5 Chapter 5

All the council member's stood in my dining room eagerly waiting to see him, the fabled True Wolf King, the Prince who had been rumored to either be the Leader of the Reaper's or killed by them. I quickly brought out my "special" wine and took great care to make sure everyone took a glass and had at least sipped it once or twice before I offered anyone a seat at the table.

Suddenly the air shifted as I took my seat at the head of the table. I looked up to see Conall had entered the room. His mere presence was like a wave of dominance and wisdom far beyond his years washing over the room, and every being in that room felt it. I saw a few members gulp and go wide eyed as he passed them. I started to give him my seat but instead he laid his hand gently upon mine and softly whispered

"I may be the True Wolf King but this is your house and you, after all, are Dearg Mac Tire Banrion, so you are quite literally the Queen."

He took the seat next to mine and we both sat, which in turn gave way to everyone else taking a seat. I was unsure of what to do now. Everyone was looking at me expectantly but I had never called a meeting before I didn't know what the hell to do. Thankfully Conall broke the (extremely) awkward silence.

"Well as you all must now know, I am the Ceannaire an Wolven, making me the True Wolf King. I have come to Sanctuary in search of Dearg Mac Tire Banrion, as I'm sure you all know translates in your native tongue to...."

"The Red Wolf Queen, yes, yes we all know what it means and we have all heard the stories of you and your fall from the throne..."

"Cane! Hold your tongue!"

I thought this would be as good a time as any to telepathically explain the council member's so Conall could have a little insight. I took a deep breath and reached out, when I found his mind I started explaining.

"Beliad Cane, he's a scrawny, slimy human being. Had his family not been one of the Original families to settle in Sanctuary, I'm pretty sure he would never have even been looked at for a council position. Sadly, it is as the old saying goes, you can't pick your family, because I'm sure if you could the Cane's would never have picked this poor excuse for a man."

I chanced a quick glance at Conall, he sat high in his chair, as if it were his own personal throne. He looked every bit the calm, cool, collected ruler he would one day be. A quick movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention and I focused back in on the conversation.

"You are out of order Cane, we do not speak in such a tone when addressing a royal!"

"That's Leona Burket, she'sSecond in Command on the council, trumped only by the leader Dumask Vandeer."

"We do not know for a fact that he is of royal blood Leona, and I'll thank you to watch your tone when speaking to the head of the Cane Family!"

"Oi get off it laddie, yer fam'ly taint no better tha any one elses's er!"

" Hamesh McGreer, he's every bit the stereotypical Scotsman. He loves his drink, his women, and the excitement of battle. But don't be fooled by his gruff appearance he is just as much a diplomat as he is a skilled warrior."

"I'll have you know MY family was next in line to rue this council! Until the Vandeer's laid claim and my idiot father backed down from power! I should be the one calling the shot's here. And I say this..."

He pointed a thin, pale hand with sharp pointed nails at Conall.

"...is NO royal! Prince Conall McGreggor died in that accursed wood along side his whole family! YOU sir, are an impostor."

The room was deathly still, Conall never moved. He simply stared at Dumask with a toneless expression.

"And further more SHE..."

Now his attention was on me.

"...Is no more than an orphaned child of demented fool's who tangled with the wrong sorts of people and got themselves killed. For year's we have watched over her, protected her, and for what?! So she could become this, this,...Red Wolf Queen! Wake up! There is no Dearg Mac Tire Banrion! There is no True Wolf King. King Quinn is dead and with him his bloodline and right to the throne. Why should we care what happens to anyone beyond Sanctuary? Why should we care for and protect this...creature who parades around acting as if shes something special when she so OBVIOUSLY isn't!"

"Beliad Cane! SHUT YOUR MOUTH! You little sniveling toad I should gut you from nose to asshole for what you just said! Have you no shame? No respect for the deceased? What have either of them ever done against you to make you speak about their families so terribly?!"

"That's Trilla Hawk, she's....she's umm...she's a good person, and a skilled warrior. She's fast and very strong. She's a good ally to have."

"Mo Chori, are you alright?"

"Yea I'll be fine, they're just word's spoken by a bitter, sadistic, idiot."

Again the room sat still, the air was so thick now you could slice it with a knife. Beliad's word's had cut very deeply. I fought back tears as all eyes slowly found mine. I straightened my back and held my head high.

"Enough." the voice was deep and authoritative. I knew immediately it was Dumask.

"Dumask Vandeer, he's the leader. He's old, powerful and a strong believer in the old way's."

" Cane, you have disgraced yourself. Sit down or be removed from this meeting."

With a huff and a sneer Beliad sat down, never taking his eye's away from me. He hated me I could see it in his aura. He'd always hated me, but I never knew why. Dumask cleared his throat then looked Conall in the eye's.

"It takes a very big man to sit through all of that. My hat goes off to you. As distraught as it makes me to admit it, Cane has a bit of a point. How do we know you truly are the Ceannaire an Wolven?"

Conall was silent as stone as we all waited for his response. Suddenly he looked to Hamesh.

"You, Hamesh correct?"

"Aye"

"You have a Moon Cloch in the handle of your dagger."

"Aye, I see what yer getting at laddie."

He quickly removed the dagger from his belt and held it out to Conall by the blade.

"You can not seriously be handing him a weapon right now!"

"Shut it Cane of I'll shut it for you!" Leona snapped.

"What are you doing exactly?" I asked, a little timid.

"Mo Chori, Moon Cloch means Moonstone. Only a royal can make the Moonstone glow. If I hold this and it glows they will know I am who I say I am."

"Oh, ok then." seems simple enough anyway.

He stretched his hand out across the table and gently took the blade from Hamesh, taking great care not to accidentally slice him in the process. Once he had it he removed the stone from it's fitting and held it out for all to see. After a moment of tension the stone began to glow the most beautiful iridescent blue I have ever seen. Gasps echoed around us as the stone kept getting brighter. Finally just as I thought my cornea's were going to burn up he replaced the stone in it's fitting and gave the dagger back to a stunned Hamesh.

The room was silent, everyone seemed to be waiting for something. All eye's were on Dumask but his were locked with Conall's. They stayed like that for what felt like a very long time before, finally the old man blinked and took a deep breath.

"He is who he say's he is. I never thought, in my lifetime I would actually get to meet a Royal Wolf. This is truly a glorious time. We have much to talk about."

"Maybe a bit more wine? To help loosen the tension?" I suggested.

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Each took his or her wine glass and held it out to be filled. As I passed around the table pouring drink after drink I sent a mental reminder not to drink the wine to Conall. After everyone's glasses were full I replaced the bottle in the kitchen and took my place back at the table. Everyone had already drank enough while waiting for Conall earlier, for the potion to work, but just to be sure I proposed a toast.

"I say we toast to our new ally, Once Conall takes his rightful place as King of the Wolven we will no longer have to live in fear of the Forest! We will once again have peace!"

A round of cheers went up all around the table, and then they drank. I watched with anticipation and excitement. Conall looked as cool as an ice cube as he pretended to drink then sat the glass back on the table. He eyed Dumask then each other member of the council. His next word's must be timed perfectly and delivered methodically and with grace. Now was the time to act. He straightened his back and to my surprise he didn't speak to Dumask but instead he spoke directly to Beliad. (Imagine my surprise.)

"Beliad? Why did you send the shade to attack Jaxon Sauder, Guardian of the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion?!"

His voice was sharp and clear, it wasn't accusing or demanding just inquisitive. Beliad looked at his glass while his left hand fiddled with the rim, tracing circles around it. He answered the question promptly, without even realizing it. His voice lulled by the truth serum.

"It was the only way inside those damned gates of course."

Gasp's rose from everyone in the room, save for Conall who kept his fierce gaze on Beliad who by now had just realized he'd admitted to attempted murder. Hamesh and Trilla jumped to each side of Beliad as he tried in vain to escape. They latched onto both his arms and pinned him to his chair.

Leona quick as lightning drew her blade and placed it at the base of his neck, she may be a woman of few word's but she's skilled with a blade. Conall stood and leaned over the table placing his hands upon it. It was definitely a dominant pose. Must be the wolf in em.

"Beliad Cane, why did you try to kill Redalia Hood through the use of a Shade? Dark magic is forbidden in these lands along with serving and or following the banished murderer, Doran!"

"I'll tell you nothing! Filthy Rí Bréagach!"

Conall stiffened, every muscle in his body was fighting him, he wanted to attack. To rip out Beliad's throat and feast on his blackened heart, but he remained where he was. Poised and controlled as always.

"Calling me names will not distract me. You've drank enough Truth serum tonight to tell me whatever I want. I'll not ask again. Tell me what I wish to know and do it quickly my patience wears thin."

Beliad writhed in his seat, Hamesh and Trilla held fast. Both their faces twisted in disgust as they stared down at their fellow council member, the same member who had sworn to protect me and my identity with his life. He screamed and threw himself against the chair backing, I looked to Dumask but he just sat in his chair looking on at Beliad. A cooling sense of calm radiated off him, a quick look at his aura told mehe was very calm and patient. He was waiting for Beliad to divulge his plan. He seemed certain of something but of what I didn't know.

I pulled back my second sight so I could focus on the here and now. Beliad still thrashed and cursed in a language I couldn't understand. Finally he spoke English again. Tears stained his cheeks as he hung his head and began to spill his wormy gut's.

"My Lord Duran has instructed me to kill the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion. So that the prophecy may never be fulfilled. I used Dark Magic to call the Shade and instructed him to use the guardian to gain entrance to the grounds. Redalia Hood must not be allowed to live, if she and the Rí Bréagach were to ever come together it could mean the end of my Lords reign. "

"What do you mean?...Come together?"

My voice was strong and dominant. I meant business, I wanted to know what the hell was going on. Beliad laughed, an evil sort of make your skin crawl kinda laugh. You know like the ones you hear in horror movies right before the slutty girl gets axed? He looked up slowly and locked eyes with me.

Suddenly, the world rushed past me. It was like I was being pulled down a tunnel by a very fast moving train. Colors rushed by, voices became just a jumble of noise. I was descending now, falling like Alice down the rabbit hole. I looked to either side of me trying in vain to locate a branch or rock to grab hold of, instead I was met with a vision.

It played out in front of my eye's like the picture on a T.V screen. It was Beliad, he was on his knee's, his hand's were clasped together as if he were praying but, no not praying...begging. A dark figure emerged from the shadow's, his head cloaked in blackness that slipped around him like a clinging sheet. Beliad was crying and begging the figure not to kill him. The shadow smacked him to the ground only to lift him again into the air. He spoke in a harsh raspy tone I could just barely make out.

"You will find a way into Hood Manor, you will find the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion and you will plunge this dagger into her heart. You must then cut the heart out and bring it back to me with this dagger still resting inside it."

"Yes, Yes anything master, but what of the Ceannaire an Wolven and master why do I have to leave that dagger inside the heart?"

The shadowed figure threw Beliad to the ground again where he cowered like a beaten dog.

"FOOL! This is no ordinary blade! Made from Ebony Stone, this is the only of it's kind! It will stop the heart without killing it. Once you have the heart bring it to me here. Take special care Cane! I need that heart, still living! NOW GO!"

"Yes, Yes my Lord. I shan't fail you!! But.....the Ceannaire an Wolven? There has been whispers he is alive and seeking his mate. "

"If he is alive I don't care how you kill the beast, just find a way and do it! Use the Shades if you have too. Just KILL HIM!"

I blinked and the image faded away before my very eyes. I shook my head, anger welled up inside me. Why did he need my heart so bad? Why didn't he need Conall's as well? We are supposed to be two halves of a whole, ying and yang, light and dark. I can't stand not knowing anything about myself anymore! I felt my veins begin to warm, I knew the power within me was getting geared up for a show.

I closed my eye's and focused. I must be inside Beliad's mind. It was his memory I saw, but I saw it as a bystander. I have to get out of here.

"Mo Chori....."

"Huh?"

"Mo Chori...."

"Conall?! Conall is that you? Help! I'm trapped in here, I'm falling and can't stop I don't know what the hell to do! It's getting old pretty fast! I mean seriously my hair is practically straight as a pin by now, and I swear I'll NEVER get these tangles out!"

A deep chuckle filled my head.

"Mo Chori focus on me, focus on the dining room table, come back to me my love, come baaaaack...."

His voice started fading away, I quickly closed my eyes and tried my best to focus on the table and everyone else in the room. Suddenly from behind my closed lids a bright light shone, I took a deep breath then exhaled as I fell into Conall's outstretched arm's.