My father made his way towards me, swooping me to his arms, but not without glaring at Alphos, who is also doing the same. I clung to my father, terrified of the decomposing trees and the eyes hiding behind them. The creatures are gathering to check if they can have their fill.
Suri rushed to Alphos side, going in front of him, acting as his shield. "You have to make her stay with us, Adir." She stated. "You don't have the means to protect her."
My father smirked, "She's bleeding, Princess. I don't know why, but I'll make sure you'll pay for this."
I tapped my father's shoulder and said that it wasn't the princess' fault. "I was trying to cook and the knife fell on my foot. They didn't hurt me." I clarified. My father puts me down with a perplexed expression.
"You took my daughter to make her your maid!" He's definitely enraged. "Are you that desperate to relive your lavish past? Unbelievable! To think I once protected and helped you!"
Princess rolled her eyes, "She's terrible at cooking."
My father was speechless, "You should've poisoned them.", he whispered.
"Dad!"
My father relaxed a bit. "Then you no longer have any reason to make her stay. We are taking our leave." My father carried me to his arms and placed his spear on his back. "Don't you dare disturb us again!"
Alphos warped in front of us. "She'll be staying. She's happier here." Truth be told, although I miss my parents, only Suri and her son are the people outside my family who accepted me. My whole stay isn't totally comforting, but I've learned a lot.
Yet, knowing the original reason why they abducted me in the first place, makes me feel used. I doubt if they were sincere in having me the whole time we were together.
Alphos grabbed me by the foot, "Karah, I'm sorry if I didn't become honest with you, but you are important to me. If you like, you can stay comfortably with us and not lift a finger. I'll be the one to wait for you, hand and foot."
"ALPHOS!" Suri raised her voice, "Why are you doing this?!" I have never seen Suri so mad, "Go and take your child, Adir. She isn't much use to us anyway. But remember once you take her, her lesions will grow again and you're going to make her suffer more!"
My father examined me, "Why do you know, you have finally repaid the debt you owe, Princess." My father spat. "My daughter is not for exploitation for whatever schemes you have in mind. We'll just look for other ways to help her. Now, if you'll excuse us…"
But my father's legs weakened and he winced in pain, Alphos was looking at him, like communicating with him… telepathically…
I let myself down to the ground and shook Alphos from his trance. "Please stop! You're hurting my dad!" He's not stopping, instead I told him. "I'll stop talking to you!"
Alphos immediately halted and cried immediately. Suri hushed him and soothe his back. "Just go!" Suri commanded. I heard clicking sounds resonating in these murky lands.
My father's eyes fixated on the princess and grinned, "You have succeeded. So, that's why you are pushing yourself to go the palace…" My father, a very proud man, bent his knee in front of Alphos. I recalled how the village leader wanted my father to pay respects to him. But he beat him to a pulp instead and made the leader beg for his life. However, at this moment, my father, in front of a child he could easily defeat, bowed his head and said, "Please allow me Your Majesty, to take my child home. I believe you have treated her well and will do so in the future, but I know that her thoughts are not beyond you and that she expresses her will to be sent home."
Alphos strains to compose himself, "But you plan to eliminate me and my mother, should I let you be?" But my father didn't say that, how can Alphos say such a thing?
Come to think of it, there are times where I didn't say anything to Alphos and he's just able to respond so accurately. I thought that perhaps he's just a sensitive and emotional soul that he knows what to do and say. 'He can read my mind?' I gasped.
"It's not my intention, I swear." The teary looking Alphos admitted. "I just hear them. I can't help it."
My father took his hand and said, "Your Majesty, I don't need to swear to you because our lives are beyond our control." He recognizes Alphos as the king, with or without the recognition of the royals and people of Niveo. So, Suri wanting this crybaby to rule over Niveo is not a joke?!
"Please let me visit her from time to time." Alphos asks. He looks at me bashfully, he knows he has wronged me but still wants to be friends. I looked the other way, because I'm trying hard to suppress my thoughts and feelings.
"You don't have to Your Majesty." My father said calmly, "We will be the one to visit you. You'll be bringing yourself to unwanted danger, before your appointed time." My father spared a glance at the princess warily. "You should protect him well princess. That visit was unwarranted, you have exposed yourself and the knowledge of his existence to your family."
Suri's face remains unchanged, "There's no such thing as unwarranted."
My father's eyes narrowed, "It appears so. But just to be clear, I don't want to be a part of your plans, my child's safety comes first."
"As I've said, nothing is unwarranted…"
Alphos held my hand and warped me without warning, "Dad!" I shrieked. I pounded Alphos chest so he can let me go, yet this time, however, he appears to be stronger than me. He didn't flinch nor react in pain.
We morphed into an icy clearing I know too well. It's the outskirts of the Niveon country, near the pack where I reside. He lets me go with his head bowed down. "I'm sorry, Karah. I hope you'll forgive me for everything I did."
"Where's my father? How could you leave him there?!" I cried. His offences against me keep on piling up. I don't know if I could forgive him.
"I'll return him to you. Him and my mother just needs to talk." Alphos opened his warp zone. "I'm sorry…" and he left again. I heard footsteps behind me. It's my mother and some of the other villagers.
"KARAH!" My mother rushed to my side to hug me. The villagers asked me where I've gone to, but no way did I tell them about the princess and her son.
"You smell different" One of the women said, scrutinizing me. "You also look different." I don't know how much I've changed. There wasn't any mirror at Suri's house.
The others nodded and joined in unison, "Her warts are almost gone." I heard their murmurs and one of them slipped and said that I appear somewhat pretty. They dismissed my change of scent as the result of my warts reducing.
My mother's tears flowed but she caught on and said, it must be the new herbs she's been making. Yet, we're still not off the hook. "Why did your daughter disappear though?", they are still prodding.
"Yeah, we have been looking for her, for weeks and she suddenly appeared like this?"
Now they sounded annoyed and accusing. Tsk, they probably joined the search only to gossip or they probably want me dead.
"What's that on your feet?" Someone asked. It's a hide with meat inside. It's the skin of the Hagerman I saw in the caves! How did it get here? It must be Alphos. Is it a present or a tool to serve as an excuse for my absence at the pack?
My mom was very surprised, but she tactfully hid it from the villagers' view. "I told you bring this to me asap. What took you so long?" My mother exhaled sharply and waved her finger in front of my face. "Now, we finally have horse meat at home. The skin will make a fine carpet. Good job!" She laughs nervously, but the villagers were too shocked in disbelief. But my mom shared the rest of the meat with them, so it rendered them tongue-tied for a while.
Now we went home and my mother placed the sound proofing material over the windows and the walls. "Tell me everything and don't miss a single detail." She bandages the wound on my feet as she listens to what has transpired the past few days.
She was shocked with what I'm telling her. "She didn't mistreat you nor insult you?" She wonders what happened to the princess after she was driven out of the kingdom.
"Your father greeted the child?!" She bit her thumb and mulled over. "I have to ask your father." She held my hand and said "Karah, we're living at tumultuous times. Listen to us intently and don't be hard headed. We should…"
Out of nowhere, my father warped in the sleeping quarters. He stumbled on the floor, losing his balance. "This is new." He groaned under his breath. Because of his sudden appearance, my body reacted.
Claws appeared on my hands, sharp canines bruised my lip and my hair became longer. "Oh no…" My mother said. Both of their eyes went wide as saucers.
"Let me tell you something" My father said, his face becoming serious.