ELEVEN YEARS LATER
Ceaser sat outside Clause's house; the house that had been his home for the past eleven years.
With thirteen people living in the small house they had to expand it over the years. When he was younger, he had shared a room with Genevia but as the years went by, he became too old to share a room with a woman.
"Breakfast is ready, sire." Lucan announced.
"I'll be there." he answered standing from the rock he had been sitting on.
Ceaser wasn't wearing a shirt despite the cold weather and neither was Lucan. Lycans were used to the cold so it didn't bother any of them. They entered the warm interior of the house and Ceaser was greeted by the sweet aroma of fish. It had been long since they had eaten fish and it made him start salivating inwardly. Genevia was holding a tray of the boiled fish while Clause held a some wooden plates and cutlery.
"Benjamin! Come here you foolish brat!" yelled Gray.
"What are you two arguing about now?" Clause asked exasperated.
"Gray wouldn't let me bath first so I threw the water away." Benjamin said innocently,"Ooo, fish today."
Lucan rolled his eyes at them and took his seat at the table. Benjamin sat in his own place at the table while everyone else settled down. Ceaser sat down and swept his eyes across the table; it felt like home. Tomorrow morning they would start their journey back to Dreg and he couldn't wait to see his mother and... father.
"Happy birthday, sire!" the wished him in unison.
He smiled and thanked them for their consideration and for not forgetting his birthday.
"We never forgot, we just never wished you." declared Genevia.
"Why so?" he asked surprised.
"So that this year would be memorable." Paschar said unexpectedly.
"Yes sire. We wanted to ensure that you would remember this day forever... even in your next life." Clause continued chewing on the fish's fillet hungryly.
"I see. Well I am not to surprised by the lot of you. " Ceaser said.
They laughed at his reluctance to admit he was touched then they silenced until the only sound was if their chewing.
' It's a shame I can't Grace the table with my presence.' Crow said to Ceaser.
No one else could hear him except Ceaser.
' If you can get your body back before sunrise then I will consider staying longer tomorrow for the last meal.'
'I will be here even before you fall asleep.'
'What time of day is it in Zeth?'
'High noon.'
'Safe travels then.'
A breeze swept through the closed room and everyone felt it.
"Where to?" asked Ivan.
"Zeth." Ceaser answered.
"What for?" asked Ian," Didn't we already give a report of the princess' whereabouts?"
"He wants to get his body back."
"When will he be back?" asked Paschar.
"He claims he will be here before I go to sleep."
Lucan scoffed and the table became silent again except this time there was no chewing as they were done with their meals.
*
*
IN ZETH.
"I thought I had made it clear to you that women don't fight!" Rakka whisper screamed at her daughter because she didn't want their guests to hear.
"Mother, I didn't do anything!" Eve said loudly.
"Shut it!" Rakka whispered enraged," I know what you are trying to do. This engagement will go through, you hear me. IT WILL."
Eve looked away from her mother with tears in her eyes. Her long hair had been tied up into a bun on too of her head and it was slightly heavy. A few strands of hair where sticking out at the side of the bun and her mother forcefully tucked it back inside the bun. Her pale gray eyes had darkened a little bit since the time when she was a child. Her flawless skin seemed to glitter under the the bright noon day sun like the surface of a calm lake.
"Give that to me!"
Rakka took away the sword Eve was holding onto and handed it to a guard. They were standing outside in Eve's garden where Rakka was sure King Bezel would not be looking. Rakka took Eve's hand and led her to the main palace grounds to meet Bezel. They found Napoleon and Bezel existing the palace heading to the green house not too far away.
"My lords, I have retrived your precious flower." Rakka said with a bright smile on her face.
Bezel and Napoleon turned to look at the mother and daughter and smiled back. Bezel was awe struck by the girl's beauty for a moment and he said nothing. She was looking at the ground but he could tell her eyes were not blue like her mother's or black as her father's.
"Look up fair maiden." he urged her.
Eve didn't move and this made her parents slightly annoyed. Rakka was about to pinch Eve to make her look at Bezel when he laughed.
"It's alright if you are shy. I've been told many times that my presence can make even an old woman shy."
Eve looked up immediately to see what was so good about him. He was taller than she had anticipated, broad shoulders, sculpted face and she could tell he probably was most maidens' dream man; but not hers. His eyes were green and she couldn't help but feel disappointed. A boy's eyes flashed in her memories and she remembered how he had looked at her.
"You are beautiful, princess." Bezel said directly in front of her.
Eve panicked when he touched her hand so she pushed him away. He tsked and shook his head in displeasure.
"Excuse me, my lord." she said hastily and bowed.
"But where are you going?" he asked frowning.
She didn't answer and just turned and walked away towards her tower. Rakka was about to follow her but Bezel stopped her and asked for a tour around the palace. She went with him and Napoleon but her mind kept wandering off to how she would deal with Eve later on.
Once in her tower, Eve started running frantically as she ascended the stairs. Bezel didn't look like he would break off the engagement. Her dreams of ever meeting Ceaser again shuttered into pieces. She didn't even realize when she had started crying but when she entered her room, the top part of her dress was slightly wet and her bun had long broken apart. She threw herself on the bed and hugged her pillow for comfort.
The room started to darken and she wandered how much time had gone by. When she looked up at the ceiling, snow was falling in little snow flakes. Snow? She sat up and looked around her room and found there was a thick layer of snow on the floor. She gasped. There were foot prints on the snow leading to the window and a man in a black cloak stood on the window pane. He was looking away from her so she didn't see his face. He laughed heartily and turned to review his side profile. When she tried to focus on his face, a cold sharp wind blew past her, leaving a deep cut on her back. Before Eve could say anything, he jumped out the window and the black cloth behind her fell. She looked behind and to her horror, Crow's body was gone.
*
*
The Lycan brothers sat outside with Ceaser waiting for Crow to arrive. Benjamin was already celebrating that he was going to be late and was preparing a laugh to embarrass him. A full three hours had gone by since Crow had left to retrieve his body. The brothers were about to leave when a loud flapping of wings could be heard. They all looked up at the sky and saw a bird like figure flying in the direction of the moon. Crow covered the moon with his wings making the place temporarily dark and when he moved away, the moon was blue. Ceaser's eyes widened at the scene for a moment and for the first time in eleven years, the eyes of a child could once again be seen.
Crow circled the moon for a few minutes and came down to land. His body seemed to be more metallic than fleshy and Ceaser wandered how his grandfather had managed to cut his head off.
He transformed to his human form and slowly walked towards the group of men sitting outside.
"I can tell you like my gift, sire." he said triumphantly as he came to stand in front of Ceaser,"It gets better during the day. Don't forget our deal from earlier."
"Whatever deal you two made, it is invalid because you are late." said Genevia wrapped in thick clothing to keep out the cold.
Crow looked at her with a gentle gaze as she came to stand in front of him.
"Ceaser isn't sleeping so I am early. I want to have your special fish dish tommorow... sister."
'