Women were filling the water in their household pots, where he had washed the blood off his dagger last night.
Samara looked carefully around the muddy mess that always would happen when the well would get busy. No one could see the red that she had seen last night.
She peeked for once inside the well, finding nothing but clean water they all relied on.
". . . Congratulations! Samara."
She jumped up and turned around to smile at a woman in her neighborhood. "Your mother sent us sweets this morning. You are betrothed to Rodwin, what could be a good news than this?"
Samara smiled when other women wished her the same too. She looked around and gulped when they asked her to show her ring.
She raised her hand, showing them the ring. "It's his mother's."
They all awed at the sight and blessed her with beautiful compliments. Some said that she was lucky to have such a muscular man to protect her all time. Some said that his love for her was always visible in his eyes.
She smiled at their words and brought her home the pot filled with water. The same water that Nathaniel had used to clean his knife, last night.
Getting out of the kitchen, a knock appeared on their door. Samara looked back in the backyard, seeing her mother washing clothes with warm water. She shook her head, how days ago she was sick and now she couldn't just give herself some leisure to stay well.
"Samara!"
She raised her eyebrows, walking towards the door to open it quietly.
"Violet," whispered Samara with eyes full of curiosity. "You won't believe what happened."
Violet glanced at her ring and teased, "I know everything. The women are all talking about it."
"No," Samara smiled lowly. "That is some good news. By God's grace, I am this close to become his wife any soon."
Violet nodded in amusement while sitting on a chair of their dining table.
"But," Samara's smile faded. "I saw Nathaniel last night."
Her feet turned cold, Violet asked immediately. "With a lamb again?"
Samara glanced back at her mother from far and gestured for Violet to follow to her bedroom. Reaching there, Samara closed the door and told Violet everything about Nathaniel's adventure and Pylas's story too.
Violet was fascinated with Pylas and at the same time angry at Nathaniel.
"We should already claim him as the beast. Who dares to invade the only place that is forbidden at night? He goes with a goat. He wants to lure the beast. He is not some wizard to come back alive every night. There is something happening," said Violet while clenching her jaws.
Samara nodded while shaking her head. "Maybe, the blood was of the goat. He must have cut it this time to serve the meat directly."
"What difference would the dead meat do to the scenario?" Violet argued, holding her head. "He is so sick in the head to do that every night. I can't dare to get out of even my bed at night."
Samara could relate very well when she herself was suffering the horrors last night.
"Father has gone to the castle, this morning. He said, he will stay there tonight as the King is planning something."
Samara gasped, "That means, my father, Samuel and Rodwin will stay there too?"
Violet shook her head. "I don't know. But I am glad, some work is in progress. At least, they are all trying to think."
Samara nodded, quietly. Her mind was so blown by last night's event, she couldn't think much about anything else.
"Did I tell you that Logan had saved me that night when the beast had caught me?" Violet asked while sitting on Samara's bed.
Samara nodded. "Yes. That he took you on horse and then, left you at your home. His friend Erasmus was also there."
Violet blinked while telling, "Erasmus had cleared one of my doubts. He said that the soldier won't shift on a mere remand. A torture is needed to exaggerate his emotions. The extreme emotion will arise the urge to shift. That is what happens when the inner beast feels trapped inside the body. He said that the Werewolf came to the residential area because he was following some scent that he must have found alluring."
Violet lowered her eyes. "I feel as if the attack on myself, that he wanted to after I threw that stone to save you. His attack is pending on me and which is why, he remembers my scent. Of all nights, why would he come to huts and find me specifically."
The extreme emotion can arise the urge to shift.
Samara's heart curled inside her chest. "If that is the thing, than the beast was hovering me when you saved me in the castle. And he did come to my backyard. Is my death pending too according to him?"
Violet's lips parted as a sudden plan clicked in her mind.
"What did you say?" She whispered while looking at the wall. "You are right, he came for you too. Then it means, he must have following the scents when he came to the residential area."
Samara's spine chilled at the glassy look in her eyes. "Violet, whatever you are thinking is dangerous?"
Violet glanced at her. "He has met us two times. He knows our smell. He will do it again if we loose ourselves vulnerable to bring him to us."
"You have gone mad," said Samara, afraid of even imagining what she was signing for.
Violet widened her eyes while smiling in enthusiasm. "I have gotten my silver knife made. You will hold the fire torch. We can protect ourselves and lure that beast to ourselves. There must be something to distract him. And then we can attack him by silver and fire. I am sure, he will come following our scent."
Samara shook her head, stunned. "I am not going to do anything like that."
"Haven't you said that day? That if you can't find him, you'll make him find you," argued Violet while standing up to walk towards her. "If this beast is caught, all of ours life will be at peace."
"But we shouldn't go alone," said Samara while twitching her lips. "We must need some expert in fight."
"I will tell Logan to accompany us."
Samara stared at her. "Don't you doubt him anymore?"
Violet smiled at her. "Don't you remember, he was there with me when we together had witnessed the beast running away towards the forest?"
Samara nodded in sudden realization. "You are right. But how will we attack the beast immediately? I have seen him. He is so scary that your body turns numb at the sight of him. I will end up dying. And I don't want to die before living an eternity as Rodwin's wife."
Violet chuckled while patting her shoulder. "Do not worry, we will be alerted. Just moments ago, I was saying that I couldn't get out of bed and now, I am making this plan. Maybe, I truly believe in my silver knife. Or it is frustration to kill that beast."
Samara twitched her lips while sitting on her bed. She felt scared for going to the forest. How would she even escape her brother and parents?
"You do not worry, Samara." Violet said while going towards the window. She looked for some loops or hooks. "See, the kitchen's window can help you in getting out of the house. Just jump on the roof and then on the stable's corner. No one would know."
"Will it be worth it?" Samara asked while looking at her friend. "Why are you so involved in this mystery, Violet? My brother is in the doing. My soon to be husband is also in doubt. But why you? Logan is now out of the suspect list."
Violet took a long breathe while staring at her friend. "Because I have seen that beast running after me. I have ran like a mad woman to save my life. I wouldn't want someone else to suffer that. Do you want our village to forever get submerged in this horror? This tale of the soldier of sins has to end."
Soldier of sins
Samara's eyes widened in shock and Violet had observed that. "Wait," she whispered while covering her mouth in wonder.
Getting up, Samara walked towards her cupboard. Hidden beneath her folded chemises, she brought out the two books and closed the cupboard.
"Did I tell you that Pylas wanted to become a soldier after finding that treasure for his village?" She asked Violet, making her mouth part in a shock.
"Could it be. . ." Violet whispered while reaching the bed and watching Samara turning the pages of the book about Sherfield, hurriedly. ". . .that this incident happened with a soldier of our village is related to. . ."
"Pylas?" Samara gulped while reaching the page where she had left the reading last time. "Let's find out."
Violet gulped before looking at calligraphy and listening to her friend reading it, fearfully.
"Wake up, Pylas. Wake up," said his father, shaking him up. His eyes opened as he stirred and immediately straightened up to stare wide-eyed at his dead father."
Samara looked up when she heard some women's laughter from down the colony.
"Ignore them and read, Samara!" Violet shrieked in a whisper.
"H-How?' Pylas asked the man who looked like his dead father. "I am the interpretation of your deepest thought, Pylas." His father smiled, with tears in his eyes. "I never knew, my son is a hero. You risked your life for the welfare of your village."
"Pylas gulped, staring at his old father. He missed him since the day he had lost him. He had died in sickness. His father was a proud soldier in the army of the King in the East."
Samara exchanged a shocked glance with Violet who shook her head at him as if not wanting to listen ahead.
"But I haven't done anything, I failed." Pylas had tears in his eyes. "This was a fraud. A rumour. The treasure is nowhere. There is no treasure here. No coins, no pearls. There are bones of people," he cried. "So many men lost their lives in search of the treasure. And I am going to be one of them."
His father smiled while sitting in front of him. "Treasure is finding yourself, Pylas. You have lived in between the deadliest wolves without offending them. What could be achievement higher than this one? They too want you to find the treasure."
Pylas was shocked and scared. "I don't know what to do from here," he said while wiping his tears. "If I get out, the wolves will kill me. If I stay inside, my bones will be there in the pit very soon."
Samara gulped while turning the page.
"His father held his hand, tugging at it to make Pylas stand up like him. "The wolves are protecting a treasure for the rightful owner. Do you think, you are the rightful one? An Alpha male."
Pylas shook his head. "If only I knew the eligibility. The wolves are being loyal to the dead owner of the treasure. If there actually is one. . ." His father tugged on his hand, walking towards from where he had come inside. Back towards the entrance.
"If you get out of this tunnel with treasure in your one hand and life in other, you will become a great soldier in the King's army. You could just keep the treasure and not tell anyone?" His father suggested, glancing at him.
"Pylas laughed sadly. 'What will I do of so much riches? As a soldier, I will do my duty, serve my King. Treasure is for the people. I will distribute it to them or might deposit it to the King." He replied.
His father smiled at him. "Do you remember what I had told you to always be?"
Pylas nodded with tears in his eyes. "Brave and Kind. That's what I have always try to be father."
"I am proud of you, Pylas. You have been my good boy," he said while looking at the wall. "Do you see these writings?"
Finally, Pylas realized that there was no light around but a spark from his father's soul coming to let him see around. He shook his head at his father."
Samara turned the page and was thrilled to see some lines written specifically.
"A man believe in taking what was his,
Years of learning, years of earning,
A man believe in collecting what was his,
Years of mining,
pearls and gems shining
the bones of culprits,
the sins hidden in armpits;"
Violet narrowed her eyes at the lines.
"He made his laws, with major flaws.
With hard work, he bought the pearls
He brought them home,
saw his wife and offsprings gone.
Pain is poverty's mate,
they were supposed to wait,
The misery had won,
Where hope needed to be drawn."
"Samara?" They both exchanged a glanced at her mother's call. It was faint, so she must still be downstairs. But Samara didn't stop.
"What of a treasure, he couldn't save them.
What of a life, he couldn't gave them.
He buried the gold, he buried the pearls.
Buried himself inside.
Will take the treasure to sons up there,
on the father they so relied.
Hiding the riches is not of ease,
Under the mud, the land full of grease."
Violet immediately put hand on the page and exclaimed, "He hid the treasure."
Samara gulped while continuing the lines.
"It is not a keep, but a protection.
Requires a brave action.
It is put on lease, Burdened by misery,
broken by remorse,
someone brought you to this cave,
some great force.
The prize for the courage,
take as the time matures.
Pay the cost to wolves,
So their world soars.
O' brave and kind Alpha,
Let the treasure be yours."
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"What do you think?"
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I can't express with words how much this story is close to my heart. ❤️