The Soothsayer

Everyone just stared at the strange lady. Her skin looked like shrivelled up prune. Anyone would easily guess her age to be 200 or 300 years old. Her cane was fashioned out of a branch of a tree. To everyone's surprise, the branch had green sprouts all over. How the tree was alive no one could guess.

Alder helped her walk in and made her sit next to himself. Everyone had so many questions. No one was allowed to sit in council meetings, then why was this old woman allowed? Who was she? All looked at each other no one had the answer. So, everyone stared at Alder for answers.

"Everyone I called this meeting to discuss some extremely important things. But first please welcome a very special guest. Everyone, this is, Augur," announced Alder.

"What!!" shouted everyone. They had all heard about Augur. They knew who she was, yet no one had seen her. She was a mysterious yet extremely famous person.

"You all know her as the soothsayer who is never wrong. She told Seth about his future and this war was his attempt to change his future," said Alder.

"But how did you find her? It is impossible to find her," said Morgana.

"I didn't…" Alder said.

"I found him," Augur completed the sentence.

"What!!! How? Why?" asked Consuela.

"I had to meet her," Augur looked at the kid in Morgana's hands. All looked at the baby and then at Augur. What was she talking about?

"What are you talking about?" asked Margaret.

Augur stood up and placed her stick next to the kid. The stick started glowing. The sprouts grew a little. "She has come!" smiled Augur.

All were shocked by what they saw. They saw the stick growing with their own eyes yet it was impossible to believe. Augur immediately bowed down to the kid.

"What is her name?" asked Augur.

"Deidra, her mother told me that the kid's name is Edwina," said Opaline.

Augur smiled, "the name suits the child."

"What do you mean? Tell us what the meaning of all that, all that happened with your stick is. Why did it glow? Why did it grow?" asked Nolan.

Augur smiled at everyone lovingly and went back to sit down in her seat. "Can I have a glass of water? I have been walking for long to meet this child."

Gadburg stood up and brought a glass of water for her. After she gulped the water, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked at everyone. She was ready to tell her tale.

"One day a wolf found me. I have no idea how did he find me but he said that he wanted to know about his future. He was the brother of a Luna. He wanted to know if he could gain more power in future or if his pack would be the best among all others. He just wanted power," narrated Augur.

Consuela understood that they were talking about her brother, Seth. It broke her heart when he was exiled but she started hating him when he went into a killing spree. She thought he could be redeemed but she was wrong. Her brother was gone, and a murderer took his place. She did all she could to fight with him, she even got hurt but she didn't mind that Seth too was hurt. At the back of her head, she wanted to see him die. She didn't want anyone else to suffer because of him.

"Don't think about him!" consoled Augur and looked at Consuela. All looked at her. How did Augur know what Consuela was thinking?

"He is gone now. You cannot do anything. You never made him do anything. It was his fault that instead of changing himself, he decided to change his future," said Augur.

"Why are you talking in riddles, please tell us what do you mean?" asked Markway.

"As I said he just wanted power. I told him that going down that path was dangerous, if he didn't want his downfall, he should change his ways and be better. He asked how will it be dangerous and then I told him about a baby. A baby that was about to be born: a newborn baby with white hair who would have the 'glow of the moon goddess' would be born soon. The baby will have all the blessings of the moon goddess. That baby would be extremely lucky, wherever she would go, luck and prosperity would follow.

"She will be the reason for Seth's downfall. She will be the reason why Seth would be torn apart. She would take away all his power. Whoever has the baby will be the luckiest one and the baby will choose them on her own. That's why the stick glowed and grew. It was moon goddess power within her. Whenever she would be in danger, the moon goddess will protect her or will send someone to protect her. After Seth heard about his downfall, he tried to change his future and went on a rampage to kill every newborn baby. He didn't care if the baby had white hair or not. He simply lost his mind.

"I tell you this. You all worked together and succeeded because of her. She is the blessing of the moon goddess. In short, she is the daughter of the moon goddess." Everyone gasped. "This child brought all of you together and till she would be in the pack, the pack will flourish and be the most powerful. And Alder will be loved as king. Edwina's mate would be the most powerful being in the world but only after mating and marking her."

"Is this possible?" asked Nolan

"Yes, it is possible. Who has been taking care of the baby?" asked Augur.

"I have," said Opaline.

"Then you must be her mother. You must take care of her and soon moon goddess will grant you with a special gift. My blessings are with you," said Augur.

"What if we want to take care of the baby?" asked Margaret. After she heard that the baby would be lucky, she didn't mind her skin tone after that. She wanted the baby for herself.

"Give her the baby," announced Augur.

"What?" snapped Opaline. All were taking her baby away from her.

"Trust me!" said Augur and Opaline sat down. Morgana handed Edwina to Margaret. To everyone's surprise, the silently sleeping kid started crying. She wailed and wailed and when Opaline took back the kid, she stopped crying. She fussed a little and went back to sleep.

"She chose you, Luna Opaline. You will be her mother," announced Augur.