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The Stranger Among Us by DNDigital

The Stranger Among Us

DNDigital

The one whom approached my throne was an unknown, an individual who’s skin was kissed bronze by sunlight and hair was as dark as the night, not unlike my own, it was shorter and much wilder by far, unkempt in the makeup of which it took to setting its own boundaries in the means of how it sat like a crown atop his head, my guard were cautious and wary, the long cloak of thick tails behind him, gave me an idea of what kind of creature it was I was to deal with, the tapered ears and dragon-slit eyes told me volumes of this man’s presence, but not his intent.

“Kyuubi,” I stated, watching him approach with less fear and more pride than a certain peacock that spent his days chained and caged… “What business have you with me?” His body language indicated that he felt slightly affronted by my questions; no doubt it was the fact that where the nine-tail certainly had age and wisdom above my own years, it was the fact that a soft-faced noble was addressing him so curtly, without the respect an old god might reserve. As he seemed to take a stance to breathe in the air around him, my beloved stepped forward with a grip on his hilted sword… a simple lay of my hand against his wrist indicated I felt no danger in the stranger being so close, but what caused me curious and cautious alarm was my son leaving my side to approach the man.

“Aki?” I questioned, and was given an uncertain look back, my boy froze as if he were fearful I might be angry with him, a shake of my head quelled these fears he held and he smiled at me, I gave him my blessing to approach the stranger at his own whim, though my eyes never left my beloved little kip as he did so, he circled the bronze-skinned and black-furred kitsune with abject curiosity, seeming to find particular interest in the shock-blue ribbons that bound around each tail and carried what looked to be glass balls of kitsune-bi.

His eyes a bit wide in wonder, he looked up at the man and seemed to search through his confused features, the man’s eyes seeming a bit stern as he watched my son circle him like a predatory beast, once he had come back around full circle, and had been satisfied by whatever triggered his curiosity, he gave a tiny chuckle and replied. “Your name is Revkeller.” Much to the shock and possible dismay of our guest, he ran back to my side and quickly hid behind my shoulders, shyly peering from them. Amused by his sudden reversal of interest, I gazed towards ‘Revkeller’ and saw the questions on his face.

“My son has a gift not many in this realm do… dreams that become reality and intuition that services him as both guide and guard, his lost sister possibly gave him the information, or you did subconsciously, regardless of the case, he has given us your name, in this regard, Revkeller, I bid you welcome to Juuouchou, and question what it is that you seek in these lands?”

His features were kept reserved and his eyes, aged with the knowledge of unknown years seemed to regard me with some amount of distrust himself, a standoff between a monarch and what I could consider for all intents and purposes, a possibly forgotten god… something about him seemed familiar, the whisper of a scent I’d long forgotten… when my mind reminded me of whom it was from however, I stood immediately.

“How DARE he send his creatures to me!” I snapped, the rage on my face was clearly defined and there was a bought of confusion that passed between Revkeller and Akihiko, my once calm demeanor disrupted, my guard and my husband were suddenly alarmed and surrounding the man with sword drawn, he was quick to hold up his hands, but seemed to hold a pittance with me in regards to the WHY of his sudden assault.

“That black hearted necromancer still lives?! He and his ilk were banished from this realm! How did you get here?!” My words of course continued to draw more confused looks from the kitsune and my son as well, when finally speaking, he stated in a very subdued tone. ‘I can assure you… I am no friend, to your enemy.’ These words caused me to hold suspicion, and again my son left my side, this time my fingers reached to snatch him back, but quick as he was, he placed himself before Revkeller and the blades of my king and kinsmen’s open arms… he blockaded them from causing the kitsune harm and stared at me insistently, his eyes growing sullen and upset, I found myself losing my outrage.

A motion drew my army reluctantly back and away from Revkeller’s form, my husband was not so quick to leave, in the light of seeing Akihiko insistent that the kitsune not be harmed, I called my love to me. “…speak…and know that it is by the grace of my young prince you still have your head and your tongue.” I was mistrusting, the abuse and wounds still fresh in my mind, I shuddered in disgust the feel of unseen bruises in my skin and, to feel clean again, buried myself within my husband’s hold, looking towards Revkeller and seeing with some amount of fright, how he drew my son in against his chest in what looked to be a protective embrace, I stood in some amount of caution as he spoke.

“Your enemies do not hold sway with me, my king.” He uttered, and kept Akihiko drew closer within his chest, though normally Akihiko despised being coddled or kept by others, this stranger made him smile and seem all the more curious to his actions, leaned back in Revkeller’s hold, my son seemed to lightly hug at his arms and smiled up at him, a smile he normally reserved for myself or my husband, and then looked forward at me as if to assure me he was well and protected. “I wished to learn. I was informed of your existence, not too happily of course, by the one you seem to hold anguish for. I thought myself alone…I came of my own accord… to learn… to see for myself what lies were told.”

In thought, the man was indicating to me that he had been exposed to the one my grandfather banished from our lands ages ago, though I had once thought my mentor, the realmwalker Avalore, had rid us of their unsightly blight, knowing that it was another realm they resided in, far away from my own did little to comfort my discontent, this man however, in his scraggly look and scuffed appearance, seemed to set my ill-begotten fears aside, and provided me with a look into the past. “…your kind were once abundant, until the old wars…” I told him, a simple nod of his head indicated that he thus agreed.

“But you and your kind still exist in the now…and that is why I came.”

While I was unsure of his intentions, or the means in which he might decide to move, I trusted in my child’s insight that this man meant no harm. Standing a bit straighter and giving a gaze towards my love at my side, I spoke to a guard candidly, issuing to him a question of retrieving the Realmwalker and my guardian, Touya, from their private quarters, to see this man themselves, and determine if what my son seemingly already knew, was the truth… or if another deception might be at hand.

“I will have you meet with my Lord, Avalore.” I stated to him as Akihiko seemingly enjoyed and was content to remain in the kitsune’s loose embrace. “If I find you give any mystery or disruption of the truth… it will be he whom decides what to do with you.” It was not a threat, though it was a warning, my mistrust of others after the horrors suffered in the past, I prayed that this man understood the means to my precaution, watching my son take him by the hand to show him the gardens however, I felt my nerves beginning to sooth, though just in case, sent a guard to watch over them.

“My humblest apologies in frightening you, young lord, I assure you it was not my intent.” He stated this in parting, and my heart fluttered a little before I watched after him, if this man were truly a legend from the old days… perhaps the reclamation of the realm’s magic’s might not be so far in the future as once thought…

Akihiko © dnangel
Revkeller © smooshkin
Lang Loxy © javameerkat
Avalore © fengzhou

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