Shadow

Raedwulf Dolph

Our saddlebags were brought up to us, which had a spare pair of clothes in them for each of us. A servant of the house took our old clothes for them to be washed. I dressed quickly so I could watch as Idonia brushed and started to braid her hair. Her eyebrows furrow together as she focuses on the mirror and her black hair.

“Do you need help?” I give an amused offer.

“No, I just--” she cuts herself off as she ties off one braid and starts another.

“Just?”

“Mother usually did this for me,” she grumbled more as her fingers fumbled with the hair.

“Here, let me,” I grab her hair and finish off the braid the exact way the other one was. “I have three little sisters, I learned to do hair long ago.”

“Three little sisters, wow.” Once I’m done with her hair she turns and pecks my cheek. “Sounds like a hand full.”

“They can be, but Mother has turned them into proper young ladies. One is already mated.”

“Which one?”

“Hella, she is the second of us children. She is a twin with Hertha who hasn’t found her mate, but we aren’t allowed to bring that up though.”

“How many siblings do you have again?”

“Five, three sisters and two brothers.”

“Six in total,” she sighs heavily as she plays with her hair.

“And your parents have six.”

“Do you think we’ll have that many?”

“Most lycan have large families, I thought we would have a few. If anything, we have to have a son to inherit the crown.”

“Yes, I know. My mother always said ‘a son to inherit and a daughter to show off’ that’s why they had so many pups. Mother wanted a daughter to show off and Olen wasn’t expected.”

“And you became a warrior.”

“Eske always calls me a ‘show off’ because that’s all I’m meant to do.”

“Eske is wrong, you can fight, lead, and protect just as well as any male.”

“Thank you,” She nods at me. I prowl over to her, barely gripping Idonia’s hips before there is another knock on the door.

“Sorry to intrude, Khanel,” a meek voice comes from the other side of the door. “Master and Madam Hoye request you and the Khanelea at dinner.”

I grumble as I kiss her cheek, then jaw, before I could continue working my way down, she stops him. Her hands push me back until our eyes meet.

“We need to go down there,” she tells me calmly. I nod, hesitantly pulling back from her and heading to the door. I open it to see the servant standing there, waiting for Idonia and me to come down to dinner.

Idonia wraps his small hands around my arm as we follow him down to dinner. The great hall is almost filled with the local Viker. Danal and Rikki sit close to the front, but at a different table than the family. I sit to the left of Master Hoye with Idonia on my other side.

“So you’re here hunting a shadowbeast, then what? Back to the south?” Master Hoye directs his attention to me as servants start serving soup.

“I want to finish my tour around Theris before I leave,” I catch her light smile as I tell the Master exactly what she suggested I do. “It is important that I present myself to the Theris Masters as the Khanel.”

“That is very honorable,” Madam Hoye praises me with a light smile. She sat across from me, at the right of her mate.

“Are you really his mate?” one of the older daughters asks Idonia.

My mate turns her head up to stare at the Hoye daughter. “Yes, and I would ask a little more respect when you speak to me.” With that, she turns back to her meal.

That is before the same daughter scoffs. This grabs both Idonia’s and my attention. I grab Idonia’s hand under the table. “Hoye, control your daughter. Now.”

“Gyda, your tongue,” Madam Hoye speaks first.

“She’s not my Khanelea, not yet. Until they have completed the bond she is still just--”

“The Aeral’s daughter,” Master Hoye growls at his daughter. “A Torbet that I have no issue letting punish you for your disrespect.”

“I’m your daughter not her!” the girl stood up, throwing her chair back which got the attention of the whole hall. “The Khanel should be my mate!”

“You’re crossing a line, little girl,” Idonia threatens her with a small growl.

“Don’t call me that! I have more years than you, Idonia,” she speaks my mate's name like venom.

Faster than lightning, I stood and my chair’s back hit the floor. My growl had the whole room silent. The insolent daughter cowered as my beast raged forward. I knew my eyes must have changed to a flaming red by now. There was nothing this girl could do now, she would be punished for her stupidity.

“Bow,” I demand of her. The pup’s shoulders shudder in fear. “Bow!”

She does, fully bending to myself and Idonia. I grab my mate’s shoulder, gripping it and lifting her to stand beside me. The daughter keeps her head lowered, she tries to raise it and I growl at her. Idonia clutches my hand before turning to Master Hoye.

"Your daughter's disrespect is noted badly against you," she states coldly. "I expected more in terms of hospitality."

"My apologies, Khanelea," he bobs his head to my mate and then to myself. "Gyda, your room, now. I will deal with you later."

"But--"

"No, now!" booms the girl's father. Gyda bows once more before rushing off to her room. "My apologies once again for her disrespect. She was raised better than this."

After a few more moments of scowling, Idonia and I sit down in our chairs and continue with dinner. None of the Hoyes' daughters speak, in fact, their sons don't even speak to us. The room is mostly filled with hushed murmurs for the rest of the meal. Any chance I get, I reach for my mate under the table and squeeze her leg.

After dinner is finished, we retired once again to our room. Rikki and Danal escort us to the room, watching for any other stupid daughters along the way. My blood still boiled from the earlier event and made me want to go find that daughter and raw her hide.

"Will you two be okay?" Danal asked as we approached our room.

"As long as that little bitch says away from me," Idonia growls out her curse. "Otherwise I will need help cleaning my clothes of her blood."

"I knew I liked you," Rikki glows which makes me chuckle.

"We leave tomorrow morning, first thing," I tell both of them and they both nod, agreeing. "Danal, you may go."

"What about me?" Rikki asks me. I turn my head to Idonia who looks oblivious to the situation.

"Your Khanelea must dismiss you. As you remember, you are her Viker," I remind him.

"I--" Idonia looks at me then turns to Rikki. "You are dismissed, Rikki."

After he left, Idonia and I retire to the room we are sharing for the evening. She immediately took off her boots, stockings, and started removing her belt, overcoat, and long dress. When she is down to her shift, my mate climbs into bed and wraps herself in the fur blankets.

I undress rather slowly, letting my mate watch me. I leave on my long tunic and briefs while climbing in next to her. It isn't a moment later that we are both asleep.