Throne of the Beasts ✔️

Tea Time

As I put the substance to my nose for smelling, I realized that Caroline wasn't smiling anymore- she looked cramped or impatient. I smelled the so-called tea. As I inhaled its scent, it gave me a weird feeling. It didn't smell like tea, but more like abstract concepts- love, hatred, sadness, fear. I didn't know what those even smelled like, but somehow I just... knew. The shaman's green eyes looked right through me, as if I wasn't even there, shaking with anticipation. It shook me to the core. "Come on. Drink it." She commanded in a condescending tone. Under pressure, I put my lips to it, without opening my mouth, and put it down after swallowing my own spit.

Caroline's eyes softened, and so did her other features. The room's atmosphere soothed down to a calmer state. "Better?" I nodded slowly, avoiding making eye contact. I immediately fixed myself though, thinking I might look suspicious since she was a shaman and could most likely tell that the cup was still at the level it was when she gave it to me. "So, do we have some catching up we need to be doing? Especially since I didn't really recognize you when you asked...?" I uttered, trying to create a conversation.

"Sure!" she giggled, waving her hands at Biming and Dakota to leave. She really did have a high-handed personality, didn't she? "But first, I think you should meet Turi." I mentally rolled my eyes. How many people did I just absolutely need to meet in order to to be initiated or whatever? She turned around and reached for a hollow log hanging from the ceiling. She put her face close to it and started to baby-talk it, cupping it in her hands. My heart nearly stopped when my eyes fell upon what she was holding. "Her full name is Victurio, but I call her Turi for short."

Laying in her hands was a small, infant Wyvern. They were thought to be extinct or at least hard to spot in the wild, since they did dwell in the mountains and had a type of camouflage. No wonder they had said she was so talented at a young age- she had a ferocious creature of myth as her animal. I guessed she noticed me gawking. "Cool, huh?" She let the creature crawl and climb on her fingers while she talked. "I hear yours is an owl- and a big one at that."

"Uh, yeah. I kind of guess it is useless now, since I'm not a queen anymore." I said, wondering. Why wasn't I back at the castle doing royal duties? Why wasn't my family by my side? I mean, I guess I have Caroline, but she... wasn't right. "Well, you are, its just that," she paused, and so did Turi. She never finished her sentence. She was taking too long. "Well, where have you been? I, uh, haven't seen you ever, so, it would be nice to hear how you've been doing or how you even know who I am in the first place."

She smiled, pushing the tea closer to me as she poured some for herself. She took a long drink before putting it down. "Eliza, its just tea. Why would I poison my own cousin?" She remarked, noticing my lack of consumption. But the tone she said it in made me feel like she was going to poison me more. I shook my head. "I, I'm not thirsty, but thanks." She tsked. "You're really missing out." She took another sip and continued. "Anyway, I've been in Meinua with my dad ever since my mum died, basically commissioning potions and such for people of the village. That was before I got my animal. The village kicked me out, finally deeming me a witch, not a shaman. Before that, when we were both younger, we lived about an acre away from each other. My dad would walk me over to see you while my mom our parents were working. It surprises me that you don't remember."

I sat there, dumbfounded. "How did you get here?" I inquired. "I was recruited. I walked with Turi until I stumbled upon Dakota. That was when the Lenai nation was but a concept."

I nodded slowly. I honestly didn't feel like adding my part to the conversation. Mostly because it wasn't as fun or exciting.

Suddenly, she fell onto the floor, clutching her head. I stood up quickly. "Should I get someone?" I asked quickly. She couldn't say anything through gritted teeth, but she vigorously nodded her head. I decided to get the medic. I yanked the old woman's arm until we reached the hut where she was. I explained to her what was happening. "She's having a vision." She said, rushing inside.

"What is it?" The frail lady asked. Caroline looked up and opened her mouth to say something. She went to her and stroked her back until she was calm enough to speak.

"Hen-Henry is alive. And he's coming for us all." She said, putting her hands back against her head.