Chapter Text
Year 3 of the Freysian war
The messenger had arrived from the palace two days ago to relay the good news before passing to the next village. Tira watched from the hilltop as the festivities commenced in the town. Flags portraying the King’s crest,a large golden stag on a forest green background. flew from every corner and lamp post, there were flowers lining the streets and people made merry in the square. The heroes of war were due back that day. The 10 year old child could barely hold in her excitement, her tiny figure trembling with joyous energy. Her father would be returning, he had been gone for two years, leading the King’s armies to victory. The bright and wide eyes only a child could produce turned to look at the two boys beside her.
To her immediate right sat Fenris, the son of the leader of the Voolkin army, Allies of the Kingdom. He chewed on a piece of long grass as he watched the bustle of the people below. He must have had a better view for even at the tender age of 11 he stood nearly the same height as most grown women. He would grow taller as he aged, she knew, The Voolkin were two things, tall and wild. Tira idly wondered how tall Fenris would actually grow. His height at the moment was already intimidating, but any taller and he’d frighten away the other children his age. The other kids her age were already wary of the boy, his wild and feral looks intimidating even the biggest bullies. Even so, he was still young and had a gentleness about him, which softened the fear of the others somewhat.
Decades had passed since peace had been made with the people of the Voolkin. Her grandmother still had a terrible fear of the wolf shifters, Years ago, the shifters would kill people from villages that wandered out into the woods at night. However, peace had been made and the Voolkin were now allies in the Freysian war. She was glad too, for however much her grandmother warned her Tira couldn’t imagine life during the war without Fenris…. While Fenris could shift into a large wolf, scaring the most stalwart of soldiers, tira saw him as nothing more than a loveable puppy. HER loveable puppy, who would mever hurt a fly much less herself.
Next to Fenris was Alden, the son of the king of the Sand Dwellers, who resided in the southern deserts. His tan skin and grey eyes had always captivated her. She had followed him around like a besotted pup the whole time he had dwelled in the town. He was a sober boy though, and had no time for her silly little girl fantasies. He would one day take over the role as warrior king. Even at such a young age, his swarthy looks had captured the hearts of the girls in town. Tira being no exception, but he had no time for romance and kept his focus on his own ascension to the throne.
All three of their fathers would be returning that very day and the excitement was palpable in the air. Even the normally stoic Alden was fidgeting, his hands braiding an intricate knot into the cloth thathung off the hilt of his curved dagger. The one thing that dampened her spirits was the knowledge that with the war ending it was time for her two friends to head home again. A sudden darkness dulled her eyes and she sniffled, gaining the attentions of the two boys. Her lower lip quivered as she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.
“What’s wrong ;Ra?” Fenris asked as he peered over at the younger girl, who now tried to hide her tearing eyes from the two, vowing not to cry and bring down the joyous mood, but she was still a little girl and had trouble holding back her emotions. Her voice came out in a terrible wobble.
“When our dad’s come back….you are going to leave me….” She sniffled out.
The two boys looked at each other and then back to Tira. She shook a bit from the silent tears that now rolled down her cheeks. A soft look crossed Alden’s face and he gave out a small smile. Fenris shook his head and let out a brief chuckle. Alden reached out a hand and pinched Tira’s arm from across Fenris’ back. Tira let out a small yelp and glared at Alden with tear filled eyes.
“What’d you do that for?’
Alden gave a gentle smile at her to reassure the girl as he spoke. “Its okay Tira, I promise we’ll always remember to send a missive to you and Fenris… and when I’m on the throne, you will always be welcome to visit.”
Alden shot a glance atFenris, urging him to encourage the girl. Fenris put on a broad smile , showing off the fangs in his mouth and he put an arm around the still crying girl, tugging her in close for a hug. She buried her face in the long hair of his that nearly trailed on the ground as he sat. It always smelled so nice despite him living outside. She felt comforated at the warmth of him as he held her.
“Yeah and you know you’re always welcome in the woods. I promise no wolves will eat you.” His joke fell flat but it seemed Tira felt better even so.
She smiled and leaned her head into the crook of his arm and he hooked the other one around Alden, who reached over and ruffled Tira’s hair, giving out a brief laugh as she huffed and glared at him.
“now stop sobbing you little crybaby and act like a lady.” Alden smirked as he returned to his previous position. “And you know my family wont let me marry someone who’s not a lady.”
His ploy worked and Tira forgot about her tears, huffing in anger. She crossed her arms and lened way from Fenris, breaking the hug.
“I am NOT sobbing and I AM a lady!” She protested, turning her back to the two boys.
“not yet you’re not and I don’t think you’ll ever be.” Alden laughed at the pouting girl who had become one of his best friends in the three brief years they had known each other. Each of their fathers had an important role in the war, and while the men had only been away for two years, all three of them had lived in the small town for a year prior to their fathers’ departure. In that time they had grown thick as thieves so neither boy was surprised that Tira would be feeling sad about their impending separation.
Ever the peacemaker Fenris shook his head and stood up, brushing the dirt off of his hides.
“Allright guys lets go back to the village and join the festivities. I hear they brought out the mold wine. We can nick some and have a sip when our dad’s get home.”
It was well into the night when the haggard looking soldiers trudged home from war. The lanterns had been lit and filled the square dimly, enough to guide the men home. The whole place was filled with people holding candles, holding their breath and waiting for the return of their loved ones. Tira held her Grandmother’s hand, standing beside Fenris, his mother and Alden and one of his royal Nannies.
Reunited loved ones cried out in happiness, falling into each other’s arms,. Others wailed in sobs as they were told their family had perished on the battlefront. It was nerve wracking waiting for the men to find their way home. Tira could barely hold in her excitement and bounced from foot to foot in an impatient jog.
“Be still child.” Her grandmother squeezed her hand as she scolded her.
Tira watched with slight jealousy as a young soldier with curly black locks ran to his family, a woman with auburn hair, long as she’d ever seen and a little girl with bright shining copper hair the likes which was rarely seen in any commoner. Tira smiled at the tears that flowed down the mother’s cheeks. The little girl looked no older than herself, and when he picked her up in his arms and swung her around Tira briefly wondered if her daddy would do that with her.
So Tira waited…
And waited…
And waited…
Suddenly Fenris cried out and dashed forward. At the same time Alden’s back went ramrod straight. Two men approached, looking haggard and about to collapse, their ffathers had come. The king of the sand people was swarthy like his son, strong and handsome and more than a few women in the crowd stared. He had a grace about him that was striking. He walked up to his son and looked down at the boy. Alden stared back up at him in a solemn silence. Suddenly the man fell to his knees and wrapped his son in an embrace and for a second Tira could swear there were tears in Alden’s eyes as he returned the embrace.
Her head swiveled over to Fenris only to find the man with the knee length black hair and the boy with the same hair had both transformed themselves into wolves and were nuzzling each other. A large black wolf and a small brown wolf pup. The larger wolf nipped the smaller one and a larger brown wolf joined the cuddle fest. Tira assumed that it was Fenris’ mother. It was so cute she almost forgot that they weren’t wolves but shifters.
But where was her father?
Tira lookedback to where the soldiers had trudged from. Only one or two made their way into town, some with no families to greet them, but a grateful town instead. She could feel her grandmother trembling and she looked up to the woman in question.
“Where’s daddy?”
The man with the curly black hair made his way over to her small family. There was a sorrowful expression on his face. He reached into his satchel and brought out a small sack. He held it out to her grandmother and in a soft voice began to talk.
”You are commander Larid’s family? I…He….I’m sorry he perished in the last battle we held on the frontline. He saved my life…This…this is his…The king wanted me to send his deepest regrets.”
The words tumbled around in Tira’s head as her grandmother let out a sob and dropped Tira’s hand to take the sack. In it was a ring, the one he had worn around his neck after her mother had died. The one he never took off for any reason.
Her father was dead. He would never be coming back. It was just her, her and her grandmother now. As she stood there in shock trying to process all of this information, the young soldier stepped forward and knelt in front of her, putting a hand on her shoulder. He addressed her in a soft voice.
“You’re father was a brave man and I promised I would take care of you. My name is Atlas, and you are as good as family to me from now on.”
Tira looked over to see Alden and his father standing, watching them, then to see the three wolves also doing the same. Strangely no tears would form, everything seemed like a blank and as both Alden and Fenris approached with their family in tow, Tira trembled.
Alden and a now shifted back Fenris encircled her with their arms in a big hug, holding her in their warmth as tears finally started pouring down her ruddy cheeks.
After a while Alden’s father, the mighty warrior king moved to his son and drew him back with a firm hand on his shoulder.
“My son, we must leave now. The caravan is waiting and you’re going to need to sleep on the way.” The man’s voice was strong but in a way gentle. The king turned his dark eyes towards Tira and placed a hand on her head, giving a gentle stroke to her hair.
:your father was brave, strong and loved you much. He will be rewarded by the gods in the afterlife.”
It was a strange thing to hear but Tira somehow felt it was meant to reassure and calm her.
After one last short embrace, Alden gave a small wave to his friends as his nursemaid guided him away, his father following. Tira watched them leave when she felt something furry brush her hand. She looked dow to see Fenris where he stood, a large brown wolf by her side. He nuzzled his hed into her hand and jumped up to lick her cheek, which had a fat tear rolling down, unbeknownst to her, When had she started crying?
With dread she knew time had come. She fell to her knees and wrapped her small arms around his scruff, burying her face into his fur. With that he backed up and trotted off towards his family. The large black wolf turned to start walking toward the mountain when he looked back and Fenris stopped a well to look at her. Both wolves lifted their heads in a howl, eventually joined in by the female.
When they finished the three wolves loped off into the distance leaving Tira, her sobbing grandmother and Atlas. Atlas helped her up and took her grandmother by the shoulders.
”lets get you back home.”