Royalty, Future and Wolf

The city of Timatatanga - the capital of the country - was a pleasant place. Much of that could be attributed to the palace looming at its heart, and as the carriage rolled to a stop at the foot of the stone steps leading to its grand wooden doors, Joash found his thoughts drifting in uneasy circles.

What would royalty think of him?

An otherworlder. Someone from a place that couldn’t be described, let alone understood. Someone who might carry knowledge of technologies far beyond anything they’d ever seen.

Then another thought struck him.

For Foebe’s race to exist at all, there had to have been other summons before him.

Which raised yet another question - were they all from Earth? Or could people from other worlds be summoned too? Did aliens exist?

But wasn’t everyone here an alien to him?

And wasn’t he one to them?

Joash shook his head, trying to dislodge the spiral, and fell into step beside Foebe as a man in knightly armour led them toward the palace entrance. Before they reached the top, the massive doors were pushed open from within. Well-trained servants stood tall as they held them wide, allowing the trio to pass.

They entered a vast hall, its space opening into a narrower chamber beyond. At the far end, raised upon a platform, sat a lavishly decorated throne - empty.

Before Joash could wonder why, the knight took a sharp turn to the left, leading them toward a side door guarded by two more knights. The guards stepped aside without hesitation, opening it at once.

Joash might have hesitated.

But Foebe’s hand was in his, steady and warm, and so he followed.

Beyond the door lay an expansive room furnished in unmistakable luxury - at least by the standards of the era. Plush couches, hanging chandeliers, towering bookcases, and something that looked suspiciously like a piano filled the space.

And it wasn’t empty.

Five people occupied the room: a man with neatly cut black hair, glasses, and a trimmed beard; a delicate woman dressed in lavender silks; and three children - a teenage girl and two younger boys. The boys were laughing with their mother, but the sound faded as the trio entered.

Before the silence could settle, the man with the glasses stood, arms spread wide.

“Ah! If it isn’t Joash and Foebe Fukurai!”

A grin bloomed across Foebe’s face as he approached, his family trailing behind him.

“As much as I hate to admit it,” she said cheerfully, “it is good to see you, Your Majesty.”

Joash froze.

Your Majesty?

This man - who looked like he’d be perfectly at home behind an office desk - was the king?

The king laughed.

“Please,” he said warmly, “just call me Volya.”

His gaze shifted to Joash, eyes crinkling with curiosity.

“My, don’t you look young. How old are you, young man?”

Foebe squeezed Joash’s hand. She clearly wanted to know too.

“Nineteen, sir,” Joash replied, straightening instinctively.

Volya’s eyes widened.

“Nineteen?!”

Joash nodded, bracing himself - expecting a lecture about responsibility or fate or something equally immovable.

But it was Foebe who spoke.

“Joash…” she said softly. “I’m eighteen…”

He glanced at her, confused. She looked shy.

“Most summons are in their thirties or forties,” she explained. “You might be the youngest in history.”

Then her ears perked up. Her tail began to wag as she clasped his hand with both of hers, lifting it between them.

“But that means we’ll be together forever!”

Joash’s eyes widened as the implication hit him.

Volya burst out laughing.

“Whoa! Not in front of the kids!”

Joash suddenly noticed the two boys covering their eyes, peeking through their fingers as though bracing for a kiss. Heat rushed to his face as Volya laughed again.

“Ah, young love,” the king said fondly. “Anyway, Joash, I should introduce you to my family.”

Without waiting for a response, he gestured to them in turn, starting with the woman in lavender and moving down by age.

“This is my wife, Narin. And our children, Adaeze, Made, and Ragil.”

They each offered a wave or a quiet greeting. Joash returned the gesture, still unsure of the proper etiquette.

Volya caught the tension immediately and chuckled.

“Look at you, you’re wound tight as a spring. Relax. Our home is your home. You can be yourself here.”

Joash nodded, releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Foebe giggled beside him.

“Come on,” Volya said, waving a hand toward the seating. “Let’s sit. We have quite a few questions for the both of you.”

Joash swallowed.

He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that.

It took a full recounting of the wedding - step by step, detail by detail - to finally satisfy not Volya, but Narin. Unable to attend herself due to the risk of unrest caused by the presence of royalty, she wanted to experience it secondhand, through their voices. So they obliged, recounting everything they could remember.

When they finished, she simply nodded.

“Thank you.”

Nothing more.

That was enough to send Volya into laughter once again.

“Well then,” he said cheerfully, “I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it. So, what’s next?”

Foebe, seated beside Joash on an incredibly comfortable couch, her hand still laced with his, answered without hesitation.

“The honeymoon, of course.”

Volya nodded, but suddenly Made piped up.

“What’s a honeymoon?”

Adaeze answered quickly, mortified.

“It’s a holiday for people who were just married.”

Made nodded in understanding as Volya laughed. Narin smiled softly.

“Following the beaten track?” she asked.

Foebe nodded.

“And where do you intend to settle?” Narin continued.

Foebe shrugged lightly.

“Wherever feels best for us.”

Narin nodded, clearly satisfied.

“Then let us know once you decide. We’ll handle the logistics.”

Foebe smiled.

“Thank you.”

Volya leaned forward suddenly, grinning.

“You know, I don’t think Joash has understood a word of this.”

Joash blinked, startled, then flushed as Volya burst out laughing again. Narin, meanwhile, looked genuinely concerned.

“Foebe, dear,” she said gently, “have you told him anything?”

Foebe winced.

“Only what he asked about…”

Narin turned to Joash, sympathy in her eyes.

“Oh, Joash. I’m so sorry. Do you even know what a traditional anaruhi honeymoon entails? Actually, do you even know why you’re here in the palace?”

He shook his head.

Volya laughed so hard he had to clutch his stomach - right up until Narin gave him a look sharp enough to fell a dragon. The transformation was instant. Volya coughed, straightened, and reclined as if he hadn’t been on the verge of rolling across the floor moments ago.

Narin sighed.

“Since Foebe hasn’t been a very good wife,” she said calmly, “I’ll do her job for a moment.”

Foebe looked absolutely mortified, but Narin continued regardless.

“Let’s start simply. You’re here because your wife is the last of her kind. To prevent the anaruhi from going extinct, we intend to ensure you are both exceptionally well cared for. That includes funding for anything you might reasonably need, or want, and forming a personal relationship with you. Does that make sense?”

Joash nodded slowly. It did… mostly. He still felt there was a greater urgency beneath it all, something no one had spelled out - but he didn’t feel confident enough to interrupt.

“Good,” Narin said. “Now, the honeymoon. In short, you will travel the continent and explore every viable place where you and your wife might settle, possibly for the rest of your lives.”

Joash’s thoughts reeled.

“The whole continent?”

“And not just the tangata lands,” she added. “You’ll also visit the other two countries.”

That only made his mind spin faster. How were they supposed to choose? Why did it feel like such a permanent decision already?

Narin continued before he could speak.

“Because when you do settle, you’ll be opening a shop, and raising a family. We want to ensure you have the best possible start.”

Joash’s eyes widened.

“A… a shop?”

Narin frowned slightly and turned to Foebe.

“Have you really not told him about your magic?”

Foebe squirmed.

“I used it… and I told him I used it…”

Narin sighed.

“Very well. Joash, your wife possesses a form of magic unique to the anaruhi. No one else can use it. She can give inanimate objects intention and meaning.”

Joash stiffened, listening intently.

“When she blessed your shoes,” Narin continued, “she gave them meaning, to dance, and intention, to obey the wearer and correct imperfect movements.”

She tilted her head toward Foebe.

“Did you use it on yourself as well?”

Foebe shook her head.

Joash’s jaw nearly hit the floor.

She could dance that well without magic?

He didn’t get time to process it.

“Because she is the only one capable of using this branch of magic,” Narin said, “she is in constant demand. Consider this honeymoon one of your last chances to enjoy private time together.”

Understanding finally snapped into place.

Foebe wasn’t just the last of her kind.

She was the last practitioner of an entire magic discipline.

Joash had more questions than ever - but Foebe was visibly agitated now.

“I think,” she said quickly, “I can explain the rest to him myself.”

Narin nodded.

“Fair enough. That’s all I wished to say.”

She relaxed back into her seat. Volya smiled warmly.

“So, what’s the plan for today?”

Foebe stood, smiling.

“Lunch in the city, and then we’re off. Which reminds me, we’re running late.”

Joash rose with her. Volya nodded apologetically.

“Sorry for holding you up. Do come back soon, won’t you?”

Foebe nodded.

“We will. Thank you again.”

Then she turned to Joash, smiling as her hand - never once leaving his since they’d left the carriage - gave his a gentle squeeze.

“Come on,” she said softly.

“Let’s have our first date.”