Seed of War Part 4

I stood up there for nearly an hour, the sun at its peak, and I finally decided to go inside. I walked down the stairs, navigated through maze like halls, and found myself lost. I heard Beryl behind the door I was leaning against and opened it. She had two daggers in her hand, flipping, jumping, attacking, withdrawing, so fast in her training that I felt as if I was being pulled in. I stood there for a few moments, staring at her as she trained, then turned and left. I walked aimlessly around the maze, peeking into rooms here and there. Once I stumbled upon Beryl's bedroom and quickly closed the door. I smiled slyly and peached back in. I stared at the large bed, much better than any of the richest people in my town, a lantern on a wooden post near it. The covers were black, the walls carved with words that weren't clear. I looked around, and seeing no one about, stepped in to take a closer look.

They read: "Can't have mother...alone...empire is deceiving....must wait to tell...how to tell her? Must teach her about herself..." There were parts so sloppy I couldn't read them. I blinked as questions swarmed my mind. Was this her diary? To do list? Notes? Was me she was talking about?

"What the hell are you doing?!"

I turned around to see Beryl with her arms crossed.

"I-uh. What do you mean?"

She glared at me, "Don't act like you don't know, this is my room!"

I looked at the wall, "What is this?" I asked pointing.

Beryl walked to me, and dragged me out of her room. "STAY OUT!" then she slammed the door on my face. I sighed, then continued to walk around.

Sometime in the night I found my bedroom, and I tiredly pulled myself on the bed. I closed my eyes and was instantly asleep.

"Get up you little spy!" came a sharp and quite unwelcoming voice in my sleep. I groaned and rolled over, when hands gripped my shoulders and pushed against a wall.

"Who the hell are you working for?!" she yelled.

I blinked, completely surprised.

"ANSWER ME!"

"I-I don't work for anyone! I told I ran away from home!"

"Not that pathetic excuse, everyone knows when a marked wolf is born the parents are taken away from them! The empire doesn't want any parents to raise them, make them think they're actually a real wolf!"

"What?!" I pushed her off me and paced around the room.

"Who are you working for, spy!?"

I looked up at her, tears streaming down my face, "NO ONE!" I shouted, and jumped at her. She lifted her arms to block me but I changed and darted between her legs. I skidded down the halls on padded paws and headed up to the top of the mountain. I could hear Beryl behind me. I jumped up the steps by three and came to a stop at the side of the cliff. I was already finding a route down. Beryl slide up behind me and crossed her arms, smiling, "Where do you think you're going?"

My ears pricked up, a smile breaking my wolf face. I turned around and jumped. I heard Beryl shout something at me, but I was already too far away. I leapt from boulder to boulder, outlet to outlet. I was amazed I was actually doing this. Then I tripped. A thought flew through my mind that I actually might live. I fell head over heels, and when I thought I was about to land on my head, arms caught me. My eyes were clenched shut when they caught me, and I cautiously opened them, expecting to see Beryl.

It was.

She was laughing at me, "You didn't really expect to get away, did you? I do think, however, what you did was pretty cool."

Then grabbed me by the collar and threw me forward. I got to my feet and growled at her, ears flat against my head, teeth barred, eyes narrowed. She laughed at me again.

"Are you really going to fight me?"

I glanced behind me to see the cave several feet behind. Then I looked back at her, and nodded. She looked down and sighed, "You're all alike."

I blinked, what? But I didn't have long to think as Beryl jumped at me. I opened my jaw and caught her arm in them. She yelled out with pain and threw my off. I landed on my feet but hit something behind me. I didn't think anything of it when hands came around and grabbed me. Beryl looked at who was holding me, fist clenched hard.

"Tanya, please tell me you don't work for him."

I shook my head, then looked up at who was holding me. A tall boy, a black cape wrapped around his shoulders, his black hair spiked. Was he the prince?

"I see you've found a little pet. What's her name?" he asked Beryl, his voice smooth.

"Let her go." Okay, hold up. She went from thinking I was a spy, to protecting me? That doesn't make sense to me. The boy sighed.

"Now, now, Beryl. Don't loose your temper."

I could tell Beryl was dying to rip this guy's head off. But she didn't move. I started a small growl, pulling away from both of them. The Prince let me go and he and Beryl looked at me.

"Tanya," Beryl cautioned.

"Tanya? Where have I heard that name before?"

I looked up at him, teeth barred, daring him to step close. He smiled at me, "Ah yes, the girl who ran away from home. You're the marked one. How could I forget?"

I could feel the anger rise up in my chest, my mouth craving for his blood. My hair rose on end, he was taunting me. He wanted me to attack. I stepped back, fighting back my instincts to fight.

Stay calm, I tried to tell myself, stay calm. Don't-

A rope came around my neck, pulling me back. I howled out, and bit at the rope, tearing it to shreds.

Someone jumped onto my back, Beryl running to help me. The Prince stopped her with his fist. She went flying into a rock, bagging her head hard. She didn't open her eyes.

"Beryl!" I shouted, surprising myself with my voice. It sounded lower.

The Prince turned to me as I threw off whoever was trying to pin me down.

"Well, a speaking wolf. Isn't that something new?"

I circled him, waiting for him to move. He crossed his arms and laughed at me.

"How old are you exactly? Thirteen? Fourteen?"

"Fifteen." I growled back, my eyes still stuck on him.

"Well I'm honored. You know who I am?"

"The Prince."

"Good job," he jeered, "it's such a honor to meet you."

I snapped at his hand. He brought his hand back before my fangs came down on it, "Well, I'd think I'd get more of a welcome for coming to save you."

"Save me?" I stopped circling and pricked up my ears.

He sighed, pointing to the unconscious Beryl, "She didn't try to find you to help you, she did it to kill you. Notice how she calms herself down when she gets angry?"

"How do you know that?"

"I've seen it before, another like you were killed by her. He told me what she did when she got angry and asked me about it. But Beryl killed him before I was able to respond."

He looked down, sighing, "I came to help you, I knew you weren't going to want to come easily, so I brought others to help bring you. But," he waved to the man struggling to his feet behind me, "it appears you have no problem fighting people back."

"But..how can I trust you?"

"Has Beryl told you you can trust her? You have my word that no harm will come to you under my hand."

I weighed my options. Beryl was the most feared person in my village, and everyone loved the prince. I looked up at him, and nodded. Beryl got up behind us, but she was too late. I was walking into the forest with the Prince.