A Wolf's Kiss

Chapter XVI - I Have Seen Qēlos Dārys

Visenya had never been to the North before. In fact, she had never left the Capitol before. The North was much colder than the Capitol, even in the summer, and the forest stretched as far as the eye could see. She was much more use to the busyness of the city, not the surrounding wilderness.

But the most exciting part of her adventure by far.... was when her eyes fell on Ceres of Terrastella. Could he really have been the Qēlos Dārys? He certainly didn't look anything like what she expected... he didn't look anything like a King. He was only a boy, her same age, he was tiny, and didn't look at all like he could command an army. But if half the stories she had heard about him were true, then this small boy could be the one...

He was small in his stature, and quite skinny in his build. His hair... it was beautifully silver and gold at the same time. It was the same unmistakable color of Lord Aryes! He was dressed like the rest of the wolves, in animal skins and wool. It was obvious he was with them... from his hair, his dress, and his attitude, it was clear he was just as wild as any wolf. But at the same time, he was a hundred times more elegant than any of the ladies of the royal court.

When he spoke, his voice was soft. His demeanor was gentle, and every step he took he seemed to be far to perfect for this physical world, and yet in everything he did he embraced life. He wore no shoes, and yet there was no dirt on his feet. His eyes were black as midnight, and everything before him he looked at with an unimpressed expression as if he had already known it. Visenya wasn't convinced he was her King, and yet she had become completely enchanted by him.

She wanted to believe that Qēlos Dārys was real, and that he was here, but she couldn't help but be skeptical...

The other Ahaelons were ecstatic, they were all completely convinced Ceres was the one. They went on and on about his silver hair, his glowing skin, and how he flawlessly spoke the common tongue of Ahaelos. So quickly, they had fallen in love with him... well, she couldn't help but understand it. They had been waiting so long for their chosen one. Then along came someone who almost perfectly matched the signs. She couldn't say they were wrong to believe, she only wished she could believe herself. Life had jaded her too much.

Visenya could see no Kingly trait of Ceres' at all... until the feast for the King's reception.

When Ceres stood up and rebuked House Vaelralis, when he spoke of how the Iron Emperor had wronged him, his people.... Visenya could not help but feel her entire body shake. There was a fury in his once soft voice, a righteous anger that burned in his black eyes... it seemed that Ceres of Terrastella had a strength that Visenya had yet missed.

However, that still didn't make him the one. That still didn't mean he could deliver Visenya and her people.

Her and several of the other slaves had been working to clean up after the feast of the King's reception, it had taken several hours but finally it was over. Exhausted, she had started to make her way to the slaves quarters where she had hoped to find sleep. In order to get there, she had to leave the main hall and walk across the courtyard. A rather long and tiresome journey after her daily toil.

The air outside and crisp and cool, but Visenya liked it fine. It was a nice change from the damp heat of the Capitol. Cool air filled her lungs as she made her way through the courtyard, as she prepared to kiss the duties of her day goodnight, she was stopped. She heard a voice.

It spoke in strange words, and with a melody, though it was not quite a song. Curiosity had gotten the best of her, and Visenya decided to follow it to find its source, but when she got close to it she was paralyzed with fear.