Where Foxes Make Their Beds

Aidan finished packing his things into his saddle bags and laid them next to his father’s.  His father’s old armor lay on the table.  Aidan had not known his father was a captain.  His father had already left to call on Alpha Connor.

            Aidan made his way up to his bed.  He had changed into his night clothes.  As he entered his room he saw Riley looking up at him.  He sat down next to her.  She grabbed his hand.

            “I want to apologize about the dance.  You have always been a dear friend to be,” Aidan told her.

            “I heard about your wolf-toy.  The whole of Mid-town is talking about it and it’s whispered of in Low-town and I’m sure it’s known in High-town by now.  You haven’t lain…”

            “No Riley.”

            “Good.  Then lay with me before you go.  You deserve a fox for your first, or is me being a commoner an issue,” Riley said shifting herself to sit up.  Aidan then realized that she wore no clothes.

            “Riley it isn’t that.  I’m a blacksmith and I spurn this bloody title,” Aidan said.  He could feel his face flush.

            “Then what is it,” Riley asked.  She pulled Aidan closer to her till their lips touched.  Aidan said nothing.  He left himself in Riley’s arms.   

            Ronan walked into the Grand Hall.  The steward tried to detain him, but Ronan easily pushed past the man.  Alpha Connor emerged from the maps room then.

            “Ah Ronan, how are you my friend,” Alpha Connor said spreading his arms wide in mock welcome, “How’s your son?”

            “You b*****d.  How dare you go behind my back and do that to my son,” Ronan roared.

            “Do you not want your son to be better than yourself; to be more than just a blacksmith.  You had the chance yourself, Ronan,” The Alpha said. 

            “We will not submit.  You cannot have it.  As long as I live you won’t control a drop of it,” Ronan spat.

            “Ah, but now I have Aidan.  You haven’t even told him, have you.  He doesn’t have a clue,” Alpha Connor said.

            “He knows the important piece, that you have yet to best me,” Ronan replied.

            “I don’t know about that.  I am the Alpha, I have control over your son, and eventually you have to die, so I win,” Alpha Connor sat upon his seat on the dias looking smug.

            “You can’t have me killed, so you send my son to his death.  A round about way of accomplishing what, if his blood runs in my veins,” Ronan asked.

            “It is true he could die, but somehow, I doubt that.  You still live, so why should I worry,” the Alpha said.

            “You owe me a favor, which you must agree too.  I am resuming my old rank and I’m going with Aidan,” Ronan said as the steward whispered something into his ear.  The Alpha smiled.

            “You know what happens to a lord who mates with a commoner, Ronan,” the Alpha asked.

            “They’re stripped of their title, and the child is aborted,” Ronan replied, “how does this have anything to do with anything?”

            “Because it gives us what we want Ronan.  You can go with you son; both of you to your deaths I hope.  And I will pardon your son’s crime in exchange for his unborn child,” The Alpha replied to Ronan with a wicked smile.

            “Excuse me,” Ronan asked.

            “Your son and miss Riley.  I’m sure the girl will be with child soon enough.  She will carry the child to term, in ignorance of my knowing, and Aidan won’t know, because you are ordered not to speak of it, and I will get what I want.  Riley and Aidan will be pardoned, the child will be mine, your family will be ruined, and I will have my revenge, and the one thing that I’ve sought for so long.  How the world plays into my hand Ronan,” Alpha Connor said.

            Ronan stood dumbfounded.  Slowly his face darkened with rage.  The order settled around him like chains on a prisoner. 

            “I’ll play your game.  This is one battle we have yet to finish Connor.  Neither one of us being able to best the either.  You being the Alpha, and me being what I am.  I will find a way to stop you,” Ronan said barely audible enough for the Alpha to hear him. 

            As he stormed out of the hall, the Alpha called after him, “You should be proud Ronan!  Your line will yet see the Alpha seat again, just with my hand to guide it!”

            Ronan did not bother himself with the Alpha’s words.  He was already working on a plan to save his son, their reputation, and his grandchild if what the Alpha said was true  As he neared the forge and his home, he saw a female figure slip out of from the house and make their way down the lane.  Ronan had his confirmation.

            As he entered his home, he could see both his and Aidan’s belongings packed into their saddle bags.  He would have to retrieve a horse from the stables before they left.  He mentally noted to bring his old commission with him to procure the animal. 

            Aidan was upstairs, sitting on his bed.  Ronan studied his son for a few minutes before sitting down.  He breathed a heavy sigh as he sought to find the right words.  He wanted to tell Aidan about Riley, but he could feel an oppressive weight when he tried.

            “There is something we need to discuss, lad.  When the first Alpha of the foxes came to be the Alpha; we were a small people back then.  We had only one coat color.  As our clan grew and migrated and adapted to out surroundings our coats change.  You know this as well as any fox should.  Well a day came when his descendants left the clan.  No one knows why they left or where they went.  They eventually came back.  That is the part most people don’t know, but they did not fight for the Alpha Seat.  They decided to remain silent and live in peace.  This lone of foxes are very powerful in blood and power.  This is the Pure Bloodline; which runs through both your veins as well as mine.  Blood the Alpha would use to have supreme control over all foxes, and even some weaker Omegas of other clans.  Lad, we can’t die in this war, we need to fight and find a way to stop Connor.  I will not have our blood used to enslave our people.  As a commoner, he cannot use me, but as a noble, he can use you.  As you gain power and reputation he will act more through you.  He will do this until he finds the last part of what he seeks, and then he will kill us and our blood will run in his veins, and I’ll be damned if that happens.”

            Aidan sat for several minutes.  He did not know what to think or say.  The world was changing around him and it was happening faster than Aidan could keep up.  He swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

            “What will be, will be.  This is a lot to take in and I’ve come to realize that my place is in the forge, but in order to stay there I have to fight for it.  We go with the wolves and think of a way to counter the Alpha.  When this is all said and done, I don’t know if I will return to the forge fires father, but I will see to it that you don’t get caught up in my troubles,” Aidan said to his father.

            “Bloody hell lad, your troubles are my troubles.  I’m your father for goddess sakes.  You need to play the game for now.  I have a plan, but I don’t know if it will work,” Ronan told his son.

            “What do you plan on doing,” Aidan asked.

            “I plan on going Lone.  Then if the world goes to hell, I’ll challenge him for the Alpha seat,” Ronan said.

            “You don’t want to be a noble,” Aidan replied.

            “I’m well aware of that fact lad.  Thank you for telling me what I do and do not want.  Our bloodline is too precious to lose,” Ronan said.

            “Then why send me to war.  If I die, what use am I,” Aidan asked.

            “He gave me an answer when I asked the same question, but I think I only got half the answer.  Tell me boy, what class of wolf is your Stormy,” Ronan asked.

            Though they were not officially courting, Aidan felt a stab of guilt at the sound of Stormy’s name, “She is the youngest daughter of the Wolf Clan Alpha.”

            “Then your children, if you two were to mate could hold dominion over both foxes and wolves, with your and her bloodlines.  He seeks to kill you, but he cannot have it done; only put you in situations where death is possible.  If you survive the war, then he will try another tactic,” Ronan said.

            “Then he denied your request,” Aidan asked.  Ronan saw an opportunity to circumvent the order.  He thanked the goddess for a bright son.

            “Know he granted it,” Ronan said.  Aidan looked confused, “Only one of our line need be alive.”

            Aidan’s eyes opened wide and the blood drained from his face.  He felt faint.

            “He knows.  Father I sorry.  It just happened.  I know it was improper.  Father what am I to do,” Aidan asked pleadingly.

            “Not much you can do for now lad.  Sleep, we have a busy morning,” Ronan said as he stood and left the room.

            When Ronan left, Aidan could not sleep.  He sat for a long time thinking about all that had transpired since he met Stormy.  A chance encounter with the girl had turned his life inside out.  He could not feel resentment towards her though.  Riley was an accident, the war was going to happen regardless, and if it took a meaningless title in order to see her with her father’s approval then so be it.

            Aidan got out of bed and grabbed his cloak.  He put his boots on and stepped carefully do the stairs so he wouldn’t wake his father.  As he stepped outside the night air sent bumps across his skin.  Aidan pulled his cloak closer to ward off the frigid air. 

            Aidan moved quickly and with the litheness that only the fox clan could possess. Foxes didn’t wear the heavy armor or wield the massive weapons of the wolves, and the army itself consisted of more archer units than any other, and only the officers and the guard ever rode horses.  If Aidan had joined the army instead of being an entitled, drafted officer of the guard; he would have been issued light, close fitting armor and a bow for sure.

            Aidan pondered on how being his father’s son, and a black smith had so greatly impacted his life.  It seemed like the hundredth time that the rush of memories over the last few days invaded his mind.  Aidan pushed the memories towards the back of his mind and continued on towards his destination, Stormy.

            As Aidan reached the gates of the Alpha’s castle, the night guards saluted and allowed him to pass.  News of my new station travels fast, Aidan thought.  Aidan walked through the Grand Hall and into the maze of corridors that made up the guest wing.  Every time he pasted a guard they saluted and he moved past.

            When at last he reached Stormy’s door he knocked three times softly so as not to alert anyone.  A very sleepy and disheveled Stormy answered the door.  Even half asleep, with her hair a mess, Aidan found her to be beyond beautiful.

            “Hello, my fox,” Stormy said through a yawn.  She offered him a smile and pulled him into the room.  She took him by the hand and they sat on the bed.

            “Stormy I have to tell you something and you might hate for it,” Aidan said.  Stormy gave him a quizzical look.  Aidan told her everything he could remember about his blood, becoming an officer, and even about Riley.  Stormy sat patiently and did not let her emotions show until he was finished.

            “We have only just met, and I cannot be too angry with you, but if you plan on being with me, then you have to know that wolves mate for life.  Whatever becomes of this girl and her child is of no concern of mine.  I understand you will feel obligated to the child, but as to matters of the heart, we belong to each other.  I will not follow you as my alpha-mate if you go behind my back with some hussy,” Stormy told him.

            “She isn’t a hussy Stormy.  I don’t even know how it happened,” Aidan said trying to defend Riley. 

            “As for your blood, this does complicate things.  If we were to mate, the resulting child would hold power over foxes and wolves.  Being the daughter of an alpha, if even being the youngest, still gives me some dominion over the lesser Omegas of the clan.  We will not tell my parents of this.  We will keep it to ourselves for now.  Besides we have a war to fight.  Let us put all this in the past and focus on the coming war.  We will deal with it later,” Stormy said.

            “Alright, but I’m still trying to make heads and tales of it all still myself.  You look tired,” said Aidan.

            “Really fox.  I do?  That is probably because you woke me,” Stormy replied.

            “Yeah, sorry about that.  Go back to bed Stormy,” Aidan said.  He kissed her on the cheek.

            “Oh no.  You’re not leaving this room.  Lay with me,” Stormy said.  Aidan’s face flushed at the mention of the word “lay.”  Stormy laughed and shook her head.  Her hair flying wildly about.

            She pulled him down unto the bed, “I’m not as easy as that fox girl.  You have to work if you want be to give you myself.  I’m pure you know.  Untouched.”  Aidan could hear the teasing tone in her voice.  He kissed her passionately.  Stormy eagerly returned the kiss.  Stormy snuggled up close to Aidan and absentmindedly traced her nails across his skin.  The feeling quickly brought Aidan into sleep.  Stormy followed him shortly after.