Shadow

Raedwulf Dolph

When Khannun Kol left, I begin to stand to follow him. Idonia grabs my arm and makes me sit down. “He shouldn’t--”

“It doesn’t matter,” Idonia says to me. “You don’t need to argue with him over me.”

“That is a perfect reason to argue with him,” Rae rebuttals. “He can’t--”

“He can, he is your family head and the Khannun,” it is this moment Idonia notices the rest of my family still sitting in the room. “I apologize for all the trouble.”

“Sweetheart,” Khanea Rika smiles at Idonia, giving me reassurance in the situation. My mate is not safe with the Khannun, but she is safe with my family. “There is no trouble, sometimes Kol can just be that way. He is very protective of his sons.”

“If you aren’t fighting with our Father then you’re not living to your full potential,” Hertha adds.

“Hertha,” Mother scolds.

“What?” she shrugs, making me shake my head at her. “It gives me hope for our future.”

“Hertha, you need to respect your Father,” she preaches. Hertha simply rolls her eyes and turns back to her breakfast.

“I’m sorry I messed up," Idonia says softly to me.

“There is no need for that. I said to be yourself and you were. I should be apologizing for his actions.”

“Idonia, do you mind if I call you that?” Khanea asks her kindly.

“Not at all.”

“Good, well then, Idonia. If you don’t mind I take afternoon tea in the gardens every day. Sive often joins me, sometimes Hertha gives me company as well. I would love to have you there.”

“I would love to join you, Khanea.”

“No need for that now,” Khanea waves her off, taking a bite of pork from her plate. “You shall call me Rika, I oppose the title being used in my own household. Not even my personal Viker call me Khanea. Now, tell me of your first meeting.”

“It was--” she starts, looking to me and then to her plate.

“Awkward, to say the least. She does have four older brothers to protect her, not to mention Aeral Torbet is a monstrous male,” I finish for het. “We had some ups and downs, but we’re together now and that’s all that matters.”

“Anyone who says having a mate and a title is easy is lying straight through their teeth,” Mother grumbles. “Sometimes it is best to forget the titles and just be mates. Then other times you have to forget you’re mates and just be leaders. It is a hard thing to balance.”

“All this mate talk is boring,” Mikkeal groans. “Tell us about the shadowbeasts!”

Idonia chuckles lightly, then she nudge me, “It is your story.”

I take a deep breath, then begin my story. I had though about this on the ship back, there was nothing else to do. Mikkeal’s and Sive’s and Olen’s eyes come to life as I relate to them the tale. Mother gasps at certain points, saying the story is unfit for pups or females. At one point my voice booms and they jump.

After breakfast, I escort Idonia and Olen down to the training yard. The males there all stop and bow to me when I appear. When they return to their work, Idonia looks up at me.

“We will only be training for an hour.”

“I have much work to do in the castle. There will be a council meeting later, someone will come get you.”

“Alright.”

I caress her cheek, kissing her forehead once before leaving her. My heart drops slightly as I walk away, but there is much to be done since I left. First of all, I need to figure out Khannun’s plans with all these soldiers he’s been gathering. Not named Viker, only young males he is training to fight. I had heard of it in Sacole, but it had not been confirmed until I had reached the banks of Øysten. It all seemed strange to me and it still does. There is nothing past Asar, nothing. Yet the head of my family aspires to take soldiers and try to conquer that land.

In the castle, I go up to my floor and knock on Rikki’s door. He opens it slowly, showing tears in his eyes. I step into the room to find Disa on the ground, hands covering her face.

“Disa?” I kneel, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Is...” her shaky breath begins. “Is it all true? Is Danal...”

“It is true.” Her body racks with more sobs as she cries. “He died with honor.”

“I don’t care about your honor!” she screams, her face turning a deep crimson as tears cascade down her face. “My brother is dead!”

“In many ways, he was my brother too,” I bring her into my arms. Disa resists at first, beating against my chest and crying out for Danal. When her angers wears thin, she simply rests in my arm, her protruding stomach making it hard to hug her properly. “And Danal would not want us to mourn for too long. Not when there is work to do.”

“Does your father still gather males?”

“Yes,” I look at Rikki. “Tonight we four may eat together in the common room. That way you can meet Idonia.”

I stand and turn from Disa to Rikki to leave the room. “Do you need me?”

“No,” I stop beside him. “Mourn today with your mate. I have to attend to things with my father.”

Down the hall is my personal office and library. In there is a pile of papers that need addressed. All the things that Khannun Kol has not wanted to do. Mostly the are complaints between Masters. Rich landowners who are think they have propriety because of money. Many were born rich, many hold their own Viker, and while they are trained in fighting, many have not seen a battlefield themselves.

I start sifting through the letters, some are requesting royal loans. There are a few disputes on land ownership. A letter from an Aeral of the Waer-Asar Sealands wants to transfer the title of Aeren from his first son to his second. A transfer of heir as such is rare and requires royal approval. Aerals serve at the request of the Khannun, so it is strange that Kol did not deal with this himself.

I have to write a letter back to Aeral Holmen to ask his reasoning behind his request and also to ask a explanation from both sons. A change in linage is a large issue and can be a headache, probably the reason Khannun Kol wants no part of it.

After this, I begin settling the disputes between all of the Masters. The pile is large, usually I settle them as they arrive, but my absence has likely been felt. I had been traveling for five months, much can happen in that time. Not only did I have all these disputes, but many more issues to attend to. I have to host males to find myself two more Viker as well as two more for Idonia. There is also the issue of our coronation that must be brought up at the council meeting.

But the most pressing matter is that of Khannun Kol and the army he raises.