Amber Waves - 20. Chapter 20

AARON

“My lords. My ladies.”
Prince Aaron stood tall, meeting each lord’s eyes. The taste of wolfsbane sat heavy on his tongue, his wolf silenced for the full moon. It was a necessary precaution; he could not afford to slip up. Not today.
“Today, this council stands on the verge of greatness. Six years ago, I brought a proposal to you. You denied it. Since then, I have carefully considered my position, and done what I could to prove myself to you.
“And today, we have results. We have witnessed werewolves playing football with non-infected people. We have seen werewolf children integrated with their peers with little incident, most notably with the reopening of Elias Park to werewolves. We have watched the rise of full moon celebrations as the people of Astara begin to appreciate werewolves, instead of fearing them.”
Aaron took a deep breath, resting a hand on the oak table. He paused, waiting for the reality to sink in among the gathered nobles. Werewolves had proven they were no extensive risk to the population.
“Yet I have not succeeded in my mission. Werewolves are still not full citizens of Astara, subject to the same laws as her people, given the same freedoms. In the eyes of the law, they are still second class, forced to register every year. Even the mages no longer have to do that, thanks to my mother’s campaigning.”
Another breath. He had their full attention — how could he not? The council understood Aaron now, knew how he worked, the angles he struck from. They knew they could not afford to be lax around him. And that gave him the power of voice. The council would hear him. They would have to consider his words, even if they tried to ignore them.
“Before me, I have a law. If signed into effect, werewolves will no longer have to register. Astara would finally be a kingdom based on fairness, not fear. Just as the mages, werewolves will still have to note their disease on their ID. I believe that is a fair solution to any question of werewolf related crimes. But their names will no longer be on a list, no longer run the risk of hackers breaking in and exposing every one of them.
“My lords, my ladies, I am a werewolf. I have been a werewolf for five years. In that time, I have learned the struggles of juggling my disease with my responsibilities. There has not been a single werewolf attack on the palace, despite my personal guard all being werewolves. The sample size is small, it is true, and well trained beyond any shadow of a doubt. But they are trained. We are trained to work with our wolves. We are not mindless beasts. We think. We reason. And we feel the slight of having our names lining a list like we are all criminals.
“As the Crown Prince of this realm, and more importantly, as a werewolf, I urge you all to reconsider your position. Honour the memory of King Paelias, of Prince Aeren, of Prince Consort Zaddis. Do not let their people bear the weight of undue bias. Do not let injustice prevail on this day.”
Aaron sat down, flashing the tiniest smile at his mother. She returned it as Lord Sarin stood up.
“Your Highness, I would ask you to look at your guard again, objectively. Your guard began with a neko, Itumak Nareen. On his first night as a werewolf, he raped a man. Every week, he sleeps with someone new, passing his disease further and further. He infected a member of the Palace Guard. He has disgraced the Crown on multiple occasions by sleeping with various lords, then abandoning them the next morning. You claim werewolves are safe, they pose no risk. Yet your own guard is a menace to society. A menace you unfortunately are blind to through the lens of friendship.”
“Lord Sarin, the claim that Itumak raped a man is unfounded. The man was questioned extensively after the incident, and he admitted he had been willing to sleep with Itumak. Neither of them realised at the time that Itumak was a werewolf. Consent was withdrawn and there was an assault, it is true. Yet this situation could have been avoided had the werewolf who turned Itumak followed the law requiring all werewolves to inform their partner before engaging in intercourse, a law that I have and will leave unchanged,” Aaron pointed out. “Itumak has curbed his sexual conquests at my request. To my knowledge, with the exception of Aime, who was already a werewolf, and Renshin, Itumak has worn protection every time he has had intercourse. He has never once willingly endangered his partners. I refuse to pick apart his every encounter; that seems like you are judging him for promiscuity, which is not a crime under Astaran law, and should have no bearing on this debate whatsoever.
“I would also like to counter you by pointing out Renshin. For two years, he lived in close proximity with his mate. The mating urge, many experts agree, is one of the strongest emotional bonds on this planet. Yet Renshin spent two years without ever once caving in. To this day, his mate remains un-infected. They pursue a healthy and loving relationship. Both Renshin and Itumak are extreme cases, it is true. But both have tempered themselves, both have followed the laws to their fullest extent. They pose no risk to the public.” Aaron smiled wryly at the lord. “I ask you, Lord Sarin. If the Crown Prince is willing to entrust his life to these werewolves every full moon, and indeed on every day, are they truly a hazard?”
He wasn’t trying to persuade Lord Sarin. The man was a lost cause. But if Aaron could plant the seed of doubt in any of the other council members, then he would have argued well.
“Your Highness,” Lady Mira stood up, a frown lining the elf’s face. “We have heard your side of the argument. What of the people? You claim to be the people’s prince, yet you have made no attempt to include the common individual’s feelings on this matter.”
“Public opinion on werewolves has been rising over the past decade, since the Silver Hand was put down. As of this moment, the most vehement objections to werewolves come from the Temple of Lumara. We are a secular kingdom, and we cannot in good faith allow the followers of one god to dictate what others may or may not do. Not when those followers themselves are strongly divided on the subject. And certainly not when the proposed solution is genocide.”
“I hardly think the temple advocates for genocide,” Lady Mira protested. “They merely wish to destroy the disease.”
“In the past, the Lumaran Temple was renowned as the best werewolf hunters in Astara.” Aaron held up a hand, cutting off the elf’s retort. “Yes, I know we cannot judge anyone on past behaviours, even if those behaviours persisted right up to the rule of King Finley. But we can put steps in place to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again. The Lumaran Temple is outspoken. Even amongst themselves, they are unsure of how to handle the werewolf crisis, as they like to proclaim. And there are those, high in the hierarchy, who do suggest purging the stain of lycanthropy through any means necessary. No, Lady Mira, we cannot look to religion for guidance in passing laws.”
“Both sides of the argument have strong points to consider,” Amber spoke up. “As you cast your vote, I would urge each and every one of you to set your personal feelings aside. We do not vote for ourselves, we vote for the people, and we strive to do what’s right for each of them.”
Aaron took a deep breath. It was over. They would have their answer, one way or the other.

AMBER

Sweaters, jackets, gloves… Amber had not forgotten the bitter cold of the Kalined Mountains. Or the strange warmth of the Mydaran Valley, surrounded by snowy peaks.
By the time she was finished packing, her suitcase was stuffed. Amber knew there would be more luggage, more supplies making the trip to Mydara, but Nicanei Castle had enough clothes to last her a lifetime. She hadn’t been there in years… since before her father passed.
Amber took a deep breath, forcing herself to move past the emotions. She could remember King Finley while they were flying — the trip would take a while anyway.
The queen hefted her suitcase, carrying it through the palace. She didn’t ask anyone for help, and the servants moving through the palace didn’t offer any. It was a matter of pride for Amber to carry her belongings, a personal victory after her battles.
“I understand congratulations are in order, Prince Aaron,” Captain Darren said as Amber pushed out of the palace. Aaron stood beside the car, his own suitcase waiting in the back. The prince smiled at Captain Darren brightly. “I’m proud of you, your Highness. You’ve become a great leader.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Aaron beamed.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Amber added, setting her case in the trunk. “You’ve fought hard and earned this victory, Aaron.”
“I’m going to work on the nekos next,” Aaron said. “I’ve seen pictures of the Khorsan schools, and they really need work.”
“Having a goal is good, but don’t be too narrowly focused. You can’t let other things slip through the cracks.”
Amber slid gracefully into the back seat as Aaron got in beside her. Itumak was already waiting in the front seat, and another car behind them carried more guards. Amber was almost certain they wouldn’t be needed. But she knew Captain Darren well enough to know he’d never take the chance when it came to their safety.
“You know, I was surprised the rumours of a private plane were not true,” Aaron said as they pulled through the palace gates.
“Oh gods, no. Can you imagine how wasteful that would be? I’m lucky if I can escape Astara for a week every year. We don’t need a plane sitting around, gathering dust.”
“What about emergencies?” Aaron asked with a frown. “Surely it can’t be safe to use commercial airlines if something happened.”
“That’s what the military is for,” Amber smiled tightly. “Mydara has a well supplied base in the case of any emergencies, and their pilots are the best in the world. They have to be, to navigate the mountains.”
“So why aren’t we flying on one of their planes?”
“Because,” Amber said, “we are still citizens of Astara, and we will not treat ourselves any differently than our subjects.” She raised an eyebrow at her son. “You’re not letting your station get to your head, are you?”
“No, of course not, Mother,” Aaron said quickly. “I was just curious. You hear a lot of fanciful rumours in the orphanage.”
“Wishful thinking, most likely,” Amber concluded. “What’s good enough for our subjects is good enough for us. If you noticed, I went to a public hospital during my treatments, albeit under a disguise.”
“I hadn’t,” Aaron admitted shamefully.
“You were overwhelmed at the time. It’s not every day a boy is told he’s the only hope for the world.” Amber grinned ruefully. “Though honestly, the rumours were true in the past. Queen Erin — King Finley’s mother — did have her own plane. She believed that the head of the kingdom should enjoy a few benefits of their station. King Finley put an end to that. Now, the only ones with those kinds of toys are the lords of the realm. And even most of them follow our example. That money is better spent for the people.”
Aaron nodded slowly, setting Amber’s mind at ease. The curiosities of youth… though Amber couldn’t think like that. Aaron was 22 years old now, older than Amber had been when she took the throne. Amber still had ten more years before she’d be pressured to give up the throne, but she was almost certain the elf could take over efficiently and effectively if she stepped down today.

ITUMAK

He could feel the pistol pressing against his sternum, hidden under his uniform. And it terrified Itumak. Sure, he’d fired the weapon hundreds of times at the range, under Captain Darren’s watchful eye. But he’d never actually worn one. Or been expected to use it.
Itumak followed Queen Amber and Aaron, keeping an eye out for any trouble while Captain Darren led them through the airport. Somewhere in the crowded airport, city guards kept a watchful eye, keeping the press at bay. They knew the queen and the prince were on the move; there was no hiding that. But they could not be allowed into the airport to add chaos to an already chaotic scene.
The werewolf’s eyes flicked around, tracking movement, however small. Once, he would have followed his gaze, checked out a few butts. Okay, he still did that. But Itumak was focused on the task at hand. Little Itumak would wait until later.
Through a mic clipped to his ear, he could hear Ren and Duncan confirming everything was safe up ahead, while Aime and Greggory brought up a distant tail. They reached a security checkpoint. Captain Darren murmured something to Queen Amber, and she nodded. The captain fell back, joining Itumak as the line through the checkpoint inched forward.
“Listen closely,” Captain Darren murmured. “You must present your ID to the person watching the gate. The metal detector will go off, but they will let us pass, no questions asked.”
“They will?” Gods, why did his voice have to squeak now of all times? And why was he only hearing this now? That seemed like a pretty fucking crucial piece of information!
“We are palace guards. There is only one reason for us to travel as we are. We are the exception to a rule that even Queen Amber and Prince Aaron must follow.”
The line snaked forward. Itumak watched as first Queen Amber, then Aaron, removed any trace of metal before stepping through the gate. Captain Darren nudged him forward, and Itumak fumbled with his badge.
He flashed it at the woman beside the gate. Her eyes widened, and she waved him forward.
A siren pierced the air as he scurried through the gate. It cut off, only to sound again a moment later as Captain Darren passed through. The captain pushed Itumak forward, sending him after the royals.
The quartet found seats right next to the airport gate. Itumak and Captain Darren claimed the chairs on either side of Queen Amber and Aaron. Itumak could see Ren and Duncan already scanning the area.
He felt hyper focused. He felt scared shitless. He felt like he had the zoomies, like he had to run, race around; nothing else mattered in this world. Itumak stamped it all down, ignoring the tremors in his hands.
All of this, and he hadn’t even set foot on the plane.
Fifteen minutes passed in an excruciating blink of an eye. Ren and Duncan stood up as their flight was called — nonstop to Ceos, three hours long. It confused him — weren’t they going to Sarelin first? He knew they couldn’t fly straight to Mydara, because that would extend the time spent in the mountains, increasing the risk of a mishap. But Sarelin would be closer to Mydara, wouldn’t it?
Queen Amber and Aaron stood up, following Duncan and Ren onto the plane. Captain Darren kept Itumak seated, and the neko scanned the plane worriedly.
“Aren’t we supposed to be on board?”
“We will board last,” Captain Darren explained as a line of people fed into the gate. “Watch the passengers. Take note of anyone who looks like trouble.”
Itumak’s eyes ran down the line. He couldn’t see anyone dangerous.
“Her,” Captain Darren murmured a minute later. Itumak followed his discreet finger toward an elf carrying a small bag. “She’s one of Lord Sarin’s servants. Probably heading to his winter home to prepare it.”
“She doesn’t look dangerous to me.”
“No. But she’s still someone to watch. Danger doesn’t announce itself. It waits in the shadows until the moment is right.” Captain Darren stood up, motioning for Itumak to follow. “She is probably just a passenger, innocently going about her business. But still, we watch.”
They stood at the back of the line, slowly inching their way forward. Itumak’s heart leapt into his throat as he crossed the line into the umbilical. Nerves from the flight, from Captain Darren’s warnings, warred in his stomach, and the neko shivered again.
The two made their way down the long aisle on the plane. Itumak passed Aaron at the front of the plane, and the elf gave him a nervous smile. It was his first flight too. The least Itumak could do was put on a brave face.
He smiled back.
Ren and Duncan sat just behind the queen and the prince. Itumak passed Greggory and Aime at the centre of the plane. The two stared straight ahead, watching the passengers before them with steel in their eyes.
At the end of the aisle, Captain Darren motioned for Itumak to sit. He took the seat across from the neko, sitting in the aisle seat.
“Remember, you are working,” the captain said quietly. “They serve drinks on the flight. You will not accept anything alcoholic.”
“Yes sir,” Itumak muttered.
“If any of the others move, do not copy them. Wait for them to ask. We are decoys, nothing else. If the royals are in trouble, Ren and Duncan will play the concerned passengers trying to help. You stay put. Do not let anyone know who they are.”
Itumak watched a woman pull the plane door closed. A moment later, he heard the rumble of the plane's engines. The neko sucked in a deep breath. He exhaled.
A few minutes later, the plane moved. For the next five minutes, Itumak hovered in a state of nervous apprehension.
The engines roared.
The world outside sped up.
And Itumak’s nerves bubbled over.
As the plane left the ground, pressing the passengers against their seats in a climb, the neko giggled. He couldn’t help it; he was literally floating in the clouds. The sensation of near-weightlessness flooded through him, only making the giggles worse.
And Itumak realised, there was nothing to be scared of. No, this was the best day of his life. He squeezed his eyes shut as his giggles graduated to full-blown laughter. He never wanted to let go of this euphoria.
He was born for this.