Truths from the Past: Book 5 of the Kinstone series

It’s been a day since the incident on the landing. Serasfall did indeed increase security around the estate, but kept it largely hidden. She didn’t restrict my movements, which I’m grateful for. I did spend the rest of the day behind the walls, so no real change in that.

Today I chose to come to the library for more light reading. What happened yesterday made me feel like I wanted to see if my recollections had any precedent within the city. I know the history of the Fall, yet the details are muddled if not scarce. I’m just praying that wasn’t the trigger.

I curl up onto couch with a series of books and my Orkona. The pups had followed me in after spending the night with me again. I smile, looking over and seeing the pair curled up tightly next to me. I brought along my music box, with it playing several instrumental versions of anime songs. Heh, my mom sure knows her daughter.

Fenris, of course, lies beside the fireplace, watching over the three of us. He and Athena are planning to go out later tonight. One can only guess what plans they really have. I look over to my bonded, grinning slyly. He glares at me, eyes piercingly upset with me. I grin and return to my reading.

As I turn a page, I look up to see Rhea walking over to me. “Would you like to spend some time together?” she asks. “I feel as though I have been neglecting you in some manner, given how much time I have spent with your father’s training.”

I blush looking over to Fenris, who smiles. “Go, Aria. I shall watch over the little ones.”

If on cue, the pups wake up and begin to whine. “Don’t go, Aya,” says Nelly.

“We want you to stay with us,” adds Leto. Both then rise and rear up onto me, plopping their heads into my lap.

“I will return your sister to you,” says Rhea. “But I do wish to spend time with her.”

They whine again, nuzzling my lap. I smirk, leaning over and hugging them tightly. “I hopefully won’t be gone for too long you two,” I tell them.

They whine again, pawing at my skirt before relenting. “Promise to play with us, sister,” says Leto.

“We want to chase you again,” says Nelly. I grin, hugging them again. I look over to Fenris who smiles and walks over, taking the pups.

I stand and walk over to Rhea as we both turn and leave the library.

Rhea and I then ride through the forest, going beyond the terraced gardens. I never really knew how broad her back was. While still smaller than Fenris, she’s wider than Athena. I reach over and stroke her fur, smiling at its softness. I guess wolves of all ages have nice, soft fur.

Our pace is more causal, no different than any other trip I’ve gone out on. It’s still nice however, just a girl and a wolf. Since last summer, this truly has become more natural for me. Just a fact of life I guess.

The air is soft and crisp with hints of flowers blooming all around me. Even the weather is nice today. Very few clouds hang in the sky, with the sun shining high in the sky. This really is a great day to be out for a run. This is early spring after all, and I’m also shocked my allergies haven’t kicked in at all. A little curious about that.

Rhea glances up to me, smiling. “It truly has been wonderful since you arrived here, little Aria.” Her eyes gaze softly into mine, feeling like a grandmother’s. “I have not seen Serasfall this happy in some time. For her to have another little one to love and care for.”

She then smiles, “She has come to think of you as her own daughter.”

My cheeks turn a bright rosy red as I cling to her. I then recall what she said to me after what happened at the palace. She was scared, not as my guardian but as a mother worrying over her child. I know she loves me as her own, but now…there’s this. I do love her as a mother, and she has treated me as her daughter.

She glances at me again. “My own daughter shares those same feelings. I have watched you both grow close since your arrival.” She slows down slightly and looks to me, “I am also happy to see how much she and Fenris have fallen in love with each other. I am overjoyed that she has found a truly worthy and wonderful mate in your father.”

I grin, but also feel my heart racing into my throat. While I know the two are now an official pair, but to have Rhea call them mates is something else entirely. So how does that affect with me? Does Athena really become the equivalent to a mother the same way Fenris is like my father?

We finally come to the lake, a place I’ve really wanted to come to for a couple weeks now. The lake is vast, possibly a mile wide. It’s clear, giving it a mirror-like appearance as I see the reflection of the forest surrounding it. I smile softly, feeling another breeze wash over me, listening to the trees as they sway.

I look down watching as the waves wash onto the rocky shoreline. I walk over and kneel down, smelling the cool, refreshing scent of the water. I reach into it, giggling as it instantly chills my hand.

Rhea leans over and nudges my face. “Shall we stroll around the lake?” she asks.

I smile, nodding to her as I then stand. She smiles as we start to walk around the lake. “You can be a kitsune if you wish,” she says, nuzzling me. “You never need a reason to not transform and be who you truly are.”

I grin, letting down my guard, feeling nine long and fluffy tails swish out from behind me, with my ears growing long and shifting to the top of my head. I look down, now sporting long pinkish hair.

Rhea nuzzles my face as I cling to her fur. “I truly have come to love having the both of you here with us.” She grins, “The pups are thrilled to have someone younger to play with, being closer to them in age.”

I smile, stroking her fur. “I’ve been blessed to be here with you all. I’ve learned so much, and you all have really become my family.”

She smiles, wrapping a tail around one of mine. I grin, leaning into her. “It wasn’t easy at first however. I still often think I’m going to mess up.”

Rhea pulls me close, “You have nothing to fear, little Aria.”

I smile, wrapping another tail around hers. She smiles, nuzzling my face, “I have come to prefer with tails, my dear.”

I giggle, “The pups say the same thing.”

She smiles, nudging my face. I cling to her, stroking her side. I haven’t gone on a walk like this in ages. Just me, alone with another. It sure feels like that. The last time I did was on my second date with Kenji when we strolled along the beach, only to have also been spied on by Marron and the others. I do still have that watchsphere.

She holds me close to her. We talk about my life with Serasfall and Celes, with how I truly am at home with them. I love waking in the morning to find my sister waiting for me to have breakfast in the solarium or we retreat to the study and read while Serasfall works.

Rhea chimes saying her bonded loves seeing me in the morning, how I always have a new story to tell, even letting slip a few details I shouldn’t. I blush, saying I love to brag sometimes.

The wolf chuckles, admitting when Serasfall was younger she did the same. She reminisces of her days prior to returning to Dewloura, how her pack melded into the one here. I nod as I listen, feeling the breeze catch my ears.

She then says how the pack has come to truly love me and Fenris. How they love hunting with my father and listening to tales of battles fought and the sorrows we’ve endured. I bury my face into her side, recalling each one yet again. I don’t let it drag my heart down however, never again.

I lean into her, “You’ve been talking about Fenris and Athena being together, but what about you and Cronos? It…probably goes without saying that you miss him.”

The great wolf sighs, tightening her grip around my tails. “That I do, little Aria,” she says. “He is traveling with his bonded, Aurelian. When they returned, my heart was overflowing with joy. We were as Fenris and Athena are now, hopelessly lost with one another.”

She then raises her head with pride, “The wolves in this city view my mate with true reverence. A paragon that all strive to be.” I watch her mouth curl back into a long fang-filled grin, “I would surmise he and Fenris would get along quite well with each other.”

I look to her, “Do…do you think he might view my bonded as a rival?”

Fenris and I both don’t like the idea of disrupting the balance of the pack. From the first day we met the pack, Fenris merely wished to learn more of them, and he has.

“He would not,” she replies. “In truth, Fenris and Athena could very well start their own pack, gaining wolves as time passes.” She then looks to me, “With you as its caretaker, much the same as Serasfall and Tyrion.”

I blush, “But what about Celes? Wouldn’t that alienate her?”

She smiles, “Serasfall would grant guardianship of this pack to your sister when the time comes, as is her right as elder sister.”

That still leaves to whole issue with Athena being in a new pack with me and not her. I sigh softly, clinging to her fur.

She smiles, “You carry such burdens, little one. Nothing is set, for I am merely speaking of possible future plans.”

I nod, still clinging to her fur. I sigh softly as the sounds of the lake buffeting the shore fill my ears. My tails lay low, brushing gently against the soft grass. So many thoughts run through my mind, so many ideas. It’s hard to really pin down anything.

Rhea stops and turns in front of me, pressing her face into mine. “I love you dearly, little Aria. I hope in time we are able to spend more time together alone.” She then chuckles softly, “I can see why Athena loves being alone with you and your father.”

I cling tightly to her mane, “It might become that if Serasfall can’t send me back.”

She bobs my chest with her snout. “That is a possiblity, little Aria. But as I have spoken before, nothing is truly set.”

Her eyes then peer up into mine, “However, this may be selfish of me and Serasfall, but I would love to see you grow under this family. To explore life as a true daughter of Shyair. This place is your home, and we your family. Although a brief time has passed, you are truly one of us.”

I blush, smiling as I bury my face into hers. My tiny fingers dig deeply into her soft silvery mane as my tails rise higher into the air. “I love you, Rhea.”

She smiles, “And I you, little Aria. You are a true daughter of this family.” I giggle softly, blushing even more.

She then pulls back and licks the side of my face. Her warm, wet tongue glides effortlessly up my smooth skin. I giggle more, wagging a couple of my tails.

She chuckles, “Such a child.” I giggle once more.

She then looks to me, “Would you like to go hunting with me? It would be good for the both of us. I wish to see your prowess in the forest.”

I grin, “I’d love to.” She grins broadly as we turn and head towards the forest.

We spend the next few hours tracking and hunting game. We run through the forest, chasing down several herds, and managing to take down several. Even though I started the day simply studying, it really feels good to be deep within the forest, beyond the confines of the immediate estate.

She is right about hunting together. I feel closer with her, much like how I did with Silvi or sparring with anyone I know. This is just one form of bonding, building a relationship and trust.

I admit that I would love to become a dragon and hunt. The truth, however, is that I feel more at peace as kitsune, being who I truly am at my core. I am a kitsune, now and forevermore.

I laugh with Rhea as we take down another deer, a large sixteen-point buck. The thing is utterly massive, standing easily over six feet tall and possibly weighing over three hundred pounds. The wolf matriarch and I gather our kills and move onto the next one.

We finally return just before nightfall, with me resting soundly on her back. Dragging behind us are a total of six deer and five wild boars, with the both of us capturing half. My body feels heavy, having run harder and expending more energy than I have in long while.

My ears flick as the sounds of the main gate creaking open. Rhea’s body shuffles slightly as we pass over the threshold. I open my eyes just to see the guards smiling as they bow their heads to us.

“Well I hope you both had a good time together,” I hear a voice calling out.

I roll my head over to see Celes walking towards us.

She smiles, “Fenris told me you took my sister out for a time today, Rhea.”

“We did, Celestine,” replies Rhea. “We even hunted together after speaking for a time.”

My sister grins as she gently wraps her arms around my tired body and slowly pulls me off of the wolf’s back. I blush as she cradles me in her arms, leaning over to kiss me on the cheek. I once more feel small as I’m held like this.

Rhea leans over and licks my face, baring a warm smile. “I truly enjoyed my time with you, little Aria. As I said, I hope to spend more with you.”

I smile, reaching over and stroking her face. I feel her groaning softly at my touch, even nuzzling my hand.

The wolf then steps back from us. “I should take our catch to the pack.” I nod slowly.

She smiles, nudging my face with her snout before turning and trotting off with the deer. I watch as she round the manor, disappearing behind it.

Celes shifts me slightly in her arms as she cradles me, looking down to me. “I should get you inside and cleaned up before bed.” A grin stretches across her lips, “You truly are a child.”

I blush deeply as she then kisses my cheek again. She turns and softly carries me inside, holding me close to her. I silently swear to myself, knowing I’m gonna have to make this up to the pups later on.