Chapter 28: Carvings of History
Who is this bear?" Yue Lixue asked, her eyes widening as she took it all in. Korran turned to her, his expression serious, the playful smile fading from his lips.
He looked at the bear with a newfound reverence, his voice filled with a sense of awe and respect. "That is Bjorn, the Bear King. He was said to be the last King of his kind, the sole protector of the Bear tribe. He and Savannah were lovers once, before she found her other mates. He is a powerful beast, respected by all the tribes, even more so than the Moonborne herself." Korran's voice dropped to a low whisper as he spoke about Bjorn, his gaze fixed on the bear's depiction. "He is said to have been the most powerful and wise of all the ancient beast kings. His knowledge and strength are still spoken of in reverential tones by our elders. Even the Moonborne, Savannah Solen, with all her power, was said to have bowed to him."
Yue Lixue's eyes widened with wonder as she took in the intricate carvings. She could feel the weight of history and legend in this place, the very air seemed to hum with it. She walked up to the carving of Bjorn, her fingers tracing the lines that formed his powerful body and noble face.
"Didn't they have cubs?" Yue Lixue asked, genuinely interested. "Is there more to their story?"
Korran shook his head, a tinge of sadness in his voice as he explained, "No, they didn't. Savannah disappeared before that could happen. One day, she just vanished, without a trace. No one knows where she went or what happened to her."
Yue Lixue's eyes widened with surprise, and she turned to face Korran, her voice filled with concern. "Disappeared? How is that possible?" Savannah was once the Moonborne, the most powerful being in their world. Just like Yue Lixue might be now. How could she just vanish?
Korran sighed, his voice barely above a whisper as he continued, "That's the mystery that haunts all of our tribes to this day. He turned to face the other side of the cavern, his eyes scanning the wall until they landed on a carving that was painted with vivid hues of red and gold. He pointed at it, "But there's another story, one that's often forgotten, or perhaps purposefully overlooked."
Yue Lixue followed his gaze, her eyes widening as she took in the painting. It was unlike any of the others, the only one with color, and it depicted a woman with fiery red hair and eyes to match.
She stepped closer, her fingers brushing against the intricate details of the painting. "Who is she?" she asked, her voice filled with awe and curiosity. She wasn't a Moonborne, she was a Sunborne, the only one in all our recorded history." He gestured to the wall, his eyes following the line of the painting. "She did so much harm to the beast world, each of her mates was a cat beast, except for the panther, leopard, snow leopard and tiger beasts. She was mates with an ancient Lion King and Jaguar King who only wanted power and influence."
Yue Lixue turned to face him, her eyes wide with surprise. "A Sunborne? I've never heard of them. Why is her painting the only one here, while the Moonborne have so many?" She walked closer to the painting, her fingers tracing the intricate details of Mariam's fiery red hair and matching eyes.
Korran's expression darkened, his voice heavy with the weight of history. "The Moonborne are revered and praised, their stories passed down from generation to generation. But Mariam, she is a different matter entirely," Korran explained, his voice heavy with the weight of the past. He leaned in closer to the painting, his eyes tracing the line of her body, his expression darkening with each passing moment. "She was a force of chaos and destruction, a storm that swept through our world and left nothing but ruin in her wake. Her mates, they were powerful beasts, but they were no match for her ambition. She twisted their loyalties, pitted them against one another, all in her quest for more power."
Yue Lixue looked at the painting, her eyes searching for any clue that might hint at the darkness Korran spoke of. She had heard stories of powerful beings, but never one so malevolent. "What happened to her?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
She looked up at Korran, her eyes searching for answers in his gaze.
Korran's expression darkened further, a deep sadness in his eyes as he looked at the painting of Mariam Midetchi. "Ah, Yue, the story of Mariam is a tale of power, betrayal, and blood. It's not a story for the faint-hearted." He paused, his gaze flicking to Yue's before returning to the painting. "The last anyone saw of Mariam, she was defeated by her own granddaughter, the Jaguar queen, Samira."
Yue's brows furrowed, her mind racing as she tried to connect the dots. "Granddaughter? You mean, Samira is... related to Mariam?"
Korran nodded, his voice heavy with the weight of the truth. "Yes, Samira is her granddaughter. My mother, Namia, was Mariam's granddaughter too, but she was different. She wasn't like her sister or grandmother, not from what my father told me." Korran said, his voice softening. "I never met her, though. She was killed by Samira because both wanted my father, Zevaris, as a mate to continue their grandmother's quest for power."
Yue Lixue's eyes widened, her gaze flicking between Korran and the painting of Mariam. "Your mother was killed by your own aunt? That's... tragic." A sudden sense of anger and sadness washed over her. She thought of her own mother, how she had protected her and loved her, and couldn't imagine the pain of losing her to something so senseless.
"Yes, Samira is my aunt. But don't worry, Yue. She won't bother you. My father made sure to keep his distance from her after... everything. The panthers have never trusted any sunborne decenants."
Horror struck Yue Lixue as she realized that if she agreed to taking a Jaguar Queen's son as a political mate, then it would be Korran's cousin. Was that normal in the beast world? She didn't know. Her mind raced with the implications, her hands clutching her chest as if to hold her heart in place. "But Korran," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, "wouldn't that make any of your potential future cubs with me... related to Samira?"
He quickly took her hands in his own, giving them a reassuring squeeze. "Yue, listen to me. You don't have to worry about that. Samira's power is dwindling, and she knows it. She won't risk causing a stir by targeting you or our cubs. Plus, our cubs would be panthers or snow leopards, not Jaguars. They wouldn't have her blood, and they wouldn't be under her control. I promise, I will protect you and our family, no matter what."
Yue Lixue looked up at Korran, her eyes searching his for any hint of doubt or uncertainty. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of thoughts and emotions inside her. "You're right, I'm sorry. I'm just... overwhelmed."
Korran saw the turmoil in her eyes and reached out, gently cupping her face in his hands. "Yue, you don't have to worry about this now," he whispered, his thumb brushing away a stray tear that had escaped her eye. "I won't let anything happen to you or our cubs. I promise."
Yue Lixue looked up into his amber eyes, the worry and fear in her heart slowly melting away at his touch. She leaned into his hand, her eyes fluttering closed briefly before she opened them again, meeting his gaze. In that moment, Korran leaned down and pressed his lips gently against hers. It was a soft, reassuring kiss, a promise made with his lips rather than his words.