A Wolf's Kiss

Chapter VII - Dragon's Blood

Hello my friends! Before you read this chapter I would like to announce that there are two more histories I wrote. You don't necessarily HAVE to read them to understand this story, but if you like this world and you want to understand whats happening in it, I recommend reading the Seduction of Samael and The Great War. Those can be found here: https://www.quotev.com/story/14301676/Histories-And-Lore

Please enjoy!

Gerolf hated the dark forest. The damn thing covered half the Northern Kingdom and any man could've gotten lost in it. They had been walking two days, and still saw no sign of making it out. There were no lights, it was always dark, there were no roads or paths, and everything looked the same. Even he, a Northmen, was not able to properly navigate the forest. But the wolves were. They had always had a special relationship with the forest, it made sense to him, because according to history that was where the wolves had first emerged from.

He looked at Chief Jagur, marching through the forest so confidently as if he had known every inch of it. With one hand, he led his rider wolf, the monstrous white haired animal that obeyed Jagur's every wish. Gerolf would never forget the first time he had met the Chief.

Of course, that was back when Gerolf was still taller than Jagur, and Jagur had only just become Chief. He remembered being remarkably impressed by this "savage" boy, and his leadership skills that he already displayed at such a young age. Jagur was only fourteen when King Baritheos launched his daring rebellion for the throne, and without Jagur's help, it may very likely have been lost.

The journey ahead of them was a long one. After they finally got out of the forest, they would have to travel again for half another day, before finally ending up at the Crownhold, the North's base for holding back the Berserkers. The Crownhold was the only thing that separated the Northern Kingdom from the Crown, the tough, mountainous region that the Berserkers had been forced to call home. Already Gerolf dreaded the thought of having to stay there with the Crown Guard... the protectors who manned the fortress, and held back the Berserkers from the other Kingdoms, sometimes unsuccessfully.

Gerolf didn't like anything this ordeal, not just because he detested the journey, he didn't trust the Crown Guard. The force was commanded by Sieger Volker... a man that Gerolf had great reason not to trust. House Volker had once been a noble family in the North, second only in power to House Griffith. During King Baritheos' rebellion, Sieger and House Volker allied with House Vaelralis and Emperor Talaerys. Gerolf had been off in the South, fighting alongside Baritheos enemy forces all the way down to the capitol city of Rexos... Jagur fought House Volker in the North in his stead.

According to what he had heard, Jagur mercilessly crushed House Volker everywhere he fought them. House Volker was humiliated to be defeated by a young wolf boy with no proper training at all, and because of his victories Jagur established himself as a true military leader... he brought Sieger the head of his only son, Ewald, and crushed House Volker forever in the process. Sieger begged King Baritheos' forgiveness for his actions, he promised to serve the new King as long as he lived, if he would permit it. Baritheos agreed, forced him to renounce all lands and titles, and sent Sieger to live out the rest of his days as head of the Crown Guard. It was a prestigious position, all things considered.

Gerolf had never liked the idea of Sieger being commander of the Crown Guard, the only thing separating the North from the Berserkers... he had told Baritheos it would be more wise to kill him, but in his mercy Baritheos refused... Gerolf liked even less the idea of Jagur following him. It didn't matter what oaths he had made, no man would ever forget the murder of his son... and any man would want revenge for his killer.