the iron wolf chapter 1 part 1
i was gonna keep this a secret
" Brothers, thank you for coming. The time has come to choose our candidate for the minister. Any volunteers?"
Silence fell over the Weicfu meeting room. Then the dying, but active, Numetsun pointed to his son, Inile Numetsun, and said, " son, you were born for this, it's what you were bred for."
" Very well."
While his father was eighty six years old, Inile was seventeen, already considered a man. Numetsun was grey while Inile was almost black. Most Canduian wolf men were as white as the snow that blanketed their homeland, only the alphas were not albino. " Then it's settled" old Numetsun sat back down and continued, " the other families are already warring and will be defined sooner than you think. Inile, what do you suggest we do?"
" You're letting me make the decision?"
" Of course, the minister has many important decisions to make."
" Oh uh, let me see..."
" Come on, spit it out."
" We could wait for the other families to form."
" True, we do have the best men in the dominion."
Another stood up and stated, " but the Oeyigs know how to rally dogs under their banner, and the Gyers have the advantage of the arcane."
" True we are outnumbered, but we have the elites, and we also have alliance with the Gyers. Uweif, gather some laborers and begin construction of a wall. Whek, bolster up the defenses."
Both counselors said, " yes sir" separately, got up and left. Numetsun turned to his son and said, " well done, there may have been opposition, but that was a good decision. I believe you may have potential."
As he said it, Inile had a flashback.
Young Inile swiped his sword at his trainer first at the legs, then the body. After a couple swipes he leaped into the air and thrust his blade downward. His trainer held his blade horizontally over his face to block Inile's swipe. As his trainer was sent to the ground Inile swept at his neck stopping as the blade touched the trainers jugular. The trainer said, " well done" and Inile drew back his weapon and sheathed it. After getting back to his feet the trainer said, " you do have some potential."
While he spaced out, his father repeated his name trying to snap him back to Naakaea. It was when he said, " tsunu" that he returned. " Huh? Oh, sorry."
with that he got up, went downstairs, scaled down the stairway up the mountain the manor was on and went for a hunt. After his search turned up nothing he returned to the excuse for a capital that sat at the foot of the mountain and began scaling the stairway up hill. As he reached great balcony of the manor overlooking the town he cautiously went inside. As he eased the door shut he looked to the hall and his father stood a foot from him. He jumped with surprise and stammered, " I...I wasn't doing anything just..."
" Never you mind that, come."
With that he led his son to the meeting room upstairs just around the corner from the staircase. " We have received a letter from the Oeyigs. Here, see for yourself."
He held the note out and Inile took it and read it. It explained that the Oeyigs wished to negotiate with them. " I don't buy this."
" Neither do I son, that is why I wish for you to accompany me."
" If anything or anyone attacks, they will die by our blade."
With that they departed. Inile went to his room, retrieved his armor, and headed downstairs to the bathhouse. The floor of the bathhouse was filled with water, on the end opposite of the door there was an elevated, dry point where one of the servants sat. Inile dropped his armor on that portion and said, " mind you turn away?"
With that the servant obediently took her gaze from Inile. After stripping down he first slid into the under leather, which extended to his knees and separated starting at the waist allowing ease of movement. He then wrapped his paw like feet in more leather and strapped on his shin and foot guards. Then he slid on his wrist bracers. Then he strapped on his chest plate and slid on his belt. " You may look now."
The servant returned her view to the room. At that he left and went out to the snow covered great balcony. The great balcony had a good view of the town below and was often used by the minister to address to his subjects. The manor hung over a cliff, the great hall supported by large, wooden beams wedged between the stone and cliff towering over the town. The closest to the cliff was the prison. It used to be the hall of the Weicfu until Inile's grandfather, Nume, began construction of the manor on top of the mountain. As Numetsun exited Inile began to follow him as they trekked down the mountain. When they got to the base Inile asked, " which way?"
Numetsun pointed southwest and said, " there, the people must see their ruler."
As they approached the town they saw that the wall was indeed being constructed. The town went years without a wall simply because the minister was too busy to think about it. As they entered the city they were immediately flooded with a crowd of admirers. As the two made their way through the crowd Numetsun acknowledged as many as he could. Then Inile raised his hand to calm the crowd and they moved on. The tundra was a vast wasteland of snow and scrub. Blizzards were commonplace rendering it difficult to know where you were going. However, Numetsun and his son knew the area and knew when they were heading the right way. As they climbed over hills Inile said, " father, are you sure you know where you are going?"
" Trust me. I have traversed this land many times, I assure you we will be practically at the front gate."
His hypothesis was correct for soon after they were at the front gate. As they approached one of the guards said, " halt! Your business?"
" Negotiation."
" Then go on in, halls right across the way."
With that the doors were opened and the two were in. the two immediately found the leader of the Oeyigs and Numetsun said, " you sought to negotiate?"
" Ah yes. Let us talk inside."
With that they went in the large wood hall. As the high Oeyig entered the room Inile unsheathed his curved sword. " Put that away man, you don't stay armed when negotiating."
With that Inile slightly sheathed his blade keeping a portion out just in case. The two elders spoke for a while about their relations and opportunities. Suddenly an arrow shot in through the doorway and pierced Numetsun's heart. As he fell into the throne Inile shot out his sword prompting the three guards to do the same. As they approached Inile swiftly stabbed one in the stomach, thrust it out and sliced another's throat. Then he swiped his blade between the last ones legs and left a cut sending him down groaning. Then he sliced that ones neck. After that he rushed to his father who breathed, " Inile, do not mourn, I am ready. Now is your time."
His last words were, " protect the people."
As his head slumped Inile frantically said, " no, no! Damn it no! don't die on me!"
As he waited for his father to return to life tears began to well in Inile's eyes. He turned to the high Oeyig and stammered, " you bastard, I'LL KILL..."
He was cut off when the elder said, " please, please. I was doing you, and him a favor."
" Favor? How is this a favor?!?"
" You will find out in time. Now, just run along, oh and don't forget your fathers body."
Inile growled and shoved the elder as he went and retrieved the body. As he carried the body out of the fort, he kicked the gate in with his anger. The first place he went was Gyer keep. The Gyer family was where most scholars and novice sorcerers looked to as they had some of the most immense knowledge in the realm. They would know what to do with his body. After climbing the hill the small keep sat on, he kicked open the door with his hands full and shouted, " arch mage, there is something I request you do."
" This must be important if it required that sort of interruption."
Inile tossed the bodys legs over his shoulders, carried it to the gyer throne and slung it at the feet of arch mage Iowef. The arch mage examined the body and mumbled, " hmm, arrow, obsidian tip, poison slathered all over."
" How do you know?"
" Boy, determining how someone died is no trouble for us. What do you wish we do?"
" Give him a good burial."
" Very well, we will make arrangements."
As Inile slumped out with his head hung low, Iowef motioned one of his sages over and whispered, " we'll need someone to keep an eye on him, I doubt that he is very stable."