At The Artic Forest
Elara's sense of recognition kicked in immediately Freya mentioned the pit they fell into. When Elara was still a Princess, she usually entered the Artic forest with the help of her wolf.
The area they were in was the Thorny Pit, her hidden playground in the Arctic forest. A smile of conquerer livened her face, "I know the way home from here Freya. I have all that it takes to get you out of the pit."
As though her eyes were not blinded, Elara walked around the place bringing out most of her playing tools. Using her rope, she moved them out of the pit one after the other through the exact style she used to play within the pit.
They collapsed on the ground, vulnerable and helpless after securing them, "Where is my wolf?" Elara gasped, the absence of her wolf made her more weak.
For some hours, they all were still lying at the same spot, soaked in their blood and clustered with dried leaves and sand. Fiora and Freya both have their foot and arms torn from the thorns.
Later, Lyas howled from a distance away. Elara, in her dizzy state, opened her eyes as soon as she heard Lyas, "Come to me, Lyas. Let's go home!" she cried, giving up on the brutal game.
Elara was aware that her oldest brother, Aric, got killed last year because he couldn't find a flag before the game was over while the other one, Eldric was set free due to the color of the flag he found. If she gives up on the game now, then, that means she would meet the same fate as Aric.
After some time, Lyas' thudding feet on the ground sent joy to Elara, at least with her wolf surging back into her, she would be able to gather some strength to leave the forest.
Anticipatedly, she waited for Lyas to surge back inside her. Rather, Lyas shocked her with surprise, throwing down 2 different colors of flags at her and whispered,
"I found 2 flags. Let's leave here."
Elara bit down her lip, guilt formed within her voice. "I can't leave here, Lyas. It remains a flag."
Freya from the depth of pain, mumbled to Elara, "My Lady, Let's leave as Lyas said. You and Fiora can have the flag. What use am I to you if I can't protect you and my sister?"
*****
At The Field
As the victorious slaves emerged from the shadows of the thick Forest, the large open field crowded with hundreds of werewolves unfolded before them.
Elara had followed the lead of her wolf out of the Artic Forest, she stopped, sensing the change in the environment, —the openness to the bright moon, the distant sounds of the gathering pack, and the tension in the air.
Fiora and Freya were lying lifelessly on Lyas as she carried them out of the woods. As they approached the field, all attentions were drawn to them.
Elara's ears sharpened, analyzing the murmurings of the pack.
"Wow! Her wolf is so huge!" One of the maids commented. It was their first time seen Elara's inner wolf outside of her.
"How come her wolf surged out of her? All of us only shift to wolves and werewolves." said another.
"tsk! Were you not among this Pack when she was born and Shaman Yion prophecied about her? She was cursed from birth." The first maid said.
"I heard the spell cast on them will make them blind and also prevent their wolf from taking charge temporarily." A maid spat out surprisingly, "Does the spell not work on her because she was cursed?"
"I doubt it. After all, she was prophesied to be the future alpha and protect the kingdom. Can a cursed wolf become that?"
"Who will still believe such prophecy after all we have witnessed her being through?" An old woman joined the conversation, taking pity on Elara as they walked through the crowd to the open space.
Looking sideways, her eyes caught with the woman who immediately whipped her head away. The first maid tapped the other maid on the shoulder, whispering to her in a gossipy manner.
"See her wolf's eyes... She has two different colors. Was that the repercussion of the curse as the rumor said?"
"The rumor is true, it's my first time seeing her wolf despite serving in the palace for decades. With what I'm seeing, all the descriptions we heard about her wolf are true." The second maid answered.
"If the rumor about her curse is true definitely the prophecy about her will come to pass. Don't you think we should help her in a way we could?" A man from behind the maids said and asked curiously. Choosing interest in their conversation while his voice was full of sympathy.
"How?" The maids were baffled, wondering if there was any difference between them and Elara. "You think we are a super wolf because we are fortunate to be free?" One of them snarled.
"Her world has wrecked," she added, losing hope in Elara and even the prophecy the nation raved about. "It doesn't matter if she is the future Alpha or not. Right now, she is a slave and the slave will only yearn for her freedom and not the protection of the Pack."
Elara, having helped her handmaids to climb down from Lyas's back, claimed her wolf immediately. She ignored the gossip of the packs and guided Fiora and Freya toward the center.
The atmosphere was charged with curiosity and the kings eagerly waited for the next section of the slave festival.
At the center of the field, the surviving slaves gathered. The head of the guards, Klau, announced, "With the opportunity bestowed to me by our King, King Gathrick of the Romic Moon Pack. I shall start the Slave Festival of this year and invite the Shamen to the stage."
"Shaman Yion!"
The murmuring field went silent upon the mention of the Shaman's name. Elegantly, the Shaman climbed the stage. Shaman Yion, the first and only Human Shaman of the Romic Moon Pack yet has lived for centuries.
Despite being a human, the werewolves fear and respect her exceptionally, perhaps because she is an immortal human.
On Shaman Yion's left hand was a bowl of water.
"I can't believe King Gathrick still gives regards to this Shaman. Do you think such prophecy can come to pass when she has become a slave?" King Lucius asked, his tongue filled with tease.
"The fate of this nation is being determined by the ruling King, not by a ridiculous prophecy." King Jaxon hissed, still feeling pained from the mocking jokes earlier.
While King Emeric toasted his cup of wine to them and said, "What else are we saving about this nation when we are coexisting peacefully?"
They boast into laughter, agreeing to King Emeric's assertion.
"This was the reason I chose to be the nation's hero rather than that nasty child!" King Gathrick commented, laughing as he mocked Elara.
"Speak of the devil, and her brother appears," King Gathrick whispered to others as soon as he saw Eldric approaching them.
As King Jaxon turned to see who King Gathrick implied, he replied with a mumble, "Isn't that Eldric, I thought last year's slave festival set him free. How did he have such expensive clothes on?"
King Gathrick laughed. He had drank liquors, and his lips kept slipping with different words, "He is my right-hander now. I put those clothes on him," A trademark mock filled his voice, "Let him join the table and see how her sister is dealt with."
"You are such the wicked one!" King Lucius pointed a badass finger at King Gathrick, laughing out subtly.
King Gathrick raised a calling hand to Eldric who was about to stand farther from them, "Since you have proved me worthy, I have no secret to keep from you, Eldric. Sit and dine with us." He proudly said, pouring him a cup of wine.
At the stage, the Shaman started brandishing the blind spell with chant at a high pitch and deep prayer. The chanting continued for several minutes. From the bowl of water on the ground, a dark spell unleashed, getting through the slave's sights. One after the other, the slaves received back their vision.
As Elara's vision was restored, she could not withstand the sight that was unfolding before her. Her knees weakened and her legs glued to the floor.
"Eld..ric?!" she called, asking herself if the man was him.
An unbelievable scowl refused to leave her face. Eldric, her brother, the second generation werewolf was wining and dining at the same table with his Uncle who killed their parent.
Her head started processing everything and she became overwhelmed with throes. This explained the reason he did not come to visit her for once after he was freed.
She still could not believe her sight that she said the name again. This time, Elara's voice was firm but pained from the betrayal,
"Eldric!"