Rising of the Moon - Chapter Eight

@ Blueiris32 Thanks for the comment anyway. I hope you'll like this chapter. I made it a bit longer. : D

Chapter eight

- Discovery -

Rage was still storming in her head, clouding her reason, as she stopped hitting him. Strangely enough, he never tried to defend himself, even though it was obvious that he was stronger. Her friends came soon enough, hearing her cry. They were standing in circle now, only waiting for her command to tear him apart. Maybe it was his posture that prevented her from ordering them to kill. He looked like he wanted death, like he thought he deserved it. She was sitting on top of him while he was looking at her with calm eyes.

- "Give me one good reason. One. " she said through clenched teeth as the wolves came nearer tightening the circle around them.

- "I was in charge of the army ,but they attacked against my will and by the order of my father's general, Ruark. They saw me as a "kid". They think I'm weak because I don't want to destroy your people. Ruark led the attack that night against my permission. But it was me that was sent to lead the army. I consider myself responsible. You may kill me if you wish. " he said, looking rather peaceful.

She relaxed a little bit. The wolves sensed it and they too stopped waiting for her reaction. She didn't know how to react. Her sisters grave was standing on the right as a reminder of that night. Tears started forming in her eyes as she remembered Leila gripping her doll, eyes wide open in horror, staring into the sky. This man was guilty of being to young, she realized. She stood up and gave him a hand:

- "Take me to him. I want my revenge. "

/"That's right"/ she thought, "I live for revenge. Nothing else matters." she said quietly to herself as the last thought escaped her lips.

- "There's more to life then revenge. I understand your pain. I..." he started

- "Understand?!?" Leana let go of his hand, letting him fall back down on the ground. Wolves surrounded him once more. "UNDERSTAND??!? You know nothing. Nothing! It took me almost two moons to bury them. Every last one of them.Everyone I ever knew and loved in this life... No one's alive. Gone... Leila..." her voice cracked and she fell down on her knees, letting tears fall freely, soaking her dress.

He fell next to her, taking her in his arms. Then she relaxed and let it out. Tears were pouring down and she was sobbing like a little girl. "Father.." she said through tears.

- "Shhhh... It will be all right. In the end. I promise. " he whispered gently into her hair.

Strangely enough, that soothed her and she let the tears fall freely, trying to cry the sorrow out. After a while, she was asleep with exhaustion. Or maybe fainted.
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Ranel didn't dare moving. He was holding her in his arms, stroking her hair. He wasn't sure if she just fell asleep or lost her consciousness. He tried imagining how it would be like for him having to go through such trauma. He cursed in his head for being to weak to prevent that. Wolves were sitting patiently around them. He didn't know what to think of them. They look threatening, but for now they didn't touch him. He knew, as long as he's with her, they won't harm him.

He got up slowly, with Leana in his arms. Wolves made a close circle around them and a silver-back wolf jumped in front of him, showing his teeth. He looked threatening. Ranel took a deep breath:

- "I just want to take her under that tree, in the shade. If that is OK with you?", he asked with polite note to his voice. /"Great, now I'm talking to wolves..."/ he thought to himself.

Silver-back wolf slowly moved to the side, like he understood him. He was still watching him carefully. He was obviously the leader of the pack. Ranel was walking quietly to the other side of the house, closely followed by the wolves. The girl was surprisingly light and easy to carry, even though she was taller then most of the women he met in his life. Except for his mother... He sat down with her still in his arms. Sunrays were seeping through the tree branches, resting gently on her face. He got surprised of how her silvery-white hair got a faint golden glow in the sunlight.

Hours passed, or maybe minutes. He wasn't sure. Probably hours, because sun started going behind the mountains surrounding the valley. He wasn't able to think about anything. He just stared at her until she started moving. Her eyes opened very slowly. He saw memory coming back to her. Her eyes were wide open now, but she didn't move or run away. Silvery-back wolf got up and put his head in her lap. Ranel smiled, for he reminded him more of a puppy now, then big dangerous wolf that he was.

- "Ruth! " She smiled, embracing the wolf's head. Her face momentarily brightened and all wolves, driven by her happy mood, started coming and pushing their way to lick her.

Next moment, Ranel was on the ground covered by at least 4 wolves that were jumping happily on the girl. He didn't make a sound then, as she rolled off him when silvery-back wolf, /"Ruth?"/ pushed her. He found himself watching the girl playing happily with her friends, rolling on the grass and laughing. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. A small laugh came out of his mouth as he saw the big wolf taking her on his back. At that sound, they all looked at him and stopped with the playing. She got up and straightened her dress. Her face got serious.

- "So what do I do with you? You discovered my valley. I can't just let you leave. " she said.

- "You will go with me. " he replied confidently.

- "What makes you think I'll listen to what you say? " she said through laughter.

- "This. " He said, while giving her piece of leather. She took it gently in her hands. Leather was soft. Slowly, she opened the sides to find a single moon-flower wrapped inside. There were also two letters, aged ones.

She picked up letters curiously. One had royal stamp on it. She opened it to find beautiful manuscript. She quickly scanned the letter, finding queen Leanas signature in the end and her parents names in the top. Quickly, she opened the 2nd letter, finding her mothers elegant handwriting.

- "Where did you get this? " She whispered, not taking her eyes off those letters.

- "Read. " he said simply.

And she did. Her eyes got wider and wider in amazement as she read the queens letter first. Queen was asking of her parents the date of when to come for her, Leana, to take her to the palace. There were thoughts of two nations reuniting. It was well-known throughout the Leera that the creator gave both moon and sun Leerans the power to use magic. But one had stronger magic in the day, and the other were strong at nights. By the queens words, she was to be brought to the court, trained in that magic to become powerful sorcerer. She came to the part where queen said that she'll try her best that the girl gets close to her eldest son, Ranel, and some day rule the country with him, restoring the balance. Leana got angry at the thought. No one has right to control her life. She did keep reading after an angry glance at Ranel. Queen somehow thought that it's important that they reunite. She saw the logic of their bonding, that the two nations would come closer together. She read further that soon the war will come and if they are not united, they won't be able to fight the enemy. And life of the world itself depended on it, by the queens words. She got more and more amazed, with further reading. Ranel smiled, for she looked exactly like him when he was reading those letters.

Then she took the other one. A tear slid down her cheek as she was reading her mothers handwriting. She read that her parents were thanking the queen for saving their child. It was obviously her, Leana, that was saved. Furthermore, her mother wrote that they plan to send their daughter after the upcoming moon festival. They also requested permission to visit her whenever they wish and that the queen may give the effort to put together her son and their daughter, but never to force her into it. Her parents also expressed concern about the threat and the importance of unison of their nations. In the end, they gave their best regards to both queen and king and sent their gratitude etc.

Leana looked up at Ranel, bewildered.

- "How? " she asked simply.