The next morning we left the inn and began navigating our way to the city center where the rest of our original party would be waiting. After my conversation with Andrian the night before, I felt a lot better about our impending arrival. Thus far, I’d been floating back and forth between telling myself it was okay if they hated me because I was used to being despised anyway, and wanting to be accepted and liked. Now I knew that it really could be okay if they hated me, not because I was used to it but because the people who mattered accepted me. Andrian’s dad and his friends, and the people we traveled with as well, they had all welcomed me and supported me regardless of the fact that I was human and my father’s son.  

As we moved through the city, I got to see many sights that I had never seen in Vrayna, such as clothing stores that anyone could shop at. Tailors and dress shops were commonly used by the Vraynian nobility, but in the trading city, I found stores filled with practical garments that didn’t require custom fitting. I couldn't have imagined commoner's clothing being sold in a proper store before, because it was something that simply wasn't done, but now that I had seen it, it seemed so practical. 

There were many other stores like this one, that sold almost anything one could ever need, produced in high volume and sold at prices everyone could afford. One could trade, barter, or use marked bronze coins to pay for what they wanted. I still had no idea how the Beastland currency worked, but I had a basic understanding of the denominations. The coins all had different markings on them and came in at least four different sizes. More markings and larger sizes indicated higher value, but that was all I’d figured out thus far. 

The city also had no slums that I could see. Since we’d first entered the city, I hadn’t seen a single person who looked like they were starving and everyone seemed to have their basic needs covered. The Beastlands had strict rules that required everyone to have some sort of job or role to perform. Many joined the army to protect the incredibly long border they shared with the wildlands, others opened stores to sell their wares or skills, and some took on roles that served the community in some way. As long as you did your part, the community would provide for you. There were always common pots full of porridge or stew available to those whose contributions didn’t make money, and free rooms equipped with a mattress and blanket so no one went without a roof over their head. That's what I was told when I asked my companions why I hadn't seen any slums. In short, there were none. Even the poorest beastmen had their basic needs taken care of. 

I was assured that there were sections of the city that housed luxury items as well, but the Beastland definition of luxury was probably far different from what I was used to as well. Not that I had any interest in luxury items, regardless. After years of being drowned in opulent misery, I was much happier to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, like a night of drinking with friends by a river, or time spent with the person I loved. 

In the late afternoon, we arrived at the city center. Like the rest of the city, it was beyond my expectations. There was no gate, no guards, and nothing formal to mark the location, but you couldn’t mistake the collection of giant buildings for anything else. Even as a foreigner, I knew we’d arrived in the city center without being told. The regular shops and residences were behind us, as were the cafes, inns, and clothing stores. Before us was a wide open space with six buildings centered around an enormous sandstone dome, as large as the Golden Palace yet simple in design. 

“The dome in the center is where all important council meetings and all other major events are held,” Luxania explained to me as I took in the sights, “the buildings surrounding it are where all major governing and planning take place. The first building there is the infrastructure development building. They’re responsible for building and rebuilding the cities in the western half of the Beastlands, and our portion of the great road. The next one is laws and justice, and then the western division’s social welfare office, which is in charge of food distribution among many other things. That one is the army’s main branch, the trade and commerce building, and finally the shaman headquarters.”

The six buildings were constructed in an open space, which was filled with bushes, benches, and walkways, creating a comfortable environment for the myriad of beastmen who worked there. This was where the entire western half of the Beastlands was run. 

“If I understand correctly, we’ll be having our joining ceremony in the dome,” Andrian informed me, “but I’m really not sure of the details beyond that.”

I wasn’t surprised at all by that. The original ceremony was supposed to be between Rastari and my sister, after all, not between Andrian and I. Andrian would've had no reason to know about the plans for the ceremony beforehand, and we’d been separated from the main group since right after we left Vrayna. Before we could proceed, I heard a familiar voice calling out to us.

“There you are!” Rastari boomed as he walked towards us from the direction of the large domed building we were looking at. “We thought you’d gotten lost on the way since it took you so long to arrive.”

“Ras!” Shidah called back to him, “Good to see you, my friend. Apologies that it took us so long to get here. It was an eventful trip to say the least.”

“Eventful trip, my ass. You guys just wanted to avoid doing the work!” Rastari laughed, “We’ve been here for two whole days making all the necessary adjustments, meanwhile you five have been gallivanting around, having a grand old time without me!”

“General Rastari,” Estra greeted him in a polite voice that was nothing like his usual tone, “I’m certain all involved parties appreciate your efforts, but I can assure you there was no gallivanting. As General Shidah stated, we had a very eventful trip that was both trying and rewarding.”

It was odd to hear Estra speak so formally to someone, given how informal he was during our trip. However, I supposed it was only natural for him to be more casual with a small group he was traveling with.

“Oh, is that so?” Rastari asked him, his white fangs shining brightly against his sable skin as he smiled broadly and looked over to where Estra was standing with Andrian, Luxania, and I. Seeing Estra shrink back a bit from Rastari'a attention, I questioned my previous assessment of Estra’s attitude towards him. Was Estra afraid of Rastari? No, that couldn't be it, but what was with that reaction?

Before Estra could muster up an answer, Andrian stepped forward and said, “It is. We’ve got some stories to tell you, for sure. Good to see you again Ras. How’s the preparations going?”

“Better than expected,” Rastari answered him, “No one had any objections to the switch, even before hearing any of the reason behind it. Frankly, no one cares as long as we don’t have to keep up the double front anymore.” That said, he looked at me with a mischievous smile and asked, “and how about my little human friend who so cruelly cast me aside?”

Meeting his smile with my own, I responded, “Also better than expected.”

Rastari’s eyes widened when I answered him. For the first time since I’d met him, the gregarious beastman was at a loss for words. He certainly wouldn’t have expected me to answer him, given my condition when we last parted. It was actually quite satisfying to see, having already endured quite a bit of his teasing before we parted ways. 

Luxania chose that moment to chime in with, “Ah, Ras, it’s lovely to see you struck silent for once. They told you it was an eventful trip, didn’t they?” 

“That they did,” he replied, having quickly recovered from the little shock I gave him. “That's excellent news. Come with me, I’ll show you around and fill you in on what you’ve missed. You’ll also have to fill us all in on how my little human friend got his voice back.”

Rastari gestured for us to follow him, leading us toward the giant dome.

Leaving our horses outside, we followed Rastari into the dome. I had thought it was a single large building, like the Royal Palace, but once inside, I discovered that the dome was simply a cover for a small collection of separated buildings housed within. Rastari pointed them out as we passed, acting as a proper guide for those of us who had never been inside the dome before. There were two smaller sized buildings, one for large council meetings and one for celebrations and social gatherings. Otherwise, there were several larger buildings full of the people who were dedicated to running the Beastlands as a whole. I’d known the Beastlands had no ruler, but now I saw firsthand how it was truly run by the people. A lot of people, actually. Those buildings looked like they housed hundreds of employees and officials.

He led us toward the building where the council meetings were held. Rastari talked non-stop as we were walking, explaining the details of the ceremony plans to Andrian and the others. As much as I tried to listen, I found my surroundings to be far too distracting to pay proper attention. The dome itself, made of a pale colored sandstone, made it so everything inside was shaded from the desert sun. There were no adornments or anything to decorate it, but the smooth, rounded stone was beautiful enough on its own. Various beastmen rushed past us, on their way to important things, I was sure. The two smaller buildings were both made of dark granite and the one that was our destination looked like it would reflect the sun’s rays if those rays ever found its surface. 

We entered through an innocuous looking double door made of redwood, which stood out against the otherwise stone backdrop of the dome. The interior opened up to a wide entryway with open closets filled with travel cloaks and luggage. We removed our cloaks and set down our bags before heading towards another wooden door that would lead us into the main room. I felt a little nervous now, realizing I was about to be introduced to the council of Beastlands, but I wouldn't let myself falter or hesitate. Andrian gripped my hand tightly and I knew that everything would be okay. As long as he was by my side, I had no reason to fear what lay beyond the door. 

The main council room was enormous and was styled in a way that reminded me of a Vraynian theatre. We entered at the top of a wide staircase which led to a small stage at the back of the room. Extending outwards from the stairs were row after row of long tables with hundreds of beastmen sitting in simple but comfortable looking chairs. The theatres didn’t have tables, but the seating arrangement was almost the same. On the small stage, there was another long table with four beastmen sitting at it and three empty chairs.

As we walked down the large staircase, the room slowly fell silent and hundreds of eyes slowly turned in our direction. I squeezed Andrian’s hand tightly and did my best to ignore them. It’ll be okay, I told myself, Andrian is here with me and this isn’t Vrayna. I can do this. I can be strong and not show fear. Even if I’m hated, it won’t affect me. I wanted that to be true. It really didn’t matter how they felt about me since they wouldn’t oppose our union and they needed me alive and well to end the war. However, the trauma response in the back of my mind wouldn’t go away. I wasn’t scared yet, but I also couldn’t just relax and believe it would be alright.

We reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped out onto the small stage at the bottom. I looked up at the rows of tables on either side of the stairs. Most of the chairs were filled with beastmen from all over the Beastlands. Somewhere along the way, Luxania and Shidah had left our group to sit with the other members of their tribes. I searched for them in the sea of faces but couldn’t find them. Andrian remained glued to my side and, to my surprise, Estra was still with us as well.

Seeing my pleasantly surprised expression, he offered me a rare smile and very quietly stated, “I’m not a general or council member, after all. There’s no seat for me up there. I doubt I'll be allowed to stay.”

The four individuals seated on the stage got up and approached us. They had to be the marshal generals I’d heard about. 

“Sirs,” Rastari addressed them with far more deference than when he’d been speaking to Prince Elantro, “as promised, this is General Andrian, who you’re already aware of, and this is his bonded mate, Julien de Ramport.”

The four marshal generals looked in my direction with interested but sharp eyes. I felt like they were assessing me with their gaze. It was an uncomfortable feeling and their eyes vaguely reminded me of my father. Would they also find me lacking?

One of the marshal generals stepped forward, extending a hand to me. “Welcome. I’m Marshal General of the West, my name is Jackson.” 

I took his hand and shook it, “Greetings Marshal General Jackson. Thank you for welcoming me.” 

“Just Jackson is fine,” he responded, watching me carefully, “We don’t stand on formality with non-military citizens. I was told you were a mute. I see that information was not correct?” He said it like a question though he clearly knew the answer.

While I struggled with how to respond, Andrian answered for me, “The information was correct when it was provided. He only recently recovered his voice, sir.” 

“General Andrian, I presume?” Jackson inquired with a raised eyebrow. “I heard about you. The lion general who begged his way into the delegation to find his missing human mate. You should know, I’m one of the few who spoke in your favor when the decision was made. I knew your father quite well back in my fighting days. I trusted his judgement in this. It appears I wasn't wrong to do so.”

“Thank you, sir,” Andrian replied, “Your support means a lot. From what I’ve heard, it was the deciding factor is my being included.”

“We’ve all been given the basics of your history and what happened in Humanla– sorry, Vrayna,” he said, correcting himself with an apologetic glance in my direction. 

“Um,” I interjected cautiously, “since you’re someone who spoke on Andrian’s behalf, I feel I should also be offering my gratitude. Thank you.” I bowed in the Vraynian style, lowering myself before him. “And, uh, I won’t take offense if you just call it Humanland. We're all human there, so the name isn't wrong.”

One of the other marshal generals burst out laughing at my words and said, “Julien de Ramport, you’re not what I expected at all. I’m Barryl, Marshal General of the North. Your royal folk made quite the fuss about us calling your homeland by its ‘proper’ name before this. I'm glad to see you're a bit more flexible.”

I assured him that I truly didn’t care about such things and he smiled at me with surprising warmth. I was introduced to the other two marshal generals, Zeke and Dray, but neither of them had any warmth to offer me. They watched me with guarded expressions that bordered on hostility but shook my hand and greeted me regardless. It was as Andrian said; they might not like me, but we shared the same goal, albeit for different reasons. 

“What’s with the owl?” the one named Zeke, Marshal General of the East, asked as soon as we were done with our introductions. Estra had remained silent up until that point and shrank back a little at being addressed by Zeke. It seemed that this was just his natural reaction to being the center of attention, as that was the same as how he'd responded to Rastari. I’d been travelling with Estra for multiple weeks but I was still trying to figure out how he worked.

“He’s an apprentice to the Great Owl Shaman and was traveling with these two to assist with Falyn’s recovery,” Rastari quickly explained, drawing their attention away from Estra. “As I told you, the boy was traumatized and mute when we found him. Estra has been acting as his personal shaman since we left the human palace, and I dare say he’s done a fair job of it, considering the boy can speak again.”

“Either way, his place is not here,” Zeke stated, leaving no room for argument.

Estra showed himself out and the Beastland council meeting began. The three extra seats at the table on the stage were for Rastari, Andrian and myself. We sat down and the discussion began. There was no order or agenda to follow, just a discussion where all were welcome to share their thoughts. The first part was about the joining ceremony, to which there were some major, yet minor, changes being made. The joining ceremony was sacred to the beastmen and an altered ceremony had been planned to accommodate an arranged couple that had no desire to join their spirits. As I understood it, it would have been similar to a human wedding in nature, with focus on the legal union rather than the participants. Now, a traditional joining ceremony would take place, one that would truly bind Andrian and me for life. Still ignorant of Beastland practices, I didn’t fully comprehend what the difference was, but I was grateful for the change nonetheless. 

Andrian was also able to bring up his request for reassignment, which was granted without any objections. Some minor changes would be made and another general transferred elsewhere, making room for Andrian to take charge of the guards of the lion village. The general in question was in attendance and his feelings on the matter were taken into consideration. I was amazed at the speed and practicality of the Beastland council. In Vrayna, the nobles would argue for days over the minor details, each wanting to ensure their authority and power wasn't compromised.

With the details of the wedding and our living arrangements decided, I thought that would bring an end to the council meeting. However, once the joining ceremony was settled and the aftermath resolved, Marshal General Jackson once again fixed his eyes on me.

“Now that we’ve gotten all that out of the way, let’s move onto the main point of discussion. Julien de Ramport, you claim to be witness to the murder of the first victim that started the war. Now, before the eyes of the entire Beastland council, tell us your story.”