The First King

Konrad sat on the edge of the bed, lifting his right leg with a groan. Both of his legs were still scarred, and after returning from Rowan’s wedding in Etiba, they were now painful. He rubbed his calf over his pants, wincing as his muscles tightened under his touch. Even though it had been well over a year since the fight, his body was unable to recover from some of the injuries caused by the lava.

Konrad looked up as he set his leg back down to the ground, noticing Prew undressing across the room. Her shirt was on the floor, and she was removing the wrapping from around her breasts. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, watching intently as another article of clothing fell to the floor. When Prew was fully naked, she turned around, frowning when she saw Konrad gawking at her.

“What are you doing staring at me like that?” She questioned as she walked over to him.

“Your beauty just stuns me,” he replied, licking his lips as his mouth went dry.

“Are you just saying that because I’m naked?” Prew inquired with a smirk. She placed her hands on his shoulders, leaning forward until her breasts were inches from his face.

“Never,” he murmured as he placed his hands on her bare hips, pulling her until she stood between his legs. “It would not matter if you wore a dress, witch’s robes, or even a paper sack; I would still be amazed by you.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed,” he whispered as he placed his face against her breasts, peppering the soft mounds with kisses. His hands went around to her bottom, palming the flesh roughly. Prew bit her lip, arching her back to his touches. But then she stiffened as a knock came to their door.

“Go away!” Konrad growled as he pulled back from Prew’s chest. At the sound of the door opening, he stood from the bed, pulling his mate behind him to hide her nakedness.

“I was hoping you two would be home,” Sofia smiled as she walked in, unashamed of Prew’s state of undress.

“Does ‘go away’ mean something different for you witches?” Konrad demanded angrily.

“Look, you’re lucky that I knocked in the first place,” Sofia replied as she crossed her arms. “I need you two to come with me.”

“I’m naked, Sofia!” Prew yelled in protest.

“And it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” the witch retorted as she picked up a discarded shirt, tossing it toward the bed. “Now get dressed.”

“Woah, woah! Slow down. We just got back from Etiba. Prew and I are both exhausted.” Konrad stated as he furrowed his brows.

“Oh, you’re exhausted?” Sofia questioned in disbelief. “You two seem to have enough energy to have s-”

“That’s enough, Sofia. What is so urgent that you must come get us right now?” Prew interrupted after she pulled the shirt over her body.

“A Gathering of the Wicca was called, and they request your input.”

“When did you get in?” Prew inquired as she rose from the bed. She walked past Sofia, grabbing her pants from the floor and pulling them on.

“I just transported out in the corridor just now,” the woman answered.

“Transported? How?”

“Last time I was here, I put four blessed crystals in the corridor by your chambers. That way, if I needed to get here quickly, I could.” Sofia answered.

“I feel like this is something you should have discussed with us first,” Konrad scowled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What? It saves you two the trip of meeting me halfway,” Sofia shrugged as Prew finished putting on her boots. “Take my hands. Let’s go.”

“Wait,” Konrad murmured as he went to Prew, standing between her and Sofia. “Is it safe?”

“What? Teleportation? You’ve done it before.”

“Is it safe if Prew is with child?” He questioned softly. Sofia’s eyes lit up as a broad smile grew across her face. She reached around Konrad, placing a hand on Prew’s stomach. With her magic’s help, she could detect the growing child within her womb.

“It is quite safe,” Sofia answered after she removed her hand. “I did it during the entirety of my pregnancy. Even teleported back home during labor, which angered Jude greatly.”

“You have a child?! Since when?!” Prew inquired, her voice laced with anger and confusion. After knowing the witch for over a year, it suddenly felt as if she knew nothing about her.

“Well, for about fifteen years now,” Sofia replied softly. “Her name is Willa. That day when Jude and I came across you two on the road was the day we took her to the Sacred Mountains. We left her there, hoping that she would be safe from Thresnora’s grasp.”

“Why did you never tell us about her?”

“Out of fear of the unknown. I was not very trusting of either of you at the beginning, and by the time I was, we were in the midst of battle. That’s not a great time to stop and say, ‘Oh, by the way, I have a child’. And then, when the battle was over, we were both mourning our husbands. By the time it was appropriate to bring up Willa, you two had left.”

“Oh,” Prew whispered as she stepped forward, taking Sofia’s hand. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” the witch replied with a small smile. “I should have brought her to meet you two, but every time I thought about it, I would get so anxious. I know the danger is all in my head, but I cannot help but worry about her safety. Once this meeting is over, and you two have rested, I shall bring Willa by for a visit.”

“What is this meeting about anyways?” Konrad inquired as he took Sofia’s other hand.

“There are some dark witches who want to start a new coven,” she replied with a frown.

As Konrad’s chest tightened, he could feel his body begin to lift and his vision slowly fading. There was a fear that washed over him at the thought of the dark witches having their own coven again. But it was not just him that felt this uneasiness: Prew felt it, too. Dread was coursing through her body, causing her heart to race erratically. By the time the ground materialized beneath her feet, panic had settled in.

Though Konrad released Sofia’s hand, Prew did not. She was frozen in place, staring at the low-hanging branches of the willow tree. Beyond those leaves was the witch’s most sacred space: a place filled with magic and wonder. Prew had been here once before, and at the time, it filled her with awe, but now all she felt was trepidation.

After taking a deep breath, Prew released Sofia’s hand and willed her feet to move. She walked forward, stepping through the magical barrier, into the room created by the outstretched willow branches. Everyone in the room stood, bowing to her and Konrad. She looked around, recognizing the High Priests and Priestesses from The Witches of the Sacred Mountain and The Earthen Circle, but there were four new faces.

“Prew, Konrad, this is Luca and Maliah, the new high priest and priestess of the Lode Star,” Sofia introduced. She had stepped down several months after the battle, unable to find the strength to continue to lead without Jude.

“And that is Dominic and his partner, Zara. They are the witches petitioning for the creation of a new coven.”

Prew stood there, staring down at the dark witches. Their eyes had a red tint, a clear indication that they were vampires. Her hand went to her hip, feeling for a knife that was not there.

“Sit,” Konrad whispered into her ear, knowing precisely what she was doing. She nodded her head and chose to sit beside Sofia.

“Now that everyone is here, let’s begin,” Johanna said once everyone was seated. "Dominic and Zara, the floor is yours.”

"Thank you, High Priestess,” Dominic replied with a bow of his head. “First off, I’d like to thank each of you for the mercy that was shown to not only my partner and me but for all of the dark witches. We are-”

“Get on with it,” Konrad growled as he slammed his hand on the table. “I did not come here for your gratitude. Tell us why you want to create your own coven and do it quickly.”

“Straight to the point, got it,” Dominic nodded as he straightened his back. “Those of us from Thresnora who are vampires seek to create our own coven. Though we were accepted into the other covens, we cannot help but feel like outcasts.”

“You chose to become vampires, to become both cursed and blessed by the gods. You are one mistake away from being abominations,” Sofia retorted as she crossed her arms.

“That outburst right there is the reason why we are petitioning for our own coven,” Zara replied as she pointed at Sofia. “Stardust may have been the cause of numerous casualties, but not all of us were guilty of sin. Some of us stayed within the volcano, praying to Nyx for guidance.”

“Cowards,” Konrad scoffed.

“So we are the enemy if we fight, but cowards if we don’t? Where do you draw the line?”

“Enough!” Johanna commanded as she looked from Zara to Konrad. “Do not speak unless you have something meaningful to add. Continue Dominic.”

“I know I cannot ask you to trust us, not after what happened over a year ago, but some of us are being stifled in the covens that we were assigned to,” Dominic argued calmly. “We shall abide by any laws or rules that you impose on us.”

“The Coven of Stardust had laws and rules that they were to follow, but they chose not to.” Another witch added.

“What if we agree to be a subsidiary of another coven? Set up a term for several hundred years wherein we are under their supervision. After which, if our coven has met the necessary conditions for trust and autonomy, then we ask that it be granted.”

“What if the term is set so far from now that you and Zara die in the meantime?” Prew inquired curiously. “Would you agree to that, laying down the groundwork for a coven without a guarantee you would live long enough to see it come to fruition?”

“We are vampires, so we do not die,” Dominic explained with a grin.

“Everyone can die, including immortals,” Prew countered as she leaned against the table. “My question still stands. Can you accept a term that is, say, four hundred years into the future?”

“Why not do five hundred? By then, Zara and I will be the only ones at this table who are still breathing.”

“And who here wants to be responsible for a group of vampiric witches for five hundred years?” Konrad questioned as he looked around the table.

“That depends; where do you intend to build your keep, Dominic?” Someone else inquired.

“We were thinking at the base of the Faraway Tops, just to the Northeast of Plaman Lake,” he answered.

“There are several packs near that area,” Konrad growled as he stood to his feet. “I shall not let you near that area if you intend to feast upon them!”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. We do not feast upon anyone. Vampires have a rule that blood must come from a willing donor,” Dominic assured him.

"I'll also add that the vampires within my coven have been drinking the blood of animals,” one of the female witches added. “We have no issues with anyone being changed, drank from, or anything of the sort.”

“We did not choose the location because of the woods,” Zara commented with a hint of sourness in her voice. “We chose it because of the mountains. We need a place where our keep can be hidden from the sun. The Barren Tips are uninhabitable due to the damage caused by the chasm. And we do not expect you to allow us to live anywhere on the Gantawa Range. That leaves only the Faraway Tops as our only choice to build a home.”

“Your Majesty, if you remove the personal aspect, they make a good point. The Faraway Tops would be a good range for them to reside in,” the High Priest from the Lode Star stated. "If you would feel more comfortable, give us a map of the hunting lands used by wolves, and my people shall personally oversee responsibility over this new coven. Would that ease your worries?”

“It is a start,” Konrad nodded hesitantly. He looked over Prew, but then he looked curiously at Sofia. She was looking down at her hands, her brows furrowed in thought. “What say you, Sofia? What are your thoughts?”

“I don’t know if there is any amount of assurances that will fully ease our worries,” she replied with a deep exhale. Her hands were trembling as memories of the fight came to her mind, but so did thoughts of Jude. What would he do if it was her that died instead? Would he offer forgiveness? “How long do we let our fears and anxieties dictate our lives? At some point, we have to go down this path of change together, with open minds and hearts.”

“Are you saying that you agree to allow them to create a new coven?” Prew questioned.

“I’m saying that I am scared, but I am willing to listen, especially when they agree to limits and stipulations.”

“And what say you, Queen of Queens? What are your thoughts?” Another inquired.

“I won’t lie; I am a petty person,” Prew stated as she glared at the dark witches. “But, seeing as you two shall outlive me and my husband, I have no choice but to agree to your request. If we deny you today, you can simply petition again in a hundred years. By then, most of the memories and pain of the battle would have dwindled away. I’d rather agree to it today while the wounds are still fresh so that the stipulations against your coven are harsh.”

“As I’ve said, we shall agree to anything. All we want is a chance to show you that not all dark witches are evil,” Dominic replied.

"Fine,” Konrad growled as he turned to Johanna. "Prew and I agree to a new coven being established. But seeing as we are not witches, we shall leave it in your hands to create the terms and conditions they must abide by. Write it in a charter, and once completed, send it to Prew. We shall be the first to sign if we agree to what is written. Does that seem agreeable?”

“It does, Your Majesty,” Johanna agreed.

“Excellent,” he stated as he stood to his feet. As he helped Prew up, everyone else stood as well.

“We aren’t done yet, Your Majesty,” Johanna insisted as her face soured. “There is still more to discuss.”

“You have our thoughts on the matter, as well as further instructions on what to do. My presence is no longer needed, nor is my mate’s. Sofia, please take us home.”

“As you wish,” Sofia murmured as she followed after Konrad and Prew. Once on the other side of the willow tree’s branches, they stopped, waiting for her to take their hands. She bit her lip, furrowing her brows as she held back her words.

“What is it?” Konrad questioned.

“I’ve never seen anyone leave the Gathering of the Wicca before it was concluded. That won’t sit well with the High Priests and Priestesses.”

“Well, good thing I am not a witch. Your customs do not bother me, and though I try to follow them out of respect, there was nothing more Prew nor I could have added to the meeting.”

“There was plenty more you could have added,” Sofia argued. “The three of us together can help shape how the coven runs.”

“Then, once you return us home, you come back and sit in our stead,” Konrad stated. “Speak on behalf of us. Be our mouth and ears in that meeting. You know more about magic than us and what would or wouldn’t work.”

“But I am neither of you! Just because we are friendly with one another does not equate to me being your mouthpiece.”

“Then return as our advisor,” he replied.

“Advisor? Really?” Sofia scoffed with a frown.

“I’m serious. Come back to Guilford, be our advisor, and help Prew and I rebuild this realm. We don’t know anything about magic or witches, but you do. I cannot trust any of those people in that room, but I trust you. You can bring Willa and start over with us. Please, just think about it.”

“I’ll consider it,” she conceded with a deep exhale. “But if I agree, I will only be an advisor during your reign. I do not want to be a babysitter to your heirs for the rest of my life.”

“Alright,” Konrad laughed. “I suppose it is only fair. Prew and I are quite the handful as it is; I can only imagine what our children will be like.”

“Wait! Before I agree, how many do you plan to have?” Sofia questioned as she pursed her lips.

“Six?” Prew answered as she glanced at Konrad.

“Perhaps eight?” He replied with a shrug.

“You two and your children might send me to an early grave,” Sofia scowled as she threw her head back.

“So, that means you agree then?” Konrad inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“That means I agree, against my better judgment. Now take my hands. I need to get you two home so I can come back and actually accomplish something while you two play around in bed.”