“My Lord, what is it that’s bothering you? Why did you leave the room thus? ” The wolf queen asked her husband as he rushed back to his chamber and sat restless on his place.
The king heaved deep signs as he looked hither thither.
“My Lord… ” the queen began but was cut short.
” Is that even possible? That is the only logical explanation I can come to. Ah! My luck. My luck. I can’t believe I am even thinking it could be so. But it is. Reality is indeed stranger than fiction. It is indeed. ” The king heaved another deep sign.
Just then Xie, Roe and Lin rushed to the entrance to the kings chamber and yelled for permission to come in.
“Come in children, come in. ” He said as he sat a little more comfortably.
” Nana said the pendant is still with a wolf. Somebody from the Royal family, ” Lin got straight to the point.
” She’s come back to her senses. She alright? ” The queen inquired.
” Yes mother. ” Roe replied.
” With a wolf you say. Hhhmmm. I think I know where it might be. ” The king said.
“Where? ” The three asked in unison.
” It is with Mia. ” The king announced.
Everybody looked at each other after the kings remark as if he was about to crack a joke.
” Impossible. I have been searching for it all these years. I would have immediately noticed it had she had it. Impossible. ” Lin had his point. He definitely would have.
” Correct. But you would have known if you would have seen. ” The king looked into Lin’s eyes, “and I thik even Mia has no idea that she has it. But the I think about it, the more certain I am. It is with none other but Mia. İt must had been passed onto her by Crystal. ” The king added after a pause, ” her mother. ”
It didn’t make any sense. How could it have been with Mia. That too without her knowledge.
” I know what you all might be thinking. Please sit down for a moment and give me a chance to explain. If I am correct, Mia should already have a fair fighting chance. So we must be well equipped with whatever we have to face this trial head on.
The kings story-
When I had gone to the Southern Oceans to ask for the witches help, I had encountered a whole new world. They had agreed to take take me to their queen after I had offered them the wolf sword in exchange. They had taken me blind folded. But unlike mortals who the mer-witches are known to sometimes hunt, I could sense my surroundings. I could form a imagery of their waterscape even though my eyes we’re tied. It was nothing like words could describe. It aroused senses in me that I had never thought I had in me.
They finally had removed my blind fold when I stood in front of their queen. Though she was all full of herself, she admired me for my courage to come all alone there, for what I really wanted. They valued the brave.
Though the request I had made was forbidden they agreed to help. One of the witches took me to a place that unlike all the other parts of the mer-world reeked of sorcery. The place was heavier to breathe even when I was already using their breathing aid under water. The water itself was murkier in that region. It reeked of darkness and was literally devoid of light.
Once inside, the witch instructed me to get inside what looked like a cauldron. No matter how brave I might have been , it was something impossible they were asking out of me. I tried running away. I haven’t had the courage to admit this before but you are all my children and you could learn from my mistake. The witches are powerful as it is however inside water their powers are insane. I was immediately held and forced inside what looked like a big black pitcher. What happened after that is a bit hazy in my memory, but I’m sure I had my appearance modified to some extent. However I became easier to tread the waters after that. I was then taken to the queen who said that she would be personally taking me there as the exact location where my brother was captive wasn’t know. Also , only the mer-royalty could trespass in those currents. Others would be sucked immediately in inside them.
What had followed was her taking me to one land after another via the channels made by those undercurrents. We were almost about to loose hope and give up finally the queen was able to detect dark forces in one of those area. I was given only a minute to get my business done after which she would leave, either with or without me.
I won’t be able to describe that place I was in. I still have nightmares when I sometimes see it in my dreams. It had a stench of it’s own. A blend of evil and gloom. My entire body, soul and mind shuddered at the mere thought of being left there for eternity. It was a place that drenched hope. A place of lost hopes. All hopes. The place was very similar like that of a tower.
” Yes, the tower. Are you saying you and actually been there? ” Nanako asked still standing at the doorway, apparently listening to all that was being said.
” Yes. That is how I had the pendant in the first place. My brother, Jin, gave it to me. ” The king said.
” Jin? He gave it to you? ” Nanako was shaking as she mentioned the name with her trembling lips, “Didn’t I, ” She struggled and stammered, “didn’t I lose it in the wolf lands after… ” Lin caught her just in time, as her knees almost gave way under her” Didn’t I loose in these lands after my baby was slaughtered? He and it with him all along? ” Nanako exclaimed as her eyes traveled to a distance. It seemed like it was more like lament than an actual statement. A statement followed with total quieten.