4. Furious and Fascinated

The dining hall seemed packed with people, half of them Alatum and the other half Lupine, presumably members of King Thieron's court. To her surprise Claivony found herself seated next to the king himself, while Kaelhart was seated on his other side. Benji was perched on the back of her chair and she fed him small pieces of bread every now and then to keep the little bugger quiet. The tables were filled with every delicacy the Lupine kingdom could offer, and she was glad that not every dish was meat, which she knew was their staple. She didn't really fancy meat too much, though she relished in the soft white fish that the king had offered her.
Thieron was an extremely courteous host, and ensured that everyone had enough to eat and had someone else compatible to talk to. She found it hard to believe that he had spent most of his youth roaming the forests like a wild beast or biting other people when he was a pup.

"So what are we going to do about your problem?" Claivony found herself asking the king, as Benji snoozed against her cheek after stuffing himself on all the treats she had given him.
"We?" Kaelhart retorted, "Claivony, you are not coming along." She felt her anger rise through her wings and she forced them to stay folded behind her back.
"So I just came here to laze about enjoy the many pleasures of the Lupine kingdom?" she found herself asking back with an icy calm, "Then this is an absolute waste of my time. I could be delivering messages. The realm is short of heralds as it is." The hall around her fell quiet and all eyes were trained on them, but she couldn't care less. She was sick and tired of Kaelhart bossing her around and thinking that he needed to protect her.

"You aren't even an archer, Claivony!" Kaelhart shot back, his fist clenching on the table. She knew he was just moment away from banging it on the table but she couldn't care less.
"I am a better shot than half of the archers here." Claivony stated, and knew she hadn't insulted any of them, because it simply was the truth.
"That is not the point!" Kaelhart exclaimed exasperatedly, "It is too dangerous and you damn well know it. You are not trained for combat."
"And that is where you are wrong." Claivony snapped back, "Do you think all my errands are just like a little flutter in the gardens? Smelling flowers and delivering pretty sonnets to lovers? No, Kaelhart! I have been shot at and hunted. I have been chased for days on end and had to hide from many adversaries. I know bloody well how to take care of myself."
At this Kaelhart seemed to turn red in the face and narrowed his eyes at her.
"Surely the king would not want a mere herald protecting his back, right sire?" he said icily, turning to the king as his last resort.

Claivony look at the Lupine king and prayed that he could speak in her favour. On her shoulder Benji had awoken and was now nervously hopping from foot to foot, clearly aware of the tension in the hall. However, for once the little bird had the good sense to keep his little beak shut.
"I would actually feel more comfortable if Claivony were to accompany us tomorrow." Thieron said after a long awkward silence and glanced at Kaelhart apologetically, "I trust her explicitly." Claivony sat a little straighter in her seat and threw Kaelhart a smug smile, while he glowered at her and Thieron in return.
"Besides," she couldn't help adding, "heavens knows how far we have to fly, and you archers can barely fly for a few hours before tiring. I can fly for days without rest." To this one of the archers cleared his throat and they turned towards him.
"She is right, my lord." he said politely, "She will be the only one fit to protect the king if we have to fly more than six hours. We all know and accept it. Herald Claivony is more than capable, my lord."
And with that it seemed settled, and once more people started to talk amongst themselves but Kaelhart pointedly ignored her.

The sun was slowly setting and Claivony had changed out of her dress which had made her feel a little naked. She pulled on a plain shirt and pants and after depositing Benji on a perch in her room and stepped out of her window and soared into the skies barefoot. Though they had just arrived in the morning and her muscles were a little stiff from the long flight, she had the urge to let the wind ruffle feathers and wash her away her irritation with Kaelhart. As she soared through the skies she relished in the cool air whipping against her face and spread her arms and happily did a silly twirl in the air. Next she rose higher and higher until the wind whipped fiercely around her and made her teeth chatter. The capital of the Lupine kingdom shrank to the size of the little finger and she gazed at it appreciatively as its lights twinkled at her from her high vantage point. Suddenly she saw a silver figure dart away from the city and she flew a little lower to inspect it. It was a lone wolf running through the grass fields and towards the forest that almost hugged the east side of the capital.

As she grew closer she realized that the beast was massive. Its head would have almost reached her shoulder if she had stood next to it, and she pulled up a little higher with fear. Then suddenly she realized that her shadow fell on the ground next to the wolf and the creature turned its head to look at her. She almost laughed when she saw his eyes and her fear evaporated. It was Thieron loping gracefully through the fields with his tongue lolling out of his mouth in a comical fashion. She admired his beautiful thick silver fur and took note of the black diamond shaped mark on his back and the dark lines that run vertically on his paws. He howled at her and she felt a wild laughter rip from her throat as she once more spun around in the air and raced off, sure that he would bound after her. She flew a bit lower so that he could keep up with her and she giggled when she felt something warm and wet lick her heel. She spun around and gave the wolf a taunting look before leaping a few yards into the air and soaring toward the forest.

When she reached the shadows of the trees, the first stars were already beginning to twinkle in the heavens and she landed on the cool earth. She watched as Thieron ran towards her and came to a halt a few feet from where she stood. He truly was a gigantic beast, his blue wolf eyes were level with hers and Claivony felt her wings bristle in fright as she took a step back almost tripping over the roots of a tree. He immediately sensed her fear and in the blink of an eye he shifted and cautiously approached her. Claivony couldn't help but stare in fascination, her fear all but forgotten. She had always wanted to see a shifter change, but it was so quick she could barely remember it.
"I thought you would be naked." she said stupidly, looking at his dark neat clothes. He even had a sword dangling in its scabbard from his belt.
"Are you disappointed?" Thieron asked with a cheeky grin, his wild blue eyes flashing in the growing darkness.
"Not at all." she said in a tone she hoped sounded bland and uninterested, "Merely impressed."
"But it is I who is more impressed for sure." he said humbly, his eyes now tracing her wings, "You really do fly very fast. And with such elegance, too. You make us look like big bumbling beasts."
"Well, perhaps you are!" Claivony said teasingly and settled herself in a small patch of grass and folded her wings neatly behind her.

"What is it like to fly?" the king asked, sitting down next to her still eyeing her wings.
"It is like a dream." Claivony breathed, "Words cannot explain it. It is like being weightless and yet falling at the same time. It makes you feel like anything is possible."
"It sounds wonderful." Thieron said with a smile, "I can understand how much you love it. I love running through the woods. Feeling the earth beneath my paws. I suppose it is almost like flying."
"I'm sure it is." Claivony said dreamily.
"Have you seen many other races in your travels?" Therion asked her.
"Yes, I have." Claivony replied with enthusiasm.
"And which is your favourite so far?" Claivony looked at him for a long while, she couldn't tell him that she was most impressed by the Lupine could she? It would be far too embarrassing, so she opted for her next best.
"The Aquarius people are the most beautiful to behold." she replied, "You should see how stunning they are when they swim and jump out of the water. And their tails are so powerful."
"Can you swim?"
To this Claivony laughed and turned to let him see her wings. "All kingfishers can swim and dive. But I cannot live or breathe underwater like the Aquarius do."

They drifted into a comfortable silence and watched as the sky burst into a bright rosy hue before sighing and giving way to the dark blue blanket of the night. Claivony found it odd that she felt so at ease with the Lupine king. She had never been very close to anyone else, except Costelle, and perhaps recently Kaelhart. As if reading her thoughts Thieron looked at her and paused for awhile before asking her something she herself could not quite understand.
"Are you and Lord Kaelhart betrothed? Or is he simply your older overprotective brother?"
"He is neither." she said slowly and frowned, "I don't understand him. One moment he is kind and pleasant to me, and the next he treats me like I'm a spoilt petulant child that constantly needs to be watched."
"What do you wish he treat you like?" Thieron asked softly, regarding her closely.
"I don't know." Claivony answered truthfully and looked back at the wolf king.

The next day they waited patiently for the Alatum scouts to return. There had been a rumour that a band of rebellious wolves had been spotted east of the capital where the forests gave way to grassy hills and slopes. Claivony spent much of her day walking through the capital with Leanne pointing out various things to her and Benji happily chattering away on her shoulder. Kaelhart had been icy towards her and Thieron was busy preparing a team of his best men to set out with him once the scouts confirmed the whereabouts of the rebels. The capital was so unlike the Alatum citadel that Claivony almost stopped to look at everything Leanne pointed out to her. The people were all plainly but well dressed, quite unlike her own people who loved to dress in flimsy decorative things that were all form and no function. The buildings were all low and sprawling, and were made from a dark solid looking stone. Here and there children, in their wolf pup forms dashed through the streets yapping and nipping at each other, which made Claivony smile and laugh as they tangled around her feet.

As it was nearing evening, sleek shadows fell across the streets and they looked up to see the scouts return towards the castle, their gossamer wings shining in the late afternoon light. Immediately Claivony excused herself from Leanne and leaped into the air, cradling Benji in her palms, so that he wouldn't drop in surprise. She reached the castle just behind the scouts and followed them to the king's chambers, telling Benji to keep quiet. King Thieron and Lord Kaelhart were already waiting in the room and Claivony wasn't sure if her presence was wanted. But Thieron smiled at her and held out his hand to gesture her to stand next to him. She was disappointed that Kaelhart was still ignoring her but she tried not to let it show and smiled back gratefully at the king. Benji hopped happily onto his master's shoulder and chippered something softly into his ear. The scouts told them that they had found a pack of wolves living in one of the valleys about four hours flying distance. They had been careful not to be spotted and recounted the marking of the wolves to the king carefully with great accuracy.

As they reported each wolf, the king seemed to grow angry. And finally he turned away from them with tightly clenched fists and a low growl. They all watched him for a while and Claivony wondered whether they should ask him what made him so furious, but feared that he might lash out at her. After a few moments longer he thankfully turned to them, his face a mask of wrath.
"That last wolf you described is my uncle." he spat, "The bastard who killed my father." And with that he left the room, and Benji fluttered off his shoulder and returned to Claivony. She felt the odd urge to rush after the king, as she feared what he might do. But instead she stayed put and looked to Kaelhart.

Her lord seemed to have taken the kings abrupt departure as nothing out of the ordinary and set about organizing his men in a cool military fashion. Lastly he finally turned to Claivony and looked at her stilly.
"I don't care how great an archer or herald you are." he said coldly, "But tomorrow when we leave to hunt the rebels, you will listen to every word I say and if you so much as dare to think otherwise, may the heavens help you." Claivony nodded silently. Kaelhart had never been so cold towards her. It stung her heart and made her wings contract closer to her body as if to comfort her from the assault.
"Tomorrow you will fly behind me at all time." Kaelhart continued, completely ignoring the effect he had on her, "We will both be flying directly above the king and protecting him from the air. You are not to do anything heroic or fly off on your own. Am I clear?" Claivony bowed her head in defeat.
"Yes, my lord." she said softly.
"Also, after dinner you will tell the archers how they should fly tomorrow, how to best conserve their energy for the battle." Claivony nodded and left the room to change into a gown for dinner.

Following dinner they all went to the courtyard where the archers lined up before her in neat rows and looked at her sharply. King Thieron, who had been absent from dinner, slunk into the corner of the courtyard and watched from the shadows while Kaerlhart stood behind her with his feet apart and his hands folded behind his back.
Claivony looked back at him once nervously and he nodded so she cleared her throat and began her instruction.
"The trick about flying without wasting precious energy, is by trying to catch a wind or a draft that will carry you in the direction you desire." she paused for awhile and looked at their blank faces, "Obviously." Some of the archer nodded and she took it as a signal to continue.
"The trick is in finding this wind, and often it can be hard to miss. Once you are aloft you must not immediately try to soar and flap you wings. Let yourself reach about a hundred yards up and then spread your wings and let yourself float downwards and wait till you feel the draft that travels in the way you want. Remember not to hold your wings completely flat, but to curl them slightly inwards so they are more sensitive." And she demonstrated it.

"Those with gossamer wings will find it simple, but the feathered and leathered ones must expect that it will take more time to find the desirable draft." Some of the archers nodded again and quite a few looked impressed.
"The sea is to the south, and we are flying toward the east. There will definitely be a strong breeze coming inland from the sea, so we can take advantage of that. We should angle slightly toward the south and the current will carry us due east. Also remember that the most energy is lost in gaining height, so if the breeze carries you to a lower altitude, just let it and wait till it allows you to gain height again." When she was finished Kaelhart stepped up next to her and addressed his archers.
"You are to do exactly as Herald Claivony says tomorrow. Follow her lead and movements until we reach the valleys. After that you will obey my every order. Our goal is to protect the Lupine as they apprehend the target, we are under no circumstances to land or to engage in direct combat with the wolves. We will assemble here at first morning light. Dismissed."
An impressive "Yes, sir!" echoed through the courtyard and Kaelhart turned on his heel and left.

A few of the archers came up to her to ask her about the finer details of her lesson, but after awhile they all drifted off towards their rooms. Claivony headed towards her own room, when she remembered that Benji had to be returned to Thieron for the night. Slowly she made her way toward the king's chambers and knocked cautiously on his door. Thieron himself yanked the door open and she almost jumped back. Benji twittered in delight at seeing his master and flittered over to his shoulder.
"Thank you." the king said gruffly and Claivony dropped into a small curtsey.
"I'm glad that you'll be watching over to me tomorrow, Claivony." he said softly, all the anger leeching from his features, and she saw that he actually looked a little worried.
"No one will harm you tomorrow, Thieron. I will see to it." she replied and she returned to her room.