The Vulpirans' Honor: The Soul-Linked Saga (28 page)

“All right,” Faron replied as he walked with Saige toward the sitting room.  He tapped
his vox, spoke into it, and disconnected, all while guiding Saige to a comfortable
chair before the fireplace and getting her seated.  A moment later, Dav and Ban entered
the room, looking as worried as Faron felt, all of them sensing Saige’s anger and
distress.

“Honey Davis risked her life, her
life,
for our children,” Saige began heatedly.  “She suffered great pain.  We all saw what
it did to her.  If not for Jareth, she would be disfigured for life, if she’d even
lived through it.  And she didn’t even know us.  We were total strangers to her. 
All of us.  She did it without a second thought or a moment’s hesitation.”

“Yes,
amada
, we know this,” Faron said, keeping his voice calm and soothing in hopes of calming
Saige.  But she was having none of it.  She was angry and working herself up to a
real temper.

“Good, then you agree that we should help her if we can, if she’s in need, am I right?”

“Of course,” Dav said.  “We will do anything for her, or her daughter, at any time. 
She need not even ask.”

“She is in need of help, right now, and I want something done about it,” Saige said,
calming a little since her men were not looking to argue with her. 

“What is her need?” Faron asked.  “Tell us and we will endeavor to help her at once.”

“She has no money, no home of her own for herself and her daughter, and no way of
getting one,” Saige said.  “Nica needs clothes, schooling, playmates her own age,
and someone to look after her while Honey works.  She is pleased to have a job, where
she works to help
us
, yet she has nothing of her own aside from that car the Dracons gave her so she can
go to work to help
us
.  It’s not fair and I’m not going to sit still for it.”

“Saige, I understand why you are upset, but these are matters that she should turn
to her Rami with,” Faron said.

“What Rami?” Saige demanded.  “I asked her about the Vulpirans and her reaction was
heartbreaking to see.  She said that her problems are not theirs, and they owe her
nothing.  I don’t know what the story is there and I don’t care.  I care about Honey. 
It’s not right.  This whole thing is not right and I want it fixed.”

“Everyone thought she would be with the Vulpirans now,” Dav said. 

“Well, she’s not,” Saige replied.  “The Vulpirans have left her hanging.  She told
me she hasn’t even seen them since the day of the explosion.”

“Saige, please, you are getting yourself too excited,” Faron said worriedly.  Saige
was usually so calm.  “I promise you, we will take care of this matter at once.  Right
now.  I ask only that you try to relax.”

Saige took a deep breath, knowing that Faron was right.   Her emotions tended to get
the better of her when she was pregnant.  But it hurt her heart to see the expression
on Honey’s face.  She looked so lost and alone.  And sad. 

“Go now,” she said to Faron.  “Please.  I’ll hold dinner till you get back.”

“Dav and I will go,” Faron said.  “Ban will stay here with you.  But if he calls and
tells me that you are not relaxing, we’ll have to come back.”

“Blackmailer,” Saige muttered.  “Go on, I’ll be fine if you go now.”

Faron nodded, shot a warning look at Ban that was totally unnecessary, and left the
house with Dav at his heels.  He was angry that Saige was so upset.  Angry that Honey
was being treated so poorly.  Angry that the Vulpirans had not done their duty by
their Arima.  And angry that he had not checked on the young woman himself.  He had
sworn to himself that Honey would never be harmed, and here she was, hurt, and he
hadn’t even known about it.

As soon as he was outside he transformed into his loboenca, threw his head back and
howled his anger into the sky.  Then he began running toward the garrison where the
Vulpirans had been spending all of their time. 

It was against ancient law to interfere between a male-set and their Arima.  But,
there was an exception to that rule which was, unless a male-set mistreats or causes
harm to their Arima.  In which case, all Jasani were required to step in and protect
her at any cost.  Honey had worked a miracle for them, at great risk to herself. 
She had asked for nothing in return.  He would not see her harmed by anyone.  Not
even her Rami.

“What are you going to do?”
Dav asked as they raced down the hill to the garrison.

“Let the Vulpirans know that I am not happy with them,”
Faron replied.

Faron waited for Dav to respond but he didn’t. 
“You’ve nothing to say?”

“No,”
Dav replied. 
“I’m not happy with them either.”

Vikter spun around, instinct warning him that the black and white striped loboencas
racing toward him were angry.  And their anger was directed at him.  Without thinking
he shifted into his vulpin, Lance and Hunt doing the same and taking their places
behind him just as the loboencas came to a stop at the edge of the building site. 
He watched warily as Faron Lobo began stalking toward them, hackles raised, making
him look even taller than his usual ten feet, head pulled in, ears flat, eyes glowing.

“Why are you so angry?”
Vikter demanded as his own ears flattened and he crouched low to the ground, eyes
fixed on the loboenca.

“You have caused harm to one we protect,”
Faron snapped, more loboenca than man at the moment.

“We have harmed no one,”
Vikter replied.

“You have hurt Honey Davis, your Arima,”
Faron growled as he stopped inches in front of Vikter, Dav moving up beside him,
their long white teeth bared.

Vikter was so shocked by the accusation that his ears popped up and his eyes widened. 
“Hurt Honey?”
he asked. 
“We have not, could not.  She is our Arima.  We would never do her harm.”

Faron blinked, some of the angry red haze clearing at the stark surprise in Vikter’s
voice.  He was struggling to think of a response when a loud, ground shaking roar
sounded from above them.

“Oh, squilik shit,”
he said, looking up into the darkening sky at the two dracons circling above them. 
Thirty-five feet long with twenty-five foot wingspans, wedge shaped heads, and leopard
spotted fur, they both roared again, then spit great gouts of fire into the air above
them.

“Double squilik shit,”
Dav said. 

Faron, Dav, Vikter, Lance and Hunt all shifted back to their humanoid forms, then
waited for High Prince Garen and Prince Trey to land, shifting from their dracon form
to their tall, broad shouldered humanoid forms.  They walked toward the Lobos and
the Vulpirans, their long, straight black hair flowing behind them, their eyes warning
everyone to remain still and silent.

Garen stopped just short of stepping directly between Faron and Vikter, Trey at his
side.  “I know why you are angry, Lord Protector,” he said, his voice deceptively
soft.  “Saige voxed Lariah to share her outrage, and Lariah shared hers with us. 
We too, are displeased.  However, we are in possession of information that leads us
to believe that an error has been made.”

“Yes, Highness,” Faron said.  “I agree that an error has been made.  Consul Vikter’s
surprise was genuine when I accused him of harming their Arima.”

“What is this about Honey being harmed?” Vikter broke in, unable to help himself. 
“What has happened to her? Where is she?”

“Calm yourself, Consul Vulpiran,” Garen said.  “Your Arima is not in danger, nor is
she harmed in the way you think.  However, she does suffer, and as we owe her much,
we cannot allow it to continue.”

“Suffers how?” Vikter asked.  “We will correct the matter at once.”

Garen looked at Faron, who nodded before looking to Vikter.  Faron listed all of the
issues that Saige had given them, growing angry again as he spoke, only with himself
and his people rather than the Vulpirans.  How could they have allowed someone whom
they claimed to value to be in need of such basics as a home and money for food and
clothing?  It was shameful.  “She wants, needs, and deserves a home of her own without
having to rely on the charity of others,” he finished.

“We did not offer her another guesthouse as we thought that you would care for her
yourselves,” Garen said to Vikter.  “It has come to our attention, most emphatically,
that you have not cared for her, nor even visited her since her release from the clinic
three days ago.  It is the opinion of Arima Saige, Princess Lariah, and ourselves
that Honey Davis is deserving of more than she is receiving from the Jasani, or her
Rami.”

“Excuse me,” Michael said from where he stood a few yards away with all of the other
onlookers.  “I’m sorry about the money situation.  Half of what I have is hers, of
course.  I’ve been so busy working I didn’t think of it, and she didn’t say anything. 
I’ll fix it first thing in the morning.”  He turned to Vikter, an expression of disappointment
on his face.  “I didn’t know that you guys were avoiding her,” he said.  “Honey and
Nica are both welcome to come back to the guesthouse with me.  I thought...well, it
doesn’t matter what I thought.”

“The only reason we’ve been staying away from Honey is that she is still a married
woman,” Vikter said.  “We thought it best to wait until she is no longer married before
claiming her as our Arima.”

“Dr. Davis, did you not receive the documents we sent to the clinic for you this morning?”
Garen asked.

“I did receive them,” Michael replied.  “I showed them to Honey, but then I got carried
away with an idea about the Xanti and forgot to tell the Vulpirans about them.  I’m
sorry, Vikter, Lance, Hunt.  I meant to tell you.”

“The brilliance of your discovery forces me to forgive your forgetfulness,” Garen
said.  He arched a brow at Vikter, who nodded.

“Yes, the same goes for us, Michael,” he said.  “And I understand why you were so
angry with us,” he said to Faron.  “I would have felt the same were our situations
reversed.  Frankly, I am now ashamed that we stayed so far from her for our own sake. 
Had we not thought of ourselves so much, we would have come close enough to sense
her distress and worry.”

“It is not an easy thing to have an Arima,” Garen said.  “After centuries of waiting,
to suddenly have a woman to love and care for can be far more difficult and confusing
than one would ever suspect.”

“The important question is, what do we do now?” Lance asked.  “I confess, I am greatly
ashamed of our behavior.  Our reasons for what we did are irrelevant.  I will not
rest until our Arima is happy and well, but I’ve no idea how to procure her a home
at this time of night, let alone solve the other troubles she has.”

“We have offered her a home, here on the ranch,” Garen said.  “Tomorrow our architect
will arrive to discuss with all of you what you want most in a home.  It was meant
to be a surprise, but I can see that it’s best you know now.  While waiting for the
home to be built, we will offer Honey the River House.  It has been extensively remodeled,
so there is room enough for all of you, should you all wish to live together.  Also,
it is within walking distance of our own home.  If she is to live alone, we would
have her close enough that we can keep watch over her.”

“Tomorrow I will set up a new account for Honey and transfer funds into it,” Michael
said.

“When you do, send the account number to us so that we can do the same,” Garen said. 
Michael nodded agreement.

“That covers the most urgent needs, I believe,” Garen said.  “I’m not sure what to
do about a school for Nica.  That will take some thought.”

“If I may,” Michael said hesitantly.  Garen nodded.  “I’ve spent the past couple of
days working in Doc’s clinic.  I noticed that he treats a lot of children, though
he told me he usually sees them at the infirmary.  Many were school age, five, six,
seven year olds.  Doc said he was the closest physician, though there’s one in a nearby
town.  I assume that means there are families nearby with children who might benefit
from a school a bit closer than town.”

“They must be the children of the ranch hands,” Faron said.  “I didn’t think of them. 
I wonder, what do they do for schooling?”

“Most of them home school,” Trey said.  “There are several other ranches out too far
to make the trip into town twice a day so they home school their children as well.”

“I think we need to make plans to build a school on the ranch,” Garen said thoughtfully. 
“But not tonight.”  He looked at Vikter and smiled.  “Without interfering in your
personal affairs, might I suggest, Consul Vikter, that you and your brothers visit
your Arima?  It appears the four of you have things to discuss.”

“Your advice is appreciated, and will be followed, of that much I can assure you,”
Vikter said.  “We have not done well for our Arima so far.  I can only hope that we
improve with time.”

“You will,” Faron said with a wry smile.  “I warn you though, it will be an ongoing
process of trial and error.”