Stahl was still snickering at the surprised rabbit as Aster stepped inside to put his new helm away for the ti being. He gave his wolf a tender kiss, and departed with the rabbit.
Stahl stepped inside and went back to sitting in the silence after her short break with Aster, attempting to reach any of her family through her bloodskill. The noble she-wolf began inciting the required incantation over and over with no answer. She was starting to really worry she never would receive one.
Prince Tyfin had already accomplished a great deal of negotiation that morning, and the orc chief was as satisfied as he had been with the bartering.
The gift of the cherry trees proved to be wonderfully received by the orcs, and all graciously accepted trading so travel supplies for a mature grove of thirty, as they even had a surprising solution to the climate issue.
The prince had also established a vendor opportunity, agreeing to allow the orcs to set up to offer their wares at their next celebration or any future festivals. This may co with a rocky start, but the prince felt it would be accepted and even welcod by most of his kingdom in ti.
They established basic treaties for peace between their races that could be drawn up and finalized at a later, more certain ti, as well as a trade and intel agreent.
The many years of studying political moves were not wasted on the skilled negotiator, and finally, when Mollis and Aster joined his side, the letter from King Calium was brought before the beast prince to openly dissect.
Chief Crag simply stood and brought the note to Prince Tyfin, allowing the lion, the rabbit, and the human prince to read so of King Calium’s final words for themselves.
___
Orc Chief Husk,
The integrity and survival of our world hangs by a thread, darkness threatens to consu all within these lands, and yet, the beast armies still thirst for blood and vengeance for a cri my people held no part in. For a cri we too, suffered great loss from.
We are in troubling tis, my old friend, and I humbly beg of you, as the ruler to my people, please offer the young people of Adamare safety among your tribe. Please, save our children. Our n will stand against our enemies to the end.
We will never surrender to such blindly savage vengeance, however, I worry even our defenses may not hold for very long. The beastman king and his armies are nothing short of formidable, despite his blindness, and there is simply too much at stake.
There are far greater evils at play, and I know not if I can stop them from returning in ti... Before it is too late, before all of our children are consud by it.
I think I know of a way to fight it back, but it will likely cost my life by the end of this, a price well worth paying if it ans my children may live... Even if it condemns my very soul to suffering in the afterworld.
Still, it will be our children to ultimately inherit this ss, yet again. Our cycle of sacrifice seems to never lessen, my old friend, and we may have to set that upon the shoulders of who cos after, just as our fathers did, for my ti in this world surely draws near its end.
I beg of you, save our children. Let them grow into those that would shape this world. Teach them to fight, so their years will prepare them for what is to co...
If my son, if my Solis proves to bear my shield after all, all will fall upon his shoulders. He must find the others, and he must do it before the darkness takes hold of both them, and himself.
A claim was made. A bargain was struck. I did not choose this. No matter what happens, he will be our final chance to hold it back. The Peacekeeper’s duty rests with him alone now.
If we both should fall before his ti to rise, the final great light that holds back the ancient darkness will turn, and the sun goddess’s wrath will finally find her vengeance for our ancestor’s great betrayal.
If you allow humanity to perish, the world will shift in balance. The very power of the gods will shift in balance, and the world will lose the light that holds back the darkness in the sky. Please, defend our light. Defend our children, so they may defend our world in return...
My Lunai, my Solis, if sohow, you’ve made it... If you survive to read this... Protect each other. You have everything you need through one another. Defend the light, defend your nasakes.
And if the world takes that light from you, let it all fall into darkness, for there can be no light in a world you two do not survive. I leave everything to you, my children. I will be near. I will be your guide when you are ready, until my heart’s, nor my blade’s protection is needed.
I too, will make a bargain. You two are the light of my very life, and you will either share that light with the world, or use it to burn everything to ash.
It is your fight now. It is your fate, my children. It is your choice.
You bear the legacy of a king. Choose wisely.
Calium Aureus, The King of Adamare.
___
Aster didn’t make a single move at first. His attention snapped back to a single word, and the human could only stare, not prepared for the sudden anger he would feel after reading the letter.
Sothing dark inside of him stirred as he sat in his silence, processing what he had read. His true na was Solis Aureus. He had a sibling, and he really was the last king of man.
Aster stood without a word and left before being dismissed.
Nobody stopped him.
Nobody dared to.
___
Stahl was sitting on the bed in silence, still trying her best to contact her family to no avail. The she-wolf heard the crunching of boots in the dirt and knew Aster had returned, albeit, far more quickly than she had expected him to.
When Aster stepped through the doorway, Stahl imdiately stood and walked to him, speaking firmly as she reached out and laid a gentle hand on his arm.
"What happened?"
Aster looked up at his wolf and told her everything.
When he spoke his true na for the first ti, sothing within the human shattered. Aster didn’t even realize he had shed a tear through his anger.
Stahl pulled her mate closer, and the two laid down on the bed while she gently stroked her love, whispering the softest reassurances as she did so, desperate to comfort his aching heart.
Finally, Aster admitted what had bothered him the most.
"I had a sibling... Their na was Lunai. I knew that was a possibility, but to known for certain makes it hurt more... Why was my family taken from ? Why did the gods let live but take everyone else? Sir Corper was right, I should have died with the rest of man. Anything different was an injustice."
***
Author’s note: To my readers, past and present... thank you. Your support fuels every word I write. Here’s to wherever this story takes us next. Enjoy! And keep the support coming.
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