Friends, Granrians, Countrymen

“There are gods of every concept, from the highest to the low. Gods of creation we may all know, but there are plenty more that escape our sight. Aphrondi, the god of the beating heart. Tyrrun, the god of evening thunderstorms. And, of course, Narcet, the god of loneliness.” -Excerpt from “On the Gods and Their Proclivities”

With a deep breath, I settled my frayed nerves. A melange of therians, humans, and elves milled about in the town center, a mass of humanity operating as a single, devoted entity—the citizens of Gran. Their whispered words and shuffling feet were quiet in isolation, but together they merged into a cocaphony.

One sure step, and I was atop the low stage built at the foot of the castle walls. I peered out across the crowd, heart thundering in my ears.

I wore my royal finest; a blue surcoat embroidered with my heraldry in silver, a pair of black wool pants, and a white shoulder cape that hid my sword from view. A band of simple gold rested across my brow—the crown that I seldom wore in day to day life.

“Citizens of Gran, my devoted vassals and countrymen, I come to you this morning bearing news of our circumstances; news I am certain will alleviate fears and energize you to action,” I said, projecting my voice with a whisper of wind magic. The people fell silent at my first words, enraptured. “Two days ago, we found ourselves in a foreign place, stolen from our homeland by powers yet unknown. Under the watchful gaze of an unfamiliar moon, we repelled a grave threat to our glorious city, proving the valor of our homeguard. And today, as the sun paints our homes in warm rays, I come to tell you that we will prevail despite the hardships leveraged against us. I, your sovereign, have laid the groundwork for such a triumph, and my loyal retainers have worked ceaselessly to make my vision come true,” I continued on, pacing myself so as not to project the nerves I felt into my speech. “I, like all of you, felt the nervous anxiety that came with the sudden movement of Gran to another world. But I did not let despair take my heart, and I ask that you resist the pull of such folly as well. Together we shall conquer the obstacles placed against us now, much as we have in the past—our people, though of different bloodlines and spirits, have always stood as one, have always beaten the odds, have always emerged on the other side with heads held high and victory in our grasp. And we shall again. Lupis Victoria!” I raised my left fist skyward, the motion flipping my cape out to reveal the pommel of my sword, and shouted the last word.

The crowd erupted into a chorus of “Lupis Victoria,” chanting the phrase until the entire city was filled with the sound of their shouting. I drew my blade, and lifted it to the sky alongside my fist, and the citizens responded in kind with even greater enthusiasm.

*****

“I had no idea you were such a talented orator,” Margaret said, squeezing my hand. The crowds were thinning, and the two of us had retreated to the relative quiet of the Grand Hall.

“Please,” I retorted, trying to hide a satisfied smile. “The speech was all Demna’s doing. The people were primed for a rallying cry, I did nothing special.”

“I disagree, Your Excellency,” Demna said. She had just entered the Grand Hall, and bowed in greeting. “I may have written the words, but words alone move not a man’s heart. It was the passion behind them that stirred fervor in the people.”

“Well, thank you,” I said. “Moving on, have we any word from Emile?”

“Not as of yet,” Margaret said. “I suspect we won’t hear anything today, though the Stalking Pack does surprise me from time to time.”

Demna stood at the foot of the dais, and though she did not fidget, her ears flicked anxiously. I watched her for a moment, then sighed. “You had something else, Demna?”

Her face flushed red, and she bowed to hide her embarrassment. “I simply came to tell you that lunch will be served, at your pleasure.”

I cocked an eyebrow, and glanced at Margaret. She shrugged, and I rolled my eyes. “Now, tell the truth,” I said. “Fetching me for lunch is a common servant’s job, not fit for my personal maid. So, out with it.”

Demna’s ear twitched again, and she glanced away. Whatever it is must be really important to her, I thought. She never acts out this strongly.

“Ah,” Margaret said in a barely audible voice. I shot her a look, and she leaned in to whisper in my ear. “You typically offer her a specific reward when she performs her duties well, yes?”

I froze for a moment, and then let my shoulders relax. “Come,” I said, and Demna followed my single-word command without delay. And then I pet the top of her head, scratching behind one ear. Demna’s unemotive mask melted away, and she giggled. Is that really all she desired?

After a moment, she bowed and backed away. “Shall I send your meal to your rooms, or would you rather commune with your council?”

“Send it to the war room,” I said. “And bring enough for yourself and Freyja.”

Margaret and Demna both cocked their heads in unison, and I was reminded of the fact that they were both my personal creations. Demna and Margaret already know the truth, it is time I tell Freyja as well. I hoped she took it as well as the other two.

*****

“I have come as requested, Your Excellency,” Freyja said, entering the room with her head bowed and hand over her heart.

“Dispense with the formalities, come join us,” I said, waving a hand for the other servants to leave. Freyja looked up, and then her eyes went wide.

“Your Excellency, pray tell why have you summoned me?” She asked.

Margaret sat to my left, her lithe form covered by an elegant, tight black dress. Rubies adorned her neckline, and she wore her wedding ring for the first time since making the transition to the new world. Demna sat across from me, her own white sundress a flowing counterpoint to my wife’s attire.

“Come,” I gestured to the chair by my right hand. “We have much to discuss.”

Freyja, still garbed in her armor, hesitated for a moment, and I sighed. With a gesture to Demna, she stood and began helping Freyja remove her plating. A few moments later, we were all seated at the table.

“This food is exquisite,” I said. Plates of roasted lamb, steamed carrots and asparagus, and fresh bread lined the center of the table. Demna had taken it upon herself to portion out servings for each of us. “On to the topic at hand, I have something I must discuss with you Freyja.”

“Yes, Your Excellency?” She asked.

“Prepare yourself, it will be jarring.” My words elicited nods from the other two women at the table, and Freyja’s spine stiffened.

“I am ready,” she said.

And so I explained everything to her, the same way I had to Margaret. Freyja listened quietly to the whole thing, never stirring or touching her food. When I was done, silence settled over us for several long seconds.

“Is that all?” She asked into the quiet.

“It is.”

Freyja sighed, and then began to eat. Demna giggled, and Margaret leaned over to kiss my cheek. “I told you she wouldn’t make a big deal out of it,” she said.

“Yeah yeah, you were both right,” I rolled my eyes at their reactions. “But I had every right to worry, you know. That kind of news could be hard on people.”

“It might have been more impactful if you had not brought these two along,” Freyja said, gesturing to the other women. “I knew something was different the moment we shifted, but I could not put my finger on it until I saw you interact with them. Once it clicked that my thoughts were more lucid than before, I began considering the possible reasons. I won’t say I came to the exact correct conclusion, but I was not far off.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Oh? All that and you never thought to broach the topic with me?”

“I would never be so uncouth. It is not my place to question my King,” she said.

I leaned back, and felt my entire body relax. “Well, I guess that tracks. I did make all of you to be that way, after all.”