Raiden

Small drops fell from the dull sky, finding their demise in the cold water that surrounded me.

My body floated slowly on the surface of the lake and its quiet waves carried me away from the sandy shore. I wished for that moment to never end. A desire of tranquility made me close my eyes and listened to the sweet sound of silence.

The avalanche of thoughts filled my mind, and I found myself thinking and rethinking, doubting the decisions I've made so far.

I wondered if, perhaps, I committed my biggest mistake when I agreed to follow his plan.

In the former's king days, several years before my reign, Jayce was a different man. A leader of a pack soon to be a father, who loved deeply his woman.

One dreadful night, our enemies- the vampires- attacked the borders of Dirae, and the stupid king dispatched all the warriors to fight them, leaving all the women unprotected.

Some bloodsuckers sneaked behind the lined, with one goal only. All she-wolves were heavy with babes, but shown no mercy.

In that cursed night, Jayce died on the inside. I heard tales of him losing his mind, tormented by the ghosts of his past.

I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. I couldn't remember my own past. Were they any ghosts to ask forgiveness to? I didn't even recall my real name; it was Rhys who named me Raiden back in our rogue days, and who shared my sorrows. The same Rhys who brought back Jayce from the edge of madness and made him our First Aga, commander of the warriors.

I turned and swam to the shore, as the midmorning sun emerged from the clouds victorious, warming my back.

The punishment I delivered gave him the best circumstances to get close. After so many years, revenge still drove his actions. He took hard my decision of shaking hands with Caleb, but he somehow understood.

One day, he shared something to me. He was convinced that someone else planned the attack, and he was willing to die for the truth. His plan was making sense, despite the risks.

We lost track of him, and Rhys has been very unsettled. He asked me to dispatch a man or two to find him when I refused to let him do the search himself. They had a bond I respected.

I wasn't feared only because of my cruelty in Jayce's punishment, but also for the way I killed the four Alphas and their loyal warriors that ambushed me after I signed that bloody treaty with Caleb. The packs never agreed to peace, and I went against them.

With the peace and the doubled patrols, we had no intrusions of our border, except on rare occasions when a lower, pushed by hunger, would risk his life to poach on our land, usually finding his end on the stone.

All I could remember of the fight was when me and Rhys found ourselves surrounded by them.

"This is a good way to die" he told me. "Fighting by your side"

They attacked us with silver blades soaked in moonberries juice, but they had no idea of my tolerance of the poisons.

I recall my sworn brother Rhys bloodied, falling down to protect me, and all went black. I don't know what happened after my beast side took over. Later, when I woke up, I followed the terrified looks of the ones who gathered and I saw a carnage. I saw torn limbs and heads spattered across the glade, guts hanging from the far trees and a sea of blood bathing the crumpled grass.

No one ever dared to challenge me since that day.

We all knew the importance of it, but some couldn't see past their hate and pride. While the vampires increased their numbers, our decreased.

The few females we had left after the massacre provided us with many pups in the last years, but they still had a long way to become warriors, and they needed protection.

The only thing that provided that so far was my agreement.

And also it was the only way to stop the extinction of the lowers, who always got caught in between our war. We needed the humans as much as the nightwalkers, for they not only provided our stock but also the slaves and the blood to pay the stone.

"You should not go alone, Raiden, at least take Liam with you" is what Rhys advised me before I left. He was worried, but I was not.

I don't know how, but I always thought that a leader is to serve his kingdom, and not the other way around. And if a king can not walk by himself amongst his people, then he is no king. To be feared was a way, but only to be feared was not how it should be.

My presence was mandatory when a challenge was thrown for the Alpha title, and I was the only one that could decide if the victor should have the title, because I had the right to challenge the winner right after the fight, in this way giving the title to another.

This was one of the many rules from the last king, very well thought in his cunning mind to strengthen his leadership.

Having the right to turn the title towards his most loyal men gained him many favors and more power. This was one of the things I was set to change. Only power could gain a title, not a favor or an oath. It is our unspoken code, and it should be respected.

Today was the best day to make this announcement. All the alphas were here, in the heart of Dirae, to witness the challenge, and all will witness how their king will renounce the right of contesting the winner's title.

After the fight, I could finally go home. I was gone for two days, and all I wanted was a huge chunk of meat in my belly and to lay dawn on the black furs on the floor. I didn't even care for the slaves any more.

There was an emptiness in me that nothing would fill, and the prince was right when he said I forgot to live. When we were rogues, we lived simple but good.

I chuckled. In those days, we wouldn't imagine being called 'My lord'.

Rhys, on the other side, would hump them night after night. He had no intention to settle for one; why would he when he could have them all?

I made a quick job of dressing myself. As I was putting on my leather boots, a lad not over twelve summers came running.

"M' lord!" He bent with his palms on his knees, catching his breath. I went close to him and he averted his eyes to the ground and bowed.

"Speak!" I ordered.

"M'lord" he said, panting; "-'Tis the Prince who sent me- "

"What happened?" Something was not good.

"He said that they caught someone. Someone big. He didn't mention who..."

"Get on your feet, lad. Is that all?"

"Ye...No..." he scratched his temple and squeezed his brows, trying to remember. I tapped my finger on the belt, but waited.

"A, I know!" He exclaimed with a smile. "He said ' the star is shinning bright'! Or light?... no, he said 'bright'! I'm sure!" Then he frowned.
"What else, boy? I haven't got all day"
His frown grew deeper, and he wiped his nose with the end of his sleeve.
"He said... well...that you should..."
"I should- ?" My patience was running low.
"Shave, lord."
I noticed a crimson shade on his cheeks and I supressed a chuckle.

"What exactly did he told you?"

His fingers were twisting knots on his white dirty shirt, and he replied shyly:

"He said that you should cut your hair and your beard because you look like a- "
"Like what?" Knowing Rhys, I had a good idea of what he might said.

"Like an old hag's cunt!"

By the time he finished, his face was red as a beetroot.

I patted his head, and he flinched. Even innocent boys feared me. They heard the rumors, too.

That made me ask myself what kind of ruler I want to be. Deep inside, I wished to be a fair king.

Remembered for something else than terror.

"Thank you, young man. Go to the great hall and eat what you want. Tell them I sent you. Now go!"

He darted like a small arrow and, before he disappeared from my sight, made a small merry dance. Looking at him, I was reminded how to smile.

My mind drifted at the message. I didn't care much for the new prisoner.

Someone big was only a vampire or a dawner, but Rhys could handle the interrogation. Despite his inoffensive good looks, he mastered the art of torture better than me. He had enough patience to break the will of a mountain, something I lacked lately.

The second message unsettled me. 'The star is shinning' meant that the box is hot again. And for him to feel its warmth from inside the big chest, then it must be really hot. I twisted the star key between my fingers. This was the third time from what I could remember. First time was eighteen years ago, the exact same night of the attack.

The rain stopped. I passed the black cloak over my shoulders and pinned it on a side with the royal wolf brooch.

And I went to do what I came for.

.......