The Vixen Trials

A Rescue?

​Dakkoul

The guards came and hauled him to his feet, strapping his arms to the bars of the cage to hold him upright when he heard a strident, suspiciously familiar voice.

​"Let me through. I can't wait out here like all of you, I have to go and watch the third round."
​He opened bleary eyes to see Lady Blyne staring at him triumphantly.

​"I'm going to get my kiss after all, Hattavah. Keilah may have made it to the third round, and I didn't, but I'm the one that gets to do this with you."

​She came forward to press her lips on his with a force that would have made him raise his eyebrows if he had the strength to do so.

Then she turned and smiled to the crowd and the composition of the line suddenly changed, with a number of well-dressed women pushing in to demand their place.

​After a number of kisses, the line shifted back to the angry and Dakkoul could not even hold his head up anymore, but every time someone approached he tried to get out his apology. As new steps clomped towards him, he mumbled out his usual words: "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done it. Forgive me."

​"What are you mumbling about?" Malek said with a frown. Then he bent in to say, "Your daughter is safe. Alyssia has got her. Now you can fight back. I have a knife, two of them. I'll cut you down, and we'll face them together. Jalen and Pipsqueak below will help. We'll get you out of here."

​"Against this whole crowd? You'll die. And I don't want to fight anymore." His anger towards Malek had melted away, even the sting of betrayal. Him, being here now, was enough. "I'm glad you've come. I wanted to say goodbye. Thank Alyssia for rescuing my daughter. Now go before someone recognizes you."
​
Malek cut the straps that bound kept him upright and Dakkoul slumped to his knees. Malek helped him stand, ignoring his words. "Dad wants to see you again. I've promised he would."

"He just needs to stand in that line," Dakkoul said with a wry attempt at a grin although his mouth hurt too much to move it far.

​A guard came up the platform shouting at them and Malek dispatched him with ease. "First blood" he cried with a triumphant grin, before dispatching another one. Then his eyes narrowed. "Why aren't you fighting?"

Dakkoul tried to keep upright, tried to stop his head from spinning, tried to walk to the edge of the platform. Malek brought him down to the base of the platform and they stood, back to back as the crowd howled and came towards.

​"This is suicide," Dakkoul muttered. "I hope you have something else planned because you are dead."

​"Of course, brother," Malek said coolly and whistled. Twenty man-sized black cougars leapt out towards the platform as the crowd screamed and surged backwards.

Malek had enlisted the Enderaii to help him? It didn't make sense. Then he remembered. The Sheradith wanted him. She must have decided this was the only way to get him.

​"My turn," Malek muttered. "I must be able to do it now." He gritted his teeth and flipped forward becoming a cougar as he did so.

​"Get on," Malek hissed, bending down his head as he did so and Dakkoul felt Jalen boost him from behind as he scrambled on.

​With a throbbing head Dakkoul clutched the fur beneath him as the cougar dodged the soldiers, leapt through a gap and loped towards the gate, He banged against his back, feeling weaker and weaker, and nauseous too with a stomach that churned with every movement. 

The huge gate loomed above them and five soldiers barred the way with swords. Another two were hastily closing it. Malek did not hesitate. He launched himself above them with such savage force that Dakkoul's fingers loosened their grip and he began slip. 

Dakkoul screamed, "Go to our father. Forget about me." Then he let go and slid off, smacking his face to the ground as Malek soared through the gate just before it shut. Dakkoul could not even move as the soldiers surrounded him, and in the end they carried him to the Prince, dumping him on the ground in front of him.

​"Running away?" the Prince said with a supercilious smile. "Well it looks like the people have exacted some of their justice. You must be tougher than you look. I thought you'd be dead by now. Still, perhaps it is Fox-fate. You are just in time to see your precious Keilah slaughtered."

​With a groan, Dakkoul turned his head and saw Keliah facing a woman-sized fox. She had not transformed. She would die and he found himself praying to Jagur's god that somehow she would survive this.

​As the grey fox leapt towards her with bared, sharp teeth, Keilah tensed, then dodged but not quickly enough. The teeth caught her arm and clamped down. Keilah let out a piercing shriek, then reached out for the creature's eyes, digging in with all her might until it loosened her grip and she could yank her bleeding arm free. The grey fox's amber eyes dripped blood and it lifted its head up and howled. A woman in black with a large stick poked it from behind. "Keep fighting," she said, but the grey fox transformed back into the girl.

​"I can't see," she shrieked. "I can't see."

​Keilah looked down at her bloodied fingernails with horror and Dakkoul wished he could move, that he could comfort her.

​The Prince jumped up and glared at the two girls. "Someone must die. The fight must continue."

​Neither of them moved. 

​"Then I must make the kill." He pulled out his sword and held it aloft as he looked from one to the other. "I've known you a long time, Priscilla. I thought you'd be my Queen but I can't have a Queen who is blind." He put the sword in Keilah's hand. "You kill her, be quick before I change my mind. Kneel Priscilla." She did, even bowing her head when he told her, tears streaking down her bloody face.

​Keilah held the sword above her head, even as Dakkoul wanted to shout, to tell her not to, the Prince's fingers closed over hers and thrust her hands down, slicing through Priscilla's neck. Keilah dropped the sword and covered her face for a long moment. Then she removed her fingers and looked away from the dead fox at her feet to the sleek white fox nearby, with a blood smeared muzzle, that transformed back into a panting Lady Tynie. She was the other winner of the third round.

The Prince hushed the crowd before announcing, "The fourth round is my own challenge to Lady Tynie and Lady Keilah, to decide between them. Both are fierce, followers of the Fox and have with prestigious family and considerable wealth. Both would make suitable queens."

​The high Waywolk clapped, but not enthusiastically.

​"She can't be Queen," Lady Tynie protested. "The Queen must be the Priestess and she can't even transform."

​The Prince looked grave. "I'm sure she will be able to in time."

​"But the Queen must be able to do it. She has not fully given herself over to the Fox, that's why she can't. The Priestess must be of the Fox." An assenting murmur came from the crowd.

​A sheen of sweat appeared on Keilah's brow as she said, "I can do it now. I'm sure I can." She concentrated hard, saying, "I give myself to you Fox, change me" and then with a flip and spin she became a large white fox with a tip of black on the muzzle, her bi-coloured eyes stunning when fringed with white fur, before changing back to her human form.

​"First blood," she explained to an incredulous Lady Tynie. "I hadn't killed before."

​"The Fox counts that pathetic assisted thrust that was mainly the Prince? scoffed Lady Tynie. "I'm really of the Fox, I deserve to be Queen."

Do you want Keilah to become Queen? Thanks for reading so far.