Alone in the Dark

Shadow Bears

Rael gently scratched the chest of her owl, cooing to the bird gently before putting her on the tree stand, to let her settle after a long flight from the North of her country. As the bird ate, Rael read the note from her friend.

The black cat company is the only one I would trust, but loyalty isn't guaranteed even from them. I would recommend against proceeding with negotiations. You will need someone with blood loyalty for it to be worth your time, I think. And that is a steep cost, beyond gold, I don't know if it's within Aupana's ability to pay it.

I may have to chance going into the woods again tonight. It's been a long time since I've been afraid of the dark. Remember the story of the shadow bear that kept us awake when we were kids? They say we base most myths on some small ounce of truth, though if it is something else, I don't think there is much hope.

- Rini

Rael glanced at the map of Aupana spread out on her wall, finding the village of Sythe and tracking outwards into the woods with her fingers. She frowned gently as she took in the vast expanse of wilderness that encompassed that part of her country. Her betrothed and her best friend were somewhere in those trees, clawing through the darkness with no help from anyone else.

News was several hours behind on the wings of birds, so Rini would be out there now in the dark, even as Rael stood comfortably in her office.

"Where are you?" Her voice sounded odd as she spoke to herself while looked at the map, echoing through the small, comfortable room.

She wanted to write back and tell Rini to stop delaying, to find those responsible or to come home, that it was too dangerous. As much as she wanted to find Kannein with every passing day, his survival was getting less likely.

Rael wanted to be out there with Nerini, fighting those shadows and searching for the man she loved. The adventures of their youth came to mind as she stared at the map. In those precious few years when she was just an Heir apparent and Nerini had returned from her training with the Cleandrians to lead them all over in search of excitement and action, they had fought monsters and evil and believed themselves invincible.

Now they were scattered, alone and fighting the monsters from their childhood, no longer invincible.

The thought of the old story of the monster bears that chased children through the dark woods and snuck into castles to eat them in their sleep caused her to shiver. Rael moved closer to the fireplace as she tried to settle her nerves and tell herself that her friend was going to survive the night.

Her betrothed was not in the lair of monsters, but chained somewhere by humans who sought riches and instability.

Human evil, she could handle.

***

The next morning, Rael found Ocia in the woman's own offices and interrupted a meeting amongst some lower nobles assigned as part of the Aupanan war council. Recognizing their salutations to her rank as Regent, Rael inclined her head and allowed them to finish, listening to them make plans to increase the Rangers in response to Nerini's request to double the patrols within Aupanan territories.

As the room emptied, Rael turned to Kannein's Armoire in the corner, untouched and waiting for him to return. She opened the dark wood door and ran her hands over his formal court armour that he had sent back from Alliance with her. He would have had no need for it while home, so he had ridden in his more practical and unadorned armament for the battlefield.

Rael let out a breath and closed her eyes for a moment, catching the scent of him faintly wafting through the air. Once she had her emotions under control, she turned to find Ocia watching her.