On the other side of the continent, deep inside the fortress of Greenwood Keep, Saryn sneezed. Hard enough to make her wonder if people were talking about her. Probably, after all, she was the progeny of two Lightning Lords, and had awoken her own healing magic the day before. She flexed her claws, looking across the room to where Nyota lay. Her body had healed, and the poison was purified, but damage had been done on what Saryn guessed was the cellular level. It would take time for mom to heal completely. Probably weeks before she would be fully healed.
But she would heal.
Saryn hadn’t realized how attached she’d become. Not until the poisoned blade had nearly slain Nyota.
Never again. Promised Saryn, prowling the room.
She’d assumed her feline form, since four paws were quieter than two feet. Four umbraquins watched her patrol the room, while four more slept, the honour guard for Lady Nyota. Saryn made sure to step on each of them, walking across their panther forms just to make sure they knew she was watching. None reacted, because why would a bear sized panther react to a housecat climbing over them? Claws or not, the gesture was little more than a pat on the head. Saryn was only a year old, and while her unnaturally long gestation had given her some physical maturity. Her body was closer to that of a four year old’s.
Satisfied with Nyota’s guards, Saryn moved into the hall, opening the door with one paw and a little magical help. Outside the room stood two paladins, as well as four Greenhaven Militiamen and two of the landed Knights. Men who Arlet had selected personally to guard Lady Nyota.
“Lady Saryn.” Said the knights, snapping to attention and offering her salutes.
“Carry on. I’m making my rounds.” She said, silently prowling around the keep.
Orion and Cedric dogged her shadow, the enormous panthers not making so much as a squeak. Twin shadows that mirrored Saryn’s nature. The obsidian floor felt pristine under her claws. A smooth glass surface without seam or crack. Some ancient vestige of Pandora’s machinations, plans that had –hopefully— been fulfilled ages prior. A fact that troubled Saryn as she patrolled the halls, checking every guard posting, watch tower, station, and barracks. Finally coming to a halt on the empty parade grounds.
All was as it should be. Morning dawn broke over Greenhaven, covering the world in a warming blanket. Saryn drank it in, glad to be alive. A thought wiggled into her brain. Where is Liam right now?
Before she could continue that line of thinking, a company of men marched into the parade grounds, carrying a massive palanquin. If a pile of freshly hewn logs could be called such!
“Don’t stop now! Left Right Left! Keep on marching you louts! I’ve never seen such a sorry pack of furballs!” Shouted Arlet, goading the former slaves forward.
The sight made Saryn giggle. Half the slaves looked like they wanted to kill Arlet, and the other half were ecstatic that he was personally training them. It also helped that the contraption was more like twenty logs lashed together. Effectively recreating the weight armed and armored soldiers would have to carry into battle. There was nothing cruel nor excessive in Arlet’s treatment, though he was marching the felinids hard. Preparing them for the day they would take over Nyota’s protection.
“You furballs call this marching?! Bah! You want hellhounds to nip off your tails? Lady Nyota needs men to protect her! Not eunuchs! Left right left!” Shouted Arlet, giving Saryn a crisp salute as the log-platform passed.
She saw an opportunity for delightful mischief and ran alongside the felinids. Building up speed and getting ahead of the pack. Arlet’s eyes narrowed at her actions. The champion strategist always thinking four steps ahead. He took one step back, and a half step sideways, extending one hand towards her, precisely predicting her course of action.
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Saryn whirled, leaping onto Cedric’s snout and using it to springboard onto the platform alongside Arlet. The sudden change in direction sent the umbraquin cat-wheeling, and Orion chuffed in laughter, prowling alongside the pseudo-palanquin.
“Good morning Lady Saryn! I was just overseeing this platoon’s conditioning.” Said Arlet, giving her a half bow as she transformed into her more human shape.
Bones slurped and crunched, reshaping as she stood on two limbs instead of four. Her fur shifting into a delightfully crimson dress with black accents. Though her tail and ears remained largely the same, possibly even lengthening with the transformation.
“Excellent work Arlet. Mother’s safety is my highest priority, and I won’t be able to sleep soundly until our kind are watching her alongside your knights.” Said Saryn, loud enough for the felinids to hear.
Arlet knelt, bowing his head. “It shames me that your mother was wounded–”
Saryn raised a paw, covering his lips. Although she’d nearly missed and inserted both fingers into his nose. A sort of byproduct that came from shapeshifting was a rewriting of the nervous system. An electrical rejiggering that made some motions and gestures clumsy. Most annoyingly, it only affected her and not a single one of the umbraquins. Tragically unfair!
“Do not blame yourself for mother’s eagerness. We both know she does as she pleases. Champion, you have but two flaws. The first being that there is only one Arlet. I am eager for the day you find a felinid worthy of becoming your apprentice and begin training a champion worthy of the class.” Said Saryn, once more speaking with more volume than necessary.
Her goading was rewarded by a burst of energy. The palanquin’s bumpy ride suddenly smoothed as the men carrying it felt her faith. Arlet sensed the mood shift as well, and gave her a wink.
“This sorry lot has a long way to climb. But… There are a few promising warriors I am keeping my eyes on. Their conditioning is subpar, but, WE, CAN, FIX, THAT!” Arlet shouted the last few words, stomping on the lumberjack version of a palanquin in tune with the marching felinids, pounding the words into their hopeful minds.
Saryn smiled, and clamored her way into Arlet’s well muscled arms. “Thanks Arlet, but I have to ask, why are you so loyal to an eclipsiarch?”
Arlet didn’t miss a beat. “You never mentioned my second flaw.” Said Arlet, smiling.
“Oh? I thought it was obvious, you’re a mortal man.” Said Saryn, blinking innocently.
A snort escaped Arlet’s lips.
“Loyalty is a hard thing to win Lady Saryn. I swore my life to Baron Green, and he returned that oath by saving my family. When he… ahem, took the moniker Lord Liam, he proved thrice-over that my loyalty was rightly deserved. More deserved than King Aldric’s crown. You’ll have to ask Nyota for the details, for it is her tale to tell. And her husband to honour. But Lord Liam was the most honourable man I’ve ever known. Tis a shame you’ll never meet.”
Ha, never meet? Your fucked up God made me give birth to the little guy!
Hehe
Arlet, babe, I can’t wait for you to meet Tufan. Thought Saryn.
“What if I told you Liam would return in a new body?” Asked Saryn, thinking back to her plotting with Taloc.
Arlet’s jaw hardened into a diamond visage. “Do not even jest of such things Lady Saryn Furana Green.” Said Arlet stiffly, eyes narrowing as he brought his mouth to Saryn’s ear. “You are as strange as he. Taloc may do as he will, empower or mobilize whichever souls he pleases, but Lord Liam should remain buried. Do not disturb his memory, not when it would cut the beating heart from Nyota’s chest. As far as she is concerned, there are new heroes to be sung about.” Whispered Arlet.
Saryn cocked her head, meeting Arlet’s eyes. In that moment she became aware of two things. First, Arlet knew her soul wasn’t native to this world, though no revelation from Taloc or confession from another had informed him. He just knew it. And secondly, that Arlet knew Liam would return in another body. If he wasn’t already on his way here.
Damn Liam, what did you do to earn this man’s trust? I’d say he was gay for you, cause, oh boy does he care about you. Really knows you inside and out.
But…
I’m just jealous.
How did you make so many people love you?