For a while now I have been thinking about how to do chapter 4 and nothing has come to me. So after sitting down and rereading my first 3 chapters over and over, I felt many changes were needed to bring chapter 4 to life. One of the major changes was that I gave Sapphira more role within the story as I felt it was a little too focused on Lucian which left it unbalanced in my view. Another was I wanted more dialogue not only between Sapphira and Lucian but to have them interact with the other characters too, along with changing some of the scenes some and adding more to them to spice it up so I hope you enjoy the reborn Howling Roar.
Chapter 3: Guilty to a Fault
Lucian groaned a little as he finally came to, his ears flickering slightly as he rubbed his head gently to try to relieve the headache he was experiencing. Even though it was pitch dark around him Lucian could tell he was chained up in the back of a rather large prisoner wagon that was moving at a rather fast pace. His eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness glowing slightly green as he took a closer look at the cold iron chains holding him. Not only were they reinforced iron, but he could sense a slight magic to them meaning that the moment he attempted to break them something nasty was bound to happen. The cool crisp feeling and scents upon the air could only mean night had come, Lucian figured he had been out for at least a few hours for night to have come already. Checking his surroundings once more his eyes rested upon his armor bundled in the far corner along with his meager supplies, yet his sword was nowhere to be seen. Lucian never liked his sword being out of his reach for even a moment and his grumbling as he sat back showed how annoyed he was at the whole situation. Still, Sapphira had given him her word she would keep his sword safe... and those words put him at ease slightly as he tried to rest, his mind lingering slightly on her faint scent.
A short time later the wagon began to slow and the sound of gravely dirt roads gave way to the smoother more even tone of cobble stone lined streets causing Lucian's ears to perk up some. His long muzzle angled itself slightly to better catch the few stray scents in the air and they made his lips curl back slightly. The air was full of the scents of leopard kin, so many so concentrated that it could only mean he was inside a city full of them and that meant the end of his journey would be coming soon. So much time spent wandering the world after what had happened, trying to atone for sins that weighed him down like the chains wrapped around him now. It would be a relief to feel them finally lifted and yet something in his heart said otherwise. A sudden stop of the wagon and the sounds of dozens of armored knights approaching him, wakened Lucian from his reprieve and he steeled himself for what was to come. The next moment a familiar feline faced emerged as the large barricaded door to the prisoner wagon opened; her eyes reflected a darker shade of verdant green in the dim torch lights around the wagon.
"Lucian... it is time for you to meet your fate. This is my city of Laysis, here my word is law and we have a special custom for judging those who are accused of the most heinous crimes. You will face your crimes and be judged by the mystic lady Akisha whom can read through the minds of those accused of crimes, bringing to light the truth of their guilt. " As she spoke, Sapphira found herself once again admiring the strength within those lupine eyes before her, even in chains Lucian seemed so intimidating, and yet she also felt something else behind his gaze... Could it be regret, is that what she saw there, but in a moment it disappeared and once again that stoic look was back.
"A knight who has surrendered would only do dishonor to himself to dare such a thing... I gave myself to your custody and so I shall remain until you decide what is to be done with me. But I must say I do not regret our meeting Sapphira... though I do wish it had been under better circumstances." Those last words surprised even Lucian as he spoke them, even with his heart still full of guilt over the death of Sapphira's sister, she drew such emotions from his heart that his words flowed out upon them.
For a moment there was a slight quiver in her whiskers along with her own gaze which softened for only an instant before turning serious. Sapphira backed out some beckoning to Lucian to come out slowly and she reached grasping the chains binding him pulling him out slowly out of the wagon. He was even more imposing she thought as his sleek gray furred body rippled slightly with each movement radiating the restrained strength within. When they came close to each other for a moment, their heads almost touching one another she whispered something softly that she hoped only his keen ears would hear, something that surged up from her heart that she could not contain.
"I wish that we had as well..." Sapphira felt as confused as the look Lucian gave her before she pulled him clear of the wagon and then readily shoved him into the waiting gauntlet of red armored knights standing by to take him. "Take him to lady Akisha, his fate shall be judged by her this night, for his involvement with the death of my sister the elder Princess!"
Lucian was pulled and prodded down what seemed likely nearly endless corridors before arriving at a rather imposing set of fifteen foot tall intricately ornament maple doors that even the guards bowed to respectfully. As he stood before the massive door an unsettling feeling of power radiated from behind it and it only grew more so as the doors slowly began to open making him want to take a step back. The next instant there was a loud sound, metal grinding slowly upon metal and finally the tall doors began to swing outward and a dull light from within made Lucian's eyes narrow. Lucian felt the guards press the tips of their pole-arms into his back urging him forward and with a growl of annoyance he did so slowly still wary of the feeling coming from the room ahead. Massive stone pillars engraved with thousands of archaic runes were arrayed into seemingly endless rows on either side of Lucian as he continued forward cautiously. The guards suddenly stopped and they crossed their pole-arms in front of Lucian halting him roughly and his growl of anger echoed along the pillars as they stood before an impressively huge set of beige curtains. Sniffing the air slightly Lucian could tell there was someone sitting behind them and his sense of smell was proven right as torches along the room suddenly came to life. Rows of them attached to the pillars burst with flames and finally some behind the curtains did so as well illuminating the shadow of a figure sitting on what could only be a tall throne.
"Well I am going to take a guess you are the lady Akisha... nice place you got here. The thing with the torches was a nice touch, going to have to learn that trick sometime..." One of the guards slapped his weapon back, the shaft slamming into Lucian's chest yet he barely moved from the impact. He was not about to allow anyone to intimidate him now, his wolf nature would not allow him to show weakness even when confronting what might be his own death.
"I see you have much arrogance to go along with your bravado young one..." Her voice was soft yet scolding to Lucian's ears, almost like a mother talking down to her child and that bothered him more than the guard's roughness. "You are here to be judged, and that very judgment will decide whether you walk out of this room alive or not. Yet still you stand there daring to speak as if you have not a care in the world, no burdens to worry you... Intriguing..."
