"Alpha... Luna... Wait, what are those again?"
"In humans," Luna Maia explains, "they are the King and Queen."
I couldn't agree. Neither could I deny it after all they've done for me. The situation makes my fingers cold. I wouldn't like to spend my whole life with a 16-year-old stricter than her parents! The only opposing statement that flashed into my mind is, "But I am marked—"
“We need to ask the moon’s will first regarding this,” Lanasia interrupted.
"That’s right." Alpha Shio utters. "We would like to hear the signs as well."
She lectures, "Keep in mind every word I'll say. Tomorrow, the moon shall smile at you during daylight if you are with the right woman. The moon shall not change if you and Sherizzah are not worthy to rule the white wolves together."
Alpha Shio and Luna Maia agreed with the signs. They said that they would like to be informed once I met my mate here. And my choice will be between my very mate and Sherizzah. I only want Dandeline. Yet everyone is expecting Sherizzah to be my Luna. The chance to divert that chance is sheer.
Their celebration continues and I step out of the crowd. I just want to be with her. I look around but not even her scent is present. I asked Lanasia and she was unaware as well. Only my steps were the ruling sound when I came inside the quiet palace. I knocked on her door and waited for her voice, yet nothing came. When I came in, I found myself in an empty room.
☪ ✧ ✧
The scent led me in front of a meditating silhouette in front of the wide lake.
I made soundless steps of paws as I drew closer to the shadow. But she figured out my presence immediately. "What're you doing here?"
["I should be the one asking that."]
She's thoughtlessly sitting on the grass with her knees wrapped around her arms. Wearing a cotton shawl to fend against the cold breeze from the lake. I sit beside her, mimicking her position. The silence and the lustering reflection of the moon on the gentle waves is a wonderful place indeed to be alone. And we can hear the music from a distance.
"What are you doing here all by yourself?"
"Silence is my mood tonight. What about you? That party is yours. Your presence is the keystone."
"The crowd is satisfied with the sight of me. But I failed to find the one who satisfies mine."
Her hair is free from any tie at the moment, which makes the breeze more cooperative in making her look beautiful. Especially that she laid her eyes on me that has a reflection of the majestic moon.
But then she sighs. "Men..."
"Dan, is there a concern clouding your mind? I thought you liked parties. But you chose this place over the fun."
"Don't make it a big deal."
"Not just that. You're being aloof. You can tell me if there's something bothering you."
Her smile and silence are her answers.
"You're making me worry..."
"Let's put it this way, Hessuel. You've seen the two sides of both rivals. How will you say you're not biased?"
"... Selflessness."
"Does that alone suffice?"
"No. If you ask my opinion about my current situation, yes. For I came to understand their agonies. And what you told me was the fullness of truth. The rising generations are all victims. Why do you ask?"
"Now that the white wolves found their greatest weapon, war may bolt from the blue. If that happens, what will you do?"
"I told you, don't overthink it."
"I'm not overthinking it," she said with a laugh to enlighten the mood. What's more delightful is when she leans very close and shares her shawl with me. I hold the hem of the shawl on my side to prevent it from sliding, biting my lip to hold back the smile of flattery. She continues, "We can't ignore the possibility just because sadness has no room in this land."
"It's simple. If we prevent it in the first place, then nothing will result in war. And if we are careful with our next steps, too. I'm confident we can do it by my side. We've succeeded with risks we never thought we would including this so-called fictional land. But we're here and we've made it this far."
"You're saying you want my support, huh?"
"I want you."
She tilts her head with questioning eyes.
"Yeah, I-I need your support 'til the end. You can charge me if you want to. What I've been asking you to do requires effort anyway."
"And how are you supposed to pay me?"
"I'll pay myself."
"Geez!" She pricks my cheek like a wild crab! I made a wincing face and let go of a smile. "How'd you love this place? You were so carefree the moment we got here. You were like a long-lost puppy who ran in the field where he used to play before. It's a touching scene, y'know."
I scratch my not-really-itchy nape. "I was overwhelmed."
"'Excited' is the right term for you."
"You know me well, don't you?"
And she made me hear her friendly chuckle. She stretches five fingers of her in front and a tiny sparkling light floats. "To welcome you home, I present this to you." The spark flies at the speed of a bullet towards the lake, the water splashes, and when the sparkling light reaches the middle, it climbs upward to the sky with the same speed. A few seconds of silence happened when the night sky was illuminated with colorful shades of glitters exploding and falling like snow consecutively.
Pleasing to the eyes are these popping glowing flowers, yet I always keep in mind Dandeline's presence beside me. I can't resist staring at her although those lethargic eyes she has are the opposite of the cheerful lights. I lick my lips quickly to be ready for the words. "Have you seen the... sheep here?"
"Of course, we've come across the farm."
"Mostly in tales, sheep is the favorite meal of the wolves."
"Yes, similar to the piggery of mankind."
"But what if there were weresheep? just like how there are werewolves? And they can shift into human form with horns. Their goddess is a shepherd. There might be a war between weresheep and werewolves."
"Seriously?" My trivial thought earned me a laugh from her. "Are you bored enough to come up with that? And it sounds 'worship'!" she commented. I shared the laughter with her and the following silence left her smiling whilst watching the embers in the sky.
That makes her prettier. And I am happier.
"I can do magic, too," I said, still watching the lights in the sky. "Whenever I clap at a mosquito, it vanishes."
"No, it's not magic. You just missed the mosquito." That made me earn another laugh from her. "Where did you get those corny jokes, huh?"
"Dan, you know what's the magic there?" I press her cheek with my finger. "I made you laugh."
My cheek propped on my right knuckle as I showed a smile to her. It later infects her to smile as well. She swiftly throws a peck on my happy lips.
"Isn't... this an abomination in the sight of the Moon Goddess?"
She raises the tip of her lips and hisses, "Can you stand for it?"
Instead, I answer through a kiss, then stick my nose to hers. She initiated the continuation of longer kisses. Her fingers are sliding on my face and I lock her on her waist and nape. Slow kissing under the illuminating lights. I gradually lie down on the cold grass with her above me. Cover our heads under the shawl. I comb her hair, pushing it behind. And she's combing my lips with her lips, biting, up and down. I'm giving her the supremacy.
I madly want her. I want her lips exclusive for me from now on. I want her in my arms often. Our sticky lips parted as we shared the same breath. "Does this mean I've passed the courtship?"
"No. It's because you're a good kisser."
And we kiss some more. My hands were about to be frisky inside her cloth when the strong scent of furs approached. We came back to our seats as quickly as thieves, and the furious white wolves were looking for the one who fired the frightening thing, they said.
☪ ✧ ✧
The celebration was over when we came to the place. We help with the shifting and reorganizing of the place and tools used for early sleep. I bid my goodnight to Dandeline outside the doorway of her room.
'Twas a sleepless night. I kept staring at the moon through the window, tapping my finger to my elbow, and sighed more than I could count. Everything is getting well between me and Dandeline. I would never wish for someone else. All I can do to calm down is to think no thought about distrusting the goddess. Eventually, I slept less than the hours needed. I walk around early in the morning and tarry in front of the rock with carvings, staring at her name.
"Rossy..." I muttered. If I wasn't set into slumber, I wonder if the Moon Goddess shall mate me to her. I pluck a dandelion and blow its weak petals. The only feeling I can remember with her is attachment. Having no idea where to find her descendants, relying on my assumption is all I can do. Dandeline is a seed. However, it's not wise to make my love for her the reason why.
A grasshopper caught my attention as it leaps on the rock, then crawls to the top. It leaped somewhere again but I lost track when my eyes met the smiling moon in the daylight sky. It's staring at me and I'm frozen all of a sudden. That's because of the presentiment of a conflict. I doubt the Moon Goddess will mate me to a human.
"Hessuel! I knew you were here. I came to your room but the only one I've seen there is your pet."
My body was immobilized when I heard her voice. I look at the moon again then at her. This is the sign given to me. The next step varies on me henceforth.