Ruby and Jade sat at the lavish table that was spread in front of them.
Ruby's mother-in-law, the Wolf queen, Xie's mother had called them over, asking them to bring
Akata as well.
" His grandfather just can't live without seeing him anymore. He has to take him on a piggy back now and then, if he has to keep functioning properly. "
She laughed softly as she herself poured the drinks for Ruby and Jade. She had invited the over, which wasn't very normal because the relationship between Xie's mother and wife stained. The wolf queen despised Ruby because she thought she was the reason her son up on becoming the king. So Ruby and Jade could not say no to the Wolf Queen's , when she called them over for brunch.
" Oh my gosh! Boy... looking where you are going.... "
No sooner had she finished pouring the drink than Akata came running right into her and so hard onto her, that the glasses fell from the Queen's hand and she stumbled on her to regain her balance.
Ruby rushed immediately and picked Akata up.
" Aku, what is this behavior. Apologize to gradma immediately... "
Ruby tried to lower the tension before it could start building but just then they were interrupted the loud laugh from Akata's grandfather, the Wolf King.
" Put him down Ruby. I love my little minion being naughty. What's a boy that's well behanved grumpy? That's a old man..... a little one like him should be breaking and kicking ... ha ha ha! Come on Aku... time for some man to man fighting... "
And he made a defensive posture with his hand. Akata immediately climed down from Ruby's and happily charged at his grandpa with clenched fists.
He hadn't learnt to use his Wolf transformation technique completely but he was trying.
" Atta boy! " His grandfather roared proudly as he came right at him, and at the last moment was to scratch his chest with his newly tranformed little claws.
" My King! You must be careful... " The Wolf queen rushed towards him to wipe the blood that dripping from his open wound. Ruby and Jade both looked at each other, terrified and tried grab Akata up and leave.
But it seemed like the Wolf King wasn't done with his grandson yet.
He shoved his wife away, totally ingnoring her concern and pulled the boy down from his aunt's .
" It was a good one Aku, but you need to learn to shift before you hit the spot that you are . Transforming like this could be life threatening if there is even the tiniest glitch. Do you my little soldier? "
Akata nodded vigorously like an obedient student and then bowed very low to show his respect which he ran towards his grandpa and kissed on his hand and chest.
He wiped the stains of blood still remaining as he inspected the wound which was rapidly .
" It hurts? "
He asked with his little voice. The Wolf king shook his head and kissed his little head.
" Not at all my little soldier. These wounds that we carry are our badges of honour. We soldiers never pained my trivial signs of blood. Queen... " he turned his attention towards his wife, "
Did you prepare my Aku's favourite dish? "
The Queen was watching the entire drama with a very annoyed face but the moment her called her, she smiled and nodded.
" Yes, of course. How could I forget our special guest... "
" Guest? "
The Wolf king retorted. " This is Aku's palace. This is his home. If anybody is a guest here, is and I... right Aku? "
He tickled the little minion as all of them laughed.
They enjoyed their food together, prayed together for better days ahead and finally it was time leave.
" I don't like that Queen, a single bit, " Jade complained aloud on their way back to Xie's place.
" Ssshhh! Aku shouldn't be hearing this. He is too little to hold ill feelings. " Ruby said in a voice.
" It's just that she hasn't been able to accept Mia's existence yet and to top it off, me and Xie got . He left his throne. It must have been hard on her..... wack....! "
*puke... puke... *
" Oh, my god, Ruby. Are you alright? "
Jade grabbed her sister by her hip as she suddenly started throwing up from the window of their .
After some repeated vomiting, she finally regained her composure and wiped her face.
" My goodness Ruby. Did your mother-in-law put something in the food that you were eating?
Why do you look so pale? I must take you to the waters. You need to be treated immediately. "
Jade changed the direction of their carriage and they were headed towards the mer-world.
Akata sat up and looked out of the window.
Though, they lived near the ocean, his mother never really took him to his birthplace.
Mia had that uncanny, uncertainty that hindered that decision. She always felt like she would her boy again if she went to the ocean with him, but she never told anybody that. She kept postponing it with various reasons.
Akata yelled with glee as he realised that they were finally taking him underwater.
" Water.... Wateeeeeeeer..... "
He screamed as he ran towards the sea, screaming as of he was seeing a daydream.
Jade and Ruby laughed as Jade supported Ruby on her shoulder.Ruby, indeed looked very .
" This feels so good. " Ruby slowly smiled as the water touched her everywhere and she felt like was already feeling revitalized.
" Aku, wait up. You need to keep swimming with me. Don't go get lost without knowing the way here. It that clear? " Jade was a little stern with Akata, unlike Ruby and he did infact fear a little and was obedient immediately.
He kept swimming and marveling at everything, even at his morphed hands, legs and body.
******
Gathered for all the wrong reasons.
" They took the boy to the mer-world? "
Asked the voice of a lady who seemed very feeble. She tried sitting up as the person in front of entered.
Well, he wasn't really a person, he was actually a fox.
" I can't even go back to the ocean to revitalize myself, least those traitors get any clue about survival. "
The lady coughed up some blood as the fox prince in front of her extended a cloth.
" Well, if things go as planned, you will soon be able to return to the part of the ocean that falls the wall. It will be your haven in the Western Wastelands. "
The lady scoffed.
" I know you only saved me and gave me refuge because you wanted to use me. But you know still need me. You can't just get rid of me at this moment... "
" Who wants to get rid of you fair mermaid? I was only trying an innocent suggestion... "
The fox prince reflected his malicious grin.
" Don't you know the part that we sealed off has bubbling poison inside it? That poison is what is all the disturbances and commotion. We need to subside it. We need to neutralize it we can further carry on with our plan. "
The prince pulled a chair and sat down in that dirty looking room. It neither marched his rich , nor did it match his royal hue.
" Hhhmmm, I understand. But you see it isn't particularly an easy job to get hold of my nephew.
To achieve that, we will need some aid. "
Just then, there was a knock at the door which made the woman sit up, anxious.
" Who can be here ,at this hour? "
She tried looking out of the window to confirm the odd hour by looking at the darkness outside, by the moon.
" Relax, mer-witch, it's just a well wisher. I have been anticipating them... "
And he went to answer the door.
A man came in first and checked the surrounding and then with his nod, a lady came inside , cloaked
Their scent seemed that of a normal human but when they looked at the fox, there was no doubt he understood that these were the wolves .
The fox prince bowed a little and said,
" Welcome your highness... "
" Oh, just cut the crap. There is no formality between people like you and me. Just tell me why called me here like this and what for? "
It was the Wolf Queen herself, along with her mist trusted henchman.
The fox simply showed her the mer-witch.
" This one? " She came close to her face and moved it a little with her index finger to examine it . Then with a heavy sigh, she turned towards the Fox prince and exclaimed.
" What is the meaning of this? What use do we have of this fish carcass.... "
Her statement was met with a hiss from the mer-witch.
" Well, my lady, she shares the same zeal for revenge as us and she might be a welcome ally in future. And if you remember, we would need someone from her kind to help us in awakening one.... "
" Hhhhhssshh.... "
The Wolf Queen looked around, hushing the Fox prince as if she was scared to death of being .
" Did you already give our entire plan away to this one?"
She asked.
" I had to my Queen. You couldn't be reached at the moment and I needed someone to bring sarcophagus up from under the ocean. The walls were built. The plan could not be or delayed. "
The Fox prince protested.
" She was the one who brought the sarcophagus up? "
This time it seemed from the tone of her voice that she was impressed.
" Yeah, I did... and look what it did to me.... "
She coughed some more blood and the Queen took a few steps back immediately.
" Well.... well.... in that case, we should be replenishing her with the best medicines.... "
She was cut short as the mer-witch yelled,
" I don't need medicine. I need to go back to the water where my body can heal. Just get rid of traitors as quickly as possible. I can hold up till then.... and even if I don't, " she added a pause, " just make sure you bury those witches and that boy beside my grave. I will take revenge from them, even in my afterlife. "
The Queen looked impressed.
" Trust me, I would like the same.But unlike you, I and the prince, still need to continue living the rest of our family. We just can't go there and take those intruders out. We need to make seem as seemless as possible... their demise I mean... that nobody doubts any foul play....
And besides, we have a much bigger goal than just getting rid of them. We have the awakening ..... That awakening that will ensure we have the power over all those who have been and oppressing our beings. "
She added proudly.
" But the poison is getting out of hand. If we are not able to contain the disturbances that it's , I am afraid our secret will be out even before we realise our mission. "
The Fox prince added.
The Queen nodded.
She pulled something out from under her cloak.
" The Spirit Animal conjurer.... "
The fox prince exclaimed.
The Queen nodded.
" Take help from the shaman who helped you hatch the plan. This can be used to call upon the of the one who is sleeping, even before he awakens. Only he can help us reign over the . Only he can subside it. " she said.
" But... but are you sure we will not be traced it we used this?Isn't it kind of sacred?"
The fox prince looked very scared as he held the Spirit conjurer.
" Do not worry. I have taken the required precaution. Don't forget I am the Wolf Queen. I do some power at my home. Just remember to tell the shaman that it can be used only once.
So he should use it wisely and with full precaution. No second chance will be available. I could manage one shot without getting detected by our kingdom. It will automatically return to it's place after you use it once. Remember that well. "