The King's arrangement was something that Logan was appreciating so much. He had ordered for extinguishing some of the torches that were lit to illuminate extra light which wasn't needed when they had big chandeliers all over the roof, filled with so many candles.
Now, that half the torches were gone, the hall was filled with the mixture of yellowish light glowing the tan faces of all the soldiers and the full moon light embracing the youth of the ladies that were entertaining their eyes perfectly.
He walked slowly through the corner, away from the crowd of slow dancers. Moreover, he was now tired of being interrupted by Erasmus whenever he was trying to tell Violet about his strong emotions for her. Even focusing on those ten soldiers only, was more beneficial.
He knew that the King was worried about finding the beast but with this way, he didn't know if they would really find him. They should have searched the woods, dens rather then risking their own lives in this hall. The King should have simply lined up those ten soldiers and could have his seers check them from head to toe, mind to heart and by every other means, instead of just keeping eyes on them and letting them roam freely in the crowd.
Being the only one of those ten soldiers who knew how the King had his special eyes on these ten soldiers only, he was worried. It was obvious how he wasn't the beast. He knew himself and had learned more from the continuous discussion he had heard about the Werewolf.
His messenger duty had helped him in conversing with Erasmus and even the seers with which by now, he would have easily known if he was the wanted beast.
But he wasn't. There were no signs. There was no change.
He wasn't even injured in the war and all he had, was internal pain in his shoulder from a minor attack during the war. But he knew it wasn't healing any time soon like it should if he was the beast. Moreover, he couldn't see any change in his behavior.
He was as charming as he was and as better as he had to be after achieving a post in the council. He mentally smiled and breathed out.
He didn't have to worry because he was sure that it wasn't him. Erasmus knew this and that was why, the boy trusted him enough to share the King's reports with him.
He was almost passing the big windows that would lead to balconies and halted when he saw his woman standing there, peeking through the window at something. He chuckled and walked to her.
She gasped just as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. His heart warmed up and was leaning to give a kiss on her cheek when his eyes watched the sight through the window.
The much awaited couple at the balcony.
Both were lost in each other's eyes while they swayed slowly along the music, under the moon light. If that wasn't enough proof that both the childhood enemies had finally recognized their hatred-coated love, Rodwin kissed Samara on her lips possessively, stealing the daylights out of her as she gasped and chuckled.
"Rivals turned romantics," he commented, making Violet giggle as she nodded. He couldn't describe how happy he was for his best mate who was more than brother to him.
"But what of Nathaniel, now?"
He scoffed and roamed his nose down her neck, "Who cares? Those who have this unbreakable bond, cannot stay apart for long."
He noticed her eyebrows raising as she looked at him amusingly. "But the King can keep them apart. Whenever he wants," she complained playfully while Logan felt the genuine guilt.
"Forgive me, love. But the King is very serious in searching the beast. This is all because of the murders which happened in our village," he told her truthfully.
He watched as she turned serious and turned around to look at him fully. Her eyes filling with curiosity as she palmed his chest and swallowed.
"The-The beast?"
He nodded. "It is a werewolf who is killing the people." He watched as she gasped and looked in his eyes frantically.
"B-But there are no wolves here-"
Logan sighed. "There are wolves in Sherfield, Violet. The Prince has told the story. Didn't he? Erasmus' brother was killed in front of his eyes and whatever traits and features, he had told. The seers are confirmed that it is a werewolf."
Violet gulped when he looked around and leaned more so only for her to listen his words. "Now, that it is clear that those ten soldiers were the only one who had seen or faced the wolves-"
She gasped. "It means that the werewolf is one of those ten soldiers?"
Logan nodded and observed her glancing back at Rodwin. He shook his head. "Because of this assumption, we innocent ones, would be doubted too by them."
Violet looked back at him confused. "We?"
He smiled sadly. "I was there too, Violet. I was one of three who had helped the injured one that night."
Violet widened her eyes. She lowered them and recalled how Prince had confessed that the one who had saved the injured soldier and the wolf was Rodwin. But he had brought two more friends with him. So this meant that one of them was Logan. She looked up at him in disbelief.
"You don't have to be scared, Violet. I am here with you and so is Rodwin." He said while glancing at the balcony.
"But it is just me who knows what King is planning. I am the messenger and have accompanied Lord Commandant all the time. So I know, how it all had happened. The King has discussed it with them about how the wolves must have cursed the soldiers or bit one of them for blood-thirst maybe. Then, he becomes the Werewolf. Now if you reduce me and Rodwin from the list, it is one of those eight soldiers." He exclaimed while Violet widened her eyes.
"I have to show you something," she whispered hurriedly while looking at him.
Logan's eyes narrowed when he saw her forehead filling with sweat beads. "Violet, you don't have to be so scared. I am here with you. What did you see?"
She breathed shakily and held his wrist. "Come. You need to see this."
He looked around and observed that most of the guests had left and the families who were related to those soldiers hadn't left yet. He clenched his jaws when he saw her glancing back at him fearfully.
What had she seen that had scared her so much? Was she doubting any of the soldiers? But there were hundred of soldiers which were recruited and if talking about the special ten which Prince recognized that night, Violet didn't know who the rest of the eight soldiers were.
She took him to the hallways and for once Logan thought of stealing a savage kiss from her. There was no one around but with her face, she looked really scared.
"Violet, first tell me. What did you see?"
She stopped when they reached the end of the hallway where another was beginning. She pointed at the new one. "Take this turn, and you will see."
He gulped and narrowed his eyes. Would there be another body? His skin crawled as he felt shivers down his spine. He held his breaths.
Violet caught his elbow and walked with him slowly as he looked to the long hallway where only two torches were lit, not giving enough light for them to move.
Logan stopped and sighed. "Violet, what is it? Did you see anyone here? Because I don't know what are you trying to show me?"
Violet breathed shakily and shook her head. She pointed at their right on the wall and nodded.
"Look," she whispered while Logan finally turned his head. Chills ran down his spine when he finally saw it. His eyes widened and legs shook in nervousness. He couldn't believe his eyes and the very environment.
At first, he wasn't really serious that the beast could be here. He had thought that he must be in the woods only, looking for innocent ones in the village.
But now he truly believed and was serious about this. He could feel his throat drying in horror. "Lord! I need to inform the King." He whispered to himself.
Just as his own words processed in his mind, he turned to look at Violet. Grabbing her wrist, he started running back towards the Grand hall.
"What if they doubt you?" She whimpered while walking hurriedly along him.
Logan glared back at her and whisper-yelled, "I am not the beast, Violet. I was with Erasmus and now here with you too. I am not the werewolf. I am not killing people. That is why, I don't have to fear them for doubting me because they won't."
Just as they reached the doors of the hall, Logan held her shoulders and looked in her eyes. "Go to Samara and Rodwin. Tell him to reach me near the King's throne. I am going to tell this to the King and we both are the ones reporting him, he will not doubt us even by mistake which he shouldn't. Because none of us is the beast."
Violet couldn't help but shudder and nodded. "Was-Was that really. . . ?" She asked while pointing back towards the hallway.
Logan nodded while giving her a horrified look.
"It was him."
_______
Davis clenched his jaws at recalling how he had seen Rodwin kissing Samara in the balcony. It had been months since he realized his feelings for her and couldn't digest it until he danced with her tonight. First, she was taken by that Nathaniel and now, the best mate of his himself had taken the chance.
He sighed and looked at his mother. "The night is over almost. Let just leave, mother. I am not able to stay awake anymore. I want to sleep." He was even feeling a mild headache.
His mother only gave him an apologetic smile and sat helplessly. He knew that his mother never took his health lightly. Especially, since the day he had returned almost dead. But what could she do when the King's knights were not letting any of the families leave, all of a sudden?
Davis was tired of his pain. He felt weak at the moment and wanted to lie down.
One time, he was the strongest one of these soldiers and now, when he was brutally sick, Rodwin took advantage of his absence and caught Lord Commandant's eyes.
How could he do this to his own best friend? Davis had been the one who was always there with him all the time- whenever he needed money in need, whenever he needed anything.
He was the one who had helped him in teasing Samara even when he himself didn't want to. Logan was equally notorious like him but he was different. He was quiet and never liked mocking Samara because she was right at her place.
But Rodwin had always been stubborn and Davis hated it. He wished how he shouldn't have helped him in manhandling Samara in the street that day before the war. He was the one who broke his rules for his best mate while Rodwin got the kiss that he wanted.
Davis fisted his hands and looked around. His eyes fell on the High Lord's daughter, Ida.
Samuel's woman
His eyebrows raised as all his anger turned into an unknown confidence. Davis swallowed while feeling a thought forming in his mind.
What would be better than to approach the brother first? Moreover, his mother already had good relations with Samara's parents.
He smirked.
He was only thinking about talking to Samuel soon when someone rang the royal gong loudly. Everyone was startled.
Davis got up from his seat as he felt his heart beating faster from the jump scare. Everyone was looking at the throne as the King got up from his throne, wide-eyed.
"My People. I beg you all to just stay where you are. Stay in this hall as we have protection all around the castle and we don't want anyone scattering away because we have gotten the news that someone had felt the beast's presence, here."
Loud gasp were heard while Davis could feel his mother holding his elbow and father touching his back.
"What is happening?" A man shouted while looking back at the Hall's big doors. "My daughter has gone for privacy. She is out there. She doesn't know-" he started running towards the doors while the royals knights tried to stop him.
He was villager and getting angry on them. He kept on glancing back at the King who didn't allow him to leave. "My knights are down there and all around inside the castle. She will be back. You must stay here safe while our seers check the beast's presence. Let us do our work for the welfare of your village."
Davis's eyes narrowing in confusion as he couldn't believe his ears. How was the King so confident about this? He looked around and noticed that only soldiers' which were recruited newly hadn't left with their families.
The whole crowd kept quiet while the man punched the guard. One lady cried out as she ran for her husband. "Let us see our daughter. She is out in the hallways. Unsafe-" she whimpered as the Knight kept holding the man while he sobbed for his daughter.
"Let us get her back," offered two of the soldiers while the King narrowed his eyes.
"I am the one to order here. I have my Knights placed at right places. She is safe. There are more guests who were out there. They are all safe. Let my seers check the places or there will be another death in your village soon," he shouted.
Gasps and whispers roamed around the whole ball room when all of a sudden a girlish scream echoed throughout the castle.
Samara whimpered and held Rodwin tightly. "What was that?" She looked in his eyes and noticed that he was looking angrily at the King.
"He should let the soldiers go. What are we for? What if she is attacked down there?" He gritted his teeth while taking her into the hall, as Violet was with them too, he remembered going to Logan.
"Do not leave the hall. Both of you," he warned the girls who nodded obediently. With a last glance at Samara, Rodwin walked to the throne to accompany Logan who was busy in listening to the Lord Commandant's preparations for catching that beast.
". . . The ropes must be done properly. He would be stronger and have claws which Logan has showed us even. There was a big mark on the iron doors of his claws. Now you can conclude how deadly he is," the Lord Commandant warned.
While the Prince interrupted and said lowly. "The Knights are there to fight him but we need to catch him. To catch him, work up your minds and already choose your suspects. Because if someone down there has scared a young lady for whom some knights would be protecting now-"
"He is someone who is not present here," exclaimed Erasmus while all the soldiers who were collected in front Lord Commandant, stared at him.
The Prince nodded in agreement. "Now, we haven't let any of the soldier's family leave because only the soldiers had their tents near the woods. Rest were away on the borderline to Burnsley Kingdom. Do you all recall?"
All of them nodded obediently and he continued, "Now, look around and create your doubts. Because he was here between us and is now turning under the full moon. Check who is not present here now. Who couldn't control his inner beast?"
He looked back towards the hall and breathed. His father had really planned to tackle this beast for the welfare of the village whose soldiers' and senior Warriors had brought victory to the kingdom. He even had left his wife and children with other relatives safe in the underground chambers until they achieve the purpose.
The Prince was determined to find the beast not just for saving innocent humans but he also wanted to meet the person who was so unlucky or lucky to have been bitten by a wolf. He couldn't define if it was the wolves' anger or their respect for this man.
It was written in the books.
. . . the bite can be a gift, can be the curse. It's like a disease that makes the man sick, cannot be treated. But the suffering will be there and would increase until the man submits to the inner beast. Until the man and beast becomes one. . .
But he knew, it was one of those ten soldiers and it could be any of them, including the two soldiers who were helping in preparing and searching for the so-called beast. He had his eyes on them too.
The Prince breathed enthusiastically while glancing at the full moon that was shining through the balconies. It reminded him of something important immediately. He turned to announce one more thing as he nodded at the King's men.
"Make sure, no one leaves the hall too."
_______
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