"Are you sure you are going to be ok? "
Lin was as unsure about leaving Mia behind in the mer-world as he was leaving her outside the of the Fox Empire.
" This is the safest place. Somehow it's out of his bounds. I need to stay here till we work out else. '' Mia pressed him reassuringly.
" But like you said, they do give me a strange vibe, " Lin had that something pressing against his , rendering him unable to leave.
" That's why you need to go. See how things are happening in the outer world.And do come to on me, once in a while. '' Mia tucked the Water Breather in his hands, " They wither away about a couple of weeks. Be sure to get fresh stock before you run out of supply. "
" You mean get it delivered from your doorstep, madam, " Lin winked at her teasingly. He then over and hugged her from the back, holding her baby bump in between his wrists. " You behave yourself little one. Don't you dare give your mother anymore unrest. "
A moment's silence graced the pause as both knew, it was for the best. The goodbyes, the would definitely come to an end.
Lin suddenly pulled Mia at arms length , then looked at her deep and well.
" Mia, I didn't get to hear about how you escaped. " He then lowered his voice as much as he , " There should have been a pendant on you. "
Mia definitely did not understand what he was saying.
"Pendant? What kind? "
Lin too had no answer to that, but he was sure it was something they should find.
"Tell me how you escaped? Wasn't it the pendant that helped you to fight? "
Lin persisted.
Mia looked sideways trying to think as a frown formed on her brows.
" I actually don't quite know I escaped but there was this light. A bright, dazzling, blinding white.
It made it recuperate . Like you said, it was supposed to be Uncle Jin. But it wasn't. But at that it was. I don't know but it's hard to explain. " Mia fidgeted with her hands trying to put words what had happened back there.
" Ummm, it's alright Mia. Let me share this with Nana, your father and the rest. " He pulled her a deep kiss and made it quite long to last, " I will be back before you even realize. Rest and . "
Mia snapped her fingers thrice as the two attending maids came forward to escort Lin upwards.
" It's just a matter of time till I have to leave everything behind. You need to take good care of father, that's a job I give you my little fox"
Mia had the task of leaving. She didn't forget it even a bit. Though she knew her families were their best to deal with the beastly Jin, she knew it was part of the curse. The ones that designed it made it so diligently . Even if one survived the initial onslaught, the would be hard to miss. Had Mia not been half a mermaid, it would have been hiding from the wolf Jin.
She sighed as she thought about it.
"Maybe the Tree of Knowledge wanted me by its side knowing all this would happen. Maybe it to protect me as well. "
Now that she was able to reassure herself, she didn't feel so bad.
" My baby will have all its family. At Least we were able to mend the ties. "
She went back to reclining, quite content with her acts.
Back in the wolf palace, The Chief Queen, paced her room all night.
Xie couldn't sleep either, so he thought about taking a walk. When he was in the back garden, his mother's room, he spied for a few moments and he decided to take a round. He up at his father's study. The light still flickers there.
" Father is still in his study. Then who could be here? "
As he tiptoed with the thought in his mind, he heard a faint voice.
" He is digging into the entire matter. It won't take him long to unearth the past. "
" What am I going to do? If he finds out it was because of us? "
" Why are you two being like this? That child was already a bastard. What are you scared of it was that whore who seduced your Lord? ! We had only heard about the seductress . Never had thought it would last. Now that this child of her's has returned, who knows much more destruction will follow the aftermath. "
Xie had his lips shut tight as he unmistakably identified his mother's voice. He had his doubts the two other people but had hints about their whereabouts.
He waited in the shadows, patiently for the two to leave but they seemed too scared and the
Queen could not deter them either.
" Just go about your jobs on the plane. And never come back here. Never be seen. It beats me you two are here in the first place when you haven't been in the palace for all these years. "
The Queen's voice was growing desperate but was also a bit quivering.
" We only fear for our lives. We obeyed you despite knowing how attached with that woman was King. "
There was terror in those voices as they kept persisting.
" Mer-witch. She was a mer-witch. That too in hiding. "
The Queen didn't even seem to have the strength to stand the humane addressing of her it .
" It doesn't matter. It was us who insisted that she end her life. We told her the king cheated on deliberately. We were the ones to make her believe she was used and discarded. Had we she was with child, neither of us would have dared. "
*******
That bird with a wolf
Xie ran towards the room of his sister. Roe was the only one whom he could share with what he just heard. He banged madly at her entrance. But then went over the window when there no sound.
" Oh! Aish! I am... I am terribly sorry... "
Xie stammered, covering his eyes and turning swiftly away at the view that greeted his sight.
Roe was all over the undressed Boshu. They were definitely having some fun.
" Why are you even in my sister's room? You moron bird. "
Xie yelled, still covering his eyes as the two love birds hurried to gather their scattered dresses.
" Why... Why are you here so late? That too through the window. When did you become so ? "
Roe's voice went from shy to teasing in one sentence as Xie finally looked up and glared at
Boshu with a death stare.
" How long are you going to stay here? Aren't you already recovered? "
Xie barked like a mad dog which made Boshu clamber.
" Stop already . Who told you to be my bossy brother. He will stay here as long as I wish. He 't allowed to leave unless I order. "
Roe threw the sweetest smile at Boshu followed with a series of flying kisses. But it definitely awkward for him to reciprocate, especially with Xie still staring.
" Anyways. You tell me. What brings you here at this hour? "
Roe was now standing straight, chin up, face to face which meant she meant business.
" I can't tell you here. " Xie whispered, pulling his sister to the side.
" Why what's wrong? " Roe's eyes, we're now worried. And she took her brother to another .
Xie narrated everything to her. From start till end. Word to word. She listened carefully, not a single sound. When Xie was finally done, Roe heaved a sigh.
" So this is what mother has done. "
Before they could contemplate anymore, the entire place went abuzz with a sharp sound.
" It's the alarm" , Xie exclaimed.
" Do you think they have been found? " Roe and Xie darted off towards the central court, but the were already there.
There was a dark shadowy figure in the center, that reeked of evil.
" Mia. Where is Mia? "
It was the distorted Jin.
Xie and Roe looked at each other then back at the disgusting thing.
It had disfigured even further. There were but only a few traces of a living being. An inky black dipped from every spot it layed it feet.
" She is not here. I know you can feel it. "
It was the loud stern voice of the Wolf king. The thing looked up at him. "
" Ahhhh! Aaaaaaaa! Need Mia. Need Mia. Tell me where she is hiding. "
It growled like a rabid dog and everybody moved a step back as it went down on its knees.
The king's face went from stern to sad.
" She is my daughter. Besides, she isn't even here... Brother Jin. " the king uttered the last part, appeared with much difficulty.
The thing looked up.
The king's eyes lit up. I was glad that his words had some effect.
But the figurine moved at him swifty and held him by his head.
" Need Mia. Need Mia. She is my Mate. Need Mia now... " Then he snapped back at the soldiers and flipped a couple of them like pebbles mid-air.
Xie and Roe jumped in, to aid the flying soldiers.
Seeing which the King became very concerned and had to summon the Spirit Conjurer.
The figurine of Jin, attacked Xie and Roe as expected. But their skills helped them to dodge and there. That thing was powerful and its strength seemed to gradually multiply.
"It's the effect of the curse. It's driving him mad. " The king still tried justifying the situation to his .
The Spirit animals proved great in pushing Jin away, and the king immediately pulled up a that covered the entirety of the palace.
" This will keep him at bay for sometime. But it isn't as powerful as Fox's mechanism. Besides, it keep growing in strength, now that it has a free run. My brother was best at everything he . He never gave up. Now that we have such a formidable foe, we must pull out acts too. "
" Will Mia be really safe in the mer-world? Can the mer-witches be really trusted? "
Xie asked abruptly, then immediately regretted the last part.
His father looked at him and nodded.
" It seems like he actually can't. That's what drives him mad and sends him on a hunt. As for the -witches, I am not very sure myself. But since they know Mia is one of them , I hope they will her like we do. "
Xie nodded at them and said, " If that thing roamed loose, how are we even going to protect our ? "
" You are correct. We wouldn't be able to protect the mass from its wrath. " The king a little then held Xie at his soldier and said, " Go to the Fox king. We need to ask for a helping hand. "
Xie looked around at Roe but he only managed to catch a glimpse of her as she silently slid the wall. Xie was about to turn and follow her, but his father put his arms around him walked him towards the inner arena.
" Let's go to my study. I will give you some things that you will need to give the Fox king and explain properly... "
The king tried explaining but Xie's head was turning at 190 ° .He kept glancing behind his when the king stopped walking and he bumped right into him. Now he was left with no alternative but to pay full attention to his father, even though his heart was with his sister.