65 - Scowls

The commander was tired of hearing the people murmur. It saddened her heart that her people thought that way. They were her people and she would never put them in danger. She always risked her life for them. It was something she had learnt from baba Mbari. Leaders were risk takers and they had to sacrifice for their people. It was one of his teachings that stuck to her brain.
Nicholas being there made things worse. The people were further reluctant to follow their commander. They were afraid to have the vampire prince in their midst. Many of them had their heart palpitating as they all murmured.
Lily was agitated. She was tired and drained. The murmurs were getting on her nerves and she didn't have a plan. The priestess had said she was going to led them to victory but how was that going to be possible?
Her head was blank. She had no plans, no strategy, no blueprint and no layout. She had no idea what to do to lead the people to victory. She was utterly confused on what to do. She didn't know anything about the werewolf kingdom. She didn't know those strengths and weakness and so she had no idea of how she was going to defeat them.
She was scared she was going to lead her people to their death like they were complaining. She had tired to pacify them,even the elders and Nicholas had agreed to work with them but yet they still didn't believe him. They called him names and were angry at him
Prince Nicholas was still dazed about his father over throwing him. All he did, he did to please his father and the old man decided to wage s war at him. He was his blood and the only son he had so the prince was confused as to why his father would treat him that way. The prince got angry all over again.
He didn't know the state of the werewolf kingdom. He had no idea how Laura was doing. Was he killing the people? The Prince wanted to get to the werewolf kingdom to take out his father.
Prince Nicholas felt guilty. He felt ashamed and embarrassed the people shot at him glares and scowls. The kayaans were blaming him for all the misfortune that had befalled him and tbey were scared to have him around them again. They couldn't trust him for they thought he was going to hurt them. After hearing how he took over the werewolf kingdom, they couldn't trust him.
They all stood far away from the prince, trying to stay clear of him. They kayaans were all scared to stay beside him. They didn't were scared he would take over their kingdom just like he had done to the wolf kingdom.
The commander went into the woods not wanting anyone to see the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. When she had gotten far from her people, she fell on her knees and started to cry. Every passing day she couldn't forget about baba Mbari. There was ways something that made her remember him and today it was his advice. He always had good advice for her. She would have ran to him to him for him to advice her.
Now she was on her own and had to live life all on her own. She had live her life having baba mbari and it was getting harder each passing day to live without him. The tasks she had to take on were getting harder each passing day and she needed guidance. She didn't want to go to any of the other elders for all they ever did was complain. They were only few times she had gone to them for advice.
"I just need you to get ready to live this world without me. One day, sooner than you think, you'll have to take on all the problems that come your way alone." The commander remembered baba mbari's words and cried harder. When he had said those words month ago, she never thought he meant he was goit to died. She felt stupid to not have read between the lines.
"Lily." A soft voice called.
Lily quickly wiped her eyes not wanting anyone to see her crying. She gave a friend when she didn't see anyone around. She stood upright searching for who it was that called her name.
"Lily." The familiar voice called again.
The commander gave a sad smile when she saw the beautiful face of the spirit. The commander was confused to see the spirit again. She thought it had delivered all it wanted to let her to know. "Hello."
The spirit asked ignoring Lily's greeting, "why do you have tears in your eyes?"
The commander sighed, fascinated by the floating creatute. "I'm confused."
"And why's that?" The spirit moved up, floating a little higher.
Lily craned her head up and got lost in the spirit's kaleidoscope-like eyes. She was fascinated by the colors that flickered in the orbs of the spirit. The being was just too prefect, the commander was just really fascinated by how perfect the physical features of the being was. The commander shook her head a little, "I'm suppose to lead the warriors to the werewolf kingdom. How do I do that?"
"You're strong, you can lead them."
"I don't have a plan or strategy. How exactly am I going to lead them to victory?" She got out in just one breath.
"You're the commander of the kayaans, protecting them and their boundaries. Where did all that confidence go?"
The commander went silent. A commander who's identity was torn between two kingdoms. A commander that couldn't lead her people to war. A commander that didn't have a layout for a war. Was she really worthy to be called the commander? Lily felt her self esteem crush.
"You have the strength to lead them." The spirit said but Lily scoffed not believing the spirit. "You have to look within you. Your greatest strength lies within you. You have to work hard to let them bloom out."
The commander gave a perplexed look crossing her arms. "My greatest strength is within me?"
The spirit nodded. "You have to find your true self to be able to defeat the new werewolf king."
"True self?" Lily arched an eyebrow. She was getting lost in the words of the spirit . "I really don't understand all these."
"You have to find your true self." The spirit repeated again. "Deep inside of you," the spirit pointed at the left side of Lily's chest, "lies your greatest strength. You have to train hard to be able to lead them to victory."
"I've trained all my life to be the commander."
"You have to train your greatest strength for it lies useless inside you. All you have to do is believe in your self and you'll be able to have it bloom and take on the werewolves." This was all the spirit said before slowly disappearing into the heavens.
Lily was confused. What was her strength? How was she going to have it bloom?
She had thought the spirit was going to tell her a plan or give her the map of the werewolf kingdom so she thought all the spirit said was useless to her.
"Lily."
The commander heard again. "You're back?"
"It's Nicholas."
The commander bit her lip making eye contact with the vampire prince. Being alone with him made her remember all the times they spent together. The good times. She also remembered how he had hurt her and how her heart wrenched hearing the news of his marriage to the werewolf princess.
Nicholas moved closer to the commander and held her hand softly. "I need your help to get back the kingdom."
"And your wife." She snatched her hands from him.
Nicholas ran a hand in his hair. "It's more complicated that you think "
A small, dramatic laugh went past the commander's lips. "Another way to please your father, uhn?" When she didn't receive a response from the prince she knew her suspecisions were confirmed.
"You're the one I love."
The commander scoffed. "You really think I'll be stupid enough to believe those words?"
Nicholas moved closer to her, looking her in the eyes. Holding her gaze, he whispered, "I love you.i love you, commander Lily."
Lily's heart throbbed harder hearing those words from the prince. Her heart fluttered and she felt butterflies in her belly but she gave a scowl. "I hate you, Nicholas."
Nicholas gulped hard and looked away from the commander. He had expected she disliked him but hate was a strong word. The atmosphere was tensed after what she had said so he decided to change the topic. "I promised to help you didn't I?" The prince asked and she nodded. "I need to promise no to over thow my father and take over the werewolf kingdom like you people are saying."
Lily scoffed, "unlike you and your father, I'm am honorable leader." She walked out of the woods back to her people.
The prince felt his heart dip into his stomach hearing the love of his life say that. It was going to be hard to get her to trust him again. He feared she was never going to trust him again. With a broken heart, he went to join the commander and her people.
"No one will tell you that life is easy because it is not even close. Everyone you meet has struggled with something. No matter how perfect their life seems. Not every struggle is visible. We have been conditioned to not show weakness. Why is this when every single person on this earth has weakness? I have fought through so many things, but one struggle that really stands out is my first few days of being commander. Sometimes your life will be difficult, but life is tough, and everyone is going through something; this doesn't mean your problems are insignificant, just that it is possible for you to overcome it. " Lily started.
"The werewolf kingdom needs us now and regardless if what they have done to us or other kingdoms and regardless if what other kingdoms have done to us." Her eyes went to the vampire prince, he bowed his head abashed. "We the kayaans are loyal and honest people. We don't cower at the face of danger and so we are going to work as a team to bring now the evil vampire king. If we have to train tirelessly, we will. If we have to climb the highest mountain, we will. We are going to do our best to bring down the vampire king and regardless of whatever happens, win or lose,we will be going down with our honour and dignity intact."
The kayaans cheered on their commander after her speech. They were going to fight with all their might to defeat the vampire king no matter what it takes.