Beastmen Love

After 15 days, Lee decides to meet with Shung and let him know about King Tyr’s soon arrival.

"Isn’t that a good thing?" Shung asks after seeing Lee wasn’t excited for that.

"The King is not coming here for a friendly visit. He’s coming here because we’re becoming more powerful and he’s coming to pee on us. He will probably want to take our tribes from us. He wouldn’t bring his army if he wasn’t planning use force against us." Lee says.

"He doesn’t want to share power..." Shung speaks.

"He’s not that kind of beast. But we have a plan."

"I heard the King is young. Probably unmated. What if he gets interested in one of our females?" Shung asks, but it was clear he was talking about Astri.

"You want to offer Astri? No way. That’s out of question."

"She’s the most beautiful female here. She’s strong and healthy. He will for sure like her. We can use her as a peace treaty."

"No! Besides, Astri doesn’t choose her mates like this. And she doesn’t want to leave here to that filthy city."

Shung sighs.

"I know. I hope you know what you’re doing... I don’t think that having a war with the King will be good even if we win." Shung says.

"We know. Don’t worry. That King will not harm your tribe. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. If I don’t Astri will kill me herself."

Shung smiles and sighs.

"It’s true... You know.. Forget about offering her. She’s beautiful and amazing, but she’s too good to be used like this. She treats us so well even after Dieg’s death, as she was still part of the family. I feel even ashamed now thinking about offering her." Shung says.

Lee smiles, happy with Shung’s change of mind.

"You’re important to her. Astri didn’t have parents, and she saw in you this image of a father." Lee says.

Shung is shocked to know that. He didn’t have an idea she thought that way feeling even more ashamed of his previous idea.

"I didn’t imagine..."

"She still loves Dieg too, even after his death. You look like him and you make her have good memories of Dieg."

Shung is actually thrilled to know that Astri thinks so well about him and also to know his son is very loved even not alive anymore.

"When the King arrives, you can come with us to greet him but let us do the talking." Lee says and Shung nods agreeing.

Shung never imagined his tribe would grow so much to the point the King would feel threatened. Until now trusting Lee and his allies only did good for his tribe, he will keep believing Lee will have the best choice now.

——

The King’s army arrives at the wooden gates of the United Tribes. Lee, Shung, and Wayde are waiting in the front gate and watch a wooden litter get closer.

The big beastmen carrying the litter puts it down slowly and a big muscled man, like Wayde, steps outside of the litter.

He has long and full blond hair, caramel eyes, and tanned skin. He’s tall and has large shoulders, and he looks around 30 years old.

His lion mark is on his left arm, it has 9 marks.

"King Tyr. Welcome to the United Tribes." Lee says.

"Leader Lee. I heard you built this... place partnering with other tribes. I wasn’t imagining such a big place. Why did you decide to build a city here? So far from the Great Wall City and without my consent?" Tyr speaks.

"Being sincere, we just wanted to create walls to protect our tribes. However, other beastmen felt so safe here that they asked to join us and we simply welcomed whoever followed our rules of living in a community." Lee explains.

"I see... I heard you sell salt now, too."

"Yes. I do sell salt."

"Did you partner with a Merman tribe too?"

"No. I learned how to make salt and mastered it, now I know how to make salt."

Tyr sighs. At least Lee is answering his questions.

"May I come inside or am I not welcome?" Tyr asks.

"Yes, you can come inside." Lee answers.

The tense energy is almost tangible. However, a shadow called Tyr’s attention to the sky. Then he is impressed with the most beautiful wings.

Astri lands near them with Cyprian, with her staff in hand.

Shung is confused to see her there but stays quiet observing. He can see that apparently Wayde and Lee knew she was coming.

"This is my mate, Astri." Lee says.

"King Tyr.." She bows to him and that took Tyr by surprise. No one ever did that without being ordered to submit, or if they were lower workers." Welcome. I came to invite you to have dinner with us."

Again Tyr is taken by surprise.

"Dinner?" Tyr asks.

"Yes. You will be delighted with the feast, I assure you that, King Tyr."

"Are you trying to use a female to seduce our King, Leader Lee?" An old beastmen with white short hair speaks while walking to Tyr’s side.

"Why, thank you! But no. I’m not seducing King Tyr. I’m not looking for more mates." Astri answers before Lee explodes on the man." You see the wooden gates, King Tyr? These are the gates to protect the people who are going through probation time. They need to spend 60 days here following the rules of the United Tribes and then if they have good behavior they shall join the tribes inside the rock walls. Of course, you being the King have a free pass inside. However, I’m sure you imagine we can’t have so many soldiers inside. Why don’t you choose some of your soldiers to come inside? Rest assured you won’t be attacked inside. Fighting and killing anyone inside these walls is forbidden. Duels for females or males can be done inside but in a specific area." She explains pointing around.

She walks to the front gates with her mates and then looks back at King Tyr.

"Are you done? We would love to show you around and tell you about the rules of our tribe." She says with a smile.

Tyr tries to keep a straight face, then chooses five soldiers to come with him.

"Are you sure, my king? Will you really trust them? Just because a female is saying it’s safe that it will be truly safe." The same old man says to Tyr.

"I want to go inside. They won’t attack us knowing there’s an army ready to attack them outside." Tyr says.

Tyr starts to follow them inside and Astri shows him everything. Telling the rules and also showing the clean environment.

"How everything is kept clean?" Tyr asks.

"Sandboxes. Every family must have at least two and do their necessities there." Lee answers.

"It smells good indeed for such a place." Tyr speaks.

"We noticed that when we live in cleaner places, fewer diseases kill our tribe members. Especially females. That’s why keeping a clean environment is one of the most important rules around here." Wayde says.

As they’re walking, sometimes Tyr steals glances at Astri. She has a strong aura, she smells like a bird, but she also has a smell he thinks he already smelled it too.

They arrive at the castle.

"This is our home. I’m sorry, King Tyr, but we prepared food for you especially. I would prefer your soldiers waiting outside if it’s possible, our cubs are inside and they might be scared with so many different faces." Astri says.

Tyr nods and tells his guards to wait outside. When she mentions cubs, Tyr imagines she’s trusting him to not hurt her cubs. He also had to steal a glance at her body, she’s wearing a little loose clothes, but he could see she had a beautiful body by her arms and legs.

He nods to his soldiers and tells them to wait outside.

"I think that you know one of my mates, besides Lee, King Tyr." Astri says as they’re walking in the direction of the castle.

"How many mates do you have?" He asks as he looks a little impressed with the castle.

"Five."

"Only that?"

"Yes. Only them. You will meet all of them soon. Shung you can come in and join us too. I made a lot, and we can save some for Fraz too. -

"Thank you, dear. She loves your cooking, she will be happy." Shung says.

He didn’t pretend to leave because he wanted to know what they were up to making Astri leads the King like this. He thought Lee wouldn’t offer Astri. Did Astri herself want to try that approach?

"What you learn from inside here, must stay here. Don’t tell anyone. Even to your family. Do you really want to come inside?" Lee whispers to Shung.

Shung nods, with a resolution in his heart. He wants to protect Astri somehow. Tyr looks around the castle and then two tigers run to Astri happily. They rub their heads on her and she chuckles hugging their heads.

Tyr can see that they’re her cubs with the tiger spouse, Wayde. They look strong for cubs. Zin comes to Astri with Yuki in his arms. Astri greets Zin with a kiss and Tyr is watching her every step, she kissed a snake.

She carries Yuki and points at her cubs.

"These are my cubs. Elias, Kai, and Yuki."

"You had three cubs in the same litter?... Impressive. You’re small but could have three tigers in the same litter."

"Everyone says that. My tiger mate you already know. Wayde. You also know Lee and Cyprian. Zin is my spouse too. And..." She points to her mates and then points to Claud sitting at the dining table.

When Tyr looks at Claud he gets shocked.

"Higher Priest.."

Shung’s mouth almost dislocated. The Higher Priest was in their tribes all this time? And he’s Astri’s mate?!

"King Tyr. Welcome." Claud says standing up.

"What are you doing here?" Tyr asks, now aware of the situation.

"My spouse lives here and I decided to move here."

Claud walks to Astri, wraps his arm around her waist, and kisses her lips too.

"You.. have a spouse?" Tyr asks like he didn’t think Claud could ever have a mate.

"I’m a male too, King Tyr. And when I find my one and true love, I’ll pursue her too." Claud says with a smile.

Yuki is looking curious to Tyr, like he was a new toy or something.

"Come, sit with us. Feel like home. Come Shung, you too." Astri says and pushes Tyr to walk further.

Yuki grabbed Tyr’s hair and started to voice her delight.

"Yuki liked you. Sorry about that. Let him go, baby." She says.

"No problem.." Tyr answers and actually gives a little smile to Yuki.

Now Yuki is smiling to him too and raises her arms for him to get her. Her fathers are jealous that Yuki is fond of Tyr. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"Look at this. You know, there’s a say that little cubs have the purest souls and they’re attracted to good souls too." Astri says, smiling to her and then to Tyr.

Tyr smiled softly and even felt his heart melt a little. When Yuki sees Lee, she screams to call his attention and he smiles. He takes her from Astri’s arms and starts tickling her arms and belly with his mouth.

"You can’t be this cute to other males, can you understand little snowball?!" Lee plays with her and her laughter makes the energy lighter.

They sit around the table and Tyr is looking around at the different kinds of places. Astri, Wayde, and Zin start to bring the food and plates. Tyr never saw those kinds of food and he watches everyone eating.

He mimics them eating and gets impressed with the good flavors. Cyprian is helping Yuki to eat, the boys are eating like good boys and not spilling anything around. Tyr is wondering why things are different there and why it actually feels good to be there.