2: Chapter 47
As I drifted in and out I could here shouting,the rippling dream came again, so I followed the voices. Gaining consciousness again, the pain came, a heart beat throb in my head but with someone screaming my name and the others yelling back questions, there was no way I could sleep this off. Rising slowly Elre shot from a corner, helping me steady myself as I held my aching head.
“Anya, you shouldn’t be up yet.” His voice laced with concern.
“Well, when someone calls my name over and over I tend to become restless.” I sighed. Moving my heavy, stiff limbs I followed the voices.
“I need to see Anya! Not you?”
“Why have you come here?”
“I will only speak to her! ANYA!”
“I am here, please lower your voices.” I whispered as I walked into the room.
“Anya, I have come to help aid you.” The scruffy man spoke.
“I am sorry, due to a recent head injury, my vision is slightly blurred. Who are you?”
“I am Fengud, my god Fenrir has sent me and the army I command.” He said plainly.
“And what does he wish in return?” Flora’s voice came from beside me, causing me to jump. “Sorry, I felt your distress and came. Manannán is on his way as well with some other goddesses.” She whispered.
“One night, four hours, to try and woe the young goddess. If he is unsuccessful he will release her, if he succeeds, he wishes her betrothed.” The men scoffed at his words.
“She has six fated mates, what makes him think she would fall for someone she is not?” Shura hissed.
“Because if she is my mate to, however, if she falls for me I wish to be betrothed to her, to my rightful mate.” Fenrir had appeared, causing me to step closer to Flora, the men stepping beside me and daring him to move closer. Fenrir was the great wolf of destruction, his aura was seeping with darkness.
“Why would you wish to be betrothed to me, I want your true reason. I see your soul, it leaks nothing but darkness and only a small glimmer of white. So why?” I asked as I stood taller. He chuckled and his crimson eyes cut through me, sending shivers down my spine.
“You have such purity, I wish for you to help me balance my soul.”
“It’s not a matter of you wooing her, it’s if your little experiment works you won’t let her leave.” Flora hissed.
“No, four hours, that is all I ask.” I sat there as they went back and forth, I wondered if I could balance his soul even a little. I reached out my soul, and wrapped his, trying to give his light a little more power, the darkness resisted at first, but as I kept pouring in the good, pure aura it calmed enough for the light to grow. I found this amusing, my curiosity peaking as I pushed a little more, slowly, until I felt hands shake my shoulders. Looking around I saw Manannán standing in front of me, a shocked Fenrir behind him, and two goddesses and another god. Flora’s hand wrapped around my left tightly.
“How did you do that?” Fenrir’s voice was a whisper. “So many have tried and failed yet you have done so much in a matter of minutes.” He held his chest as his expression of surprise never waned.
“I have a different terms.” I said, raising my eyebrow.
“Anya, be careful of your words.” Manannán spoke quickly.
“I will give you four hours, every full moon in this realm, to help you balance your soul. No wooing, no dating, nothing romantic. You will meet me in the ritual square in my kingdom, every full moon. You will not be able to leave the ritual square unless I permit it, and at ANYTIME I do, I can retract it. You will not push me to do more, and you must work on your temper. Your army will be under my full command, without you contradicting me, or taking them back over. If anyone is harmed in my kingdom then the contract is void, if an innocent is killed, the contract is void. I can shift my terms at anytime, or the contract is void.”
“I agree to all of your terms.” Fenrir said without hesitation and quick hastily. He cut his hand and held it out, mimicking him translucent chains wrapped around our hands. The contract now binded to us. His mood went from surprised to confident quickly. Manannán and the others looked confused and shocked that he had agreed to so many terms that he didn’t benefit from. His balls were in my hands and if he did one wrong move, I could rip them off and feed them to the dragons.
“I will see you in three nights from now,” He smiled tossing me a silky purple pearl. “until then, farewell.” He disappeared in a swirl of black smoke.
“Release Fengud,” I said sternly, the guards releasing his chains, falling to his knees, and him bowing to me. “Fengud, you will listen to my Commander Guardian Alex, he says jump…” I walked over to him, squatting down to him.
“I ask how high and do just as he has asked.” He finished my sentence, the words muffled by the floor.
“And please, don’t bow to me like that, a simple nod suffices, please stand up.” I pat his shoulder as I rise, a wave of dizziness off balancing me for a minute.
“Where is Arabelle?” I glance over my shoulder to Rugan, as Alastar helps cover up my imbalance by him bumping into me clumsily. Wrapping his arm around my waist.
“She has been in and out, gathering scrolls and other intel.” He said, his voice slightly on edge. I nodded as I turned to Manannán and the others.
“Told you, there is something about her that is truly amazing.” Flora smiled and twirled. “She even brought Fenrir to his knees with her words.” He smiled as her skin glowed brightly.
“That is a mighty accomplishment.” The one male stranger said.
“Indeed.” Woman spoke softly.
“My apologies Anya, this is Electra and these two are Ichthyocentaurs, Aphros and Bythos.” They nodded their heads as Manannán introduced them. “They wish to give an alliance with no strings attached.”
“I will accept their alliance.” I smiled happily as I nodded to them. They handed me, each a different hue of blue, pearl. Each bowing and wisping away.
“Anya, that was smooth with Fenrir, but why?” Manannán looked confused and amused.
“Because I tested his soul, it’s trying to balance on it’s own but has grown wild, when I gave it some guidance it was beginning to balance, that’s when you shook me.” I said with a shrug.
“What does that mean?” Rugan looked at me trying to hid his slight anger at me being near another who wasn’t my mate.
“It means he is trying to be good, but his soul is wildly off balanced and needs help. Instead, he has been shunned, tested, betrayed, manipulated, and in turn, has caused the darkness to creep and become wild.” The others nodded, as the pieces clicked together. “I don’t wish to be rude, but this head splitting headache, and I wish to see my children.” I sigh as I sway and grab my head, Alastar’s grip tightening and him looking to the others alarmed. “Fengud, please accompany us with your army, they will be housed and I ask that they help the community.” I glance in his direction as he nods.
“As you wish my Queen.” He wastes no time heading out of the cell. Manannán and Flora bowing and wisping away. Breathing out a sigh of relief my knees buckle, as Alastar’s arms wrap around me, Rugan scooping me up without hesitation as the others gasp.
“We need to get her home and to bed, she needs to rest.” Elre nods as Shura’s hand touches my forehead.
“And bring in the healers, she running a fever. The gash on her head may be becoming infected.” Shura looked to the others. Without another second to lose they were on the move, twisting, turning, and going up flights up stairs never faltering. Rugan’s grip tightening around the other guards as I lay my head against his chest, and my on his ribs.
Rugan mounted Blathir, telling Raza to stay close, he held me tightly with one arm and the saddle with the other. The wind cooling my body as we rose, making me shiver. He maneuvered himself tucking me into his cloak. Consciousnesses beginning to slowly fade as the throbbing became worse. My hand slipping down Rugan’s ribs as I was losing the battle inside myself. I felt fear spike through our bond, Blathir’s wings picking up speed as the others yelled to hasten their pace. I finally let go and the darkness claimed me again. I hated feeling this way, it made me feel weak, but being a goddess for a little less than two years, a Queen for a year between two kingdoms, this was all so new.