Elvi

Wolf’s Pelt

Elvi stood outside of the dome flanked by Haydeon and Arawn; Priestess standing slightly to the side, having a hurried discussion with Fiadh and Sága. A crackling in the air started as the shifters stepped out of the trees into the clearing. Elvi realised it was coming from Arawn and swatted his hand in silent protest. Both men were eyeing the wolves with such an intense loathing that Elvi wondered if they would ever smile again. Priestess stepped to the front, watching nonchalantly as the King transformed into his human form in front of her. Elvi had never seen the process before and thought that it looked extremely painful.

“Priestess” he said gruffly, a slight growl present in his voice from his recent transformation.

“Shifter King,” she answered with a nod.

Elvi could tell that Rowan was trying to avoid her eyes, to not seem too eager in front of the other coven members. Rowan however was watching Arawn with great dislike, eyeing the hand that was now joined with Elvi’s.

“Are they ready?” Rowan asked in a cold voice.

“Yes,” Priestess answered. “Come ladies, it is time to leave. Say your goodbye’s.”

Fiadh hugged her sister goodbye, before shaking Priestess’s hand in an oddly formal way. She walked close to the King, waiting for further instructions. Elvi turned to Haydeon before being pulled into a strong hug.

“Don’t let him push you around, or do anything you don’t want. Use Fiadh for whatever you need if you have to escape. Look after yourself and don’t take risks,” Haydeon finished, pulling her to arms lengths to look directly into her eyes.

“Yes brother. I promise.” She turned to Arawn, smiling at him weakly. He pulled her into a hug so tight her breath caught. “Arawn, I can’t breathe,” she joked.

He loosened his grip slightly. He pulled her head to his chest, cradling it with his hand. Kissing the top of her he released her. It was only now that she realised he wasn’t looking at her, but staring down the King in a silent battle. Elvi rolled her eyes. Turning towards Priestess she saw Arryn walking to the edge of the dome with Morana a few paces behind, looking reluctant. Elvi smiled cruelly to herself when she noticed that Arryn still had dark brown bruising in the shape of a hand on his throat.

“Be careful Elvi. Make sure you stay with Fiadh. I don’t want you to leave her side.”

“Yes, Priestess.” Elvi turned away from the small group and came to stand level with Fiadh, in front of the King.

“Hello Elvi” he said quietly, taking an unconscious step closer to her. He felt very threatened by this released Coven. Morana had stupidly moved herself out of the way, but the man in front of him, now he was a whole different situation. He was able to interact with Elvi with such a familiarity that he would not be able to beat.

“King” Elvi said, holding out a tattooed hand to keep him back. Rowan growled darkly as he heard the two witches behind her laughing cruelly at the rejection.

“It is time to go,” he said, stepping back. “To save time, you will both be riding on the back of one of the wolves.”

“Do we get to choose?” Elvi asked, eyeing the tan wolf to her left playfully, who happened to be Delroy.

“No,” Rowan answered too quickly, eyeing the wolf who took several steps backwards. “Fiadh will go with Alarik, and you will come with me.” Elvi sighed, making Fiadh laugh her throaty laugh.

“Which one is Alarik?” she asked, looking at the two other wolves expectantly. Alarik stepped forward, laying on the ground to make it easier for the witch to get onto his back. He stood again once she was stable waiting for his King to do the same.

“The only wolf you will touch is me” the King said, looming over Elvi, staring heatedly into her eyes. “I will cut off the pelt of any wolf who offers himself to you.”

“Why doesn’t it surprise me that you treat your own kind with as little regard as you do everyone else's” she answered moodily.

“We will talk about this later, we have to go.”

With that the King changed into his wolf form, effectively ending their conversation. He stood two heads taller than the nearest wolf, so even as he laid down so she could get onto his back, there were an awkward few moments of struggling. Rowan changed the positioning of a back leg so she could use it as a step stool. Carefully Elvi adjusted her dress, so as to not reveal too much of herself then following Fiadh’s lead, wrapped her hands in the thick fur at the King’s neck. The King stood, jostling Elvi slightly, before taking off into the forest without a chance for a backwards glance at her brother. Alarik and Fiadh were quickly level with them, Alarik dodging trees gracefully; Fiadh appearing to be having the time of her life with a wide smile on her face. Elvi took the chance to look behind her and found Llyall and Delroy at their heels. Elvi would only admit to herself that the feeling of riding on the back of the giant wolf was exhilarating.

Within half an hour they had made their way through several villages, jumped multiple rivers in single bounds, and were now on the outskirts of their destination. Rowan slowed to a walk, recognising the signs of a dome shield charm. Laying down, he stretched out his leg for Elvi to jump down. She slid off his back gracefully, ignoring his help, choosing to walk to the side of Fiadh instead. The shifters changed to their human form as a tall thin man walked from behind the shield charm. He walked with an arrogance that Elvi thought rivalled the King.

“I am Deimos (day~moss) High Priest of the Levana Coven” he said, extending his hand to the King, ignoring the other shifters.

“King Rowan” Rowan answered in a curt voice, shaking the man's hand.

Deimos’s eyes roamed over the group, finally stopping at Fiadh, nodding slightly then coming to a final rest on Elvi. Rowan took a half step to his left, effectively blocking Elvi from the man’s view. Elvi rolled her eyes at the action, and sidestepped the shifter King. Extending her hand to the man.

“You must be Elvi” he said, eyeing her up and down.

“I am,” Elvi answered, ignoring the growing growls from the shifters behind her. “This is Fiadh, Higher of the Vadon Coven.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” he answered, still holding Elvi’s hand. She pulled away gently, taking her place next to Fiadh.

“Are your group ready?” Alarik asked the man, with a scowl.

“They are,” he answered, not turning his eyes from the woman.

Rowan did not like this man. If he knew his mate’s name, then he knew whom she was mate to, and why she was here. He did not appreciate this man’s actions at all, and it was taking all the self restraint he possessed to not rip his throat out. The man waved his arm in signal, and seven men and one woman appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

“You were in the newspaper this morning,” Deimos exclaimed to Elvi, still ignoring the shifters.

“I was?” she asked with raised eyebrows.

The man pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to her, his fingers brushing hers openly. Rowan growled and he saw the witch smirk. He was baiting him, the King realised. He was trying to get a rise out of him. He stepped closer to see the paper, trying to ignore his proximity to his mate, and was met with several pictures containing his own face. The journalist had evidently been following them longer than he had realised, having been distracted by spending time with Elvi. One photo showing himself laughing as Elvi presented a quizzical face to him. This had been taken while they were discussing their favourite colours. The next was himself sitting on the ground, surrounded by his kind, while the witches tended to the vermin Arryn. The final two photos being Elvi hugging Haydeon and Arawn, and Rowan and Elvi helping the infermed witches into the wagon.

‘King Rowan today showed his commitment to his vows of

serving the wider community by personally attending the

release of the Witches of the Vadon Coven. Until last month

Witchcraft was outlawed by punishment of incarceration or

death.

There has been a downswing in approval ratings of the King

in recent weeks as he leans heavily into setting free the witching

community. Famously he announced his mate Elvi (see pictured

below) last week, and the scandalous revelation that she

had refused the connection.

This reporter however says that pictures speak a thousand

words and there appears to be a connection, whether the Witch

admits to it or not. I for one, am eager to see how this connection

unfurls over the coming days, as it is rumoured that Elvi will

be at the release of all coven members.

A scuffle was said to have taken place between the King and a

higher member of the Vadon Coven, during the journey to the

prison, resulting in the higher member being rushed to medical

healers. Further details will be released once uncovered, fear not

my loyal readers.’

Rowan stopped reading, unable to finish reading the gossip column. Today, the trip would go off without a hitch. He could not afford a repeat of yesterday, and the witch in front of him would not antagonise him into incriminating himself; again.