The night envelops the kingdom in complete darkness. The moon in hiding behind the dark clouds. As the season changes, the rain drops almost every day. In the autumn, everyone is staying in their houses waiting for the rain to stop. This is the perfect moment to relieve their fatigue and prepare for the harvest.
Another week passes. A week that didn't spare anyone from the rain falling continuously..
Sigurd looks on the window door of the balcony. The rain hits the glass and lingers down.
'Rain …It's getting colder …. Should I get dressed more?'
He strolls to the closet. The coats were from leather and he didn't had anything that will warm him up. Having second thoughts, he heads to Snow's room. He remembered the fur coat she gave him on the day he reincarnated. This is the time that the coat will fulfill her job.
The door is opened and Sigurd steps inside. Waylin is sleeping in Nissa's bed. The boy tip toes and opens the closet.
'Here it is ..' The white fur coat is recognized and in a hurry, he shoves his arms in it.
"So warm…Baby, you will warm up to ….'He touches his belly with affection and wants to leave.
He glances at Waylin and sighs.
He closes the door and heads to his room.
'It was easier said than done ..'He thinks of the way he said that he will be a hero. In a week he didn't have courage to talk not even to Waylin and Jan. How is he going to declare in front of the kingdom that he is a wolf and on top of that he is pregnant?
His thoughts shift to Yrsa and Kai. They have more than a month in prison. Sigurd was sure that they are worried and think that their stay in prison will protect him and Nissa. If they were to be free maybe he would feel a little more secure.
What about Lukas and Thyra? No word from them since they last saw each other in the Ring city. Sigurd knows that the wolves were impossible to be find, having a leader protection keeping their backs. The madam was sure an influential person. Her figure and clothes were well kept.
In the past week he realized that the more he thinks of a plan he gets more worried of the outcome. He tells himself that he should just think of one step at the time. This way it will be easy to follow the plan with his actions having his mind clear.
'I need to asses what is Frey made of…I need to go to the Ring City…. But this weather is the worse.'
As he stays in the bed leaned on a pillow, he flinches.
'What if this weather is the perfect opportunity to get there without being observed?'
He grins. This will be his first step. Going to the Ring city is the perfect plan to get to know Frey and his intentions and check on Yrsa and Kai.
He looks at his belly.
"Baby, are you ready to go? We have a hard path before us, but as long as we are together, we will win."
He whispers to the baby as he encourages himself in the same time.
He takes few clothes in a backpack and with fast steps he gets in the kitchen. It is to early in the morning even for Jan. The kitchen is cold as if no one was there. Sigurd takes bread and cheese.
He leaves a note on the table.
// Don't try to find me. I am a wolf. I am in the forest training. Sorry to not being able to tell you face to face. I will be back soon! //
Just his silhouette is seen disappearing in the fog as the rain washes his trails. He has a rain coat on top of his fur one. The boots are soon full of mud. The first ship will leave to Ring City in three hours. He takes his clock out of his shirt and checks the time.
..07:09…
If he hurries he will be able to get there. But his belly starts to hurt from the cold feet. He sighs and continues.
'I can't renounce… in the human body , the baby will be better…. I can't run as a wolf.. what if I injure myself?..'
He follows the path. The forest echoes the sounds of rain. He frowns.
It was raining like this when he went to the funeral of his father. He swore to himself that he will never forgive him and that he will never have a child. Right now he is a father himself.
The corner of his lips rise in a bitter smile. Should he have forgiven him? He is still not ready to forgive him even now. But probably for the sake of being a good father, Sigurd will try to change his heart.
'Baby .. 'In the past week his mind was full of names for the baby. He couldn't choose one. Now he decides to let his distressing thoughts for later.
'What should I name you?... What if you are a girl not a boy?....'
His thoughts are occupied again by the little wolf in his belly.
The road is easier. The weather suddenly doesn't matter anymore.
He is having something that is his. His precious baby!
Two hours passed.
He is in the village near the port. Surprisingly he arrived earlier. Maybe because he felt like flying, thinking of his baby as he jumped avoiding the deep puddles.
Sigurd opens the door of a tea shop.
"Good morning, sir! "The owner smiles brightly at the customer who looks like a wet dog. "What brings you here on this weather? I assume you are not from our village."
Sigurd takes his rain coat off followed by his backpack. He ruffles a little his slightly wet hair and steps towards the man.
"You are right. I came to take the ship to Ring City. Can you make me a hot tea?" Sigurd smiles and puts few coins on the counter.
The man smiles back and goes to prepare the tea.
Sigurd turns to go take a sit at the table he let his belongings. He pats his belly and leans slowly on the chair. As if he didn't jumped the whole road! He opens his fur coat and the warm air in the room warms him up better.
The tea is ready and is given to him.
"Sir, if you need something else call me! After all you are pregnant!"
The man smiles and turns to go.
Sigurd stops him with his words.
"How did you know I was pregnant? "The boy is shocked.
"Well, you gave a smell just a few seconds ago that smelled like honey. Usually, this smell is undetectable if you have a mate, but I guess you don't have one. You should be careful!"
The man pulls the chair and sits at Sigurd's table ready to talk with the boy who definitely needed some basic education.
"How can I hide the smell? "Sigurd is already thinking at the danger he is in if all the wolves at the Circle were to know. He still wanted to keep his pregnancy a secret.
"Well, you need to be marked. But there is also another way. This will be probably the best way for you now. An Aura wall."
"An Aura wall !?" He frowns. The man explains further.
"A master can create for a period a wall that will protect the wolf from other wolves or masters. The duration is almost a day."
The man sighs and looks Sigurd in the eyes. He really wanted to help the boy.
Sigurd fixes his sight on the man and frowns.
"What are you? Can you help me? I am in an urgency! "The man is surprised but he understands the boy.
"I am a master and I am single. My Aura will protect you for a day, keep this in mind! "He's serious face makes Sigurd trust him a little. He needs the man's help.
"What do I need to do?" He is aware that it wouldn't be for free. Everything has a price in the end.
"I don't need a payment. I am just helping you because I like you. "The man grins.
Sigurd questions his behavior. He wasn't dangerous right? For once he will throw his fear away and trust this man.
"I can't like you back. I have already a person I like." Sigurd is looking straight in his eyes and informs the man that he can't give him his love. Being direct was his specialty, after all.
The man drops his smile but understands him.
"Is it the father of the baby?" He smiles gently.
"Yes! "Sigurd blushes at what he just confirmed. Must be the influence of the baby. His emotions are a mess since he got pregnant. He was even more direct.
"Hahaha! You must really like him." The man giggles and stands up." Stand up! The ship will leave in 20 minutes. We need to hurry." He looks at the hand clock he has on his right hand.
Sigurd stands up and the man begins his spell.
The man's aura engulfs him like a wave and the man chants something he can't distinguish.
He feels his heart rate beat faster as his nose is full of the man's Aura combined with his scent. He wants to throw up but he grits his teeth. He is determined to hide his pregnancy.
The Aura becomes transparent as it glues to his body.
"Now you are safe! If someone will try to touch you they will not be able to do so. For one day you will be untouchable. Except for me." The man winks and hugs the boy. Sigurd nods and follows with his eyes the man who just left in the kitchen.
He drinks his tea quick and puts his equipment on.
The rain stopped. Quickening his pace through the people that got out of their houses just as the rain stopped, he is heading towards the port.
The ship is in his sight. He puts his hood on and passes the formalities and steps on the ship.
'Good … in 3 hours we will be in the Ring City …. baby.'
He opens his room and pulls the door after him.
The bed is small and the window is showing the surface of the water. He undresses from his coats and boots that are a little muddy. He opens a small door and finds a tub.
'A bath is perfect…' He pulls a rope; a small part of the wall lifts and hot water is filling the tub.
He goes to take his changing clothes and pulls again the rope. The water stops and he jumps in the hot tub.
"Yes! Finally, I can feel my body warm up properly. Right, baby?" He leans on the tub and crosses with his fingers the cold hair.
'Hope the Aura doesn't have anything because of the water….'
Sigurd can relax and enjoy the bath.
He looks on the small window that is also in the bathroom. He can see some fishes jump and birds flying above the surface ready to dive.
Sigurd feels like a fish. The fish is the prey in the eyes of the birds. The birds that could surpass the fishes. They can fly high and have sharp claws. But the fish also has a vast river where to swim and live his life in peace. Maybe both of them have equal grounds. Even some fishes can hunt birds.
He remembers that once he saw on the TV how a Murray Cod hunted the birds that ventured in the water.
That's right, birds can be weak if they are not on their grounds.
'If I can find what they are weak at ..' He thinks of the leaders, the madam and the wolves.
Wait! A light bulb lights up.
His ground is much vast than theirs. From his previous life he can gather the things that are not common in Artara and use them against them. He also can learn their grounds. That's the way he can be on an upper level.
His physical abilities doesn't even matter that much.
He's mood gets better as he realizes that he isn't so helpless. He has some hidden cards too!
Sigurd will show them what they get from messing with a reincarnated person.
'Baby … I will fool them all…. they wouldn't even know what hit them…'