I Would Rather Go To War!

Chapter 49

The festival was to last six days, and Nalani was appointed to be the embodiment of the Goddess Medeina, receiving many gifts from several old women, who hoped Nalani would wear it during the festival, bringing them good luck.

Meanwhile, Jora the elder immediately told Nalani to return to the castle and stop helping them.

“Why?” asked Nalani, puzzled. “I love it here. I’m already good at arranging dried flowers.”

“No, child. You must take care of yourself until the day of the festival. You must not get hurt, scratched or anything that makes you bleed. Keep yourself out of harm’s way. Those are the rules for the girl appointed as Goddess Medeina.”

That is a strange rule, Nalani thought.

She looked at Karyan who was watching not far from her, asking for help so that she could still have fun preparing for the festival.

But the alpha simply raised one eyebrow and signaled with a shake of his head for Nalani to comply.

Stifling her irritation, Nalani signaled Mita to return to the castle. Mita followed behind with a pile of gift items in her hands.

She did not go to her room in the alpha’s private domain, but to her old private room.

“Oh, Mita. It was so much fun outside,” she complained. She noticed the dried flower arrangement she was carrying. “These are beautiful, aren’t they? In Inverno we never make flower arrangements. The women prefer to sew robes and leather vests for battle.”

Mita smiled grimly. “You’d be better suited here, Miss.” Her hands strung the words together. “You are creative and easy to learn. Your beauty is more appreciated. They make you a goddess at festivals. In Inverno, you’re just a kitchen maid.”

“Mita!” Nalani jumped up from her chair. She was shocked. “Why would you say that?” she hissed. “That’s treason. After all, I’m here because of our alpha’s assignment. I won’t be here forever. I’ll go home and be Kabar’s partner.”

Mita sighed. ‘I’m sorry, Miss.’

“Erase that thought of yours. Don’t try to tell me again.”

Mita nodded.

Nalani pointed to all the things Mita had brought. “Now let’s see what they gave me, Mita. This much, how will I wear it all?”

But as it turned out, after they examined them one by one, the gifts were all one costume. There were bracelets of finely carved bark, some necklaces of some sort of metal, some crystals to pin in the hair, a beautiful green robe that seemed to be carefully woven, some combs of deer antlers, a mirror and a pair of deerskin footwear.

“Apparently they were really serious about choosing me as the embodiment of Goddess Medeina,” Nalani said.

Suddenly, amongst her frustration at not being able to help with the festival preparations, she felt excited about the new experience. “What should I do when I sit at the altar, Mita?”

The maid shook her head, but suddenly her eyes widened. Her hand immediately moved. “Miss, have you ever heard of the Levan tribe?”

“That werewolf pack is extinct,” Nalani said. “Just like Thad’s tribe.”

“I mean, they also had goddess worship festivals and appointed a girl to be the embodiment of the goddess. The girl would be enthroned on the altar. But...”

Mita’s hand stopped moving.

“But why?” asked Nalani.
“Miss, they kill the embodiment of their goddess to offer her blood.”

“What?” Nalani jumped up from her chair once more. “How do you know about the Levan tribe?”

“My grandfather. He used to be a traveler. He traveled extensively and met many tribes and races.”

Nalani’s face paled. “Mita, do you mean to scare me?” she snapped. “Did you expect Mond to sacrifice my blood?”

“Miss, I’m just saying what I remember.” Mita cowered. “Of course I don’t want you to be sacrificed like that. Oh, Miss... “ she grabbed Nalani’s hand. “Do we have to run away from here?”

Nalani dismissed her hand. “Don’t be silly, Mita,” she snapped. “I won’t run away just because of your baseless fantasies. I’ll ask Karyan later tonight.”

***
Nalani rose from her seat in front of the carved dressing table when she heard Karyan’s footsteps entering the next room.

She had been waiting for his arrival since earlier. But apparently he had so much to do that it was only late at night that he returned to the room.

Nalani walked to the connecting door and peeked in. Her eyes met those of the alpha, who had apparently risen from bed again at the sound of Nalani’s footsteps.

“What’s wrong?” There was an amused look in Karyan’s eyes that soon disappeared. “You want to check me out and then run away?”

“No,” said Nalani. “I won’t run away at night, because I’m afraid that creature will intercept me.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Nalani snorted. “I have something to ask you about the festival. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Just ask. I know Inverno does not celebrate Goddess Medeina’s festival.”

“Yes, we only worship Goddess Luna and the God of War.”

“That’s what I heard. So, what did you want to ask?”
“What does the embodiment of Goddess Medeina usually do during the festival?”

“Nothing,” Karyan said. “You just sit on the altar in front of the fire, because you can’t get hurt. We do most of the work. Hunting, dancing, eating... and Jora will perform rituals so that our tribe will be blessed by the goddess with an abundance of wild animals.”

“After that, what about my fate?”

Karyan raised an eyebrow. “Your fate?”
“Come on, Alpha. Don’t play dumb. I know you’re not. I just heard of the Levan werewolves’ ritual of the girl they appointed as their goddess in the festival.”

Karyan looked at Nalani and could now see the fear Nalani hid behind her stubborn gaze. “The Levan tribe... “ He recalled the extinct tribe. Then, he suddenly understood what Nalani meant.

“Well, I guess that has to do with the will of the elders. As our ancestors have pointed out, I cannot oppose Jora.”

Nalani’s pale face was now bright red with anger. “So... So you’re saying you’ll let Jora kill me and sacrifice my blood?” she cried.“I didn’t think you were that evil! I should have listened to Mita, she asked me to run away before that happened!”

Nalani moved through Karyan’s body standing in front of her with a strange smile.

“Where are you going?” asked Karyan.

“Leaving. I’m going back to Inverno and join the war. I’d rather die fighting than be sacrificed at the altar!”

“Nalani, before you died in battle, that creature in the forest killed you first.”

“Now I don’t care, Alpha!”
***