Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Sixty-three

*A little info dumpy

Once Oscar's leg was splinted and his neck injury stitched up, in beastman form he was placed on the back of one of Melanie's, his mate, mates. Oscar, Melanie, Melanie's mates, Rosa, her mates, and all of their cubs were escorted out of the city by a crowd of five thousand beasts. The hundred or so single beasts that were admirers of Rosa or loyal to Oscar also left. No one worried that they wouldn't make it to their destination safely. There were enough of them that were strong and competent.

Shuu had done as he was tasked and had told Bart of the village's existence and location. At Bailey's request, he also made sure to bury supplies for their journey beneath a great elm just outside the city's high walls. In only a week or so, they would be able to find the village and they would be able to start over, just as Bailey wished.

When Bart told Oscar of just how much Bailey and her family had done for them, despite his female cub's schemes against her, his anger faded and he wept. Unlike his daughter, the Tiger King only blamed himself for all that had transpired. He had gone against his better judgment and was blinded by his love for his daughter, assuming the other kings would simply let all she did slide, just as they had in the past. They could have been executed or sold instead of exiled. Though he resented the Ape and Wolf King for breaking their word, gratitude for the mercy he was shown but didn't deserve swelled in his heart.

In truth, he never hated his brother. Winston had always been stronger both physically and emotionally. Oscar, feeling inferior, would always push his brother into dangerous situations and went so far as to mock him when he got his scar, despite the fact he had gotten in saving Rosa from a feral. But his feelings of inferiority were never hatred. He simply wanted to BE his brother.

When Oscar fought their father for the throne, Winston had not interfered, instead choosing to let his brother have what he wanted. Winston had always been looking out for him despite being younger, and though Oscar knew this, never acknowledged it. And now it was too late. With deep regrets and determination to teach his daughter the error of her ways, Oscar made his way with his family to the new home they would build from the ground up. And someday, he hoped, his little brother might come to visit to see it flourishing.

***

We moved into the castle a couple days later. The sprawling stone fortress was built like a mixture between a Mayan temple and a Scottish castle. While it had no curved staircases or towers, it had three floors plus a basement. The entire thing was built with large granite stones and framed by thick beams of cypress. As Oscar and the others could only take what they could carry, there was an abundance of luxurious furs decorating the walls and carpeting the stone floors.

The top floor was strictly for the Tiger King and his family. It was built in a simple square shape consisting of one 340 square foot main bedroom with six smaller 100 square foot bedrooms connected by narrow hallways. The main bedroom had the only source of heat on the floor from a large, depressed fire pit in the center.

The second floor was a mix of small and large rooms that could be used for soldiers, cubs, suitors, or visitors. I suspected Rosa and her mates had lived in most of the rooms on this floor based on the lavishness of the pelts left behind.

The ground floor had a courtyard, a few small guard rooms, including the room Winston had stayed in, the throne room that we had been to before, and an offset kitchen large enough where meat could be brought in, dismantled and cooked. The fire from the kitchen provided most of the heat for the castle. The fireplace was so large, they could roast an entire boar over it. Just outside behind the castle was the sandpit and a narrow creek for water access.

The basement was the coolest part. Not only did it hold the treasury and an armory. but it also had a connecting cave that led to an underground hotspring. It made sense considering this area was volcanic and I made a vow to myself to use it often.

As for the armory, though beastmen didn't often use weapons in one on one battles, tools like spears, slings, and pikes were used for dense or long-distance attacks. 

 The treasury was the first thing Winston checked and besides a few clear gems, nothing else was missing.

Before we could even begin to personalize the castle, a great feast was held to welcome the new Tiger King and his Queen. So all could recognize who we were, my mates, my cub, Apprentice Oliver and Suitor Shuu were introduced to the clan.

To my embarrassment, the men, including Kit insisted on wearing the very first outfits I had made them. Kit was raised up like a certain cartoon and declared first prince. Pimp Harvey was designated clan doctor and an empty building on the east side of the castle was claimed as his clinic.

Tiger females and their families who had previously been living outside the castle walls were invited to choose from the abandoned homes within. Only if they wanted to, of course. The few members of the fox clan in the city were also invited to move in.

In addition to the rules of the city, Winston advised that residents must also follow a few new rules. Any female in conflict with a mate severe enough to consider mark removal must first seek the Queen for a consult. Any conflict between females that could not be resolved peacefully would need to be presented to the Queen for a judgment. I decided on these rules because it would not only prevent females from being overly reckless, but it would also help me build relationships among the residents without making it seem like I was overshadowing Winston's authority.

The crowd was understandably a little confused. Most Queens did nothing but bask in the comforts their title provided. But I could see a few male faces that were happy about the idea that females couldn't remove their mark willy-nilly.

After our introduction and proclamations, and after everyone's belly was full, a small competition was held to determine who would be working as castle guards. Unfortunately, that meant the previously appointed guards would need to prove their worth again. There were some who weren't happy about that, but a reshuffling was necessary. Being a castle guard or soldier had the added benefits of access to extra resources like rare foods and furs the royals didn't want.

Poor Harvey and Olly had to work overtime due to the intensity of the competitors. I had a sneaking suspicion that some of them considered it an opportunity to catch the females' eyes.

Once it was over, we had a total of twenty guards on a rotating schedule stationed throughout the castle. Almost all were tigers and di-marked. Only four of those were tri-marked. They introduced themselves to Winston and then rest of us.

By the time the competition and organization was complete, the sun had long set. Exhausted, we all made our way to the top floor. All except Shuu and Oliver who were given rooms on the second floor. Refusing to sleep on any furs left by Oscar's family until they were washed, Lance made a quick trip home and brought our furs. While he was gone, Winston and Harvey rolled around each bedroom of the top floor, scent marking it as best they could. When it was as comfortable as it was going get, we curled up around each other with Kit in the middle. The following days would be a lot of work getting the castle to how I wanted it to be and we needed all the rest we could get; modern standards of cleanliness and all that.