CHRONICLES OF AADYA

Episode Six

AUTHOR

It was when the servants were busy trying to quench the fire that the clergyman and a few Lords retreat to a chamber. The display outside filled Hrafen with shame and disgrace. "Pardon me, your grace. It is also a shame to me what had occurred before us" Hrafen began once the clergyman had settled down.

There was some amount of silence before the clergyman looks at Hrafen. "Do you understand what your demonic daughter has done?"

Hrafen lowers his head slightly "I know that her actions have caused the death of a few of your men, your grace"

"Who would have thought she had it in her?" A different lord spoke. "By what right does anyone lay hands on the clergyman's servant? And still, she took the lives out of a couple of them. Moreover, she had planned so"

"I know I should now be held accountable"

"Will both of you shut your mouths? Griffin, you will release some manhunts and you, make your place with the Clergyman" The Lord of Alaston directs the last line to Hrafen.

"She roasted my men in the open. The crime will only be forgiven when she burns down" The clergyman states.

"If we don't act, there will be chaos. Griffin will organize the manhunts to begin their mission immediately. Pass the information to other lands, anyone who returns that little s**t of a witch to the king's landing would be rewarded greatly. The girl had her fun now. Now it's our turn to put an end to this demonic act. Do you hear me? Send a raven and put an end to this"

"I'm half a Kingdom in depth to your kindness, Lord Duncan" Hrafen expresses his gratitude to the Lord.

"Once you ready the manhunt, Griffin. The clergyman will give out his words and the men dispatched immediately. She must be brought to justices"

"As you command, Lord Duncan"

***

"Gunnar! Where in the bloody hell is he?" Hrafen questioned his wife back in Dubrovnik.

"I have searched everywhere for him, and Leif said he had left him behind in Opheena since he had refused to return until he find that daughter of yours. All is not well, Hrafen. You made us live with that witch all this time. How do you think this look to our enemies? Does this make us strong? And now Gunnar has gone in search for a witch you made him believe was human"

"Is it too much to ask that you exercise a modicum of respect? That is your duty as a wife"

"No son of mine get involved with a witch. This is all your fault, Hrafen. It's all your fault our son got involved with that demonic being. Who says she won't come after us? If she lives, we're all in danger"

"Speak of no such thing woman. She came from hell and she will be sent back to hell by the clergyman. All are in good hand"

"All is not in good hand-"

"Shall I make a square of branches? Are you going to fight me for your son or shush up and let me handle this matter?"

"What if he wasn't found?"

"Bite your tongue woman! He will be found and brought back. Is this how you face a problem? Shame on you"

"I will not wait for your men, I'll go find him myself. He is out there alone all because of you!"

"No! You will not dare! Have you not been listening to me? Do not tell me what it is you will do, you are just a woman! You will give me nothing. You will wait and you will watch! That's all that is needed of you! You will do nothing I did not command. So quiet woman!"

"I took you for a leader"

"Hold your tongue"

"On the condition that you will return my son to me. If not I should wear the armor and you the gown" She barely finished her sentence when Hrafen landed a painful slap on her right cheek with the back of his palm. The slap came as a shock to her as she never thought Hrafen would dare lay a hand on her. Holding her cheek with both hands she stared severely back at her husband.

"I shall wear this like a badge of honor," She tells him savagely.

"You do better wear it in silence or I'll honor you again" He let her know of his next act firmly and at once she departs from his presence.

Hrafen later walks out of his chamber "Uhtred" He calls out to a man in the near distance "Take two men and ride to Opheena in search of my son. Return with him before his mother's tongue gives me grief"

"But suppose we don't find him in Opheena?" Uhtred inquires.

"Then you search other lands. Protect and keep the boy safe, he is the heir. And be back once you have him" Hrafen commands.

"Yes, Lord"

BELLAMY

"So you still not going to tell me about your land?" Gunnar reminds. "Tell me about Irpinia, your home"

With Ali not planning on replying at the moment "What can I say about Irpinia?" I ask the young lad.

"Everything"

We had settled to rest upon the eve of the evening when there is still the strength of day yet the softness of night. "It's fertile, best of honey. A clear river, fish as big as a man's leg. A forest alive with meat, and more than that, a place to grow fat and old. Our ancestors took the land, and it had been strengthened with our bones and blood. And it been home to our kind. We will protect it with everything we have if the need arises"

"You have kings there, a ruler perhaps?"

"Power resides where men believe it resides, it's a trick. A very small man can cast a very large shadow. That's the mystery of the word" Ali tells him. He has been strangely quiet, I know he has a lot going on in his mind, but his reply to Gunnar's question made it known he was at least listening.

"In Irpinia, one doesn't have to sit on a throne to lead the people" I made clear to the boy.

"Aadya do say life is a mystery itself. Everything has a mystery around it"

"You are young and clever, Gunnar. I tell you, life is what this world twists, it will take the best of your intentions and use them against you. It will drop a ton of rules on you that you forget you had only come alone into this world..."Ali stops to glance at him. "You should eat more" He urged the boy.

It wasn't long before Ali excuses himself and completely pulls out of our sight. "Gather more woods. We're staying here for the night" I inform the boy. Alisdair not being able to see the young maiden again really agonizes him even though he's been acting as if he is fine with the whole situation. Knowing him well, I can tell it tortures him more as there is nothing he can do about it other than to search. We just have to keep searching and hoping we would eventually find her.

The night sky covers the entire woods with no presence of the moon causing the forest to be engulfed in darkness. The only light being cast by the fire I had set up. "What's wrong with him?" Gunnar's voice sounded a bit concerned.

We both had settled near the flame while Ali was in the far distance but still in our vision. "Do you know what he is tasked with?" I softly ask the young lad and he shook his head.

"Some of us get entangled with life in the most complex way. He has been faced with a task he desperately wants to understand. The more he tries hard to understand it, the more he finds it difficult to. Just be aware he has a lot going on right now, try not to cause him more worries" The young lad only watched him for a while then turns back to me.

"Alisdair listens to no one but the gods. He sees things the gods want him to see, and men who take their orders from the gods are unpredictable"

"Do you know how he met my sister?" He was curious but even I still find that part of the story complex to take in.

"He hasn't met her in person yet. Although he had known her for over a decade. It's quite complicated to explain, but one truth is that no stone in this world would be left unturned not until he finds your sister. That's how much she means to him" That was just the truth of the matter.

ALISDAIR

I began to feel her once more after we had left Opheena. But more like she was trapped, trapped within herself. I don't know what it truly means but thankful I could at least feel her again, only that it's weak.

"Come, Gunnar. Don't skulk in the shadow" He probably do be surprised I could sense him. I have gotten used to his scent but his heartbeat was another thing that broke my reverie.

"What are you pondering about?" He asks settling down next to me. I watch the side of his face and smile.

"Nothing. Just listening to the beat of the forest"

"How can one do so?"

"I guess that's another thing people from Irpinia are capable of," I said to him. "Take this" I opened my right palm which had a necklace. I had made it when I left the two, only using my hunt knife to carve a tiny hole through one of the precious stones that I fixed through a rope. I thought it to be nice to gift him something. We do so a lot in Irpinia, although I know nothing of theirs.

He stares at my palm contemplating "Take it" I repeat and when he was about to pick it up, I closed my palm, clenching it a bit. " Take it" I urged him.

"I can't I ca-" He struggles to open my fist.

"Don't you want it?"

"I do want it, I'm trying"

"Then take it!" I urged more.

"I don't think he wants it" Bellamy mocks resting against a tree trunk.

"I... I do want it!" He charged more. I'd know he won't be able to get the necklace no matter how hard he tries even with my fist not clenched tightly. He isn't a werewolf, nor have any power of so, but was fun watching him try. My father had done the same to me, and so many of our people. You want something, you take.

"No, I don't think so" Bellamy argues.

"It-it's just-" I released my palm before he could complete his words, letting him have the necklace. "Thank you" he appreciates, eyes focused on the stone.

It wasn't until dawn that we continued our journey while Gunnar kept coming up with all sorts of dialogues.

"What kind of hell is this?" Bellamy voice out as we approach a town.

"It's a Kuvuki hell," Gunnar tells him.