Secrets of a War God

2.

Months had passed since the last war and celebration, Tarnon continued to thrive as the Wolf King dealt with business through different kingdoms. Tarnon was one of the most powerful kingdoms of the world, not only because of the Gods that grace the nation, but also because of what they were gifted at birth. This gift is what gave the kingdom their nickname, the Wolf Kingdom. As they were a northern kingdom, wolves surrounded the lands and integrated with the people. Some friendly and some not so friendly.

The royal family, however, was blessed at their births. Wolves were not only present in the gardens, but the children were bonded with a pup. Most of the pups were first borns, leaders in their own birth right. The first four children of the King got those, the strongest of the litter and most likely to survive. His fifth son got a middle born pup, not considered special in any way, as did his last child, Tara, Calissas only friend in the palace. As for Calissa she got the runt of the litter, a small white and silver pup who seemed as if they weren't to survive the winter. But then again Calissa had seemed that way as well.

Neither were born with strong lungs or at a healthy size, but both grew to be the strongest of their family. Calrissa had named her wolf Lyla, and the silver white wolf had not left her side since birth. They were a pair, whether it be at meals, in the palace, or on the battlefield. And comparing Lyla to her siblings wolves, she was larger, stronger and more striking to look at.

"Cali! Come on otherwise father will kill me for being late." This was Tara outside of Calissas bedroom, begging her to hurry up so they could both be at dinner. Moving off her windowsill, Calissa grabbed her jacket and threw on her boots, not caring to change out of the trousers and shirt she was comfortable in. Lyla was bathing her self in the sunlight pooling on the floor, but hearing footsteps she opened an eye to watch Calissas movements. Sauntering over to her human, she pushed against her legs from behind hurrying her to the door.

"Since when have you been in a hurry, two minutes ago you were snoring." A playful growl came from the wolf before Calissa opened the door to her sister. "There was no need to shout through the door, you know I can hear you quite well."

Tara humphed slightly before joining arms with her, as the only two daughters of the Wolf King, they quickly formed a bond. Even their mothers liked each other, which was a rarity amongst the kings women. Walking from Calissas wing of the palace to the dining hall did not take long, and the few servants that passed them greeted them with a smile. Neither one liked the stuck up nonsense of the brothers towards the staff, each treating them kindly and with a smile. 

Pushing open the doors of the dining hall, Calissa sauntered in first with Tara following closely behind. Even though they were both later to dinner than the brothers, the king wouldn't speak a word against Clarissa which meant Tara would be safe behind her sister as well.

"Finally, now we an begin to eat and discus what actually matters. Not how many woman Cylis currently has." At his name Cylis, the second born, humphed and seemed to want to continue talking about his prizes, but after a quick look at his father closed his mouth. 

Kade seemed pleased with his comment and looked to his sisters, out of the brothers he was the kindest and most considerate of other people. Although he could still be considered a d**k. Calissa moved to the other end of the table, sitting opposite her father who was at the head in his glorious throne. Lyla came and lounged over he humans lap, thinking she was a lot smaller than she actually was. With a chuckle, Calissa moved to accommodate the wolf and started to pick at the meats and cheeses on the table.

None of the siblings had quite as strong a bond as she with their wolves, they were either on a leash to the chair or sat behind their humans with a small bowl for the food. Calissa was feeding Lyla throughout the meal, not really paying attention to the conversations going on between her siblings. 

"What do you think dear sister?" Finally moving her head towards the others, she noticed that it was Theon who had asked her a question. With a slight shrug of her shoulders and giving Lyla another piece of meat she thought is was now appropriate to apply.

"In all honesty I wasn't paying attention. You speak so much all it does is give me a headache." With a light snort from Tara who tried so hard to cover it, Theon seemed to shake slightly in anger.

"I simply asked for your opinion on what Cylis had so crudely said. That it was no place for women to be soldiers, stating that they were weak and better for a good f**k than a fight." With a quick glance to Cylis his chest seemed to be puffed with pride, not noticing the daggers being shot his way from Kade and Tara.

"In all honesty he can think what he likes." A smile seemed to adorn his face at this, before realising that Calissa was not finished. "After all, it's not him that commands fathers army, nor is it him who deems who is welcomed on the battlefield. Infact," moving slightly so she could face her brother properly with Lyla growling, showing her humans true anger, "remind me brother, when was the last time you were in a battle. Of any kind? It seems to me that the only battle you have to deal with is deciding which of your sluts to bed next, and how to convince father that you are more than a pompous prick who is to big headed to see his own cowardice!"

At this point Calissa was standing with Lyla leaning on her front paws on the table, baring her teeth at him for insinuating such a thought. Cylis' wolf was growling slightly on the floor, but with a quick look at Lyla he hid his head underneath his paw.

"Enough! None of this stupid in fighting whilst I am trying to enjoy my meal! Sit down and shut up Cylis, stop having opinions on matters that have no link to you." The King saw the bickering and figured that they could handle themselves, but seeing Lyla so angry his wolf had started to nudge him to intervene. 

"But father-"

"No! You know what you said, you sister is right. You do not lead my armies into battle, you do not deem who is worthy of being a soldier, she does! Calissa has every right to put you in your place, especially with the trial forthcoming."

Calissa nodded towards her father and resumed her meal, Lyla still seemed wound up slightly with anger. After finishing the food, Calissa promptly left and made her way to the gardens. She had been wound tightly ever since the approval of the trial two days ago. When the members of the royal family turned twenty, they were to go into the unclaimed land and search for a dragon. Either the dragons egg or the actual beast. Once found they would bring home the egg, or part of the beast after killing them. This was not what she wanted, Calissa was fine on the battlefield, she would kill any that opposed her. But this was a creature who had done no harm, they lived peacefully in their land and had not surfaced in Tarnon for centuries. 

Before her thought process could go much deeper, Lyla bound back to her human and started to tug on her shirt to take her to her room. With a quick scratch behind the wolfs ear, Calissa started to make her way inside, dreading the decision she would make in the next few days.