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Ripred waited in the cavern where he had arranged to meet Vikus, gnawing on a bone, hoping the diplomat would bring him food. He’d better be––it wasn’t like Vikus to be late.
Within the minute he began to smell Euripedes, and then Vikus himself. And yes, they seemed to be carrying food with them. And… no, that particular smell didn’t make any sense.
But when the bat fluttered into the cave, Ripred saw that his nose was right: Vikus was carrying a human child.
“What’s this, did you bring me a snack?” Ripred called as they came in for a landing.
Vikus shot Ripred a look, and Ripred glared right back. “I brought you plenty of food of the non-human variety. Help yourself,” Vikus said, shifting the baby to one arm and gesturing at a picnic hamper with his free one.
Ripred wasted no time in opening the hamper with his nose and rummaging around. As he secured a ham in his jaws, Vikus said, “I hope you will forgive my guest, but I was assigned grandfathering duties just before I left.”
“Sure you were,” Ripred grumbled around his ham. “Whatever. As long as we can still go over the matter at hand.”
“Of course. Let us discuss it immediately,” Vikus replied, and then, as if on cue, the baby began to cry.
“Oh, for crying out loud, did you rehearse that?” Ripred exclaimed incredulously. Vikus ignored him as he dug a rattle out of his pocket. But the baby wasn’t interested in a rattle. No, the child was reaching for Ripred.
Vikus’ eyes twinkled even though the rest of his face stayed set. “I think she would like to pet you.”
As if.
“I should snap at her. Let the survival lessons start early,” Ripred growled.
“Come now, Ripred, would you not like to be on the future queen of Regalia’s good side?”
Ripred scoffed but didn’t bother to retort. He’d heard word that the heir had been born, but he hadn’t seen any humans since then, at least until now. “What’s her name?” He asked, a little begrudgingly.
“Luxa,” Vikus said as the baby continued to reach for Ripred.
“Luxa,” Ripred repeated. “She’s terribly bossy, isn’t she?” But then he leaned forward into her touch, let her sort of whack his head. She quieted, and Ripred pulled back. Vikus was practically beaming at him.
“Oh, quit that, it was just to get her to shut up,” Ripred snarled. “Can we please get down to business now?”
“Of course,” Vikus said, looking down at his granddaughter. “Do you and your mate plan to have pups?”
The question caught Ripred a little off-guard. “Yes. Eventually. Soon,” he said. “Vikus, enough of this. Did you really think bringing that tiny tyrant here would soften me up in negotiations?”
Vikus smiled again as he looked at the rat. “It might,” he said, his eyes glinting. “Shall we see?”