Book 3: Chapter 50
Zayde
The Man King looked neutral, but the glare of Father Parez’s brother gave me a chill…A certain fear was plastered on my face for a second. I am no match for the Left and Right Hands, not right now.
Father Parez sat with Gulteer, though he was treated as a guest, sitting at my grandfather’s right, while Alteer sat next to Heidi, with my mate in-between her and the Wolf King.
I was made to sit next to the Wolf King, feeling uncomfortable, dare say weighed down by just being near him.
The master’s grandson was certainly a surprise. I didn’t expect him to come with his Council; any other would have left their Fifth to sink or swim…
He was the *spitting image* of the Horned One, except the horns were smaller. His father, the Lord of Retribution is married to a mortal, The Risen One. Lady Isabelle, nor Lord Bryson have met me, but they held wolf forms, originally being werewolves.
“Enter.” He said formally. “I assume this one is Zayde, Where’s Micael?” Asked Lord Tyson, the Horned King…. In *perfect* Romanian… He held no accent, but I could also see he linked translation to his counterparts.
“I’ll text him to come.” Said father… gods he looked…
…no… he *was* undead, defying nature’s laws in front of the master’s grandson….
“I sent one of mine.” I said not sharing his name. It would not be wise for a priest to know, though they might already…
Father stiffly nodded. I mean he was basically beheaded….. The flesh was healed but to come back from so much light energy, he’s going to need to kill quite a few people… Depending on the way he goes about that, he’s running the risk of pissing off the master.
The demigod sat there looking sternly. The black of his eyes overtook everything except glowing red pupils. He looked me in the eyes, and I knew by his face that he could hear my thoughts… I hate Old Ones that can do that kind of shit… nothing is private… They see *through* you rather than look *at* you. Your character, intentions, even memories are theirs to examine.
But usually that kind of thing is limited to whatever race you are. Gulteer can hear witches, The Battle Bull would hear half beasts… but he must hear us all.
King Tyson’s horns looked about 3 feet long, with a candles’ flame flickering violently between, since he was Pissed… That he could not hide…. The little dots’ light filled about half the room with red light, being sharply cut off by Rodrick’s aura. The Man King held the slightest glow, but it purified his half of the room. The wolves sat on that side, as it would be taxing for us.
I only knew their names because they spread like wildfire after the incident at the Wolf King’s coronation.
That, and I had the common sense to research my mate’s relatives… Gods that would be so rude to be ignorant.
“Let’s begin.” The Wolf King said neutrally, but the command made me bow.
“Wait!” Said Lord Haru, bowing and coming in. Aptherraam already left to fetch my apprentice. “I wish to be of aid little master.” He came in in his darkest, most tattered robes. They glowed with runes along the edges, and all but Zeh’Kahrraam bowed.
So now I knew how strong he was… even my parent’s demons kneeled…But it was not as low as the others… So maybe my parent’s pair could take him? Interesting….
I could see his spiraled gazelle horns stuck out of a long hood he wore. Haru made himself look as feeble as an elderly human a Breath away from death, coming in with a simple wood cane.
I got a chance to read *why* behimoth do this. Their ‘old age’ is more of a status symbol. They don’t live long on the surface, yet, hiding strength is common. They don’t reveal what they have unless they must, a tenet taught to us once we’re strong enough to do so.
“Get him a seat.” Said the Wolf King… Rodrick looked surprised.
“I didn’t know your people had… so many…. That one is pureblood.”
“I am Haru; one of the Four.” He said proudly.
“I never met you.” Mumbled Rodrick… “To be unbound you must be here on a deal.”
“You have your secrets; I have mine mortal.” Haru said stiffly. He was placed between me and my mate; so now she sat with Haru on her left, and her mother on her right.
The table had to be elongated to fit all the coven leaders, though only one representative of the other covens were here.
Mother along with the other female leaders were a floor below, where Tiffany *could* be if she wanted, but I give her this right. It seemed John felt the same way with Heidi.
So did Hellinia… I mean I Was Sick As Shit. I should be in bed…
Hellinia was a few seats down, but she worriedly glared at me. I couldn’t speak with her, nor Tiffany freely right now, but later I will. Hellinia still misses me. I think of all my children, she was the most spoiled.
I should stop thinking of her as my daughter in this body. It will make it hard to behave as a cousin. Thankfully at least we’re the same rank, but I must be respectful.
Eagles don’t hold the wings of their eaglets to fly…. They let them be free. It’s hard having thousands of years of memories…. And essentially this was a complete reset, yet I still hold all the same feelings for those around me.
I remember she was the one afraid of bugs, snakes, and rats. She was the one who would come crying after doing her rights, and I’d soothe her, since Theo was so rigid. But she had to be. Back then, she was the ONLY woman to enter this room…
Well to attend and sit as a leader anyway. Dark witches aren’t as bad as others, but we were the first… Man’s influence has a farther reach than they know. Women in many of the races are second.
Though unlike humans… we do not change much. The ways of old men and misogyny reach far and wide. It’s nearly universal in cultures where women are smaller, or weaker. In some covens, women rule because they are the stronger sex when it comes to magic…
In our case, those who carry Gulteer’s direct blood determines the leader. In those, men are treated like women, since those women think well, like men of other cultures. They are not questioned nor second class like I’ve seen with dragons, an extreme example.
Gods they are probably the worst. Their women are nearly half their size, and they horde them like concubines, forcing those under them to kneel. All the while, they screw and cheat so much that nearly every race has some variant of half dragon.
“I see everyone is here.” Said Gulteer, giving me a knowing glance. “For my little ones, this is the master’s eldest grandson, Tyson, the Horned Wolf. All of you know Rodrick, the Man King. Good to see you alive in a body without diabetes, and we aren’t locked in battle.”
“…. How’d you know that?” Rodrick asked.
“I could smell the sugar…. I wanted to get my claws on that body for experimentation too.” Huffed grandfather.
“…. I’m not a candy bar.” Roderick said as a joke.
“Actually-” Haru was elbowed gently to be silent.
“You know what. You *aren’t* a candy bar if it makes you sleep easier tonight.” Gulteer giggled knowing he was being cheeky.
“I’m here.” Said Micael on panted breath. He’d ran up the stairs, refusing to let Aptherraam help.
He looked… awful. My apprentice looked bruised and battered, but he lived. That’s all I could ask for. He almost forgot to bow if not for my silent motioning. Gods that would have been a *problem*. The last thing I need is for these old ass fucking geezers feeling dis-
“Leave him alone. Let’s begin.” Said King Tyson a little impatiently. Aptherraam sat in my lap as a cat, sharing a bit of his magic… He’d likely done that because of Tiffany’s ice melting glare at *both* of us… “I want information on the Hellsongs and the Church first, then the incident, and what we’re going to do about this.” He was given a paper report to skim as Rodrick cleared his throat.
They must have made Father Hellsong take a vow of silence…. Smart.
“Well… I was kept ignorant of the Holy Seat’s little projects, but for hundreds of years, they not only found my grandchildren, but bred them with Hellsongs… God it sounds like I’m talking about lab rats or dog breeds….” He put his hands over his forehead. “They called it Operation Hellsong. They trained each generation to be war dogs… sorry for the potty mouth but that’s about the best way I could put it.”
“You’re fine Man King.” Said Tyson. “Are there any more besides these two? Blood for Blood was enacted, by request of my cousin, and is approved by both the House of Yoltier, and the House of Charred.”
“I understand your highness.” Said Rodrick. He said it…. politely… which confused me. “As the Man King, I accept the ruling on my people. We started this; and let this meeting show the Light is serious on keeping the treaty of 1605 now that I rule in secret proper.”
I still hated him. I don’t care if he kneeled on hands and knees and wiggled like a worm. Too many were slain by those hands… but he too is in a new body… He too seems to have changed his ways.
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