Book 2: Chapter 101
Heidi
Rodrick composed himself, clearing his throat.
“Heidi, Dark Witch… Summoner of Horns. I cannot make you vow the same. To let you live without going home an urn, you must vow to keep to your lands. The Moment you step foot here Ever again without request, we will have no choice but to take it as hostile.” Rodrick’s conditions sounded fair, but I would be difficult.
If it was one thing I learned from the old texts, was that anything signed had to be Specific. Vague promises and vows caused trouble.
“What of my children? What of my practices? I cannot vow even that without terms, so I will provide some, and if you agree, we will enact that into law as well.” I said firmly.
“Go ahead then.” He said patiently.
“I, nor my future children currently hold any involvement in the war. I vow it will stay that way so long as the treaty is intact. I will vow that my people will stay out of your people’s way so long as it does not impact us what you do.” I said seeing my grandmother become proud.
She hadn’t said anything since the mention of Rodrick’s crimes…
“I can agree with this. Our people will stay out of your business so long as you aren’t hurting humans. This includes sinners. They deserve the ability to live long enough to repent…” he said with a firm nod. “Well at least the opportunity to.”
“But Archbishop, this is Too Vague! If she catches sinners, they will not report it.” Said his right seat. “I do not belittle your words; this is a legitimate concern since we deal with the Adversary’s creation.” He said swiftly.
“If I catch them on our land, they break the law anyway. We would report them.” I rebutted.
“She’s right.” Said Rodrick. “Besides, of all of them, she’s the only one not motivated by the Craving Curse.”
“I still see humans as people.” Growled John.
“You tasted flesh. No matter how noble, you will see us as cattle soon enough.” Said Rodrick as if he were bored. “But I will at least apologize. You tasted meat because my subordinates were so bent on finding Gulteer….”
“Because we eat your kin does not automatically make us mindless…. You only saw his first time. He is level now.” Said Ron.
“I know that too, but how many humans sit At, not On your dinner table? How many, under True Peace, would you allow to enter your pack, or mingle in safety?” asked Rodrick.
“Hypothetical situations aren’t what we’re here for.” I said without a growl. This place… just BEING here made me dizzy… “I, Heidi Charred-Stone, vow on my blood that me and mine will stay out of your business, so long as you all stay out of ours. That anything we do to humans will be reactionary.” I said with confidence.
“And I accept and honor that vow. If a man kills or maims your kin, it is up to you to punish Only the perpetrators... and I guess since I have pardoned You twice now, I must also do so for Dark Witches. So long as they aren’t a threat, they may live.”
“FATHER RODRICK?!” Screamed both his Second and Third Command.
“Silence!” He Stood, slamming his hands down. “The Tyrant Will wake, and it would restart the war if we laid his father’s people on the Ring without reason, while Every other race has mercy, at least in Some capacity.”
“I agree.” Said Grandfather. “Heidi step forward and shake. I will enforce the supernaturals.”
“And I the humans.” He said motioning for me to come closer. “I can also sense that one day if we are not careful, she will be a Champion of the Horned One…. better that we make alliances now than war later.”
“As an act of peace, when we leave, none will be harmed.” Said grandfather as the King.
“As an act of peace, we will also not cleanse the blight on your lands. That is up to You all to deal with…. I can literally feel it from Here. Be thankful I hold both hands.”
“I don’t doubt that.” I said walking forward, but personally feeling nothing other than being called to summon him….
With my claw I hesitantly cut my hand, and we shook. It stung, burning with visible smoke, but he wasn’t too firm or doing anything in an evil way. It was what he did passively, and I saw him wince in pain, because it was just as painful for him…
“Do not worry human, we will tend to our own.” Said the King.
But I would Not show weakness. My hesitation is what got Rahrraam killed… that if I wouldn’t have thrown him in anger and worry for Only John, that he might be in my pocket right now… but I would not Linger on that. I had no room too. There really was no room in this world for leaders to stop leading.
“I… I feel as though I should tell my side of the story before the young ones leave.” Said Rodrick.
“I think it a good idea. They only hear my words, or that of our people their whole life…. Maybe they should hear the first sin of their King.” Said grandfather, though his expression was one of shame.
“Ok now I want to hear it.” Said John. I nodded in agreement.
“Before all this, before man hunted the hunters… before we stopped fearing the dark, before we lit torches and picked up swords… still afraid but ready to defend ourselves….”
“Get us chairs first.” Said the King I think as a joke. I could smell he was still unstable… being here, shifting, and tasting the blood of his pup’s killer, all while being forced to work with him… and now have some atrocity he’d done told by a victim of his…. It all took a toll on his mental state.
Chairs were given, though out of respect, they were their biggest chairs they had… since the only person who was human sized was me.
“Where should I start?” He asked himself. “My first life I started out as the son of a woodcutter. I was 19, 20 summers. I was finally growing facial hair that looked like a Real beard, my wife had our 2 summer, twin daughters and half summer son…. It was My time to be the provider for our little tribe…my father would allow me, a Third born to Lead…. I was blessed enough that all my children had lived up until this point, but you didn’t celebrate until they were 10…. It was only 9 of us or so that lived in the valley too… People were not rare, but you had to travel a little ways to find new people you weren’t related too. This also went for temples… back then they were honestly just a large rock to burn an offering on, but now as you can see, they are beautiful..
The boar I’d set a trap for was… torn to shreds. But I followed the tracks of the predator that killed it. It was the Midsummer Solstice… I didn’t pray that day… I said I’d do it later. This was Too important; This could not wait. Without meat, my wife would make no milk, and no milk meant my son would be hungry, my daughters would be thin, and my mother and grandmother would have no jerky.
I followed the blood, not realizing that while I was out trying to kill a ‘bear’, that the bear was really a monster…one that tricked me. I came home after hours, catching only a rabbit, cursing that not only did I miss the noon prayer, but also my game got eaten…. And so did my family. Our small village was Gone. The bodies didn’t even hold enough meat to really bury… but I saw a flaming wolf with his paws glowing like hot iron catch my home ablaze, tossing my precious wife in the fire.” He growled. “And unlike any beast I’d ever seen… instead of confront me too, it Ran.”
“…. Your family was my first kill… I was 8. Starving for two Weeks… I had run away for the first time…. I had not hunted flesh… I was Too Young…. It was why I fought my father… but scavenging your kill only made me more hungry…. I had Seen humans, but never fed upon them…. But their scent was more potent than cattle… and I literally could not stop myself. I Tried. I really did… all I remember is their terror and my shame. Once I realized what I’d done I just Ran. Like a Dog I Ran.
You hunted me… every few years I would see you… Every year I came across more dead shifters… as you had gotten better at killing us. You began to glow… all the while I had just started seeing the devastation of the Tyrant…. All the while when I Did find love, peace, and some kind of happiness with pups, I never told any of my pack….
None knew Why you were so determined… that even when you were your Most battle scarred, that you still got up, running on Hatred…
I knew one day my actions would catch up with me… but after a few years I stopped watching my back when you no longer appeared…. It was after the Tyrant slept… I forgot once I got this form you see now… but you didn’t. You indiscriminately killed who knows how many before you eventually found my mate… I don’t even think you knew she was my mate.” He mumbled.
“I did.” He said firmly. “I thought it would give me closure, but it did Not, it only added to it.” He said almost angrily.
“We will take our leave.” Said grandfather, and we made our way out of the earshot of the humans.
“I’ll get Father Thompson to get you some clothes.” Shouted Rodrick. We were not ready to go, since he’d shifted, ruining his clothes. They’d unpacked before they came here, in a rush and too worried to leave spares because of the Severity of the situation.
“That is why we tell you little ones…. We have both made many…. Many mistakes. I am a King, but there are many times when I do not feel as one… I am very proud of you my granddaughter... I almost thought you would let vengeance win…..” Said grandpa once we were out of immediate earshot.
“I hurt, but we All do.” I said silently.
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