Lawt will
Heading back to the palace is not the Leowulf who left. Half of him is dying under the weight of his guilt. And the other half is scared of what he had just done. The conviction of what he just did. Killed a man because he was caught performing a sacrilege to the land. Killed a woman he loves or the woman who makes him happy just so he could avoid conviction. He has a long face with a sloppy walking stride. He had gone to a stream and had watched himself. He had taken precautions against what he thought might make people suspect him.
"Welcome Lord Leowulf,"
"Hmm!" He grunted at the guards at the palace gate. He wondered what the guards thought of him. Do they see him as a killer or just as a good person? If what he did should get exposed, he wondered how they would treat him. The spear would be pointed towards him. He would be in a lock and there would be some other guards with switched Werewolves form to guard against him. And since he is an Ultimate Alpha to be, the Hateata, might be sent to guard him. The group of werewolves that were taught from childhood for battle only. They show no fear and are mostly in their werewolf form. And they have no problem, switching to their Dire Werewolf form when it comes to it.
"Hey boy, now come. Where have you been?" Uncle Audolf called at him.
"Oh! Uncle. I went to town," he replied
"You must have heard of what happened then," his uncle said, jumping down the stairs.
"I have actually heard of so many things, and I don't know the exact one," he forced a smile as his uncle patted him on his shoulder.
"You see, you don't even know how to lie. You haven't been to town, you were somewhere else. And you look like what the goddess forbids. Where were you?" A frown appeared on his uncle's face.
"Yes! I am what the goddess forbids because I just did one. I went to the forest to have sex and I killed two people because I was scared. I made them suffer before they died," that's what he wanted to say to his uncle. But he thought otherwise. His Uncle Audolf loves him. So much so that the man explains things that happen in his personal life to Leowulf. But his uncle believes in the total upholding of the law. For some reason, his uncle believes that the law is stronger than each individual. And it must be obeyed. Even if it's misunderstood as extremity. His uncle believes there should be no compromise for goodness. He believes that obedience to the law is absolute and disobedience is absolute too. If there were to be a compromise between both, he believes disobedience would lose its form. Hence creating disobedience as the new order.
"Oh! Uncle, I just went to shake off some stress and now I am tired," he replied
"You look at it. Anyways, a surprise awaits you," his uncle smiled, leading him towards the medical room. It's something Leowulf appreciates. Walking with Audolf. If he had been alone, he would have been greeted by most of the maids he had flirted with at some point. And that was the last thing he needed now.
"What is it, Uncle?"
"It's your woman,"
"My woman?"
"Yes! Why do you look so sour and alarmed at the mention of your woman?"
"Don't act like you don't know who I am talking about," his uncle snapped at him. His face changed.
"Why are you acting this irritated, Uncle?"
"I am not. I am just not interested in your antics now. There are pressing issues,"
"Issues? What's happening?"
"Guards from the market came and they dropped off an injured man and an unconscious woman," his uncle informed him.
"Who are they? And where are they?" Leowulf's heart skipped a second. His eyes widened and he slowed his pace.
"Come on, walk faster. It's Mara and there is this other guy we saw that day in the town. Son of Lord of Hudun," his uncle said and stood before the entrance to the medical room.
"Oh!" He sighed. He felt relieved. It was unnecessary that his uncle had to keep him under such tension. It seems everyone in his home is excited because of the presence of Mara. He should have sensed it from his uncle's out-of-character behavior, but he neglected it. He wasn't paying attention to it. He was rather scared of what might be and what might not.
"Why are they here?"
"It seems since you used the void–"
"Uncle, it's not the void," he interrupted his uncle.
"It doesn't matter what it is, but ever since then, Mara must have realised her true interest and then stayed away from him. And the guy, jealous, must have caused a ruckus at the market when he saw her. I think he was trying to get her attention, she was rude and it angered him," his uncle said, still staying at the medical room's door.
"Is that what happened?" Leowulf asked.
"It's what I think might have happened. He was trying to take your woman," Uncle Audolf said.
Leowulf wondered if he didn't deserve it. There is a man who is in love with a woman he has charmed with his two good behaviors. It's three guilt that he has to face now. The death of those two, and the pain of their parents. He will also carry the guilt of how he had stolen Mara from Aaron. Lastly, the guilt of if Mara deserves the betrayal he is giving her. Even if he isn't married to her, the fact that she succumbed to his breathing, made him regret his pre-marital sex.
"You should go in and check her. Aaron is in the lock, we want to question him,"
"In the lock? Why?"
"First he threatened her, and he injured some dames that were with Mara. This is a time of peace, no violence will go unpunished,"
Leowulf gave a fake smile. Of course, no violence will go unpunished. His uncle wouldn't allow it to happen. He would go to any extent for the upholding of the law.
"Well, till later son," his uncle patted his back and turned. He watched him walk away and he frowned at himself one more time.
"I am a living disgrace to the Ultimate pack," he sighed.
"Welcome Leowulf, you have come to check up on her," his mother said. She revels in delight at Leowulf's presence. She looked at him from the top of his head to his feet.
"Yes Mother, I am here,"
"You didn't tell me she is such a beautiful lady. It's unfair on your part to have left me out of full information about her,"
"At least now you are seeing her," he smiled. His head hurts now that he is in the same room with his mother. He feels tired and needs to leave.
Mara lies on the table, she lies weak and unconscious.
"Why isn't she healing?" He asked his mother. It's rare for them to use this medical room. If it's an injury gotten from battle or any form of violence, it heals on its own. Most times the medical room is used for sick people. Not those who got the injury from fighting or even abuse, in her case.
"She was on her period before he punched her. Her systems are weak already. So her immune system isn't working well, that's why,"
"I see," he sighed. His head is blank. He doesn't even know what to think of. Either he should apologize or go and confess. Even with the excitement he is supposed to feel with Mara's presence, he is more worried about what will happen to him. And if he will truly get away with these murders of his.
"I thought she was supposed to have maids with her?" he asked.
"Oh! Dinar and something. I can't really fathom her name. But I have sent them back to their pack, to tell their Lord. It will be rude if we don't inform them,"
"Did they go alone?"
"No! We sent some guards to accompany them,"
"I know you are a bit excited that she is here," His mother said, with a broad smile. Her protruding pregnancy does not allow her to jump around like she normally does to show excitement.
"I am mother, I can barely contain it," he replied with a smile. He went ahead and pecked her forehead.
"I need to rest, we will see later,"
"I am about to leave too. I am only waiting for Bollo who I asked to go get me a sesame seed from the woods," she said. Leowulf gasped. His throat dried at once.
"Do you need it now?"
"Yes! I need to use it for my herbs, he's left for a long time and isn't back. He is not such a boy,"
"Maybe he slacked off today. I will help you get them now,"
"Eh? What's with you offering to help me? Well, I appreciate it. I will be in my room by the time you return," she said. She stopped looking at him. She turned her gaze at Mara. She smiled. She picked up a cloth and cleaned the sweat beads forming on her forehead.
"I will return as fast as I can," Leowulf left the room.
"One more mistake and I wouldn't forgive myself," he said. If only anything had gone wrong with his mother, he wouldn't have forgiven himself. He would hate himself and possibly hurt himself. No! No one needs to suffer anymore because of his mistake.
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At times, people just don't die the way we think they do. Some people have stronger wills than others. Death is one of the most powerful for any creature to face. No one has ever been able to be in a one-on-one fight against death and won. You might have the excuse that some people die and come back to life. Yes! There are people like that. But they lost. They only got a second chance to live. And later on, they will face death. And they are sure to lose.
Bollo is just one of the people destined to face death the second time. The first time he was killed nearly an hour ago, it has been in the hands of someone he looks up to. A boss. A Lord. A master. Someone he admires.
After Leowulf crushed his neck bone and tore his gullet. Leowulf was too much in a haste to have double-checked if he really did tear his entire gut out. Bollo wasn't conscious when Leowulf killed the next person Bollo sees before him. He realised it was the woman he caught Lord Leowulf having sex with. The anger rising in him, makes him want to survive the situation he is in. He needs revenge against Leowulf. Leowulf had only done that to him because of the power difference. He begged the goddess to give him the chance to survive the situation and he would bring Justice to her land that has been polluted. His neck began healing bit by bit.
But the goddess has so many things on her list. She answers the prayers of everyone in Asark, including animals. And it became quite ironic when a pack of foxes who had prayed for their daily food, found him lying lifeless. They shared themselves. Some went straight to Sasabba's body and others came to Bollo's. They feasted on his body, while he watched. The pain from their bites can't be compared to what he is experiencing in his heart.
He closed his eyes and tried to pass his will. His last life force to the foxes before him.
" No! History won't repeat itself. A mistake once done, must not be allowed again. Leave your soul to rest in peace. Give up and you will rest in my bosom," a voice said. And Bollo's consciousness began waning off. The last thing he wants to do is curse Leowulf. But before he could, he lost every bit of consciousness he gathered.