55 — Hell in Hell

Laura was laying stiff on her bed in an almost lifeless manner. It was what she wanted to be at the moment, lifeless because at this moment, life had little meaning to her.
Laying up on her back on her bed, she felt the salty tears run from her eyes and trail silently all the way inside her disheveled hair.
It was never supposed to be that way, she thought back to what Nicolas had done, bringing his vampire men to rape the werewolf women. All that was supposed to transpire that day was the ritual and then, the women would've gone home to their families but no, Nicolas had soiled the day and had forever tarnished the memories in the heart of her people.
She laughed out into the dark, choking on her tears and coughing heavily. The tears ran faster down her cheeks and her lungs fought for oxygen. During the paroxysmal process of coughing and crying, she'd rolled off the bed and was now on the ground.
The end of her coughing fit was the beginning of her break down because she wrapped her hands around herself, curling into a small ball and weeping softly. She hadn't meant for all these to happen. She'd seen the open pain and suffering on the face of the women who once adored her and when the men were done, she'd read pure loathing and fear in their expressions before she'd fled.
She hadn't been touched but she still felt violated. This was before she'd heard of her father's dethronement and then, all hell had broke loose within her.
Nicolas had been nowhere to be found and the guards hadn't let her even get close to the king's chambers nor let her speak with him because he didn't want to see her. It was starting to get clearer with each second that Nicolas was, in very clear facts, not in love or even close to infatuated with her.
She was just a fool to believe that the very man who's slipped out of the kingdom, who'd walked away that night and had been in the clearing with the other girl with the scar on her face was not in love with her. He had never been because if he had, he wouldn't have overthrown her father, wouldn't have let his men rape those women, wouldn't have been treating her like scum and wouldn't have had her locked up in her room with no sort of comfort.
As she wept, she didn't even have the heart to even pray to her mother because she knew she was a failure, an unarguable fact that continued to slap her in the face until she accepted it.
She had failed her father who was now probably locked up somewhere only Nicolas knew, suffering the same fate as she was, even worse. She'd failed her dead mother who she liked to believe had always been proud of her, despite all her mistakes. She'd even failed Banks, despite his annoying and asshole ways because he wasn't even here to even insult her.
Starting to realize this small, almost unnoticeable fact, she noticed that banks had not been in the castle for quite some days. Vaguely, not because she cared or anything, she wondered where the old baffoon had winded up. He'd better not show his face, she angrily thought before realizing she herself would never be able to show her own face ever again. Every one hated her, what was the use?
Tucking her chin into her bent knees, she thought it was better this way. She deserved to be miserable.
****
Nicolas had never thought of what he would do the moment the reigns of the wolf kingdom were in his hands but now that they were, he knew the first thing he needed to do was to add more lands to the wolf kingdom. Though the wolf kingdom covered a large expanse of land, he had to admit, he wanted to rule more lands to be added to the vampire kingdom.
That way, he would be king of the wolf and king of the vampires and they would both be under him. It was a feat no one had achieved but he would do it.
Now as his first day as king, he'd ordered that all the leftovers if the stupid rituals they'd done be scraped and burnt in fire. There would be no more need of that.
He'd also realized that the wolf kingdom barely had any prisoners in their prison even though there was crime in the village. None of that concerned him because he wasn't in power to fight crime like some stupid vigilantee but to increase the span of his kingdom which would bring more wealth and power to him.
Now that his men had had their way with the wolf women, how would he keep all the women under watch so he would know if any of them delivered a hybrid baby?
He would have to put all the women in prison for watch and have them tested for pregnancy. The non pregnant ones would be free to go but the pregnant ones would be kept under close inspection.
The birth of hybrids were very much needed and necessary because he wasn't going to get a normal army. No, his army would also be the first of it's kind because his soldiers would be hybrids, equipped to hunt and fight just like the vampires and wolves were.
Plopping on the throne, he barked for Gaston who scurried into the room minutes later, a self satisfied smile on his face as he stared into the eys of his friend and his king now.
"Yes, my Lord?" Gaston pleasantly said, ignoring the way Nicolas looked deep in thought and not even acknowledging his greetings.
"All the women that participated in the ritual of yesterday, would your men still remember them?"he asked and Gaston frowned.
" I should think so, my Lord,"he replied, not knowing where this was headed.
"Good. I want all of them, I mean, every one of them locked up in the dungeon for now," he stated in a matter of fact voice and Gaston's brows shot up.
"Locked up, my Lord? Why?" He just had to ask because the idea was just as absurd as it was.
"Do not question, just do it," he snapped, glaring at Gaston and he nodded, bowing and walking away.
Nicolas watched the man go and when the door shut, he released the breath he wasn't aware he was holding. That was aside now.
Now, the real issue was acquiring more lands and allies. The lands was not even as important as the ally stuff because surely, he would wage war very soon and he needed people to support him. He was no dumb bear shifters king who went into war against opponents twice their senior in rank and experience with nothing to support them except themselves and their stupid lust for revenge.
Nicolas was more calculative than that. Maybe he would swallow his pride and fear, and befriend the fairy kingdom although that seemed nearly impossible because the fairies kept to themselves and were even more vicious than the kayaans. Thankfully, no one had had to fight them so no one knew their extent of experience but then, they possessed all those magic shit and that was scary.
He needed to do something fast and make plans. He would do anything to impress his father and he had the feeling that successfully acquiring more lands would do the trick.
****
Lily stared into nothingness as the night slowly grew thicker and mistier and the evening breeze became more and more mellow, teasing her hair and making her shiver.
Slowly, she got up from the rock where she'd sat down as the spirit had disappeared and began the walk back home.
She had been dreading returning back to her people because she'd literally transformed into a wolf and had bounded out of that place. Now, she was returning as the Lily they knew her to be, the one with light skin and a scarred face, the one who was their commander and had fought a war for them. Would they still accept her?
Of course, she thought, kicking a stone out of her way and watching it as it spun into the bush, out of her path. Her strength, usually her pride was now her greatest fear. She was too powerful, it was alarming now that she thought about it.
And what had that spirit said? That she was the child of Glory? What did that even mean?
Something was telling her that only the priestess knew the answers to her questions and so, she walked back to the place she'd bounded out of.
As she took the path that she knew very well that most people did not take, except the fishermen were returning home, she found herself outside the priestess's place, the fire illuminated her smallish posture which was crouched over it. She felt uncertain. What if the priestess suddenly thought she was a beast and didn't want to see her or answer any of her questions? Lily didn't want to know where that would lead. Probably in her landing in the dungeons or worse.
She knew she was overthinking it.
"Come in, commander, I believe you have questions for me?" Came the voice of the priestess herself who Lily now saw was peering at her through the flames that were merrily cackling in the middle of the room.
Slowly, she walked in and sat down across the woman when she gestured for Lily to sit. Uncomfortably, she shuffled noisily until, for the first time since Lily had known the woman, the priestess gave her a calming smile.
It had shocked her, not calmed her but Lily supposed it still did the trick.
"You have questions?" She prodded, using her ash wood walking stick to poke the fire. Lily nodded.
"Well, let's hear it," she said, waiting for Lily to talk. Lily cleared her throat before starting to talk in a low, small voice that didn't sound like her usual commanding tone.
"Am I really the child of Glory?" Was her first question and the priestess sighed but nodded. Lily swallowed heavily but continued.
"Was I really given to you by the moon goddess to be your savior?" She questioned, a twang of bitterness in her voice.
The priestess picked up on the time because her eyes met Lily's and she nodded as well.
"Yes, the moon goddess gave you to us" she agreed and then Lily angrily shook her head.
"You lied to me! You told me that my parents died, that my scar was a birthmark but it wasn't!" Lily screamed at the woman who fell silent.
"It was all yonortect you, Lily. What difference does it make? It's still your destiny and you and I know well enough all these drama is just to avoid the fact that your fate is far greater than anyone's," the priestess calmly said and Lily could find no fault in her words.
"I saw a spirit. She told me all these. Am I going crazy?" She quietly asked and the priestess chuckled low in her throat.
"If you're crazy, Lily then I'm just as crazy as well because I received that prophecy from the moon goddess before you were even given to us," the priestess said, making Lily's eyes widen.
"I turned into a wolf, I'm supposed to save every one and I don't even know how," she ranted. The priestess gave her a grave look, one that reminded Lily of the spirit, and said in a leveed voice,
"Lily, when the time is right, things will fall into place .Just bid your time. To be forewarned, they say is to be forarmed. As long as you know of your destiny and what your future holds, you will stay in a path," the priestess said, motioning for Lily to leave.
With a huff, Lily took her leave with less questions in her mind and a freer spirit.