Chapitre 8: Prince Daemon NorthSteed
MOON
One Hour Earlier
Prince Daemon NorthSteed, fourth legitimate son of the Alpha King, lover of his brothers, and the first of his name, already dressed and clad in his dark ceremonial clothes flipped through a book nonchalantly whereas the two people about him looked panicked.
The title of the book read, 'The Moon Goddess's Path To Redemption'. Not exactly one of his favourite books, but certainly one of the most interesting he has read considering he had swept through the book a total of twenty-three times. Or was it twenty-four? He could hardly remember.
But perhaps the number was nothing seeing as he had pursued his favourite books not less than forty times. Was it boredom or just having too much ample time that propelled him?
"Daemon," Yaren. His half-brother and illegitimate son to his father said pleadingly after it seemed talking to the other man in a terse tone didn't exactly garner his attention, "can you not pretend as if your house is NOT on fire?"
Daemon ignored him yet again, flipping to another page of the book. This time a smile curved against his lips. An interesting passage had caught his eyes, and it read thus.
'The moon goddess calls us to be worthy advocates of peace and love. Especially forgiveness. We must embody forgiveness to its fullest. It is what makes us magnanimous rulers and great guardians of our packs. Through forgiveness, we shall reach the full heights of the calling of the moon.'
Yaren frowned at Daemon, not finding his usually laid-back attitude very appealing at that moment. Daemon in turn read the passage aloud to both Yaren, and the dark figure of a man that stood behind his half-brother.
The man wore a hood, his features shrouded by shadows, and his body set in subservience of the prince. He was like a large unmoving tree, waiting for the command of his master.
"What do you think of this passage?" Daemon asked them amusedly, "should we embody the spirit of charity and forgive at all times? Even when we have been highly offended?"
The man didn't say anything, while Yaren grunted. Even though he was two years younger than Daemon at just twenty, he found his older brother insufferable. "I've told you time without numbers Daemon. I see no point in reading the words of a mad man!" He exclaimed in sheer exasperation, eyeing the offending book like it was responsible for all their problems.
Daemon heaved a dramatic sigh. He turned to the back of the book, gazing at the name of the author.
Alpha Brandon DireWolf it read. The man who was supposedly his maternal grandfather by at least ten generations of ancestry older. "Do you not think it is insulting to curse at him? I mean he is my ancestor, no?"
Yaren rolled his eyes so hard they threatened to fall off his eye socket. There he was, wracked from fear of his brother's life, and said brother was so relaxed like the world wasn't about to go down.
Daemon, realising that Yaren had no intention to partake in his crude jokes turned serious. Flinging the book to a random corner of the room, all playfulness was wiped from his face as dire seriousness took over him. "What do you think, Shadow?" He said to the mysterious man.
Shadow bowed, his hands set before him stiffly. "I think Moorim targets you, your highness. I am eighty percent sure of it."
Daemon pinched the area between his eyebrows, his mind running wild with thoughts. He had played the role of the playful, laidback prince for years, so it was unexpected that his father's most trusted advisor had taken cognizance of the fact that Daemon was not as laid back as he appeared to be.
Daemon guessed it was a long time coming. Considering the blood of his mother, it was natural that heavy eyes were on him despite his outrageous deception. What he didn't expect was for those eyes to start making a move even before he barely had the time to react to them.
"So he targets me? How does he intend to do that though?" He asked both Yaren and Shadow.
Shadow appeared to be thinking hard on how to phrase his next words. A closer look at him showed that his dark clothes were slightly wet from melting snow, and his muddy boots were evidence of the long perilous journey he had made all the way from the Dessert South.
Yaren on his own part found his question offending, "I do not believe the 'how' of the matter is important. That damn lowlife Moorim targets you and as far as I am concerned, that is all that matters! Give me the order brother, and I will serve his severed head to you!"
Daemon clicked his tongue together, his half-brother was still as impatient as ever.
"So you will have blood flowing on the day of our father's banquet. I will not allow it, Yaren."
Yaren started to sulk. He knew fully well that the both of them had no love for their father, the Alpha King, although for varying reasons. Shadow interrupted their squabble, finally voicing his thoughts.
"I journeyed all the way here as I got highly confidential information that your royal father summons strange people to his banquet."
"Strange people?" Daemon repeated.
"Seers… to be more precise, lowly seers."
Yaren frowned harder at that, his features hardening;. "There are whispers that our Royal Father has been poisoned, and now this? Lowly Seers? Why would he need one when we clearly have Theta Amelia."
"He needs one because Theta Amelia is unable to fulfil what he needs." Shadow simply said.
"And what could he possibly need that has given rise to such strange request of strange people?" Yaren inquired, confused.
"Your father requires a vision." Shadow answered like that should end his curiosity, "and not just any kind of vision, but a very specific one."
"And you think Moorim intends to eliminate me through some lowly Seers? By this vision that would be told?" Daemon inquired amusedly. Because indeed, that had to be one of the most ridiculous things he had heard in the twenty-two years of his existence.
The fact that a seer of an unknown name and equally unknown origin would bring down a man such as himself.
Chapitre 9: Planning A Rebellion
MOON
Everyone in the Arctic North knew that Alpha Xavier NorthSteed was a fervent believer. Perhaps it was his ardent belief in the way of the moon goddess and the way of the old that led him to successfully keeping the unity of the four high ranking packs in the Arctic North under a united banner. A feat that was certainly not an easy one.
"The DireWolf pack shall of course not allow such monstrosity to happen. Your mother's side stands fervently behind you and has sent me to support you."
Daemon scoffed, "And what does this support my beloved uncle sends me entail?"
"These are your uncle's words; It is true that The Alpha King of the North has ruled supreme for such a long time, but you Daemon are his one true son born by the one true Luna Queen. No one is fit to take the mantle of Alpha King than you. Claim your rightful birthright, and I, the Alpha of the Direwolf pack shall stand steadfastly behind you'."
Honestly, Daemon had lost interest in the words that Shadow uttered the moment he got to the part where he said, 'the one true Luna Queen'. But still, the audaciousness of the intended meaning of his uncle's words had stunned him. "Does my uncle ask me to rebel?" He asked sarcastically, already knowing the answer.
Yaren's face was etched with glee. Finally, something was going right that night. "Daemon, if you must then you have to. If you're unwilling, know that I shall stand steadfastly behind you!" Yaren cried out like a devoted soldier at a battlefront.
Daemon levelled him with a stern glare. Turning to Shadow, he gravely inquired; "What has my uncle done this time around?"
"He has secretly sent a hundred elite Epsilons of the Direwolf pack to guide your cause."
Daemon quickly shut his eyes as a feeling of wretched despair took over him. "Did you just say that my uncle has sent a hundred foreign Epsilons to the land of my father? A hundred Epsilons that if caught, can be easily traced back to me for treason?!"
Yaren's glee fell in the face of Daemon's outrage and logic. But then he quickly shook off his disappointment, reasoning that it wouldn't matter as long as their rebellion became a success. A success that he would ensure with everything in him. Even if such success would cost Yaren his life.
"It wouldn't matter as long as our cause is a success!" Yaren said steadfastly, "and it shall be a success for I shall stand behind you!"
"Yaren!" Daemon screamed, finding his brother's usual blind devotion to him very disturbing at that point. "The Arising Rouges has been growing even more wildly of late, so do you think a rebellion at the moment does any good for us or our people?!"
Yaren frowned. He had never had such grand aspirations nor grand thoughts. Ever since he was little, he had been harshly taught the way of the lone wolf. That was until he encountered Daemon when he was just five, and his worldview shifted a little.
He was still a lone wolf alright, but one who basked in the light that Daemon casted. A light that Yaren once longed for from their father but was never at sight. Ambitions like thinking about the well-being of the common being and whatnot was simply not his strong suit.
His only strong suit was to protect his half-brother Daemon with everything in him. That was all he cared for.
"Shadow," Daemon gritted the shadowed man's name, enunciating every single syllable, "you served my mother, correct?"
Shadow bowed to Daemon, "indeed."
"So, between my uncle and I, who do you serve?"
"Alpha DireWolf is my Lord and Alpha. But I serve you the blood of the Luna Queen. Whatever you command of me I shall naturally carry out."
"In that case, bundle out those hundred Epsilons before we have something graver than some pesky seers in our hands."
"I shall do as you've commanded. However, those Seers must not be underestimated as it seems to be a well-conceived plan of your father's advisor."
Daemon scoffed, highly offended. "The fact that you think some lowly seers from gods knows where are enough to bring me down pains me." He said, hardly sounding pained.
"Still, you must be careful." Shadow said, and like that, he slithered out of the room like the wind.
Daemon wasn't stupid, the information had indeed concerned him. However, no matter how hard he thought about it, he didn't see how possible the seers could bring him dire harm. Even if they did tell some false vision, it would definitely raise eyebrows and suspicions.
Despite his reservations as to the news, he also knew that if Moorim was determined to cast him out, then he wouldn't have come up with some half-baked plan. It made him wonder what his game plan was. He didn't have enough time to figure it out as the banquet was already on them.
As if to confirm his thoughts, Eldric, his younger half-brother and the fifth legitimate son of the king knocked on his door, and entered without even waiting for Daemon to usher him in.
Yaren frowned at the other man who was the same age as him. Eldric was jumping on his feet, his face breaking into a wide smile as per usual. He dramatically turned, displaying the luxurious gold cloth he wore while ignoring Yaren like he was vermin that didn't exist.
"Brother," he said to Daemon, "don't I look fantastic?"
Normally, Daemon would have entertained him with flattery, but he was in no mood. "You do look fine." He muttered distractedly.
Eldric frowned despondently. "I believe you're more capable of giving a more sincere appraisal, but I shall take what you've."
Yaren scoffed, but not even that elicited Eldric's attention on him.
"The ball will be starting soon," Daemon said, standing abruptly. "Brothers, lest the Alpha King arrives before us, let's get going."
Eldric squeezed his face at that, like being called brother along with the bastard, Yaren, highly offended him. But he immediately shook off the act with a characteristic smile of his. "Of course, let's get going." he said in an uncharacteristic high-pitched voice.
And as they left, Daemon could not shake off the uneasiness that the barrage of abrupt news that night had brought him.
For the first time in his carefully planned life, he was walking into the unknown.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
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