14. The Night of Bluemoon

While the three young dragons were in search of a witch palace everywhere, Akshara in Ardna Chirig was filled with many surprises. She wanted to get hold of everything, which seemed to be puzzled to her human knowledge. She wanted to untie the knots of riddles around her. So, she searched Karen to get her questions to be answered, as he promised her to reveal.
In the dusky evening, everyone was settled in their room, Yadivah pleaded to her husband in their room by holding his hands, “Bruz, you can’t do this.”
Alabruz replied with exhaustion with face-palming with one hand, “I have to do this to safeguard the life of Akshara.”
The name of Akshara mentioned by her husband triggered her inner rage, “You are going to risk your life for her. (She threw the tantrum by taking her hands from his hands) When will this come to an end? When are we going to live in peace? We too have a family. (She pleaded with a miserable face and by grabbing his arms) We also deserve love and happiness. (She cupped his face in her hands and beseeched with teary eyes) Bruz, hear me, you deny the words of Queen today.”
Alabruz held his wife close to his chest and said, “Honey, if I denied the order of Queen tonight, the survival of Akshara will be denied forever”
The ragged Yadivah stepped a foot away from her husband and bitted her teeth and she could barely speak, “Why do you always consider her rather than our own family…?”
Alabruz looked at the face of his wife and understood her inner struggle and came closure to comfort her, “Divah, bear this for me. I owed her mother my life. So, it’s like returning my debt of gratitude for her sacrifice. Once everything is OVER… I hope it will be over, we will live in peace with our son forever. Hope heaven brings some miracle on this night of Bluemoon.”
Akshara was scanning every corner of the palace to spot Karen, who could answer all her questions, were halted to hear the word This Night of Bluemoon. The word flashed Akshara with brightness and she thought, ‘Night of Bluemoon… Wow, it’s great. Axe, you must not miss this wonderful opportunity. What shall I do? What shall I do? I must watch this bluemoon night. Whom shall I ask? I must accomplish this mission arousing no suspicion of my elders.’
On eavesdropping on them, Akshara hurried to a nearby window and found that tonight would be Bluemoon Night as the moon begins to shine more silvery that would change its initial colour as the night grows deeply.
On this night, the leaves of all trees become transparent by the effect of rays from the moon, and in return, it emits the rays into silvery effect with the help of some chemical compounds within their nature.
Akshara waited a decade to watch that radiation of leaves in the full moonlight, but she was never allowed to wander in the nighttime at any cost. So she thought of seeking some help who could escort her and make her dream come true of watching such a historic happening.
Akshara rushed to every corner of the palace to find Azile to accompany her at night time to watch that radiance. Azile nodded her head repeatedly saying, “No Axe, not this time. You can ask for any favour. But, not this time. Definitely no”
Akshara pleaded with the puppy face to accept her, to accompany her ability of verbal puns of words. Despite that, Azile was not convinced.
Akshara has gone to the kitchen to seek support from Deniza, “Deny, please make Azile accept my request. She denied my humble request”
Deniza replied, “Axe, you are a very bold young lady and you can make everything happen. Why do you ask for help from such a coward? But, if it is against the rules of Queen, no one is daring to disobey.”
Akshara chuckled back while Azile entered the kitchen and said, “You are free to mock me, anyway I will not accompany to get punished by your God-mother”
Akshara saw Karen, who was walking in the backyard to get some fresh air. So she hurried from the kitchen towards him to get the help of accompanying her at night time.
When she was about to approach him, Karen appeared in front of her and asked, “Axe, come with me… We need to talk”. Akshara followed him silently with the gesture of nodding her head slowly.
Karen took her to a nearby area in the backyard's corner not to be seen by anyone, probably under the gigantic tree in the backyard, “Axe, due you know tonight is Bluemoon”
Sun and Shine on the gigantic tree chirped in happiness by seeing Akshara. The sounds of little birds were too loud, so Akshara could not hear the words of Karen.
Akshara’s eyes opened wide in surprise, “Yes… I heard your mom and uncle Bruz was talking about that”
Karen gave a disappointed look at Akshara, “You overheard them, Axe. It’s not fair for you to do this?”
Akshara continued, “No, I am not. They were talking aloud. I heard only that word.”
Karen gave an offer to Akshara,” It’s Okay. Do you want to watch that…?”
Akshara was in cloud nine to hear those words from him, “Exactly Karen. I too wanted to ask you the same thing… Err… But, it’s risking your life.”
“Risking my life for the love of my life is fine”
Azile from the kitchen window saw Akshara and Karen were chatting, and she could not stay calm after witnessing them alone. So she decided to join them.
Azile informed Karen, “Don’t go with her. She is a lunatic. She will leave you in danger”
Akshara turned towards Azile and gave her a fierce look, “Shut up, Azu. You don’t agree to come with me. Then why you are interrupting us. Just move away”
Azile was tensed to hear the words of Akshara and wanted something to be performed by her immediately to stop Karen from accompanying Akshara.
Azile said, “I won’t Axe, he is a friend of mine too. Ensure his safety is my priority”
Karen watched the girls-fight with curious eyes and beamed with a smile. Akshara tricks her with one eyebrow raised, “Why do you care about him, Azu…? Do you like him?”
Karen was shocked to hear, “Wait… what? Did Azu is into me? (Both Azile and Akshara were paused for a moment and Karen continued by fixing his eyes at Azile) She is indeed a beauty. I would rather choose you Azile (Karen paused for a moment to observe the reaction of Akshara)… if Axe is absent in this world.”
Azile swallowed some air on hearing these words from Karen and hide her disappointment and opened her mouth to reply, “He is free to choose his mate.”
Apart from their chitchat, the plan of bluemoon gazing was discussed and ready to be executed. Sun and Shine never stopped their joy and finally gained the attention of Akshara. Akshara looked at them and gestured her hand. They followed her gesture and rested on her shoulders.
On watching this, Karen responded, “These doves are annoying.”
Azile replied Karen, “They are not just doves. They both are Akshara’s possession. Even Akshara used to play hide and seek with them. They are indeed smart to spot her.”
Karen asked another question to Azile without taking his eyes on Akshara, “Then why do they stay here in this tree rather than being with Akshara”
Akshara replied, “They prefer to live in this gigantic tree. This tree is called Peridexion Tree. This too looks lonely without them. So, I never thought of separating them from this tree. Also, my Sun and Shine love to eat the apple-like fruits from this tree. I don’t want them to be caged just because of my happiness.”
The concept of not caging the birds touched Karen and admired her innocence while Azile stood empty, thoughtlessly.
*****
The light of Bluemoon started to emerge from the curtain of clouds; Akshara was waiting for the call from Karen in her room, pretending to be asleep to trick her elders. Karen knocked on the door and took her out of the palace. Azile denied going with them.
Akshara was dressed in a white gown on purpose with a red hood cloak to cover her from being caught.
Karen questioned about her dress of white and red combination and she replied, “Recreation of the fairy tale”
Karen, puzzled by her reply and asked her, “What recreation?”
Akshara replied, “I am recreating the Red Riding Hood. Karen, do not ask me about the wolf… Because I believe werewolves are fantasy creatures. They don’t exist.”
Karen furrowed his eyebrows and took Akshara to the highest point of the mountain named, Andhar. Andhar is a mountain of series of waterfalls; all the waterfalls collided to form the river named Fairy Tears which runs into the heart of BlackIris forest.
The astonishing view of Bluemoon is clear and one could watch the radiance of the entire Ardna Chirig from the top of Andhar Mountain. Slowly and gradually, the Bluemoon reached its axis and the rays of Bluemoon torched the entire place from the darkness of night to illuminate sparkles.
When the glimmers of rays hit the leaves of trees, the leaves turn transparent. The Blue moon’s light penetrated through each leaf and emit the moon's rays like leaves were sparkling in the nighttime. Each and every leaf started to glow. The leaves in every branch looked that they were decorated with lights for some ceremony.
It filled the eyes of Akshara with full of happiness and wonder to vision such a scene of her dream. She could not believe whether she is in the dream world or the actual world. She slipped many of her steps in wonder and she was helped by Karen, who was standing behind her.
Akshara did not even aware of missing her gravity and being helped by Karen. She was merely in between unconscious state to awaken state since it fixed her eyes in such a scenic beauty of the night of Bluemoon.
Akshara collected her sense and stretched her hand to grab the hold of Karen and turned towards him to jump a little and replied, “I am lack of words. Thank you so much, Karen. You made my dreams come true.”
His thoughts halted Karen to look at his love, standing like a fairy in the moonlight. Akshara has an extremely fabulous look in her white dress and the rays of Bluemoon not only make the leaves sparkles but enhance her beauty to glow twice her natural look.
Akshara, with stunning beauty, stood in the middle of sparkling leaves were on her feet to touch them and amazed to herself at realizing the dreams of hers coming true.
The rays of Bluemoon also affect Karen, who couldn’t have control of his love towards Akshara. Before Akshara could figure out, he pulled and pushed her to a nearby enormous trunk of the tree, holding her cheeks in his hands.
Karen wondered to have her face in his hands; her face appeared like the flawless moon with intoxicating eyes.
Akshara halted by his actions and opened her mouth to say, “Karen!”
Karen lowered his head towards her lips and moved closer to kiss her. While his lips were about to touch her lips, a howling sound interrupts them both and they looked toward the howling.
Karen tightens his hold on her shoulders and his iris colour changed from hazel to gold.
Akshara despaired to see the change in eye colour him and said, “Karen… your eyes?”
The howling sound continues.
On hearing more and more howling, Karen gave Akshara a beast-like hold and she yelled, “Ouch…Karen…You are hurting me”
Karen without even a second thought pushed her away from him in order not to hurt her and went to the other side of the enormous tree to hide behind it.
Akshara shouted at him as she was hit by a piece of rock in her knees, “Oh my knees. God damn you, Karen. I am going to kill you”
“Ahhhhh…”
Karen screamed behind the trees, Akshara panicked in fear asked about it and moved slowly towards him to look after him. Karen aware of the approach of Akshara opened his mouth and shouted in a hard tone of voice, “Axe, run. Don’t come near me”
Akshara asked Karen to reply, “Karen, is that you. What happened to your voice…what is happening to you, why are you screaming?”
Karen snapped, stretched, and even howled behind the tree.
Akshara panicked even more and stood behind the tree to absorb the sounds to realize the situation. She could hear the tearing of clothes and she went towards him by taking small steps.
Akshara galloped to see the demonic change of appearance of Karen. The fur started to grow all over his body, his fingers started to stretch and nails have emerged sharply from it.
A fluffy tail spot at his back and his foot changed to paws, and his hands become claws. He ripped off his shirt and howled. Karen completely transformed into a WEREWOLF with sharp golden eyes and looked at her. The recreation of red riding hood!