Mia and Lin, sat in perfect silence. The food was spread on the table infront of them . It was a huge table. The wolf king sat right across it, looking at both simultaneously.
“So, who is going to do the honours, ” The wolf king asked, confusing both Mia and Lin.
The two looked at each other, when the wolf king roared again, “Eat up, both of you. What do you think these are for? Just for you to watch and admire. ” He smiled with a wink and then continued, ” Eat up. We have a lot of talking to do. You need lots of energy to keep going. ”
Mia and Lin obediently dug in and went on eating without raising their heads. There was a lot going on behind in their minds. Each had their own set of worries. But they were equally starved and the food was too delicious. The wolf king smiled once more, watching the two and then began eating himself.
After the awkward silence followed with crunches and munches, the wolf king ushered them inside his private chambers. He made them take a seat beside himself and began, “So, tell me Mia what is your relationship with this young man what made you enter the wolf kingdom. ”
Mia cleared her throat and began her story. How she met Lin in the human world . She told him how she had lived like a human all her life and didn’t know about her wolf ancestry. She looked up to read her fathers facial reaction but he looked at her with a straight face. There was nothing showing on his face about what he was thinking. She carefully omitted the portion where Lin was working at the wolf embassy disguised as a wolf. She further continued how she and Lin fell in love and got married, to which the king frowned a little. Mia stopped for the the wolf king to interrupt with his approval or disapproval, but nothing came from his end, so she continued.
She confessed about being with child and that they were the reason the curse was evoked.
Mia was excepting a outburst or rage or atleast shock at this revelation, but the king said nothing. Mia then explained how they both tried looking for a cure or way to stop the curse from wrecking havoc. She effortlessly avoided the portion about how she met Anjana Or the mer-boy. She told him about Lin and Boshu’s chance encounter with Roe and Xie on their quest to the Tree of Knowledge. She explained how she too was able to reach Lin by harnessing her meditational power at the Sacred Lands.
She stopped for a while but the king still didn’t break his silence. So she completed by describing, how she was the only one able to reach the Tree of Knowledge and successfully negotiate with it to stop the curse ‘s further advancement.
The king finally looked up and frowned again. It was a deep frown. Not one that’s revoking, but one that’s full of worry.
“You did what? ” He finally spoke.
“I, umm, I made a deal, ” Mia stammered. Mia was so effectively avoiding the topic, but here it was again. This time there was no running away. Lin was on his full attention too. He had been pestering her for the truth, but she had been effectively been dodging it. But what was she going to do now? She could tell her father could see right through her even if they were meeting for the first time. As Mia, fidgeted, looking for an answer, her father said, ” Look Mia, I know you mut have done something stupid in your desperation. It’s alright. But we need to know , so we can fix it. But dont get pressured right away. I will tell you. ” Then he stopped and looked at Lin,
” and you too. This thing that you are messed with right now, had to do with your ancestors. Both of your ancestors. So listen up very carefully. Also Mia, we need to talk about your mother and myself. All your life you have been thinking that you were a human, now you think you are a wolf but that even might not be the case here. Listen carefully when I do the talking. Then I would like to know what you think about the situation.
Mia and Lin looked at each other again with questioning eyes, full of worries. The king then began his narrative.
He started off with the unfortunate love story between Nanako and Jin. To which Lin was a bit surprised as he had absolutely no idea.
“My Nana? But why haven’t I heard of it ever. She practically raised me like her own. She would often fall sick. And that’s because she would be at times be possessed by the oracle. But about her being in love with a wolf, why would I never even hear about that? ” Lin was basically baffled.
“It true my boy. The reason you might not have heard about it may be because the misfortune was ushered by your clan. They might be feeling guilty or they might be still holding onto the grudge. I have no idea. But it’s in fact the truth. ” the wolf king reassured him.
“But my Nana never hides anything from me. Why would she not tell me about it. ” Lin persisted .
“It was the permanent scar that burnt not only your Nana’s but both the clans’ lives. How do you expect a mother to relive the ordeal of her child’s merciless killing, yet again? It must have been a blow worse than the thunder’s bolt. ” The king concluded.
Lin was dumbstruck, “child? My Nana’s child? With a wolf? Killed? Hold on please. The child was killed? I don’t understand at all. What are you getting at. ” Lin held his head in disbelief.
“Calm down boy and listen to the whole story, ” The wolf king, made him sit beside him and patted his hands before continuing.