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Family: Mother = Kirha Contou. Father = Jasper Contou. Sisters = Vonetta, and a new baby sister, name still unknown. Aunt = Beryn.
This loyal, protective, funny, and fierce wolven is the perfect balance for Casteel and Poppy. He would do anything for them, and they for him.
KIERAN’S JOURNEY TO DATE:
Born as the first child to Jasper and Kirha Contou, Kieran was bonded to Prince Casteel at birth. The two shared a crib more often than not, took their first steps together, and sat at the same table most nights, even refusing to eat the same vegetables. They were inseparable. As they grew older, they were rarely apart, even though they sometimes appeared to hate each other, often coming to blows over minor things—as siblings are wont to do.
Kieran once had a great love, Elashya, who was born with the same wasting disease her grandmother had. It didn’t reveal itself for more than a hundred years, but when it did manifest, it was virulent, shut the body down, and killed her within days. He will always harbor sadness for the loss.
Adventurers at heart, Kieran spent considerable time exploring with Casteel, Cas’s brother, Prince Malik; and their friend, Shea. When they went into the tunnels, they ensured they wouldn’t get lost by marking the stone walls with their initials. I’m sure some can even be seen today. Kieran and Casteel even tried to sail past the Mountains of Nyktos once to see if any of the land beyond was habitable and almost drowned in the process.
Now, on to when things really start to pick up…
When Casteel tries to take down the Blood Crown, Kieran doesn’t know the plan and is expressly forbidden from going to the capital. He immediately knows that Casteel is injured when he suddenly feels sick and realizes it’s serious when it robs him of all his strength. Kieran discovers that Cas has been captured when he doesn’t return, Kieran can no longer walk, and no amount of food or water sates him. He quickly loses weight and remains in that weakened state for the entire five decades Casteel is held by the Blood Crown.
Kieran is the only one who knows what Cas went through during his imprisonment and often had to help the Prince remember who he was back in those days after he returned, reminding him that he wasn’t a thing. It’s a terrible link to solidify a tether to someone, but it’s there for the men, nonetheless. The two have a bond that goes beyond friendship and family. They are two sides of the same coin.
When Casteel devises the scheme to become Hawke Flynn—a name that Kieran actually picked—to capture the Maiden and use her as a bargaining tool to free his brother, Kieran is all-in. Despite hating most of Solis because of its many Ascended and crowds, he knows he will go wherever Casteel does without question.
And this is where the Fate lines of Kieran, Poppy, and Casteel converge for me in my visions…
Kieran starts out in Masadonia as a City Guard, traveling with Casteel into enemy territory to begin their ruse. He keeps Setti with him there, and he and Casteel meet secretly when they can. They use the Red Pearl a lot, but they also communicate via notes left in Wisher’s Grove.
He and Cas meet at the Red Pearl with another wolven, Jericho, and Descenter Griffith Jansen, a commander of the Royal Guard—a changeling who later reveals himself as a traitor to the Crown and is swiftly dealt with. After leaving to take care of some business, Kieran returns to let Hawke know that the envoy has arrived, not yet realizing the Maiden is in the room. If he had, I wonder if he would have delayed his interruption.
Later, Kieran and Cas meet with Emil and Delano in the Grove so that Cas can feed. When Emil is…well, Emil, Kieran tells him he has a death wish.
For real, though. He just can’t keep his mouth shut. And once Kieran finds out about Vonetta…he’s probably going to be ready to hunt him, too.
When Cas finds out that Jericho tried to take Poppy the night he killed Rylan Keal and ended up hitting her, Kieran tries to head him off, telling him he already knocked the wolven on his ass for his insubordination and telling Cas he can’t kill Jericho. He thinks maybe he’s gotten through to Hawke—and he did—but when they get to the Three Jackals, he can only stand by and watch as Cas cuts off Jericho’s left hand.
Later, he goes with Cas to the warehouse district, summoned by one of their Descenters. When they arrive, Lev tells them there’s something they need to see. When he sees, he thinks he never needed to see that. Nobody does. The Ascended turned a baby into a Craven. He can barely watch as Cas does what needs to be done.
Kieran leaves a note for Casteel, telling him that he’s in the meat packing district with a new friend. When Casteel arrives, Kieran tells him he’s been freezing his balls off and then takes great pleasure in scaring and tormenting Lord Devries, until he brings up stuff that it took Kieran much too long to talk Casteel through.
Kieran spends some quality time with Circe at the Red Pearl, but Cas interrupts. Kieran invites him to join, but Cas declines. After, they discuss the Duke and what Casteel wants to do to him, and Kieran tells him it’s revenge. And selfish. Cas tells him again that he wishes Kieran hadn’t come, and Kieran basically tells him to shut up.
He would never leave Cas.
The night of the Rite, he and Cas meet and discuss the plan. Cas tells Kieran he’ll meet him in the Grove later with the Maiden, and Kieran once again tells him he doesn’t like it. It doesn’t feel right. He does say that the Descenters are doing their part and creating the distraction, though.
Little does he know that’s not all they’re doing.
After the Descenters attack the Rite, Hawke takes the opportunity to spirit Penellaphe away under the guise of escorting her to the capital and the Queen. Kieran joins him, along with Royal Guards Phillips Rathi, Bryant, and Airrick, and Huntsmen Luddie and Noah. Leading the convoy with Phillips, Kieran takes notice of Hawke and Penellaphe’s interaction, noting how their relationship has already progressed. When he hears Penellaphe laughing loudly over Hawke disclosing that he brought along my diary, he sees something in Casteel that he hasn’t seen in quite some time—life.
I love that my journal made the journey with them.
On their first night of travel, the convoy sets up camp in the Blood Forest. While four of the guards rest, Kieran and three others keep watch several yards from where the Maiden attempts to sleep. Kieran and Hawke have a talk about the dangers and worries, and Kieran tells Cas that he surprised him—he hasn’t heard the Atlantian laugh like he’s done with Poppy in a long time. He teases Cas about going to keep Poppy company and is close enough to notice Hawke giving Penellaphe pleasure later.
After she falls asleep, Kieran teases him some more, telling him that Poppy likes him. He indicates that although they will reach Three Rivers prior to nightfall, they can’t stay there. The Prince suggests that if they break off halfway to Three Rivers and ride through the night, they could possibly make it to New Haven by the morning. Kieran asks him if he is ready for that and mentions the growing relationship between him and Penellaphe, reminding Hawke to remember the task at hand.
Farther into the Blood Forest, they’re ambushed by a group of Craven. Kieran moves with the grace of a dancer, fighting with a sword in each hand. After Airrick dies in the attack, Kieran takes the guard’s place, riding alongside Hawke and Penellaphe.
When they stop, Kieran and Cas talk about what the Maiden did with the dying guard. During the discussion, Cas calls her Poppy, and Kieran questions it. Cas pushes back, acting like it’s no big deal. Kieran warns him about getting too familiar and outright asks if she’s still a maiden. It upsets Cas, but Kieran reminds him of what she’s dealt with and that doing more will only fuck with her.
After resting near Three Rivers, Kieran shares his cheese with Poppy on the road while teasing her and answering her questions. They finally reach New Haven and reunite with the others of their group, meeting to discuss plans. During one of those meetings, Kieran watches as Cas rips out Orion’s heart and then tosses it into the fire.
Later, Kieran discovers Phillips trying to escape with Penellaphe, and a fight breaks out. Phillips cuts him on the stomach and leg during the skirmish. Unable to do much else, Kieran shifts into his wolven form and gives chase, punching through the barn door in pursuit.
