by HC MacDonald
Sanna moved next to me and put her arm around me. “You still love him, don’t you.”
“Yes. Don’t make me do this.” I pleaded with her. “Just turn around and take me back home.”
She kept her arm there. I could here them talking in their wolf language. Due to my changes, my branded shoulder no longer worked either. I coward into myself thinking of Leon, I didn’t want to him to see me with all these scars even though I knew it wouldn’t matter. He hated me then, I doubted that changed. Before the war, he looked at me with disgust, now with the scars, I knew it wouldn’t be much different. I didn’t think I could handle the look of hate and pity from him.
We arrived in Ladow. I followed them back to their home. Keeping myself hidden in my hooded cloak. The paths were empty, I was happy not to run into anyone else. When we arrived, I was escorted to Sasha’s room. I laid down on the bed, threw her blanket over my head and quietly sobbed to myself. I didn’t want to be around anyone. My mind was turning. Slowly I let myself sleep.
It was past noon when I strolled out of Sasha’s room. Ethan and Sanna were in the kitchen talking. Both stopped to look at me as I wondered over.
“This is not going to do!” Sanna started.
I held up my hand to stop her. I didn’t want to hear what she had to say. I would head back in the next caravan. That was that. Before I could tell her my plan, Ethan gently pulled my hand down to the counter. I looked up to stare into Sanna’s eyes.
“You are not this person. You are a strong willed, vibrant woman. What happened to you? You would never let anything as trivial as a loss of magic put you down! This needs to stop now!” She let go of my arm and walked into the main room. Ethan put his arm around my shoulders and gently pushed me behind her.
“A lot has happened, you don’t understand.” I softly said back at her.
Sanna turned on her heels and grabbed my shoulders. “Don’t understand? Don’t understand? How can you say that? I have had my share of disappointments and death. You do not get to tell me I don’t understand. You made Leon forget you, so don’t pity yourself.” She let go of my shoulders and blowing out an exasperated breath she was holding sat on the chair.
Ethan gently sat me across from her and went to stand behind Sanna. I felt as if I was about to be interrogated.
Ethan began in a matter of fact voice, “We have allowed you for over two years now to wallow in self pity. But no more! You have a chance to win him back.”
My eyes widened at the statement, “I don’t want him back.”
“Nonsense! You love him and have been pining over him ever since. There are things you need to know. You will listen to me with no interruptions. You will do as I say!”
He stood firm. Arms folded, eyes unblinking. I felt as if I was being scolded by my father. I knew they had my best interests at heart, but that didn’t stop the pain and heartache of his betrayal, or the vulnerability I felt from my weaknesses and scars. I sat unmoving, unspeaking with my head hung down looking at the rug on the floor. I waited for him to finish speaking.
Ethan pulled a chair closer to me and lifted my head so our eyes met. “Leon has chosen a mate. Our traditions do not allow for him as chief to be able to choose his wife. There is a challenge that must be met by his chosen and all eligible candidates.”
I didn’t understand. I didn’t care. He had chosen, what did it matter. There could be a hundred other candidates, but if he singled out someone already, then it didn’t matter. I remembered the last ceremony. I shook my head out of his hand. Let my eyes drift down to the rug. I needed to not care. It hurt less that way.
“She doesn’t understand.” Sanna mentioned to Ethan. “You need to be clearer.”
“Raina, look. There is a series of challenges all potential mates to the chief must go through. You are signed up to participate.”
At those words he stood and stepped behind his chair. My head flew up to look at him, then at Sanna. How could they do this to me? Sign me up. Sanna jumped in to explain further.
“We know you still love him. This is your chance to win him back.”
“He hates me. Why would I want to win someone who has obviously chosen someone else? To what, torture myself for the rest of my life. Be with someone who wants somebody else? Why did you do this? I was trying to forget him.” I put my head in my hands and tried to keep my tears in check.
“Because, we think he still loves you. We think something else happened that night. We need more time.” Sanna pleaded.
“Why do you think that?” I asked looking from one to the other.
Ethan began pacing. Sanna began talking to him again in their language. “Stop! Stop with the secrets, just tell me already.” My anger coming to the forefront.
Ethan began explaining again, “Three women are chosen to compete for his hand. One Leon chooses, one the council chooses and one that wins the village challenge. We need you to win.”
“I still don’t understand. If he has chosen, then why the others, why would he want to be married to someone not of his choice.” It didn’t make sense. None of it did.
It was Sanna’s turn to talk and explain. “The women he has chosen wears your necklace. Partly why we think something else is going on. Why we need time.”
“I don’t understand, I don’t have a necklace. What does it have to do with his betrayal?” My head was starting to hurt. Nothing made any sense. It all seemed like more heartbreak for me. If chosen, I would get to see his disgust of me daily, if not chosen, I would get to live with the thought of him with another. I was at a loss either way. I rubbed my temples working to release the pressure building up.
Sanna began explaining again. “You don’t understand. At the wedding years ago, you wore a necklace, an enchanted pendant. Do you remember?” She waited for my response.
“Yes, what about it?” I said with a little more anger than I wanted to come out.
“Leon took your necklace, right.” Her eyebrow rose and she waited for my confirmation.
“Yeah, so, he pulled it off my neck, and walked off, disgusted that it was me.” My head was really starting to pound.
“He took it to claim you as his own.”
“You don’t look at someone the way he did to claim them.” I retorted.
“He was surprised by the revelation. No one has ever chosen a mate outside our people. His natural reaction is to hide his feelings, hide his emotions. It was a time when any emotion was a weakness that Erebos would try to exploited.” She paused to look at me.
“He told us he loved you. He went that morning to bring you and the children back. It was his idea to rescue you at the fortress. His idea to be captured.” Ethan said.
“I still don’t see how that matters. Things changed. He wanted me to be owned by the village, enslaved. You don’t do that to someone you love.” My head felt on fire. The pounded now making me nauseated. I stood to head back to Sasha’s bed. Ethan walked over and pushed me back down in my chair.
“My head hurts.” I said quietly. I looked down at the rug trying to will the pounding between my ears away. Ethan left and returned with some powder and water. “Take this, it will ease your headache.” He handed me the cup. I took the medicine.
I closed my eyes waiting for the pounding to subside. Waiting for them to explain why I needed to be here. After a few minutes Sanna began talking again. “I know you don’t understand. You must trust us. Your necklace has your scent, your essence. If Lace is wearing it, then she smells like you. I don’t know how she got it, but she did. If he chose her, he is choosing you.”
I looked up at her. Shook my head. I didn’t understand. “You might be mistaken. Everyone had those necklaces. Besides, I’m sure there are other things besides smell as to why he chose her. I don’t think it matters.”
Sanna and Ethan both let out an exasperated breath of air.
“You're not getting it. She stole your necklace. He still has feelings for you. She is playing with him.” She was standing, now adamant to get her
point across. “Don’t you see, subconsciously he is choosing you. We think it is his way to regain his memories of you. He doesn’t realize it, but he wants you.”
“His return of memories will not erase the fact that he would rather have me as a slave.” I yelled at them, my frustration hitting a peak. “I don’t care that he may still love me somehow. He betrayed me. He begged me to be you all’s slave. He did that. Would you forgive Ethan if he wanted you enslaved. To live your life in a prison cell. I was there. I lived it for ten years. How could he want that for me, for my life? So what if he does remembers. Great, now he can remind everyone that they can use me as they wish, lock me back up.”
I stormed out of the room, twisting my arm out of Ethan’s grip as he tried to stop me. I walked out the front door, slamming it behind me and took off running. I needed to get away from them all. Clear my head. I took off down the path that ran the outskirts of the South border. No one lived down this way. I knew I could be alone.
Reunion
Leon
The challenge was to begin in a few days. My anxiety was growing. Lace was beautiful. Her long black hair was silky to the touch. Her skin a light olive, giving her a glowing shine. Her eyes a deep grey. Reminding me of storm clouds in the summer. She was slender and tall, walked with a sway that would turn the heads of any man. Her smile, mysterious and intriguing. She was so delicate.
We spent most of our time together. I had met her a year or so ago. I was coming back from the meadow deep in thought, when I came across her in the middle of my path. She had sprained her ankle and was sitting on a rock in the path nursing her foot. I carried her back to my home. There, I cared for her till she was able to move about again.
I normally didn’t care for the damsel in distress attitude. As chief I needed a strong female that could handle herself. Someone like my sister, self sufficient, yet endearing and selfless. Lace could be like that if she wanted. She was not self sufficient, always needed my help, but at times she was kind and endearing. Not to mention beautiful. Her scent was intoxicating. She smelled of a fresh summers day, which gave me the feeling of hope and making me think anything was possible. I couldn’t get enough of it.
Before we had met, I had heard of her. She was always described as ambitious, controlling, and high maintenance. She was nothing like that. It was probably just girls jealous of her beauty that made up these rumors. Many times she demanded more of my attention than I could give, but, I wouldn’t describe her as high maintenance or controlling. When I was able to assist and catered to her I would find it intoxicating to be with her, so I didn’t mind.
I had been in the meadow strategizing the upcoming challenges. I wanted her to win. As chief, I was bound to our traditions. I could choose a mate to compete, but the challenges would prove her worthy to be my bride. Worthy to protect and care for the village.
Lace would compete against two other nominees. One nominee is chosen by the council. They interview selective candidates in our land. One is chosen by the people via a series of obstacles and tests.
My mother had been a council nominee. My father was instantly attracted to her, they had been in love ever since. Together they were a charitable, kind, powerful couple.
The people’s nominee is usually one of our strong women warriors. Because it is open participation, any one of any origin can participate. We even at times get females from other villages and packs. However, the way the obstacles are set up only a shifter could win the games. Most outsiders didn’t make it past the first challenge.
In essence the games were more of a show of politics and peace. Allowing for our allies to participate. This time the first game was an obstacle course. Using a series of paths through the village, a variety of obstacles were set up. This showed agility and speed. The top half of the group would move on.
The second game was tougher. The remaining participants had to spend the night in a Ankylynxs’ cage. It is a catlike creature with a spotted coat of fur and nail like spikes on the end of its long thin tail. It’s cuddly appearance was marred by its bad temper, sharp teeth, and long clawed paws. It’s screams would make any man fear the dark. It was no taller then my knee, but quick as lightning. Most only heard the screams it made not fast enough to see it before it would attack. It could hide in the crevasses of the rocks. At night, became virtually invisible, sneaking up on its pray and attacking with its long spiked tail and teeth.
Each women would have to protect themselves from midnight to sunrise the next day. Because of the dangerous nature of these creatures one could ring out of the competition. Most candidates did. Trainers were also stationed to ensure everyone’s safety. If the woman got in a situation she could not handle, the trainer would rescue her from the beast. The candidates would have to wait till sunrise to find out if they moved on. Usually, everyone rang out, and they would take the top five women who lasted the longest to move on.
The last game was the hardest. Not to be discriminative, but it was purposely meant to differentiate our kind from any others. We took a small enchanted object and magnified its scent. The object under the enchantment would change its appearance throughout the game, but would keep the same scent. It is shown in a different form to all the seekers. The object is then hidden, and the game begins.
The seekers must find the object, however, you can only find it by scent. Hence, a shifter with our natural heightened ability would be able to sniff it out. It becomes a race between shifters to get to the object. No other kind has ever been able to find the object. They find themselves looking for something that was not there. Only the finder of the item wins and becomes the nominee.
I wasn’t worried about who would win the games. I knew most of the other women in the village. Rarely did a shifter from outside join in the games. Lace had enough skills to beat anyone that made it to the challenges. The nominee would be no match for the others. I began thinking about the upcoming challenges Lace would face.
The first challenge the three women would face would be the ‘Duggers’. These were nasty little razor sharp feathered creatures that would nip at your ankles. Roughly a foot long in length, but could jump a good two feet high. They were quick and could balance on any size rope or beam. The course was held in the arena that replaced our ceremonial grounds for the time.
A series of ropes and beams would stretching the length of the arena. Creating a web of dead ends, pitfalls, and high ropes. The duggers are set loose on the course. Each person would have to navigate from their starting platform to a colored compliment platform on the other side of the arena. Without falling off. This was key. It didn’t matter if you were stung by a dugger, as long as you stayed on the course, or were not the first to fall. The first to land in the netting was eliminated, the challenge over.
I had been working with Lace on her balance skills. She struggled on the ropes when required to jump over the fake dugger obstacles I had created. We had strategized her to stay on the wood beams, not worry about the platform. This way, she would keep her balance when jumping over duggers. Most likely one of the other two candidates would make the fatal error on the ropes and land in the net. Lace would then move on to an easier challenge for her.
The second game was a more strategic. A series of mazes and labyrinths would be assembled. Each nominee would need to find there way out. The Elders would add tests and challenges along the way. No one but the Elders knew what they were. I worked with Lace on her speed, agility, and ability to recall where she had been. Lace had no internal compass. She could not find her north from her south. Let alone figure out where she had been. Together we worked on ways to mark her path. This she could do. As for the challenges, we worked on various fighting skills, mental games, and strategy. Hopefully, this would be enough for her to make it to the end. That was my goal. Do what I could to get her there. If she made it to the end, then, we could announce our engagement and begin the plans for our wedding day.
That couldn’t come fast enough. The Council had begun
hounding me regularly to start the process, of finding a mate. Giving up my bachelorhood was not something I was looking forward to. I couldn’t imagine myself settled down, starting a family right now. There were still things to do.
I wanted to search out the land for the remaining Raiders that had retreated. There were rumors brewing in the south of a new threat. I wanted to investigate. I didn’t have time to play housemate. Then there would be Lace. She wouldn’t want to travel with me. I loved her, but I valued my independence. When this was all done, we would have to figure out how to make it work.
I sat up from my spot in the meadow where I had been laying, thinking about what was to come. I closed my eyes and took in a few deep breathes. I could smell someone coming my way. I inhaled a deep breath through my nose, letting the scent resinate. Lace. She was coming headed down the side path that rounded towards Sanna’s home. I closed my eyes, leaned back onto the grass, and let the scent drift toward me. I could never smell her this far off before. Usually her scent was very faint. I could only smell it when we were close to each other. Maybe the fact that I could smell it now was my way of admitting that I had allowed myself to love her. Awakening my inner beast to her scent. I still had my hesitations of her, but I would allow them no longer to block my senses.
I heard her footsteps. They were lighter than normal, not quite the same. Maybe she was trying to sneak up on me. I thought with a smile. We had worked on it, but today, she was the quietest she had ever been. I pretended to be napping as to not spoil the illusion. She was moving toward me. Then stopped. I waited, trying hard not to spoil her surprise. Anticipation curled inside me. Her scent so intoxicating. I was having trouble holding myself back from grabbing her leg and pulling her down with me. I listened. Her smell, flowing all around me. Then it began drifting, further away. I waited, unsure as to what she was doing. I listened for footsteps. Nothing. I opened my eyes and sat up. There, at the edge of the meadow was not Lace, but the wizard girl from the war all those years ago. I could feel my face harden. I looked around for Lace. She was no where in site.
