Author's Note: I apologize for the long delays, I hope you'll be patient as I continue this and my other story. Real life problems and such. Once again, I remind my readers that while there will likely be characters from the novellas, those characters may not be in-character. Blades and Shadows is NOT written in consideration of the novellas' canon, please keep that in mind.
Similarly to how Amber was received in Frostpeak, Hargrave waited to greet his returning nieces and their guest. He approached their party with a warm smile and extended a paw towards Thane.
"Good to see you again, lad. You've grown big," he chuckled.
"Good to see you again too, Master Hargrave. It's been too long," Thane replied.
"Yes it has. Last I saw of you, you were still a pup. Barely up to my knee, now look at ya'! Already a man! Sigmund would be proud!" Hargrave laughed, his laugh fading as he ended this sentence.
"I've been thinking about my brother a lot as of late, Master Hargrave. I wonder if he would approve of what I'm doing here," Thane replied.
"I have no doubt in my mind, lad," the old rabbit reassured.
At that Amber cleared her throat.
"Uncle. Perhaps Lord Thane would like somewhere to retire after a long hike? That and we still have to get him groomed and fitted for the celebration in a couple days," she reminded.
"Celebration? What celebration?" he asked.
"My 21st birthday celebration, Uncle," she reminded.
"Ah yes, my apologies, my dear. How rude of me to forget. Growing old is a terrible thing," he replied, "At any rate, poor Barnaby there looks as though he swallowed a feral frog while it was still kicking. Have you taken him to see an apothecary?"
"He refuses. You know how stubborn Barnaby can be when he doesn't want to do something. Lady Amber tried ordering him to and he just shirked it, like he does whenever he's given an order her doesn't like," Elyssia sighed.
"I see, speaking of the lad. Barnaby, would you come here a moment?" Hargrave asked.
At that Barnaby nervously approached the aging Earl.
"Y-yes sir?" he asked.
"Would you kindly see to my bombarda? It's been a bit off lately and I've been too busy as of late to tend to the old thing myself. Only one tinkerer in the clan I trust to examine it is you, lad," he asked, handing the polearm cannon to Barnaby.
"Of-of course sir! I'll examine it at my workshop and have a report by the end of the day, as well as an estimate of how long service might take," the younger rabbit chimed enthusiastically.
"Be sure to include the cost of that service, last time you neglected it hoping I'd forget. I appreciate the gesture lad, but I simply cannot overlook your services to me and to the clan," Hargrave replied with a smile.
With that Barnaby took the firearm and sprinted off in the direction of his workshop.
"Well, I suppose that's all of it then," Hargrave mused.
"Beggin' yer pardon, Yer Lordship, but ye asked me t' inform ya' iffin' there was anythin' ye' be forgettin'," a servant standing next to the Thunder Earl pointed out.
"Oh? Something I've forgotten? Then please, speak up," he ordered calmly.
"Th' Lord Grandmaster 'as returned from th' capital an' wan's to begin Lady Amber's comin' of age ceremony a few days early," the servant informed.
"You couldn't speak up sooner while Lord Thane was present?" Hargrave growled.
"Forgive me, Yer Lordship, but it'da' been speakin' outta' turn an' I'da' been interruptin'," the servant scrambled.
"Well that is true, very well. You heard the news Amber, I'm sorry. Since Darryl has been your legal guardian up to this point, it is his decision to make, if not yours," Hargrave replied, turning his attention to Amber.
"It's fine, uncle. I expected grandfather to employ such a tactic. I am ready for the ceremony, where I will announce to the clan my engagement to Lord Thane," she replied.
"I see. I'll have Lord Thane informed of the change to the schedule and if I remember right, he'll be tended to by my household," the old rabbit stated, "I'll have to update the lad on what's going on with Darryl."
"Pardon, Yer Lordship, but I anticipated yer order t' do so an' sent sommun' t' inform Lord Thane already," the servant chimed in.
"Ah, I see. Fine work. If you're this on top of things then I suppose I must retract my reprimand. Have you informed the tailoring and cooking staff as well?" Hargrave asked.
"Indeed sire!" the servant croaked with gusto.
"Very good, have a bath drawn for him as well," the old noble concluded.
"I gave orders t' 'ave a bath drawn f'r Lord Thane 's soon 's 'e arrived, Yer Lordship," the servant replied.
"However much I pay you is not nearly enough…" Hargrave chuckled.
"I'll take my leave, but I must ask if I may visit him later?" Amber replied.
"Of course, I have said before that my manor is yours to visit any time you wish, lass," Hargrave replied with a comforting tone and smile.
"Thank you, uncle," she replied softly.
"More than anything else, seeing you and Elyssia happy makes me a happy old buck," he replied.
When Amber got around to visiting Thane he was being measured for his formal attire. With Hargrave's personal tailor prattling off a list of notes to verify the information he had.
"Well young master, Lord Hargrave has requested that your outfit for the occasion be similar in design to his own and does not care for coloration. You have specifically requested naval blue, the color of your home clan, and to have the Wolven Star of Dilus displayed prominently on the outfit. Now, I have heard that cloaks are fashionable amongst nobles of the Wolf Clan tribes during special occasion. Knowing that, Lord Hargrave has requested that we grant you access to the selection of cloaks he has amassed from his years of serving with the Wolf Clan, or if you wish-..." the tailor chattered.
"I'm sorry, but could I trouble you to make one? Among the Wolf Clan, a cloak isn't just a garment, it's a symbol of honor. To take one from among Lord Hargrave's collection would mean to take a part of the honor he holds. I cannot in good faith take something of his, not unless he feels I am worthy of it," Thane explained.
"Understood, young master. I will inform Lord Hargrave of your decision. Now about the design of your cloak?" the tailor replied.
"Simple, the same design of the Wolf Clan's banner," he stated. He stopped and thought for a moment, "No, a mix of the two. Parchment and ink, please."
"Unnecessary. One of my assistants is a talented sketch artist. Show Lord Thane your interpretation of the Wolf-Rabbit Alliance banner," the tailor instructed.
A young frog approached and showed Thane a sketching of the Rabbit Clan banner, the black rabbit on it replaced with the wolf from the Wolf Clan banner. The Rabbit and Wolf in the symbol joining paws.
"It's… I think it's perfect, but let's ask Lady Amber what she thinks," he replied, smiling at her.
"I think it's perfect too. It shows the harmony between our clans and it'll be a perfect symbol to show for my announcement at the celebration," she replied.
"Understood, this will be the symbol on Lord Thane's cloak," the tailor replied.
The tailor and his assistants bowed to Thane and Amber then left.
"Don't you know that it brings misfortune for a bride and groom to see each other before the wedding," Thane quipped with a chuckle.
"Har har," Amber replied with a light giggle, "This won't be the wedding, this is just to announce our marriage."
"Oh, I see… My mistake then. Now is this a personal visit or do we have business to discuss?" he asked.
"It's personal. Once more, are you absolutely certain of this path? It was not my intent to force you on this path, you can still opt out if you choose to," she replied.
"I am not in the habit of making decisions that I am not willing to go through with. I'm also not usually in the habit of repeating myself but it seems my bride-to-be is unsettled. What's wrong, Amber?" he answered.
"I just, I want to be sure that this feeling I have for you is something you share that I'm not alone," she replied.
"Is that why you chose me to be your husband? I told you before, any man would be lucky to have you. That you came to me is nothing short of an absolute miracle. I have my pride but if you need to hear it from me outloud just say so and I'll tell you as many times as you need to hear it," he stated, looking her in the eyes.
"Y'know for the sake of your pride, you said a lot more than you needed to," she quipped.
Amber's face went red as she suddenly realized the situation they were in. She was alone in the room with him and his fur did little to hide his powerful masculine form. Especially considering at present he lacked anything resembling a tunic. When he realized this his tail began to wag furiously at the thoughts he began having.
"Thinking naughty things are you?" she teased.
"Same as you, bunny. Besides, I can't help it, we're alone right now," he replied, half-teasing.
"In my uncle's residence. He would not approve of such things," she replied.
"That is true, out of respect for your esteemed uncle, I say we resist our primal urges," he proclaimed.
"For now. Someday though. And I look forward to it," she laughed giving him a coy look.
"You and me both," he replied in kind.
"It's getting late, I should be on my way. I want the announcement to be a surprise, not a word of it to my grandfather until we make the big reveal," she stated excitedly.
"Alright, have a good night, Amber," he told her warmly.
"You too," she returned in equal.
Before she could leave, he grabbed her wrist gently. She turned to face him and he bent down to give her a quick peck on the mouth. Following that, she became flustered and ran off with a heavy blush and a bright smile. After she left, he began getting settled in to the guest quarters. He wasn't sure yet just how he would approach the situation with the Rabbit Clan about assisting the Wolf Clan in this mysterious war that his mother had been on about and he became concerned as he pondered.
"War? Why now? I have enough to think about," he muttered.
"Pardon the intrusion, Lord Thane," a meek voice came from behind him.
He turned around quickly to spot a young ocelot servant. She looked scared and helpless, Thane put up the effort of being as approachable as possible and trying not to let the concerns he was having show on him.
"It's quite alright, is something the matter?" he replied.
"M-Mas-Master Hargrave requests you join him for dinner, Lord Thane," she stammered.
"I see. Please inform Lord Hargrave that I would be pleased to join him," Thane replied calmly.
When Thane went to have dinner with Hargrave, the two exchanged pleasantries briefly before beginning their discussions.
"I must insist that what we discuss tonight remain off the record, I hope you understand, Lord Thane," the old rabbit stated matter-of-factly.
"Of course, Lord Hargrave, I am a guest in your estate. Far be it from me to argue against your wishes," he replied.
"Firstly, I'd like to discuss your marriage," he addressed.
"To Lady Amber, I must admit that although I agreed to it, I think it's far too soon. We only recently became friends and though I have seriously considered courting her, marriage may be too quick a pace for it. Though, given the choice between marriage and losing all chance to court her, I will take marriage," the young wolf replied.
"I want to know just how far you're willing to go for her," Hargrave asked.
"You know as well as I that marriage in the Wolf Clan is a serious and personal matter. I have decided to take Lady Amber as my bride, that is no small matter. It's true that the circumstances of our engagement are not ideal but all that matters is the results," Thane replied.
"You sound like your brother," the old rabbit sighed.
The mood at the table went solemn as they both remembered what they could of Sigmund. Then Hargrave cleared his throat and began speaking again.
"You and I share a few contacts within Armello Central," the aging earl began. He took a deep breath before continuing, "I have no idea how Scarlet knew you were coming here but she dug up some information on what happened at Mount Adal. She says she sent Sylas and when he reported back, he reported a mess. The scattered corpses of highwaymen lay strewn about, but no sign of the attacker who slaughtered them. She also reported to me who that trap was intended for. Apparently, you got snagged in the crossfire of an ongoing Rat Clan public sibling rivalry between the Grinning Blade and the Butcher Baroness."
"I had no idea they were siblings," Thane stated, taking a sip of tea.
"Their father, Lord Brisby, was known throughout the kingdom for his articulation. Under his rule, the Rat Clan was stable and peaceful," Hargrave sighed.
"Did you know him well?" Thane asked.
"Well of course I did, lad! It was only around 20 or so years ago, you wouldn't have known him but your father and I knew him. I was advisor to Darryl at the time and we had quite a few meetings with the Rat Clan hierarchy. Things between the Wolves and the Rats have always been tense, your father hoped that all that unpleasantness could be buried, he asked us to be mediators to help smooth out any rough patches that came up during the negotiations. Right before we could finalize our treaty, Lord Brisby became deathly ill. He did not survive that winter and upon his passing the Rat Clan fell into chaos," Hargrave recounted.
"Well, at least that's something I agree with my father on. Still, why would the Butcher Baroness target me?" Thane asked.
"Based on your reputation, I'd say she's worried you'll become allied with the Grinning Blade," the old hare answered.
As they finished their dinner Thane's mind began to tick faster, something was amiss and he needed to find out if Hargrave knew.
"Lord Hargrave, reports of strange happenings have been common from the capital these days. The King's overbearing edicts, disease on the rise, famine, the guards becoming more aggressive. Rumors abound that the Rot has taken hold in the capital and is already deeply entrenched. Do you know anything of it?" he asked.
Hargrave looked up from his salad to the young wolf prince with an inscrutable expression.
"Interesting that you would ask about something like that. It has come to the attention of our clan that King Bradley himself has been taken ill by the Rot. As an illness, the Rot twists the body and mind, that would explain His Majesty's current short-temperedness and nonsensical rulings," Hargrave replied.
They finished eating in awkward silence before Hargrave politely dismissed Thane.
"Sleep well tonight, and don't stay up too late. Tomorrow is the celebration, which means your engagement is to be announced to the Rabbit Clan," Hargrave instructed.
The next morning, Hargrave was alerted to his servants trying to wake Thane in the guest room. The old hare flipped a hidden switch behind a painting to open the room and find that it's occupant was gone. His old-timer's memory caught up with him for a few minutes before the young wolf heir returned.
"Lord Hargrave? My apologies, did I have you worried?" he asked.
"A bit. If you hurry in the bath, you should be able to still change into your suit and be ready for the celebration. You don't wish to keep your bride waiting, do you?" Hargrave replied.
"I apologize, I thought I could squeeze in some of my morning ritual training before having a bath," the young wolf stated.
"Think nothing of it, I'll have some fresh fruit and tea brought for your breakfast while a bath is drawn for you," Hargrave told him with a smile.
When Thane was finished, he met with Hargrave who guided him to the Velshire Hall Ceremonial Grounds. Just outside, they parted ways when Elyssia came to retrieve Thane.
"Uncle, Lord Thane. I'm here to retrieve Lord Thane. Lady Amber wants to be introduced to her celebration alongside her husband-to-be," she stated, trying to cover up the upbeat tone in her voice.
"Truth be told, I would like that as well. Lord Hargrave, would you mind if we parted ways here?" Thane asked.
"Of course lad, I'll head on into the hall. Take care not to be late," he said. He stopped and turned around to say, "Elyssia, would you care to join me? I would love to have one of my nieces enter the celebration with me."
"I have to make sure that Lord Thane finds his way to Lady Amber but if you would be so kind as to wait for me, I would be delighted, uncle," she replied.
After leading Thane to Amber and heading back. Thane turned to see Amber dressed in a fine gold-trimmed dress with a single red rose poking out from behind her left ear. He was taken aback by this appearance of her.
"H-how do I look?" she asked nervously.
"Breath-taking comes to mind but hardly does you justice," he replied after shaking off his initial shock.
"Sweet-talker," she teased.
"At least you aren't nervous anymore," he replied.
"As nervous, but thanks for trying," she corrected.
"It's like I said before. Relax and stay focused on what you need to do," he reminded her.
Thane held his arm out for her and she took hold. No more words were exchanged between them as they headed to the celebration.
"Announcing Lady Amber Valebriar, heiress to the Rabbit Clan, and her personal guest Lord Thane Silvermane, heir to the Wolf Clan!" the crier announced.
As they emerged from behind the yellow tapestry and headed into the Ceremonial Hall proper, murmurs erupted throughout the Rabbit Clan elite about Thane's presence and how unusual it was to see a member of Wolf Clan nobility attend such an affair. When she noticed Sebastian approaching her and seeming to ignore Thane's presence she cleared her throat.
"Excuse me, honorable Lords and Ladies of the Commune, I have an announcement to make. Many of you may be wondering why a Wolf Clan noble is in attendance as it's not a normal thing for them to come to the Coming of Age Ceremony. Which brings me to the matter of my engagement, I am pleased to announce that I have selected a suitor of my own volition. Our esteemed guest from the Wolf Clan, Lord Thane, is to be my husband," she announced proudly.
Thane could feel her shivering, it wasn't fear he could smell on her but an elated excitement. She'd been hoping and anticipating this announcement for a while, if he was gauging her scent properly. Something about the announcement and hearing her so happy and excited somehow made him happy as well. Even though he was decent at suppressing emotions in his face and tone, he could not stop his tail from wagging. That is until the Grandmaster of the Rabbit Clan approached and Thane could feel Hargrave watching them.
"What is the meaning of this Amber?! An engagement without even so much as informing me?!" Darryl began vehemently, "Well, if you want this to work, it'll take more than just you announcing it! Lord Thane is of the Wolf Clan, which means he must agree to it!"
"Honorable Grandmaster, with all due respect sir. I have already agreed to it. I would be happy to have Lady Amber as my bride," Thane stated calmly.
"Well then secondly, you must have approval from the Wolf Clan's Cabinet. Including and especially Den Mother Reyya Silvermane," he replied.
"Actually sir, in regards to the Cabinet, I have a letter penned by my mother for you. I don't know the contents, only that she asked me to deliver it to none but you," Thane once again stated calmly, handing Darryl the letter.
After taking the time to open and inspect the letter carefully, Darryl was left flabbergasted but there was still one more stipulation he had to ask for.
"Finally, for the Commune to accept this wedding as official, someone with a large enough influence within the Commune must voice their support of this," he sighed.
"Will my influence suffice?" a new voice to the conversation asked.
Darryl turned to see Hargrave standing mere feet from him with a confident smile on his face and an old polished birchwood pipe in one paw.
"Hargrave," Darryl began.
"I see no problems with this. In fact, a dynastic marriage may be of great benefit to both clans. Let's not forget that Lord Thane is the heir apparent to the Wolf Clan. The boy is next in line to become Pack Master," Hargrave explained after taking a small puff of his pipe.
"I see my hands are tied on this matter. I have no choice but to abide by this decision," the Grandmaster sighed.
"Besides, Lady Amber seems quite happy with this arrangement. Are you really going to deny her what makes her happy?" Hargrave asked.
"Very well, provided there are no further objections from the rest of the Commune," Darryl began.
"I object. And challenge Lord Thane to the Rite of Annulment!" Sebastian groused.
"Then if I am not mistaken, it is my right as the one who was challenged to name the terms of our duel, correct?" Thane replied.
"Seems our young Wolf Prince has knowledge of some of our customs," Hargrave chuckled.
"Very well," Sebastian relented reluctantly.
"A one-on-one swordfight, engage to disarm. Quarter must be offered in the case of an opponent unable to continue fighting," Thane stated.
"Agreed," the tall rabbit replied.
Daemon approached and was about to offer Thane a blunted bastard sword but withheld the blade in it's scabbard instead.
"Something wrong, Daemon?" Thane asked.
"Y-yes sir, I fear this blade may be inadequate. It has either been poorly maintained or tampered with. Either way, it's unsuitable for battle," the cat replied.
"What a shame, and without the time to have another blade fashioned for Lord Thane," a tall white rabbit doe adorned in a dress that could only be described as far too much stated as she suppressed a laugh.
Amber casted her a suspicious glare before turning to Thane and Daemon.
"Daemon, fetch Lord Thane my estoc, won't you?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am!" he replied quickly and darted off.
When Daemon returned and offered the blade to Thane, he recognized it instantly and grasped it's hilt. Noting mentally and briefly that the hilt was a bit small for his paw, he also felt oddly comfortable with the sword. On inspection, he could see the hand of a master steel-worker had made and reinforced this blade.
"Barnaby made it for me, apologies that it's a tad small for you," Amber stated.
"It's fine. Barnaby's skill at forgework is quite commendable," he replied.
Thane turned to his opponent and assumed his fighting pose.
"If you think I will stand aside for you, then you are in for a disappointment. I will relent for no one, save for Lady Amber, on this matter," Thane stated.
Sebastian charged at Thane, unsheathing his blade and swinging at him. Thane easily parried the clumsy blow. Sebastian swung at Thane again and again, with the same result. As the duel went on, it became clear that Thane was toying with him.
"I thought Lady Amber might've been exaggerating when she told me in private that you are scarcely capable of even holding a blade. It seems I was wrong," Thane sighed with a heavy tone of boredom.
"Scoundrel! Barbarian! You dare sully Lady Amber with such indignance?!" he shouted indignantly.
"Who's the scoundrel? All I said is that we have talked in private. You made the assumption that I did something untowards to her. You decry me but your intents towards her are clear as day, you do not value her as a person. You want her not for the beauty of her heart and mind but only for the beauty of her body. She would not be content to live as your trophy and I would never treat her so poorly," Thane scolded while parrying his opponents blows.
"You fiend! I will not suffer your tongue, wolf! I'll gut you where you stand!" Sebastian howled.
"Many have made that same threat, none have been able to follow through with it. Most that make that threat have more skill or talent with their blades than you," Thane chuckled.
Sebastian went for one more clumsy swing and found himself disarmed of his blade before he could blink.
"Yield, you are beaten," Thane commanded, holding the tip of the estoc to Sebastian's neck.
"I will not-..." Sebastian began.
"Yes you will." Darryl interrupted, "You have shamed your House with such a disgraceful display and for threatening death on a dignitary from the Wolf Clan." Darryl finished with a grouse tone.
Thane made the motion to sheath the blade but remembered that this was not his sword and he didn't have his scabbard. Instead he looked to Daemon and handed the blade back the cat with a soft smile.
"Thank you, Lady Amber. You too, Daemon," he stated softly.
"I didn't do anything," Amber replied with a calm smile.
"On the contrary, you fought that battle at my side. I could not have won if not for you and Daemon," he told her.
"You give me far too much credit, I merely watched. Besides, I have no doubt that a swordsman of your caliber can beat a puffed-up fool like Sebastian Proudclaw without much of a problem," she replied.
"I suppose I should take insult to that, Lady Amber," the tall doe from earlier stated.
At that, both Thane and Amber turned their attention to her.
"Forgive me, it seems I forgot to introduce myself to the esteemed sir who is guest to our dear Lady Amber. I am Cressidia Proudclaw, Sebastian is my nephew. Lady Amber's family, the Valebriars, have had a historic rivalry with my own. Lady Amber's engagement to Sebastian was discussed between the Lord Grandmaster and I extensively," she explained.
"I thought something about that arrangement made my skin crawl more than usual," Amber growled under her breath.
Thane couldn't tell if Cressidia had heard Amber's comment but he decided for the time being to ignore it. Remembering his present locale and the company present, Thane adopted the best placant expression he could under these circumstances. Reluctantly, though he would not show it, he shook paws with the gracefully aging duchess.
"It was previously agreed between Grandmaster Darryl and I that the engagement would be a step towards burying the bitter rivalry between two of the Rabbit Clan's oldest families. I suspect knowing that I had arranged it, Lady Amber now believes that I planned this to deliberately harm her," Cressidia explained.
Thane could tell she was lying. Though the musk of her perfume was strong, it could not completely cover the telling scent of a liar, still he would act as if he believed her.
"I see. Please understand though, to the Wolf Clan marriage is a priceless concept. We do not normally mix politics and marriage. I accepted the marriage to Lady Amber with no hesitation because of the bond I share with her," Thane replied calmly, "And I believe this bond will only grow deeper."
"Of course. I'm a tad disappointed that my plans fell through but my pull within the Commune is not nearly strong enough to oppose my dear brother's," she stated.
"I told you already, over a thousand times, I want nothing to do with you or the rest of the Proudclaw family. I left years ago," Hargrave groused.
Hargrave gave a subtle signal to Amber to pull Thane away from the argument and enjoy the celebration. Which she did, pulling him towards the open section of the ballroom.
"So, have you been taught how to dance?" she asked with a sardonic grin.
"Of course I have. What sort of buffoon do you take me for?" he replied.
He relented to her as she pulled him into a dance. The meeting with the Commune would have to wait for later. And as the celebration wore on, he stayed by her side the entire time becoming ever the more convinced he made the right decision agreeing to marry her.
