Seth and Flik were preparing for a trip to visit Asaya to talk about negotiations, when their king barreled into the room with an expression like he'd seen a ghost. He spared them a glance before hurrying out the castle.
Seth and Flik glanced at each other. Seth said, "I told you he shouldn't have had so much alcohol. Now he's cracked!"
"Shut up," Flik sighed. "Go after him. Make sure he doesn't undress or spout off shit he might regret later."
Seth snorted. "I don't think he regrets anything these days."
Seth followed his king out of the castle and towards the cemetery. He wasn't surprised to see Bardulf at Philippa's grave, but was surprised at the sight of him digging. Seth crept closer and heard, "Don't stop, My Sweet! Keep talking to me!"
Sighing, and now believing the king was crazy, the male strode over. "Bardulf, why are you digging up-"
"Help me, Seth!" Bardulf dug faster. "Help me! Please!"
"Bardulf, she's not coming back! Stop!"
He grabbed the king's shoulder to halt him, but Bardulf swung around with eyes ablaze in true rage. Seth stepped back, having not seen that look since he returned to the castle with Philippa's body. "Help me, Seth."
"Why?"
Bardulf shut his mouth, seeming unable to find words. But Seth could see this was not the Bardulf that stumbled drunkenly about and cursed everyone and everything. This Bardulf was the same male who went to Asaya to help his wife get through her Name Day. This was the real Bardulf.
Bardulf cleared his throat and glanced back at the grave he had begun to dig up. "She's calling for help, Seth. She's alive."
Below dirt and rock and soil and grass, beneath feet of both human and animal, a body spasmed once…twice…three times. A mouth opened in a silent scream, only to be choked with dirt. A face turned lupine while hands and feet turned into paws and claws. A tail sprouted. Fur erupted from one end of the body to the other.
She couldn't breathe!
She couldn't see!
'Help!'