Red's Wolves

Chapter Twelve

Another look passed between Alera and Jere.

"You two already know each other?" Jere asked, his tone incredulous.

His father gave him a small, almost bashful smile. "There is much you still need to know, Jere."

"And there will be time to tell the story as we walk. Come, let me show you around."

Palo nodded and was already following Hevea deeper into the compound.

What other surprises were they going to experience now that they were here? There was only one way they were going to find out, and it wasn't going to happen standing where they were.

Alera and Jere were about to follow with their horses in tow when two forest folk walked up to them and took the reins, nodding that all would be well with their animals while they walked with their chief. Alera and Jere had no choice but to follow.

Hevea began speaking once they caught up, his tone crisp like leaves on the wind. "Twenty years ago, the forest fae and the kingdom of Palazia were allies rather than feared adversaries. Our people fought together, learned from one another, even traded our goods for the benefit of our people. But when Roland's father died, he had to leave, and it began the downfall of our alliance."

"Because of my mother?"

Hevea nodded, but it was Palo who spoke next.

"When we were younger, Roland and I were closer, and far more adventurous, than the men we grew into. We knew of the forest people, and Roland took it upon himself to strengthen the bond between the kingdoms. When he asked me to join him, I never once hesitated. We trained together, fought together... even fell in love together."

Was that a blush Alera saw on Palo's cheeks?

"Roland and Palo spent much time here in the forest with my people," Hevea added, "and in doing so, they each gained a wife. Vessa, my daughter, was princess to the vast kingdom we once were. And Palo, in turn, took to wife Nyla, her dear friend."

Jere paused. Alera stopped with him. "My mother... was fae?"

Hevea and Palo both turned to face them. "Both of your mothers were," Hevea confirmed, though he cast a glance towards Palo. "I can only begin to imagine what the world beyond the forest has turned in to if no one dares speak that news to their own offspring."

Palo had the grace to look embarrassed and turned to continue to walk, the chief with him and Alera and Jere following out of fear of missing out on more vital information.

"Much of the world changed after Roland became king," Palo said, continuing with their story, "and the only thing that kept any semblance of peace was Vessa. But when she died in childbirth, the king and his kingdom fell into solace, no longer allowing any contact with the fae. Rumors circulated that it was her fae blood that cursed her deathbed, or the abomination of her canny daughter that delivered her unexpected end. Either way, it was enough to cut ties with the people who wanted nothing but to help the kingdom, and damned you, Alera, to the reputation you had to live with."

Alera felt the emotional pain course through her. That she was the reason for her mother's death was known, and she was never allowed to live it down. But that it had caused the schism between their people...

"What about my mother?" Jere asked. "No one ever asked or seemed to care if I was canny."

"Your mother was an intelligent female," Palo offered with a sad smile. "But that she could not save the life of her friend, her princess—her queen—she could not continue on."

Hevea let out a sad sigh. "It is said the spirits of the fae are connected to the forest they called home, but Nyla cut herself off from the magic, from the very power that allowed her her longevity. She was convinced she was no longer deserving of such a gift..."

"... she passed away soon after." Palo could not look at his son.

Alera watched as Jere's countenance went from devastated to neutral, and she took his hand in hers and squeezed hard. She knew his mother had died not long after he was born, but neither of them ever knew the truth. It had always just been one more thing that brought them together. With the knowledge that she chose to leave behind her immortality, and lose all she had with her family... she didn't know if she could ever make that choice.

Though wasn't that exactly what she just did? She left behind everything she had once known for her own personal and selfish reasons... if her father were to die tomorrow, would she ever know? If such a fate were to befall her, would he ever know? Or had he already assumed something had happened to her and felt the sweet relief of it?

"Here we are," Hevea announced, breaking through Alera's thoughts as she looked up. Before them was a far more populated area of the forest village, with numerous fae withdrawing from their home to see the visitors their chief had brought into their clearing. "This should do for shelter during your time here."

He had offered them a partitioned hut, space for a living and eating area, and then two smaller rooms for what she assumed would be sleeping quarters.

"We will have more furniture brought in the morning when we have time to gather it. We were not expecting visitors, and it had been so long since any came that we do not usually have guest quarters prepared."

"It's fine, thank you," Alera assured her grandfather as she entered and looked around. If nothing else, the rooms had feather mattresses and Alera felt the weight of the day crash upon her.

"We'll speak in the morning," Hevea assured them, taking his leave. "In the meantime, welcome to the new way of things."