The Unwanted Princess

Terrorists

Night was falling and the line of people at the gate still stretched out down the highway. Some followed wagons or had horses or camels loaded with goods. Others carried everything they owned on their backs, younglings weary from their cross-country march. Sapiens were mixed in the crowd, clinging to one another and cringing away from the faunids around them. But the faunids were too busy trying to save their own families to be bothered with the sapiens.

There were no humans in the crowd. The preserves near Corinth had been abandoned a century ago after Niamh's vengeance wiped one out. Winter weather made travel from great distances too difficult for humans. 

Roedin flew down the line of travellers listening to their whispers, feeling their exhaustion. The guards at the city gates would process the refugees through the night. They had been ordered to let everyone in but conduct thorough interviews and document everyone's background. It was not enough to satisfy the native Corinthians.

Sari was overwhelmed with complaints about overcrowding in the city and Arctos was constantly dealing with conflicts between species. Roedin was working more covertly. There had been three deadly attacks this winter, all caused by intruders hiding amongst the refugees. Hayden and Adelyn refused to turn anyone away but their people were dying because of their generosity. Roedin barely slept, trying to suss out any threats.

He banked in the air and flew back towards the main gate. Lumenstones lit up the entrance and bright lights kept anyone from sneaking up to the guard house. A tent outside the gates offered free medical services and basic food for those who had nothing. Roedin landed and strode past the tent, avoiding the doctor inside. He was about to pass by the guards at the front of the line when someone cried out angrily behind him.

"How come that savage gets to pass the rest of us? We've been waiting for three days to enter the city!" a male sapien hollered.

Roedin stopped in his tracks and turned to look down the line, daring the male to show himself.

The guard came up beside Roedin. "I'm sorry Prime Roedin. We're processing them as fast as possible."

"A prime!? How can a faunid be a prime?" the male called out in disgust, stepping out of line. His mate clung to his arm, begging him to return to their place and calm down. "Faunids raided my farm, killed my brother. And here they are given a place of honour? Of power? They are cause of this problem!"

The male drew a sword from his belt and marched towards the Myotes warrior. Three guards drew their own swords and pointed them at the sapien, blocking his path. The male stopped with a hiss, angry that they would protect a faunid.

Roedin stepped around the guards and waved them away before approaching the angry refugee. He deliberately spread his wings a bit to increase his size and stared down the male, daring him to make the first move. Behind him, his mate was sobbing silently, a youngling clinging to her leg. The male gulped, his bluff called.

Roedin spoke first. "You saw these marauders? The faunids who destroyed your farm and killed your brother?"

The male raised his chin defiantly. "Too well. They hauled us from our beds and dumped us in the yard before setting fire to the house. Beasts! Animals with no morals!"

The sapien clutched his swords but glanced around at the others in line, looking for support. He was a farmer not a soldier. It was unlikely he knew what to do with the weapon.

Roedin studied him another moment. "Come with me."

Without waiting for a reply Roedin turned and marched to the guardhouse. The sapien shifted on his feet, torn between hating the half-breed and not wanting to wait in line any longer. One of the guards helped his wife to her feet and another picked up their few belongings. Sputtering indignantly, the male followed them in.
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Roedin led the family to a formal meeting room in the Spark, partly because he needed time to think, and also to display some of his power to the arrogant sapien. He was from the country and Roedin wanted to show him this was about more than a squabble with some rebellious faunids.