The Pack Reunites

Chapter 5

Quintilis 20th, 2080.

"Hear ye, hear ye!" the bellman cried. "The Rei has hereby announced that the heir apperent shall be anointed on the 13th of Sextilis 2080. All those who wish to attend and pay homage to their future Rei is invited to do so at O Templo de Mercurio during the conclusion of the Cerimonia."

Meu Tio had instructed his town criers to announce the date of his eldest Filho's confirmação, Cairo Land's version of a quinceñero where my cousin would be anointed as his Pai's heir apparent. Just as with a quinceñero, the Ceremonia is merely a formality, serving as a means to stifle any confusion as to which pup was the true heir.

Though it was still a month away, the castle staff had already prepared for the event, ensuring that both the Ceremonia and subsequent celebratory feast would go smoothly with the only chaos allowed being caused by the Membros da Realeza themselves.

The guards had also doubled security during the month as Tio had begun to realize that events were magnets for thieves. As such Rei Maximo Primeiro decided to increase security both in the castle and at O Templo.

As for how all this came to be, it's a rather interesting tale It was the 9th of Quintilis 2078, Meu Tio Substituto subjects were preparing for the Saturno Eve festival, a yearly event in Cairo Land where witches gathered together to give presents to each other.

Developed by Rainha Gaia in the year 2062, the Saturno Festival served as a way to unite the witches of Cairo Land and much like the Pnopsia in El Reino Helado, also allowed their subjects to pay homage to their Membros da Realeza.

While the castle servants prepared for the celebration, Princeps Gromeo Junior and Princepess Azura were in their guest chambers, wrapping their Saturno presents for the townsfolk. Not that they weren't excited to receive presents themselves, but they preferred to think about the spirit of the holiday, which was giving.

But unfortunately, not everything was right during the holidays for there'd been many reports of a witch who faked poverty to rob anywitch who bent down to offer him money. Not only that but one witness reported seeing him remove his disguise revealing very expensive clothing signifying his wealth.

Rainha Gaia was informed of the matter soon after and ordered the con artist's arrest. Instead of punishing the thief however, she attempted to reason with him until he agreed to cease his crimes. Unsurprisingly, this failed and only two months after he was released, he returned to his life of crime.

Appalled by my aunt's decision, Principe Maximo confronted her in the throne room but, her response remained the same. "Now, Maximo!" she scolded. "You know that violence is never the answer." As a butch wolf, this passive form of justice was very difficult for him but as always, he obeyed. "Very well, Mae," he said. "If I find a less violent solution, I'll tell you."

Just it was with our Primo, Infante Sancho, though he was his Pai's eldest Filho, being a butch wolf, his ability to manipulate the air was drastically weaker compared to his Irmana. Even after he went from being the second-born Filho to the first-born Filho, he was still playing second fiddle.

Not only that, but his personality was in stark contrast to his Mae E Pai as well. Instead of being carefree, passive, and sometimes naïve, Maximo was serious, cool, and calculating, always able to tell when one of his subjects, and Irmaos were being amorally.

The only one of his Irmaos to share at least similar views to him was his younger tom wolf Irmano, Paulo who also believed that criminals should be punished for their crimes though he went about it with a more stubborn and reckless attitude which usually got in extremely dangerous situations.