I hadn’t truly intended to visit home today. I was simply loping past it, long silvery limbs gliding smoothly atop the earth, features frowned slightly in contemplation. I had another assassin meeting to organise, I had training to attend to, the matter of Zeus needed to be followed up and I would soon head to Iromar once more to seek Belhara again and the cousin I knew resided in the swamps. I needed stronger connections, deeper bonds, I need chains in place of the metaphorical strings that bound together those of my blood. So much to do and yet, well, I wasn’t exactly in a rush. I had a lifetime to forge the things I needed and I was already off to a reasonable start- though my mind continued to flick back to Heyel’s funeral, over and over the images came as if trying to point out something I had missed, my thoughts turning it over and over again each and every time as I thought on the words so many had offered. It was interesting really, to see a wolf so many spoke of and yet to hear how many ways he had been perceived. A hero and legend to some, a god, a villain or and thief to others. Perception, I suppose, I would come to learn in time was a truly dangerous thing and yet….if so many could be convinced of one thing, how best could that truly be used? Could perception be sifted and changed? Could it be falsified? How powerful could it truly be? I suppose Heyel was proof of that. Myabe there was different perceptions on him- but all seemed agreed, whether good or bad- he was great, a leader incomparable and I….I need to know how. How do you convince an entire land that you are worth more then them? I have no true desire to be seen as an overlord, or to put myself above others in that manner, that would never work, tyranny and forced obedience as some have tried recently have resulted in nothing more but spectacular favour. Thoughts needed to be aligned with actions and belief. Hmm- how curios a thing to consider.

Maybe I shouldn’t even be considering it as this age, but as they say- some are born great. It was the sight of my own sire reclined in the sun outside the den I had been born within that so seemed to grasp my attention. He had stayed, like myself, Mother and siblings, when Covet had been here for his short and unspectacular reign before tumbling into forgotten obscurity and truth be told I had always wondered why. I suppose because Mother did, because he wouldn’t leave her, his imprint and there was something to be said abut that too. I had stayed because I needed to know and understand, I needed to feed back the information on Covet and Ambrosia to those whom waited outside and indeed I had rather started a revolution with such things, but why my parents stayed I don’t truly understand. Maybe Mother simply refused to abandon the land to which she was born, her loyalty to the land itself and not the wolf whom commanded it. She never had shown up to one meeting Covet held and really- I rather adored her for it. It is a pleasing thing for a boy to believe his parents have…..well, a bit of spine about them. I allowed my tail to wave as I shifted my direction, heading for Orion now, my Father as black as my Mother and Grandmother in turn, my own pelt so very different, so white and tipped in silver, my eyes the violet of my grandfather and yet there was the gold of Orion in them all the same, flecked right through, an identical shade to his own.

My red marked ears moved to fold back submissively as I approached the much larger wolf then myself, tail waving again in good nature, respectful to my sire as always I had been. He deserved it after all. I mean- he created me and that is a truly respectable thing. My muzzle moved to lower to his own in the greeting of Angels, jaws parting briefly to lick at his chin as a grin traced my features and I moved to abruptly seat myself beside him, flopping over and into his side like the child I was. Taking over the world after all, meant I hardly had time for play, hardly had time to be a child and really…..no one was looking. I could spare a moment just for that.

“Is Mother out today?”

Her scent was weaker here, Mother having gone to assist with healing perhaps- I hardly know.

“You might as well enlighten me then, Father. How was your day today?”

What? I’m supposed to ask that aren’t I? That’s what families do right? Besides, I wanted to know what my old man got up to every day aside from…sunning himself.

“Your fur will go brown if you keep lying in the sun like that you know.”



h y r u l e
The Once and Future King
The Heir of Heyel