Chapter 4: His Fury


KIANNA

On the other side of Prythian, the glow of the sun had been muted over the grand wooden table that was now only lit by candlelight. The table was ladled with soups, salads, and various meats from the sentries' hunt that morning, all set for the family dinner.

Except tonight her father had not even touched his artfully placed food, too busy discussing things with her three golden-haired brothers. Too busy to notice how their ash-faced mother rubbed her hands underneath the table, cradling her heavy belly, eyes sad as they continued celebrating their victory against the winged beasts of the North, she kept clenching and unclenching her knuckles as they kept going on about a delicious war with the Night Court.

Willow came to Kianna's side as her parents and brothers shared words, and her human slave cut Kianna's food into smaller and smaller pieces as her High Lord father droned on, until food was small enough for even birds to eat. She wanted to tell Willow that she didn't need to bother, that she should be getting rest, and not serve her after being such a spoiled brat that got her hurt.

Instead, Kianna pursed her lips, "thank you Willow."

It was not her fault for trying to hard, her predecessor was hanged for not cutting up Kianna's food correctly when she had been only four years of age, and now this was one of the ways Willow kept her neck from breaking.

"As you bid, Little Lady." The meticulous and diligent Willow bowed, and returned to the wall, and her wounded cheek had been cleaned and bandaged. It was an eyesore among the rest of the human servants awaited to refill their cups and as they were trained to take away their meals when the High Lord finished his meal.

At ten years old, Kianna tried to understand the Wars with the humans meant for Willow, what Hybern's friendship meant for their family, and what her brutish brothers had hunted on their trip North to get them all excited like this. But like always she was lost.

"Hybern will have our backs naturally," Gavin spoke up, his wine never far from his hand tonight, "Ivar don't you think Dagdan and Brannagh will enjoy the news, even Amarantha would enjoy a fight like this, won't you like having her around Tamlin?" He teased the youngest of her oldest brothers.

Tamlin would have blushed at the mere mention of the fabled gorgeous Hybern general, but tonight he was just as ashen as Mother.

Gavin went on, raising his glass in celebration, "it's all exciting, why so grim Mother?" He told their mother, "we are warriors mother, don't fret," reaching over to rub her shoulder, not seeing the way her eyes darted away under his sudden touch, and to the hand draped over her swollen belly. "Won't you like to see the animal we made of the High Lord of the Night Court. I have to say Ivar could give Rhysand a run for his money, can't you Ivar," he shared a chuckle with her eldest brother Ivar, and Kianna knew anything they found funny would soon have blood and brawling in it.

"Hybern only cares for itself." Their High Lord father reminded his chattering son, rubbing his wine-laced lips that grunted in disapproval at his son's unabashed drunk smile. "I thought I taught you that already Gavin."

"They are our friends father; how can we think so poorly of them?" Ivar piped up, usually more talkative, but his eyes seemed to be wary as he regarded their mother and Tamlin's somber moods.

"I told you all to make them your friends," their father agreed, because it was no secret he had had raised his sons amongst the nobility of Hybern, working up the ranks of power to the King's favor, "but never for an instance forget when given the opportunity, Hybern will want nothing more than to wipe this family clean of Prythian and take it for themselves."

"Father, really?" Gavin muttered, but one look from his High Lord and Ivar and he was as somber as Tamlin.

Their father spoke up once more, "to believe that we could trust Hybern is a fool's error, when one of you ascends to High Lord, I hope that you remember my words," their father was ever the dark skeptic when it came to the almighty kingdom of Hybern over the waters, and the tyrant King that ruled it.

"We will remember," Ivar spoke up quickly, followed by Gavin. Both had contended for their father's approval, and she heard Tamlin and her mother whisper of the day they would fight for the High Lord's power they both thought they deserved.

Like she expected Tamlin sat quietly amongst her brothers, the odd one out, and his eyes met his little sister's. For a moment she gave a timid smile to him. It hurt Kianna when he didn't have the heart to return it.

Her mother muttered around her cup. "You're wrong Tag."

"Excuse me?"

"You're putting this family in danger's way," Mother spoke up over the slowing remarks from her sons, breaking whatever false peace was laid to rest. "Your acting worse than Hybern."

Tagnar cocked his golden head, more animal than beast, fur growing on his forearms, and his fingers growing black talons. "What did you say to me?"

For once she did not back down at his show of power. "Tag, be reasonable, you know I'm right," she put her fork down, clutching her hands even tighter in her lap, and encircling the life she carried there.

"I am this," he smoothed a finger across the table, "close to not being reasonable Leesa, so I would suggest you rephrase yourself," he bared his growing fangs at his mate.

"I will not." Leesa did not shy away from his beast-like state.

Kianna felt herself tense, the same way her older and far more experienced brothers did when their parents were at odds.

It was very rare for her mother to do something like this, her eyes bright for a fight, and their father all but snarling at her. That was enough to strike fear into each of her torn sons.

She dared their father's fury. "What made you do this? Why would you hurt a family like this?" It was as if she had shoved the knife into her gut, as her voice broke, "how could you take your petty feud with Marcus so far, he'll try to come here, and he will"-

"And he would die." Tagnar finished for her, so assured in himself, Kianna could feel the worry seeping from her mother's body next to hers, "just like all his pathetic traitors that don't do as Hybern bids. In the pages of history, they will remember this day as the first attack against those that dare disrupt the order of a Fae Prythian, of a Fae run World."

Gavin and Ivar leaned a bit forward at their father's tumultuous words, he went on, "when fate reaches a hand out for you to take it, you do not think twice Leesa," he stressed, "and so… that is what the history books will read."

Their mother shook her head in denial, not so moved by his words, "it was Marcus that defied Hybern, not his wife or daughter that had to suffer for his words, for him standing up for what he believes in"-

Their father slammed his hand on the table, the humans and even Kianna jumped a bit, "Marcus thought he could get the better of us, he thought Tamlin would chose his traitor's son over his own brothers and father," Tagnar pointed a finger at Tamlin that slumped in his chair, perhaps hoping to disappear from their mothers' heartbroken face, "but my sons know whom to be loyal to," he stressed his hold over his sons, Tamlin shrunk while Ivar and Gavin preened. "This family is all that matters."

A plate slipped out of one of the servant's hands.

Kianna's mouth moved. "Oh no."

It shattered the conversation, and their father's eyes turned a darker shade of green, giving him the scapegoat he needed.

"I'm sorry High Lord Tagnar"- Kianna shut her eyes and ears when the servant lost both hands for being clumsy.

When she opened her eyes once more, her father's bloody talons were tapping on their mother's chair, dripping.

"Leesa." The beast in his chest rumbled, Tagnar's yellow fangs and suddenly vicious black talons prominent, as he began purring for his shaken mate that clutched her belly, tears rolling down her checks.

Kianna watched as her father touch her mother's golden hair, stroking it with only the tips of his claws. Cautious. Gentle. That frightened Kianna even more.

"Leesa forgive me, I lost myself." Blood was left on her mother's pristine locks, her mother made no motion that she had heard him. "Eat your food and afterwards meet me in my study," Tagnar drank some wine, wiping his mouth with the back of his bloody hand, blood being left on his face made him appear so feral, and Kianna feared for her mother, "come alone."

Tagnar left the room without so much a look to his sons' direction or the butchered slave that was dragged from the dining room, servants coming to rid the floor of blood. Kianna watched in fascination, when her mother, with a wave of her hand erased the blood from the ground, and saved them the hassle of hours' worth of rubbing the tile clean once more.

"Thank you, my Lady," the servants bowed quickly, and left them quicker than any human she had seen move before.

When her brothers finally left one by one, their mother refusing to meet their gazes, Kianna held her mother from leaving to go to him, "don't Mama, he'll do something to you."

"Kianna, don't say that." Her mother stopped rubbing the blood from her hair, and took her daughter's face, Kianna reaching out for the belly she had protected, feeling her little sibling kick back. At least that meant her siblings was strong enough to fight tonight. "Your father is my mate Kianna, do not fear for me," she muttered the words, there was no love in them, just cold understanding, "to hurt me, would be to hurt himself too."

"I'm still afraid." Kianna didn't like the idea of her mother being alone with him, no matter whatever this unspoken law of remaining safe meant amongst mates.

Her mother seemed assured, even a bit despondent. "I will smooth him over, and don't you worry," she tapped Kianna's nose, just like she had done every morning. "I'll be there to tuck you in my little one," her mother promised.

That was the only reason why she allowed Willow to walk her back to her room.

"Any story tonight my little Lady?"

"No." Kianna wanted her mother to tell her a story, and she leapt into her feather-bed, putting herself under the covers, and waiting.

They waited a good while, and when Willow began yawning, Kianna released her, "if I am asleep, wake me when Mother comes."

"Of course, little Lady." Willow blew out the candles in her room, leaving her in the shadow of the moonlight streaming through her window.

"Sweet Dreams-"

"Sweet Dre- Willow?"

"Yes, little Lady," her cut cheek and hand looked far more serious in the dark, and Kianna felt this was the best time to say it. Least someone had been listening in or worse, Willow didn't take her apology, and made her feel worse for speaking out as she did.

"I'm sorry Willow," Kianna started there. "I should have been quiet... I should have said nothing, but I got you in trouble, and I feel so bad about it. I'm sorry if your angry at me, that my mother, that she hit-"

"Shhh, little one," Willow said the same sweet name her mother called her, settling on her bed, and reaching out to Kianna's ear. "I forgave you hours ago. You know that didn't you little one, I don't blame you for trying."

Kianna's little lip bowed out, "but I meant it Willow, I want to free you all. I want for you to all go home, to stop this-"

"Shhh, I know. My little protector," Willow tipped Kianna's little chin, and then looking at her hands once more. "I will have to put more salve on these tomorrow so that they heal properly, you remind me, alright little one."

"Yes Willow."

"Good girl." That was the first and last time Willow leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Sweet Dreams little one, leave these things to me, no more making your mother upset. Sleep little one."

"Yes Willow, sweet dreams."

Kianna still waited for her mother to come, or perhaps to rub the warm spot Willow had kissed her.

Her bright green eyes only drooping as the hours ticked by, and mind wandering to the howl of a wolf singing to the full moon out of her window.

The warm wind tickled her nose as she fought the sleep and dreams that would have her father's bloody claws, her mother fighting back, and no doubt her cold-blooded brothers watching on with stone hearts as their mother fell to his fury once more.