FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The Emerald King

Chapter 78

Ettoras loved the castle library, and because no one seemed to expect that he actually loved to read, he came there whenever he didn't want to be found. He loved history and legends, myths and fables. Most of all, he loved the stories of romance and adventure. Stories about knights in shining armor saving fair maidens kept him turning pages for hours as he sat in a secluded corner, lost amongst the endless rows of tomes, and absorbing the dog side of his heritage.

Teliso alone seemed to know where Ettoras liked to hide, as the young fox had stumbled upon Ettoras in the library once. Ettoras remembered glaring at Teliso and wishing he would go away as he mocked Ettoras by pretending to be shocked that he actually knew how to read.

What Teliso didn't know was that Ettoras had always loved to read, even back on S'pru. Therefore, it wasn't surprising that he'd spent a great deal of time pouring through the libraries of the SummerValley. Sometimes the group would stop to rest inside one of the libraries, and while the others slept the night away, Ettoras would sit up and read. As a result, it was he who discovered the lost account of Xanta and Nyri and how the war between dog and fox truly began.

During those long nights in the SummerValley, Azrian would sometimes wake, and smiling to find Ettoras up late and reading, she would search the shelves with him. Together, they found accounts of Xantu, the brother of Xanta and a warrior god in Heaven. The accounts written about Xantu before his "descent" described him as a laidback and charming god of war, who was fierce with sword and shield and was known by the foxes as "The Guardian of the Gate." It was Xantu who guarded the gates of Skkye back when foxes were allowed to walk its halls, and thus when the foxes finally attacked, it was the Guardian who took the full brunt of their first assault. He was, for the most part, described as having no interest in mortals and the account even mentioned how he warned his sister not to descend to the mortal realm. Xantu and Xanta were twins, and while they had been born of Hildrith'el's light, the one who actually birthed them was Eden, goddess of motherhood, joy, and creation.

It was later that Azrian would explain the entire story to Ettoras, that Antony was actually a reincarnation of Xantu . . . and Etienne was the reincarnation of Antony. Ettoras asked how that was possible and found himself getting confused. Azrian smiled and explained that Kutre, seeking alongside Ti'uu to find a peaceful solution to the strife, decided to help Hildrith'el resurrect Xantu as King Antony, thus claiming him as a son of Kutre. When Hildrith'el ordered King Antony to kill the foxes, it was Kutre who drew his attention to her daughter, the young empress, Nadheertia.

After learning something like that_,_ Ettoras felt a sort of connection with his father. Like King Antony, a tremendous amount of pressure was placed on Ettoras at a young age, and his entire life had been dictated by some distant and powerful goddess, right down to his marriage.

Ettoras also found it interesting that Eden was the mother of Xantu. It suddenly made sense why Etienne was known for his laidback smiling and joking, and why he always tried to be an optimist, rising in defiance against the expectations of the gods. That was what Azrian had told Ettoras about his father, anyway. For all he knew, her happy reminiscing was colored by her feelings of love. Maybe Etienne was actually the evil monster the foxes viewed him as. Maybe Azrian just couldn't see it because she loved him.

Whatever the case, it suddenly made sense why Azrian would have pushed Ettoras and Kayya closer together, first as friends, then as lovers. Kayya's father worshipped and revered Eden, and so did Kayya. No doubt Kayya herself reminded Azrian of Etienne. Even Kayya's name was a reference to the goddess of joy and her love of play.

It also suddenly made sense why Zihma - the darker aspect of Eden - would have sent Sinte to be with Azrian: she was attempting to replace her old son with a new one. Perhaps she was angry_that her original son had been resurrected as King Antony instead of going through the Cycle. Perhaps she sought revenge on the other gods and their plans by sending Sinte to disrupt them. But Azrian killed Sinte, and now Zihma wanted Ettoras dead in turn - while her warmer aspect Eden didn't even _know about Sinte.

Ettoras knew his life was at stake so long as he stayed on Aonre, and after reflecting on the gods and all their manipulations, he now understood why the older foxes on S'pru had spoken with such vehemence about Aonre and the dogs. Some foxes, though they enjoyed life on S'pru, believed Azrian was wrong for creating a sanctuary and turning her back on Aonre. Instead of running and hiding from the conflict, many foxes wanted to resolve it. They viewed Aonre as theirs, their home from the beginning, and the dogs were little more than invaders. Even still, other foxes believed they could find some way to live side by side with the dogs, as they were old enough to remember a time when dogs and foxes had lived together as equals.

It gave Ettoras something to think about in regards to saving S'pru. If he returned to the kingdom in the sky, should he attempt to rule it? It would be difficult, of course. Unlike the dogs, the foxes actually hated the legend of Nadheertia and Antony, and there would be no uniting them under such a religious banner. Many had come to Azrian out of sheer desperation because they were trying to escape the earthquakes and the war, not because they believed she was Nadheertia or their long lost goddess. It was only in hindsight that the foxes came to love and revere her as protector and nurturer. Azrian was the source of all life on S'pru for twenty years. It was Azrian's magic that made the rivers flow, Azrian's magic that churned the sea, Azrian's magic that grew fruit on the trees. Azrian's heartbeat was the heartbeat of S'pru, and without her presence, it was quite likely that S'pru had begun a horrible environmental decline - the perfect time for an opportunist like Nerayn, the servant of Maret, to take control.

The more Ettoras thought about it, the more he began to understand what had happened to his mother. Azrian wasn't simply becoming cold and indifferent - Azrian was becoming S'pru. After reflecting on what Palesa and Motsumi had told him about Hildrith'el, it was suddenly clear to Ettoras. Hildrith'el was dying, retreating back into nature like every mortal she had ever watched over, expiring as any star should expire - and she was taking Azrian with her. Because Azrian was connected to Hildrith'el as the Second Light, she had been dying as well.

It hit Ettoras for the first time just how close he'd been to losing his mother, and he was grateful everyday that Zeinara had been foolish enough and brave enough to storm the gates of S'pru. If Ettoras hadn't attempted to leave S'pru, Azrian would never have gotten off her throne, would never have left the CrystalPalace, and would never have become mortal at Zeinara's paw. Azrian would have likely died with Hildrith'el . . . and all of existence would have died with them.

Ettoras sometimes wondered if Zeinara understood that she had actually saved the world.

The absence of Azrian on S'pru left one big problem: how could the planet be revived without the source of its heart's blood? Azrian was once essential to S'pru. Her breath made the wind, her eyes lit its moon. After his journey through the SummerValley, Ettoras knew that, deep down, he had the same power as his mother. Something in the SummerValley had touched him, calling his magic back slowly over time, until he knew that one day, his magic would be fully restored. It was happening little by little, day by day. He would have the power one day soon to restore his home world. But how could he hope to revive S'pru, to become its new life source, without winding up like his mother? He would be immortal, chained to the throne, completely confined and isolated by power.

One evening, as twilight spilled pink and purple through the tall windows, Ettoras was at the back of the library, beside one of the windows with a book, when he heard someone approaching behind him. He didn't recognize the smell, and when he turned his head, his heart leapt to see a dog who could only be Etienne coming his way.

The passage to the furthest shelves of the library was dark, torchilt, and narrow, but Etienne squeezed his way through with a jovial determination. He looked almost exactly like Ettoras. They had the same square jaw, the same tall and fit body, the same golden mane, the same eyes - only Etienne was missing one eye, and his hair fell across it when he turned his head, looking for Ettoras. His blue eye alighted on the prince of the sky, and he made his way toward him. He was wearing the same weird clothing as the other dogs, only more elaborate, finely tailored, and weird. He looked as if he'd just come from court, and there were lines under his eye: he was tired.

Ettoras looked away and closed his book as his father approached. He could hear the awkward sound of Etienne's limping gait and wondered why his father didn't use a cane. While a cane would have made things much easier for him, he had reduced himself to grabbing furniture in passing. Perhaps he was simply too proud.

"How'd you find me?" Ettoras muttered when his father was at his side at last. He could feel Etienne's gentle eye probing and studying him. He was afraid to look at his father. What would he see? Disappointment? Disapproval?

"Teliso told me," Etienne said with a laugh.

Ettoras frowned irritably: of course, Teliso did. He stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say. But he needn't have said anything: his father took him in his arms and hugged him close.

They stood in silence for a long time, and Ettoras was surprised by how happy it made him to feel the strength of his father's arms around him. He felt tears rising but held them down, and as Etienne held him close and stroked his mane, he could feel his father's arms shaking ever so slightly. Eventually, they pulled apart, and Etienne stared a long time into Ettoras' face. His blue eye was bright with happiness and soft with affection. Ettoras didn't know what to say.

Etienne cupped Ettoras' face with one paw and shook his head. "You look so much like me, it's a wonder no one's put two and two together. I suppose they will now." He cleared his throat and put his paws behind his back, looking out the window at the drowsy sunset.

It took Ettoras a moment to realize he'd been holding his book the whole time: he hadn't even been able to hug Etienne back. He dropped the book in a nearby chair and looked out the window with his father. The rooftops of Thalsin spread away to the misty horizon, glinting with the touch of the sun's fingertips. Chimneys chugged smoke and birds soared across the clouds. It was suddenly a beautiful city to Ettoras, and not the polluted and crowded foreign place it had been to him when he'd first come.

"I want you to do me a favor," Etienne said after some time.

Ettoras felt his heart skip a beat, convinced Etienne was going to ask him to stay in Thalsin, to rule from Wychowl as king. An objection was on the tip of his tongue when Etienne spoke again.

"I want you to be kind to Teliso," Etienne went on. "He's agreed to at least try to get along with you so long as you stay here." Etienne's eye drifted to the distant cold orb hovering in the sky, the orb that was S'pru. Ettoras knew what he was thinking: he didn't want Ettoras to go home.

"I'll try not to scream at him," Ettoras said. "Can't make any promises, though. Anything else? Want me to succeed you? Take my place as the next Emerald king?" he asked bitterly.

"No," Etienne said quietly.

Ettoras looked at his father in surprise. "Then what do you want me to do?"

Etienne's lips curled in a small smile and he didn't look at Ettoras. "Whatever you want."

Ettoras stared at his father with the same surprise, then eventually regained his bearings and looked out the window with him. He noticed from the corner of his eye that the light had caught something, and when he looked at his father again, he noticed for the first time that Etienne was wearing a large emerald around his throat. It was nearly identical to the one Zeinara wore whenever she held court, but Ettoras could tell it was a copy: the_real_ necklace had an emerald that was slightly bigger.

"You can't rule S'pru, you know," Etienne said, frowning sadly. "Not without becoming like her."

"I know," Ettoras said unhappily. He knew Etienne meant Azrian and her miserable isolation from everyone, even her own son. "I won't rule S'pru," Ettoras said, frowning with determination at the distant globe in the sky. "I'll free everyone there and bring them home." He nodded firmly. When he looked over, his father was watching him with pride.

"Those foxes will need some place to go," Etienne said, looking away again. "When you free them."

Ettoras blinked. He hadn't thought that far ahead. He wasn't even certain he could free them in the first place. "What makes you think I'll succeed?" he wondered unhappily.

Etienne frowned. "Because you're my son."

Ettoras glanced down and smiled to hear his father's faith in him.

"When it's said and done, you can lead them to Statney Grove. I'll issue an order to have the forest empty. No one goes there anyway. Most beasts think it's haunted. Then you can lead the foxes on wherever you want. Stay in Statney or move on. Your choice."

"Thanks . . ." Ettoras hesitated, ". . . Father."

Etienne smiled, but he swallowed hard, and Ettoras knew he had probably longed to hear that word from his son. "Where will you take them?" Etienne wondered. "Any thoughts?"

"Well . . ." Ettoras paused. "The SummerValley could be restored. Would take a lot of work, but we could rebuild. My subjects would love it, I'm sure."

"And the ass-hungry monsters won't be a problem for them, I presume," Etienne said with a laugh.

"Thousands of magical foxes against a few horny monsters?" Ettoras shrugged, his lips pulling in a half-smile. "I guess if we lose, you'll hear the screams."

"I'd help you, son, but I've had my fill of being taken under the tail," Etienne said with a weak laugh.

Ettoras laughed as well, but he frowned and said seriously, "I want to build a life there for them, Father. I want to try."

"And Yeneneshe?"

"I'd like her to come . . . if she'd still have me."

Etienne smiled, his eyes fixed on the distant rooftops. "She will."

They fell silent, and Ettoras thought his father looked content to be standing there with him, exchanging jokes and smiles. Ettoras felt content as well and felt guilty for ignoring both Etienne and Azrian and pretty much everyone all week.

"I've received word from my scouts that Prince Adrian of Curith will be here in a day," Etienne said after a pause and his face darkened. "I want you to leave before he arrives." He looked at Ettoras, and his blue eye was sad, "For your own safety."

Ettoras nodded uncertainly. He wasn't sure he was ready to return to S'pru, but he supposed it was now or never. He was turning away when Etienne called to him. When he turned back, Etienne was removing the heavy emerald from around his throat. He stepped closed to Ettoras with it.

"After I took the fox empire as King Antony," Etienne said, lowering the necklace over his son's head, "Queen Nadheertia gave me her emerald, as something to remember her by. From that day forward, I called myself Antony Emerald, and her necklace became a family heirloom as it was passed down from generation to generation. Every ruling Emerald has worn it since." Etienne carefully let the emerald fall against his son's chest and frowned apologetically. "I can't give you the real one, as the ruler of Varimore has always worn it, and that ruler will be your sister someday. But wear this copy, and wherever you go, the world will know you are mine."

Ettoras pinched the emerald in his fingers and looked at it happily.

"Wherever you take them, lead your subjects well. You are an Emerald and therefore an Emerald king," Etienne said with pride, "and whether you succeed or fail, I'll always love you."

Ettoras looked at his father quickly. They met gazes, and Etienne's blue eye crinkled up with warmth and affection. Ettoras smiled at his father and marched from the library, more determined now than ever.