Red

Twenty-Six.

"Lavender tea." I told him with a smile, and he nodded.

Lyk looked over at me shifting uncomfortably. He was in a pair of loose trousers and a white shirt. He took a deep breath before coming over to me at the table and taking a seat. Court looked over at us. "I'll be in there if you two need me." Court said before he walked over to the couch and sat down with a slice of the bread I baked.

Lyk stood up to get himself one. He spread the other berry jam I had made on it before coming back over and taking a seat across from me.

"I have a few things I would like to talk to you about." Lyk told me as he looked up from the bread.

"Okay." I murmured and Lyk took a deep breath.

"I wanted to firstly apologize for freaking out at the solstice feast. I wasn't expecting what you were saying and was struggling at processing what you told me." Lyk went straight to the point. Court glanced over as he licked some jam from his lips.

"It's fine." I murmured as I took a bite from the piece of bread.

"I understand you probably have a lot of questions I am here to answer anything you want. Nothing if off limits." Lyk told me.

"You and. . .  Azula were lovers?" I asked and Lyk nodded.

"We were, for decades." Lyk smiled his lips going up. I nodded. "You said your grandmother's name was Azula?" Lyk asked and I nodded.

"Yes, my grandmother was named Azula. She lived in this cabin by the woods, she is the one who made me my red cloak." I told him with a smile. I have very fond memories of my grandmother. I honestly couldn't recall many bad memories of her.

Lyk nodded as Court stood up. "You're welcome to tell her." Court told Lyk who looked up at him before turning back to me.

"Tell me what?" I asked curiously.

I didn't know what they are talking about, but I know it has something to do with me. From Lyk's expression as he turned back to me I knew I would be finding out.

"I'm going to pray you don't take this the wrong way and it makes you angry with me." Lyk murmured as Court took a step back and supervised the situation.

"Why would I be mad?" I asked.

Lyk sighed. "Was your grandmother's husband's name Achard?" Lyk asked and I froze a little before nodding.

"That was his name, why do you want to know?" I asked and Lyk smiled.

"He's not your grandfather. Achard was infertile, he didn't know it, but I could smell it, he had at most three percent chance of getting your grandmother pregnant. There was nothing more that Azula wanted than children if it was only one. I just didn't know that kid had his own kid." Lyk smiled as he watched me.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked feeling slightly uneasy.

Lyk ran a hand through his hair. "Azula and I were lovers. Way before Achard ever came into her life. Her son was mine. Not that Achard ever knew. He was too busy working himself into an early grave. I was in her bed more than he ever was." Lyk smirked at the end.

"You're saying you are my father's father?" I asked.

"I am. I promised to stay away from him. . . Azula got angry with me. I don't blame her that much. I'm quite territorial when it comes to things that are mine." Lyk smiled.

He looked up at me. "I caused the fear of the wolves once more. Around that time there was a tense peace, bad peace. Achard came into the forest one day. There was apparently a mine he was supposed to look at, but it was in wolf's territory. We prefer running them out unless they attack. But I didn't want to him run him out. . . I killed him. He was the first death in decades. They locked the village down after that and the sacrifices were upped. Your grandmother became ostracized as well from the society." Lyk explained.

"Are you the reason we lived on the fringes of the village?" I asked and Lyk nodded.

"Most likely. Azula didn't let me come back for months. She gave in eventually. I knew she only married him to make amends with her father. I've always been more important, and I gave her the one thing Achard could never do." Lyk smiled.

I watched him. "So. . . you're my grandfather?" I asked as Lyk looked up.

"Seems to be. I'm assuming your father's name is Conri?" Lyk asked and I nodded.

"It is." I confirmed.

Lyk smiled. "It means wolf king. Azula let me name him. It's quite common in our culture to name our children after wolves or anything to do with nature." Lyk explained.

"What does Court's name mean?" I asked.

"Nothing. He wasn't named by anyone from here. His human adoptive mother named him before his mother had a chance to." Lyk explained just as Court himself stepped out of his room. He came over and looked at us.

Lyk stood up the moment he saw Court stepping out. There didn't seem to be much tense air between them, but a small amount could be detected.

"I should get going. Thorin is going to start wondering where I am. My nephew is very pushy since he got control of the pack." Lyk quickly found a way to excuse himself.

"You could always take control of the pack if it bothers you that much." Court noted and Lyk shook his head.

"I have no desire to rule a pack." Lyk told him and Court smiled.

"Thank you for coming over and explaining things." I said quickly changing the subject and thanking Lyk.

Lyk nodded as he gave me a small smile. "I'm sure I'll see you again." With that Lyk took his leave leaving me and Court alone once more. 

Court turned to me and gave me a soft smile which I returned. "I assume all went well?" Court asked and I nodded as I shifted. Had Court heard what Lyk, and I were talking about? Had he heard what Lyk had told me?

"Lyk and I talked about things." I murmured as we walked back to our room.

"I heard. Are you okay?" Court asked confirming he did hear the two of us talk about it.

"I am. At least I don't have to wonder about the journal anymore." I told him and Court offered a smile to me as he shut the door.

"If you ever have any questions, you can ask me. I won't get mad about any of them. I promise." Court told me and I smiled at him.

"Thank you, Court." I told him and he smiled in return as we settled down for the day.

1859. It gets way more interesting from here. ***