KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

Ares awoke moments before dawn. He sighed with utter joy and rolled on top of Lana. He smiled and then kissed her neck before nibbling down on it to wake her up. She spanked him for ruining his sleep.

 

Ares walked out of the home, making sure to not rub his bottom as he left the home. He threw a few more around towards the various Riveans. It had been a few days since he had been put under Rivean arrest, that was to say he wasn't allowed to leave the city of Rivea for any reason and without an escort outside of the centre of the city.

 

A single Roaring Trident appeared to follow along with him as he approached the baths. He was allowed to sink into the water for as long as he wanted, even if he turned into a prunely King, for it seemed as though Ares felt much better after a nice dip. He heated up the water with his flames, which came to him easier now, and sighed with utter joy.

 

"I should get injured more often," he said to the Roaring Trident.

 

"I would prefer if you didn't," Miza said. She was a large, curvaceous oxfolk that was his morning guard, that was to say she was always the guard that was nearest the river and would accompany him. She had dark brown eyes that sometimes glowed green under certain light, and had short moppy hair.

 

"Why is that?"

 

"It would look bad on us," she replied simply.

 

Ares cocked his head aside and thought for a moment. She was right, of course, and he didn't want to be known as the injured King throughout the lands.

 

"Perhaps you're right…" he said as he sank into the water. "Then I'll just make sure to sleep and bathe properly on a daily basis."

 

"Please do."

 

Ares eventually left as others began to pour into the stream. He made his daily walk through Rivea, seeing to the people who had welcomed him with open arms. Many had been wary and worried of his injuries, but eventually they had wished him well and often offered him delicious foods. Ares refused to say no to such things.

 

He wondered how pudgy he would be if he did not go for his daily walks. Would he even get pudgy? He wasn't sure of the physiology of the phoenix. He spent no moments thinking of such things though as that sounded like work and work was not something he would do when injured.

 

"Oh." Ares looked towards a small group of children who had been play fighting. He kept an eye out on the smaller wolffolk, who seemed to be darting between blows. Eventually one was knocked down. They began crying for a moment before they got up and sat off in a corner, rubbing their head. The boy had sat down near a handful of others that had been running their heads, though some were talking to others with no thoughts of the pain against their heads.

 

"Tib," Dara said. He was the guard that often walked with Ares this far. He was a strong and tall oxfolk, with a traditionally handsome face that seemed to be more at home on a statue. Ares was always annoyed at the handsome man for being so dreamy.

 

Bastard.

 

All handsome guys should just go di-

 

A cloud caught his attention. Ares stared up at it and he narrowed his eyes. The cloud seemed to sway and move with such…

 

A cold shudder ran through his body.

 

"Ares-kin?" Dara asked, reaching down to grab his short blade.

 

"Nothing," Ares said as he smiled towards the handsome oxfolk man. He walked onwards, no longer thinking of the children and their game.

 

The cloud had been a bird that had been run through by another cloud with no discernible shape.

 

'Ill tidings indeed…'

 

Ares returned to Emerli at lunch time and he ate something with a strong smell of herb and moss piss, or at least that's what he called it. It was strong and acidic, though actually tasted like a banana that had been covered in marmite.

 

He wasn't sure whether he enjoyed it or disliked it. He either loved it or he hated it, but he wasn't sure which, which seemed appropriate enough considering.

 

Lana grabbed his head and forced her tongue into his mouth. Within her mouth had been the most bitter, foul leaf that Ares had the pleasure of gagging down. He swallowed and pulled back.

 

He did not complain about such a method, for Lana had much more painful methods for him to swallow such a leaf.

 

Once he was done with lunch he made his way to his children, who had each been much more excited to play with him. Runar of course had the most time with him, though that was partly because Ozar and Ozri slept so much more. Apparently it was more common for them to do so, Runar seemed to be the odd one out.

 

"Boo da boo da gada," Runar urged.

 

"Oh is that right?"

 

"Abba oh ba."

 

"What? No way!" Ares gasped.

 

"Vuuuuu!" Runar slapped Ares' cheeks and spat onto his face as she continued to talk to him.

 

Ares wiped his face and then tossed her up, only to catch her with ease though Lana glared at him.

 

Ares flashed a cheeky smile towards the oxfolk woman.

 

"You shouldn't be so reckless, Ares."

 

"Oh? Why is that?"

 

"I am able to bend you so easily for now."

 

Ares chuckled. "That hasn't changed."

 

"Oh?"

 

"I'll bend for you." Ares kissed Runar's head. "Quite easily."

 

Lana stroked his shoulder gently. "No. Not easily. I won't make it so."

 

Ares laughed.

 

Then the gong went off. Ares looked up at the watch tower. It continued to ring, three strikes at a time.

 

"My armour!" Ares called out as Runar cried out in annoyance that her father was being called away.

 

Yet no one brought Ares his armour, with Lana grabbing his shoulder.

 

"No," she said.

 

"What?" Ares' eyes grew wide.

 

"You will not leave. We shall leave it to Rori."

 

Ares began to panic. No! No! He'd be so damn bored!

 

"Uh, what! No, I must go! I am the King!"

 

"You are injured."

 

"An injured King!"

 

"I am glad we agree you are injured!"

 

"Oh balls…" Ares eyes darted around the place before he was slapped by tiny hands. "I'll bring Runar with me."

 

Lana took a step back.

 

"She will stay by my side, I won't let her out of my grasp."

 

"... I will come too."

 

Ares sighed with relief. Lana punched his arm.