JOYCE
When Sung disappeared from the market with the other men, Joyce was at a loss again. Why did this keep happening? Why was he always taken from her? She turned, uncertain where to go, and found Talia grinning behind her.
"Where are they going?" she asked.
Talia shrugged. "That is one tradition I know nothing about it. It happens every time one of those men mates, but they do not tell us what they are doing."
"Alpha-male bullshit." The words were muttered to Joyce's right, and she turned. Khloe stood, arms folded, glowering in the direction the men had disappeared. "They hide off in some little cave they discovered as cubs and beat their chests and roar and decide they are big, strong men because they keep secrets," she snorted. "They all crawl back in later looking sheepish," She waved a hand. "They do it every time one of their mates as if they just discovered the practice or something."
Joyce bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Why did they not do it after the flames and smoke, then?" she asked curiously.
Khloe looked at her evenly. "Because in Anima, mates are not truly recognised until their scents entwine. Which happens after they… consummate."
Joyce flushed, her cheeks going hot. She wanted to hide her face. "For a minute, I had forgotten that everyone in this place is… I mean, that they can tell…" she mumbled, rubbing her temples. "This is so embarrassing."
Khloe frowned. "Embarrassing? Why? Everyone mates eventually. Why would they mock you for doing the same?"
"No, not that, I just mean… that people know… never mind," she finished lamely as the woman only looked more confused. But Khloe sighed and seemed to shake her confusion off.
"Do not let it concern you, girl. The men have… you would call it a secret society, I believe? But it is little more than men playing at being boys and making themselves feel important. The real work today will be done by the females. Are you ready?" Khloe asked.
"Ready for what? Joyce asked.
"To meet the Women's council. They are eager to get to know their Queen. We spoke about this, remember?"
Joyce looked at her, speechless for a moment. "Oh, right. I mean, I guess? I did not realise -"
"Don't worry, girl. Nothing is going to happen to you. Women work with their wits, not their fists. Most of the time," she grinned, and the expression looked so odd on her usually sour face that Joyce was unsure whether to smile back.
"Well, then sure," Joyce said. "Can I grab something to eat first?"
Khloe winked. "You would not want to, we have the best baker in the city, and she made butter cakes this morning."
"In that case, let us go!" Joyce said, trying to sound upbeat and not let on how nervous she suddenly felt. As if she could tell, Talia squeezed her shoulder, then waved as they moved away.
Joyce was unsure what she had expected about going with Khloe, but it was not a twenty-minute hike through the forest, then a five-minute climb up a mountain path to her cave. Joyce was sweating and breathing heavily when they got to the cave entrance. Something that had been made even more embarrassing by Khloe, who was an older woman not even puffing.
"You need to start working your body, girl," Khloe growled as she pushed aside a curtain and entered the cave. "You will be surprised how your body responds here in Anima. Much faster than in your world, I will bet."
"Responds to what?"
"To hard work, humans live unnatural lives these days; their bodies have a lot of toxins that hold them back and weaken them. A few weeks of Anima air and food, and you start exercising, you will be surprised how quickly you build muscle and fitness."
"I… okay. I will try."
Khloe nodded like that was expected and led her into the cave. Joyce peered around, fascinated.
The cave appeared to be one large room with a kitchen or a laboratory on one side, a large cage at the end near the door, and a small bedroom set on the other. As if Khloe lived her work.
"Welcome to my home," she said quietly.
In the middle of the large room was a massive table, a solid slab of rock, polished smooth on top, sitting atop two wide, round cross-cut tree trunks. It was beautiful and imposing and surrounded by six other women. Keep calm, Joyce reminded herself, who watched her with keen interest.
Khloe swept into the space, dropping her bag near the door and ushing Joyce towards the table and the women seated there. They were all older like Khloe, still fit and strong, but their skin was weathered and, in some cases, hair greying.
She introduced Joyce to all of them, who promptly forgot their names and prayed she would not need to use them before someone else did to remind her. Khloe offered her a chair on the long side of the table, which she took, and then she was passed a plate of what looked to be fresh muffins and told to help herself, so she did.
They were the most delicious she had ever eaten.
"There are amazing!" she mumbled around her second bite. "Who made them?"
"That would be Suze, our best baker, like I told you," Khloe said as one of younger of the women waved at her from the other end of the table. "But do not gush too much. It will go to her head," all the women at the table chuckled, and Suze blushed. "But enough about baking; we are not meant to get stuck on silly details; we are here for a reason… which are you, Joyce."
Joyce blinked and stopped chewing as the women turned their eyes to her, some with curiosity, others with suspicion. "What did I do?" she said, swallowing a lump of muffin and almost choking on it.
"You mated the king, of course," Khloe said as if Joyce were slightly stupid. "Which means you become our Queen, which means it is our job to prepare and guide you."
"It is?"
"Yes, in the pride, the females always take the lead on… well, pretty much everything except politics and war. And as Queen, you have an important role to play."
"I do?" Joyce was unsure whether to be excited that she would have a job to do here or terrified as the disapproving murmurs around the table rose.
SUNG
"Lucine was untouched," Erwin said through his teeth. "She was a sacrifice."
"Untouched by any but me," Sung said through gritted teeth; it was perhaps the greatest regret of his life. "It was weeks ago. I knew the wolves were going to send her, she told me. We were at the harvest, and I had too much to drink. I had wandered into the meadow to stare at the stars, and she followed. She was there and made herself available. She talked to me for hours about how we were destined and how she was the strongest sacrifice. I did not doubt that. But she had me seeing it, that it did not matter if she waited because she would win the rite and we would be mates. And frankly, I was out of my mind about the whole rite, to begin with, so barbaric. It appealed to me to subvert it. I was not thinking clearly; I… gave in."
Erwin shook his head. "You broke the rite, Sung. I can't believe you broke the rite and then rejected her?"
"They brought Joyce for Lucine to slaughter," he snarled, all his protective nature for his childhood friend now entwined with his love for his mate. "They broke the rite too, choosing my mate for the sacrifice. They knew Erwin. I do not know how, but they knew. It was a powerplay, and we all know it. They thought… they thought Lucine would kill her, and I would mate Lucine, which would forever be a reminder…." Sung's breathing sped up at the sheer fury he felt inside his chest at his closest friend's face. "I confess," he said softly but firmly. "I admit my fault; I ask for absolution."
He did not need to remind these men that they had all brought confessions to him in this room and been forgiven. That they had all been shamed or shocked in this room before. That was the point of the ceremony to begin anew with one's mate. To let the past stay behind. Erwin knew it, and Sung knew he would get over this and absolve his friend and King. But damn, it hurt to see judgement in his eyes.
"You are forgiven, of course," Erwin said quietly, his eyes never leaving Sung's. "But do you have further confession? Is your soul cleansed, Sung, or is there more?"
Sung took a deep breath. "The wolves chose Joyce because I knew her already." The men in the room all made noises of shock or disbelief. Erwin went very still, his eyes widening. Sung cleared his throat. "I chose her at the rite because I knew and cared about her from the years I had spent in the human world as a child."
Erwin got to his feet, and his jaw dropped. "You admit treason against your people by choosing an insufficient mate?" he asked, hushed.
"No! I knew she was the better choice because I knew both women. I know Joyce is different; she is my true mate. Not just a chosen female, she is my heart's bond. She was chosen for me by the creator, and she will serve Anima well."
"She is weak!"
Sung growled. "She is weaker than our females in body but not in the ways our kingdom needs. I knew as soon as I saw her refuse to kill Lucine after she had watched Lucine kill the others that she was exactly what I needed, what we needed. I chose true."
"Then why raise it in confession?" Erwin snapped.
"Because I have hidden my knowledge of her and of… of Lucine."
"That is why you rejected Lucine?" one of the other men asked.
Sung nodded. "I had intended, after taking Lucine, to keep her as a mate. I did not see another way. I would have made her Queen. But when Joyce chose not to kill her…." Sung raised his eyes to meet Erwin's. "It was within my right to kill Lucine when I chose Joyce, I could have covered my crime, and I did not."
"Admirable. But if it comes to light…."
Sung winced. "I pray to the creator that it never does. Lucine is now free to take a lover; I pray she will. I pray she will move beyond her mate, her hate and shame, and begin rebuilding her life."
"Her life is substantially diminished now because of your rejection."
"That would have happened whether we had mated or not," Sung said, his voice as hard as steel. "As soon as the wolves brought Joyce into that circle, they decided Lucine's fate. While I take no pleasure in ruining the female, it was at the hands of her people that it happened."
The men looked back and forth between themselves soberly. But Sung kept his eyes on Erwin. As the secret keeper, only he could absolve Sung; the others would follow if he did. So Sung stared at his closest friend and silently begged him to offer it.
Erwin's face was pale; he had not expected this, and he knew Sung regretted it. He knew he would hurt his friend by hiding all this from him.
"Is there any more?" Erwin asked quietly.
Sung shook his head. "None; you know everything now."
Erwin stared a moment longer, and Sung held his breath. The room was utterly silent as if the other men held their breath too. But then Erwin broke the gaze and turned his head to scowl at the wall.
"Absolution is granted," he said darkly. "You are our brother, and we are one."
"You are brother; we are one," the others recited.
Sung heaved a sigh of relief as one of them walked over to remove the bonds around him. He looked at each of them in turn before speaking.
"Thank you, brothers. I am humbled. And I assure you, nothing I have shared changes my commitment to you or the Kingdom. I have… made some mistakes. I ask your assistance to do better in the future."
The men nodded but kept glancing at Erwin, who was still tense. But he eventually nodded and led them as Sung was freed from the restraints to the centre of the room. Then, as was the custom, Sung stood in the middle of the room as each man exchanged vows with him. In the past, Sung had always been one of the men in line. He was surprised and humbled by how emotional it made him to see his closest friends and confidants kneel before him, not as a king but as their brother.
"I vow to you, as my blood is your blood, that should you ever leave us, I will watch over your mate and her offspring. I vow to you, as my blood is your blood, should anyone, bar the creator, ever take your life, I will avenge your death. As my blood is your blood, I vow to hold your secrets, absolve your sins, and stand with you in battle…."
Man after man, some soberly, others with a grin, made their vow to him, and he to them. He was the last in the circle to mate. Their bonds were now complete, and their mates and offspring were safe. And Sung realised he did feel lighter for laying down his burdens and allowing his brothers to know and forgive him.
He just prayed the troubled expression on Erwin's face after the vow did not herald difficulty between them.
JOYCE
The women around the table looked at each other unhappily and murmured to each other as Joyce shook her head. She needed to stop sounding like an idiot.
"I am sorry," she said. "I'm not trying to sound dense. What I meant was that it excites me. Because I have been trying to figure out what I can do here. I think life is so different; I must build new skills."
"Of course, of course. But firstly, you will be the mother of all of us," Khloe said, taking a bite of her muffin. "Queen, Joyce, leader of the pride and champion of… well, we will get to that part later. First, we must do what we can to help."
Joyce perked up at that. "I just recently learned that the Anima way is different from mine. Perhaps you tried to show me before, and I… did not notice. I am sorry; things work very differently in my world. If you have tried to show me something already and I missed it. I will do better. I will pay attention. But I will tell you that I find it much easier to be… told. Or at least have someone tell me they will show me something. I… learned quite differently growing up than you do here."
Khloe nodded thoughtfully. "That is good to know. Perhaps before we start, we should ask you, do you have any questions for us?"
Joyce blew out a breath. "So many. I don't know where to start. Tell me what you do here; what the women's circle is?"
Khloe smiled. "Well, the truth is we do whatever we are good at. Traditionally, we are wise women, advisors, counsellors, and sometimes healers. We are viewed by pride as… wise ones. We are a resource to you; as Queen, you can delegate where our responsibility is to go. And we will come to you with petitions for you to take to the king."
"Wise women… you teach?"
"We lead by example. We help women in all the tribes, especially the Leonine, with everything from family to mating. We sometimes tangle with the men in politics, though it's of little interest to us." Khloe dusted off her top. "In short, Joyce, once we are satisfied that you are the appropriate Queen, we will be your public support and private consort. We will be the women you come to with your ills, and we will be the women who come to you with correction and assistance."
Joyce swallowed. "How do I satisfy you that I'm… appropriate?" She thought the mating was what they were all hung up on. Was there more?
"There are two main things we are concerned about," Khloe said. "The first and most important is the true mate bond, which I am now confident about. Do any of you have any concerns there?" The women all leaned towards her and inhaled deeply but shook their heads. They, apparently, liked what they smelled, Joyce thought as she looked at Khloe, who was smiling. "We are confident now that you are the creator's intention for Sung, which is a huge relief. We have been waiting a decade to meet you."
Joyce blinked. "Wow, thank you, I guess."
"But being queen requires much more discipline and intention than simply being intended though that is an excellent foundation. Tell me, whom are you considering for your cohorts?"
"Cohorts? What -"
"What has Sung told you about the feast tonight and your role in it?"
"There is a feast?" Joyce squeaked.
Khloe dropped her head, and the other women grumbled under their collective breaths.
"I swear, that man…." Khloe sighed. Then looked at Joyce patiently. "Yes, there is a feast tonight, specifically to celebrate the union of our king and queen. And during that feast, you will be expected to appoint the beginnings of your cohort. Has Sung explained any of this?"
"No," Joyce said and felt like a fool. "But… he has had a lot going on."
Khloe's lips tightened. "Do not get me started on how that boy should have handled himself and you for the past week. But we must accept what we cannot change. So…" she looked at the other women, who all seemed equally unimpressed. "I guess we have a few hours until lunch. And we had better make the most of it!" She clapped her hands, and the women all straightened. "Hunter, can you please explain the feast? Then, Porsha, you can take the cohort question."
Joyce took a deep breath and settled in to listen as the women unravelled a web of tradition and political roles that made her stomach twist with nerves. She didn't get all of it. She knew she would have to get Khloe to explain some of the details again later, but from what she gathered, as queen, she was expected to have a group of people around her who would hold positions that gave them status among the Anima in their own right. Yet, their role would be to… help her.
She had to choose companions, only one to start with, but women she trusted to be friends and watch out for her as a woman and mate. Then she also needed a second, someone who would be trusted by her to handle details, but also by the people because that person would take over her duties should something befall her or she had to travel with Sung. And then, finally, she needed an advisor. Anima she trusted to help her make decisions, challenge her thinking, and generally make sure she did not make a fool of herself.
"These roles will expand as the people you choose to prove their value in certain areas of your life. You will bring more into your circle as needs arise. And occasionally, you will lose a cohort. But in short, these people will be seen as your… circle and your pack. What they do will reflect on you, so choose wisely."
Joyce gaped. "How can I possibly choose these people when I barely know anyone?"
"You must have come in contact with many Animas by now," one of the women. Huncer, she thought… said with slight impatience. "Trust your instincts. The creator gave them to you for a reason."
That was the same thing Sung had said to her when they entered the flames and smoke. And that had proven to be just the right thing to do.
So, Joyce planted her hands on the table and nodded. "Okay, yes, I mean… yes, I can do that. I can… I mean, yes, I will trust my instincts. Now, can you give me some ideas on what I am looking for in the right people for these roles?" she asked.
Khloe smiled.
***
SUNG
As the men relaxed and began to socialise now that their traditions were done, Sung thanked each of them. But the hair on the back of his neck stayed at attention because his second, his best friend, continued to stare at him with dark eyes.
When Sung had finally made it through the others, Erwin approached and asked him to go for a walk. They said farewell to the others; Sung weathered a couple more jokes about how long it had taken him to convince his wife to mate. Then he and Erwin stepped out into the daylight scattered under the forest trees. Sung did not speak and waited for his friend to find the words he was searching for.
Finally, Erwin snorted. "Were you honest back there? Did you choose her for the sacrifice or lead someone to it?" he asked.
"No. I had no idea until I stepped into the clearing and recognised her."
Erwin's nose wrinkled, but Sung knew he would scent how steady he was. There was no deception in him. "Then how did the wolves know to choose her? How did they know about her? I did not even know about her!"
"I do not know; that is what I am struggling with. They knew enough that her death would be painful for me, even after this many years. But I have not spoken to anyone about her in ten years. And the last person I did talk to was my mother; it just does not make sense," Sung rolled his head on his shoulders, trying to loosen the tension in his neck. "But, short of finding a wolf willing to reveal tribal secrets, I do not know how to find out, either."
They both snorted at that idea. The wolves, even the good ones, were first and foremost loyal to their family packs and clans. Their heart for Anima and its people ranked a very poor second.
"Why?" Erwin began, then chewed his lip for a moment, thinking. "Why did you not tell me about her?"
Sung sighed. "Brother, we became close after I had left the human world. I thought… At first, I thought my care for her would grow cold. Once I accepted, I would not see her again. She could not come to Anima… when I started to pursue other female companies… there did not seem to be any point in telling anyone. She was a fever dream."
Erwin's eyebrows rose. "So, that is what changed!"
"What?"
"When we were, what, fifteen? Sixteen? Until then, remember you'd had all those grand ideas about saving yourself for your mate? Then one day, it was like a flip just switched, and you were suddenly game. I poked you about it for months, but you just said you changed your mind."
"I did," Sung sighed. It had been his seventeenth birthday. He remembered it well for a variety of reasons.
"Why did you not tell me after you chose her?" Erwin asked.
"Because it all happened so quickly, I was… I did not have time to think. When I saw her, we were already there. The rite had to begin. I thought she was dead. I grieved, but when she survived… then I realised she did not recognise me."
"How could she not?" Erwin demanded. "Your scent alone -"
"She does not know the scent, Erwin. Not in that way. She is very different from us. She relies on her eyes, and I have changed quite a bit since I was ten," he chuckled, but the laughter did not last long. "And she was terrified. She did not ask me until the next day whether we had met before; she says now she had some inkling, but even in that, it was only recognition. She could not place it. I dodged the question at the time."
"Does she know now?" Erwin asked.
"Yes, I spoke to her at length before that mess with the silent one. I did not want word getting out from the wolves, and then she would hear it from someone else…."
"This smack of a plot goes far deeper than just trying to set you off-balance, Sung. They expected this to achieve something."
Sung growled. "They expected I would watch Lucine slay her, then mate Lucine, cementing her power over me, even my past. It was a sinister move. Genius, if it had worked."
"The question is, how did they know that it would be powerful for you? How did they know you had not given up on her?"
"I do not know," Sung growled. "But it means I have to watch for anything else they may have learned that I had thought was private. I do not mind telling you, friend, that I do not believe they will stop. I do not think things will settle down now that Joyce is established. I need you to keep a close eye on them. Did we ever hear from the elders about the youth attack?"
"They are making all the right noises about kids running off on their own and how they will discipline them within the packs when they return from the camps, but I do not buy it, Sung. Those were not hot-headed adolescents. Luerst is the son of Lucan's sister. You can't tell me that boy does not understand the political threads he pulled."
"More likely was assigned to pull," Sung muttered. Erwin nodded his agreement.
Erwin kept walking, his face set like stone. "Did you choose her for any reason beyond compassion, Sung?" He finally asked quietly but firmly.
"Yes," Sung said, his voice steel. "I have known since our childhood that her heart is… valuable. A heart like hers is needed by the Anima, Erwin. I do not know if it was the wars or our isolation, but I feel like we are becoming more of our animal selves, not less. We need some humanity in our world. I am certain of it."
"If it had been another human woman, would you have chosen her?"
"I can't know. That is the plain truth. I can't know. I felt a fierce sense of relief that it was not Lucine. But I walked into that clearing, convinced that it would be. So, I can only thank the creator for finding another way."
"Lucine," Erwin huffed. "That was poorly done, Sung. Very poorly done."
Sung hung his head and clawed his hands through his hair. "I know, I regret it. Deeply."
Erwin sighed. "We must stop scrambling and start planning. The wolves are not done."
Sung agreed, but he feared it was worse than that. He feared they were only getting started.
JOYCE
"It is good that you understand that a person's heart and mind are more important than their skills," Khloe said approvingly.
Joyce was unsure she had thought about it that deeply, but she understood it was true, so she nodded.
"Whom you choose should probably be influenced by whom you intend to champion. Though they will all be expected to challenge you at times to keep you humble and to make sure your decisions stand strong up under scrutiny, you do not want people close to you who will fight. You will have enough of that from the wolves."
A titter erupted around the table, and the woman, Huncer, muttered. "We have all had enough of that from the wolves," which made the others chuckle more.
"So, tell us, Joyce, what passion burns within you? What people or groups do you wish to help thrive in Anima?"
Joyce let herself sink back into the chair. "I am not sure I know enough… what do you mean by champion?"
Khloe looked like she was trying hard not to roll her eyes. "A champion is a patron who supports and encourages others in their pursuits. For example, Sung's mother was a great hunter, so she championed the fur traders and pieces of jewellery. She helped us set up apprenticeships for the young of Anima. She brought attention to the best traders by wearing their furs and encouraging others to do the same. Sung's grandmother was a wise woman, but she championed the arts. She believed that through creative expression, Anima grew bolder and more enlightened. She was the one who began the traditions of the weekly readings, and many of her programs still exist today."
Joyce swallowed hard. "That is… great. But do I have to do something that is associated with money? Or can I… give to people?"
Khloe tipped her head. "Give what?"
"Well, when you describe that, the first thing that comes to mind is that I would like to help Anima, who is… less fortunate."
Khloe's face softened. "That is a beautiful thought, Joyce, but you will find a difference here from your human world. In Anima, no one goes hungry or lacks basic needs, no matter their standing among the people. We would not allow it. Our tribes and clans always provide."
Joyce nodded. "That is wonderful. But what about… people who are different? Unaccepted? Shunned?"
The women around the table began to eye each other. Joyce could not read their feelings.
"What brings this up?" Khloe asked quietly.
"Well, I am very different. And it's come to my attention that there are those among the Anima who are also seen as different or unacceptable in some way. It seems if I am in a position of power, I could use it to help those people become more successful somehow?"
The woman Khloe had called Porsha spoke up. "What about education, then? Many youths struggle during their schooling years. The children can be so ruthless. Perhaps you could aid those children at the bottom of their packs?"
Joyce forced a smile. "That is a good idea, for sure. And I think I would like to do that. But I was thinking more about the adults who are not learning and growing anymore but are just trying to live their lives and perhaps having a difficult time. The ones who maybe think they do not have much to offer?"
"That is a very fine goal, Joyce, but I must tell you, it may make some people uneasy. Are you prepared to argue your case to the people and perhaps find barriers from those who are more close-minded? Are you willing to fight to gain assistance for whatever projects you try? Because that kind of goal will divide the people around you."
"Why? Why would anyone have a problem with me helping those that are struggling?"
The women around the table all shifted in their seats and looked uneasy. Khloe thought for a moment. "I believe the humans call it survival of the fittest," she said carefully. "But it is an instinct for us. Those among us who lack and do not make up for it with great strength in another area are a risk to the rest. A drain on resources and a potential limitation to the bloodline. To build these individuals up may assist them as Anima, but it will not help the pride, the people, as a whole."
"How can you know that? How can you know unless you try?"
Khloe looked at her firmly but with warmth. "Because, Joyce, those people have been kept outside the pride, the packs and the herds for a reason. And that means that others will be very cautious about blending their bloodlines or livelihoods with someone who may end up costing, rather than helping them."
"That is a very brutal way to look at a person's life."
Khloe raised a single eyebrow. "One day, we may discuss the ruthlessness of the so-called justice system in your world, Joyce, but there is no time today. As a queen, you can champion whatever and whomever you wish. We only want you to understand how your proposal might be received. So, I ask you again, are you willing to fight for this cause? To work with your people to persuade them and to be educated and assisted to better understand us through it?"
"Yes, of course."
Khloe nodded. "Then I will stand behind you in it," she said firmly and looked at the other women.
And one by one, some with light in their eyes, others with sullen reluctance, they all made the same declaration.
"I will stand behind you in your endeavours."
And as Joyce, startled, received these statements from each of them, she swallowed hard and pushed her shoulders back and her chin up. Sung had chosen her. If she was going to be here for the rest of her life, she would do it with a clear conscience. And she was going to fight so that no one had to go through what she was going through, rejected and suspected for things they did not understand or had no control over.
But as the conversation moved on from her championing to the feast and how she would be expected to dress and behave, Joyce's mind kept returning to this issue of those within the Anima who were viewed with suspicion by the others.
And she thought she just might have an idea about how to begin chipping away at those prejudices.