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“I’m not surprised, darling… The Well has shown mesomuch more. She’s a valiant female when given the opportunity.”
Internally, I deliberated whether or not to tell my mother about my vision of Mareina… That she was the key to obtaining the throne…
She was probably already well aware and would just replay in a way that left me with more questions than answers.
I grumbled something unintelligible as my gaze drifted back towards Pumpkin and Chihiro, munching on wildflowers side-by-side.
“Are you familiar with the story of the warrior and the wolf?”
“… No.”
“Well… As you know, sometime during The Fae War, there wasthe great divide.What is now Atratus was thenAgriosandAxios.Agrios was deemed wild and untamed, reserved for those who were considered demons - which simply meant anyone who wasn’t fae. Axios was for those who were considered cultured and refined. And anyone who wasn’t fae was exiled to Agrios under threat of execution. As the war progressed, Agriosian lands became more and more encroached upon, and their population began to dwindle.
“One of the most famed Axiosian warriors, Lysander, was the one leading them. By some stroke of fate, Lysander managed to kill the General of the Agriosian army but failed to escape before he was captured and tortured by a few of the General’s soldiers.
During Lysander’s time in captivity, his torture further cemented his heinous prejudice against the Agriosian people that he had been taught to hate. Taught an extremist ideology that anyone who wasn’t fae was ‘innately wicked’ and that they needed to be exterminated for the greater good.
One day, Lysander managed to kill his captors and escape. However, he had been so thoroughly injured during his captivity that he failed to make it past what is now called ‘The Sentient Forest’…”
My mother’s lips quirked as her eyes darted back to mine before she continued.
“Lysander, as he ran, found a number of native predators after him... By some miracle, he survived relatively unscathed, except for a broken ankle. And due to being so thoroughly malnourished, he no longer could heal as a normal fae would.
“Knowing that any cry for help would either be answered by more hungry predators or the torture that he had just escaped, he finally succumbed to the idea that his time had come. Night descended, and he waited for the next predator to come along and devour him. He had even begun to welcome it. And it did. In the form of a wolf… However, instead of killing him, the wolf brought him food.”
I can’t help the incredulous look on my face, making my mother chuckle.
“Is this a true story or just some witchy parable?”
My mother’s chuckle increased, almost with glee.
“Oh, it’s a very real story… One you’ll soon recognize, my darling.”
I heaved a heavy sigh, leaning back in resignation.
“And day after day, the wolf came bringing him meat or berries, whatever it could find. It even dragged his body to a river to bathe and drink. The wolf remained by his side to protect him from other predators.
“And each night, he would tell the wolf stories about his life, his aspirations, his dreams. How he had come from afaefamily and risen so high in the Axiosian Army’s ranks that now he could take care of his mother and sisters, who had previously been sold by their father to ahighfaefamily as indentured servants. How he dreamed of one day ending the indentured servitude that was still prominent in Axios. How he dreamed of having a wife and children. How he actually hated war and wished to bring an end to all wars. How he longed for peace.
“Eventually, Lysander finally recovered from his injuries and malnourishment enough to walk and begin gradually making the rest of the journey back to Axios. When he tried to leave and bring the wolf with him, it refused. Lysander attempted to force the wolf, at which point, the wolf transformed… Into a female.”
My brows dipped impatiently, waiting for her to elaborate.
“Initially, he was shocked and felt betrayed that she had taken so long to reveal herself, though he knew it was because she feared he would murder her if he knew she was a ‘lowly’ lykos.
But thiswolfhad saved his life. Protected him, fed him, even defended him against the hungry creatures of the forest. Stayed at his side most of every day and even through the nights. He had grown to love this wolf for the loyal companion it had become.
Lysander longed to go home to the safety of Axios. Where he knew she would be killed.”
“When he asked her why she didn’t kill him, she admitted that she’d wanted to. Desperately. But when she realized how wounded he was, she couldn’t bring herself to kill someone so defenceless. Every day, she brought him food and swore to herself she would kill him as soon as he could properly defend himself, but every night, when he told her his stories, her heart would soften towards him. Each time she protected and defended him, she swore to herself that it was only so that she could have the satisfaction of killing him herself…”
My mother grew silent, a wistful smile on her face as she stared into the distance.
“And…?”
She heaves a sigh, drawing her gaze back to mine.
“And, they fell in love. They werelohane thili...Several months later, after coming to know her, and eventually her people, he turned the tides for them and led them to victory in The Fae War.”
