A King's Legacy Ch. 32

A King's Legacy

Chapter 32: Fears

Flose had been admittedly resting better than he had since the first day he set out on his tiresome little quest for herbs, but as more and more of his consciousness and memories came flooding back to him, the quirky little human soon found himself sitting up with a jolt. He was greeted by quite the unexpected sight.

There was an absolutely massive brown bear sitting cross-legged on the grass, just a few paces before him. The beast's giant hands were resting on his knees, and his eyes were seemingly closed. Flose thought he was going to die then and there, his mind exploding into thoughts of certain death.

'A BEAR of all things?!? Of all the ways to die... Fate certainly tells a dark joke. Maybe he will make it quick? Maybe he won't force himself on me? He would definitely kill me if he did... Maybe... Maybe he won't eat me until after I die? I knew this could happen, but I was so careful it wouldn't... This never would've happened if I hadn't gotten sick!'

His doomed train of thought finally squealed to a stop as the human realized something... He wasn't sick anymore, or at least, he didn't feel sick anymore. He took a deep breath in, held it, and exhaled without any difficulty at all... The sticky lung was gone... His marveling was cut short as an extremely gruff voice spoke out to him, making him jump, despite Sir Corper trying to be as gentle as possible.

"How are you feeling?" Flose sat up a little, moving to sit on his knees. After drawing himself in some, he placed his hands on his lap, and looked down at them nervously, focusing on simply not crying, and barely managing even that. All the courage little Flose could spare was still no match for his trembling hands in the presence of that monstrous bear, no matter how tightly he clenched them together. Sir Corper opened his eyes, and peered down at the shaking human that wouldn't even look back up at him, let alone answer him. As usual, the bear understood. He spoke once more, his patience vast that morning.

"I'll take that as your fine, physically at least. I am glad to see it, you were in pretty poor shape when my student found you. May I ask your name?" Flose tightened his hands even more, despite him not believing it possible. The bear was fishing for information, something they had warned would happen if the beastmen ever found you. That was the only logical reason they would heal him, after all, they couldn't question the dead... as far as Flose knew anyway. The human finally answered, still staring down at his fists as he squeaked out a short reply.

"Solis..." Sir Corper may not have recognized the name given, but he was quick to call out the lie.

"Odd. The sketchbook in your bag had the name 'Flose Le'gere,' written on the cover. Shame that isn't you, he seems quite the talented artist..." Flose was trying even harder not to cry now after overlooking something so foolish. He was allowed a moment to try and get himself under control before he warily croaked out his next words in a hoarse whisper.

"I'm sorry..." Sir Corper responded calmly.

"It is alright. I apologize for going through your belongings, but one can never be too careful when meeting a new face, something I'm almost certain you would agree with me on. However... It wouldn't be truthful of me to call this our first meeting." Flose was cracking from the sheer weight behind those words, his trembling shifting to downright shakes as his eyes misted uncontrollably. Sir Corper took notice, and knew this human was seconds from probably pissing himself in fear at the rate they were going. He spoke a bit commandingly, knowing the human was far too afraid to even hear what he was trying to tell him.

"Look at me." Flose jumped once more, startled by the sound of the bear's tone. As the human finally raised his head, he couldn't hold back his frightened tears any longer. They streamed down his cheeks freely as he locked eyes with the terrifying beast. Flose was doing everything in his power just to keep from whimpering, bawling, and begging for his life in that moment. He didn't want to die a coward as well... The bear spoke once more, very slowly, staring the human right in his pleading, green eyes as he did so.

"My name, Is Corper Paxus... and I think you and I need to have a discussion, little bud of Peuforet." Flose felt every bit of blood drain from his face as the bear spoke both his own name, and the nickname Flose's kingdom had once given their prince. The frail boy was suddenly more certain than ever of his impending demise. Fate certainly told a dark joke indeed...

===

"Do you think he's awake by now?" Rust was growing extremely anxious. Oust's discovery had been absolutely mind-blowing in the young fox's eyes, but the bear's reaction had puzzled him. The tiger replied, a bit uncertain himself.

"I hope so... Are you sure you were able to heal him? It's almost been an entire day..." Rust was quick to reassure his newfound friend.

"Definitely. It was a stubborn sickness, for sure, but I know I was able to get it all, he should be fine. He may just still be out of it, considering he was in pretty bad shape." The two sat in silence only made longer by their unanswered questions. Finally, Rust thought he was going to go mad if he didn't say something.

"So... Why do you think he wanted to be alone with the human when he woke up?" in truth, Oust had been wondering the same thing. He answered after a bit of a delay.

"I don't know... But I've never seen him so stunned, not since the first night, when he discovered Aster was the son of General Venatus. Master was as cool and calm as ever at first... But maybe there was something in that book he picked up that unnerved him?" Rust nodded in agreement, noting the change of behavior at that point as well.

"Maybe... I just wish he would've let us be there too... I really want to ask that human a few things." Oust chuckled a little at that, causing Rust to raise an eyebrow his way. The tiger elaborated with the faintest smile hidden on his muzzle.

"I get it... For Aster, right? I do too..." Rust smiled back at the tiger, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah. Aster has been a really awesome addition to my family, but he talked to me about a lot of his past. On rare occasion, he even spoke about the way he felt for being the last of his kind. I think he did well trying to hide it... But..." Oust finished the statement for him.

"He was still just so angry, sad, and lonely about all of it... Underneath his mask of emotion, you can tell it bothers him still. His heart truly hurt for what he could only dream of." Rust was certainly taken aback by those words, and just stared down the tiger for a moment before replying to that.

"Yeah... Though, I didn't really think you understood that, if I'm being honest." Oust found the little fox made him laugh quite often, and that statement held true to this as well. The beast replied with a more visible smile, looking up to the sky above for a moment.

"Aster helped me understand a lot of things about him, and myself in the process. Things I never would've guessed we could have in common, so I understand what this will mean to him. Maybe he won't feel so alone now... Maybe, he won't have to carry so much anger inside anymore. I think it would be fulfilling to return that favor to him." Rust genuinely smiled at Oust's show of empathy, still surprised how far the disgruntled tiger had come under the bear's and the human's influence. A chirping nearby interrupted the pair.

Oust and Rust both turned back to the makeshift cage housing the cardinal in the shade of a nearby tree. It was simply a few sticks stabbed into the earth in a tighter circle with the fox's shirt tied over the top. After Oust explained what had happened with the bird, Corper wanted it caged before Rust healed its wing. The bear didn't want it anywhere near the human when he woke up, not that the fox or the tiger really understood that reasoning. Still, the students had followed the bear's order, but the avian was growing rather impatient as well it seemed. Mercy chirped at the pair in annoyance once again. Oust frowned a bit, sighing as he spoke.

"I really didn't mean to hurt her back there..." Rust blinked twice, looked at the cardinal, and glanced back to the tiger with a puzzled look.

"Wait... Is it a female? Are you certain?" Oust returned the confused look, speaking from his memory.

"Yeah, at least, that's what he yelled back there. 'Don't hurt her.' Why do you ask?" Rust pointed back to the bird, and explained what was far above Oust's knowledge.

"Uhh... You see the feathers that poke up on top of its head? Those, the ones on its tail, and a few on the wings should be the only ones that have any reddish color to them, the rest should be almost tan... For a female cardinal anyway. A male has all red feathers with a black mask..." Oust tilted his head a little as he stared at the bird in the shabby cage, examining it closely.

Mercy's feathers were almost entirely a light brown on her left side, aside from the tips of both her crest, and the small spot on her left wing, just as Rust had described a female's pattern... But on her right side, she was completely red, all the way up to the tip of the crest on her head. She had a black mask like a male, but her tail feathers were a heavy mix of both colors. Oust and Rust were soon just silently pondering on the variation for a moment.

Oust didn't know there was any difference at all... A bird was a bird to the beast, worrying about what color its feathers were seemed odd to Oust. Rust was more genuinely curious about never seeing a cardinal that looked like that before. He wasn't sure if it was a male or a female, but apparently, the human had managed to figure out what Rust couldn't somehow. Their thoughts were interrupted as a thwacking sound echoed into the air around them. Sir Corper was sending his verdict at last, and both beasts went silent once more as they mentally counted the timed impacts.

One... Two... Three... Rust spoke hastily a moment later as the sound stopped, leaping to his paws in excitement.

"YES! THREE! WE GET TO GO MEET HIM!" Oust smiled once more as he stood, walking over to the cage. The tiger knelt down, and gently pulled back the shirt from the top of the prison. Oust offered a hand out hopefully to the little creature, finding himself just as fascinated with smaller creatures as he always had been... but Mercy snuffed the offer from the one that had injured her, and instead, chose to bolt right passed him to take to the sky. Oust frowned slightly, and Rust snickered his way. The little fox spoke teasingly.

"Don't worry... You probably just stink is all." Oust furrowed his brow, and threw the crumpled up shirt right at the fox's smug expression, hitting his mark perfectly. Rust could only laugh as it collided with his head, pulling it back over his frame a moment after. The pair set off on the small distance to meet with both the bear, and the boy, eager for their chance to talk to him. The cardinal was soaring above them, merely flying happy circles as she was finally free from her cage to rejoin her companion. All seemed to be working out for the group... But that's only because they weren't aware another beast would be answering the bear's call...

===

It was that same dream again, the same one Aster had been having since the first night in the Thorned Thicket. Darkness... the kind that snatched away everything from you, that would snuff any light that dared to shine there. It was like he was back at his trial, and he was subdued once more. His senses were cut from him as his mind alone existed in a borderless darkness, a blanket of silence and emptiness encompassing, and embracing all. The thought came to him with acceptance now, not even fear after so many times having the same dream. He was dead again...

Even though he couldn't feel anything else, he could still feel that somehow, or sense it at the very least... It was surprisingly nice being dead, if he was being honest with himself. It was the easiest thing he had ever done. No bad news could reach him there. Nothing else could be taken from him there. His body never ached there. People wouldn't hate him there... No spiteful cheers for his demise could ever find him there. Such silence had worried him endlessly back at his trial, but in recent days, Aster had come to enjoy both this dream, and the peace it brought with it.

Sure, it sucked a little knowing he was dead, but that was only a problem for everyone else still alive, and Aster was far too beaten down to even handle his own problems lately, let alone everyone else's. He welcomed the dream now. The boy had begun to welcome death itself... and then, he woke up hurting again.

'I swear by the fucking gods, how can something not even there anymore hurt so damn often?' Aster was mentally cursing first thing that morning. It was his palm cramping harshly today, in addition to the constant stinging, and there was nothing he could do but lie there, and endure the pain. He clutched at his bicep, desperately trying to relieve the sensation to no avail. When the feeling finally faded a little, he had the lightest coat of sweat already on his brow. He opened his eyes at last, and saw his wolf staring down at him with a look laced with pity. It made the boy even angrier in truth. Stahl spoke softly as he knelt down in front of his mate, and placed a larger leaf with two skewered fish on it just before Aster.

"Morning, my love... How are you feeling today?" Aster sat up slowly, mumbling out his answer as he dropped his gaze back to the dirt.

"Like my arm isn't missing at all, it's merely on fire." Stahl held his soft expression despite the pessimistic word choice. It was alright if Aster couldn't shine right now, it just meant he had to shine for him. In truth, the wolf didn't even know what he could say half of the time since his mate had awoken. He was so frightened by the way his human's eyes had been looking as of late, and he didn't mean the golden flecks that were definitely overtaking the remaining brown... Stahl was frightened by the overwhelming sadness, the sadness that occupied all the room in those eyes, leaving no place left for the usual light to shine in its wake. Stahl answered as empathetically as he had been.

"I am sorry to hear it, my love... If you're still hurting that much, would you rather wait a while longer first? We don't have to-" Aster didn't even let him finish, cutting him off coldly.

"No. We move today. I've wasted enough of our time as it is here. I agreed to wait last night for you, but I don't want any further delay for my sake." Stahl stared at his lover for a moment, and then closed his eyes, bowing his head ever so slightly in acceptance of that decision. The beast feared further debate would only coax more of those self-damning words from his mate's lips, so Stahl yielded without further debate. The wolf answered calmly.

"By your order, my king. Will you at least eat your breakfast then? We will both be needing some strength for the trip." Aster cut back deeper than he had intended.

"Why? You still have both of your arms. I'm the one that will be slowing us down." Aster realized how unfair that comment was the moment he said it. He started back up with a sigh, and an apology.

"Stahl... I'm sorry, I-" The wolf held a hand up, dismissing the apology before Aster ever really started it. The beast spoke as warmly as ever, shrugging off the wounding words expertly in that moment.

"A king need not apologize to his guard... It was a hot-headed tiger who taught me that... It was right after he tried to kill my mate in the desert, but still. He had a good point, you know?" Aster blinked, finally looking Stahl in the eyes again. For the first time since waking up with an appendage missing, Aster's attention was truly drawn elsewhere at last. The wolf continued.

"You're allowed to be angry here, Aster. You're allowed to feel sad, and cheated about all of it. You can curse the very gods, and even stomp your feet in a tantrum if that's what you need to do to get through this... You don't have to apologize for anything right now, my love. You just make sure you make it back to me when you're done howling at the moon. If that means you need to sing a sad tune for a little while, then I'll be right here to listen to it, and sing a happier one with you when you've finished... Just promise me, we make it through this as well?"

Aster lowered his eyes again, and stared down at the fish his mate had freshly prepared for him. Stahl was trying so hard, despite Aster's defeated attitude, and the boy could see that... Aster reached his left hand forward, and gently picked up one of the grilled fish skewers. The human answered as he idly stared at his meal.

"Alright... we make it through this, I promise. But Stahl?" The beast answered with a faint smile.

"Yes, my love?" Aster spoke before making himself take a bite, eating some before their hike, just as his mate had asked of him.

"Please don't watch me eat... I can't stand for you to see me struggle like this yet. I just can't shoulder the pity in your gaze right now." Stahl averted his eyes, and turned away as the boy worked at his breakfast, learning how to eat with a single arm. Aster was thankful the skewer made it a little easier, but he felt like a clumsy toddler most of the time. Still, that was certainly easier for the boy to bear than ever letting the wolf feed him in that moment. He would still manage at least that much by himself.

Stahl wasn't certain that the pity in his gaze was something he could easily hide at this point, but he would try... By the gods, he would try anything that could possibly help to bring light back to those gold-flecked eyes once more.

The beast cast his glance at the smaller mountain before them, making some final judgements before their departure. If they made steady progress, the wolf assumed they should make it over the peak by mid-afternoon. However, Stahl was well aware they wouldn't be making steady progress at all. In truth, it was a miracle they even reached it before nightfall.

===

Flose felt a lot better than he had before, (Thanks to the bear finally convincing him he was not an enemy,) but the boy was still extremely wary of it all. The bear had told him he was going to summon the other two beast's with him, but seeing all three of them a short ways off and deep in conversation was unnerving to the human all the same. The one saving grace to the entire situation chirped at him reassuringly from his shoulder. Flose was never more relieved in his life than when that little bird came soaring into the clearing, just a short while before the other two beasts had followed suit on the ground. Flose turned to answer his feral friend.

"I know. They healed us both, but that doesn't mean they aren't merely trying to get our guard down so we reveal too much. If the bear wasn't scary enough, that tiger certainly looks mean as shit... I wouldn't be surprised if he was really the one in charge here. He probably figured the bear would have better luck..." Mercy pecked apart that answer easily enough, making Flose fluster.

"Yeah... I guess he would've used the fox in that case. He isn't nearly as frightening as the other two are... Still, I just don't want anyone back home to get hurt because I was stupid and got myself captured." The cardinal twittered angrily at the remark, quickly setting the boy straight. Flose let out a huge, defeated sigh, and answered in a whisper.

"I know that! I know a lot of them are already sick, and I know we have to do something, but I don't see how you can be so trusting of these beastmen... especially that damned bear. Their kind took so much from us. We can find another way..." Mercy hopped up and down a few times, berating her human with a more realistic view. Flose actually flinched at the harshness the small avian used there.