Chương 315: 4.5

Evren stood with his 'regent' in the room which ostensibly belonged to the wyrm." My prince, I know that you are still youthful and learning. But there are laws for this sort of conduct. Army court to see to the daily command of the soldiers. It is the job of officers, commanders and generals to ensure lesser justice. A concern beneath your own magnificence." He was 'officially' not being scolded.

But that did not hide the scent of anger on the man who had just four years ago held the highest title in what was now called Evren's 'principality'. A ruler over rulers. Under only the High King of Magarska itself. Now ostensibly demoted to merely regent but the Wolf Prince knew better. Evren listened to his keepers even if he still struggled with 'reading his letters'. Moreso he could hear what they said beyond the teaching rooms.

He listened to the proclamations and discussions had with the lords and the men and women in the court of Kars. Voices carried well in the polished stone halls even through cloth draperies meant to smother them. He heard what was said, what was whispered, what was bartered and promised. The wood, draperies and fabrics whispered to him what his ears did not catch.

The only thing said in the Keep of Kars that Evren didn't know was what was written and read in closed off towers in high rooms and the deepest oubliettes. But enough of the lords in Kars disobeyed the High King's 'secret' written commands that Evren knew about them too.

He knew that for all that the High King's promise was held to the word of the proclamation, that despite the words written in finest sheep skin and even carved into stone declared that he Evren was Prince and Ruler over Kings Apparent over all in the Principality of Vanand. It was his regent that ruled. There were so many lies that said otherwise. But Evren could smell the truth on this man in his 'finery'. They said Just until he was older, until he was wise, until he and the people of Vanand were ready.

The High King and the Lords and the lesser Kings all meant something very different with those promises and pleas. Their words whispered in the halls really meant until they could train him. Not like a soldier of a lord but like the dog or sheep griff they whispered he was. Until they made an obedient beast of him like the very same people whispered they would be taming the 'wild hill mongrels' they called his family. Evren's parents had warned him of it.

He had spoken with Mother about the dangerous poison in their words. About the way that they tried to soften his brothers and sisters in luxurious traps. She'd sung a song to the family that first night he was allowed to come home. One she hadn't before. Mother sang the old stories of how others had attempted to tame them. How It had been tried before, in other hills, in distant lands far south. Under another vault's sky. A song with one clear message above all others." No collar will claim you unless you let it."

He held onto that old song and the memory of his far too few visits home. Remembered the sound and the smell of home even under the awful oils and strangeness of foreign silk and cloth that had been wrapped around his family. Evren listened to the man that plotted to be his keeper, his owner in anything but name. He listened but he focused on something else. He'd heard them seeking out some poor girl to bind the regent's house and Evren further. A grand-daughter or niece.

There had been disgust, horror and loud enough shouting from members of the regent's so-called family Evren didn't need his ears or the whispers of the silks. Senses honed to know every heartbeat of his flock could have heard that voice of horror from a mother across a valley. Her words sharp and anguished that the 'regent' would promise her daughter to be the 'plaything' of a 'monstrous beast'? To marry a child to an animal.

Evren struggled to speak the courtly tongue of Magarska but he listened and knew it very well. He heard the horror and fear in the voices too. He heard the terror in heart beats and smelled the hate in sweat. He didn't understand it but he would match the hate of these lords and kings and other terrible people. They promised, they swore with every fibre of believing they said true things. They made compacts with the stars themselves and bound their lives to their words.

But then they schemed and whispered and found ways to make the words true and the meaning false. They looked for ways to make him a prince and yet make that a collar, to try and chain him with 'temptations'. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. All the make nice was a lie. The voice that was droning on and on at Evren sweetly had spoken so coldly to a mother that was supposedly his sister."

It does not matter, If the ravaging and ruination of every one of your daughters is the treat that lets us tame a dragon and rule it you will smile and thank the beast as you send every last one of them into his chambers." That was the truth of Evren's 'regent'. That coldness. That cruelty. And now that voice was speaking to him of 'justice'." So please, My prince, if there are concerns of lesser crimes with the soldiers.

Inform me, I will see to it that the officers make the proper punishments and corrections that the law is upheld properly. There is no need to sully yourself so." Evren looked at the man. The one who he promised the High King he would listen to. Would defer to 'until he was ready'. What had turned out to be one of the hardest promises he had made four years ago to the High King of Magarska. A promise Evren only later realized had a terrible trap within it.

All of the Kings and Lords and great important powers of Magarska had sworn to the stars and gods that they would do everything to keep his family safe. As long as Evren listened and took their advice in leadership. As long as Evren studied and learned. As long as he accepted a collar of words and chains of silk. Their promises to the gods would only hold for that one case. If Evren burnt the man like he had those awful brutes in the street that had beaten the poor girl's mother blind?

All the protection sworn for his family would vanish. If Evren enacted on this man the wind that roiled so deep inside the wyrm's chest? The man that heard about the 'crimes' of a mother who was merely demanding the pay that was promised for services she did the night before? If Evren struck him down? His family would lose all their protections ensured by heavenly mandate. The 'wolf prince' felt that weight. Knew he could not take away the one thing protecting his family.

But still his inner storm spun, even as he nodded and left the great hall with its meaningless gestures. A throne set one step lower than the place that was ostensibly for Evren but was meant to never truly have him fill it. The wind inside crawled in his chest so fast and fierce it hurt. Especially as he held his ears flat to not betray how they twitched at what his 'regent' muttered when he thought the Wolf Prince would not hear." All this trouble over a filthy gutti kurva."

Evren quickened his steps as fast as he dared without upsetting his keepers. Rushing to get away somewhere to do something that would let him ease the roiling burning pain of his anger." The marriage can't come soon enough. He gets more hot blooded every year. Just like a stallion." Evren had to clench his throat tighter. Nearly stumble in his pace to try and get away! But just as he was about to leave the awful man out of earshot the door to the chamber opened and the familiar soft words of the birdmaster spoke."

A message Lord Regent. From the High King himself." He had to make a turn down another hallway. To keep himself close enough to listen into the chambers. Catch every word that might be said. Despite direct commands to the contrary Evren's 'regent' mostly refused to read missives from the High King silently. In private he muttered and complained about how hard it was to keep the letters clear and apart. So if Evren was careful he usually could hear every correspondence and message brought before him."

What is the High King's Command?" This birdmaster only hesitated a moment, the last one a year after Evren first came to Kars had refused as it was counter to the High King's Orders. Evren had smelled his blood later on some of the guard's blades." There has been a messenger from Viznove... The Countess Wyrm requested an audience in Magarska to meet the Wolf Prince!" Evren stilled.

He shouldn't have, whenever he stopped and listened in a hallway in Kars was another chance for his keepers to learn just how good his hearing was. Something only the High King and his immediate court in the capital seemed to truly know. The birdkeeper continued. Voice sounding fretful, likely from whatever look was on the regent's face." The High King has accepted her request and invited her to the capital. To arrive with all pageantry and honor in two years time."

Evren heard the hiss of displeasure from his 'regent'." He thinks I can gentle the beast in two years?" Evren did not snarl. He turned to walk to the chambers they kept for him in Kars. With all its silk and gold and horrible riches. He strode with purpose, poise and silence and held close to his heart the memory of his Mother's songs and the knowledge that at least two lives had been saved by his action. The sight of the girl embracing her beaten and bruised mother.

Evren did not understand why they hated his family. Why, they hated all the people who looked like them. Or why even with their hate did some of them want to do that with a so-called'gutti kurva'. Evren had smelled them on the mother in more ways than the beating of their fists. He did not understand their hate. But if not for the oaths that protected his family. He would be more than happy to answer it in kind.