the wildness of this place and knew it was not her imagination. She told herself that it was all a dream. And sadly, when she sat up, even though she was still in Sung's bedroom, he was nowhere to be seen. Her shoulders slumped.
She had gone to sleep heartbroken the night before. He had said they were meant to be together. And she had felt that too, which was crazy! But then she had given him every signal she knew; she had touched him, asked him not to leave, looked at his mouth and chest, stroked him… and he just stood there. Or, rather, just knelt in front of her.
That thought made her realise he must think of her like a child. She was so weak compared to these people, her senses much duller. She was less… brutal. Even when she had found her courage and stared that woman down, but afterwards he had to carry her out of that crowd because she had been exhausted.
To him, to these people who have rituals where they murder each other and call it an honour to die, she must seem so innocent and timid. Such a baby. When he had stared at her for so long, touched her so sweetly, she had thought he wanted her so sweetly and felt he wanted her. But then… nothing. And no wonder no real man wanted to sleep with a child.
Her cheeks felt heated when she thought of how she had touched and pressed against him in the smoke the night before. What a fool she had made of herself! She wanted to bury herself in the furs and never speak to another person on Anima again. But she knew that was not going to work.
No, if she wanted Sung to look at her as a woman, she would have to start acting like one the way Anima defined a woman. The thought made her feel sick, but rather than focus on what that might mean or whom she might have to kill before her husband decided he wanted to sleep with her, the first step had to be getting herself out of bed.
She heaved a sigh of relief a moment later when, in a panic, she looked around the room for something to cover herself and caught sight of a pile of clothing at the end of her bed. Shaking them out, she found a pair of leather trousers, a loose pale shirt, and a long vest like Sung's except with no fur collar and, on top of them, socks and a pair of sturdy boots.
Minutes later, she found what counted as a bathroom in the rock mansion and walked through the great empty room alone. With no one there, no clocks or other choice, she pushed through the door and headed outside to see what this day held and figure out how to meet it like an adult.
The guards outside escorted her to what they called the market, which turned out to be a large, outdoor eating area where hundreds of people sat or stood near tables. Some people weaved between them, bringing plates full of juicy fruit, thin slices of meat and obviously fresh-baked bread. And the smell was heavenly! Joyce's stomach growled.
Faryth, the guard who had told her he would take her to Sung, laughed. "Maybe you are leonine after all!"
She had tried to smile, but she was suddenly aware of people staring at her, talking to their friends, and following her progress through the market. She wanted to shrink into the dirt under her shoes. She felt like her skin was too tight. But as they made their way through, she saw the raised eating area at the other end of the market and Sung at the centre of the table. His eyes followed her but without the judgement or disapproval like the others. She wished their first greeting after last tonight did not have to be public. But soon, she was up the stairs and seated next to him.
Sung, in the golden morning light, was a sight. He had strands of his hair that fell out of the leather at the nape of his neck and stood staring at her. His skin looked like burnished bronze. And his eyes were so bright; they looked golden as he took her hand and bowed over it, his eyes never leaving hers, which made her heart beat faster. But before she could say anything, he spoke first.
"Good morning," he turned to her, pointing to the woman on her other side. "Joyce, this is Talia, one of our best weavers."
Taken off guard, it took her a second to blink and realise who he was speaking to. It was the woman who had tried to help her when she woke up at the rite.
"H-hello!" Joyce said, shocked.
"Hello, Joyce. I am glad to see you made it," the woman bowed deeply as everyone nearby looked on, which made Joyce want to grab her shoulders and pull her upright.
But Sung was staring between them. "You know each other?" he asked, surprised.
"Yes, last night," Joyce explained. "When I woke up at the rite, Talia tried to help me."
Sung turned to the woman and bowed over her hand as well.
"Thank you, Talia. You have the gratitude of your king," he said softly, meaningfully.
Talia fluttered a hand at her chest and blushed. "Oh, it was very little, majesty. I assure you."
"Still," Sung insisted, "it was a kindness that was much needed. You are an example to the kingdom. Thank you. since you have such a kind heart, could I ask you another favour?"
"Of course!" Talia's thin face brightened.
Sung smiled. "I have to meet with the security council. Perhaps you could show Joyce the city centre and explain some of our customs?"
Talia's smile froze, but she did not hesitate to bow and assure Sung that she was happy to do it.
"Thank you," Joyce said.
This woman did not want to babysit her but was doing it to please Sung. She could feel her cheeks heating, though. Could he not see that?
"Thank you," Sung repeated and turned back to his meal. As someone placed a plate of food in front of Joyce, and she started shovelling it into her mouth, she heard a small snort, and Sung nudged her.
She turned, her mouth full of the crusty bread, and met a very serious Sung staring down at her. Oh no, what had she done? Was there a prayer she was supposed to say before she ate or some other odd tradition?
Sung leaned in, and she swallowed hard to remove the mouthful. His lips brushed her ear.
"As queen, we won't allow you to run out of food, I promise," he whispered.
She slapped his shoulder as he chuckled, and her belly spun. She loved that deep, warm sound.
When he was finished laughing, he held her gaze, his eyes wrinkled by his smile.
"Good morning, wife," he murmured.
She blinked at the name and stared at him.
"Good morning," she said breathlessly. "Did you sleep okay?" He grunted and shrugged. Judging by the dark shadows she could now see under his eyes, the answer was no, but when she remembered why, she winced and changed the subject. "You should have woken me. I would have come to the meal with you," she said.
He flapped a hand and took another mouthful of food.
"I wanted to let you rest," but he did not meet her eyes as he said it.
Joyce's heart sank. They ate silently for a few minutes, Joyce desperately searching for something to talk to him about but constantly stunned as she looked around at everything. The food looked familiar and delicious, but only some were recognisable. These people seemed entirely human but moved and sounded differently. And the clothing was somehow refined but also sparse, no shoes, only natural linens and leathers, feathers or flowers in the hair of the women.
Then she turned to look at Sung for a moment; she was struck again with the sense that she had seen him before and knew him. Only now, she was not overwhelmed by the events or the smoke. Now, the feeling of a familiar face, a known friend, would not leave her and chewed at her insides when she could not place him. He took a mouthful of food just as she cleared her throat.
"You said you had been to my world, the human world. Did we ever meet when you were?"
Sung coughed and almost spat a mouthful of food across the table. The next minute was full of him choking, one of the guards slapping him on the back, the nervous faces staring, waiting to make sure their king was not about to suffocate. Eventually, he raised his glass towards those seated at the ground level and croaked through teary eyes.
"All is well!" As the people all smiled and returned to their meals and tasks, he continued to choke and clear his throat. Several minutes before, he turned to her. "I am sorry for the interruption. What was it you said?" he asked hoarsely.
She frowned at him. "I said when you were in the human world, did we ever…."
"Majesty! I apologise for the interruption, but we need your ear immediately."
Joyce and Sung both turned to find a young man standing behind them. Joyce did not recognise him, but Sung did.
"Of course, of course, son. Do not worry, I will come. Joyce, dear, my apologies for leaving you alone this morning, but there are some things I have to deal with from yesterday. Talia will show you around, and I will see you at the evening meal," he cupped her face and smiled, but before she could respond, he was gone.
Like he was glad to have gotten away.
***
SUNG
As he abandoned his new wife and her very inconvenient questions, Sung stalked after the guard, cursing himself as every kind of coward and liar. After everything she had been through, she deserved better. But the interruption by the guard was not a ploy. As they stalked off the market stage and down the stairs towards the Council Hall, Sung could see the young man was tensed.
"Tell me what is going on," he said calmly. Then tried to focus on the young man's briefing.
"Sire! the security council gathered early. Erwin found the wolves already there and meeting."
"Without the council?" Sung spat.
"Yes, sir. They are… they are making trouble. Saying things…" the man eyed him from the side nervously. Sung gritted his teeth.
"One thing you will learn about me, kid, is that we do not stand on ceremony when the tribes are at risk. Whatever it is, no matter how complimentary it may be of me or not, I will never punish you for speaking the truth."
The boy swallowed and nodded. "They are saying… they are saying you did not mate the queen, sir," the poor boy blushed. "So, her throne is still… open."
"What?" Sung snarled.
The boy blinked but did not flinch. Sung picked up his pace. "What else are our wolf brothers deciding for me and my throne?"
"There was mention of a King's Council," the boy murmured, looking left and right to make sure no one else was close enough to hear him.
Sung blinked and forced himself not to show his rage. It was not the kid's fault he had been sent to tell Sung the bad news.
At its heart, a King's Council was a call for the people to review a king's dominance and an opportunity for challenges to his throne. If the security council decided to call a King's council, they would describe how and why Joyce was the pure one and attempt to convince the people to reject him as their King or, failing that, to reject Joyce as their queen.
He was going to have to tell her. If she found out from someone else, she would think he had lied to her, and she would never trust him…
He was not concerned about losing his throne; the wolves were dreaming if they thought the people would support that. But Joyce? Sung found he was suddenly terrified at the idea of losing his wife.
"Take me to them," was all he said. The boy nodded and began to jog, Sung right on his heels.
***
JOYCE
After Sung disappeared with the young guard, Joyce turned to Talia, who was frowning, watching her King run away from the breakfast table. Then, when he was out of sight, she turned to Joyce and considered her.
"Do you care for him?" Talia asked simply.
'Yes," Joyce breathed. "But I don't know how to make him care for me," she said, her voice breaking.
"Are you willing to work hard? To become one of us?"
"Do I have any other choice?" That was not the answer Talia was looking for. The woman folded her arms and frowned. Joyce ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "I only meant that… regardless of my feelings for him, which are real, I have to make a life here. He told me I couldn't go back. I don't want to be this… child in his eyes. But even if I cannot make him love me… I want to have a life."
Talia looked down thoughtfully. A moment later, she sighed. "Let go", she said, pushing her chair out and getting up.
Joyce followed uncertainly. "Go where?"
"I am going to teach you how to become Anima," Talia said, then muttered low enough. Joyce thought she was not supposed to hear. "May the creator helps us both."
***
SUNG
Sung sat in his chair in the council room, boiling with fury.
"Explain to me, please. How is that any of your business?" he said through gritted teeth to the three wolves standing before him.
Erwin and two guard members had stood a full half-hour casually earlier and placed themselves to either side of Sung. They stood loosely and did not draw weapons. Not yet, but Sung could not believe they'd even had to think they might need to protect him from council members!
The wolves rolled their eyes. Perrin, the second-in-command under Lucan, stood in the middle and was the spokesman for today. Sung had not missed that Lucan was smart enough not to be a public part of this disaster.
"You choose a human to be queen, then do not even mate her? How is that not our business?" Perrin growled. "The mating ceremony was a success- we thought. The ancestral line would be safe. But now? The entire city knows she has not taken you. It weakens your position, which weakens all of us."
A dozen other men were in the room listening to every word. Sung prayed they were not swallowing this garbage from the wolves.
"Joyce was brought to our world, against her own will, against her knowledge and thrown into a blood rite. Then she had a mating ceremony with a stranger."
"You are not a stranger to her!"
"To mate a virgin, I am!" Sung snarled. "If she is not ready, I will not push her!"
"Human bullshit," Lerrin spat, and the men on either side of him shifted on their feet. "Any Anima woman, stranger or not, would have taken you in a heartbeat, and you know it. She is not one of us! She is not our queen!"
The intake of breath in the room was swift and audible. Sung was on his feet without thought, and Erwin at his shoulder before Lerrin could reconsider the wisdom of those words that ran so dangerously close to treason. The tension in the room thickened as Sung strode up to the man ignoring the others at his sides.
"Rethink your words, Lerrin, before I bite out your throat for treason against the crown," he snarled.
Lerrin's eyes were cold, but he had tensed. He had said too much, and he knew it. But he was not too slow-witted. His words made Sung turn cold.
"I spoke hastily," Perrin growled. "But take my meaning. She comes as a stranger to us and our ways. She forced you to choose her rather than winning you, and now she denies you on your mating night?"
"Her customs are very different. She has just been through a blood rite and is a virgin. Can you blame the woman for being careful?"
"I have not been to the human world, so I do not know if I can blame her. I can blame you for bringing her to us," Perrin said frankly. "How can we, as a people, trust a woman who lives and chooses so differently than we would? How can we follow her, not knowing where she will lead? And if you would choose her, why would we trust your judgement if she is so foreign to us, but she is what you believe is best for us?"
Sung let a low growl roll in his throat. "You trust me because I am your king, your Alpha, and I have proven myself worthy of trusting!"
Perrin stared at him without reaction for several breaths. The entire room remained silent. Sung refused to be the one to break the tension. But a part of him did not relax until Lerrin broke eye contact.
"As you say, Majesty," he said through a tight jaw. "You have proven yourself. But let me be the first to tell you. If you are wrong in this… it will overshadow your victories."
Sung gritted his teeth so hard they almost cracked. Sung stepped forward until he stood over the wolf-man, who submitted as he should, dropping his head and not making eye contact. But his hands were fists, and he did not step back when Sung moved into his space.
"You have been heard, wolf," Sung snarled, his voice guttering in a growl. "Now hear me; I welcome a challenge from any man in this city. If you believe yourself to be stronger than me, smarter, and better able to lead, you just say the word, and I will happily meet you in the circle. We will decide dominance the way Anima always have. But do not think of undermining me through lies and plots. Take great care in seeding doubt through whispers, or you may find the ground underneath you crumbling."
Perrin did not respond; he just stood, tense. His nostrils flared at the scent wafting off of Sung, the sheer dominance, the aggression. All the men in the room shifted at the stink of their king's displeasure and certainty in himself. When Sung did not continue, Lerrin bowed and finally stepped back.
"You are heard and understood," he said stiffly.
He would not challenge the king like this. He knew who the stronger man was. The question was whether he believed he and the other wolves could take the throne in the mysterious ways Sung described. Sung would not let him leave here, feeling sure of his footing.
He stepped forward again, his chin over the man's head and snapped. "Do not allow Lucine's failure to bring down the entire pack, Lerrin. You are more intelligent than that, and I am not dumb enough to miss how she will try to seek revenge. If one hair on my queen's head is harmed by a wolf, the entire pack will pay in my discipline. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, Majesty."
Sung snorted air out of his nose, an insult among the Anima that implied the person's scent was offensive. "Leave this council and pass my message on to your people, now!"
Lerrin bowed again and turned on his heel, leading the other two wolf males out of the room. None of them looked back. Sung stayed where he had stood until they were out of the door, and it had softly closed behind them. Then he huffed the air out of his nostrils again.
But Erwin sighed. "I am not saying it was not necessary, but… I fear where this may take us, Sung," he said softly.
Sung nodded, still staring at the door. "You and me, both. Does any other male wish to question my choice of a queen? Do we need further discussion on this?" He turned to look individually at each man in the room; the other tribes had watched quietly, not intruding. But their scents said some were afraid and others thoughtful. "Well?" Sung pushed at them.
"Not a challenge," Erwin said carefully.
Sung raised his eyebrows. "But?"
"But… the people are not certain. They did not miss the lack of… union between you today. Do you think it will be long? How would you have us explain it to them to stop the rumours?"
"Rumors of what?" he snapped. He knew he should be grateful that his friend raised the question so the others would hear the answer. It was a better option, instead of whispering about it behind their hands but hating it anyway.
"Some women say she must be barren and wish to hide it; others say she is too weak; she would not be able to carry your child. Others think there is something wrong in her head."
"Because of one night?"
"Because none of them can imagine ever turning the king away," Erwin grinned.
Sung snorted in amusement this time. "Remind them she has not grown up knowing me as a king. She is… less impressed with my position than they might be. Give her time. That is all that's needed," he replied.
As the men nodded, shrugged, and relaxed enough to move on to their everyday business, Sung took a deep breath and prayed the words were valid.
***
JOYCE
As Joyce and Talia left the market and began to wander the streets, Talia pointed out different shops and services. She waved greetings to people who always smiled to see her but often looked cold or scared when they nodded at Joyce. Some bowed to them, and others did not. Joyce was unsure why, but when she saw Talia bow back, she tried to copy her.
"No, no! Not like that!" Talia hissed when Joyce bowed to a woman with a leather sash over her furs.
Joyce straightened immediately, but the woman looked concerned, then ducked away behind the building they had passed.
"What did I do?" Joyce asked quietly.
Talia blew out a breath. "In Anima, our necks are the most vulnerable part of our bodies. We never bare them to each other unless we are mated or extremely close. Even within families, it is rare. So when you bow, you keep your eyes to the ground and your chin low unless you mean to tell someone you are giving them control over you."
Joyce blinked. "Okay."
Talia tugged at Joyce's sleeve. "He has done a disservice throwing you into the throne before we had time to train you. Taking the queen would be hard for any female, but one who was not raised in Anima? It is an impossible task he has set!" she muttered. She stayed quiet. But as they walked further and Talia stayed quiet, obviously worried, Joyce spoke up.
"Why would it be hard for anyone? What does the queen need to do?"
Talia sighed and shoved a hand through her hair, her hand ticking to the side more than once. "The fact that you even have to ask that… the truth is, every queen is different. The queen is a leader of our people, but her role depends on her person. For example, Sung's mother was an extremely skilled hunter. She provided food and taught the young; she understood the wilds and could advise the men when they were tracking or planning battle. And she was… very loveable."
"Okay," Joyce swallowed hard.
"Sung's grandmother was a wise woman. She mixed medicines, advised, settled disputes and helped the council in times of crisis. She led the women's council… she did many things, she was a great leader."
Joyce wanted to swear. "Well, I am neither of those things," she muttered.
"What are you good at?"
Joyce was unsure how to answer that; she had always gotten good grades, learned quickly, and made friends easily, even if they were not close friends. But how could that help with being a queen? Leading people?
"What did you do in the human world?" Talia asked desperately. "There must have been some way you showed skill or usefulness to others?"
Joyce shrugged. "My world was different. I was still considered young there. Still learning and growing, I was studying. My only jobs were working in restaurants and helping the teachers at my school."
"What did you study?"
Joyce snorted. "Literature, but I love animals. I wanted to use stories about animals to teach children how important we are to each other… I wanted to be an example."
They looked at each other, and then both laughed.
"Well," Talia said after a moment. "Maybe you are in the right place after all."
Joyce smiled, but it faded as she looked around. "Are there even animals in this place?" she asked.
Talia choked for a moment. Joyce was not sure if she was covering a laugh or something else. "Yes," Talia said slowly. "We have animals."
"Ones that are not human, though?"
"Yes."
Joyce shrugged. "Maybe I can help with those?"
Talia stared at her a moment, then looked away. "Maybe," she said, seeming uncomfortable with the idea.
They walked on in silence.
"What does it mean to be a woman here? Not even a queen, just… a woman? An adult?" Joyce blurted out.
Talia turned her sharp-featured face and looked around them. They were in the middle of an intersection of paths. There was a thick tree to their right with some kind of stall underneath it, and some people gathered, looking at the shopkeeper's things for sale. One of them, a thick-figured woman, looked at Joyce with suspicion. She leaned into her companion's ear to whisper something. The man turned and looked at Joyce and frowned. Talia took her arm and pulled her away down the path opposite the people. Joyce opened her mouth to ask, but Talia shushed her.
"Just wait. We will get to the cave and then… just wait, please."
It was a surprisingly short walk to Sung's cave. The guards Joyce had forgotten about since they took her to the market this morning suddenly stepped out of the forest around them when they reached the clearing, and Joyce was startled.
Talia raised her eyebrows. "You did not know they were with us?"
"No! How would I? They were not walking with us."
Talia shook her head and muttered something about weak humans, then flapped a hand at the cave's opening. "Let's go inside," she said, her tone dark.
The men spread out behind them, each with his back to the cave. But one of them glanced at Joyce, his face sad. She was surprised at how much it hurt. Joyce was swallowing back tears when they reached the cave's great room. Talia immediately sat on the bench in front of the fireplace, but Joyce stayed on her feet, pacing in front of her.
"I can't help it! I didn't learn these things; I do not… smell things like you people do. I am not strong like you, but it is not my fault! None of those things was needed to be successful in my world. So why is everyone judging me for something I have no control over?"
"Because you were a sacrifice. You were supposed to die," Talia said quietly, her green eyes following Joyce's movement. "You have been made a leader among people who see no reason to follow you."
"What was Sung thinking?"
Talia made a little chirping, coughing noise. "I suspect he was not thinking much as… feeling."
Joyce gave her a flat look. "I am hardly a beauty," she snapped. "If he was feeling anything, it was not about me."
Talia's eyebrows popped up again, and she ruffled her cloak as she had in the clearing the night before. "You truly believe that?" she said carefully.
Joyce stopped pacing. "He had never seen me before. I was a wreck, and I was terrified. Among people who are brutal and strong. It was hardly the best first impression".
Talia's face went very still at Joyce's words. "You truly have no history with Sung?" she asked quietly.
"No. How would I? I have never been to Anima."
"But our King has been to your world. More than once."
"Yes, he told me," then she remembered her question this morning and that strange feeling she had had when she looked at him on. Joyce frowned. "I did ask him if we had met before. He… didn't get a chance to answer."
Talia just stared at her for a moment. "Perhaps that is a line of questioning it would be worth pursuing with him?"
"Can I even do that? He is the King. Is there not some weird tradition about bowing, not talking, or something? Am I not just going to end up offending him or everyone else…?"
"Self-pity is not admired in a woman among the Anima," Talia said softly.
Joyce folded her arms. "Oh really?" she asked sarcastically.
"Really. You asked what it means to be a woman here. An adult. Well, that is part of it. A woman of the Anima knows her strengths and plays to them; she chooses to pursue what she is good at and is humble about her weakness. She does not deny them. She accepts the things she cannot change and does not give up on working to change the things she believes she can."
"Well, wonderful, how do you learn to do all this because I was never taught!"
Talia grimaced. "The Anima learns by observation and imitation. We train, of course, but the greatest life lessons are learned by watching others you admire. Mimicking them, strengthening your body, and learning to believe in yourself by trying things you think you cannot do. Do not cower before a challenge, but do not seek a fight where none is necessary," she paused, her lips thinned. "And trust your husband."
Joyce frowned. "What makes you think I do not?"
"It is obvious to everyone that you did not mate last night. There is no greater show of trust than to give your body to a male."
Joyce's mouth dropped open. "How did you… how do any of you know that?"
"When Anima mate for life, their scents entwine. Everyone knows they belong to each other. When Sung appeared this morning, it was obvious… he did not smell of you."
"He did not… you all… is nothing private in this world?" Joyce's voice was too high, but Talia did not care.
"Very little, honestly. But that means it is also difficult for people to lie or deceive us. So, it has its good sides."
Joyce shuddered. "You people are… I am not used to that kind of…."
"Get used to it. That is what Anima do. You want to be a woman here; you will learn to accept."
"What I cannot change, yes, I heard you and Sung the first time."
Talia folded her arms. "You heard. Yet, holding a grudge or self-protect is easier and more childish. The Anima thrives because we have learned the value of living for each other. Rather than ourselves. And…"
Joyce waited, but Talia trailed off. "And what?" Joyce asked impatiently.
Talia gave her a flat look. "And we live for the good of our mate's heart, and he hers. They are united and generally joyful in it. They are… paired. Everyone knows that to cross one is to fight both."
"Sung spoke about last night," Joyce said faintly. "I thought we… I thought that is what we were."
"And yet, you denied him," Talia said.
"No, I did not!" Joyce protested though she blushed hard. "He... he did not seem to want…."
"He turned you down?" Talia gasped. It was the most expression Joyce had seen on her face, and her stomach sank. This must be even worse than she had thought.
She nodded sadly. "He was kind and gentle, but… he did not want me."
Talia was on her feet and pacing, her brow lined with confusion. Her steps were quick, and she seemed to flutter as she walked. "Couldn't be… why would he? He knew how it would impact the people… it must have-" she broke off and turned to face Joyce. "Were you overcome by the smoke last night? He carried you away from the fires. Did you struggle to think?"
"At first, but it passed. I was just exhausted. But not so tired that I could not… I mean… I would have… I gave him all the signals…."
Talia nodded, but her face remained worried. "He was likely just being a stupid man and decided he needed to protect you. He has always been overly cautious with females. I admire his intent, but frankly, he underestimates us at times. Tonight… tonight, you must make the proposition again. You are clear-headed and healthy. He will not turn you down again."
"But… what if he does. I am afraid he sees me as a child. The way he was last night…."
Talia pushed her shoulders back and shook her head. "You must not accept it. A woman would not. A woman would force him to explain himself."
"I can't do that!" Joyce gasped. "He has already turned me down. I will not force him to tell me why he does not find me attractive."
"Doesn't," Talia spluttered. "There might be true problems here, Joyce, but attraction is not one of them. We were all there last night. We could smell him across the flames, for the creator's sake. I promise you that lack of attraction was not the issue of whatever happened last night. There must have been a reason he thought you..." A knock came at the door, and Talia broke off. "Tell no one of this!" she whispered as she walked towards the door while Joyce stayed in front of the fire. "It will only create more rumours."
Then she went to the door to answer it in Joyce's house.
SUNG
Sung felt terrible leaving Joyce alone all day after her shock, but the wolves were working to undermine him, not just Lerrin. Erwin and the others had heard more than rumours. They had broken up a meeting of several of the younger males, and there were hints that the men had expected the wolf elders to show up. The wolves were always plotting, but Sung had never faced outright insurrection. Every time that day, he had thought he had made a plan and determined what needed to be done, new information came, or someone raised a new problem. He had gotten angrier and angrier as they passed until Erwin pulled him aside as he was eating a hasty dinner.
"I know this has been a tough day, but everyone can smell your tension, and they are all getting tenser themselves in response. You need to breathe."
"I am facing a possible attempt to overthrow my throne, and your advice is to chill?" Sung muttered.
"No, my advice is to do what you are good at and cover up your stress. You are not usually so transparent. Is the mating bond the problem?" Trust Erwin to just throw it out there. All the other men had ignored the issues since he had chewed Lerrin out about it. Sung ground his teeth. But Erwin was not going to let it go. "I could have one of the women talk to her."
"Leave it alone," he snarled, and Erwin's eyebrows shot up.
"I know this has not been an easy couple of days, Sung, but you are."
"I know, I know, I am sorry," he forced himself to say, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He had a pounding headache and a spiral in his stomach that would not uncoil. And his best friend, War Chief and Defender, was frowning at him like his mother did the first time she caught him strutting for a female. "I just… I can't relax."
Erwin snorted. "Because you have got pent up."
"Do not finish that sentence."
Erwin rolled his eyes. "I was going to say frustration. You need to speak with her, Sung. Not just for your sanity but for the kingdoms. It creates great uncertainty for everyone that she has not accepted you."
"She has accepted me. Her customs are different. She has been taught not to trust easily, and her appearance here has given her no reason to change that," he snarled. "The people will see. It will only take time."
He moved to get up and leave the conversation, but Erwin stepped before him and put a hand on his shoulder. Sung looked at it and had to swallow back a growl. But Erwin ignored him. It was a measure of his courage that he did this because very few would ignore their king.
But Erwin forced Sung to look him in the eye. "Speak with her," he said, his voice very low so no others would catch it in the room. "Give your supporters a reason to continue to defend you to their friends and family."
"Defend me? Their king? I defend them!"
"And they know that," Erwin said gently. "Which is why they keep telling the others to trust you, but the pressure is building, Sung. Without her scent, no one expected you to enter the market this morning."
"It is none of their concern."
"Liar!" Erwin hissed. The other men across the room went very still, scenting the tension between the two men. But his friend did not waver. His eyes remained locked with his king as he spoke the hard truth Sung knew but needed to hear. "A great many things happened last night that no one foresaw, and it has left your people feeling that perhaps they do not know their king as well as they thought they did. Show them that you are whom they know you to be."
Sung held his gaze a moment, then nodded and stood. Erwin stepped back to give him room, and they clasped forearms.
"Thank you, brother."
"You know I have your back, Sung."
"I do, and I need you to have it even more. But I will stay true to my word because I will speak with her. I will not force her. So, this may take some time."
Erwin sighed but nodded. Then, as if the conversation had not happened, they rejoined the other men to begin discussing potential discipline for the wolves if Lucine was not kept in check.
Unfortunately, Sung did not return to the cave until after the high moon, when Joyce was already asleep. He crept into the cave and shuddered. Her scent was everywhere, and every molecule in his body responded. She must have spent a great deal of time there today. He wondered what she had been doing.
He remembered the look on her face when he ran from the market, and guilt washed over him in a wave. She had looked so lost and more than a little suspicious. He could not blame her. Erwin was right; he was not doing a good job hiding his emotions. She had him turned upside down, and she was not even trying. But he had been taken off-guard by her question. What had made her think they had met before? He should have just told her. He was going to have to tell her. If she learned it from someone else, she had never trusted. He knew that, though he could not say how. Another creator-given instinct.
He sighed, but the deep breath pulled her scent into his nose and made him ache again. It was unnatural for Anima to stifle the mating urge, especially after the ceremony. He had given himself to her body and soul. He knew enough of the human ways to know; she had no way of knowing that. But for him… for him being apart from her, unjointed, was like losing the use of a limb. A very insistent, demanding limb burned with desire and could be inconvenient.
Sung swallowed. He had to talk to her. But how? When? He crept through the cave to the bedroom. There were no lights on, but his eyes did not need them. So, he slipped in on silent feet, undressed and walked to the sleeping platform, sitting on its edge as he watched her. She was curled like a child amongst the furs, warm and peaceful. And, if he did not miss his guess, completely naked. Sung let a low growl of desire putter in his throat. Maybe he should wake her not to talk but to…
"Sung?" her voice was thin and rough. She cleared her throat as she sat up, the furs falling away from her until she hastily pulled them back up again. Too late. He had already seen her beautiful breasts, and the beast roared to have her. He had to turn away. Her scent, warm and flushed, was bad enough. Combining that with the sight of her pink skin would cut through the last cord of his control.
"I am very sorry to have woken you," he said, his voice deeper than usual. "It has been an eventful day, and I must tell you what will happen."
She blinked and pushed her hair back off her face. "Okay," she said. "Are you okay?"
Her question humbled him. He should have been the one to ask her that first before anything else.
He sighed and buried his face in his hands. "I am so sorry, Joyce," he breathed into his palms. "I am sorry you were alone today. I have mishandled all of this. Please forgive me."
The furs rustled as she shifted, moving to the end of the sleeping platform. Then, her hand appeared on his shoulder with a waft of her scent.
"I will admit, I wish I had seen you today. But I know you have to do your job. Talia was… accommodating. What has happened? You don't need to protect me, Sung. Tell me, I am… I want to be the right woman for this. To be queen," she replied.
Creator's light, she was amazing. The wave of possessiveness and need to prove to everyone that she was his was overwhelming. Sung swallowed back a roar of claiming. He lifted his head and turned to find her right at his shoulder, peering at him, her hair falling gently around her face and below her collarbones. He wanted to lick them.
"You are the right woman, do not let any of them tell you differently," he growled, forcing his eyes away from her bare shoulders. "They are only unused to change."