Three Beast Kings
Not Without a Fight

It was day when Junyaawoke, the bright white light of morning rousing him from thedeepest, darkest sleep he had ever had. His head was hazy, visionblurry, and it took a moment for the sound to kick in. It took him awhile to remember – the young Lady, Zuberi the Gorilla King, lastnights attack... What a horrible nightmare. If only he could havestayed asleep.

He lay in a large,comfortable bed, adorned with cotton sheets and a canopy high above.Even though is waking brain knew it wasn't his bed, it took hisunready heart a while to admit it. He was still here. Still alive,but so very far from home. The smell of gorilla hit him next, then ofsummer flowers, and the chill of a morning breeze through the openwindow cooling his face.

He didn't want to wakeup. He didn't want to still be here. The bright white light wouldn'tlet him keep his eyes closed, piercing through his closed lids likedaggers, and ignoring how weighed down the rest of him felt. Evenbreathing was difficult, like his nose wasn't big enough to get allthe air through. Nonetheless, he reluctantly greeted the day.

This room was neat andsimple – definitely not the ruined kings chamber – but it wasclinical looking, un-lived-in and sterile, like a newly built housebefore the family moved in, only fancier. The clear sky through thewindow betrayed the fact that the room wasn't on the ground floor,the breeze blowing through the open panes icy and fresh.

“Yourhighness?” a voice called softly.

Junya looked around –the woman from last night, the one who defended him, got up from anearby chair, cradling her stomach carefully. She sat on the side ofthe bed, checking his temperature by laying a concerned hand on hiswaking brow.

“I'mso glad you're awake.” she sobbed, placing her hand on his shoulder“We were so worried.”

She flinched a little,grabbing her stomach again.

“Littledevil's been kicking like a storm since last night.” she told him.

“Areyou okay?”

Junya's voice washoarse, and it made his head swim to talk. There was an odd ringingin his ears, to boot. The gorilla looked surprised at his question,then smiled, carefully wiping the hair from his eyes.

“I'mfine.” she said “Thanks to you.”

“Theother women?”

“Alsofine.” she went on, shoulders heavy “We're some of the few thatare...”

She looked away fromhim, wringing her hands.

“Theswarm descended on the city so fast.” she told him, barely above awhisper “No-one had any time to hide... with all the celebrationsgoing on, no-one was inside... we thought that even that giant beastwouldn't go into a silverbacks chamber, but...”

She sighed like theweight of the world was on her back, rubbing her belly distractedly.She managed to force a smile on as she looked back at him, but hereyes were still full of sorrow.

“Yousaved us.” she told him “Thank you.”

“Whatwill you do?” he asked, facts starting to come back to his mind“You can't stay here with those things around. Won't you leave?”

“Andgo where?” she replied “Where can a pregnant gorilla go that'ssafe? Once our babies are born they're safe from the Insect King, butthere are so many other dangers in the world.”

She rubbed her bellyagain, eyes far away.

“Motherhoodhas many dangers.” she thought aloud “But it's all worth it. Acouple more months and it will all be worth it.”

Although his back feltfused to the sheets, Junya struggled to sit up. She assisted him, notseeming to mind at all when he laid a hand on her stomach.

“You'reright.” he said after a moment “This one's really going for it.Feels healthy.”

She smiled again.

“Fromyou, my queen, I'll take that as a good omen.”

Queen? Oh yes...awkward.

The door flew open to acacophony of angry voices, startling them both. Zuberi stomped in,still armoured and bloody from last night, and looked all aroundbefore replaceing the bed. The maid struggled up to her feet, bowing asmuch as she reasonably could. With a bark from the king she left,closing the door quietly, shutting out the chorus of yelling as theyclicked shut (thick doors...). He stomped over, panting gruffly, andsat heavily on the bed.

“Howare you feeling?” he asked.

Despite his gentlewords, he sounded exhausted and pissed off, brow furrowed unhappily.His brown eyes examined Junya, looking for signs of injury, andseemed relieved to replace none. He stunk even worse than before, burconsidering he had smears of bright red blood across this armour,that was probably the least of his concerns at the moment. He reachedup to Junya's face, not as carefully as he really should have, butthe fox put his hand in the way.

“Whyweren't they armed?” he challenged.

“Who?”Zuberi replied, clearly surprised at his sudden question.

“Thepregnant women!” Junya nearly yelled at him “Literally everyoneelse was! Why not them, the ones who were really in danger?!”

Zuberi grimaced. Helowered his hand, looking away in shame and guilt.

“Therehave been some... incidents.” he admitted “When the swarm comes,some women think it's better for their unborn to die by their ownhands then to allow them to be eaten. It's safer not to arm them.”

“That'swhy there are no children.” Junya clarified “They've all beeneaten!”

The king was very stilla moment, complete dismay in his eyes, before he nodded grimly.

“Witheach attack, we not only have fewer babies, but fewer women too.”he elaborated “That's how the wolves died out – spring afterspring, the insects ate them up.”

Theinsects ate them... To think that something as massive as a gorillacould be killed, eaten by something as small as an insect. Or werethey all as big as that monster that Junya had seen? But the littleones... how many little ones would have to swarm over a gorilla tokill it? How many would it take, how longwould it take for a gorilla to be eaten to death? Eaten to death...eatenalive...

“That'shorrific.” Junya breathed, the full force of the disgust runningdown his spine.

“Rightnow there's seven men to every woman in our clan. That's why I neededa wife who wasn't a gorilla – so the people would have hope for anew generation. Gorillas almost never have more than one baby at atime, it will take us generations to regain what we've lost.”

“Whydon't you move?” Junya asked “Find new territory away from theinsects?”

“Doyou have any idea how much land our clan needs to sustain itself?”the king pointed out “The farmland, the towns, the forges, it alltakes up space, and the low grassland is the best place for us. Whowould come here, knowing what we were running from? If we start a warlooking for new land it will just kill more of us, and we'll be evenworse off. This is the only place for us.”

For the first time,Junya felt sorry for him: the gorillas were trapped in this horriblecircumstance, every last one of them. This wasn't a war so much as aslow, calculated massacre, and the gorilla clan was losing.

“Andwhen all the women and children are gone?” he dared ask “Whatthen?”

“Thenthe Insect King moves the hive.” Zuberi explained “And the menleft behind just wait to die, the same as the wolves.”

The king sighed inaggravation, shaking his head as if to loosen some hiddeninformation, just sighing again when it didn't work.

“Ifwe could replace that hive, burn it from the inside out, this wholesorry mess would be over.” he said “But our scouts have turned upnothing. Nothing, for 50 miles in every direction! Where do you hideall those insects? How do they get here so quickly? And justdisappear?!”

Feeling sick, Junyahugged his knees. The breeze through the open window cleared hiswoozy head, but this horrid information just stuffed it back upagain. What a way to live... Zuberi examined him closely.

“Howdo you feel?” he asked again.

“LikeI want you to stop talking.”

“I'mserious.”

Junya looked back athim. Despite being tired, he was clearly concerned. Junya sighed,putting his head on his knees.

“Ihurt.” he admitted “My head's all fuzzy and I need water.”

“You'rehung over.” Zuberi figured “You did have a bit to drink lastnight. Anything else?”

“Theresomething in particular you're looking for?” Junya challenged.

The king continued toexamine him, looking like he wasn't sure what to say. His lipstwitched as he found the words, looking around awkwardly a moment.

“Doyou feel like you want to leave?” he asked carefully “Like youneed to go in a certain direction?”

Junya examined Zuberiright back, trying to figure out what he was after, but the king gavenothing away. His desire to leave was nothing new, he didn't give athought to which direction (other than 'home', but which directioneven was that?). What a strange thing to ask anyway: he wasn't justgoing to let him go after going through with that big fancy weddingyesterday. Junya's gaze wasn't lost on the king, who rubbed the backof his neck.

“TheInsect King.” he began slowly “He did something. To you. A curseof some kind.”

Junya's heart stopped.His skin went cold. He recalled last night, the feeling of somethingentering him – that had been a curse? He was cursed? He wascursed?! Zuberi was suddenly alarmed, grabbing Junya's shoulder andpulling him into his arms. He realised he was shaking, almostuncontrollably, his mouth dry, heart pounding erratically.

How could he be cursed?What kind of curse?! Why?! What was going to happen to him now?! Asif this situation weren't bad enough! Zuberi held him tightly,shushing him as he started to hyperventilate.

“Don'tpanic!” he urged “There's still hope!”

“Whatkind of hope?!” Junya yelled at him “Do you even know what kindof curse it is?!”

“Itdoesn't matter!” Zuberi insisted “We can break it! All you needto do is drink the Insect Kings blood, and you'll be free of it!”

“Andhow do you recommend I do that?!” he cried “Wait until he attacksagain and just hope I come across him?! I cut off his hand and hedidn't bleed for more than a minute!”

The king released him,holding him by the shoulders so he could look him in the eye.

“We'llkill him with his own hubris.” he declared “Now that he's cursedyou, you and he are linked: we'll use that link to track him down!With you, we can finally replace that godforsaken hive and burn it downfrom the inside! We can finally be rid of it!”

“T-trackhim?” Junya stammered “Track him how? I don't know how to trackanything! I was an ice seller! I worked in the temple! I can hardlyread, how am I supposed to track something even your flippingsoldiers couldn't?!”

There was a knock onthe door, breaking the tension like shattering a mirror. It openedreverently, creaking on its hinges, the old retainer Staarabu pokinghis head inside.

“Sir,you're needed.” was all he said.

Zuberi nodded. He tooka deep breath before releasing Junya's shoulders, turning back to himbefore he left the bed.

“We'llfigure it out.” he said “The company is leaving in an hour.Please be ready: you're coming with us even if you aren't.”

“I'msorry if these clothes aren't to your liking, your highness.” thewoman apologised “I'm sure they won't be what you're used to, butyou foxes are so slim our seamstress wasn't sure what to do: they'rea little slapdash.”

“I'msure they're fine.” Junya assured “And please stop calling me'your highness', it makes me uncomfortable. Just 'Junya' is fine.”

“Thenyou must call me Hodari.” she insisted in return “Do you need meto help you dress?”

“Ican handle it.”

He took the offeredclothes and disappeared behind the dressing screen, limping a littlewhere he was still stiff and hung over. He heard Hodari sit down onthe bed, causing the springs to squeak, but considering her heavilypregnant state he didn't mind.

He peeled off theabsurd white garment from last night, which stuck to his back fromsweat and panic, relieved that his underwear was still where itshould be – the doctors hadn't undressed him to examine him, so hehadn't been discovered. It was small comfort that he got to liveanother day – a cursed day, but a day nonetheless. He felt grody,wishing he could take another bath, but there was no time now.

He examined his body inthe mirror, twisting around to see his back – there was nothingobviously wrong with him, no black marks or strange symbols orunexplainable wounds. He still had two ears, two eyes, one tail, noneof them discoloured. Was he really cursed? How could anyone tell?Couldn't a priest help him? Was this really the only course ofaction? Remembering himself as he started to get upset, he hastilypulled on the pastel coloured clothes.

Despite Hodori'sclaims, the clothes were perfectly fine. They had clearly beenaltered from something much bigger, and were the kind of rough,sturdy material that he was used to. At least it wasn't anotherstuffy dress, even if there were an unnecessary number of ribbons andhalf cut off embroidery patterns. The pinks and lilacs weren't hisstyle, but he was in no position to be complaining about that rightnow.

“Soit's true what my father said about you.” Hodori said suddenly.

“What'sthat?” Junya asked.

“Thatyou're the maid the Fox Lord tried to trick the king into marryinginstead of his daughter.”

Junya couldn't answerhonestly – either way it was a lie. How did she know anyway? Whenhe didn't respond, Hodori laughed.

“Areal 'Lady' probably wouldn't know how to get dressed on her own.”she explained, as if reading his mind “Foxes are sly, so sometrickery was to be expected. Once the hive has been destroyed, we'llneed a strong queen to give birth to strong heirs. I doubt a 'Lady'is up to the challenge of rebuilding.”

Neither am I, Junyathought, but kept it to himself. These gorillas sure didn't have ahigh opinion of 'Ladies', did they? Maybe they had a bad experience.All of them. At the same time.

Hodori stayed withJunya until the convoy was ready to go, packing a bag of hastily sewnclothes and basic toiletries: ivory-set hairbrush, plush cottontowel, silver toothbrush. 'Basics.' He was taking more than he hadactually bought with him, but a wedding dress probably the bestattire to go hunting in. Funny image, though. Provided he didn't haveto wear the shoes.

The troops weregathered in front of the castle, laden down with battered armour andheavy looking canvas bags. They were intimidating to look at, allgrizzled and chipped and battle weary – they made old Zuberi lookpositively gentile in comparison. Junya didn't know the amount ofdifferent weapons he could see even existed, but they were all packedand ready, the whole company just waiting on the order to depart.

The king had shed hisfancy golden armour, replaced with a far more practical iron kind,although it was still bronze in its detailing. He was dressed muchthe same as his soldiers, in simple rough fabric and muted colours,which made it difficult to pick him out from the crowd. He spottedJunya and Hodori first, taking off his helmet as he started towardsthem.

“Father,why is there no carriage?” Hodori demanded as the king as hisretainers came to the castle steps “Surely you don't expect thequeen to walk? She's already limping after the attack!”

Junya could havelaughed – gorilla women and fox women weren't so different.

“Don'tmake a scene, daughter.” Staarabu grumbled “We're preparing ahorse.”

“Aswell you should be!”

Zuberi stopped beforeJunya, running a hand through his thatch hair. He had had time toclean the blood off, but smelled like he hadn't bathed. Junyasupposed he didn't have time. Gross.

“Youready?” Zuberi asked.

“AsI'll ever be.” Junya confirmed.

He made that huffinggrunt noise again. With a twitch of his nose, he pulled a long clothbag from his belt.

“Here,”he said, handing it to Junya “Consider this a late weddingpresent.”

Junya took the item.Was now really the time for such a thing? Wedding presents wereusually for the expecting mother, right? Definitely wrong. It washeavy and solid, whatever it was, certainly not suitable for children(although considering what he saw yesterday...). He slipped the clothoff, revealing the long curved handle and sharp, serrated pick.

“Anice axe?”

“Weexport them.” Zuberi explained “To the goats. They're quitepopular. It's made for women, so it's lighter, but it's sharp asanything. I just thought it was something you might be familiarwith.”

“Butwhy an ice axe?” Staarabu asked “Surely the queen would be betterserved with a dagger or rapier – something small and sharp.”

“Privatejoke.” was all the king would say.

“Joke?”the retainer echoed, like he didn't quite believe what he heard.

Zuberi just smirked.Bastard. At least he had been paying attention earlier, which somehowmade him feel a little better. Junya put the axe back in its bag,tying it to his belt: it sat there impotently, knowing full well itwasn't a weapon and Junya didn't know how to use that way anyway, butif he came across that giant bug again it would be better than beingunarmed.

The horse arrived, ledby the reins, and Junya was relieved that it wasn't one of thosegiant, hairy beasts that were pulling the carriage the other day.Zuberi took it from the stable hand, examining the simple leatherstraps and fixings before turning back to Junya.

“Yousay you've never ridden a horse?” he recalled.

“Neverreally needed to.”

“Canyou get up?”

Junya took a good lookat the horse – it was smaller than the others, but still prettybig. No way he could hoist himself up on that saddle with his badleg. Zuberi seemed to come to this conclusion as well, as he leaneddown, taking Junya by the waist, and lifted him up onto the leathersaddle, taking the reins again as the fox adjusted himself. Junyadidn't mention that being lifted like that made him feel particularlyincompetent (a feeling he really wasn't used to), especially in frontof all these hardened soldiers, and hoped they weren't toojudgemental. But then again, they were all enormous compared to him:he must have looked like a child in comparison. He cast his eyes overthe soldiers, considering how weird that idea felt as the stable handfixed Junya's bag to the back of the saddle.

“Allthe arrangements are complete.” Staarabu informed the king “Thepriests have finished their blessings – the company is ready to goon the order.”

“Thenwe're wasting daylight.” the king concluded “Let's move out.”

“Yourhighness, please take care of my boys!” Hodori bid.

“Ofcourse.” he promised with a bow of his head, leading the horseaway.

Hodori laid a cautioushand on her belly, her father putting his arm around her shoulders asthe king turned his back on them. The company filed after him, liningitself up in neat rows as they walked across the castle gardens.

“You'renot riding?” Junya asked the king “I can understand not taking acarriage, but you're just gonna walk?”

“Youcan't expect a single horse to carry a silverback.” he explained“You're only riding because of your lame leg. Lady or not, you'd bewalking too otherwise.”

They stopped at thegates of the castle, where the road soon branched out in severaldirections. Was this it already? Was he going to have to tell themwhich way to go right from the off? He honestly had no idea how totrack – if they were counting on him then they were in trouble fromstage one.

Zuberi turned to him,clearly expecting exactly that. He patted the horses head as itgrumbled.

“Iunderstand you've never tracked prey before.” he assured “I wouldexpect few women know how, even fewer housemaids. This won't be thesame as tracking some animal to eat: the priests say you and theInsect King are connected, and it's that connection we'll use. I'msorry if it frightens you, but I must ask you to concentrate:concentrate on the Insect King. Remember what he looked like, what hesmelled like, how he made you feel. Concentrate on the sound of hisvoice. You have to want to replace him.”

He really didn't. Hethought it in his best interest to stay as far away from ababy-eating insect monster as physically possible. He consideredleading the gorillas back towards his town, along that near-forgottenpath – he could just remember the way and he might be able toescape in familiar terrain – but even if he did get home, he'dstill be cursed, and who's to say the angry gorillas wouldn't knowexactly where he went?

The Insect King hadsaid that the foxes lived too far away for him and his swarm to feaston them, so the hive must be even further away from town than thegorillas city. Remembering those unnatural gold eyes made him feelqueasy, but he tried to concentrate. He tried to want to know wherehe was.

Zuberi waited, watchinghim deliberate. The company stood to attention, looking over eachothers shoulders. Finally, and very unhappily, Junya came to adecision.

“Thatway.”