Of Fangs And Fury

Chapter Eleven

Caderyn

“Gods above, why couldn’t he organize these like a normal person?” I look across the chaotic mess of papers on the desk to Advisor Wilhelm.

“His system of most to least important has been sufficient for the last decade, Sir.”

I rub my face, “Yes, well, unfortunately, that system is biased to personal opinion, not by subject matter.”

“Of course, Sir. It shouldn’t take us too long to get all of this sorted, but we may need to spread out.”

My brows knot and I look to the attached room, “Isn’t there a table from The Great War that was used for maps and such? We could take advantage of that space.”

“Yes, Sir, that was my thought.”

I gesture to the servitore stationed at the door, “Can you please send for some strong tea? Something caffeinated?” The golden light of the morning Sun is now high in the windows, this early morning meeting turning into a whole day affair. “Oh, and whenever Lara is awake, please let her know I won’t make breakfast.”

He bows and temporarily exits.

Pulling out a fresh piece of paper and one of Lara’s pens, I start jotting down all the categories I’d seen so far, noting them aloud to Wilhelm, “So we have things that should be the Minister’s work, papers about the outer territories - which we will need to subdivide. Then we have things that need attention in our kingdom’s borders… which could easily be persons, places, and things. We have updates from our military stations and reserves. Oh, and we have news from Algernon Prison with pleas of pardon.

“Mother has left a list of things we should be encouraging and things we should be warning others about. Not just within our boundaries and territories but to the other Families as well. And though I have no direct power, given that the direct conversations will be held by the Minister, she’s requested I start becoming familiar with the unending types of discussions and discourse with the Humans, Lykans, and Fae.”

Advisor Wilhelm nods, “Yes, Sir, that sounds about right.”

I lean back in the chair. “What else is there? Gods, I should find my notes from when I was a youngling – they should be in the library somewhere, perhaps?

“Anyway, Tahir and I should be in constant communication, I need to be… mm, ‘a guiding light of patriotism’,” I recite from memory, “and… ‘the sign of peace and stability’. ‘With moral leadership, model behavior, using my intelligence, and learning for my Family’s experience, then I can continue to be the King my persons deserve’.” I chuckle and look to Wilhelm, “Is that close?”

Delara

How easy it is to fall into the rhythm of things…. There’s a study of the mind that says it can take an individual a full cycle of the Moon to unlearn old habits and relearn new ones. The once half waxing Moon is now back above us and Cade and I know how the day is going to pan out hour by hour, no question.

The second month of Summer is almost to an end, and I cannot wait for Autumn. Though the heat hasn’t gotten worse, it hasn’t subsided either. The days that are supposed to be shortening are taking their sweet time. Cade and I have already made plans for cool Autumn nights, a bonfire by the lake, and stargazing into ante-meridiem.

At the grounded source of our daydreams, however, is the very real actuality of Caderyn becoming King. Her Majesty and Advisor Wilhelm, the Minister’s Council, and even Tahir agreed to give Cade one month to catch up before announcing to everyone the change in hierarchy. The speech and letter have been extremely well crafted, turning Tahir into the public’s representative and Cade into the traditional choice for the crown.

The month was not just for Cade’s benefit, but so Her Majesty, Advisor Wilhelm, and the Minister’s Council could get used to Cade’s way of doing things. It’s more than clear that he aims to be a progressive leader. But also, after quite a number of letters back and forth, Tahir has agreed to go back to their parents' division of fifty-fifty. In all the time, as well, it seems Tahir has become a little less petty and childish.

So, when there’s an unexpected knock on my study door, I am not only spooked but alarmed. It’s another hour until luncheon with Cade so there’s shouldn’t be anyone coming by. I lift from my chair quickly and don’t know what to make of the fact that Her Majesty is on the other side of the door when I open it.

“Scholarra Dyad, how are you?”

I note the use of my title instead of my name as I wave her in. “I am well, thank you, and yourself?”

I cannot recall if she’s ever come into my study and by the way she looks around the lamp-lit room I assume not. “I am well enough, thank you.”

Standing awkwardly next to my desk, I’m not sure if it would be impolite to sit back down. “Is there something I can help you with, Your Majesty?”

“Quite a few things, actually, before we make the announcement tomorrow.” She sits at the edge of the sofa letting her left elbow gently rest on the arm. “I suppose we should start with your work first.”

“Yes, Ma’am, where would you like me to start?”

Her eyes haven’t left my desk. “I’ve only ever dealt with magiks myself, I’m afraid things you might explain may go over my head…. If you could, please explain your progress as simply as possible.”

I nod, then sit, going for my notebook. “In the beginning, I tried to use magikal remedies and scientific medicine to cure the blood. Nothing helped. For his scales, which are actually made of gold, the heat melted it and metal scraped it. Which is normal.

“The night of Festival Delle Luci, when Cade came with Tahir and me to Obsidian, there was an incident in an alley with persons who have been known to antagonize Cade. What was interesting about the fight was what happened to Cade. As a defense mechanism, it seems his scales started to expand… down his back, across his arms, up his neck… even to the point he could no longer bend. But when I helped him calm down, he went back to normal.

“When we talked about this after the fact, he said it’d never happened before. In response, I tried creating a threat to his blood and another scale. But, once it was taken away from Cade, it didn’t react. So, it’s something in Cade, something emotional perhaps, that caused that scale expansion.

“Next, I was able to obtain a Pure-blood sample from Tahir. Once I had that, and a clean sample from Cade, I was able to compare them. The mutated blood was highly sensitive, prone to overreaction, while the pure blood might have only been mildly affected. And, very important: when I tried to mix Cade’s blood with Tahir’s, it refused. When I even took my own blood and tried to mix it with Cade’s, it refused. So, Cade, in no way, can contaminate someone else.”

I lowered my notebook to my lap and leaned forward. “On our Midsommar trip though, I developed a new line of thought…. Going back to when I’d been aggressive to the blood, now that I know it wouldn’t have any sort of defenses. And” I stress, “because I know it’s more sensitive, I had the thought of trying to kill the mutation.”

The passive face Her Majesty held while listening, grows slightly concerned. “Kill it?”

I nod and take a deep breath. “Yes, it’s quite an intense thought, I know. I’m not really sure how to go about it just yet, but the theory is I would find some sort of poison to destroy the mutation.”

“Would that not harm Caderyn?”

I slide the notebook back on my desk and lean back, “That’s the problem. As I attack his blood chemically, we’d have to somehow infuse him with new blood to compensate. Simply drinking wouldn’t be enough.

“Obviously I will be testing many, many samples before even considering doing anything with Cade.”

She nods slowly. “Your progress is noted, and I do hope you can find something soon.”

Nervously, I untie my hair and redo my bun, “I know… with the announcement tomorrow, I’m sure it would have been easier to say he’d been changed before the ascension.”

“All we have is the truth, so there’s no point in worrying about alternatives,” she replies rather diplomatically. Though, I can still hear the disappointment in her tone. After tapping the edge of the sofa arm with each finger, she stands. “How about we continue this conversation over tea in the library?”

Knowing I really can’t refuse Her Majesty or my future mother-in-law, I stand with her even though I’m confused about what else we have to discuss. “Of course.”

In the hall, she gives a nod to the servitore that had been stationed outside, then another one opens the door to the library. I wait for her to sit in an armchair then pick a cushion on the couch across. I’m not sure if I should wait for the tea to arrive or just ask what she wants to talk about, so I fidget with my nails.

Thankfully, she guides me. “To be perfectly candid, I’d like to wait until after the tea arrives, Delara, for our conversation may become rather private.”

Concerned, and a little scared, I only nod in response. Luckily, the tea arrives promptly and the servitore closes the door behind him. Pulling out how I would speak to the High Table of The University, I calmly approach, “May I inquire what this is in reference to?”

Her smile is genuine with little wrinkles by the corner of her eyes. After a sip of tea, she eases back and relaxes, (something I’ve only seen after a very good meal with Tahir present). “Delara… is Lara only for Caderyn or may I call you that as well?”

“Whichever you’d like, Ma’am.”

“Mmm. Perhaps Lara should stay Caderyn’s; only Otihen ever called me Lil.” She takes another long drink of her tea, keeping her palms on the large cup. “How exactly are you feeling about becoming Queen, dear?”

Feeling like I’m seeing Winter constellations in a mid-Summer sky, I’m not sure what to make of this now very motherly figure across from me. Of course, I’m aware that after the wedding, she will properly be my mother-in-law. But I’d somehow always pictured her staying queenly, not like she is now. “Well, honestly, I trust Cade. It’s in that trust that I know everything will be all right. I know he loves me, so I cannot imagine him ever asking me to change.”

“Oh my, I wouldn’t want you to change, either. You being a Scholarra is exactly what our people need. Too stuck in old traditions, too focused on magiks… there have been so many, wonderful advances made with science.”

My shoulders loosen and the churning of my stomach settles. “To be honest, that makes me feel a lot better to hear you say that. I was… scared, actually, that I was going to be expected to be….”

“Like a Lady out of finishing school?” there’s a shadow of a laugh in her tone.

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Even I wasn’t like those debutants growing up. No…” she slides her teacup onto the table, “unlike my sons, being Queen was my life. I was the only gemling of my parents. My mother, you see, was injured shortly after I was born and became unable to have any other offspring. So, it was just me….

“In a way, it was a blessing. With only one path to travel, I became extremely well versed in what was required, rather skilled truthfully – an expert. But… as the years pass, after watching my sons, I’ve finally realized the hindrance it caused me. My whole identity is wrapped around being Queen and I was never given the chance to pursue any passions or see what may even spark other interests.

“Now, when Otihen came into the picture, it was a bit different. He followed his passions into our military. Wanting to lead, wanting to protect, with undying patriotism… all those strengths lead him to be the perfect Minister at my side. But it was his passion, his curiosity, with a need for adventure, that allowed me to step out of my queenhood every once in a while, and be a sposa and madre.”

She gestures in a circle, “To bring this back to my point, I whole heartily believe that you should never sacrifice yourself for someone else. May it be your Signora, may it be Cade, may it be the persons of Onyx. You have great strengths to bring to the table… it may take others a while to see it, but never back down.”

“Do you think persons will react poorly to me being a Scholarra?” I ask in reference to her comment about those who prefer magiks.

The quiet goes on for too long and I realize she’s trying to perfectly phrase something delicately, hoping not to hurt my feelings. It’s the same expression I’d seen when they were questioning if I should be sent to finishing school. “It’s not so much the Scholarra thing that I am concerned with,” she starts slowly. “It’s more the… half-Human thing,” she finishes as an exhale.

I wish it didn’t hurt but it does. I know it is not something I can change. I know it hasn’t caused any ailments. I know I shouldn’t feel shame. But I do. “Right.”

“Delara, I want you to know that I needed no convincing. When I was told you were half-Human, I did not care. What mattered was your work, what mattered was your pursuit of knowledge and ability to problem-solve.”

“But the public is not as… advanced as you are, Ma’am.”

She leans back, folding her hand over her waist. “I’m sorry to say.”

Unwanted tears form on my lid, I shift my gaze to the side and try to breathe through it. “When I was just going to be the sposa of the Minister, that was one thing. Cade was the one with an important job, a job that I really had no part of. I could continue being a Scholar and my… existence wouldn’t even matter to the persons of Onyx.

“Now… with all of this?” my chest tightens. “Everything changes with the fact that I will be a figurehead, in some ways just as important as the King….”

I clear my throat. “The persons of Onyx have expectations for what their Queen should be, and in layman’s terms, they want their Queen to be perfect. Perfectly composed, perfectly beautiful, a perfect hostess, and in the case of Cade being from the royal famiglia, the Queen would need to be the perfect sposa and madre to the gemlings.”

I shake my head, “In a way… it doesn’t matter who I am or what I have accomplished or how much I love Cade. It doesn’t matter who I am, not really.

“If I can’t even begin to fill that box.”

I think back to my years at The University, to my years dealing with the High Table, Magician’s Court, and The Academy. I think back to how it took me three times as long to find an Advisor and to how some of my peers still refuse to work with me. Sure, some of it is due to my s*x, but most are due to my Humanity.

“Then, on top of all of that, I’m half-Human. And it’s not like I can meet with every single Vampire and prove myself.”

Prove that I can do everything I need to do. Prove that I can meet and work with the other royal Families. Prove that I do have the persons of Onyx’s interests in the forefront. Prove that I will do whatever it takes to support their King and take care of our younglings. Prove that I can be a good, progressive influence.

“Even if you could, my dear, some minds are unable to change.”

She’s right… I know she’s right. So why do I want to try? “Well, like you said: ‘all we have is the truth, so there’s no point in worrying about alternatives’.”

“Indeed.”

“So… what do we do? I’ve talked with Cade in length about how this is all being spun for him and Tahir. And as much as I wish it to be that simple, I know there will be Pure-blood Devotees who will not be silent. Am I just another complication on top of it? Am I just another way to make Cade look bad?”

The frantic nature of my tone and the rapid blinking of tears leads my future mother-in-law to move around the coffee table and sit next to me. She pulls me into a hug. This sort of embrace is something I’ve never had, and against her chest with her hand smoothing my hair, I feel unable to keep myself from sobbing. Every time I’ve ever been emotional, every time I’ve ever been overwhelmed, every time I’ve ever wanted guidance, every time I’ve ever wanted a mother, is making my heart burst in my chest.

“Shhh, Delara… it’s okay, it’s oh-kay,” she breathes. Still, she continues to hold me, “We will figure this out.”

She pulls back ever so slightly and starts wiping tears off my cheeks. “It will be a shock at first, then a novelty. But after enough time, there will be plenty of other things to worry about. You are a part of this famiglia, you are going to marry the King – you’re here to say.

“It may take some time, but ultimately, everyone will see that they have the most wonderful Queen, the Queen I know you can be.”