Chapter 11 #3
Reule chuckled, casting off the pall of worry.
He would straighten his house up over the next week, starting tonight.
“Relax, old friend. I plan to keep her very close and in just as high esteem as you apparently do. I’m glad to have your reaction, truth be told.
I was wondering how others would accept our relationship. ”
“Do you care?” Drago queried.
“Care? Of course. Worry? Not in the least. It’s a subject not open for debate, and adjustment will come in time. I have faith in my people.”
“Well, I know you’ll have little to no effort to make amongst the commoners,” Drago remarked.
“Oh?” he asked as he moved into the adjoining bath and began to wash up and get dressed. He needed to see the Pack before guests arrived.
“Yes. My lady Mystique has been making quite an impression these past few days. She cured the farmer’s boy Stebban and he’s already gaining weight.
She’s been working steadily in the infirmary ever since.
Word of mouth, I suppose. Like wild flatland fire, My Prime.
Though you might want to have a closer care for her if she’s going to be … um …”
“Prima, Drago. You can say it. She will be Prima. Before the end of this month, if I have any say about it, and I think I do. And she will have a Prima Shadow in her Pack first thing, trust me.”
“Oh, yes, a wise idea. But I was more concerned with her health.”
Drago looked up when there was a soft clatter and his Prime came to the entrance between bedroom and bath, half shaved, and narrowed his hazel eyes on him. “Would you be so kind as to explain that?”
“Of course, My Prime. Our future Prima has no heart for turning people away. She is with her patients from dawn until late at night. When she retires, she’s exhausted and can barely stand. Para and I have had to walk her to her bed between us these past three nights.”
“Are there so many sickly among my people?” Reule looked flabbergasted at the idea of the powerful Sánge being so afflicted.
“They are when the fires burn them. Then she heals Chayne on top of a long day. Winter comes, the elders have various physical complaints. Many ailments have gone long neglected because of that man she rightly labeled a charlatan.”
“And he will pay for that, I promise you,” Reule muttered angrily as he returned to his grooming. “She didn’t work today. I found her on the battlements.”
“She takes an hour twice a day to escape onto the battlements. I think it overwhelms her, all the healing and the mourning. She clears her head and then returns.”
“You seem to know a great deal about this.”
Drago was no fool. He tried not to smile as he recognized the jealousy lurking in his master’s tone. “Para keeps close to her, and I talk to Para. I often visit and try to help.”
“And your suggestion? I know you have one, so don’t even think of hedging.”
“Just that you limit the gate. No callers for healing after dusk or before a decent hour.”
It was a fair and simple solution. But Reule would have to discuss it with Mystique first. He had no intention of making decisions that would affect her without consulting her first. Playing Prime over her, however much he had a right by birth to do so, wouldn’t be a way of gaining the trust he so craved.
“Thank you for the information. You’re right, she wouldn’t turn anyone away and would work herself into a coma if she thought it would help someone.
I think it might be wise to find her a promising apprentice as well.
She knows much that has nothing to do with her naturopathic power.
She has a great deal of knowledge, and passing it on would eventually ease the medical burden from her shoulders. ”
“The fewer her burdens, the better. Being Prima will be burden enough.”
“I don’t deny that,” Reule agreed grimly. “But I’d lay fair odds that she’s up to the task.”
“I’d rather run like a loon through a Jakal camp than take a bet against that.”
After Reule had called Para and Drago together and told them about the significant changes he’d require before guests arrived from the city, he strode down the corridor to the private areas in the keep and entered the Packmate common room.
They felt him coming, just as he felt them, so they were all on their feet by the time he came within sight.
He stopped on the threshold of the wide room and studied them each in turn.
Every member stood before his favored chair.
The only empty chairs belonged to him and Amando.
Without any delay, he strode sharply into the room, his high-polished black boots snapping against the stone of the flooring as he grabbed for the golden ceremonial dagger at his waist and pulled it free of its sheath.
He walked straight up to the first empty chair, knelt down on a single knee, and with a shout and all of his strength, he stabbed the blade into the seat belonging to their fallen comrade.
The wood and cushioning shuddered and cracked under the mighty blow, but in the end the dagger remained embedded deep, jeweled hilt gleaming in the firelight as the Prime of Jeth stood up tall and backed away.
He clasped his hands before him, widened his stance, and bowed his head.
He heard the Pack do the same, and silence prevailed for a long minute as they each wished Amando on his way to the warmth of the House of the Lord and Lady.
The Sánge Prime had given up his dagger. It was the highest of honors, and one that every Packmate would wish for himself when the time came.
Reule turned then to face them, looking them all over with keen, judging eyes, eyes that refused to miss any of the details, large or small, that he’d overlooked in the Depths of his grief.
“Shadow, I expect you back at my side,” he said pointedly to Darcio, cocking a brow until his Packmate nodded. “Chayne, are you well?”
“As can be,” he said quietly, his subdued response indicative of his ordeal.
“Very well. As you all may know, my relationship with the outlander woman, Mystique, has taken on a new cast. I have requested that she become Prima and she has accepted.”
Everyone, save Darcio, looked and felt as though he’d just walked into another electrical trap. Each was stunned speechless, except Rye, who burst out with, “Lord damn me! Reule, are you mad?”
Rye’s response was apparently even more shocking than Reule’s announcement because all attention swung to the heir.
If they felt as though they’d missed a page in the story, they weren’t alone.
Reule felt as though he’d risen from a three-day coma.
He ignored the outburst, even though his teeth did come tightly together as he fought his temper.
“This isn’t open to discussion or debate,” Reule said instead, addressing them all in the cold tone of a ruler who would let one insult slide, but wouldn’t allow another.
“The joining will be announced this night in Amando’s memory, and the service will be performed by month’s end.
Your future Prima is inexperienced and an outlander still familiarizing herself with our culture.
I expect you all to assist her just as you have been.
To that end, Chayne, I’m temporarily titling you Prima Shadow.
” Reule drew the chain of office from the inside of his jacket and stood before Chayne, holding it out to him on his fingertips.
Chayne’s stunned expression was priceless. It made Reule’s lips curve up.
“My Prime—” Chayne paused long enough to clear the startled rasp from his throat. “I am honored, but … I am beyond honored,” he swore, making certain Reule felt the truth of it, “but I’m not at my peak health yet. You must prefer—”
“What I prefer,” Reule interrupted, “is that a man who owes her his life take on the duty of guarding hers. He will be best compelled not to fail her.”
“But Rye also—”
“The Prime Blade has already expressed his feelings. on the matter enough to satisfy me that he wouldn’t be the best choice.
” The Pack shifted uncomfortably as hostility jolted through them.
As polite as the phrasing was, Reule’s displeasure was keen.
“At half your health, you’d do twice as much to protect her. ”
The insult wasn’t even veiled and, moments after Chayne lifted his new emblem of office from Reule’s hands and exchanged it for the one he now wore, Reule turned the full brunt of his icy displeasure on Rye.
“After sunrise you and I will meet. You will recall, I pray, that every peaceful minute earned between now and then is by the grace of my lady’s merciful request.” He turned to the others. “Seating has been rearranged to accommodate these changes. Now, shall we lay our comrade to peace?”