Strange Encounter with a Sky Dancer

by Shadow Hound

Chapter 1: A visitor from Equestria

Shadow groaned awake on his bed full of fur blankets. He smacked his lips a bit then yawned as he stretched. After that, he stared up at the ceiling with an empty feeling because he had no major incentive to rise out of bed. What could this day bring that the last several centuries haven't already brought him?

Movement and a groan beside him reminded him that he had company in his bed. He turned to his side and was greeted by the sight of a brown and white spotted earth lycan, the same wolf-like species as his own, except for the fact he has wings and a horn. He also had the burden of immortality.

At that moment, Shadow realized that he forgot her name, but soon dismissed that fact as unimportant. Whomever she was, she's but a mere pup in his eyes. He had tried to have some fun with her last night, but it was like biting into a juicy and tantalizing steak over and over again for centuries without much variety. After a while, everything gets old.

She nuzzled into his neck and proceeded to lick him for about half a minute. After that, she leaned her head back to drink in the sight of him as she inhaled his manly scent. She obviously seemed to be relishing this.

Shadow, meanwhile, wished he could remember what it felt like to have such joy.

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” she greeted her prince with a soft coo and a wag of her tail. “I hope I was pleasing for you last night. I do enjoy servicing you, Your Majesty.”

Shadow sighed with listless disinterest as he stared up at the ceiling above him again. He recalled when he used to feel more diplomatic than this, but right now he just got tired of the same old games and rhetoric.

“Get out,” Shadow ordered coldly, not even trying to hide behind pretenses anymore.

He didn't even need to look at her to notice her body stiffen.

“Have I . . . have I displeased you, Your Majesty?” she asked in concern.

“Get out!” Shadow barked more loudly. “Do not make me repeat myself.”

Sniffling with horror, the insolent little pup at least cooperated . . . finally! It was a good thing for her, too, for if she didn't . . . he would make sure she'd feel the consequences for disobedience.

After she left, cold silence sunk into the room. The same kind that he felt in his heart. The same kind that has been crushing his soul since . . .

Well . . . Shadow didn’t really recall, actually. It felt like this was the way he always was. That he was empty of all meaning. A mere “shadow” of his former self.

How apropos.

He didn’t know how long he just laid there in bed, but the noise of the pups training outside disturbed his empty train of thoughts. With another groan, he finally rose out of bed, though he remained doubtful that anything exciting would happen today.

---

Shadow flew to the top of the tallest watchtower in the kingdom, named lycans watch, just to secure his isolation a little more. Alicorn lycans may be very rare in Lycan society in the ravine, but he knew one-third of the population had wings. Still, by flying to such a highly difficult location to access, at least he had some secured isolation from two-thirds of his subjects. Hopefully they'll take the hint.

Below him, Shadow could see a bunch of pups training in a fenced-off cage match made of animal bones. He saw how they fought with each other, trying to rip each other to shreds with tooth and claw. Shadow knew that this was the acid test to see who was stronger. Who had the means and the will to fight harder than the rest? Whomever proved the best of the arena may go on to fight other champions. Onward the cycle would proceed until they rise to top dog, the beta leader. There they would remain until some other rising pup proved stronger. The Alpha leader was a position only held by Shadows father.

Shadow gazed down upon them with boredom that bordered close to outright contempt. These pathetic little mortals seemed to have such meaningless little ephemeral lives. They would never understand the weight of true time on their shoulders.

Perhaps that was a good thing. Maybe that was why he hated them so much. They get to die after a few short years, probably in glorious combat. The only true immortality they'd ever know would be the songs and statues made in their honor.

It was all just noise and paperweight as far as he was concerned.

He didn't want to admit it, especially to his tyrannical father, but he missed the connection he used to have with mortals many centuries ago. He did occasionally have comrades to lead, but it was all meaningless dribble. No lycan could truly understand him or the burden he suffered. There was no hope in a bleak, unchanging, and endless future. After all, what could he possibly look forward to that he had not already done?

Being stagnant water was poison to his soul.

Shadow slowly closed his eyes and folded his black wings on his equally black, sleek body as he tried to recall the last time he experienced any sense of wonder in his life.

As he thought back, he realized it was difficult to recall. He had to sift through so many memories and examine his feelings to them all. Moment after moment came to him, but a vast majority of those memories were too similar to another. They all just blurred together like one endlessly deep, black cavern lake.

It was a struggle, but at last he recollected one moment that stirred something within his soul.

It was during one of the rarer moments when he broke into the surface world for some mission. He no longer recalled what it was. Whatever the case was, Shadow knew that it was a night time visit because he did not want to be spotted. After all, there was a chance he might be spotted by those thrice-cursed ponies and their pathetic, weak society. A society his father should have crushed many centuries ago, especially after they banished the lycans beloved and heroic monarch, as well as Shadow’s mother, Princess Luna. After her evil sister banished Luna to the moon, her beloved lycans always howled up at the moon as a cry of protest for this grave and insulting injustice.

An injustice that should have been repaid long ago, but his father had always argued patience while they build up their forces and train their soldiers.

Shadow inwardly scoffed at the thought. Train their soldiers? Almost a hundred generations were born, lived, and died while his father waited to become more “prepared”. He couldn't help but feel like his father was stalling for some reason.

It felt a little nice to have a mystery. Craving answers to a question felt at least a little enticing. It almost made him afraid to finally get his answers. Maybe that was why he didn't put much effort into investigating that.

Aside from that, his father scared him, and there was plenty of reason for that.

But, on that last night when Shadow flew out of the ravine and into the surface world, he gazed up above and saw something wondrous . . . blackness that seemed to stretch on forever, except it was twinkling with the tiny sparks of magic born from Princess Luna's blessings.

It was so beautiful to behold! For the first time in centuries, Shadow felt humbled to notice how small he was compared to that vast, seemingly infinite stretch of space.

If he could only explore through that space and reach those infinite number of stars . . . would that be enough to fill the void of his otherwise bleak eternity?

Endless stretches of space to fill an endless life. That almost felt . . . exciting!

Shadow crawled down on the ground beneath him then turned about with his back to the floor. He gazed up at the pale imitation of the stars, for these caverns were filled with specs of crystal that glowed above. They almost resembled stars, but they didn’t twinkle like the ones in the night sky.

Who knows why?

As Shadow laid there, he tried to sink his mind back to that time when he had some feeling in the depths of his heart. It was ironic when he recalled that he almost did the same thing back then as he was doing on the roof right now; lying on his back as he gazed above.

Eventually he joined his pack when they did their duty to howl at the moon back then on the surface but, until then, he just laid there and enjoyed the sheer mystery that stretched above him. It was fun to contemplate all the possibilities that could be out there. The adventure that would have provoked made his heartache with longing, but even that pain was better than feeling nothing.

Shadow winced in annoyance when he heard wing flaps closing in on his position. He sighed through grit teeth as he realized he's about to be interrupted by some meaningless pup that he doesn't care about.

“Whatever you have to say,” Shadow growled as he snapped his eyes open which had red cracks in them, “it had better be quick and important. If it isn't, I swear I will taste blood on your neck.”

The winged lycan landed and bowed to his prince as he said, “A thousand apologies, Your Majesty, but I thought you should know we have a captured pony.”

Shadow's eyes exploded so wide that he felt like they would burst from his sockets.

“WHAT?” Shadow cried in outrage before crawled about and rose to his paws. “A pony? Here? In our kingdom?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the soldier confirmed. “He spotted us while we were out hunting on the surface world, and we didn't have our magic disguises up at the time. He spotted our true forms, Your Majesty!”

Shadow growled with raw, boiling hatred. His horn snaped with light blue and white twinkling aura as he used his magic to yank the soldier stumbling forward. When the soldier snapped into Shadow’s claws, he used it to force the soldier down on the ground and pressed his paws down into the soldier's chest and neck. From that position of leverage, Shadow roared, “HOW COULD YOU AND YOUR SQUAD BE SO INCOMPETENT?! YOU ALLOWED A BLEEDING PONY TO SPOT US? WERE YOU ALL BLIND, OR JUST PLAIN STUPID?!!”

“Again, a thousand apologies, Your Majesty,” the soldier said with a deep and frighted bow of his head, “but the unicorn popped from out of nowhere nearby us.”

Boiling hatred suddenly shifted to sympathetic concern as Shadow asked, “Oh? So the unicorn just happened to teleport near your position?”

“Ah . . . no, Your Majesty,” the soldier answered lamely.

Anger sunk back into Shadow's voice as he gurgled with acid in his tone, “Then how can you explain your gross incompetence of you and your unit for not spotting this pony in time enough to secure a disguise?”

“He came from the air, Your Majesty!” the soldier declared with astonishment in his voice and on his face.

Shadow was taken aback as he asked, “What? So . . . he fell from the sky and somehow did not die?”

“No, Your Majesty,” the soldier said with a shake of his head while maintaining his look of astonishment. “The pony actually flew through the air!” He shook his head again. “Don't ask me how considering the fact he lacked any wings.”

Thick silence descended between them for ten seconds before Shadow asked with a skeptical, “What?”

“It's true, Your Majesty. I saw it with my own eyes, and I'm not the only one,” the soldier assured. “Ask any of my squad. They may question their sanity as much as I do, but they'll tell you the same thing.”

“A flying . . . unicorn? Are you serious?!” Shadow asked with rising outrage. “Do you realize how utterly ridiculous you sound?”

“I swear on my life, Your Majesty, that I'm telling you the absolute truth!”

“You already swore on your life the moment you spoke to me,” Shadow promised harshly. “Rest assured, if I find out that you are lying to me, I will have your head on a pike. Is that clear, soldier?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” the soldier cried frantically. “I swear to you I'm telling you the absolute truth. I couldn't believe it myself, but it's true.”

Shadow sighed in irritation as he looked up. “A flying unicorn? What is this world coming to?”

“There is one possible explanation for this, Your Majesty,” the soldier ventured to say. “The pony in question was wearing a very unusual cloak. It seemed to be made of billowing clouds, yet it retained its shape even to the touch. It constantly seemed to leak out mist and sometimes flashed like a storm cloud. My unit and I all spotted the fact that the weird cloud cloak thingy billowed when he first landed. Perhaps it is a magical item of some sort and is responsible for his flight. As a spellcaster, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that he, or some other unicorn, has imbued it with such a function.”

“Based on what you've told me, that sounds far more plausible,” Shadow agreed more calmly as he finally removed himself from on top of the soldier and gestured for the lycan to rise with a flick of his black wing. The soldier immediately obeyed. “You should have opened with that report, soldier. I almost tore your throat out with my bare claws for daring to lie to me.”

“See for yourself, Your Majesty,” the soldier invited. “We have it locked up along with the prisoner.”

Shadow groaned in irritation, but at this point, his curiosity was too piqued to ignore this.

“Alright. Fine!” Shadow growled. “Show me. That's an order.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the soldier agreed with another deep bow of his head.

---

The sight of the pony in question considerably surprised Prince Shadow, primarily because of how small the stallion was. As a matter of fact, Shadow had initially mistaken this pony to be an outright foal. During that moment, an intense flare of anger surged in his heart for some reason but it calmed back down when the details sank in further and he realized that this was indeed a little stallion and not a foal.

As for those details, this particular pony was sky blue in color. He had rich yellow eyes and gray-white mane and tail which was also fluffy, kind of like a cloud. His hooves were chained to the floor with an anti-magic collar secured tightly to the unicorn's neck. A heavy iron collar and a metal chain insured that the pony could not raise his head. His front hooves were buckled to the floor, further ensuring that he was always held in a submissive pose.

This was a scrawny looking pony for sure. Between that, and the fact that he probably would only stand three and a half feet from the ground, the stallion likely weighed no more than fifty pounds at the most. Shadow could probably toss this puny pony about like a broken rag doll.

“Please tell me you at least had the good sense to hood this pony as you delivered him to our secret kingdom,” Shadow requested with irritation and worry in his tone.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” the soldier confirmed. “That's standard procedure, and I always fulfill my duties.”

There was another thing about this dinky pony that really surprised Shadow. Despite the predicament that the stallion found himself in, there was intense resolve as well as a shrewdness in his eyes. Instead of panicking, like most ponies in his situation would have done, this pony was merely assessing a potential threat.

There did seem to be a little twinkle of fear in the pony's eyes, but that only served to grow Shadow's respect more. Remaining this openly calm in the face of such fear was far more courageous than he would expect from this plant-eating species. It's as if he's been in this kind of situation thousands of times before.

Yeah. That's about right, Shadow privately decided. This pony had an almost professional sense of calm to him.

Maybe he's a spy, Shadow thought inwardly. He's probably sent to scout out the secret location of our kingdom. After all, a flying unicorn? Who would have seen that coming?

On the other paw, why would he reveal himself to my soldiers? If he really is a spy, that wouldn't make sense, especially if he really is as professional as he looks.

Speaking of which . . .

“What did he say upon landing?” Shadow asked the soldier that led him to this dungeon. “Why did he approach you all?”

“Well, Your Majesty, if you can believe it . . . he seemed concerned for us,” the soldier answered honestly.

“Concerned?” Shadow echoed questioningly. “Why concerned?”

“Why don't you ask me that?” the sky blue pony invited. “After all, this isn't just an anti-magic collar you have secured to my neck, isn't it? It would also shock me if I tell a knowing lie.”

Shadow raised an almost invisible black eyebrow on his black hide as he asked curiously, “You know what that thing does?”

The pony grinned coyly, then declared, “I am an eighty-foot tall purple elephant with pink horns and silver wings.” After he said that, he winced since he got momentarily shocked, then he went on to say with greater certainty, “Yes . . . I'm pretty sure.”

Shadow narrowed his eyes at the pony as he declared, “You seem awfully calm for a very little pony who finds himself in our paws. I wouldn't think most of your kind could hold your composure this well, unless you were trained for such conditions. Tell me then . . . my little pony . . . are you a spy?”

The pony shrugged slightly as he said, “Depends what you mean by spy. I spy with my little eye a black prince alicorn lycan who is very empty and lonely in his heart.” Shadow widened his eyes slightly at this declaration as the pony emphatically adds, “Notice how the collar is not shocking me. That means I am telling the truth as I know it.” He smiled smugly. “Thank you, dear prince, for giving me this advantage. Now you're forced to trust my every word. This will make our negotiation much smoother.”

“Let's get one thing straight here, you pathetic twig of a stallion!” Shadow growled as he cuts a paw across the air. “There is no negotiation here. You are our prisoner, and I am indeed the prince of this kingdom. I demand respect and obedience as such.”

“Fair enough, Your Majesty,” the pony accepted with a graceful nod. “Now, may I suggest you dismiss your guard before I embarrass you any further with other 'truths' that I have observed? As a leader, I'm sure you have an image to protect. If I am wrong, then feel free to let this witness observe our every words to remain.”

Oh, he's good! Shadow realized, feeling impressed. Now I can't dismiss the guard without admitting some fear of showing weakness, yet allowing the guard to remain could expose me to further embarrassing details.

Alright, my little pony, you win this round, but you shall not win another! You are our prisoner. That fact hasn't changed here.

“Leave us,” Shadow firmly commanded the remaining witness. “I'll deal with him myself.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the soldier accepted with a respectful nod of his head before leaving, for he wouldn't dare question the authority and power of an almighty alicorn prince of this kingdom.

Once he's gone, the pony said with a sigh of relief, “Ah! Now doesn't that feel better? Now we can talk more openly without impinging further upon your already stressed mind.”

“You claim you are not a spy,” Shadow reminded as he glanced narrowly at the pony off the left side of his head since his face was still directed in the direction the soldier left. “and yet you recognize my species as a lycan. That is not public knowledge in your society, unless my knowledge is severely outdated.” Shadow looked at the pony more fully. “You also recognized me as the prince of this kingdom. Should I chalk that up as yet another lucky guess?”

“Well,” the pony shrugs, “your guard did keep calling you, 'Your Majesty' so I just assumed that was your proper title. Correct me if I'm wrong.”

“No, you're not wrong,” Shadow assured. “It's just that I find that insight suspicious considering all the other facts we know about you. So, you're a flying unicorn, of all things, who happened to land in front of my unit in a fit of concern? Concern for what?”

The pony looked down with a frown as he admitted, “I heard blood gurgling screaming down below, so I flew in to see if I could render any assistance.” His face remained directed down, but his eyes looked back at Shadow. “I didn't realize, until they got illuminated with my horn magic, that I was dealing with a bunch of lycans.”

“That's another thing,” Shadow brought up. “Why are you aware of my species? We can't be common knowledge where you come from, or are we?”

The pony shook his head as he assured, “Certainly not. I just happened to be a highly educated pony who has come across a lot in his travels, including some very uncommon knowledge.”

“Highly educated?” Shadow checked. “That sounds expensive.”

The pony nodded. “Indeed. My family is quite wealthy. My name is Feather Wind, also known as Quill Scroll of House Scroll. My father runs a prestigious magic academy in Canterlot known as the Silver Horn Academy. Our family are also known to be record keepers, so we do have access to a lot of old but sacred knowledge.”

“Huh.” Shadow grinned. “It's rare for me to say this from the heart anymore, but it is very interesting to meet you, Feather Wind. Or do you prefer Quill?”

“I prefer Feather Wind, if you don't mind,” Feather Wind kindly requested.

Shadow nodded. “Very well. Since you were so open with your name, I'll return the courtesy. After all, you can't threaten me in your current position.

“My name is Prince Shadow, but you will call me Your Majesty.”

Feather nodded courteously as he said, “Very well, Your Majesty. I shall acquiesce to your request.” Feather got shocked a bit which made him wince in pain as he said, “Okay, correction. As you demanded.”

“Indeed,” Shadow confirmed. “Back to the issue at paw. You said you recognize my species because of your travels? So you encountered members of my species before?”

“That is correct,” Feather confirmed calmly.

“Now how can that be?” Shadow wondered. “My citizens wouldn't dare go on the surface world unless it is very dark or we're disguised.”

“Which is precisely why I didn't know what your unit was until I was right on top of them,” Feather reminded. “Until then, their sound is what guided me to them. I only wanted to help.”

“How foolishly altruistic of you,” Shadow taunted. “Try to help others and you leave yourself exposed to danger.”

“I have found that attempting to render such help does more good than harm,” Feather declared. “Putting aside the fact I want to, sometimes such aid wins me friends and allies. Furthermore, I usually can handle the danger far better than most others I encounter.”

“Really? You?” Shadow squinted one eye as he looked at the chained tiny pony with sharp skepticism. “I highly doubt that.”

“But I don't doubt that,” Feather reflected. “Did my collar shock me when I said that?”

“No, so that means you are obviously a fool and a waste of my time,” Shadow declared with a dull look.

“Now who is lying?” Feather challenged. “Admit it . . . you won't be able to sleep tonight if you stormed out on me now. I believe everything I am saying, and what I said has severely piqued your interest.”

“True,” Shadow agreed. “I won't deny that.”

“Then let's dispense with the pretenses and be more open with each other, shall we?” Feather invited. “You may not fully know why, but obviously I am an unusually educated pony. Enough, in fact, that I'm aware of my rights within your society. As such, I declare my intention to the Trial by Claw.”

Shadow was, again, momentarily taken aback by this pony's keen knowledge of his society, but quickly adds shortly thereafter, “That only applies to lycan citizens.”

“Not your prisoners?” Feather asked with a raise of an eyebrow. “You would deny me the right to defend my honor? That would be most dishonorable of your society. I thought better of you before, and notice the fact I am not lying. Again, correct me if I'm wrong.”

Shadow sighed in annoyance, then declared, “Look, you foolish little pony, even if I granted you your request, you wouldn't last five seconds against even our youngest pups. Skill aside, we have sharp teeth, claws, and thick hide even at an early age. You'd be signing your own death warrant if you challenged even the least of us.”

“I'm well aware of that,” Feather reflected calmly. “Do I look intimidated to you about that fact?”

“No, which leads me all the more to believe that you are insane,” Shadow replied. “At least you’re honest. Honestly insane.”

“Perhaps that is true, Your Majesty,” Feather accepted with a gracious nod. “In that case, what do you have to lose? A foolish pony signed his own death warrant in a Trial by Claw. If I die, your paws are washed of this whole affair. You get to move on with your miserable eternal life knowing one of your minor, albeit also intriguing inconveniences, solved itself.”

“Wow! You got guts, little pony, which will shortly be spilled all over the arena,” Shadow promised in an impressed tone. “I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll see to it that your foolish request is granted. Heck, I'll even root for you!”

“Quite generous, Your Majesty,” Feather said with a smile, then he nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for fulfilling my request.”

“I just want to see if you can back up your bold boast,” Shadow admitted.

“Your Majesty, I am well aware of that,” Feather declared with a sudden manipulative smile. “Also, according to the rules of the Trial, if I win, I get to be granted one request.”

“That's right,” Shadow agreed.

“Then I'll have your word, Your Majesty, that if I survive the Trial, I get to be released from custody alive.”

“Done,” Shadow instantly agreed. “If you survive the Trial, you'll have more than earned your right to that claim. In fact, you could even claim your right to be a citizen of this country.”

“Again, another generous offer, but I have my own home in the sky, Your Majesty,” Feather replied.

“In the sky?” Shadow reflected questioningly.

“Yes. My home is an airship,” Feather answered. “It is known as The Skylark.”

“You live in an airship?” Shadow echoed. “Boy, you are rich.”

“Yes, I am, in more ways than one,” Feather agreed with a soft smile. “My wife and my daughter make me the wealthiest pony in the world. The love I feel for them can fill a magic crystal a dozen times over.” Feather got zapped for that, so he corrected himself by saying, “Okay, but it's still a lot.”

“Magic crystal?” Shadow questioned.

Feather shook his head as he said, “Long story. Don't need to get into it, but that said, I do have in my possession a magic crystal. I would like that, and my cloak returned to me during the Trial.”

Shadow was silent as he thought about that for a moment.

“It's my stuff, Your Majesty,” Feather reminded. “The victor of the Trial may lay claim over it if he or she wins against me in the arena, but until then . . . it is mine.” Feather shrugged. “I don't have sharp teeth, claws, or a thick hide. I seem to be at a disadvantage here, so would you deny me this request? You did say earlier that you would root for me.”

“True, I did say that,” Shadow recalled. “Alright, then. You may have your magic trinkets back.” Shadow leaned closer to the bars of Feather's cell as he also put in, “But that won't be the only magical item we'll provide for you. I'll return your items, but you’ll also wear a magic collar that could choke you so hard that your head will pop off. Attempt to leave or violate the rules of the Trial, and I will see to it your additional magical item performs its function properly.”

“Do what you feel you must. As long as the rest of the rules of the Trial is adhered to, I have no further complaints at this time, Your Majesty.”

“Good!” Shadow stood up straight again. “Then I look forward to your Trial tomorrow. Rest well, my little pony, for it shall be your last while in life.”

Feather Wind looked at the chains that held him to the floor, then declared, “I'll admit, I had better accommodations in the past, but I'll make due.” He looked back at Shadow. “One thing is for sure. One way or another, I am leaving your city tomorrow, and I vow that I shall not divulge the secret of your society to anypony pending permission from you.”

Shadow blinked at Feather in response.

Feather Wind tilted his head a bit as he pointed out, “My collar didn't shock me when I made that statement, didn't it, Your Majesty? I will keep my word.”

Without another word, Shadow started to leave the dungeon, but he hesitated, and even looked back at the blue pony, when Feather said, “Rest well, Your Majesty. I look forward to you cheering me on in the arena tomorrow.”

Shadow fixed a stare at the suspended pony for a moment longer before he resumed leaving the dungeon silently.

---

“Your assessment, my son?” Shadow's father, King Archimedes, challenged his son from within a dark shadow in an alcove embedded in the wall. His father was not visible within that thick shadow save for his menacing, red glowing eyes. Shadow could have sworn was empty a moment ago, but he's too accustomed to this to bat an eye at it anymore.

“What do you think of the prisoner?” the king elaborated.

“I think he knows more than he lets on,” Shadow reported, “but he meant almost every word he said. He only got shocked three times, and one of them he did deliberately to demonstrate his knowledge of the collar.”

“Yes. Quite the sly silver tongue on that one,” the dark king announced smoothly. “Insolent, knowledgeable, and far braver than one of his species should be. He has obviously seen more in his short years than most creatures encounter multiple lifetimes, even ours. I noticed how he skillfully maintained control of that conversation even while chained up.”

“Your point?” Shadow requested.

“I'm interested in this little one,” the king declared. “Furthermore, I think we'll get a surprisingly good challenge from him despite his short stature.” The king narrowed one eye at his son. “Do you agree with that assessment?”

“Actually, I do,” Shadow agreed. “I've been around for a very long time now, and I rarely encountered that level of confidence from anyone. If I were you, I'd line up some of our best warriors, just in case, but do not send them in first. Let's see how the little tyke fares against our lesser pups before sending in our stronger soldiers.”

Based on the way Shadow's father's red glowing eyes moved in the shadows, he seemed to nod in agreement, then added, “I concur. I'm pleased to see that your wits and assessment haven’t dulled like a vast majority of our subjects. You will make a fine ruler someday if you get the chance.”

King Archimedes emerged from the shadow as if he was rising from a pool of tar, only sidewards.

“But fear not, my son, for I have plenty of years left in me which I will use to finish your training. When you are ready, I'll give you the throne, at least temporarily, even if I'm still alive.” He smiled wickedly. “For even a king deserves a vacation every few centuries or so. Wouldn't you agree?”

“You always know best, Father,” Shadow replied in a cold and empty voice. “May I be excused now?”

“Of course, my son. You may do as you will,” the king invited with an outward wave of a large and menacing paw.

Shadow took that cue to leave until his father calls to his back, “Oh, just . . . one more thing. Was the lady I sent you not up to your satisfaction?”

“She's . . . fine, Father. I've just not been in the mood recently,” Shadow answered semi-honestly.

“Which means she did fail to satisfy you,” the king decided. “I see. I shall punish her with a hundred lashes across the back. Perhaps that will provoke her to try a little harder next time.

“Although, if you prefer, I can send someone else.”

“I would prefer to keep my own company in my bed instead, Father,” Shadow said honestly while still staring down an empty hallway full of gothic looking candle holders and candles.

“Look at me when you say that, son,” the king demanded.

Shadow's jaw clenched for a moment before cooperating.

“Good,” Shadow's father declared. “Look your subjects in the eye when you command them. Use it to impose your will upon them. You are a prince, my son. Someday perhaps even king. Always lay a heavy paw on your authority, and never let your subjects forget that.”

Like you? Shadow was tempted to say in a snippy way, but instead said, “I'll remember your advice, Father. Now . . . I demand to be excused.”

The king smiled wickedly as he declared, “That's my son!” He waved a paw outwardly again. “Go then . . . because it is your will.”

Shadow simply left.

Comments

[Horseus lord of horses]

Shadow took that cue to leave until his father calls to his back, “Oh, just . . . one more thing. Was the lady I sent you not up to your satisfaction?”

“She's . . . fine, Father. I've just not been in the mood recently,” Shadow answered semi-honestly.

“Which means she did fail to satisfy you,” the king decided. “I see. I shall punish her with a hundred lashes across the back. Perhaps that will provoke her to try a little harder next time.

Yikes, I feel sorry for her.

[Scroll]

10598804
Yeah. The King isn't the nicest guy. This scene is meant to showcase that. He rules with cruelty, fear, and strength.

[Shadow Hound]

10598804

Yeah the King is not the nicest character ever written. I would hate to have him as a leader.

[Scroll]

I read this again because it's been a while.

Isn't often one sees anything but the first chapter in the lead in terms of view count, but there are only two chapters, most of the action is in the second chapter, and the second chapter is longer anyway so I guess this makes sense.