“Not truth?” Lisa asked following. “What do you mean ‘not truth’?”
Grim ignored her as he roared. “Agee! Kirk! To me!”
“Sire?” The two were quickly there.
“Where are my daughters?” Grim demanded.
“The Princesses?” They looked at him in confusion. “They are in the cottage with the Queen. We escorted them inside personally.”
“They went out the back door to play with Dagan,” Lisa told them, reaching up to grip Grim's arm. “I told them to take one of you with them when they went to find him.”
At her words, two of her most trusted Elite Guard paled. “We never saw them, Majesty. Truth.”
“Find them!” Grim roared just as the screech of an enraged Raptor filled the air.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Dal, Eero, and Lalo looked up in horror and disbelief as a Raptor, in full attack mood, swooped down at them. Terrified, they abandoned their assault on Carly, Miki, and Dagan, and ran into the woods believing they would be safe there.
Grim raced up the path he knew his daughters had taken by the size of their small footprints. He forced away the memory of the last time he’d run on a path like this, to find his Lisa beaten and nearly abused. This time wouldn’t be the same though. It couldn’t be. His girls were too young, too precious.
As he rounded a bend, three bodies collided with him, each bouncing off him, flying to the side. Looking down, he saw three of his first-year trainees.
“Dal. Eero. Lalo. What are you doing here? Have you seen the Princesses?” he demanded.
“J... just exploring, King Grim,” Dal stuttered, still frantically looking back the way they’d come.
“Princesses?” Lalo stammered.
“Yes, they were headed this way.”
“M...meadow,” Eero pointed up the path. “But they must be dead by now. There is a crazed Raptor there. It just attacked.”
Grim’s roar shook the trees as he raced up the path, praying to the Goddess he was in time.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“Oh, Prince,” Carly walked up to the giant bird that was now standing between them and the path the trainees had taken. “Thank you for helping us.”
“Yeah, Prince,” Miki said getting up from the ground. “They were bad males, but Dagan isn’t.” She helped the dirty and bruised Dagan up. “You remember Dagan, don't you? You met him in our garden."
Prince lowered his head, cocking it to the side as he stared at Dagan, his violet gaze seeming to take in every part of him then gave the slightest of nods. When sounds of running feet were suddenly heard, he spun around, spreading out his wings protectively to conceal the three of them behind him.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Grim stormed into the meadow, his sword drawn just as the Raptor turned. Its wings were spread wide, and its deadly beak was snapping in warning. Grim took it all in, in a moment, including the fact that Carly, Miki, and Dagan were standing behind it.
Slowly sheathing his sword, Grim moved across the meadow, and Prince lowered his wings in the presence of the King, allowing him to pass. Grim dropped to his knees so he could carefully inspect each of his daughters, taking in the small scrapes and dirty coverings but finding no real harm. The same couldn’t be said for Dagan.
“There it is!” Dal exclaimed. “Kill it before it attacks us again!”
“Prince didn’t attack you,” Carly exclaimed. “You attacked Dagan, and you would have attacked us too if Prince hadn’t stopped you!”
“You lie!” Dal accused hotly.
“You dare accuse my daughter of telling an untruth?” Grim demanded quietly, slowly rising to face Dal.
“I...” Dal’s mind raced. “She is confused. It was the idiot, the unfit one that was attacking them. We,” he gestured to himself, Eero, and Lalo, “stopped him.”
“Yet we found you running away.”
“Only because of the Raptor," Dal claimed. "We had no way of fighting it off.”
“So you chose to save yourselves instead of protecting two females?”
“I...”
Grim turned his back on the male and looked to Dagan. Going down on one knee before the unique male he’d grown fond of, he took in the darkening bruise along his jaw, the split lip, and torn shirt.
“Tell me truth, Dagan,” he said gently. “What happened here?”
“I come here because I like it. It pretty,” Dagan told Grim quietly. “The sun,” he pointed up at the sky, “makes the ground sparkle.” He pointed to where there was still some snow and Grim saw it did sparkle under Luda’s sun. “It gives me ideas.”
“I can see why,” Grim agreed patiently. “But what happened today?”
“Like I say, I like it here, but not when they come.” He peeked over Grim’s shoulder at Dal, Eero, and Lalo, then quickly looked back to Grim.
“Why? What do they do?”
“They tease Dagan,” he told them quietly, but everyone was able to hear. “Call me unfit, even though Dagan a good boy. They push me down. Hit me. Today they say they end me since my manno didn’t.” Dagan’s split lip was trembling by the time he finished.
“He lies!” Dal yelled, but no one believed him.
Grim ignored Dal as he struggled to keep the rage out of his voice. He knew Dagan didn’t react to it well. “You are not unfit, Dagan. You are a blessing from the Goddess, and your manno knew that from the first breath you took.”
“Truth?” Dagan asked, his eyes pleading with Grim’s that it was truth.
“The King of Luda doesn’t speak untruths, Dagan.”
And despite the split lip, Dagan’s face broke out into a brilliant smile as he said, “That is truth.”
Rising, Grim turned his gaze, pinning Dal and his friends as he bit out. “Kirk.”
“Yes, sire,” Kirk was immediately before him.
“You will take two guards and personally escort those three back to Luanda where they will be placed in containment cells until their mannos come and collect them. If they come to collect them.” He watched all three pale.
“With pleasure, sire,” Kirk replied then spinning on his heel escorted the three away.
“I’m glad they’re gone, Manno.” Grim looked down to find Miki looking up at him as she wrapped her arms around his leg.
“They will never harm you again, little one.”
“They didn’t hurt me, thanks to Dagan and Prince,” she told him.
“Yeah, Prince scared them off before they could hurt us,” Carly said, wrapping herself around his other leg, “but they did hurt Dagan.”
“Hadar will heal him,” Grim reassured her.
Grim looked at the creature that was still standing protectively between them and the remaining guards. He’d never heard tales of a real one doing such a thing. Only in the barely remembered myths that told of how the Great Raptor had once been the companion of a God. A God whose name only the stars knew now, and that this God had charged the Raptor with protecting those he deemed worthy when the God couldn’t.
Those ancient myths couldn’t be truth... could they?
“I thank you, Prince.” Grim found himself using the name his daughters had given the bird. “For protecting those I hold precious when I wasn’t able to.”
The Raptor looked at the King of Luda for a moment, seeming to recognize that the King was just as deadly as it was when it came to protecting those under his care. Slowly, Prince turned his head and plucked out one of its long, jet-black feathers. When it took a step forward, Grim instinctively stiffened, even as he reached out to take the feather. But Prince dropped his head and instead offered the feather to Carly.
“For me?” Carly asked, her little voice full of wonder and when Prince nodded, she reached out to take it. “Thank you, Prince. I’ll make sure to always take care of it.”
Prince then looked at Miki, who gazed hopefully from Carly’s feather to him. But instead of selecting a second feather, Prince gently nudged her tiny hand that was still
resting on her manno’s leg.
“What do you want, Prince?” Miki asked, reaching out to touch his regal head.
“Careful, Miki,” Grim growled quietly, not liking the dangerous creature so close to his tiny daughter.
“But why, Manno?” Miki asked looking up at him. “Prince would never hurt me.”
That’s when Prince struck, embedding his razor sharp beak into the tender flesh of her tiny hand between her thumb and index finger.
Her shocked cry had Grim swinging his daughters out of harm’s way, but before he could draw his sword, the Raptor was gone.
“Miki, are you alright?” Grim was once again on his knee, his hands trembling as he carefully tried to open the hand Miki had clenched to her chest, surprised to see that no blood was flowing down it.
“I... I think so," she told him. "Prince just surprised me."
“Let me see," he murmured gently.
“It doesn’t hurt,” she said, opening her hand so he could see it.
And there in his Miki’s little hand, staring back at him, was the Eye of the Raptor.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“What does it mean, Grim?” Lisa asked later that night after the girls were asleep. They had brought Dagan back to Luanda and Hadar had healed every bruise, and every cut, while all the Earth females had come to check on him. Dagan had won every one of their hearts with his gentle way and ready smile. He had left for home happier than Lisa had ever seen the special male.
Hadar had also checked Miki’s hand, but there had been nothing for him to heal. No bruise, no blood, and no puncture wound. There was only a faint violet spot in the palm of her hand. He had tried to remove it with every portable repair unit in House Luanda, but every last one of them found nothing to remove.
Now they were in their sleeping chamber, the House was quiet, and there was a roaring fire before them as Grim handed her a small glass of wine.
Grim sighed heavily as he sat down next to her on the couch. “The Raptor’s feather has been given since the earliest of recorded times. Although I’ve never heard of a Raptor itself gifting one.”
“What do you mean?”
“The finding of a Raptor’s feather is a rare thing. No one knows why so finding one is an honor.”
“Why?”
“Because it is believed that only true protectors are allowed to find and wear them.”
“True protectors?”
“Yes, those that protect, serve, and watch over those that can’t do it for themselves. The way the Great Raptor does for the people of Luda.”
“But Carly is just a child.”
“And yet she came to the aid of Dagan. We have both seen how protective she is of Miki... and of you. She is a worthy recipient of the Raptor’s feather.”
“And Miki’s hand?”
“The Eye of the Raptor.” Grim’s voice was much more hushed this time, almost pensive.
“Why do you say it that way?” Lisa demanded, her stomach clenching.
“The Eye of the Raptor. Lisa...”
“Yes? What about it?”
“Few have ever heard of it, and even fewer know what its gift is.”
“Just what did that damn bird do to my baby?!!” she demanded, setting her wine aside.
“He gave her the ability to sense the evil and darkness that is Daco.”
“What?!!”
“I know of only one other that has ever been gifted the Eye. It is said that while he saved many from Daco’s clutches, it came at a terrible cost.”
“What cost?”
“That is not known.”
“Goddess, Grim. What are we going to do?”
“Nothing.”
“What do you mean nothing?!!”
“Calm, my Lisa,” Grim told her, gently framing her face with his large hands. “First, because there is nothing we can do and second, what I’ve just told you is a myth. It doesn’t mean it is truth.”
“But...”
“No,” he gently admonished her. “You said yourself that Carly was always your little Warrior, was looking out for Miki and you, even before she came here.”
“This is truth,” Lisa nodded calming slightly.
“As for Miki, she never liked Luuken.”
“No one liked Luuken," Lisa muttered.
“Truth. So you see, it is nothing she didn’t already have before. Do not place so much belief in myths that have been spoken of for thousands of years.”
“I suppose you’re right,” she said, relaxing back into his arms, taking the glass he held out to her again.
“Of course I am. I am the King of Luda.” His comment got him exactly the reaction he was hoping for. His love gave a little huff of disbelief and rolled her beautiful eyes at him, but the last bits of worry and tension left her body, and she snuggled down deeper into his embrace. “Now let us enjoy the fire and maybe... if you aren’t too tired, we could light one ourselves later.”
“Oh, I think that can be arranged."
Epilogue
Several days later…
"My Queen still doubts that you are the right male for this task, Warrior Ull," Grim said looking across his desk at the Warrior standing there.
"With all due respect to your Queen, King Grim, she knows nothing about me so is in no position to judge my abilities."
"It is not your abilities she doubts, Warrior Ull,” Grim told him. “It is your attitude since the Joining Ceremony. She and Lady Abby speak regularly. As do I and Lord Ynyr."
"They feel they have the right to criticize the assistance I gave them?" Ull questioned, his rose-colored skin darkening in anger. "Assistance they requested? To you?!!"
"Neither complained of your help, Warrior Ull. In fact, Lord Ynyr repeatedly praised you, stating that without you, it would have taken him a great deal longer to get House Jamison in order. It is because of that, Wray chose you for this."
"Then what was their complaint?" It should have eased Ull's temper, hearing that his brother acknowledged and appreciated everything he had done for him. But it didn't. Instead, it made him angrier. Why would it take the word of a third male, Lord or not, for him a first male, to be given this honor? It didn't make sense, but there was a great deal that wasn't making sense to him lately.
"That you seemed... unlike yourself since the Joining Ceremony."
"They are wrong."
"I hope so because your brother warriors’ futures, and perhaps that of our entire Empire, depend on the outcome of this mission." Grim let that hang for a moment then reached out to hand Ull a memory crystal. "This is the transmission Lisa recorded for her friend, Trisha. You must find her, convince her to view it, and convince her to help."
"She will," Ull growled. "My vow."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
"Rebecca," Grim and Ull walked to where his Lisa and a group were standing next to the shuttles. One would take Ull to the Searcher, while the other would take General Rayner, Jennifer, and Rebecca to the General's ship, the Defender. It had been decided that Rebecca would travel on the Kaliszian ship as Jennifer had become progressively sicker in the mornings. "I have informed Lord Callen that you will be on Pontus."
"What?" Rebecca asked sharper than she had intended. "Why would you do that?"
"Because Vesta is the closest Tornian planet to Pontus, and is where others will be told you are should any inquire. Its Lord needed to be informed."
"Oh, of course."
"Lord Callen is also the one that will be returning you to Luda when the time comes. Should you need him before that, for anything, contact him with this." Grim handed her a small, palm-sized object. "It is secure and will not allow others to know where you are. That is important, Rebecca. Should it become known that we have allowed a compatible female to leave our Empire..."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I understand. So my cover is that I'm meeting with Lord Callen."
"Cover?"
"Reason for going," she explained.
"That would be truth then."
/> “Rebecca!” Every head turned to see Miki running across the grounds toward them, weaving her way through the bodies that separated her from her goal. Three guards were trying to keep up.
“Miki?” Rebecca knelt down as Miki reached her. "What's wrong?"
“You can’t leave!” Miki told her breathlessly. "Not without these."
Rebecca's frown turned into a smile as she opened the bag Miki had shoved into her hands. "You brought me cookies?"
"Yeah, Mommy used to always make them for us when we went on a long trip, so I thought you should have some too."
"Thank you, Miki." Rebecca hugged the little girl. "I'm sure these will make my trip much more enjoyable."
Miki smiled then backed away from Rebecca until she ran into her manno's legs. Or at least she thought they were her manno's, but when she looked up, she found herself looking into the dark eyes of Warrior Ull. Eyes that, for a moment, were darker than they should be.
"Miki," Grim lifted her up into his arms. "What have we told you about running from your guards?" That had her gaze moving to him instead of where it had remained locked on Ull's.
"But I wasn't, Manno," she told him earnestly. "Vow. I just didn't want Rebecca to leave without her cookies."
Grim released a heavy sigh realizing this was a subject he would be addressing again and again as his little one grew.
"King Grim," General Rayner's lips twitched as he nodded slightly, "and Princess Miki. It is time for us to depart."
"Safe travels, General Rayner. Remember you are carrying treasured cargo," Grim looked to Rebecca.
"No one knows that better than I do, King Grim," Treyvon told him, but his gaze went to his Jennifer.
"Bye, Uncle Treyvon. Bye, Aunt Jennifer. Bye, Rebecca." Miki waved as they walked away and Lisa didn't bother to correct her that technically she was wrong. Her girls had eagerly accepted Treyvon and Jen into the family, and if this was the way they wanted to express it, then she'd let them.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Ull tipped his head to the side slightly, watching the group say their goodbyes and felt nothing. No, that wasn't truth, he felt something… something dark.