Chapter 28: Chapter 28

TWO DAYS LATER

ADOLPH

“Let her in…”

His hands by his sides, as he sat atop his throned steel chair, Adolph exhaled loudly as he awaited the arrival of Agatha, the thousand years old witch.

The self acclaimed, long lived witch who had seen decades but was still not dead.

When she had sent the request to see him, he had been so surprised, in shock even and curiosity filling him up, he had accepted her request.

Sending the royal messenger back to her, with some goodwill too some days back, she had received it well and she had set today to be the day of their meeting.

Heads raised up, Adolph cleared his throat, the same time the large gold plated door that housed the castle’s throne room burst open.

He blinked twice, summoning all the courage as he stood up in respect, while Agatha walked in.

She screamed so much power and elegance, her long robe dragging itself atop the tiled marbled floor.

“Welcome to Keanu Clan, Agatha.” Adolph greeted, the words flowing out of his lips without him thinking.

She was now standing in front of him, and as he raised his bowed head, Adolph could see that the strong but agile looking woman had a smile up her lips.

He was surprised, to say the least.

Before she had arrived, he, Fenris and Connor who were by his side now, had conversed within themselves.

They had talked about the long aged witch, the three of them expecting to see some frail looking wicked human, but the figure standing in front of them was far from any description they’d had of her.

She looked young, quarter her age, and she stood sturdy, her eyes roving the spacious room.

Adolph shot a glance at Fenris and his second in command Connor, but they had their face straight looking ahead, and leaving him to face the witch all by himself.

The atmosphere was already becoming tense, and Adolph cleared his throat trying to diffuse the silence as well as proceed with the supposed meeting.

Snapping his fingers, two of his guards appeared and he began to instruct them to get some refreshments for Agatha, when she finally said something, cutting him gangway through the orders.

“What are you doing mister?”

Her voice was just as soft as she looked, and the way she had pronounced the word ‘mister’ sounded sarcastic even to his ears, he was tempted to burst into laughter.

Damn! He was supposed to be serious, but he was actually behaving and feeling the opposite.

He was supposed to be in awe of this woman here, this spiritual being but…

“You would need some refreshments of course. Decided to get some for you.” Adolph said, clearing his throats and thought after a while, a smile lighting up his face.

“Abomination!” Agatha spatted out, her loud voice echoing around the room and startling the shit out of Adolph who straightened instantly.

Eyes raised at the guards standing beside Agatha, he motioned at them to leave and then he dragged his gaze back at her.

Now, she was looking serious, a hand on her white staff as she bummed silently.

Adolph didn’t need a soothsayer or someone to tell him, that the lady was conversing with the gods seemingly, and for some minutes he kept mute, hands folded behind him as he watched her.

“To what do I owe this pleasured visit?” He questioned, the minute she looked at him, her serious countenance changing.

“Birthing of children hmmmn…” She began, and Adolph watched her curiously, his ears perking up at her every word.

Her eyes were closed now, and just when Adolph opened his lips to question her statement, a full blown speech flew right out of her lips.

Not a speech though, but a prophecy.

One that sent chills all through Adolph’s body, and made the whole atmosphere tenser than it had ever been.

“On your 35th birthday, if you don’t meet your her, you wouldn’t see the next morning.”

His lips dropping open gobsmacked, Adolph felt like someone had pour him a bucket of ice cold water freezing his sense of speech.

He couldn’t even talk, as he listened to Agatha continue with her prophecy.

For someone who had stepped into the room with a smile on her face, the words coming out of her lips were the least things Adolph would have expected.

To say he was shocked was putting it lightly, and he blinked twice as he heard her go on and on about the doom that awaited him in two years time.

It was not two years anymore, because he would be clocking 34 soon, apparently on the next full moon, as time was ticking fast.

“…Your seed is infertile, it’s dead, and worse of if you don’t mate with this woman before your 35th birthday, then you would be off to the land of the dead.”

Her words cutting through him, Adolph instantly remembered the curse that had been laid upon him when he was little.

‘This so called woman, who held the key to his life right now, was not his mate. She was someone that would never fall in love with him.’

To make matters worse, he had not seen her before and as he stared dazedly at Agatha Adolph couldn’t comprehend the words to give her.

His hands gripped the side of his seat tightly, as he plopped his ass on the soft couch, his mind wandering.

He could hear Fenris saying something to him, Connor mumbling some incorrigible words, but he paid no heed to what was being said, as the only thing he thought of was the fact that he had little or no time to live.

How would he cope? What would he tell his mother? He could only imagine the pain she would go through loosing him, after loosing his father, and now…

Anger instantly coursed through Adolph, and he shot to his feet instantly.

Rushing forwards towards Agatha, not afraid of what she could do to him, Adolph belted out, “Why me? Why fucking me!” He roared out loud.

He was panting now, his chest heaving and in seconds he could feel the hands of Fenris around him, seemingly wanting to console him, but Adolph wrestled himself out of his grasp.

“What kind of fucking curse is this?” He vented out, his emotions in full display as he broke again asking the question that made his chest clench, “I have been searching for this lady, in the past 33 years of my existence. Every damned woman I meet, I feel nothing for them. Okay, I came home, I had a mate, poor Melissa who is seemingly tied to me and I had to free her of our bond, because she had gone through so much…”

He paused getting his bearings, before looking straight into the old woman’s eyes and continuing, “I let her go, because I didn’t feel any single thing for her, and now I’m all alone. Who is this lady? Can’t the gods do something to help me? Give me a hint as to the woman I’m looking for and save me all this stress!”

Adolph heaved a huge breath out, as he made this statement.

His frustration was evident, and even though Connor had his hands on his shoulders, squeezing gently and trying to control him, he still had so much anger in him.

He was damn tired.

He looked up at Agatha, the witch, waiting for her response but she kept mute as usual.

Fists clenched, Adolph opened his mouth ready to say something when she finally said, a smile on her face, “The gods are not saying anything. When you see her you’d know. She’s a rather interesting being… hmmmn...” Agatha sniffed, “Seems she’s close by and…”

“How would I fucking know?” Adolph rasped out, after she abruptly stopped, and shrugging his shoulders, he let go of Connor’s hold, making his hands drop down.

“I’m seeing the dark mist of sorrow, hovering over you too. This is not part of my message, but all I have to say to you is that…” The old woman paused before continuing, “You have to be careful.”

“What dark mist of sorrow? What are you freaking talking about?” His voice was loud this time, and he heard Fenris say to him in a calm voice, “You have to take it easy Adolph.”

“I’m done with my messages. The gods have spoken and I have delivered. Time to leave…”

Adolph watched as the agile witch, swiveled around and not saying anything to him, she started to leave the room, her heavy wooden staff clanging noisily on the floor.

He watched as Fenris hurriedly followed her, and a futile sigh escaped his lips as he roughened his smoothened gel hair.

“Fuck!” He screamed out loud, kicking the chair close to him, trying to vent out his frustration.

“Adolph… Adolph…” He heard Connor call out, obviously trying to soothe and pacify him, but Adolph was having none of it.

This woman, this watch had come with some dreaded news.

His life, was now a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode and so was he.

“Arghhhhh…” He yelled, his voice echoing around the room, as he proceeded to leave the throne room in anger.

This was not what he had been expecting to hear, but the news was even worse than anything he could have heard.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Adolph mumbled, as he briskly marched out of the room in anger, with Connor hot on his heels.

He was tired, so freaking tired, and done!

…….

DACIANA

“Sister!” The words flew out of her lips, the heavy bucket of water in her hands dropping to the floor, as she rushed to hug Ruby.

Ruby, her Ruby was standing just in front of her, smile atop her lips and arms widespread.

Daciana couldn’t believe her eyes.

She blinked her lids twice, eyes red as tears streamed down her face.

She was trying so hard to believe that Ruby had come for her, and as she ran all the way to hug her, she kept punching her hands to wake herself up from this slumber but it wasn’t a dream.

It was real, and squeezing her body tightly, once she got close to her, Daciana let out a whimper.

“No… no Ruby. I can’t believe this.” She muttered, dragging her face reluctantly from her arms as she stared into the eyes of her sister.

Only this time, it was not Ruby.

It was Helene… she was hugging Helene and the wicked woman was looking down at her with so much hostility and spite.

What the fuck did this mean? Daciana asked herself, her hands instantly dropping down as she stepped back in fright.

Just as she took a step back, Helene stretched out her hands, and pushed her, making her fall helplessly to the floor.

Letting out a scream, Dacian yelled as she hit her back on the floor and then…

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” Daciana opened her eyes instantly, gasping for life in the dark cold room, as she sat upright from her mat.

She had been dreaming yet again! One of this bad dreams she frequently had, and her heart tightened in pain.

As usual, reality was staring straight at her in form of the dimly lit room she was in, and the sounds of rat and cricket prancing about the room.

She felt a mosquito sting her arms and clapping back at it, she killed the messy little insect, drawing blood.

The tears she had no idea had been stuck at the back of her eyes, flew down her face again, and lying back on her parched mat, Daciana sniffled.

Another night again without Ruby’s comforting arms, or soothing voice singing her lullabies.

Another night, without her sister and best friend by her side.

Sometimes she wondered if Ruby now had a better life of somewhere, and had forgotten all about her just like that.

What about the promises to come back for her? Daciana thought yet again, as she counted the days, or months rather in her head.

It had been three months, four months or was it just a month since Ruby left? She had no freaking idea.

She didn’t check time in here, everyday praying that dark would reach and the day would be over.

Over for her, as it would mean that she was free from Helene and her wicked daughters.

All these thoughts, they gave her nothing but deep rooting migraines and headaches but still she couldn’t get them out of her mind.

Her heart squeezed painfully, this time it felt like needles were piercing deep in them, and curling up like a ball, Daciana wrapped her arms round her body and cried her heart out.

She missed Ruby! She missed her sister so much…