11 Chapter Eleven: Killing The Blue Wolf pt. 3

It was just an hour away from daylight. The festivities were coming to a close and the whole of Aysun was anticipating the burning of the blue wolf.

Lord Creon was pacing in Artemis private study. They had been unable to find Velma. They were now strategizing how to proceed killing the 'bule wolf'.

"I have invited Maha, her presence lends credibility to the burning," Artemis said to a troubled Creon.

"She can't have left the palace, can she?" Lord Creon's only concern was for his daughter. He cared very little about the staged burning. Artemis pitied him; the man had aged ten years in just one night. He knew first hand what it was like to lose one's family suddenly.

"She might have been able to outsmart my guards but there is no way she could have left, I'm sure she's in hiding somewhere," Artemis hoped this was true. If it wasn't he would not know how to comfort the old man.

"How soon can we start searching?" Lord Creon asked.

"As soon as day breaks and the palace is void of its visitors, we don't want to raise any alarm," Artemis replied.

"Yes, yes. What about Maha?" Just then the priestess walked in.

"I would not participate in a lie," was all she said.

"Good morning, priestess," Artemis greeted the lady that had lived even before his father and yet remained youthful.

"I sympathize with you Lord Creon but I cannot give credence to a lie," the priestess said.

"We understand," Artemis said who had not been expecting much.

Maha left the room as quickly as she had left.

"Smart thinking, Alpha,'' Lord Creon praised.

There was no way Maha would be able to leave the palace without the people seeing her. Artemis had not called her to say anything, he had called her just for her presence. Now whatever they did would hold water and would be unquestionable.

"You should go back to the party. I'll be outside soon with the blue wolf," Artemis said.

Lord Creon left the room Artemis to join the party outside, he was met by Maha at the entrance.

"This is not fair," Maha said in a low voice.

"What isn't?" Lord Creon asked even though he knew what she was talking about.

"This was a setup. I hate being fooled," she spat.

"I hate being fooled by the moon goddess that's supposedly merciful too. My daughter the blue wolf? Harbinger of chaos? That is what is not fair," Lord Creon whispered harshly.

"The moon goddess knows what she's doing she is divine and..."

"Don't burden me with such nonsense. My daughter can do no harm to anyone. She wouldn't even kill a fly. She's a werewolf but she eats vegetables. Do you know any werewolf that'll rather eat vegetables to meat? Even when that might be the reason she's yet to wolf out?" Lord Creon's voice was broken as he said this.

"It does not excuse using me to achieve your selfish..."

"I'm just a father who has lost a child and you call me selfish? I would do much worse if I have to," and with that Lord Creon strolled away angrily.

"I have not seen Velma, love," Lord Creon could sense that his wife was beginning to worry.

"I'm sure she's just alright, love. You know how Velma doesn't like to stay with a crowd?"

"Nonsense! She needs to learn how to interact with her own folk. I've always told her except she wants to marry a servant she must meet with people of her class," his wife said.

"She'll be fine," he said and hugged her. He wondered briefly if he should tell his wife that Velma had run away, that she was somewhere he did not know of but he discarded the thought as quickly as it came to his mind. He could not bear to see his wife in pain.

"Are they really going to burn the blue wolf, love?" Lord Creon's heart felt like it had taken a dagger at the mention of the blue wolf, his poor daughter.

"It would seem so," he said quietly.

"That is quite harsh, isn't it?" his wife said. He looked at her with love, she was a kind woman. She was beautiful too but he had married her because of her kind heart.

"It is."

"Imagine that was one of our daughters? What would we do then?" Lord Creon braved the question. He wanted to fall down on the ground and cry but he had to remain strong for her.

"Let's not think such things," he wanted to distract her.

"It's hard not to considering how things stand with Velma. I want her to be here when they burn the blue wolf perhaps that'll teach her not to desire harnessing those powers she claims she has," he could tell that his wife's heart was heavy too.

"Perhaps," he hugged her again and vowed within himself to find Velma before it is too late.

"You're behaving strange this evening dear, did something happen?" his wife whispers into his ear.

"Nothing love. Is it wrong that I want to hug my wife?" he teased.

"You hate public affection," she accused.

"I like it now, is it because I'm getting older?" he managed a joke to ease the tension.

"Ah! I was beginning to wonder if you had become a vampire, you have refused to age so, ever so handsome," she teased her husband.

"I love you, Esmeray," Lord Creon said drawing comfort in his wife's embrace.

"I love you too, Creon," Esmeray smiled.

Just then there's a slight uproar as Artemis drags what looked like the blue wolf that appeared earlier to the centre of the stage.

Lord Creon's heart skipped a bit. Artemis had gotten a striking resemblance to the blue wolf earlier. He almost wanted to run to the stage and plead the people of Aysun to let his daughter be.

"Burn her, burn her!" the people were chanting.