Hey guys!
Here is Chapter Three. I am excited for this chapter because I finally get to introduce some new characters and some backstory into the main plot. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Next chapter will be up next Sunday :)
Love Always,
Daisy
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Chapter Three | (In) Sight
*
'When I am with you
a n y t h i n g
is possible.'
- Anon
*
Iris woke early the next morning to the dawn chorus, the first tendrils of morning lifting the blanket of darkness from the surrounding forest, while birds conversed nosily from within the foliage high above.
She rolled over, reaching out to her side where Arlo had been sitting last night, keeping watch. The space was empty and cold. She rose immediately, glancing around the clearing superstitiously, her Lycan eyes adjusting easily in the dimness.
"Arlo?" She called quietly, knowing that if he were near, he would hear her.
"I'm here, Beauty." His voice came to her after a moment, just on the edge of her hearing. "I was just checking the perimeter. If you are awake, prepare to leave. I'll return soon."
He sounded slightly distracted and so she let him be, rising with a yawn. The horses shifted comfortably off to the side, their elegant bodies solid patches of darkness in the otherwise grey light. She made her way over to them, the last vestiges of sleep slowing her movements. Still, by the time Arlo appeared, the clearing was cleaned of their presence, the horses had been fed, and Iris was packing the last of their possessions into the saddle bags.
"Ready to go?"
She nodded and leaned into him as he enveloped her in a firm hug. She was grateful they had resolved their dispute. With the new day she felt refreshed, as though - for the moment at least - she had left her sadness behind her.
"Come on then."
The day passed uneventfully, and Iris found herself growing restless.
The forest surrounding them only grew thicker, the dense under growth slowing their progress and she tried not to let her frustration at their pace get under her skin.
It was difficult though; her anticipation of their arrival had been building since they left and now it was as though her stomach was doing backflips.
She tried to concentrate instead; on the route they were taking. Although there did not appear to be a clear path, Arlo seemed confident in his direction and she wondered if he had travelled this way before, or if there was something else guiding him.
She casually scented the area, but nothing stuck out to her. The presence from the day before had not returned either, that she could tell, so she assumed they did not have an unseen guide leading the way forward.
It was in times like these that she truly realised her youth in their world. Unlike other Lycans, Iris's appearance matched her true age and she was reminded of this fact as she watched Arlo make his way assuredly through the forest. Arlo - despite not looking a day over twenty-five - had lived for far longer than a mere two decades and some others had lived longer still. With that in mind, it was not so unreasonable to suppose that Arlo had walked this path many times in the past.
As the day wore on, Iris's nervousness became close to unbearable. She felt wired and restless and shifted constantly in her saddle, her discomfort not passing unnoticed.
"We will arrive soon," Arlo smiled, placating her gently.
"How soon?" She blurted out, "And what will happen once we arrive?"
"Once we arrive," he mused, "the King has requested we meet with him immediately. Assuming nothing changes, this is what we shall do."
"What would change?" She asked curiously.
Arlo's smile was tight. "The King has been busy of late," was all he felt necessary to say.
Sensing this particular line of conversation had reached an end, Iris changed the subject, eager to ask more while Arlo was in an answering mood. "Will there be other Lycans like me at the Castle?"
Arlo's smile relaxed into a teasing one. "There are no other Lycans like you, Beauty."
She rolled her eyes. "Stop it," she admonished, "you know what I mean."
"Unfortunately, what I say is true," his eyes deviated from the invisible path he was following to glance at her briefly, "currently there are no Lycan's in our world, quite like you. Or at least any that I know of."
"How can you be sure," she persisted, "you kept me a secret, maybe others have done the same?"
He looked amused. "Correction Iris, the King kept you a secret. Others do not keep secrets from the King."
Iris wrinkled her nose, "But how can he be so sure?" She persisted. It seemed unrealistic to her. Was this King so great?
"If they are wise Iris, they do not keep secrets from the King."
Iris held back from telling him that the King was beginning to sound like a tyrannical dictator, something telling her that her opinion would not be well received. Unbeknownst to her however, Arlo's eyes sparkled as he looked fondly upon his feisty charge. Her disagreement was written blatantly all over her face.
He chuckled, sensing she was seeking a way to pass the time. "Tell me what you know about the Royal Houses Iris."
She indulged his offered distraction and wiggled a little in her saddle, casting her mind back to her lessons.
"There are six," she began, "six main families that reign over different territories. Titus, Hellion, Vidarr, Thorne, Silvon, and Greyson. I am from the House of Silvon. The current King is from the House of Greyson," she recited. "He challenged the previous King a little over a century ago and won the right to Rule. All of the Royal Houses rank under the current King; however, they are able to challenge him for his position formally, at any time."
"Very good," Arlo praised. "Which House was the previous Ruler from?"
"Titus," Iris replied, "Orelion Titus. His Majesty killed him to win the challenge."
"Because ..."
Iris's eyes hardened, "Because it is practically impossible for the former Lycan King to submit to the new King in order to surrender from the challenge. Someone with a Kings 'will' cannot bow to or bend their will to another willingly. When they fight, it is to the death."
Arlo nodded, "And this is why a challenge for the throne does not often occur, unless the other houses have a strong reason to oppose their current Ruler. Do you know what his Majesty's reason was?"
Iris frowned. "He, along with many others in the Earth Kingdom, were unhappy with the expanding shifter population. He felt that Humans were being let too easily into our world and was concerned that with the growth of this new race, all of the effort that had been put into concealing the existence of Lycan's would be for naught. He worried that history would repeat itself eventually, and Humans would once again, seek to hunt down and destroy Lycans.
"He challenged Orelion and won. When he assumed the throne, he took the side of the Air Kingdom's late King – who sought to unite the magical races in concealing our existence from humans fully. Lycan's were forbidden from taking human spouses, but the Shifter race was already established. They continued to grow within their own boundaries, their packs developing rapidly. Although they have a different hierarchy to us, they still answer to the King."
Arlo smiled at her but his eyes were tight. "That is correct. And now I ask you this. Do you believe that the Shifter population should have been left unchecked?"
Iris thought for a moment. The horse beneath her picked its way forward independently, following Arlo's lead, and her body swayed side to side with the motion as she considered his question. "No..." she said slowly, "I think that it is indeed dangerous to let too many humans into our world. But I do think that when his Majesty assumed the throne with the intention of keeping the Shifter population in check, it sent a bad message to the Shifters. I doubt they think of themselves as a population that needs to be controlled." She paused, "That and you mentioned that his Majesty's council is comprised solely of Lycans."
Arlo raised an eyebrow, "You think Shifters should be allowed on the Kings council?"
"I think they should at least have a representative," Iris stated decisively, "then perhaps this current Rebellion would not have occurred, if the Shifter population felt they had a voice."
"The Shifters already lead their own packs," Arlo reminded her, "their hierarchy is different to ours. Not all Shifter packs see eye to eye, so a representative may not necessarily represent the will of the entire Shifter population.
"But don't the pack leaders rank under the Royal House whose territory they occupy?" Iris queried. "In that sense, some of them may see it as being 'controlled' by Lycans. Surely that would create animosity. And also, there is a large difference to being leader of a pack and having a seat on the Kings Council."
Arlo chuckled, "Your perspective is a beautiful one, my Love. You would have us all get along, wouldn't you?"
"I would take everyone into consideration," Iris argued, "Instead of just assuming nothing needs to be changed, I would look at the bigger picture. Shifters exist because of us. Even though it was centuries ago that the Shifter race became developed, it was still because of Lycan's procreating with Humans, that Shifters even exist to begin with. They are a part of us. And it seems the King is ignoring that."
Perhaps it was her naivety, but Iris had always found the hierarchy system in their world irksome. She knew that it was necessary, for in their souls, both Lycans and Shifters alike, were beasts that needed a pack and a leader to follow.
Naturally, some were born to stand above others. Lycans, with their pure blood and long-life spans, had ruled their Kingdoms long before Shifters existed.
Shifters, as the offspring of Human and Lycan coupling, were inherently weaker. But still. They came from us; Iris had often thought in frustration. Didn't that fact alone make them equal?
Iris had never met a Shifter; she had never had anyone else aside from Arlo. That had never bothered her before, but now, as they talked over Arlo's teachings, she had the sudden feeling that this was a huge hole in her education. Sure, she knew the History of their world. It was fascinating to her. But she had never met any of the people in it. And now she was on her way to meet the King. The man who stood at the very pinnacle of their race.
"Iris," Arlo was calling her, and she looked up, startled out of her thoughts. He smiled at her, but his eyes held a different emotion that she couldn't quite grasp. He tilted his head to the side.
"Look there, up ahead."
She cast her eyes in the direction he indicated, searching for what he saw. It took her a moment, but slowly, from out of the forest, curled an archway. The archway seemed to have grown straight out of the ground, the two tree trunks on either side, bending their branches sideways to meet at the top and tangle together in a perfect mess of leaves and vines. From a distance, it was impossible to pick out from the rest of the greenery in the forest, but as they drew nearer, she realised just how large it was. Even in her Lycan form, the arch would still tower high above her.
They passed under it silently and she gazed upwards in awe of its beauty. She could see there were other plants growing within the system of branches, their diverse foliage adorning the main boughs prettily. Although it was early evening, life still hummed from within the treetops and as she stared, she saw a small bird dart out from the nest of vegetation, her presence catching its attention.
The little creature hopped down the archway towards her, its movements fleeting and inquisitive. It paused close to her, hopping to-and-fro as it peered at her with one bright, black eye. She laughed at its boldness and blew it a kiss.
"Come, Beauty," Arlo called from up ahead, "don't fall behind. We will be meeting with the guards soon."
Iris made a sound of agreement, nudging her horse forwards until they left the archway behind them. Even as it faded into the background once again, Iris could not help looking back over her shoulder to watch it go.
The queasy anticipation in her stomach had been replaced with excitement and she realised she was smiling as she urged her horse forward until they drew up alongside Arlo.
"The guards will meet us before we reach the gates and escort us to the Castle," Arlo informed her, an indulging smile on his face. He could see that some of her anxiety had lifted.
"Are they Lycan?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"All of the people you meet in the Castle will be Lycan," he informed her.
"All?"
"All." His gaze slipped to her again, "You do not need to be afraid of them Iris, do you understand?"
At his words, a sudden image of the Lycan she had met in the woods flashed into the forefront of her vision. She remembered the sheer size and power in its stance and the limp body of the assassin Shifter that had dangled brokenly from its jaws. She felt herself sobering, but she pushed the image from her mind and nodded resolutely, taking a deep, steadying breath. She knew who she was. She would not be afraid.
"I understand."
"Good. They are approaching."
Iris was immediately on alert, focusing her senses on her surroundings. When Arlo had said they would be here soon, she hadn't realised how soon.
"As Lycans?"
"No," Arlo denied, "That would scare the horses."
The world around her seemed to grow quiet as she focused on listening for the sound of feet treading the Earth, even as the horse beneath her continued to plod contentedly forward.
"Gabriel." Arlo's cool voice had Iris turning in the direction he was looking, amazed that she had not heard the Lycan's approach. From out of the forest ahead, a man was advancing as silently as he had come. He was dressed in the earthy tones Iris was familiar with and for a moment she felt wildly relieved that, in this aspect at least, she would not appear out of place. A second later she felt like laughing at the random thought. Clothing should be the last thing on her mind.
"Arlo." Another voice came from the side and Iris turned in the saddle to see another man emerge gracefully from the surrounding greenery. "It is good to see you."
"Ezekiel." Arlo acknowledged the other before dismounting from his horse. Iris made a move to copy him, but he held up a hand, freezing her in place.
"You stay there," Arlo told her quietly.
She nodded jerkily, gathering the reins up her hands a little nervously.
The one Arlo had identified as Gabriel was getting closer and he gave Iris a cursory look before his light green eyes landed on Arlo. Iris was surprised to see the stranger offer a slight incline of his head towards her companion.
"Arlo," Gabriel's voice was rich and smooth, "It has been some time."
Arlo waved off the other man's formality with a casual flick of his hand that Iris thought seemed far too natural. Seeming to become aware of her sharp-eyed gaze, Arlo dropped his hand, clearing his throat as he glanced at her sideways before turning back to address the others.
"His Highness mentioned he was sending people, but I didn't know it would be you two. Have you fallen so low to be running around like errand boys?" His tone was teasing, and Iris felt herself relaxing slightly at the familiarity in his voice. So, he knew these Lycans well. That was good.
"His Highness would not send just anyone to receive you both," The other Lycan smiled serenely, his elegant face seemingly unfazed by Arlo's provocation. He turned towards Iris and addressed her directly, his shoulder length blond hair swaying forward as he gave a short bow. "Princess, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Ezekiel. If you are ever in need of anything during your stay, I hope that you will not hesitate to seek me out."
Iris was a little thrown off by his formality and murmured a quick greeting in reply while Arlo chuckled in the background.
"Still as up tight as ever Zeke." He laughed.
"Princess," Gabriel had stepped forward also, "What Ezekiel said applies for me also. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Gabriel's stoic features initially gave off an unfriendly appearance, but Iris could hear the sincerity in his tone. She nodded in assent and repeated her previous introduction.
"I would say we need to hurry, but unfortunately the King has been held up with some business tonight and will be unable to greet you until tomorrow." Ezekiel addressed Arlo smoothly and look passed between them that was lost on Iris.
Arlo sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he gave Iris an apologetic smile. "It seems that something changed after all," he said in reference to their earlier conversation.
She was surprised by the disappointment she felt, but she hid it well. Offering him an understanding smile, "It's alright, I'm excited just to see the Palace."
He nodded and remounted his horse, "Shall we continue then?"
Their group set off at a pace only slightly faster than before, and although the two other Lycans walked on foot, they kept up with horses effortlessly, gliding soundlessly across the forest floor. Ezekiel drifted forward to converse with Arlo quietly and Gabriel fell back to accompany Iris.
Iris could not help but study this Lycan from the corner of her eye. Aside from Arlo, Gabriel and Ezekiel were the first Lycans she had met, and she felt as though she would burst from all the questions building inside her.
As though reading her mind, Gabriel spoke. "If the Princess has questions, I will do my upmost to answer," he said solemnly. He sent her a brief look that was accompanied by the slightest curling at the corner of his lips as he noticed her surprise.
"How did you-"
"Naturally, the Princess would be curious when meeting other Lycans for the first time."
Iris stared down at the reins bunched in her hands feeling a little embarrassed. "Is it that obvious?"
"I have long been aware of your situation," the Lycan said mildly, "so I suppose to others, it might not be as obvious."
Her embarrassment eased and she lifted her head. Gabriel was still looking ahead, but his stern face did not seem as intimidating as before.
"How long have you known Arlo for?" She asked curiously.
Gabriel ducked gracefully under a low hanging branch as he thought over her question. "Since my birth I have known of him, but I came to know him more directly when I began to serve the King. Which I suppose would be about thirty years ago now. Ezekiel has known him for longer, I am relevantly new in the ranks."
"Are you on the Kings Council?"
"No," he replied, "but Ezekiel is. I am part of his Majesty's immediate guard."
"Is that how you are able to be so quiet?"
This time it was Gabriel who sent her a curious look, hearing the underlying meaning to her question. "You are interested in cultivating your skills?"
"Can you teach me?"
He paused and she saw his eyes flicker to Arlo. "I would have thought that Arlo had taught you already."
"He has," she responded quickly, "some. But I still could not hear your approach."
Gabriel gave a fleeting smile. "If our approach could be heard Princess, then I would not be worthy of being in the Kings Guard. You may check with Arlo. If he agrees I would be happy to continue to teach you."
Her heart filled with warmth and she beamed at him. "Thank-you."
Gabriel seemed a little taken aback by her enthusiasm and he quickly looked away, his face hardening. "There is no need for thanks, it is my duty," he responded curtly, but she noticed that the back of his neck had reddened slightly. Her smiled widened.
The next question she asked was risky, but she thought she might get away with it. "I was wondering," she began slyly, "does the Palace have any chickens?"
Gabriel seemed surprised, "As in the bird?" he confirmed, his expression growing puzzled when she nodded in confirmation. "I think they keep hens around the back of the kitchens, but why-"
"Because she brought along her scrawny bantam and thought I wouldn't notice," came the amused answer from ahead.
Iris jumped guilty, turning to see Arlo looking back at them, his expression fondly exasperated. From beside her, Gabriel was scenting the air quickly and he seemed to come to a sudden realization.
"I thought I could smell another animal," he agreed, "but the horses' scent is quite strong."
"Did you really think you could hide her from me Iris?" Arlo teased as she pulled up alongside him, having the good grace to look shamefaced.
"You were being mean," she said grumpily, "and anyway, you lied. You said the Palace was no place for chickens!"
"I believe that one of our Chef's has quite the collection as Gabriel said," Ezekiel inserted smoothly from Arlo's other side. The graceful Lycan eyed Iris's saddle bag doubtfully, "It was unnecessary for you to bring your own food though Princess, I assure you-"
"Calliope is not for eating!" Iris interrupted, staring at Ezekiel in horror as Arlo roared with laughter.
Ezekiel blinked in confusion. "Calliope?" he questioned in bewilderment, "My apologies Princess, but then, if I may ask, what is she for?"
"She's a pet," Iris accentuated, "P E T. Pet! And she lays eggs!"
"All chickens lay eggs," Ezekiel replied, still looking bemused, "are hers special for some reason?"
"They are special, because I say so." Iris declared stoutly, ignoring the peals of laughter coming from the brute beside her. "And she is not for eating." She felt necessary to repeat.
"You heard her Zeke," Arlo chortled, ignoring the glare Iris sent him.
"Yes," Ezekiel acquiesced, dipping his head in acknowledgement, "I will be sure to explain to the kitchens that this special chicken is for the Princess to do with as she pleases."
Iris still felt there was something wrong with his statement, but as Arlo dissolved into laughter again she decided she couldn't be bothered trying to figure it out.
It was growing darker now, the thick trees cutting out the fading sunlight rapidly, and Iris's Lycan eyes adjusted accordingly to the light. A quieter mood had fallen over their party as all four Lycans felt the rush of power that came with impending arrival of the evening. It wasn't that Iris felt any more physically powerful at night-time, it was more that she felt a stronger sense of belonging. The night brought with it colours and scents, and a peaceful solitude that could not be found during the day. Darkness embraced their kind like a soft cloak, inclosing them in its folds, laying against their skin with a gentle touch.
"Up ahead," Gabriel's voice was low, but carried through the still air clearly.
Iris followed his line of vision and squinted a little, noticing a soft glow appearing through the trees.
"What is that?"
Arlo hummed. "You'll see."
They rounded a particularly large thicket of trees and Iris gasped in wonder. Up ahead was an archway, identical to the one they had passed under earlier. However, this one illuminated the surrounding forest with thousands of soft golden lights that seemed to hover and float around the branches, creating the illusion of a shifting halo.
She stared in breathless wonder at the fantastical sight. Noticing her reaction, Arlo grinning in anticipated delight. "If you like that Iris, just wait till you see the Palace."
She nodded vaguely in agreement but couldn't look away from the sight before her. "Is it the same one as before?" She asked in confusion.
"No," Arlo pulled on his reigns, halting their little procession in front of the arch so that she might admire it longer, "It is the second. The two form a corridor of sorts."
Iris's confusion only deepened at his answer. "A corridor?"
"You can think of the two archways, as gates, Princess," Ezekiel explained smoothly. "They mark the beginning of his Majesty's territory and encompass the entire Kingdom. The first gate creates the outer border, the second is the inner, where the Castle is located.
"In order to reach the Castle, one must first pass successfully through the outer gate. The traveller then has to follow a specific route in order to arrive safely at the inner gate, as we have done," Ezekiel's initial explanation seemed reasonable to Iris, but his wording confused her slightly.
"You make it sound like the journey is perilous," she frowned, "but we have just walked from one to the other, haven't we?"
Ezekiel smiled gently at her. "You forget Princess, that the four of us hardly make up what you might call and 'ordinary' convoy. It is due to your own, and Arlo's identities, that you were even able to pass through the first gate. Ordinarily, one would pass through and simply emerge out on the other side into the ordinary forest. However, when the both of you entered, you passed through into something you can think of as a 'half-way realm'. In a half-way realm, you have entered a land of in-between. There is a passageway in this realm, that joins the two gateways together, and in order to reach the second gate, you must follow the route precisely."
Iris's eyes were wide. "And if you don't?"
The calm smile on Ezekiel's face seemed to make his next words all the more sinister. "Then you wander forever in the half-way realm. You can never find the gateways; you can never leave."
"Never?" Iris whispered. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle at the thought.
"Not unless someone who knows the way comes to find you and lead you out." Arlo said cheerfully, in an attempt to lighten the mood. Iris smiled gratefully at him.
"Do people get lost often?" She couldn't help but ask.
"Not often," Ezekiel replied, "it's very rare they make it through the first gate. Alive anyway."
"Alive?!" Iris was alarmed. "What do you mean?"
"Well, the gates are spelled to sense bad intent. If someone with bad intentions towards our Kingdom attempts to pass through, they will be decapitated," Ezekiel said cheerfully.
Iris's stared at him in horror. "What the f-"
"Alright," Arlo cut her off loudly, levelling a glare in Ezekiel's direction, "that's enough Zeke. It's not something she needed to know. Let's go Iris, we are almost there." He nudged his horse forward and Ezekiel followed him indignantly.
"But the Princess asked-"
The two continued to argue as they passed under the archway that twinkled innocently in the night, unaware of the ominous turn in their conversation. Iris swallowed as she approached, glancing apprehensively at the seemingly harmless branches. Earlier she had been enamoured by it's beauty, now she felt as though even this loveliness was simply part of an exquisite façade crafted to dupe unsuspecting souls of its true purpose. From beside her Gabriel chuckled, noticing her discomfort. She looked at him nervously.
"You have nothing to fear from the gates Princess," he was quick to calm her. "you will never experience what Ezekiel has spoken off. For one such as yourself, it is impossible to become lost in the half-way realm. And remember, it is these gates that keep our Kingdom safe within," he reminded her gently.
Iris wasn't so sure, but Gabriel seemed inexplicably confident and so she chose to trust him. The other Lycan's eyes had begun to glow slightly in the dimming light and he turned his luminescent gaze on her, tilting his head towards the archway with a light smile.
"Let us go Princess. The best is just beyond the archway."
"But I don't see anything," she countered, "it just looks the same."
His green eyes seemed to reflect the twinkling lights from above. "That's where you would be wrong Princess," he said mysteriously.
She looked ahead, to where Arlo was, still occupied in a heated debate with Ezekiel. The two had just passed under the archway and nothing seemed amiss. She couldn't help but feel a little doubtful. Was there really something there, just beyond the arch? Why couldn't she see it?
Suddenly Arlo turned around in his saddle, his eyes searching for her. Upon meeting her gaze, he beamed, waving an arm at her. "Hurry Iris, you're missing out on the sights!"
Her brow settled in determination and she nudged the sides of her horse firmly, her curiosity outweighing her uncertainty. Gabriel kept pace with her as they continued forward, but Iris's eyes were fixed on Arlo and she missed the look of satisfaction the other Lycan gave as he acknowledged her courage.
Iris held her breath at their first step under the Archway, but when nothing out of the ordinary occurred, she nudged her steed again, and the horse skittered the rest of the way through.
The first thing Iris noticed was that the ground beneath them was no longer the forest floor. The hooves of her horse clip-clopped noisily against the tidily paved road that had suddenly appeared beneath them as though it had been there all along. She tore her gaze from it in amazement to see Arlo grinning widely at her as she drew up alongside him.
"We are here." Arlo's grin widened, and he pulled lightly at the reins, his steed side stepping to reveal what Iris could now identify as the end of the forest. She urged her horse onward for a better look, and slowly a landscape appeared before her, the last rays of sunlight filling the valley with surreal light.
Arlo's voice followed her forward, his tone playfully amused as though he had foreseen her reaction. "Welcome Iris," he said, "to Aether, the City of Jade."
*