Leon and Riya: How to Raise a Gnoll

Chapter 29

Leon suddenly jolted awake and he was standing in the practice field. Did he fall asleep standing up? I took him a second to realize that it seemed too quiet. As soon as he realized this something started to materialize in front of him. After a few seconds it took shape and to his shock it was...him? But how was that right?

It started to speak but its voice sounded like him with a slight ethereal quality and as if it was coming from everywhere at once.

Leon?: You're weak, you do nothing more than make everyone else's lives harder.

Leon: What? That isn't true!

Leon?: Oh? What about when Riya and Mu were assigned to the caravan as a show of good faith eight years ago, or how about what happened with Marr, or even better yet, what just happened with Leiko? Someone else's life was made more difficult so that you could survive.

As much as Leon wanted to scream at whatever this thing was that what it was saying wasn't true, that would be a lie. Someone else had to save him, making their life harder because of him.

Leon?: And why would Riya keep a weakling like you around? Because you're her plaything, a toy to her.

Leon's eyes widened upon heating that.

Leon: That isn't true she—

Leon?: She what, loves you?

Leon? gave a small laugh.

Leon?: Don't make me laugh! She didn't even know what love was when she met you eight years ago, she's a Gnoll. Next thing you're going to say is that she would never hurt you either.

Leon: She wouldn't!

Leon had said that with the utmost confidence, he completely trusted she would never hurt him and she hadn't for eight years.

Leon?: Oh? She just threw a chair at her sister not too long ago, why wouldn't she do the same to you?

Riya found herself in the kitchen, but didn't she go to bed with Leon? Not long after that thought she could hear someone coming to the door. When it opened she saw...herself? What was going on? What looked like her stepped through the doorway and closed the door behind itself. When it spoke it sounded like her but not quite right, it also sounded as if it was sanding everywhere at once.

Riya?: Leon makes a good plaything doesn't he?

Riya: What did you just say?

Riya? tilted her head in confusion.

Riya?: That he is a plaything, a toy.

Riya's ears were starting to flatten to her head.

Riya: Don't you call him that!

Riya?: Then what would you call him? Mate? With how weak and frail he is that is an insult to anyone who should be holding that spot.

Riya: He is my mate because I love him!

Riya?: Oh, do you? Is that why you overrode him right in front of your daughter when he asked to be put down?

Riya's breath hitched.

Riya?: Or was that because you were tired of a male getting to have a say and you wanted it back to the way it used to be? The way it should have been to begin with?

Riya's eyes widened upon hearing that.

Riya: Never! I would never want to put him through that!

Riya?: You seemed to have no issue with how he was treated at the citadel.

Riya: Because I have no choice how the citadel is run.

Riya?: No, you don't. And because of that your daughter, Rose is going to be forced to fight with someone who is liable to kill her. Because Leon's training could never be enough!

Riya: Leon has trained her more than well enough, I trust what he has taught her will be enough!

Riya?: Then why are you worried about her fighting?

That...was a good question. Why was she worried, she trusted what Leon taught Rose, didn't she?

Rose opened her eyes and saw she was in the training yard. Hadn't she just gone to bed? Before she could think about much more something started to form in front of her, after a few moments it finished forming and it was...her?

Rose?: You know Dad doesn't love you.

Rose's eyes nearly popped out of her head upon hearing that.

Rose: What did you say! Dad loves me, he tells me so all the time!

Rose? He's just scared of you and Mom, you are Gnolls after all.

Rose shook her head.

Rose: No! Dad wouldn't have chosen to be with Mom if he was scared of her!

Rose?'s face grew irritated.

Rose?: How would you know that?

Rose: Because Mom and Dad love each other!

Rose?: How could Mom love him? He is weak!

Rose: He isn't weak!

Rose had tears in her eyes remembering what Leiko did to him while the Witherlings held her down.

Rose: Dad is the only reason both Mom and I are still alive, because he was willing to give everything to protect us!

Back at camp Oshka was standing in front of a group of mirrors. She was watching her magic do its job. She was staring intently at the mirror that showed what was happening to Rose. She was going to need to keep a closer eye on her, she was proving troublesome, first being able to drive off Leiko, then being able to stop Morga, and now this. She glanced at the other two mirrors, hopefully they would be affected more than her.