The Early Years of Litkalaa (Patreon)

By joining forces, the humans and werewolves of Litkalaa managed to repel any remaining attempts at invasion. However, the immediate aftermath of that victory was turmoil. The island was safe, but many of its inhabitants were bitter over the cost that it took to achieve that.

Many of the humans were terrified of the “monsters” that now ruled over them. And who could blame them, given that at the time werewolves were thought to be exactly that and little else. So one of the first things the newly crowned King Wyman Blackclaw did was ensure that the populace was properly educated on their true nature. Though of course, his detractors saw this as indoctrination.

At the same time, the werewolves now had to learn the ins and outs of running a kingdom. They had been satisfied with their previous isolationist way of life, and thought the idea of openly revealing their location and histories was dangerous and foolish. The idea of establishing diplomatic relations with other nations was entirely foreign to them, scoffing at the idea that they might need outside assistance.

The first order of business was rebuilding the parts of the island that had been destroyed by raiders. Werewolves were placed as guards along the shores and other critical points, ensuring their safety. In the event the attackers returned, King Blackclaw wanted to be ready.

Heads of the werewolf pack were appointed as wardens and governors of the island's districts. The old territory lines were largely respected, with the exception of two of the large districts being split in order to make them easier to manage. Over time, about half of these would be returned to the humans, though fast enough for some.

Eventually, relations with other nations were bridged. Many of the allies of the previous king were shocked at the sudden takeover, with several refusing to normalize relations for years. And many of their new allies largely underestimated them, and were swiftly proven wrong when the werewolves did not respond kindly to their attempts at cheating them into trades.

Even as the country prospered, many citizens saw the treatment of their former king and queen as an insult - and some began to devise a way to fight back in secret. Not even all of the werewolves were happy with the situation, feeling as though they received little to nothing in return for their sacrifices in defending the island.

If you asked the family themselves though, you’d find that they were happy. Not at first of course, it took time for the former rulers to adjust to their new stations in life. Queen Carlotta was first, falling for the charm of her new husband over countless dinners. For Consort Andrew, it took months to move past the feeling of humiliation for having lost his birthright - but eventually, with the love of his wife and new husband, he was able to overcome... but that is a story for another time.

Over many, many years, the royal family slowly but surely built their small island into a proud and strong nation. All three worked hard to make their home proud, though they did not know the tragedy that would await them. Even today, they are remembered fondly by the Litkalaan citizens, and the tradition of a werewolf taking a consort continues. Why, I heard the young Prince Makeseka Blackclaw may have even taken his own consort only recently...