CHRONICLES OF AADYA

Episode Forty

AUTHOR

"Don't get yourself killed like humans do" Rieka, Bellamy's sister told Gunnar as they climb down the shed house on an oak tree. She was the youngest of her siblings with Bellamy as the eldest. Nonetheless has a much appearance to Bellamy. Precisely fifteen, a year older than Gunnar. She drifted to a branch and jumped off the tree while Gunnar took the easy path.

"Who said I thought of dying?" Gunner asked before he finally touched the ground.

"I'm just stating" She flicked her hand "It's a reminder not to. I would have been a part of the journey if my brother was to follow"

"Why is he not a part of it?"

"His mate would devour him, like this–" She came at him in a wild manner and Gunnar stumbled backwards. Rieka began to laugh.

"Why do you have to do that?" The young lad exclaimed.

"I was only demonstrating" She defended, seeming quite amused by his attitude. "But you got scared" She laughed.

"Of course, anyone will get scared in my position. You were more of a wolf rather than Rieka, I couldn't have been less frightened" Yet Rieka found it funny. Her eyes gleamed under the influence of the darkness.

"I wasn't going to hurt you"

He rolled his eyes "You better not" and began taking the way home.

"Stop whining," She said with a smile "I can shift to my wolf form if you want" Rieka cited as she followed behind.

"You never accept to that" He was certain of that as it wasn't the first she had made mention of it but never transformed. It was as though there was nothing he would say that could make her show him.

The cracking of a dried stick and the sudden silence caused Gunnar to turn around. His eyes came upon a wolf, he got startled at first but realized she was the one. She had shifted. He gasped, in awe his eyes travelled, scanning every inch of her wolf. Her very dense and fluffy winter fur, a combination of black, brown and grey, with a short undercoat and long coarse guard hairs. The longest hairs occur around her back, particularly on the front quarters and neck.

Slowly he began to take a few steps toward her and tentatively he placed his palm against her fur, feeling the long stiff hair around her neck before moving to her fluffy fur. She made a slight sound before jerking her body causing Gunnar to pry away.

She shifted back, suddenly bared and Gunnar instantly put forth his back. "You should have said that!"

"I did. You didn't hear" She chuckled pulling her garment over her head. "And my cloth was right here. You were just too focus not to notice" she hissed "I'm done"

AADYA

The dawn came and we set by the horse side ready to depart. The kingdom Al had mentioned is said to be in the middle-west, a great kingdom known for its origin in conquering wars and yet to be defeated by another. It's rumoured that they return victorious with the aid of a sorcerer, though only a rumour it is. A place led by the royals. A kingdom known as Alpagu.

"You are lucky. I've managed to pull this" Rudina let out with a smile as she brought before me a long fur cloak

"So thoughtful"

"Tell me, Alisdair, you will keep them safe" Callen demanded from Al and I smiled. He will, I know.

"Yes, brother. I will" He responded and shifted to hug Bellamy. "Take care of him," He said to Bellamy's mate "He can be more reckless than a lad"

Soon we began to depart. I inhale the morning air wishing that this won't be a journey of different folds.

For twelve days, we journeyed through the mountains and forests, claiming territory when the night comes. We travelled side by side as we rode all day, from before the sun rose to long after it had set.

Though when we lay to rest at night, he never takes his hands off me, especially once Gunnar was long gone into the dreamland. Gods, he was like a puppy sometimes. When we ride side by side, his hand always draw to my knee, my thigh and sometimes he would just run his hand over my back.

When we dismounted for breaks, or at the end of the day, he was always by my side within seconds to lift me down to my feet by my waits. Sometimes I force him to let me hunt for supper alone. And Gunner, well he's always the one setting the fire.

Every once in a while as we wait for the meat to be well cooked, he would rub his hand up and down my back, reach to press a gentle kiss against the back of my neck, and then hold me against his body.

His kisses were almost as frequent as his touches, softly pressed against my head, my eyes as we lay, yet pulling me closer to his body once he felt I was a bit away from him. Though all were only blatantly s****l, the way he tries to inhale my scent every night, the kisses where he pressed his tongue so ardently against my own, when he pulled me flush against his body, his groin against my core, and pressing his head into the curve of my neck, breathing in deeply through his nose as if to memorize my scent. And sometimes he doesn't mind if Gunnar was around, or perhaps he had forgotten that the young lad was along the whole time.

But in all this, he never went beyond the gentle touches and kisses.

Each morning when I woke, as the sky just began to lighten to a soft grey, he was already awake and studying me, as though I was the goddess herself. His eyes are always on me like I would vanish if he ever blinks.

Comes the thirteenth day, we rode through the great gate of Alpagu. The sun glares down upon the thick cobblestone walls, leaving stark, vivid shadows contrasting with the blinding bright reflections. A grinding gravelly road runs straight ahead through a market into a towering stone keep. Tantalising smells waft from the marketplace, a group of baby birds within their nest, and the walls of the castle. The noise from the market comes in a sea of sound, starting slowly and building up before crashing down. Enticing scents waft between the stalls, masking the unsavoury smell of sweat and spices.

Rising above the bustle below like two eagles rising on an updraft, two towers stand stark against the sunlit sky giving a sense of power and control. A flag flies high, its crimson contrasting with the sky.

We had barely conveyed our horses with a keeper when we began to notice the gathering which started taking place at a designated area.

We joined in an attempt to figure out what prompted the gathering and in a short time, the place grew quiet. All eyes were directed to the patio, and there a woman came forth, a crown on her head, she was the queen– my heart skipped— And my mother. Yes, that is her, I can recognize that face anywhere any time. What was happening? Al had only seen her passing through the gate of Alpagu, not as a queen.

"When I came to this land" her voice pierced the atmosphere. I remember her voice now. "...this kingdom was embroiled in chaos. There was only one evil in this land and that is magic! But with the citizen's help, magic was driven from the realm and peace came"

She ceased and the space was filled again with Silent before people's gaze shifted to an alley where two maidens are being pulled by a guard. Their hands were bonded with large chains that seems to be heavy enough to pull their shoulders downwards. Both are stained with mud and their eyes are stressed by the sun as though they have never seen the light of the day.

I swallowed, sucking in a sharp breath as the memory I was convinced I have forfeited to time flushed into my mind. Al grabs my left arm, seeming to have noticed, and he squeezed lightly.

The guard finally brought the maiden forward to what came off as the execution zone. With the help of another, the lasses were positioned with twine around their necks.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all. These maidens, Nakoa and Dieter, are adjudged guilty of the practice of enchantment and magic. And under the laws of Alpagu, I, Colette, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of extinction"

And with her final command, the board they were standing upon were pulled away–

I felt my fingers grasp tighter against Al's larger ones. The faint gasp from the crowd crammed the atmosphere before it faded away.

"I pride myself as a fair and just queen, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass"

I hold my eyes in such a way that kept the bitterness inside the lids. Without any doubt, my mother has been the most important person in my life and the most powerful individual I know. Strong enough to defend me against my father. This person isn't the same mother I knew. This is a monster, one which I know not. Yet I had called her mother. That was my mistake.

"It's going to be alright" Al leaned in and rumour into my ear. "I'm here"

People began to vacate the space once the queen retreated. I turned to meet Gunnar's stare "Oddly enough, she which you have seen and heard is my mother" I broke the news to him "The one we came to Alpagu for"

A flicker of confusion crossed his face and he returned his gaze to the patio she had perched. His gaze shifted to Al and whatever the wolf blood might have flickered helped clear his chaos.

"It never can get worse they say" Gunnar let out. Perhaps he's good with changes.

"We can't stay long here" Al brought to notice. "You got a plan?"

"The only plan is to get close to her"

"And how do we do that?" Gunnar demanded and my attention shifted to the entrance guarded by two men dressed in their royal guard attire. This is the chance but it might be crazy.

"That is indeed crazy" Gunnar let out once I get to lay down my plan. "You make it sound easy. We might get killed, I might get killed"

"No. You're not involved" I tell him and his brows furrow "You watch. If it goes wrong, we will be needing your help"

My eyes rose to the castle and pledged to myself never to be weak. We only need to find out why Alisdair had seen her and why now? And the answer lies behind those walls. Side by side we both began to proceed to the guarded entrance.

"Tell the queen I demand her presence," I say plainly. The men glanced at each other and busted out laughing. Well, it wasn't what I had expected but this could do. I only gazed at them unbothered and determined. No magic, I had told myself and Ali.

"Return to where you're coming from or the next thing to happen to you would be your head on a platter of gold" One warned as the amusement ceased.

"What if it's your head to be put on a platter?"

"Who do you think you are? The Queen?"

"No, I'm her bizarre daughter, Aadya"