Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband-Chapter 59: The Weight of a Roar
Later that Night
The iron gates of General Rajah’s Estate swung open silently. The grounds were immaculate—sharp hedges, raked gravel paths, and statues of roaring tigers that looked almost alive in the moonlight.
General Rajah walked up the steps of the main manor, his boots clicking rhythmically on the marble. He was soaked to the bone, mud splattered on his pristine uniform, carrying a snoring cub over his shoulder.
The front door opened before he could touch the handle.
"Welcome home, General. You look... colorful."
Standing in the foyer was Barnaby, the head butler.
Barnaby was an elderly Elephant-kin. He was massive, standing nearly seven feet tall, with wrinkled grey skin and small, wise eyes hidden behind spectacles. His tuxedo was tailored perfectly to fit his immense frame, and his short tusks were polished to a shine. Despite his size, he moved with a gentle, deliberate grace.
"It was a muddy night, Barnaby," Rajah grunted, stepping inside. He swung Arjun off his shoulder. "Take him. He is exhausted. Clean him up and put him in the softest bed. Do not wake him."
Barnaby extended his large, leathery arms and took the cub as easily as if Arjun were a feather. The Elephant’s trunk gently brushed a smudge of dirt from Arjun’s cheek.
"Of course, sir," Barnaby rumbled, his voice deep and soothing. "Master Arjun seems deeper asleep than usual. Did he overexert himself at play?"
Rajah paused. He looked at his son, then at his own trembling hands. He began to unbutton his ruined jacket.
"He did not play, Barnaby," Rajah said softly. "He fought."
Barnaby’s large ears flapped once—a sign of surprise. "Fought? But he is a child." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
"He used it," Rajah whispered, staring at the floor. "The ability of the Ancestor. The First Tiger."
Barnaby froze. The hallway went deadly silent.
"You mean..." Barnaby lowered his voice to a hush. "The Khan’s Roar? The Golden Command?"
"Yes." Rajah walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of amber liquid. His hand shook slightly. "He leveled a stone tower with a single shout."
Barnaby looked down at the drooling, snoring boy in his arms. Arjun murmured something about meat skewers in his sleep.
"It has not been present in the bloodline for ten generations," Barnaby noted gravely. "Not since the Great War. Is... is this a bad thing, sir?"
Rajah downed the drink in one gulp. He turned to look at the portrait of his ancestors hanging above the fireplace—rows of stern, powerful Tigers.
"Power is never good or bad, Barnaby. It is simply heavy," Rajah said. "If the Emperor finds out... if the Lion Throne learns that a Tiger has been born with the Voice of a King..."
He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t have to. In the animal kingdom, there could only be one King. A Tiger with the power to command could be seen as a rival to the Lion.
"He is in danger," Rajah finished. "And he doesn’t even know it."
Barnaby held Arjun a little tighter. "Then we must prepare him, General."
"Yes," Rajah nodded, his eyes hardening into steel. "Go. Tomorrow, everything changes."
The Next Morning
Sunlight streamed into the dining room. It was a long table, fit for twenty people, but currently occupied by only two.
Arjun sat at the head of the table, swinging his legs. He felt great. Better than great. He felt like he had swallowed a lightning bolt. His skin felt buzzy. His throat felt ticklish.
He grabbed a piece of toast and shoved the whole thing in his mouth.
"Mmph!" Arjun chewed happily.
General Rajah sat opposite him. He wasn’t eating. He was watching Arjun with intense focus, his arms crossed.
"Arjun," Rajah said calmly. "Chew with your mouth closed."
Arjun gulped. "Sorry, Dad! I’m just super hungry! Did you see me yesterday? I was like Kapow! And the bad guys were like Ahhh! And then—"
"Arjun."
The tone stopped the cub mid-sentence.
Rajah leaned forward. "Do you know what you did yesterday?"
Arjun blinked. "I... saved Clover?"
"You used Magic," Rajah corrected. "But not ordinary magic. You used the Roar of the Khan. It is the legacy of our First Ancestor. It is a power that can crush stone and command armies."
Arjun’s eyes went wide. "Whoa. Really? Like a superhero?"
"Like a weapon," Rajah said sternly. "It is a dangerous gift. If you cannot control it, you will hurt your friends. You could have collapsed that tower on top of yourself."
Arjun shrank back a little. "I... I didn’t mean to break the building. I just wanted them to stop."
"I know," Rajah softened slightly. "It reacts to your emotions. When you are angry, or scared, or protective... it triggers. But you are a Tiger. You are hyperactive. You feel everything at 100 percent. If you get too excited... it will happen again."
Arjun nodded vigorously. "Okay! I get it! I’ll be careful! I promise!"
He stood up on his chair, bursting with energy.
"I’ll be the best controller ever! I’m ready to learn, Dad! Let’s go!"
He opened his mouth to shout YEAH!
But his excitement spiked. The golden stripes on his arms flared up.
Instead of words, a shockwave of sound escaped his throat.
"ROOOOOAAAAAAARRRR!"
CRASH.
The fine china teacup in Rajah’s hand exploded into dust.
The crystal chandelier above the table shattered, raining glass onto the toast.
The massive oak table cracked down the middle.
Barnaby, who had been pouring juice, was blown backward, his tuxedo flapping wildly as he skidded across the floor on his large feet.
Silence.
Arjun stood on his chair, hands over his mouth, eyes wide with horror.
The dining room was a wreck.
"Oops?" Arjun squeaked.
Barnaby calmly straightened his tie, dusting plaster off his shoulder. "I shall fetch the broom, sir."
Rajah slowly wiped a piece of ceramic shard off his cheek. He didn’t look angry. He looked resigned.
"Training," Rajah announced, standing up. "We start immediately. Before you destroy the structural integrity of the entire estate."
"Yes, sir," Arjun whispered, climbing down carefully.
"To the dojo," Rajah commanded. "And Arjun?"
"Yeah?"
"Don’t speak. Just nod."
Arjun nodded frantically.
