Chapter 9 The Silver Wolf
Everything that happened after Fernanda told Sebastian she would be the one to pay for her mistake, was exactly as she had feared. But it was too late for her to take back her words and besides that, he was going to kill her maidservants for something that wasn't their fault and Fernanda would never let that happen.
But that also meant doing everything he says for the next one month as her punishment.
Since Fernanda doesn't join him in the Royal dining to eat, Sebastian always made sure he was present, watching her like a hawk while she eats in her chambers. He never leaves until she finishes what was in her plate and as much as Fernanda hated the unbearable attention he was giving her, there was nothing she could do about it.
The next morning, Fernanda was gently combing away some tangles out of her hair, dreading the moment Sebastian is going to appear and watch her eat, when Yolanda came in with wearing a small smile. There were lines of worry on her forehead, "What is it?" She asked when she saw her. Yolanda took the comb from Fernanda's hand and started doing it for her.
"His Majesty has marched off to war again, I overheard the soldiers speaking, Askor soldiers breached in and dozens of welders died during his absence, our kingdom is at a slight disadvantage currently." Yolanda said, making Fernanda sigh in relief, grateful it wasn't something that had to do with her.
Fernanda didn't know what to feel. She didn't know whether to be happy that Sebastian was away or be sad about the situation of the war.
The never-ending war Clawshire had dominated for many years especially since Sebastian became its ruler. Other kingdom feared Sebastian and had always dreaded him on the battlefield because he was always cold and calculating. It's understandable if Clawshire had suffered some losses due to his absence.
"For how long will he be away?" Fernanda asked, "I can't say your highness, I'm sorry." Yolanda said, wondering why Fernanda would be bothered about that.
"It's okay, don't be. I'm quite relieved, it feels good to know I will not be seeing him for a while." Fernanda's time had a hint of light-heartedness. Yolanda didn't know how to respond to that without putting herself into trouble, she just smiled because it was her first time seeing Fernanda smile genuinely since getting married to Sebastian.
A sharp gust of wind suddenly passed through the room, brushing over Fernanda’s bare shoulders and causing the candles on the wall to flicker violently. The windows were closed. There was no breeze.
Fernanda’s smile faded. "Did you feel that?" She asked.
Yolanda paused, her hands freezing mid-comb. "Just a draft, perhaps."
But it wasn’t just a draft. A glass of water on her bedside table had tiny ripples dancing across the surface, and for a second, just a second, Fernanda could swear the flame of one candle flared up, turning blue. "Odd." was all she could say.
Yolanda left and Fernanda went to sleep still thinking about that strange reaction she felt, it couldn't just be in her head. Her thoughts slowly drifted from that to Sebastian. As she thought of him, she felt a weird ache in her heart, which was quite absurd.
That night, she dreamed.
She stood in a field drenched in moonlight. red clouds looming above her, and a silver wolf with glowing eyes emerged from the mist. When it opened its mouth to speak, the voice was not its own, but her mother’s.
"Mother?" Fernanda whispered, tears pooling in her eyes..
“The world fractures, daughter. Four bleed for one. One will bring ruin or rebirth. You. Are. One.” Her voice started as a whisper but gradually echoed as she repeated her words.
Fernanda jolted upright in bed, drenched in cold sweat. Her body shivered uncontrollably as she looked around her to confirm if she was still in the room and not some void with a silver werewolf with the voice of her mother speaking to her.
She sighed in relief after looking around and bursted into tears after, the voice–her mother's voice was so vivid. The same voice that had always sung her sweet lullabies to put her to sleep.
Fernanda cried some more before going back to sleep, she hoped to see the silver wolf again in her dream but it didn't appear again.
In a rarely used wing of the palace, A cloaked figure of a human moved silently across the dark corridors. Their steps quick and determined. The figure enters a narrow passage lit only by a flickering lantern. Waiting in the darkness is a man with silver rings under his eyes and an insignia stitched into his robe.
"You are late... Eira." The man stated, his gruff voice echoing around the walls of the passage. "Shh," Maya stepped closer into the light, revealing her face. "Lower your voice Lucius, or you will be heard by the wolfguards. And I go by the name Maya here."
"She's beginning to dream, And feel," Maya whispers. "The moon calls louder when the bond is near. We have to activate the catalyst in her before it gets too late." The man replies.
Maya nods. "I understand, but i need a little more time. The king will return soon and he is overprotective of her. But I will be ready."
They both heard footsteps coming in their direction. "Waste no time, Our world needs its balance or it will destroy itself while we watch. The girl needs to turn." Lucius said before vanishing into the shadows. Maya also left as quickly as possible before she was caught by the approaching guards.
Fernanda woke up the next day feeling a bit lightheaded. She saw her maidservants already moving about in her chamber and sighed when she remembered she was living in a gigantic palace and not her father's manor.
"You look pale, My Queen." Maya said as she opened the curtains of the room. "I'm not surprised, I had a dream last night." Fernanda replied.
"The moon must have spoken to you." Maya absentmindedly stated. Fernanda froze, "What did you just say?"
"Oh, nothing," Maya smiled quickly but it didn't reach her eyes.
"We've prepared your bath your highness." Yolanda announced and Fernanda nodded. After having bathed and eaten breakfast, she sat in her room and wondered what to do for the day.
"Yolanda, I must admit I am bored." She told her maidservant who was busy massaging her feet.
"I can go fetch balls of yarns for you to knit with," Yolanda said, getting ready to stand up but Fernanda stopped her. "That's not what i intended Yolanda, I absolutely do not want to just sit around and play with yarns. I am sure I can do better than that." She said with a sad expression.
Yolanda immediately apologized, "Forgive my stupidity your highness."
"I know you didn't mean it that way." Fernanda reassurance was accompanied with a deep sigh. "I just do not want to be stuck in this place sitting around and doing nothing but being just a wife."
"We can show you around the whole palace, if you would like that." Yolanda suggested,
"Yes, I would also love to see where the wielders do train at."
"The wielder's pit?" Yolanda asked and Fernanda eagerly nodded. The maidservant's smile faltered a bit, she looked unsure. "My Queen, I'm not so sure..." She asked.
"What is it? Am I prohibited from going there?" Fernanda asked. "Only the wielders are allowed around and within the vicinity of the pit. It's too dangerous for non wielders like us since we have no abilities to defend ourselves with." Yolanda explained.
"And besides, the wielders are unapologetic when they duel, they know no limits. Being there is dangerous for a non wielder and I do not want to risk your safety your highness." Yolanda added, hoping Fernanda would change her mind about going to see the pits.
Although It didn't sit well with Fernanda that she wouldn't be able to go near the pits as a non wielder, she stopped trying to persuade Yolanda. Asides from that, she didn't want to cause any trouble for the poor lady.
"Alright, I guess I will take the yarns then." Fernanda said with a shrug, her mouth pressed in a thin line after an unsuccessful attempt to force a smile. Yolanda looked apologetic as she went to get some yarns.
That night, as much as Fernanda hated to admit, she felt terribly lonely to the point she wished Sebastian wasn't away at war. Knitting didn't help as she kept fumbling the process repeatedly, Yolanda tried to put her through but the stitches were just too complicated for her to learn.
Fernanda had always been interested in outdoor activities. Growing up, she had always loved archery and horse riding and was quite good at it before she lost her spark due to depression. The few times she and her father were on good terms, they would go hunting together.
She also had a soft spot for wielding, something about the way natural elements moves in compliance with their wielders made her so happy. It takes an immense amount of strength to be able to wield because not all werewolves can do that, it's a special gift.
Fernanda let out a deep sigh as she tossed on her bed, "I can't even do both." She said, shaking her head. Out of frustration, she got up and started pacing around. "This is ridiculous, I will not let myself rot in this palace forever." She said out loud, biting her lips while she thought of a plan to get to see the wielding pits without getting caught.