Chapter 17

                                    

                                          


*Sorry this is off by a few days, I had a lot going on this past week and I wasn't in the right headspace. I hope you all love it and thank you so much for the support and reading this! Please enjoy!* 

     The sound deafened in Lyra's ears as the people cheered and screamed as they rode through the streets. So many smells swarmed her all at once as she passed different stalls or eateries. The houses were many with alleyways and wide streets stretched for what seemed forever. Many of the people had left their homes and were crowding the side of the roads, some even reached out as they tried to get even a touch of their famed army.
      A few fingers even grazed her legs, making her shift her weight on the saddle. 
      Rai could feel Lyra start to get overwhelmed and bent down to her ear. "Calm. Try not to focus on everything at once, it was crushing for me the first couple times as well. It helped when I would focus on just one thing the whole way until I would get used to it. Look at the lights as we pass through." 
      She did as he said, and it really seemed to help her. He felt her start to relax and was relived when her heartbeat was beginning to even out. Rai was using her heartbeat as his own focus point to get through the crowd. When he glanced over at his son, the boy was ecstatic. All smiles and he was waving to some of the people he recognized.
     They quickly rode through the village, Rai pushing them a bit faster than normal. The wagons had stopped just as they entered the village and were being helped to unload everyone while Rai and his men continued on to the palace. 
     Rai's councilman and servants were already lined up and anxious to see him and their family return safely, many of the maids were married to his soldiers and were already resisting the urge to rush forward. Afterall, they had left in a such a hurry to leave that some barely had time to say goodbye. 
     As he dismounted, everyone bowed low as he faced them. "It is good to see all of your smiling faces greeting me, I want to thank all of you for keeping everything running while we were gone. Make sure that the injured receive care and also are given a few days to recover from their injuries. We dealt a major blow against the southern kingdom and reminded him why we are a force not to be reckoned with." They all stood, a few couldn't take it and raced forward to their husbands. A few laughed heartily when one slammed into her husband hard enough to knock them both down.
     Laughing as well, Rai turned to Lyra, offering to help her down. Those walking closer took notice of the woman sitting on top of the king's stallion and paused. He had never brought someone back with him and, taking his hand, she slipped off herself and landed on her feet.
      "Come. Let me introduce you to a few people." Rai led her past the others who were gaping at the strange woman now walking alongside him. His five head advisors were still standing were they originally were, waiting for their king to address them. Two of the humans gave her warm smiles when they ventured closer, the other two glared at her. 
      Almost all of them were human, which surprised her, except for one. 
      He's an old one, not an original but very close.
      Long hair as black as night was tied tightly to the back of his head, his rare blue eyes stared sharply at her, holding all of her focus. His stance wasn't threatening, yet old habits had Lyra's guard up. 
     "This is councilman Hyro, he is my lead advisor and was the same for my father before his passing." Rai introduced him, he could see the tension between the two as they stared each other down.
     Lyra smiled, although it seemed more predatory than genuine, her fangs revealed. "It is a welcome sight to see your advisors come out to greet you when you arrive home."