The 8th Tetrad: Breaking Bond

Lost in the Forest

It was the 5th cycle of the full moon, and the people in the Kingdom of Meraxes were busy running back and forth preparing for the coming of the 4th member of the family.

"I can see the head! Come on, your highness, push!" Puah the Royal Midwife instructed the queen.

"Arghhhhhh!!!!" Screamed the queen.

It had been hours since they sent her to her chamber to give birth to her youngest child.

"Father, please calm down!" said Aarush, who tried to calm his father, King Horus.

"How can I calm down, my son? Your mother is in great pain inside and all I can do here is nothing but wait!" Exclaimed the worried king.

He kept on walking back and forth, so anxious about the queen's condition. Suddenly, a girl then came running and called King Horus's name.

"Father! Father! " Marin called to the King.

"What is it, Marin? What's wrong? ” His mood changed as he watched his daughter, who looked jittery about something that had happened.

"Hera, father! I don't know where Hera is! We're in the forest collecting flowers for mother, but when I looked behind me, she was no longer there!" Marin explained, and then she started crying.

Seeing his daughter like this added trouble to him. He pulled her into a hug to ease her burden and worries.

"It's alright Marin, we're gonna find her." He consoled the princess.

"Don't worry, father! I'll go and find Hera!" Aarush assured his father.

He nodded and patted his shoulder, giving him a go signal to do what he needed to do. Aarush, the eldest of the siblings, immediately called his loyal guards to help him find his other sister. Not before long, they reached the part of the forest where Marin said she lost Hera. They scattered around to start their search.

"Let's start!" Aarush commanded his men and they started to move quickly.

Meanwhile, in the deepest part of the forest,

"Come to me! Don’t be afraid, I won't hurt you", Hera called.

She tried to approach a fire dragon-wolf. It was huge and its body emitted flames. It was her first time encountering one of its kind in person. She only heard their stories from Aleem, the Royal Teacher who shared with her and her siblings during their classes with him. And today, she was lucky to see one.

People believed that they were dangerous and vicious creatures. That was the reason why there was no dragon around in the kingdom. The dragon in front of her seemed young, based on its appearance. It could be the same age as hers. It probably got lost in the depths of the forest and injured its left paw, which is why it struggled to walk. Hera opened her palm to unleash a ball of fire from her right hand. She intended to show the lovely creature that they were similar, so, there was no need for it to be afraid of her.

"It's okay, I also have a fire, look!" She bragged.

However, no matter how much she forced herself, her hand does not emit even a small fire.

"Argh! Come on! What's wrong with you? Why can't I still use my power? " She said annoyingly while she shook her hand in the air.

She felt devastated and terrible because all she wanted was to help this creature, but it was fearful to even get closer to her. Tears started to roll down her rosy cheeks. She sat on the ground out of frustration and exhaustion. She embraced her knees, sank her head, and sobbed.

"I'm useless!" She whined as she thought it through.

A few moments later, she felt this warm and wet thing that rubbed her left cheek. Slowly, she looked sideways only to see the fire dragon-wolf staring at her. Its eyes glowed bright-golden yellow. Hesitantly, she placed her hand on its fiery fur and gently stroked it.

"Woah! You do have very soft fur, do you know that? " She told the creature.

Even though its fur was flaming hot she did not feel it much thanks to her gift. The fire dragon-wolf pushed its head towards her, she touched its head and rubbed it into her face. She closed her eyes and chuckled for its fur tickled her. Hera guided it as she found a perfect spot to sit.

"Okay, lie here beside me. I'll help you with your injury! " She commanded the fire dragon-wolf.

She was wearing her hunting clothes at that time. It was a long sleeve dress shirt with a matching red vest, a knee-length ruffled skirt, and a pair of black boots. She bent and tore the lower hem of her skirt to use it in binding the herbs she picked a while ago. Hera gently tied both ends of the fabric in a knot to help secure the herbal medicine. The fire dragon-wolf flinched when she made the last pull.

"Oh! Forgive me, Mr. Dragon, I did not mean to hurt you! I hope you'll get better after that! Aleem always tells us that the herb I used can cure a lot of illnesses and wounds." She smiled and stroked his head.

Her eyes began to feel heavy, she scanned the forest to find a better place to rest. A huge old oak tree with big protruding roots caught her eyes, and she stood and ran towards it.

"Come on! Let's continue to take our rest here. I can't go on yet and leave you alone here, so it's better to stay with you while waiting for my brother to come." She cheerfully said when it walked towards her. "You know, wherever I go my brother always finds me," She confidently told the fire dragon-wolf.

After a few minutes of leaning on the big trunk, she started to yawn. The fiery creature sat beside her and rested its head on her lap. She continued stroking its head again until they both drifted into a night's sleep.

Time passed by, and she felt that she was being transported to a different place. Sure enough, when she opened her eyes, she saw that she was in her brother's arms.

"Brother! I know you will find me! " She widely smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Aarush took a glimpse of her and then gave her a smug look, "I know you too well, little sister. I know you too well!" He said.

The guards laughed at the prince's words. She smirked and gave them a death glare which made them stop. This time Hera's the one who's laughing at them. Her brother shook his head while smiling. He continued walking while having her in his arms. Suddenly, Hera remembered something.

"Brother, stop!" She exclaimed.

She wiggled out from Aarush's arms, he lowered himself to put her down.

Unable to comprehend what was happening, he asked, "What's the matter, Hera? Why did you ask me to stop? Is there something you missed?"

She turned to face him and asked him worriedly, "Where is it? Where is he, brother? What did you do to him?"

Still, Aarush did not have any idea what she was talking about, so he held her on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

"Tell me, what do you mean by him? Explain it so I can perceive what it is you’re searching for! " He inquired in confusion.

She did not think twice and informed him about the creature that she had come across in the forest.

"I found a fire dragon-wolf!" She started.

"A what?... A fire dragon-wolf?... Hera, they're dangerous beasts! They can hurt you, attack you, or worse, kill you! Why didn't you run or use your power to shoo it? " Aarush said angrily.

Hera stood firm to look him straight in the eyes. "It's injured, brother! What do you want me to do? Aren't we the protectors of the living? I can't just leave him like that... And you see, it didn't hurt me. I'm completely fine. Nothing bad has happened to me. Before you came, I am certain that I rested beside him! " She reiterated.

"Fine, you're right! There's nothing happened and you're all good, but it doesn't mean that they're safe to be around. " Aarush sighed.

He placed his hand on his waist while the other one rubbed his face. He was thinking about how to deliver his next words without offending her or anything.

"Okay! When we found you, you were alone. We did not see anything or anyone beside you. You were just by yourself, sound asleep under that old oak tree. " He assured her.

Hera lowered her shoulders. She felt defeated. Her brother shook his head. He scooped her in his arms and carried her back to the palace. It was already dark when they finally reached home. When King Horus heard their arrival, he immediately summoned them both.

"Father!... Father! " She ran fast to her dear father.

King Horus welcomed her with a warm embrace that she returned with a matching kiss on his cheek.

"Where have you been this time, Hera? Why do you always have to make us worried about you? " Asked the King while he stroked her head.

She apologetically smiled before she gave her response, "Forgive me, father! I never meant to worry you all. I was with Marin when I heard something. I tried to call my sister, but I think she did not hear me as she was so engrossed in those lovely flowers we are picking. " She moved on to her stories until her father stood up. His eyes grew wider.

He became furious after hearing everything. "A fire dragon-wolf?"

In a very loud voice, he called his most trusted chief.

"Quade!" He screamed.

The palace's Royal Captain quickly entered the hall. He bowed his head as he kneeled in front of the king.

"Yes! Your Majesty!" He bowed to King Horus!

"Search the entire kingdom, make sure that there's no dragon of any kind lurking around our territory!" He ordered.

"Understood, Your Majesty!" Quade rushed to go out with his men following him behind.

Hera's father looked at her, he bent to level her eyes. Anxious, she gave him an incomprehensible glare.

"From now on, you're forbidden to go to the forest without the royal guards!" He calmly informed her.

"What? But, why? No father, you can't do that", she protested.

Before King Horus could open his mouth, Aarush stood beside Hera and whispered, "It's for our safety, Hera! Now, why don't we go and visit Mother? What do you say? " He changed the subject of discussion.

Hera's mood suddenly lightened up. She hurriedly dashed to her mother's chamber, forgetting about the king's order.

"Mother... Marin!" She screamed in excitement while entering the Queen's chamber.

"Hera! Where have you been? " Her sister asked worriedly, tears started to build up in the corner of her beautiful greenish eyes.

Hera squeezed her hand and gave her a wink. She then sat on her mother's bed.

"Mother! Here, I got them for you! For sure you will like them", She said in confidence.

Queen Montana took the bunch of flowers, "Thank you, my dear! They are sure so lovely, just like you and Marin! " She smiled while smelling the fresh floral scent of those beautiful wildflowers.

"Do we have a name for her yet?" Hera innocently asked while holding her little sister's tiny fingers.

The new addition to their family was sound asleep in her decorated cot.

"Not yet, my dear! Not yet! We have to wait for Gaia to come. " Queen Montana responded.

Marin walked beside her and they both watched their sister. Their sweet smiles surely made the queen feel over the moon.

(Gaia is nature's queen. Every time a royal is born, Gaia will appear and offer the gift of nature to the newborn. In the Kingdom of Meraxes, only the royal heir or heiress receives this gift from her. The gift that they will use to protect all the living creatures in the kingdom as part of their royal duty.)