This back-to-back encounter with these two demi-human races had a profound effect on Lorian. There was so much to learn, so much to know about this world. Trying to understand this new reality from just the dusty tomes and chronicles of the Royal Library was like trying to understand the vastness of the sky from a pigeonhole in a closed room. The secrecy of the Dwarves and their true identity, the voyage of the Elves and the unprecedented business opportunity they had brought-these thoughts clouded Lorian's mind.
Next in line was the meeting with the sole Beastwoman who had been rescued. She was placed in a quarter usually reserved for high-ranking foreign military officials who came as part of a formal delegation. If Jax and Zara had not secured such high prestige in Veridia, no demi-human, let alone a Beastman, could ever dream of being placed there. However, the situation was different now, and the irony amused Lorian.
Thalric Hallowell, the Quartermaster General who was in charge of the rescued, was personally attending the Beastwoman, most probably to curry favor with the Future Lord by staying in his good books. Lorian smirked and did not disappoint him, patting his shoulder.
"Good job, Thalric. Your arrangements are impressive. You have done well."
Thalric bowed low, rubbing his hands together with a wide grin. He then stepped forward to inform the lady of the Prince's arrival.
When she had been rescued that evening along with the others, Lorian assumed she was a Black Panther, just like Jax. However, today, in the broad clarity of daylight, he noticed she was not a pure Black Panther. Instead, she possessed strange, off-white ring-like spots, the kind observed on a Jaguar. Lorian realized she must be a species of black Jaguar that existed in this world, unlike his previous one.
She held a strange gravity- an aura that commanded respect and a deeply motherly vibe. Although it was nearly impossible for Lorian to discern her age, her flowing white hair allowed for an educated guess. Lorian hadn't realized Beastmen had human-like hair, as neither Jax nor Zara possessed it.
The woman stood to greet the human, but suddenly, the cordial smile on her lips vanished as she gazed upon him. It returned quickly, however, and she politely requested privacy to speak to the Prince alone. It was a dangerous request- for a young Prince to be alone with an unknown Beastman. There was no way the Throne Guards would agree, and Lorian was reluctant to break protocol as well. Yet, he felt a desperate urge to hear what she had to say.
The lady thought for a moment, then shook her head as if reaching an agreement with herself.
"Shaira Nightclaw, Seer of the Iron-Claw Kin, bows to the Crown-bearer of the Stone Den pack," she spoke in a slow yet profound voice.
"You are a Seer?" Lorian asked excitedly.
"Indeed I am..." Shaira began, but Lorian raised his hand to cut her off mid-sentence.
"Nightclaw, you said?" Lorian raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Alpha Cub..." Shaira replied, pausing suddenly to sniff the air, "Tell me, by any chance... have you ever met my little cub, Jax?"
"You are..." Lorian's eyes widened, as he was too shocked to complete his sentence.
"You are Master Jax Nightclaw's mother?" Thalric, equally surprised, finished Lorian's thought.
"You know my son?" Shaira was also surprised.
Suddenly, Shaira lost all her grace. She forgot her position and leaped toward Lorian, grabbing his arms. Her voice became a plea, "Where is my son? Please, let me see him! Let these old eyes find peace by seeing my little cub once more. Where is he?"
Both Lorian and Thalric's faces turned grim at her request. Shaira noticed the unsettling change in their expressions, and her heart seemed to freeze.
"I... I knew it..." She dropped to her knees, "I had sensed it... the danger... my little paw... my son is in mortal peril. That is why I rushed toward the human territories and was captured. In those dark cages, amidst that hellish cruelty, when everyone else feared for their own lives... I prayed day and night. I prayed not for my own skin, but for my cub's wellbeing."
She suddenly grabbed Lorian's feet, "Please, tell me my vision was a lie this time! Tell me he is alright!"
Lorian was startled to find the old woman clutching his feet. He jumped back slightly, then pulled her up, "Please, come with me."
No one spoke. Silently, like clockwork dolls, they followed Lorian to the Restoration Wing, where Jax had been admitted along with Kaelen and the other injured. The entourage stopped in front of the room. Only Lorian and Shaira entered.
Zara was still sitting beside the unconscious Jax. The poor girl was drowsy; it was evident she hadn't had a proper night's sleep in days. She held Jax's hand in one of hers, caressing his forehead with the other. She wasn't even aware they had entered until Shaira stepped inside. Perhaps her sense of smell alerted her, for Zara looked up suddenly, coming out of her stupor. Noticing Lorian, she tried to stand, but he signaled her to remain seated.
"Master..." her voice choked, "Jax..."
Lorian walked to her and gripped her shoulder firmly, biting his lip. He looked helplessly toward the Physician.
"Your Eminence," Monroe, the physician, spoke worriedly, "The toxins have been removed from his system, and the external injuries are recovering fast. I am not well-versed in Beastman anatomy, but I believe his internal injuries have healed as well. However... I do not know why he has not regained consciousness. Maybe….. "
"Maybe?" Lorian enquired hastily.
"I suspect he was deeply scarred psychologically. This trauma is not healing, and because of that, his mind refuses to wake even though his body is mended. I am ashamed to admit I can do nothing for the spirit. We can only pray."
Zara could not utter a word. Her throat was choked with tears. In this world, Jax was the only soul she could claim as her own. She could not imagine life without him; she felt her own world had stopped at the edge of his bed.
"If it is psychological, would not prayer help him better?" Lorian sought desperately.
"I do not know, Your Highness. It is a possibility, but..." Monroe stopped.
"But what?" Lorian was getting impatient.
"But... would our Gods help him? I doubt they worship the same Divines."
"I doubt a true divinity would distinguish between us based on which name or which aspect we use to worship them!" Lorian spoke defiantly.
Monroe could not grasp the idea- it sounded outlandish, borderline blasphemous- but strangely, the Prince's words made sense.
Shaira stood speechless beside Jax until now. She slowly approached the bed, holding Jax's other hand and resting her forehead against it. Her tears soaked his fur. The bereaved mother wanted to scream her son's name to wake him, but she could only weep. Surprisingly, Zara did not question her. She didn't ask who this stranger was or why she was holding Jax. Both women were connected by their shared love for the man who lay between them.
Lorian realized that if he remained a moment longer, he would lose control of his emotions. In his past life, he could never hold back tears when seeing others cry, even strangers. That trait had followed him into this life. He decided to storm out of the room before exposing his vulnerable side to the world.
As he reached the door, a faint, rasping voice drifted from behind him,
"Mother..."