The little girl's eyes squeezed tight shut, her body shaking with fright at the sound of swords clashing. The man before her had struck, but he had not hit her as she had feared he would.
She slowly opened her eyes, still shaking from fear, and was stunned to see he was holding off another man's sword, preventing it from striking her. The look of surprise on the girl's face was palpable as she realized that the man was in fact protecting her from harm.
King Krov caught the frightened look on the child's face before he glared at his soldier, the smoke settling around them.
"She is not one of them" he growled, pulling his sword back.
"But Sire, we saw her run away from her mother, there is no way she is not…" the man trailed, giving the king a concerning look.
It was his master's instruction to get rid of all the inhabitants, he could only wonder why Krov thought the girl was different when they had infact, killed a lot of children like her.
"She is not one of them" King Krov repeated instinctively. Suddenly, he stretched his hands forward, grabbing the little girl by her cloak and pulling her to her feet.
"Where is the mother ?" he asked, his eyes turning to the man.
There was silence from him, and that was all the answer he needed.
Krov's gaze dropped to the young girl before him, taking in her small frame and solemn expression. For a moment, his cold exterior gave way to a hint of sympathy, and he studied her with a softness in his eyes that he rarely showed to anyone.
But just as quickly, his face hardened again, his ruthless nature taking over once more. The girl returned his gaze, her own expression a mixture of fear and defiance. Despite his fearsome appearance and the coldness he radiated, she refused to back down, her own eyes locked on his.
"Do you have a name ?".
The question was instantaneous and directed to her. The child blinked twice before speaking.
"Layla" she said, her voice cracked from the fall.
He gently placed his hand on her forehead, his finger brushing past the injury she had sustained. Her green eyes looked up at the hand on her forehead, surprised by the man's sudden action.
Soon a wave of drowsiness washed over her. Her eyelids fluttered tiredly before closing completely, her body slackening as she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The king withdrew his hand, satisfied that the girls memory of the recent event would be forgotten when she wakes. His hands picked her up, placing her on his shoulder before she fell to the ground.
He stood back up, sheathing his sword before returning to his horse. The soldier from earlier, stood watching them leave. His face twisted in curiousity as Krov carefully handed her on his shoulder.
Sensing his gaze, Krov turned to him and muttered something sharp and swift, but his ears had picked it. He nodded quickly, a part of his confused mind settling as he wandered off into the dark.
She was a werewolf.
.....
The sun began to rise on the forest floors as the soldiers steadily rode their horses back to their land. There were no casualties, an advantage they had for their quick healing attributes.
Had the battle taken place during the day, things would have been different. Regeneration was slower under the sun, making victory in battle more difficult. This was not an ordinary battle either. There was no treasure or resources at stake, and they weren't even hunting for animals. Instead, all they came back with was the scent of blood and dirt. Little Layla lay asleep on the king's horse, oblivious to the chaos that had unfolded around her.
Nobody said anything aloud, but the soldiers exchanged glances and murmured amongst themselves. There was only one survival and based on what the other men had reported, she was a werewolf.
They didn't understand why the king had decided to spare her life and more importantly, take her back with them, but they didn't ask questions. They had fought and won, their kingdom would be safe, that was all that mattered for now.
** ** **
As the king and his men arrived at the base of the forest, they could see the kingdom of Valguardia in the distance. The stone-walled towns seemed to be beckoning them to come home. They were filled with a sense of victory and relief as they rode, their eyes taking in the beauty of their home nation once more.
The dark shadow that had hung over their land had been lifted and the air felt lighter. The air they inhaled as they arrived home was as sweet as the fruit ripening on the trees. The fields were teeming with life and the animals grazing lazily in the soft grass, a sign that the rich fertile grounds had been restored to the greatness they always deserved.
"This calls for some celebration, you can grant us this much from this victory. Perhaps a few tankards of ale could do us all some good" sir Mordred said to Krov as they rode their horses side by side, approaching the castle.
A small smile tugged on Krov's lips as he admired the land. The dark vale had been uplifted just as Elara foresaw and the kingdom was back to its former glory. The Oracle was complete.
"Very well then, gather everyone in the great halls. I shall join in later, for now there is something I must attend to" Krov stated, charging his horse towards the castle, little Layla still fast asleep as the horse galloped towards the portcullis.
...
As the king made his way through the castle corridors, he spotted a few familiar faces in the faces of the castle staff, mostly consisting of maids and pages who went about their duties. Upon seeing the king, they dipped into a quick bow and quickly averted their gaze, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.
A few glances were cast at the tiny form in his arms, but the king paid them no mind. As they went on with their work, whispers began to spread amongst the staff, wondering what the king was doing bringing such a small child into the castle.
Krov moved quickly towards the wing where his chambers were located. He pushed open the doors to his quarters and gently placed her down on the soft feather-filled mattress.
Stepping back, he allowed himself a small moment to regard her sleeping form. He was not yet sure what he would do with the child, but for now it was best to keep her here to avoid too much attention. He studied her mud coated face thoughtfully before turning to leave the room….
"Your steps are astray from that which you promised" Elara emerged from the shadow, her face etched in concern as she spoke.
Krov stopped in his steps, his silver hair shone in the dimly lit surroundings. He was on his way to join his men in the celebration when he suddenly heard a sharp voice calling out to him from a distance. He could tell what she had meant, words travelled faster than light. His jaw clenched as he turned towards her.
"Peace has been restored, your work here is no longer needed" he responded, his voice firm as his eyes followed her footstep towards him.
"You returned with a child, that which does not belong here" she said, her voice graved and tinged with worry.
"She do not belong there either, the wolves are very territorial. Something is not right, and I will find out why"
"You do not understand, bringing that child here has disrupted the natural order. Her destiny is an ill fated one, the price of your decision shall be heavy and you shall pay dearly for it". Her voice was sharp, her words firm as she warned the king of the consequences that were to come.
Krov thought about her words deeply. He understood what it meant to disobey her. Things had never turned right whenever he did, but his kingdom was saved even with the child's life spared. He would not lay his sword on her, and nothing was going to change his mind.
"You have been paid in full, do return to your land. The kingdom might be well, but not it's citizens. I'll have a guard escort you back to the borders. Having her here is to my advantage, I'll decided what becomes of her destiny" Krov spoke with authority as he turned to leave.
Elara stood, watching him leave. Her eyes filled with anger and frustration. She could only wonder why she kept coming back to help them when she always have to leave with a feeling of disappointment.
"You will not know of your own ruin untill it is upon you" she muttered a curse under her breath.
As she stormed out of the castle, she swore in her heart never to engage further with a man who refuses to take her words to heart.
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