CHAPTER 64

CHAPTER SIXTY- FOUR
"What do you think she is doing this moment?" Roy began, as Baron was sitting alone in his office, brooding and looking over his territory.
"I ... I just want her to be safe," Baron replied his wolf. He couldn't eat nor sleep, know fully well that his mate Avyanna was not with him. He expected Avyanna to come back to him after a day but she knew the Luna was different. She was exceptional in that she choose to sacrifice for her kingdom rather than leave her duties to live a stress free life with the Lycan King in the Lycan territory.
"Well, is she?" Roy asked gruffly.
"I don't know."
"You're supposed to. You are her mate; can't you feel it?" Roy was adamant, and Baron was feeling guilty that he was not doing enough to reach out to his mate.
"I am trying to, I think I have been overwhelmed by guilt that I can't protect her enough. It's kinda of hard to reach her." Baron complained to Roy.
"Try harder."
Baron folded his brows and focused on the scenery before him. Then it hit him.
"Wait a minute." He could feel her presence very very close to him.
Was she coming back to him like he wanted? Or did something bad happen again?
***
Avyanna and her people were able to successfully escape from Wales. She was devastated about the war, but it had happened and there was nothing she could do about it other than save her men and protect her kingdom.
Avyanna and her men arrived at the Lycan territory an hour away from dusk. The guards at the gates did not let them into the Lycan territory at first. Avyanna was at the end of the line, ensuring that her people were safe, while Jonathan was at the front, leading the exodus. Seeing Jonathan, instead of Avyanna, a guard said that they should wait outside while he informed his master Baron.
Avyanna was fully aware of the procedures and paradigm. She did not expect to be treated above the orders and the law that governed the Lycan territory, but Avyanna was not happy that her people were regarded as a nuisance already.
'Maybe it's because I am not there.' With that, she walked towards the gate and told Nathan to watch over the people while she moved to quicken the process of getting them inside the territory.
Even her people felt it was disrespectful for the Lycans to question her, and what she wanted. Well that was what distinguished her as their leader.
“My Luna," the guard at the gate bowed, "My fellow warrior has gone to inform the master that you and your people are at the gate of the Lycans.” the guard said.
“Why should that be mister, you know us, we are from the great kingdom of Wales and the Lycan Alpha and our Luna have been strong allies for some months." Jonathan responded.
"Yes, I am well aware of that, but we were not informed of this development earlier, and I don't want to risk my neck and let you all in." The guard continued. Everybody in the Lycan territory did not want to see the wrath of the Lycan Alpha, so he was respected and feared with trembling.
"I am sure if you let me in to see the Alpha, he would ..."
"It does not matter My Luna, we follow the rules here, so if you wish, I could send another one of the men to inform the master of your presence.” the guard explained, then he looked Jonathan deep into his eyes when he said it did not matter where they were from, and they seemed not to like each other.
The Lycans and Werewolves had a record of segregation and discrimination from their ancestors before them, so it was pretty hard to find a Lycan that made friends with a Wolf.
Baron sat on his throne, already bothered by Avyanna's proximity, but enjoying the cool breeze that blew, until one of his men came in, to inform him that Avyanna and her people were at the gate.
“Your highness, my lord and master, I have come to inform you that, the people from the kingdom of Wales, have come to our territory, they stand with their master at the gate,” the man said to Baron.
Baron stood up from where he sat, walked down to him, and asked him, "So why are they not in already?" He thundered.
The guard scurried away immediately, "Apologies master, I will let them in immediately."
Baron followed behind the running guard, to the gate so he could welcome Avyanna in.
The guard arrived at the gate before Baron and opened it up.
Avyanna stepped foot in first and the first person she saw was Baron; walking towards her with a worried face.
"What happened?" He blurted as soon as he saw the look on her face and the way that her people were wounded.
"We were attacked." Avyanna said in a calm tone.
"By who?" Baron's eyes widened in concern.
"They were wolves just like us, but I have no idea what pack they belong to. It all happened so fast and it seemed like they just couldn't die." Avyanna almost cried as she vented, "Please I need a favor from you."
"Name it."
"My people need a place to stay and, we are allies. I know this wasn't really in the agreement, but please can they stay here just until my kingdom is safe to return to?"
"Of course Avyanna." Baron said without hesitation. "Get your people in, while I assemble mine and tell them of the new development."
Baron went to the courtyard which was where he asked to meet the people in his city, and Avyanna went back to the gate where she urged her people into the Lycan territory.
It wasn't hard like the way she thought it would be.
***
The Lycans already stood in the courtyard waiting for the people of Wales to come in. And, when they finally arrived, the Lycans murmured.
The side talk was on the high and the people of Wales could feel a pinch of reserved hatred in the air. The way the Lycans peered at them in reserved spite made them feel unwelcomed and a bit uncomfortable.
Avyanna had not entered the courtyard yet to see how her people were already getting discriminated against. She was discussing a matter of great importance with Jonathan, "I am not happy about this. My people have been displaced."
"This is not permanent my Queen. We will just recuperate here for some time and then return and win the fight again." Jonathan appeased the Luna.
"Alright." She sniffled and then walked to the courtyard, which was just right outside the general hall where the welcome party was thrown for her.
Avyanna walked in to see how the people looked at her people. She could tell the Lycans, did not seem to like her people. She couldn't help but wonder what the reason for the people of the Lycan territory was to behave in such a manner.
“I wonder why your people appear to be so hostile,” Avyanna said as she walked down to the position Baron stood. “There is absolutely no reason for people to hate my people, there is no reason for them to look at my people with the eye of disgust, there should be sympathy in your hearts for these men that are wounded and respect for the ones that stand here. The great people of Wales have done them nothing in this present time."
Baron was about to speak to his people, but Avyanna was too angry so she let it all out of her system, "If any of you can come out and boldly point out a man who has done you wrong, I would tear down his throat as payment for his gross misconduct." She said, directing her question to the Lycans. I am asking you to point a man true to his name, not to his ancestors, and I will gift you his head in a pan.” The Lycans continued to murmur, they marveled at the Luna's boldness. And they all knew that none of these men had committed any crime of such, to them directly, but only to their ancestors.
“You still bear a hatred that was passed down generations before us, a tale that we have no benefit from, a hatred that has refused us the right to sympathy and just. These men you see, have just fought for their lives, they have just fought to keep the head of their families safe, and if you feel they are interested to play a game of racism with you, that means you are way up in the sky. Baron I have come to your territory to find shelter, so my people may be safe, but if you and your people find us unworthy to be in your territory, then we will leave, we are not beggars, we are only displaced because our kingdom was brutally attacked, we have lost men, men who did not see their death to be close.”
Avyanna looked at the faces of the people, and that of Baron. She could tell that her little stand-up speech, had made a difference. Baron told her to pardon the approach of his people, he told Avyanna that, she and her people were welcome to live as long as they wanted to.
"I apologize on behalf of my people." He whispered to Avyanna then he turned to his people and said, "The kingdom of Wales are our allies and you will all treat them as such!"
The Lycans went silent as Baron spoke. "This should not repeat itself anymore!"
Baron then ordered for the wounded to be taken to the medical center for proper treatment, while the rest were to be shown the places where they would be for the while that they lived in the territory, dismissing the assembly.
Avyanna told Jonathan to stay with her for a while.
"I haven't seen Vanessa, where is she?" Avyanna began, "Who knows if she was part of the fight, and probably was abducted or killed, what if she had died?" Avyanna was worried about her late ex-husband's sister.
Baron said to Avyanna, "I am sure Vanessa must be somewhere safe. She isn't a child and she knows her way around. I think she just needs some time and space to clear her head."
"I hope she is." then Avyanna walked away from Jonathan to Baron, still angry about what the men did to her kingdom. Avyanna discussed the fight she had just escaped from with Baron, but for some reason, she did not dwell on the part where Katie showed up. She didn't know how she would explain to Baron that her wolf suddenly has supernatural powers.