Chapter 22

Enshrinement


War created bizarre allies, while peace itself could be divisive. -Blood Hunt by Ian Rankin


"Blasted Eucherians…" moaned Lorelei as she moved her arms, and the oars followed suit.

Crossing the river was harder than she had expected. Like Padrut said, there were no bridges across the river between Eucheria and Revesvakt, and so Lorelei had to try and hire a beast who would take her… only to find that no such beast existed. No vermin of Eucheria would ever consider approaching the other bank of the Helsk. As a result, she had to borrow a fishing-boat, drag it towards the river, and row.

In the end the whole journey took Lorelei fifteen minutes - the longest fifteen minutes of her life. Hirsent was not present - the boat could only take a single beast, and the otter felt that having the wolf drown on her watch was something that neither her father nor herself could never forgive.

The scraping of wood on rock indicated that she had arrived, and she immediately sprung up and marched up the stony beach across to the gates of the city.

She was greeted by a very different sight from that of the other city on the island. The streets were far wider, and the beasts looked very different as well. There were a pair of squirrels in a very passionate embrace in an alley, a mouse beckoning Lorelei to sample his freshly-baked pies as well as a family of otters teaching the youngest amongst them how to swim in the gentle tides of the Helsk, apparently unbothered by the winter breeze. There were no foxes, weasels or those so-called beech martens here - these were across the bridges that did not exist.

Lorelei proceeded along the main road, ignoring the cries of the mouse. Every building looked newer here in Revesvakt than in Eucheria - taller, brighter, sharper, as if everything was reaching into the skies instead of holding tight onto the ground. She did not pause on her way to admire each and every stone and angle - she had things to do.

It took the princess another ten minutes to reach the Lord's Palace. The sandstone structure was embraced by the sea on two sides, though the shallow waters meant that there was no possibility that it could be approached by most vessels. The otter could see the spires that were on the other end of the Palace, and wondered if her pup would find his accommodations well-suited for him.

Naturally, there were a few guards to stop her in her tracks, but once she showed her ring they were happy to let her pass, although not without notifying the beasts inside. They led her into a round room where she was left to sit for a few minutes before another beast entered - a veiled shrew in a black dress.

"Apologies, Your Highness, I had business to conduct - and by that I mean I did not wake up early enough. I am Stenna, wife of the late Lord Holmger and Regent of Helskerland." She moved her head to the side and gave the otter a long look. "I expected you to have come with a greater entourage."

"They ran into trouble in Eucheria."

"Eucheria!" gasped Stenna. "You came here via Eucheria?"

Lorelei nodded.

"You are brave, Your Highness, and you have far more money to spare than the rest of us! I assume their tolls and fines have started to bleed you dry."

"They have, yes, but we are to leave by the end of tomorrow. And besides, we have come prepared - we have brought much to spend."

Stenna rubbed her forehead. "Won't they try to steal it all?"

Lorelei scoffed. "They're avaricious, but not suicidal."

"I wish Bragi could learn that anytime soon." The shrew's whiskers bristled when she saw Lorelei's frown. "He's the Steward of Helskerland, and your husband's beast through and through."

"I do hope he's not as dense as my dear Erlend."

"Ha! I sometimes wish that were true. The hare's off in Kaldos, doing what he thinks he does best."

"What's that?"

"Cosying up to the Travrikans, as usual. If worse comes to worst and Erlend Streambattle raises steel against the Southswarder realm I shall do my best to keep the islanders out of the ruin he causes, even if it means pledging them into the paws of other beasts."

Lorelei shook her head. "Your first duty is to advise and protect my son. Together with this Bragi beast. Understood?"

"Only once he is invested. For now he is merely a child - your child - across the sea. I understand that you love your pup, but without a proper ceremony he is no lord yet."

"Well, I am here for a reason. You'd best swear something - anything."

"Very well. I swear on these islands that I shall do my best to protect Kiordan Streambattle, son of Erlend and Lorelei, as long as he is Lord of Helskerland."

"Or? There's a punishment for those who break their oaths, which is usually-"

"I know, I know, I'm just thinking about what that would be."

"It doesn't have to be specific."

"Fine. If I do not keep my oath, may I suffer horribly."

"That shall be sufficient," said Lorelei. "Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to find all the other notables of the city and ask them to provide support to the pup."

"Well, you might have to go across the sea for that."

"Pardon?"

"They all went with Bragi."

"Oh." Lorelei got up from her seat, totally silent for a few moments before she nodded. "I shall have to leave this place then - the Eucherians may take offence to any prolonged delay."

"Oh, they'll be offended anyways," said Stenna as she rolled her eyes and her arms flew into the air. "Those vermin had created nothing but trouble even before my husband was invested by Lord Gawin. Their tariffs only grow higher and higher, and if even the Emperor's daughter is not immune to their insane tolls and charges they will only get more and more brazen." She sighed and shook her head. "Your son will need every ounce of strength to bend them, and more than that to see them break."

"I've got the feeling that even that would not prove sufficient," replied Lorelei. "And not just because of Eucheria's wealth and walls. But he has good advisors, does he not?"

"Depends on how 'good' you think Bragi can be. I cannot say I have high hopes for the hare - despite his age he is prone to acting on ire and impulse."

"Sounds like a beast I'll have to meet - if his word can be trusted."

"His word, yes, but not his actions."

"Yes, you were very detailed in your assessment of him." Lorelei nodded. Your bias shows just a bit too much here… perhaps Kiormund needs somebeast else to guide him forward, somebeast who has no prior attachment to these Fates-forsaken isles… "I must depart soon, but I wish you and your court well."

"You have to catch a hare?" asked Stenna, standing up as well. "It's better that you should leave quickly - winter storms can hit at any time."

"Yes, yes." Lorelei took care to shut the door behind her as she departed. The weather was not the only reason that she wanted to make herself scarce.


Getting back across the river proved to be harder than expected. Navigating the streets proved to be much harder when she was not walking in the direction of the tallest building in the entire city, and it took Lorelei twice as long to find her way to the river, only to find the tide low and her boat gone. Another fifteen minutes was spent frantically searching for it, and it took a few threats to persuade the thief, a portly rabbit, to give it back.

Navigating the shallower river proved to be a challenge, but Lorelei again managed to prevent severe damage to her person, property or vessel. By the time she was able to get the boat returned to its rightful owner she was cold, hungry and more than tired, and so she returned to where the Eucherians were to house them.

Vicarius Padrut did not lie when he said that Lorelei's entourage was housed well. He had promised them rooms in the grandest inn in all of Eucheria, and even though it was cramped and had produced some strange odours the otter had no doubt that what he said was true.

The princess found Rissos in her room, watching over her belongings and taking care not to touch her bed, the others having left on a guided tour around the city. There was a desk with an unlit lamp to its side, but for now the sky, although clouded, proved bright enough to illuminate the room.

"You rowed across the river and back all by yourself?" asked the rat, scratching his head. "All that for a measly oath?"

"This oath is one of the first few things that's keeping my son safe from all the forces in the world that seek to act against him, and I've already lost enough beasts in my life to make it miserable."

"Do you think she's going to keep it?"

"Well, I ran across the town announcing that she had indeed given her word, and she dares not say otherwise."

"Let's just hope she's bound by honour as much as most woodlanders claim to be."

Lorelei nodded. "That doesn't help the feeling of being stuck in a city I have virtually no attachment to."

"At least this would not be your first time, hm?" asked Rissos. "I've heard tales of Kammin from my great-uncle - he told me of your bravery."

"I just did my duty, and I'd like to think he did too."

"And did you get rewarded for it?"

The otter scoffed. "Of course not."

"So your father was being himself again, I take it? Well, if he don't think he-"

"Look, Laskarine. He'll soon change his mind in the future."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Well, he'll have to be reminded that he needs somebeast to shore up his futures, and that we agree that that somebeast is going to be me."

"So you say. The minds of crowned heads change quickly."


When Sigurd finished his tour of Eucheria he had much to say to a now-full Lorelei, having returned to her room after Rissos left to talk to his countrybeasts.

"They have a forum, like in the old days!" said the younger otter, waving his paws around like a pup half his age. "And a basilica next to it!"

"Was it close to collapse?" asked Lorelei.

"Of course not!" replied Sigurd. "It's actually been maintained pretty well throughout the seasons, I've heard. Beasts still buy and sell there, and I've heard that public trials are very well-attended. I suppose beasts trapped here have little to do, and they have no problem keeping it that way."

"Did they say anything about your brother?"

"Apparently they know little about him. He's been away for a while - three seasons! And he's not been Travrik for long, has he?"

"Shame. I would have loved an honest opinion."

"Well, you could ask Padrut yourself."

"He's too clever to be honest to me, and we both know it."

"Must be a marten thing," mused Sigurd. "How was Revesvakt?"

"It was unremarkable. Most of their notables were off in Kaldos, so it's just that random shrewwife, Holmger's widow. She wasn't exactly difficult."

"Huh, I thought otherwise. She is a partisan of my uncle Lamont. I would not trust her where she cannot be seen."

"That's why I'm keeping her where she can be. She will assist my son whether she wants to or not."

Sigurd stared at the older otter. "You still think he needs that much help?"

Lorelei nodded.

"Then why aren't you providing some of it?"

Lorelei paused as she took a deep breath. "I have to speak to him first. I need to know what he is capable of and what he isn't. Then I can plan."

"You're not a very optimistic otter, are you?"

"It's just good to plan for the worst. Because that might just occur more than we think."


Later in the day, Lorelei tried to find Padrut, but his attendants told her that he was busy with his own private matters. Exasperated but helpless to change things the otter resolved to pay a visit to the streets of Eucheria.

The first thing Lorelei noticed was how narrow the streets were. Outside of the Forum and the Basilica, only two or three beasts could fit through the alleyways abreast. It was times like this that made her feel good about her small physique.

Sigurd was correct in that there was much to see in the city. The Basilica was not as old as Lorelei had initially expected - by the look of some of the stones it had been renovated or even rebuilt quite recently. The Forum was supposed to be a bustling market which sold everything that could be bought, but as evening approached beasts started trickling out, and stalls started pulling their blinds up. The square in front of the town was mostly empty, with nothing on the sandstone slabs aside from dust left by previous travellers and a small gaggle of children surrounding an uncomfortable wolfess.

"This one's boring!" said one of them, a weasel with a hempen shirt.

"Yeah!" shouted a ferret jill in a shrill voice. "Kissing is icky! Go back to the mad fisherbeast and her son!"

"I like the singer fox and his love for the land where the lemons grow," chimed in a third pup, a rat with a scar across his snout.

"Well, it's late now," replied Hirsent, her seating position shuffling towards the back of the stairs. "And I won't be here tomorrow. But don't worry, if you gather these little stories and tell your friends, I will return here. Maybe I'm a wolf now, but I can come as anybeast, as long as I have tales left untold."

"Even a woodlander?" asked the ferretmaid, eyes trained on Lorelei.

"Well, yeah. They have their own stories, of course, but they've got more swords than sorcerers in them. Might give them a try though… but don't forget the first thing I told you."

"Every tale is true in its own way!" clamoured the children as they started to disperse, flowing into the alleyways that surrounded the square while giving Lorelei a wide berth.

The otter approached the wolfess. "They've never met a wolf before, hm?"

Hirsent nodded. "It's apparent I'm some sort of novelty to these islanders, but as long as they enjoy the tales I tell I don't really care."

"Well, you did enjoy your books… oh, and what about that last bit? Could it be more talk about that reader in the heavens you had spoken about a month ago?"

The Sorcerer winked. "You remember more than I thought. That belief was something Melisse was taught, and it's stuck through a few heads. Kiordan certainly believes it's true - much has happened to him, and he's always had a flair for drama."

"Too much of a flair, for me at least," replied Lorelei. "What about you?"

"Deyna thought about it before discarding the idea, Isangrim never gave it the slightest consideration. As for me… it's probably not relevant for us, I think, but I'll wait for more evidence to show up before I arrive at a definite conclusion. Yes, that's what Hirsent would do. The other Hirsent, I mean."

"You mentioned her before."

"Oh yes. Every face I have taken still belongs to another beast from another world, and so do their personality and memories. Melisse is still out there, Deyna is long gone, and I'd prefer not talking about Isangrim. Sometimes it irks me that I am being everybeast else but myself, but I think I'm more than used to things. It's been decades, after all."

"Well, have you met this 'other' you before?"

"Oh no, it's too awkward for either of us," said the wolfess. "Besides, I have a book to finish… and from what the locals have told me its events were true, if loosely so."

"They named the city after Eucherius." Lorelei nodded. "But nothing about Hadagrim here."

"You would have to go across the river for tales about him. Woodlanders seldom have a place here - the children say as much. Eucheria had been under siege more often than not by the forces of the Helsker lords, and every single time they were beaten back as one last light shone in the middle of the strait, preventing the wolves' jaws from slamming shut."

"Buoyed up on past glories," mused Lorelei as she made her way inside the Basilica. "And extravagant tolls. It seems they're likely to outlast my son's rule, be it one of weal or woe."

Remaining outside, Hirsent shrugged. "We know that. They do not."


C/N: Alright, so my author lied. He is going to give me one more chapter.

I don't know how that happened - must be when he caught the plague in July and he got his brain fried, but I'll honestly take more pagetime.

If you think I have more to say, you're wrong. I shall see you in a few weeks.