The Rogues Who Went Rogue
Chapter 72

At around 8 p.m. in Polje, a hundred decipios led by a very excited Rafael join the werewolf and lycan monarch, ministers, warriors and rogues.

Toby muttered in Lucianne's way, "You got to admit, if they weren't on our side, what we're seeing now is shit scary."

Lucianne murmured, "Not if you think about what's at stake, how many creatures we have to protect."

Those words shifted Toby's perspective, and the cold night suddenly became less cold.

After exchanging bows and acknowledgments, Rafael and Toby got their species to partner-up, one decipio for every two lycans or werewolves. Rafael then threw out a stern reminder, "As I've mentioned before, we're here to train them to battle with us in their minds while they physically battle with another creature in front of them. It's a practice session. DON'T let them get hurt."

Although Pellethia was there, this was the longest she went without handing out orders, giving her friend full discretion to put things in order. Once Rafael's reminder was issued and the species started pairing up, some reluctantly, Rafael's voice turned polite and more cordial when he faced Lucianne and Xandar and said, "I'm afraid Your Highnesses don't have the privilege of choosing a partner. As the creatures with the sharpest senses in the kingdom, our recommendation is for you both to train with Pelly and I."

"That'd be great," Lucianne responded with a smile.

"Also," Rafael added in concern, "We plan to push Your Highnesses to your limits, probably to the point where you might have to summon your Authorities. There is a...danger that you might hurt your opponent, so I strongly suggest against practicing with one another." Lucianne blinked before she asked, "Wait, wouldn't you be able to stop us before we did anything? You just told the rest to not let our people hurt each other."

"And that is very possible for them but not for us, Your Highness. My instructions to the other decipios here are to start from the lowest level - manipulate your people slowly and obviously enough to allow them to familiarize themselves with sensing the walls that a decipio builds up, and fight against being caged in. That basic level of manipulation can be torn down in less than a second, before any harm is caused. You both have a different level of...aptitude and senses. According to the books, Lycan Kings require a collaborative manipulation by a minimum of twenty decipios. Anything less would require them to be of very high caliber, or in the case of Blue Crescent's attack, they require a chemical to help them enhance their power to control their target. Only an emperor can manipulate the Lycan King alone. I haven't read anything similar on Lycan Queens, but I doubt it's very much different, Your Highness."

Xandar clarified, "So, in essence, because the level of manipulation you're going to use with us isn't...basic, it'll take more time to tear down even if you wanted to."

Rafael nodded in confirmation. "Yes, Your Highness. The effects take time to fade. Pelly and I can speed it up but we haven't found or developed a technique to tear it down in an instant as of yet."

"I see," Xandar registered.

Pellethia spoke, "So, to keep Aunt Lucy safe, you need someone who you don't mind...hurting during practice, Uncle Xandar. But try to pick someone who would also benefit from the practice and not just end up running away and getting hurt all the time, someone who can rival your strength and senses, at least in the very beginning."

Lucianne's eyes widened when she realized who was the only creature who ticked all of those boxes. She frantically said, "Those two together are already dangerous without manipulation, Pelly. I really don't think it's a good idea. Besides, wouldn't using me as Xandar's opponent better train him to fight off the manipulation since he'd never want to hurt me?"

"As logical as that sounds, Aunt Lucy, we mustn't forget that neither of you have any skills to fight off manipulation effects yet. You WILL hurt each other in the initial stages of practice. And the psychological effects of those who had been touched by a decipio can also be detrimental. If Uncle Xandar continues to hurt you, or if you hurt him to a degree that you both never intended and regret when the effects wear off, it will scar your minds. You both might start holding back during these practice sessions, and it would neither serve you nor the kingdom. We strongly recommend AGAINST practicing with one another."

Seeing Pellethia and Rafael's pleading eyes, Xandar took his mate's hands and pecked a sweet kiss before he said, "Lucy, what happened in Blue Crescent is a nightmare that I wish I could forget. I don't want to keep hurting you. It's better if I practiced with Greg." After going through her mental library on whatever little she knew about decipios, Lucianne looked at Xandar in dismay and said, "I really hate that I cannot come up with anything to refute the three of you right now."

Xandar pecked an assuring kiss on her forehead and muttered, "We'll play nice, baby. I promise."

Despite the affection in his voice, Lucianne frankly said, "No, you won't. You both won't. But what choice do we have?"

Funnily enough, Xandar couldn't deny that he and Greg were now given the perfect opportunity to tear each other apart.

They got Greg to join them, and Rafael explained that the duke had to be paired with the king for the queen's safety. Greg's animal was secretly pleased that they could now use being manipulated as an excuse to harm the cousin they hated, maybe get even for what Xandar did to him at Blue Crescent. But they also had to weigh in the fact that hurting this dim cousin would also end up hurting Lucianne, so they had to be very selective in how they wanted to get even but still subject Lucianne to as little pain as possible.

When Rafael came to the end of his briefing, Lucianne declared, "If practicing with one another does more harm than good, I'm pairing with Xandar, okay?"

That contingency plan made the cousins' ears perk up. So much for finally having an excuse to harm each other or even out any score by using manipulation as an excuse. The cousins exchanged a worried look as they aborted their mental plan before Xandar assured Lucianne, “You won't have to pair with me, baby. We'll be fine."

Greg affirmed, "We'll behave professionally, My Queen, for the sake of the kingdom." He was going to add 'and for you' but stopped himself from saying the words just in time.

"I really hope so," Lucianne muttered.

Rafael ushered Lucianne towards a large tree, and as they walked away, Xandar asked Pellethia, "Wait, you're training us? I thought we were getting Rafael."

Pellethia scoffed in amusement. "Trust me, Uncle Xandar. You don't want to get Rafael yet. Besides, I'm softer on Aunt Lucy. I'd go easy on her."

As Xandar watched Lucianne speaking to a smiley Rafael, he asked, "Does Rafael have a mate?"

Greg rolled his eyes and Pellethia snapped, "He doesn't. But that doesn't mean he sees Aunt Lucy like that. For Lord's sake, Uncle Xandar, you both are marked! If you don't have faith in every other man out there, at least have faith in Aunt Lucy." Greg didn't even bother pressing back a smile when he said, "I didn't like the empress at first but I have to say that she is growing on me, cousin."

Xandar muttered, "Let's just start."

They took their positions opposite each other and Pellethia began, "What's going to happen is similar to what happened in Blue Crescent. I'll be building walls, and you both have one of two options, go down the only path I'll be pushing you towards where you'd have to rely on your animal's senses to detect what's real from what's not, and move from there; or push the walls back while trying to find me, the source."

"Simple enough," Greg muttered.

Pellethia noted, "In theory, yes. In practice, no. I'll start at the most basic level and we'll work our way up from there."