Demian's Kall

The End

It took some time to put things back in order. The castle grounds were drenched in blood. The dead strewn about like slaughtered sheep. We lost men of course but less than expected. Only a small handful of lionvayne died though many more were injured. I chose from the best of them to replace the castle's lost security and my royal guards.

Zick was well and his mate was nesting in the back of the barn with three fat pale greenish eggs. I was rather angry to find out king Julian gave the red dragon back to the king of Dolwak.

Sadly, Narwin did not survive the battle to protect the keep. Goren was alive though badly wounded and Garfin had fled after the fall. He was alive and well in a village not far from us with his sister and her family.

Alec Fawn was a different person than the bitter snotty man I had last seen. He was truly happy to see me and grateful that I had changed his life. He was even happy to see Kall. He shocked me to the marrow of my tired bones by grabbing Kall and hugging him. He said Kall had taught him humility and patience and he had needed the lesson. Vella was well, happy and quite pregnant. Her belly wasn't showing yet but you could see the glow in her cheeks and eyes and there was a little more meat on her thin frame.

Kall's brother stayed with the lionvayne I allowed to live on the grounds. He lived with Layla, having accepted her as his lioness. He also claimed a second lioness by the name of Gale. They took in little Zane and made a happy family. He occasionally still found his way to our bed to snuggle up with his brother and I when he needed a break from the fuss of two women and a three year old. Whenever we went anywhere outside the grounds he was at his brother's right hand as his most trusted personal guard.

Nelly and Rueska lived on the grounds as well. I wanted Nelly close by because I had a fondness for the sweet shy girl. I wanted to make sure she was always cared for. Her baby was a boy and they named him Marc.

I felt out of place and overwhelmed at first but I found I knew everything I needed to take my father's place. Not that I truly could. No one could. At first many were not happy about Kall becoming king but as time went on they saw he was a fair and just king who loved his people.

I seized Winter Moon and all Julian's assets and soon enough my army overthrew the king of Dolwak. My kingdom thrived under my reign. So did the lionvayne. Their numbers steadily grew as time went on. Both by the joining of others who came in small groups to the place that had given their kind sanctuary and the birth of many cubs.

Within a span of a few years I had well over a thousand lionvayne living on the borders of my land. I made it clear that they had the same rights as all other citizens and were protected by law just as every other man, woman or child in my kingdom. Eventually they began to fill in the borders of my kingdom as well as my land.

My sweet lion was a constant joy in my life. The beast brought to me in a box became a husband and king I was so very proud of. The only thing he could not do was give me an heir. Raylin was suggested to me by my uncle and several others but incest was quite unappealing to both he and I.

I had time to decide who would sire my heir...or heirs. Kall was going to be a monumentally unhappy lionvayne when the time did come. I was not so thrilled by the idea myself. For now I would concentrate on building my wealth, expanding my kingdom and becoming the best ruler I could. Of course my people called me Queen Demian but outside our kingdom I was called The Lion Tamer, Empress Of Beasts, Demian The Barbarian or my personal favorite King Demian.