Why is he looking at me like that? I had no idea what to make of his expression. Did I do something wrong?

Before I had a chance to worry about it though, he suddenly moved towards me. Instinctively, I backed away in fear and bumped into the chair behind me in the attempt. With nowhere else to go, I stood helplessly with my back to the chair as he closed in on me and– What the hell is he doing?

General Andrian pressed me against the chair and started sniffing at my neck. My fear quickly turned into confusion. He gripped my shoulders tightly to hold me in place as he frantically sniffed all around my neck. His hot breath tickled my skin and I couldn’t help but try to shrink away. 

“Andrian!” I heard Shidah call out to him, “What the hell are you doing?!”

Andrian pulled away from me with wild eyes and responded, “Just… just… Give me a moment.” He took a step back and took my face in both hands. He searched my face with a desperate look, gazing questioningly into my eyes. With nowhere else to look but at his face, which was close enough to mine that our noses could touch, I felt an odd sense of familiarity from that face. That mane-like hair, those amber colored eyes. A memory stirred in the back of my mind, but it was all happening too quickly to identify what that memory was. 

His eyes lit up as if an idea came to him and he took a few more steps back. One moment he was standing in front of me and the next thing I knew I was face to face with an enormous lion. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe from the instinctual fear of being that close to an adult lion, but the lion made no move to attack. Instead it made a strange whining sound and butted its head into my stomach a couple of times, looking up at me expectantly. 

“Rastari, what is the meaning of this?!” I heard the First Prince yell.

“I have no idea,” Rastari replied, frustration evident in his voice, “Andrian, what the hell is wrong with you?”

“Just wait,” I heard Amelie chime in softly. “There’s no need for concern. They’ll figure it out for themselves.” Her words seemed to immediately calm the First Prince as he didn’t speak again afterwards.

While they were shouting, I was staring dumbly at the lion in front of me. Its gestures were so familiar, but… No, it isn't possible… The lion in front of me whined again before standing up on his hind legs, placing both paws on my shoulders, and looking into my eyes. He then licked both of my cheeks with its rough tongue before dropping back down and sitting obediently in front of me. At that moment, I understood what the lion was trying to show me.

The… little… cub…? Memories flooded my mind of the lion cub I played with in the forest. Images of him whining and headbutting me to get me to continue playing with him when I was too tired to keep going. The way the little cub always stood up on its hind legs and licked my face, while I would laugh and tell him to stop, saying it felt weird. That little lion cub was the handsome young general who stood before me a moment ago? 

He shifted back into his human form and stood before me again. Despite the onslaught of memories and questions going through my head, I still had time to marvel at the fact he was fully clothed after coming out of his beast form. Beast magic was truly incredible. The cub’s father had been able to do the same thing. Now I understood why he looked so familiar to me. Studying his human form, I could see the similarities between him and his father, the beastman who was so kind to me as a child. 

“Falyn?” he inquired tentatively. 

My heart was pounding so hard I felt my chest might explode. It had been so long since I’d been called by that name. It felt good to hear my name, but I had to hold back the rush of emotions from remembering who I once was and everything I had lost. Regardless, I was relieved to see he was alright. 

“Is it really you?” he asked in a hopeful voice, taking my face in his hands once more. 

Heart still pounding, I nodded my head. He made a noise that was halfway between a laugh and a cheer and the next thing I knew, I had been lifted into the air and wrapped into his warm embrace. No longer fearful, I clung to him and felt the unfamiliar feeling of happiness enter my heart. Not only was he alive, but he remembered me and was happy to see me too. 

“If you two are done with your little reunion, would you care to explain to the rest of us what the hell is going on?” the First Prince interrupted, his vexation clear in his tone.

“Falyn is someone I’ve been searching for,” Andrian replied, putting me back down on the ground but not releasing me from his arms. “I’ve been looking for him for over nine years, actually. We knew each other when we were little. One day, he just disappeared.”

“Wait, Andrian,” Rastari said, “Is this really the one? The human you’ve been looking for? The human boy you–”

“Yes,” Andrian hurried to interrupt, “This is the human I… was looking for.”

“I hate to disappoint you, General Andrian,” said the First Prince, his  “But he is not some commoner boy named Falyn. This is Julien de Ramport, son of the Duke of Ramport. Julien, why are you playing along with this? Did my brother put you up to something?”

Startled by the accusation, I pushed back from my position against Andrian’s broad chest and looked at the First Prince while shaking my head. No, you’re wrong. I’m Falyn. Desperately I looked towards Amelie, pleading with her with my eyes. You know what I’m feeling. Tell him I’m not lying!

Seeming to understand what I was asking of her, Amelie touched the First Prince’s arm and said, “I think there is more to this than we know. I don’t know how it is possible, but Julien shares the same memories as the General. Where I can’t say their feelings are entirely… in sync with each other, the relief and joy is the same. Somehow Julien de Ramport and the boy Falyn that General Andrian knew as a child… they are indeed the same person.”

 

Things settled down quite quickly after that and a few minutes later we were all seated around the table together. Amelie stood behind the First Prince, while the four generals and myself were seated in our chairs. Andrian had pulled his chair as close to mine as he could manage and idly stroked my hair. For some reason he seemed determined to keep touching me, as if he were afraid I would disappear if he didn’t. Despite my innate distaste at the idea of being touched by a man, I found myself leaning into his caresses and had no desire to make him stop. It’s nice to be touched without pain. Having someone next to me who doesn’t hate me feels weird, but good. I’m glad I got to see my friend again. 

“So,” began the First Prince, “I think someone needs to explain to me what is going on here. I’d really like to understand how the son of the Duke of Ramport, the southern duchy, is somehow also a commoner boy named Falyn from one of the eastern border towns. Either you’re deceiving the good General here by pretending to be some old friend, or you’ve been lying about being the Duke’s son. As for you General Andrian, would you care to explain why you are searching for one of my subjects?”

I wished desperately that I could explain, but all I could do was sit there helplessly while the others discussed the situation. 

 “Prince Elantro, there is much I can’t explain about this, but I will tell you what I can,” Andrian answered carefully. “It was when I was a youngin, when I was still a cub, I mean…  anyways, it was before I evolved my human form, which is why he didn’t recognize me at first. I was out in the woods one day and came across a human boy who’d gotten so lost that he’d passed beyond the borderland, and into the Beastlands. My pa always had a fondness for humans, so when he found us, he fed him, and helped him find his way home. From then on, the kid would sometimes visit and we’d play together. He’d come once every few moon cycles, from when I was around eight until I was almost twelve. One day, he stopped showing up. I wanted to go looking for him but I couldn’t because all that was around the same time that the first woman was found near the borderland.”

I looked up sharply at that. The first woman? Near the borderland? I had no idea what they were talking about, but my stomach began churning. Instinct told me this was a conversation I’d want to escape from.

“Were you not aware?” the First Prince asked me. “Did the Duke not even educate his son about how the war with the Beastlands started?”

Shaking my head to say no, I looked at him inquiringly. So a woman being found had something to do with how the war started? I still don’t know what became of my mother’s body…  

“Around nine or ten years ago,” he continued, “the bodies of women from the Eastern towns and villages began showing up near the borderland. All of them were raped and severely abused, with clear signs of claw marks and bites on their bodies. Not all bodies were left whole, either. The first was found near the town of Rovette almost ten years ago.” 

My heart sank into my stomach at his words. Rovette was my hometown. I felt like something was clogging my throat. Flashes of the violence of that night exploded in my mind. My mother crying. The Duke’s knights taking turns thrusting into her from behind. Her screams. One of them choking her and laughing as she struggled for breath. Tarlon beating her face until she was unrecognizable as another knight violated her, all while Albrecht was forcing his hand into my pants, telling me she was loving it and that I would be next.

The lump in my throat grew bigger and suddenly I couldn’t breath. I struggled to draw in a breath and everything started getting hazy. No, no, no. Not now. I need to be here right now. For the first time ever, I tried to fight the fog in my mind as it came to take me away. But I wasn’t strong enough. I couldn’t fight it. I thought I heard a woman cry out in sorrow, but it was probably nothing. I didn’t need to worry anymore. I didn’t need to hear the voices around me. I began drifting away from myself. And just as everything around me was fading away, I felt myself being lifted from my seat and I was enveloped in warmth.

“Falyn!” I heard a voice calling my name. “Hey, you gotta breathe. Just breathe. It’ll be okay. Stay with me, okay?”  

I didn’t know who was calling me, but hearing my name, my real name, helped bring me back. Had anyone ever comforted me like this before? Warm arms held me and someone’s hand was stroking my hair. Soft words were being spoken to me, telling me everything was alright. Did I really need to go away this time? Maybe I could stay. I felt the fog receding on its own and my vision, clouded with unshed tears, began to clear. 

From my position in someone’s lap, I could see three of the generals watching me cautiously from their positions at the table. The First Prince was still in his seat, but he was focused on Amelie, who was on her knees next to him, sobbing. I realized that the lap I was in must be Andrian’s, and I turned my head to look up at him. He was looking down at me with eyes full of concern. Meanwhile, I felt a deep sense of shame at the concern he gave me. Didn’t he know that I wasn’t Falyn anymore? I was just the Duke’s unwanted, useless bastard. A disappointing mute. Pathetic. I didn’t deserve his kindness. 

I turned away from his gentle gaze and glanced down at Amelie on the floor. I watched her cry and hated myself. I understood that I was the one that had caused her so much pain. It was all my fault. Those were my tears she was being forced to shed. I didn’t know how much she had seen, but I could see it had taken a toll on her. I wished I could tell her I was sorry. 

The four generals and I sat silently, each of us lost in quiet contemplation, except perhaps Andrian, who continued to pet my head and stroke my back. He whispered comforting words in my ear, telling me it was all going to be alright now. In spite of myself I grew relaxed at the foreign yet nostalgic feeling of being comforted by my childhood friend. It felt like my best and worst memories were fighting for space in my thoughts, dragging me back and forth between sentimentality and falling into despair. 

The First Prince ignored everyone until Amelie calmed down. Her body racking sobs eventually turned quiet and she slowly got her breathing under control. The entire time she was crying, she’d had her face pressed into the First Prince’s thigh, just above the knee. He had made no move to stop her, instead he gently ran his fingers through her hair, calling her with gentle endearments and speaking calming words. Their relationship seemed to be far closer than simply master and servant.

Eventually, she looked up at me. It took her a few attempts before she found her voice again. When she finally spoke, she very carefully asked me, “Falyn, your mother’s name… Was your mother’s name Simona? Simona, daughter of Lauren, of the Eastern border town of Rovette?”

From the way everyone in the room was watching me, I could tell my answer would carry a lot of weight. I nodded in answer to her question. After my affirmation, the air in the room suddenly became heavier. 

The First Prince immediately cut into the conversation. “Juli– er, Falyn, I suppose, this might be a hard question, but I need you to answer me honestly. Do you know anything about how your mother died?”

Hearing his question took my breath away again. I think I nodded before frantically shaking my head, trying to force out the memories that threatened to invade my mind again. I held my head against the onslaught of violent images and felt Andrian squeeze me tighter, as if he were trying to protect me from my own thoughts. I couldn’t make it stop though. Memories I’d fought long and hard to suppress battled their way back into my mind, and I wasn’t the only one being forced to see them.  

“They made him watch.” Amelie’s gasping voice echoed through the quiet room. “They made him watch for hours, and… I-I-I can’t. I need to leave. I don’t think I can take anymore.”

Amelie shakily dragged herself to her feet and stumbled towards the door. A gasp and a sob escaped from her right as she was exiting. I felt terrible. I knew all too well what it felt like to have that kind of stuff in your head. 

The First Prince looked regretfully at the door his maid had just exited out of, but it seemed he had resigned himself to staying where he was. No matter how much he wanted to chase after her, he seemed to know that now was not the time. He sighed and turned back to me with a serious expression on his face.

“Haaah, I don’t want to keep making you talk about this, but there’s still one very important question I need to ask you. I won’t ask for details. I’ve never seen Amie react like this before, so I can’t imagine how hard it must be for the person who experienced it. So for now, I will ask you one last question and then we can leave the rest for later. Was it beastmen who did that to your mother?”

Shocked by the question, I immediately shook my head to say no. The beastmen’s faces turned grim at my answer. I understood now how my father’s knights had gotten away with such vile crimes.

“I had a feeling you might say that,” sighed the First Prince, “I suppose that’s a good thing in the long run, but it brings up a whole new list of problems… However, I promised that would be all for today, but on the morrow I will have some more questions for you that I hope you will be prepared to answer. Tonight we must hold the engagement party, assuming you are willing to proceed. If you do, there is a lot riding on tonight as we have to convince the nobility that I’m not selling one of our citizens into slavery for peace. But I'm afraid that I must leave the decision to the five of you to make. I will send servants to ready you in a couple of movements. Just send them away if you wish to refuse.”  

With that, he left the room without any proper goodbyes, undoubtedly hurrying after Amelie. I was left alone with the four beastmen. Now that I’d calmed down, I was very aware that I was still seated upon one of those beastmen’s laps. Realizing my position, I felt the blood rise to my cheeks and I awkwardly tried to free myself and climb down. Andrian clearly had no intent of letting me get off, as he tightened his grip on me and buried his face into the nape of my neck. I looked around at the other faces and realized that not only did we have a rather indulgent looking audience, but the man who would be my husband was watching us closely.

Rastari let out a booming laugh and said, “I think I’ve had my bride stolen from me!”

“You couldn’t come between such a sweet little pair, could you?” responded Shidah, who looked somewhat amused at my discomfort. “If the humans can change the marriage partner at the last minute, I suppose we can make a little swap ourselves now, hmmm?”

“Ah, yes, I suppose we could.” Rastari turned to look at the two of us that were sharing a chair. “What do you say, Andrian, should I forfeit my claims and let you take my place?”

“Rastari,” Andrien said with an indecipherable expression, “Would that truly be okay?”

“Of course, my friend. Given the circumstances, I couldn’t in good conscience proceed. The treaty doesn’t need me, it just needs a general of the Beastlands.”

Coraggio, who had mostly remained quiet through everything, picked that moment to chime in. With his wolfish grin he started in, “So, Andrian. Does that mean you get to take this as an opportunity to marry your first l–”

“Friend? Marry my first friend?” Andrian interrupted him with what sounded like a hint of a threat in his voice. My brain was spinning and I couldn’t quite process everything they were saying. It sounded like they were suggesting I marry Andrian. Were they serious? 

“What do you think, little human?” Rastari asked me with a sly smile. “Would you like us to do a little swap out so you can marry your friend here instead of me?”

They were serious. But well, I supposed I had to marry one of them anyway. The treaty between our nations was supposed to be a marriage treaty and if either side refused, we could be thrown back into chaos and war like my father and the Second Prince were hoping for. Wouldn’t it be better to marry a friend rather than a stranger? I wonder what it would be like if I married him… I bet Andrian would be a good husband. I was surprised to realize that I didn’t find the idea objectionable at all. In fact, I was pretty sure the idea made me feel a little happy. I looked behind me at Andrian and realized he was watching me, waiting expectantly for my answer. Not fully understanding my own heart, I turned back to Rastari and nodded my agreement.    

“Really?” Andrian asked in disbelief. I guessed he’d expected me to say no.

I looked him in the eyes and saw hope and nervousness reflecting back at me. I felt the overwhelming urge to run my hands through his mane. Despite the fact that he was a fully grown lion beastman, I couldn't help but think he was cute. Cute? Did I really just think that a powerful beast general is cute? I was glad that the person who could sense my thoughts was no longer there. I managed to give him a small smile and a nod before I became too embarrassed to look at him and hid my face in his chest. 

I really just agreed to be his bride, didn't I?