Fox-spirit: Chapter One- Ascension
"No! Mother!" Nanaka the black fox pleaded, holding on to her mother's paw. The Queen of the Midnight strained to look at her crying kit, her tear-streaked fur shiny in the candlelight. Queen Noako wheezed and coughed. She had been bedded for over a year, sickness slowly taking over her body. She opened her mouth to speak, "Nanaka Kitsune, I-" she coughed laboriously. The Princess of Foxes buried her head into her dying mother's fur. The Queen pushed her away slightly.
"I wish you to be my successor... and... please... protect your brother..." she whispered and trailed off.
The Queen of The Midnight breathed her last breath, and laid still. As first Nanaka merely whimpered, but her wailing slowly turned tumultuous. The princess's cries rang out through the quarters of forlorn castle. No soldier dared to come close to the weeping fox. When the princess calmed herself, she carefully took the intricately carved diadem of white gold and star sapphires from the departed monarch head. She placed it on her head and stood before her troops.
"Th' Queen is dead. Long live th' Queen!" a bold stoat shouted, then was joined by others. The chant surpassed the yelp of Nakatomi, who had watched silently from the corner of the room. He charged forward, pushing the stoat, ferret and rat regiments aside and staring coldly at the newly crowned Queen Nanaka.
"Silence!" He shouted in a stern voice. The room grew quiet, the cheering forgotten. Nakatomi glanced at his dead mother, "Bury her." He said simply. The soldiers were hesitant, but one glare from Nakatomi sent the troops into a frenzy.
"Brother...? What is it?" Nanaka asked, looking into the pale blue eyes of her twin. He stared coldly back at her and she squirmed underneath the icy gaze.
"Father said I would succeed the Kitsune Royal family!" He scowled, baring his fangs slightly.
"Father is dead! Mother took over when he died, and dare I say she ruled a great deal finer than Fa-" She stopped with a start as Nakatomi slammed the stone wall next to her head with his paw. She flinched slightly, but glowered at him.
"Do not insult the King of the Midnight!" He screamed.
"King Noroku is dead! Queen Noako is dead! I will succeed them and lead the Kitsune kingdom!" Nanaka cried, her fangs divulged fully. Nakatomi took a step backward.
"You will fail; and I shall acquire Kitsune castle." He said, leaving the room, exposing his fangs to the soldiers who got in his way, clicking his jaws and palpating his sword handle hung loosely around his waist. When he was out of sight, Nanaka stamped the ground with her foot, calling order to the frightened ranks. She growled as she took one last look at the door and said, "My weakling brother is of no threat to you cowards. I am Queen now, and no sibling or next of kin will ever threaten my position!"
"My spoilt sister will never rule the land! I swear by the Kitsune royal family!" Nakatomi yelled, flinging a roasted woodpidgeon carcass out of the window. He turned to the luckless ranks in the room. He glared at his troops and brandished his blade at them, laughing as they cringed in the corner of the room.
"You, there, Pawscum!" He said, pointing to a large rat. The vermin stepped forward, making sure a javelin was at claw's reach. Nakatomi perceived him looking away and snickered, "You want to kill me? Think I'm a threat to anyone?" He questioned, staring directly at the rat. His ice blue eyes pierced deeply into the unfortunate rat's blackened heart. Nakatomi broke the silent trance, "I'm only a threat to my sister! Tailscar!" He called a ferret's name. He hastily stepped forward a threw a smart salute.
"Milord?" He asked. Nakatomi smirked and looked over the young ferret.
"Tell Queen Nanaka," he said Queen with disgust, "That I need to speak with her now. Tell her it's urgent." He said the last word exasperatingly. He took a small beaker out of his pocket and filled it with spirits. He held it out to Pawscum.
"Drink" He said bluntly, taking a small sip from the beaker. Pawscum took the glass and drank the wine carelessly. Nakatomi smiled as he was slowly choked by the poison at the bottom of the chalice. He turned to the remaining troops said, "I have to congratulate Nanaka on becoming the one-day Queen of the Kitsune Royal Family."
Nanaka gazed over the starlit lake in the distance. From the balcony on the west side of Kitsune castle, a large, beautiful lake paraded in the horizon.
Nanaka thought about her mother's last words. 'Protect your brother' rang in her head. 'Where was Nakatomi?' she thought, but then forgot about her concern when her eyes focused on the beautiful scene before her.
The resplendent Lake Mizu, named after the Goddess who carved the depression into the soil long before; Mizumegami. Her eyes trailed to the clearing in the woodland that surrounded the pitiable castle. No matter how many times she looked towards the west wood of the citadel, her eyes were drawn to the mysterious grassland.
"Queen Nanaka?" the ferret asked timidly, shaking her out of thought.
"What is it?" Nanaka requested, annoyed. She glared at the soldier who dared to interrupt his Queen.
"Milord Nakatomi is requestin' t' speak with ye." He said firmly.
"Tell him I am busy." She said, turning again to the landscape. The stoat cleared his throat noisily.
"What do you want now?" She growled back at him. He winced and said shakily, "H-he s-said it 'twas urgent, Queen." Nanaka glared at him, then shook her head and sighed exasperatingly.
"What is your name, ferret?" It was more of a command than a question. He fumbled a salute and said sharply, "M'name is Tailscar."
"I am looking for a new Captain, Tailscar. It would be good to be in my favor." She said, looking back at the grinning ferret. A long, white, furless scar ran down his stubby tail. She chuckled. 'probably just an accident as a babe.' She confirmed within herself. She passed the lit corridors quickly, wondering what Nakatomi wished to speak with her about. She shook her head and sighed, 'I know exactly what he wants to talk with me about. My monarchy.' She strained her golden eyes to become accustomed to the darkness. Nakatomi had no problem with nightvision, whereas Nanaka strained to see even with a small amount of light. She rounded another corner and entered a portal. Nanaka glared dimly at the form of her brother. He grinned at her and poured Sommerland Wine for them both, the small beaker glinted in the faint light that supplied from the metal sconce upon the wall.
"I apologize for my outburst this morning. Please, drink." He said, handing Nanaka the poisoned goblet. Nanaka daintily took a small sip, Nakatomi mentally urging her to quaff it as Pawscum had earlier.
"I accept your apology, brother. Or should I say, Duke Nakatomi." She smiled, taking another sip from the bauble. Nakatomi's eyes slowly became bloodshot, waiting for her to take the fatal swill.
"Titles are unimportant. Please, drink!" He said in a more commanding tone than expected. Nanaka glared untrustingly at the beaker, then abruptly threw it on the floor with a clang, the poisoned chalice emptying on the stone floor. Her eyes narrowed to small slits as she glared at her brother. She drew her sword, which never left her side, from it's ornate sheath and brandished it, the dim light reflecting off it's spotless blade. Nakatomi, in turn, drew his own sword, notably resembling the blade his sibling carried. Nanaka cringed as she noticed small flecks of dried blood clinging to her brother's tarnished sword. She sighed, and sheathed her blade. Nakatomi looked startled, but complied by putting his own sword away.
"Fighting will not solve this problem, brother. You are my sibling, and I must protect you, not fight you. But as I have seen your greed and lust for power has clouded your eyes and thought. You have tried to kill me, and that in unacceptable. I shall forgive you, but only because you are my last living blood relative." She turned away from her brother, and walked calmly towards the door.
"I will kill you one day. Your forgiveness will not be rewarded, sister." He called to her. Nanaka's shrill laugh was heard, then amid the chuckling she scoffed, "I'll look forward to it, brother."
"No! Mother!" Nanaka the black fox pleaded, holding on to her mother's paw. The Queen of the Midnight strained to look at her crying kit, her tear-streaked fur shiny in the candlelight. Queen Noako wheezed and coughed. She had been bedded for over a year, sickness slowly taking over her body. She opened her mouth to speak, "Nanaka Kitsune, I-" she coughed laboriously. The Princess of Foxes buried her head into her dying mother's fur. The Queen pushed her away slightly.
"I wish you to be my successor... and... please... protect your brother..." she whispered and trailed off.
The Queen of The Midnight breathed her last breath, and laid still. As first Nanaka merely whimpered, but her wailing slowly turned tumultuous. The princess's cries rang out through the quarters of forlorn castle. No soldier dared to come close to the weeping fox. When the princess calmed herself, she carefully took the intricately carved diadem of white gold and star sapphires from the departed monarch head. She placed it on her head and stood before her troops.
"Th' Queen is dead. Long live th' Queen!" a bold stoat shouted, then was joined by others. The chant surpassed the yelp of Nakatomi, who had watched silently from the corner of the room. He charged forward, pushing the stoat, ferret and rat regiments aside and staring coldly at the newly crowned Queen Nanaka.
"Silence!" He shouted in a stern voice. The room grew quiet, the cheering forgotten. Nakatomi glanced at his dead mother, "Bury her." He said simply. The soldiers were hesitant, but one glare from Nakatomi sent the troops into a frenzy.
"Brother...? What is it?" Nanaka asked, looking into the pale blue eyes of her twin. He stared coldly back at her and she squirmed underneath the icy gaze.
"Father said I would succeed the Kitsune Royal family!" He scowled, baring his fangs slightly.
"Father is dead! Mother took over when he died, and dare I say she ruled a great deal finer than Fa-" She stopped with a start as Nakatomi slammed the stone wall next to her head with his paw. She flinched slightly, but glowered at him.
"Do not insult the King of the Midnight!" He screamed.
"King Noroku is dead! Queen Noako is dead! I will succeed them and lead the Kitsune kingdom!" Nanaka cried, her fangs divulged fully. Nakatomi took a step backward.
"You will fail; and I shall acquire Kitsune castle." He said, leaving the room, exposing his fangs to the soldiers who got in his way, clicking his jaws and palpating his sword handle hung loosely around his waist. When he was out of sight, Nanaka stamped the ground with her foot, calling order to the frightened ranks. She growled as she took one last look at the door and said, "My weakling brother is of no threat to you cowards. I am Queen now, and no sibling or next of kin will ever threaten my position!"
"My spoilt sister will never rule the land! I swear by the Kitsune royal family!" Nakatomi yelled, flinging a roasted woodpidgeon carcass out of the window. He turned to the luckless ranks in the room. He glared at his troops and brandished his blade at them, laughing as they cringed in the corner of the room.
"You, there, Pawscum!" He said, pointing to a large rat. The vermin stepped forward, making sure a javelin was at claw's reach. Nakatomi perceived him looking away and snickered, "You want to kill me? Think I'm a threat to anyone?" He questioned, staring directly at the rat. His ice blue eyes pierced deeply into the unfortunate rat's blackened heart. Nakatomi broke the silent trance, "I'm only a threat to my sister! Tailscar!" He called a ferret's name. He hastily stepped forward a threw a smart salute.
"Milord?" He asked. Nakatomi smirked and looked over the young ferret.
"Tell Queen Nanaka," he said Queen with disgust, "That I need to speak with her now. Tell her it's urgent." He said the last word exasperatingly. He took a small beaker out of his pocket and filled it with spirits. He held it out to Pawscum.
"Drink" He said bluntly, taking a small sip from the beaker. Pawscum took the glass and drank the wine carelessly. Nakatomi smiled as he was slowly choked by the poison at the bottom of the chalice. He turned to the remaining troops said, "I have to congratulate Nanaka on becoming the one-day Queen of the Kitsune Royal Family."
Nanaka gazed over the starlit lake in the distance. From the balcony on the west side of Kitsune castle, a large, beautiful lake paraded in the horizon.
Nanaka thought about her mother's last words. 'Protect your brother' rang in her head. 'Where was Nakatomi?' she thought, but then forgot about her concern when her eyes focused on the beautiful scene before her.
The resplendent Lake Mizu, named after the Goddess who carved the depression into the soil long before; Mizumegami. Her eyes trailed to the clearing in the woodland that surrounded the pitiable castle. No matter how many times she looked towards the west wood of the citadel, her eyes were drawn to the mysterious grassland.
"Queen Nanaka?" the ferret asked timidly, shaking her out of thought.
"What is it?" Nanaka requested, annoyed. She glared at the soldier who dared to interrupt his Queen.
"Milord Nakatomi is requestin' t' speak with ye." He said firmly.
"Tell him I am busy." She said, turning again to the landscape. The stoat cleared his throat noisily.
"What do you want now?" She growled back at him. He winced and said shakily, "H-he s-said it 'twas urgent, Queen." Nanaka glared at him, then shook her head and sighed exasperatingly.
"What is your name, ferret?" It was more of a command than a question. He fumbled a salute and said sharply, "M'name is Tailscar."
"I am looking for a new Captain, Tailscar. It would be good to be in my favor." She said, looking back at the grinning ferret. A long, white, furless scar ran down his stubby tail. She chuckled. 'probably just an accident as a babe.' She confirmed within herself. She passed the lit corridors quickly, wondering what Nakatomi wished to speak with her about. She shook her head and sighed, 'I know exactly what he wants to talk with me about. My monarchy.' She strained her golden eyes to become accustomed to the darkness. Nakatomi had no problem with nightvision, whereas Nanaka strained to see even with a small amount of light. She rounded another corner and entered a portal. Nanaka glared dimly at the form of her brother. He grinned at her and poured Sommerland Wine for them both, the small beaker glinted in the faint light that supplied from the metal sconce upon the wall.
"I apologize for my outburst this morning. Please, drink." He said, handing Nanaka the poisoned goblet. Nanaka daintily took a small sip, Nakatomi mentally urging her to quaff it as Pawscum had earlier.
"I accept your apology, brother. Or should I say, Duke Nakatomi." She smiled, taking another sip from the bauble. Nakatomi's eyes slowly became bloodshot, waiting for her to take the fatal swill.
"Titles are unimportant. Please, drink!" He said in a more commanding tone than expected. Nanaka glared untrustingly at the beaker, then abruptly threw it on the floor with a clang, the poisoned chalice emptying on the stone floor. Her eyes narrowed to small slits as she glared at her brother. She drew her sword, which never left her side, from it's ornate sheath and brandished it, the dim light reflecting off it's spotless blade. Nakatomi, in turn, drew his own sword, notably resembling the blade his sibling carried. Nanaka cringed as she noticed small flecks of dried blood clinging to her brother's tarnished sword. She sighed, and sheathed her blade. Nakatomi looked startled, but complied by putting his own sword away.
"Fighting will not solve this problem, brother. You are my sibling, and I must protect you, not fight you. But as I have seen your greed and lust for power has clouded your eyes and thought. You have tried to kill me, and that in unacceptable. I shall forgive you, but only because you are my last living blood relative." She turned away from her brother, and walked calmly towards the door.
"I will kill you one day. Your forgiveness will not be rewarded, sister." He called to her. Nanaka's shrill laugh was heard, then amid the chuckling she scoffed, "I'll look forward to it, brother."