hallmark

He grinned, almost wickedly at her impatience, a laugh escaping before she posed a question. He winked, not answering, but nodding to indicate he’d get to it.

“During the travel, the healer Erani and Cairo’s children became separated briefly from the rest of Valhalla, settling for a night in a forest of Redwoods in the north, until Cairo found them and led them to Valhalla, where it had settled in the west, in a place called Vericona Plains. Cairo raised his and Guinevere’s adopted son to King, to stand as alpha until Syrinx was old enough to lead.

“Each of his young children was given goals to strive toward, Chrysanthe and Epiphron destined to train hard for high ranks befitting nobly-born wolves. Eos had gone off on her own, or gotten separated—oddly, it’s unclear. She’s like an enigma, in and out of the shadows and light, then gone again.” He shrugged lightly, thoughtfully.

“Cairo never discerned between his blood children and his adopted sons. They were all his children, and by now Erani was as much a mother to them as their true mother had been in the very short time which they’d been able to know Guinevere. But dissent festered in the heart of one son. Neo. He chafed, finding it unfair that his siblings seemed destined to high ranks, even if they must work as hard as any wolf in the pack to ensure they reached them.”

Fathomless sapphire eyes darkened, ears tilting back as his tone became ominous and sad. “His discontent festered and welled within him as time went on, while Preston became Erani’s primary apprentice, in line to become next Leader Healer. Eventually, Neo ran away.”

His eyes flicked to Lia’s as he went on, “Neo fled to Tortuga, who had settled upon the flanks and peak of Mount Volkan. Yeah, that Mount Volkan. Got to give them kudos, really, settling on an active volcano’s flanks after Mount Animi blew in Alacritis.”

His lips twitched in a grim smile, mirthless as he fell back into the cadence of story-teller. “Neo joined Tortuga and shared inside information about Valhalla freely. Eventually, Chrysanthe challenged Tortuga for him and won. Neo became Valhalla’s first slave. And the last. Much of what Collision announced threw the pack into an uproar, among them Erani, pregnant with her only litter. She was subsequently demoted and Preston was promoted early. Collision stepped down shortly after that meeting.”

His eyes dropped briefly then rose back to the girl’s as he added, “In the meantime, prior to this uproarious meeting, Valhalla had been prospering, settling strongly with its great numbers. Glaciem had settled in the north, and in the south there settled a new pack, called Seracia. Its King and Queen were Gerhardt and Adette Mathias. They had children, adopted from what I hear. Maverick and Kamala were the more prominent names. Maverick was bright red, green-eyed, and had white appaloosa lacing over his hips. Kamala, if I remember rightly, was grey and spotted, with one red leg.”

He smiled, almost dreamily, “One day, Epiphron was out of Valhallan lands, exploring the world, when she happened upon a prince. Maverick. They formed a fast friendship, which quickly kindled into young love. As time went by, they would meet now and then, and that affection only grew, despite the worry about having a relationship between two packs.”

A faint chuckle whispered from his chest. “The alphas of Seracia and Valhalla eventually met as well, Collision and Gerhardt, and politics happened. A betrothal was formed. Between Maverick… and Chrysanthe.”

His eyes watched her closely to gauge her reaction to the plot twist before he went on, “Part of the announcements Collision gave at that infamous meeting, was the betrothal, which neither sister had been aware of before. Chrysanthe to be married to a man she didn’t love, Epiphron to become Valhalla’s alpha beside Collision. He was shouted down by many, particularly when he demoted Erani. He’d stripped the most experienced healer in the pack, perhaps in the lands at that time, as many healers from other packs came to her for wisdom, or her rank and given it to an inexperienced wolf, who vanished mere months later.”

His head cocked as his eyes roved upward, then back to Lia as he threw an edge into his voice, suspense. The two sisters would be preparing for their heart-breaking destinies for the next season, until Cairo himself called a meeting, with a man by his side named Icarus, who spoke not one word, and left with no trace. He announced that Valhalla was no longer a family like it had once been, much as Collision had announced previously. Nor did he lift the demotion of Erani. He raised Icarus to alpha, with Epiphron at his side, though she would be the true leader. Chrysanthe spoke out against the change.

“But it would be Epiphron, Alphess now, who took control of fate. She stepped down, renouncing the throne to Chrysanthe, and taking her sister’s place to become Maverick’s wife and Queen. The choice was met with favor until—“ He shifted closer, eyes intense, “Syrinx returned from nowhere, having become scarce in the time between meetings. He immediately sought to seize control, ranking wolves left and right. And Chrysanthe defended her right to rule.”

His eyes burned into hers, seeking to bring her into the scene he painted, one that had been painstakingly retold down the line from Erani and Cormalin who let none of the story fade in her eldest daughter’s mind as she passed it down—in fact, Surreal had been present to witness it herself, and tell it from both their perspectives to Regulus.

“The brother and sister clashed then and there before Valhalla. Their father Cairo returned from having departed to see his children battling and collapsed. He was revived, and Syrinx was defeated. But Cairo’s time would be drawing to a close.”

He straightened from the intense posture and smiled smoothly, tone lighter. “With the issue of twisted fates assuaged, wedding preparations began in earnest, and Chrysanthe announced the return of Valhalla’s familial ways. Erani was reinstated, others given ranks, and Cairo was well enough, come winter, to see Epiphron and Maverick become one. That evening, after the ceremony and celebrations had faded long into the night, they and the Seracians who had attended the wedding, left for their new lives in Seracia.”

He wiggled the toes of his good paw, smiling gently, “Life in Valhalla returned to normal, with Chrysanthe a firm rock, squarely where she was meant to be. She was a strong, brave Queen. She led Valhalla well in her time. But alas, joy is always short-lived. Late that winter, at the cusp of spring, no sooner had Cairo admitted his heart to Erani, he passed on, as you recall. His death was a blow to all that knew and loved him, and Erani, who had always stood by him through it all, held his memory in her heart for the rest of her life. Her mate had vanished, and never returned.”

His head bowed briefly, a gesture of respect to the dead. “Time would pass, wolves ranked. Erani’s daughter became a beta in training to her uncle Cormalin, the healer’s brother. And Liberty, daughter of the longest standing beta of the time, Aislyn, would also become a beta in training. But it would be she who became the catalyst for true war.”

He trailed off, watching her with that devious little grin as he asked playfully, “How’m I doing?”

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think