Chapter Text
Long ago, there was endless war. On one side were the great Beasts, creatures that were animals in the shape of men, and on the other side, was humanity. Despite the terrible difference in power beasts had over humans, they did not have the numbers and strength to subjugate beyond their realms.
Thus, the wars finally came to an end. Both sides remaining utterly isolated from one another, with only one exception.
The beasts demanded a token of submission. A human sent to the lands of beasts every year to be sacrificed, devoured by the Beast King himself.
The mighty king sat upon his throne, in all his verdant regality, his head the head of a wolf with green fur and his body clad in royal robes, an almost bored look about him as he studied this year's sacrifice.
A young woman, by the look and smell of her. But even that flimsy dark cloak of hers could not hide the chains on her wrists or ankles.
"Remove her hood," the king ordered.
A large bear stood near her, pulling the hood down.
The Beast King tilted his head and narrowed his gaze. Instantly, he knew this sacrifice was different.
Besides the chains, she also wore a loose and plain black dress. Likely just to cover her modesty before she was killed. There was also a metal collar on her neck, attached to it was a large metal disk with an inscription on it.
Her skin was grey, while her eyes and hair were purple…a strange coloring indeed for a human.
But the thing that caught his attention was not the color of her eyes, but the look of them.
She wasn't afraid.
"Think they're trying to cheat you with this one, Green King?" the bear asked in an almost playful tone. "Seems a bit scrawny and low on meat."
The sacrifice glanced up at him. "I doubt human tastes that good," she remarked without fear. "Besides, don't dogs prefer to naw at the bone?"
The King rose, and the bear man stepped back instantly.
The Beast King walked up to her, his claws gleaming from the torches that illuminated the room. She stared up at him without so much as flinching. Even when he reached out suddenly, his hands poised to tear out her throat or even her heart. Instead, he grabbed the ring around her neck and ripped it off, the metal chains sliced without effort.
He held it up and studied the writing, his scowl growing. He looked back and saw the human was interested now. "What is it?" he asked warningly.
"You can read human script, "she noted in surprise. "Didn't know there was a reason they left that on."
"Old King Green doesn't mind them sending their unwanted criminals," the bear explained with a chuckle. "Likes to know what he's eating exactly, eh, Grass King?"
She looked to him again, but now actually paid attention to his look. He seemed to be covered in a stone-like armor that covered a lot of his body, and even one of his furrowed eyes, wondering if that was useful or practical, but ultimately didn't question it.
"Why do I keep you, Cy?" The King asked with a snort.
"Grays would drive you crazy?" The bear answered, sounding more a factual reminder than a teasing point.
The King hummed, in agreement most likely. "Stone is correct. I like to know what kind of human I'm ending this year. And if they're actually guilty," he said, finally looking back to her properly. "Rachel Roth, is it?"
"That is the name my mother gave me, yes," Rachel answered neutrally. "Do you always chat up your food?"
"Normally they're blabbering and pleading for mercy before I have the chance," he retorted, holding up the disk again. "This says you are guilty of being a witch."
Stone started at that, looking to Rachel in surprise.
"I've never eaten a witch before, not even someone falsely accused of being a witch," he remarked. "So. Are you?"
Rachel kept his stare as she answered. "I don't know."
"How do you not know something like that? That's like me saying I don't know I'm the bear that runs the royal guard," Stone remarked in bewilderment.
"They burnt my mother for being a witch, so I can't exactly ask her, can I?" Rachel retorted bluntly. Stone started at that, if only slightly.
"That's enough. Stone. Leave us," the king ordered.
"You sure you're not going to get mind controlled by her?" Stone asked, only half teasing.
The King's eyes fade to a pure void of white, a rumbling in his throat as the air grew thick and heavy.
"R-right, got it King," Stone said with a nervous sweet.
Rachel watched him leave through the two grand doors of the throne room. "That was rather rude. He was just wor-"
Rachel was cut off as a hand wrapped around her neck, picking her off the ground until only the tips of her toes were holding her up.
"Did you want to smell for diseases?" she asked evenly.
He narrowed his green eyes. "More than a few have pissed themselves in fear, being where you are. But you're not afraid. You do get I'm going to kill you, right?" the King asked bluntly. "That within the next few days, I am going to tear your body to pieces and feast on your flesh?"
"Trust me, they made that very clear before sending me off," Raven grunted out, grasping on his wrist for support.
"Then why are you so calm about this?" he asked with a glare that made her shiver a little.
She had the audacity to practically ignore him, rubbing her hands over his wrist. "You have nice fur."
Of all the things the human could say, that was nowhere in his expectations. "...Thank you," he said, lowering her to her feet and releasing her neck.
"You know my name," she said, rubbing her neck a bit. "What do they call you, besides King of Beasts?"
The King turned and regally returned to his throne. "I don't have a personal name, I never needed one," he answered, eyeing her once more. "It's still some nights away before I intend to eat you. Until then, I'll keep you close, and see if you're still so brave by the end."
Next Day
"Hey, King? There a reason you're letting your snack roam about?" Stone asked the green king. "I don't care, but you know, everybody talks? And Rob will have all kinds of new headaches when he gets back.
"They can tolerate her for a few days," the King said uncaringly, arms crossed as he looked out over a balcony. "If they become a bother, tell them to voice their concerns to me."
Stone chuckled at that. "They care about keeping their own skin too much for that. There a reason, though?"
"She's not afraid and hasn't tried to run yet. I'm curious to see if that will last," the king remarked.
"Right, and that's all, Green King?" Stone asked rhetorically.
"What else would it be, Stone?" he retorted warningly.
"Look, all I'm saying is that you want to keep her, keep her! You're the king, and you're more than willing to throw that weight around," Stone said, glancing down at the king's relatively lithe form. "Metaphorical weight, I mean."
"You presume a lot in saying I want to keep her!" the king retorted with a glare.
"Alright, alright," Stone said, lifting both hands in surrender.
The King stared at him for a long moment. "Even if I hypothetically did do that, imagine the headaches that would cause. Some might even accuse me of going soft on humans."
"Grass, just keep her as a royal pet or something," Stone said with a sigh. "I doubt they care as long as you spin it as humans acknowledging the power of the Beasts."
"...Did you just say pet?" the king repeated with a narrowed look.
"Hey, it's your palace. I just guard the place, I don't know what you do behind the many, many closed doors," Stone said with a sage nod.
The wolf continued to stare at him.
Stone refused to look at him. "I'm digging the hole deeper, aren't I?"
"Canyon wide, Cy, canyon wide," the Beast King answered flatly.
"Your Majesty."
Stone was saved from the conversation as they both turned to see Rachel herself had arrived, free of her bonds.
"Speak of the morsel, she appears," Stone joked with a grin.
"Is there any particular reason you left my room?" The King asked idly.
"It's my last days alive," she reminded, looking out at the violet skies. "I thought I might enjoy the sights. It is kind of beautiful here. More than I thought."
The King looked out again, actually taking in the view this time. The skies of the Beast Realms were shrouded in a purple miasma, a magic fog that blocked the sky while still allowing daylight to illuminate the lands.
The palace was made from green granite, carved into walls and pillars much more. The soft color beguiled the strength and size of the palace. Beyond it was the city over which he ruled as his capital; a forest of small stone buildings with the occasional large one dotting the landscape, all surrounded by a sturdy wall. The entire city rested on top of a small plateau of sorts, like the top of a mountain had been cut off near the base and the "stump" left for them to build upon.
Beyond that was a barren wasteland dotted with pools of green waters. In the light of day, they seemed to glow.
Yes, it was beautiful in the eyes of beasts. He was surprised to find it the same in the eyes of a human though.
"Just don't get lost or anything. If someone thought you tried to run off, well, nobody would be happy with that," Stone cautioned good naturedly.
"Of course not," Rachel said, as if it was obvious. "After all, that might restart the war."
Stone laughed awkwardly. "I wouldn't say quite that far," he said, growing silent after being the only one to laugh. He coughed and quickly changed the topic. "Well, I hope you've rested up. We'll be heading out soon, and the King doesn't want to leave you here to be gobbled up by someone else."
"Hmm?" Rachel tilted her head, looking at the King.
"Things aren't always peaceful in my lands. Occasionally, I have to remind my subjects why I am King," the wolf answered ominously.
"...Why are you King, exactly?" Rachel asked with a head tilt.
Stone stared at her. "Side Dish, you are crazy. I know you're already on the menu, but really?
The Beast King looked to her with a raised eyebrow, silently asking for an elaboration.
"I mean, I'm sure some of the races have issues with the wolf ruling over them, right? Or, well, any specific kind of beast really," She mused curiously.
"Ahh. That. I forgot that I hadn't shown you," he said, turning to face her fully.
Rachel watched in fascination as the form of the king shifted; first into a lion….than a bear, a deer, a bunny, a snake and each one the same verdant green. Finally, he returned to his lupine form. "The royal family can take on the form of any creature."
"So, you're basically considered a member of every race of Beastkind," Rachel deduced in fascination.
"Hmm, got a clever meal, eh, King Green?" Stone said meaningfully. "Almost be a shame to eat her, eh?"
Rachel looked between the two as the King looked to Stone pointedly. "Don't you have soldiers to order around?"
Stone chuckled and headed off, leaving the unusual pair to themselves.
"Afraid I'll run off if you leave me alone, or that I really will get eaten?" Rachel asked with her arms crossed.
"You're more likely to run away with me. We'll be near the border," he informed casually. "It's just like you said. These are your last days. You might as well as see something beautiful before you die."
Later
Rachel sighed as she sat in the royal carriage.
"Not fond of traveling like this?"
Rachel looked to the King, noticing he was drumming his fingers on his crossed arms, looking out the window. "The carriage is fine. I'm just a bit tired of this though, after the rides I had to take to get to your castle," she answered, glancing out at some of the royal guards, riding those same horse-like creatures that were definitely not horses. "Those things, the animals pulling the carriage and the others ride on? What are they?"
"Hmm?" The Beast King looked to her in surprise before understanding came to him. "Those. They're called Kirin. I suppose there are no more in the human realms."
Rachel nodded, looking out over the land. "The humans say that the Beast Realms are a land of death and misery for everything else. Nothing grows under the cursed skies, and all there is to drink is a foul ooze that bubbles from the earth across the wastes."
"Is that what humans think?" the King asked in interest.
Rachel nodded absently. "I had my doubts, but I can at least see why they might think that. How do creatures survive here with hardly any plants? I never saw a farm or anything like that?"
"The pools of water are called Lazur Springs. They satisfy our thirst and hunger. In fact, there is little distinction between the two for most Beasts," he explained. "One part is right, the taste isn't that great. Flavoring Lazur is a popular job."
"Interesting," Rachel said, looking up to the sky. "And that?"
He snorted. "Depends on which story you believe. Some say it was a gift by the gods to help keep humans out, others think it was casually when the draconics had a civil war, their corpses creating this perpetual miasma. A few even think it is merely a side effect of beasts living on the land, slowly altering nature around us to suite out needs. Who can say, really?"
"That doesn't really answer what it does though," Rachel prompted, still curious.
The King tilted his head. "It does stop most plants you know from growing, and it rarely ever rains here to begin with. And..." he trailed off with a somewhat annoyed look. "Why are you so interested anyway?"
Rachel looked to him. "I liked learning new things. I can't read beast script, so asking questions is all I can do."
"You'd spend your final moments of life reading?" he asked with a furrowed brow.
Rachel raised a single eyebrow in challenge. "Is there anything better to do for a human in your palace, your Majesty?"
He raised no point against that, knowing he couldn't.
Still, he couldn't deny that this human was interesting.