Shadows of Desire Ch. 03

"I see." Rowan said as he finished the last of his stew and placed the spoon in the bowl. "But, they're not always so viscous, are they?"

"Oh heavens no." Guth told him with a smile. "In human form they're just like you and me. They have jobs, homes, and families. They're fiercely protective though, especially of their children. They'll fight and kill to protect what's theirs."

"That's admirable." Rowan stated, thinking back to his own father who couldn't give a damn about him. "If they can love so deeply, I don't see why they are feared so. It would make more sense to keep them as our allies rather than our enemies." Of course, Rowan was speaking of the vampire race who seemed to make enemies of everyone, not just the wolves.

"Some people still have a lot to learn." Guth said, sipping his tea. "No matter how many centuries old they are."

Rowan smirked at that, realizing that Guth was speaking of Rowan's father, the King. Rowan stared into his own cup for a long moment before lifting his head and catching Guth's eyes. The man's eyes were a soft, light, blue and filled with kindness. Rowan wasn't sure how old the man was but he imagined that he was sold enough that those eyes had seen their fair share.

"Pardon me." Rowan said, trying to sound respectful, "But, may I ask, what exactly are you?"

Guth chuckled, his expression light hearted. "I'm an old man." He answered.

Rowan blinked, "No, I meant what race are you?"

"I know what you meant." Guth told him, his voice becoming more serious now. "Does it matter? Is my hospitality more or less welcome depending on my race?"

"Well, no."

"There was a time, long ago, when race didn't matter. We were all just...people. People living among other people. People helping other people. Yes, we were all different, but our differences complimented each other. We learned to work and live together. Even protect each other. One race wasn't more superior than any other. We lived in peace."

"What happened?"

Guth waved the question off. "It doesn't matter really. What truly matters is those of us who still hold true to the old ways. Show kindness when you can, help those in need, regardless of their race. We are all children of nature and we have to live in this world together so why not try to live in harmony?"

"You are very wise." Rowan smiled at the old man.

"I'm very old." Guth retorted with a soft chuckle. "And, I'm very tired. It's time to call it a night. There's a cot in the corner you can use. I suggest you get some sleep. You have a long journey ahead of you tomorrow."

"Do you know where I'm going?" Rowan asked. "What Folen's plan for me is?"

"Bhalor will explain that all in the morning." Guth told him as he rose from his seat. When Rowan too rose and picked up his empty bowl, Guth shook his head. "Leave it, I'll tend to it in the morning. For now, sleep." With that he turned and shuffled off into a room in the back of the house.

Rowan sat the bowl down on the table then retired to the cot that Guth had mentioned. As he lay back and closed his eyes he couldn't help but think about all that Guth had told him. There was a time when all the races lived in peace. A time before war and slavery. A time before oppression and cruelty. Though Guth didn't say it, Rowan knew what had happened to end the days of peace and harmony. Vampires had happened. Even though Rowan hadn't been born yet when the first vampire rose to power, he still couldn't help but feel the weight of his ancestors sins. Shame for what his people had done filled his heart and he felt hot tears sting his eyes.

He wished desperately that he could undo all the pain that his race had caused and bring peace back to the people but what he could he do? He was just one small omega. He had no power in him to do anything. Not even save himself from the cruelty of his father. Instead, he allowed those whom his father abused and oppressed to save him themselves. Maybe, in some ways, his father was right. Maybe he was useless.

He was suddenly glad that he would never be permitted to rule Basmorte. He'd make a terrible Queen and the people deserved better. They deserved a true monarch that could lead them out of the darkness and heal their pain. A monarch who wasn't a coward but a true and benevolent leader, and Rowan was none of those things. With a sigh, he drifted off to sleep, where dreams of a better life filled his mind. If only such a life existed. Only time would tell.

ROSEGATE

"I don't like this." Nasir was pacing back and forth, grumbling to himself, his boots constantly clicking against the stone floor beneath him. Honestly, it was giving Thaden a headache.

"Will you please sit down and calm yourself." Thaden rubbed his temples. Ever since the last report had come in regarding Basmorte and the vampire King, Nasir had been on edge.

"Aren't you worried what this could mean?"

Thaden sighed. "Not really."

Nasir stared at him, aghast. "You can't be serious. If the vampire's start a war it could spill over into our territory. This could end up being a real problem, Thaden. You have to take this seriously."

"The man just lost his fiance. I think he's grieving. That's all there is to it. We shouldn't be jumping to any conclusions just yet."

Nasir huffed. "Grieving? You make it sound as though those creatures have the capacity to love."

Thaden shrugged. "I don't know if they do or not. What I do know is that I won't judge an entire race based off of the actions of a few."

Nasir sat down at the table across from Thaden and leaned forward, folding his arms on the table's surface. "Their entire race is evil and the lot of them should be wiped out."

Thaden sighed. "They've been quiet for years. They keep to their lands and we stay on ours. So long as they leave us in peace there is no need to engage with them."

"They're quiet for now." Nasir groaned. "Which is precisely why we should strike now. Destroy the problem before there is one. I'm sure the other realms would agree with me. If we all joined forces we could easily over power the vamps and destroy them all."

Thaden raised an eyebrow as he looked across the table at his friend, his expression soft but serious. "Then we would be no better than the enemy that we seek to destroy. I won't allow hate to dictate my actions and I'm not looking to start a war.War creates more problems then it solves and should always be considered as a last resort. We should always look for more peaceful ways to resolve our issues before resorting to violence."

"Then why bother training our warriors? If you're so determined to keep the peace, why do we learn to fight at all?"

"To be prepared." Thaden answered. "Just because I want peace doesn't mean I'm not willing or ready to fight to protect our people. I just hope it never comes to that but if it does, at least we won't be caught with our pants down."

"So, what should we do about this new development in the vampire realm?"

Thaden thought for a moment before answering. "Keep your eyes and ears open." He said, after considering his options. "Inform me at once of any new developments and maybe, for the time being, increase the guard. I may not be willing to rush head first into battle but we can at least be vigilant and ready to fight if we need to."

Nasir nodded, finally in agreement with the Prince. "I'll see to it at once." He said, rising from his seat. More guards on look out and patrol would certainly strengthen their defenses and that was something that Nasir could get behind. Especially with the feeling of dread that had taken root in his gut. This feeling, he just couldn't ignore, not when it was slowly growing and relentlessly nagging at him. Something was going to happen and it wasn't something good. His instincts were usually spot on and right now they were telling him to prepare. A storm was coming.

The Duke of Grayholm, Lord Killian Thorn, was a tyrant worse than even King Desmond himself, and his name was not unknown. Tales of his wickedness and depravity had reached even the neighboring realms. Many believed it was only a matter of time before he made a move against King Desmond and seized the throne for himself. With Prince Rowan's death the threat of war among the vampires was closer than ever. It would only be a matter of time before the other realms joined the fray, seizing the opportunity to destroy their enemy when it was at it's weakest.

Nasir was certain that war was imminent. He just hoped that Thaden was ready and willing to fight when the time came. Of course peace was always the main goal but Nasir knew that sometimes peace could not be had without crushing a few skulls and he wholly intended those skulls to belong to the vampire scum that threatened their lives and enslaved their people. For Nasir, the time of peace was over. Now was the time to fight back and destroy the evil that had corrupted their lands for far too long. It was time for the reign of vampires to end.

Once Nasir had left the Prince's chambers, Prince Thaden picked up the piece of parchment that had been delivered to him earlier. The parchment that held the report which had Nasir so riled up. The report wasn't good but Thaden didn't think it had anything to do with Rosegate or the Elven Kingdom. Still, it was worth keeping an eye on things, just in case. What he had heard of the Duke's recent behavior was disturbing. More disturbing than any past reports concerning his behavior. What was most concerning in the latest report was his behavior since the young Prince's death because it was so out of character for Lord Killian.

Thaden read over the report again, more carefully this time, narrowing his eyes as he took in the details of what had been observed over the past few days. Killian had not left to return to Grayholm as Thaden would have thought. There were rumors of a wedding between Lord Killian and Lady Emilia being arranged which could account for him staying at the palace but Thaden wondered how true those rumors were. According to the report, Lord Killian had locked himself away in the guest suite at the palace and refused to see anyone. No servants, and not even his supposed fiance, Emilia were granted entrance. To Thaden, that did not sound like the actions of a man about to be wed.

What more, the Grand Duke, Lord Killian's father, had arrived at the palace the day before in an effort to draw his son out. According to Thaden's informants, Lord Killian, in his isolation, had been neglecting his duties and ignoring the concerns of his tenants. He refused to dine with his father and apparently had been refusing to eat or even to hunt. For the past three days no one had seen nor heard from him and didn't even know if he still lived which was why the Grand Duke had been called in. Thaden ran a hand through his long brown locks as he considered what this could mean.

Certainly it was a serious matter if the Grand Duke himself had been persuaded to leave the confines of his manor house, a place he had not stepped foot out of in years. There was much speculation as to what exactly was going on. Was the Duke, Lord Killian, in mourning for his lost Prince or was something more sinister under foot? Perhaps the Grand Duke and his son were plotting against the King. Thaden wasn't sure how that would effect the people of Basmorte, should Killian achieve his goals of overthrowing the King. Trading one devil for another didn't seem to bold well for the inhabitants of the vampire realm.

Perhaps Nasir was correct though. If an uprising was in the works perhaps now would be the time to strike and potentially end the suffering of his people. In any event, the situation deserved to be monitored at least. When Thaden knew more about what was actually going on, he would be in a better place to make important decisions. He knew many of his own people were growing tired with his perceived indifference to the vampire Kingdom and his refusal to step in and liberate the Fae and Elven slaves held there but, he was reluctant to break the treaty that his father had fought so hard to put in place.

The current slaves and servants kept by the vampire nobility were born and raised in Basmorte. Many or most being bred specifically for servitude but still born there whether in captivity or not. The treaty declared that one race not be permitted to invade the lands of the other, kill or capture members of the other realms, or attempt to free captives born into slavery. The wording was very specific. Unless the vampire's invaded Rosegate for the purpose of killing or enslaving elven residents, Thaden could not attempt to retrieve the descendants of the original slaves. It was the price that had to be paid to ensure the safety of future citizens of Rosegate and end the senseless slaughter of both species.

To date, the vampires had kept their word and the raids on the elven peasantry had stopped. It must have seemed a good plan at the time. Sacrifice the few to save the many but as Thaden grew older he began to question the morality of the treaty. The elven King had, for the good of his people, essentially abandoned those still living in Basmorte, condemning them to a life of hard labor, terrible living conditions, and misery. Thaden began to wonder, was the price of peace worth it?

Rosegate had been vampire free for twenty years and it was a wonderful twenty years but, still there was the question nagging Thaden in the back of his mind. Had his father made the right decision or had he simply made a deal with the devil? How could he have abandoned his own kind so easily? Did he even try to free them? Thaden was just a child then and didn't remember much about the raids on his people. He remembered that the entire Kingdom was in fear. As soon as the sun went down life stopped. Shops closed up and the citizens of Rosegate locked themselves up in their homes, praying for dawn as the raids always came at night, under the cover of darkness.

During the night, countless lives would be lost either taken or killed, drained of blood. In the morning, the aftermath of the raids were discovered. The vampires would enter a home, kill the adults, feeding on them as though they were cattle. They were perhaps the more fortunate ones though as the children were taken back to Basmorte where they would be forced into slavery. The citizens weren't the only ones stolen either. The live stock would be dead or taken and the homes burned to the ground. It was devastating.

Large patrols were sent out at night in a effort to ease the fears of the people. Wards were put in place around the border of the city but that still left the farms vulnerable. The elven King then organized and trained hunting parties armed with weapons and enchantments meant for killing vampires. These hunters were successful in ambushing and killing off most of the raiding parties but that only angered the vampire King which led him to attacking the farms, and killing whole families, children as well as the adults. He slaughtered and burned the live stock, and destroyed the fields. Then the attacks in broad day light began.

With most of the food source destroyed, the elven King sent hunters into the forests to hunt wild game. Most of those hunters never returned. Those that did were returned to the King in pieces as a warning. The two realms were on the brink of war and the elven King knew he had to do something to protect his Kingdom. Attacking Basmorte was out of the question. The Kingdom was too well guarded and the vampire army too strong. So, the Elven King went to the neighboring realms, begging for help. Most didn't want to get involved but the vampires had recently started invading Wolfhaven and Moonharbor. It didn't take much persuading to get the moon tribes involved.

With the wolves on their side and the help from some local wizards, they were able to attack the vampires head on, breaking through the walls of Basmorte, destroying farms, slaughtering any vampire they found, and nearly annihilating the lower city. The vampires fought back with full force and so many soldiers, warriors, and innocents were slaughtered, on both sides. The vampire King lost his only son in this battle and his own people, angry that their King would not send in more guards to protect them, began to turn on him.

When King Desmond realized that a mutiny was beginning among his own subjects, he called for a meeting with the eleven King and the leaders of the werewolf tribes, and that was when the treaty was suggested. It took three years for the treaty to be drafted but finally, when all were in agreement, it was signed and the fighting stopped. The vampires were allowed to keep their slaves, the elf King was given gold and live stock to make up for what had been taken, and the wolf tribes were given land in the north to expand their territory. Everyone walked away with something though it could never make up for all that was lost.

At least the future safety of Rosegate and all her people were secured but those old enough to remember the raids would never forget the pain and devastation the vampires had caused. Many, like Nasir, felt that the treaty was an insult and that the vampires should have all been destroyed. Thaden didn't know why his father agreed to the treaty and didn't just kill the vampire King when he had the chance. It would have been too easy. He could have waited for the King to arrive then ambushed the caravan and taken them all out. Perhaps though the elf King could not bring himself to dishonor his name or his people by attacking the vampire King who had come under a banner of truce.

Whatever the reason, the elf King honored the truce and met with the vampire King and thus the treaty was formed. There was finally peace in Rosegate but the elf King was never the same after. Thaden figured the man had just lost too much and maybe the weight of his decision to abandon those left in Basmorte had never set well with him either. Thaden didn't know and he never questioned his father. All he knew was that when the elf King returned from signing the treaty, he wasn't the same man. A darkness had shrouded him ever since and year after year he slipped into a deeper depression that eventually left him in such despair that he could no longer function as King.

The eldest of the King's son, Thaden's older brother, Crown Prince Lierin Daccaryn of Rosegate, had stepped up to rule in his stead. Lierin was a good ruler and he cared for his people greatly but he never questioned his fathers actions or motives. It frustrated Thaden to no end that his brother should just turn a blind eye to those still enslaved by the vampire King but, he could do nothing without his brother's consent and there was still the treaty to think about so, Thaden's hands were tied. If only he could convince Lierin to have the treaty examined more careful perhaps they could find some loophole that could be used to their advantage.

That was easier said than done though as Lierin had dismissed Thaden's concerns on more than one occasion. Still, never hurt to try. Thaden stood and tucked the report into his belt then left his chambers and made his way to the Crown Prince's chambers where he would undoubtedly find his brother bent over a stack of papers taller than Mt. Tarayn. Recently, Lierin had been pulled into a land dispute between a clan of brownies and a family of gnomes, each claiming to have ancestral claim over the land.

The two were so closely related that it was entirely possible they were both right. So, Prince Lierin had been searching through family records and ancient deeds going as far back as a thousand years trying to determine who had actual rights to the land and so far had come up empty handed. It was a welcome break from the tiresome task when Thaden knocked on the door to his study and requested entrance.