I was no more than a few minutes behind my brother, having seen him leave earlier and head towards the mountains. I could have run to catch up with him I suppose. I also could have stayed lying upon my back within my den and enjoying those few moments of solitude it afforded, my latest conversation with Achilles continuing to stir readily within my mind. Apparently I have a flare for politics, or so Achilles seems to believe and I suppose I agree with him, not that it’s hard to be intelligent- how so many other wolves fail to do so I will never truly understand. Zeus seemed to be the man of hour, or so to speak, my conversation with him having proven unique if nothing else. I would speak to Orfiel of it later and perhaps Calliel too, assured Guardian and Achilles had already spoken in much the same manner. It is a difficult thing to be so young and yet so burdened with glorious purpose, how many other two-year olds act as advisors of sorts to Kings? I am told Solaris rose high at such an age too. It is the blood I suppose. Temperament and ambition are inborn in some of us, most of use if you’re an Angel. Either way I let Orfiel move off ahead of me in some effort to savour those last few moments to myself and think on my thoughts before my white and silver form was rolled at last to me feet, red ears pricked forward as the violet and gold of my gaze turned towards the mountain.

It was some sort of social event I am told, one exclusively for wolves of a certain age and as such I had been invited. I thought it was an ideal event really, why not expand my contact list a little? It could hardly hurt, after all, to cast my eyes upon the next generation of wolves to lead this land and perhaps better….endear them to myself. I could work a room (or a field) if I had too. I shook myself slightly, removing dust and debris from my pelt, each silver-tipped fur aglow before I moved my growing body forward and into a lope, the true grace of my form at last becoming clear now though my legs still seemed a little long and paws a little over-sized. Either way, I was actually beginning to display the true handsome taint of my features now as I strode onward and upward towards this grand event. I arrived just behind my brother as he introduced himself, my own lip quirking upward in response as I grinned, tail waving as I came forward to brush my shoulder against his side, teeth snapping at his ear in an almost playful, brotherly jest before I turned my attention back to the three brothers I had met before.

“I would introduce myself, but you all know who I am. This though, is the brother I promised to bring one day though, Orfiel, as he said. He lacks many of my own attributes- but he’s alright.”

I felt my lips pull back into another grin all the same , white teeth flashing in obvious cheek towards my sibling before a chuckle rumbled well within my chest at this game I played, leaping easily from my brother just in case he sought to retaliate, head nodded to each of the Prince’s in turn before my attention fell more pointedly upon the golden brother, Viserion, the one I had already come to decide, amongst his brothers- may well be the most amicable to my ideas. I only needed one of them after all and really the black one was not overly personable, I much preferred his more charismatic golden brother and as such it was a grin that was flashed towards him now as my snowy paws pressed closer to him, read ears turned upon my head to listen still for any hint of revenge from Orfiel for my words or actions before I moved to speak to the mountain Prince.

“I was pleased to hear your Mother kept her throne in her latest battle against that other creature, his name is not worth saying, so I am really not going to bother. Either way, it was a good thing your pack did for my own, allowing my family to shelter here until my cousin Achilles reclaimed his rightful place. Our packs have been friends for a long, long time and I like that, it’s nice.”

I smiled once more, the words wholly truthful as I offered a congratulations of sorts I suppose, to the boy in regards to his Mother’s success, bright eyes of violet and gold held upon his own as one leg crossed over the other in a habit I really could no longer get out off. Why did they do that? I shook the thought away for now as I sat….with my oddly crossed forelegs before him, aware now that others were surely beginning to arrive.

“I won’t keep you long, you have others to greet, I understand but perhaps later when your…er…greeting duties are done, you might come and find me? I would like to talk to you about something, an idea I suppose you’d call it. Thanks for the invite though, it’s a rocking party.”

I grinned once more as I gestured briefly to the rocks that surrounded us on the mountainous foothills, the blank look on the other males face perhaps indicating he had not fully grasped my pun.

“It’s a joke, you know, rocks- rockin’….no? Alright then, it wasn’t a very good joke I suppose, either way I feel I must mingle. I will see you later Viserion.”

Alright, so my jokes aren’t that funny, I can’t be funny and a world leader at the same time can I? Maybe I would work on that, turning neatly upon my paws to allow the golden Dragon to continue to greet the other arrivals as I moved back towards Orfiel now to come to his side again, words a whisper to his ears alone.

“If you see anyone here, Brother, you might be of use to us, find out their name and pack and I will follow it up.”



h y r u l e
The Once and Future King