The Shame of Ruthernglan

Diana sat on the bed hugging her knees. Her eyes were fixated on the oil lamp at the table.

The physician already left her house. She was waiting for Wyatt.

Suddenly she remembered about the flame mark the physician was talking about.

Did Ray leave a mark on her forehead?

She stood up and went to the polished metal rectangle she always used to see her face.

In that ill-lit room, she could barely see her face on that metal surface. She looked carefully and slightly tried touching her forehead to see if there is anything.

She couldn't sense anything with the touch either.

"Ray, what did you do to me?", she whispered, as she stroked the center of her forehead.

"Ray?"

Diana was startled by the sudden intervention.

She turned to see Wyatt by the door. "Who's Ray?"

It was too difficult for Diana to read the look on his face.

Was it confusion, anger, or disgust, or the mixture of all three? She didn't know.

"....."

"You must be hiding something from me!"

Diana's head dropped hearing this. Of course, she was hiding so much of the information though there was no particular reason to hide it from Wyatt. Wyatt was not someone who would harm a living being.

Should she let him know the truth first?

"It was a friend, Wyatt!"

"Then who am I?"

"What?"

"If that Ray is your friend, then who am I to you?", his voice had already reached its peak this time. Wyatt had never treated her this way. So why now? He felt so distant.

"Let's calm down and talk, OK?", she tried to placate him.

"I need an answer first, Diana!", he was not ready to let it slide.

"Ok, I'll answer all your questions", she gave in.

"What is there to talk? I can see everything clearly"

"Wyatt!"

"You even have new friends. So I must be someone who doesn't have any value"

"...."

"You have already betrayed me when you entered the Hangrooves."

"Betrayed you? Did you just say that?"

"Of course. You betrayed me!"

When she heard such words coming from Wyatt's mouth, she could feel the shriek of pain in her heart. She was already so confused about the things happening in her life. Her father had already abandoned her. She only had him. If he was also going to leave her, she didn't know whom she could trust. She would be so lost.

"Wyatt, you are one of the most important people in my life"

"Then why did you break the promise in the first place?"

"It was to save you!"

"Save me?"

"Of course, it was you who stepped inside that forest first. Not me. I followed you since I didn't want you to be in danger"

"Then why did you stay there for five more days?"

"....."

"What? You couldn't answer?"

"I couldn't leave"

"What forbade you from leaving?"

"....."

It was definitely her kindness. But she doubted that he may misunderstand. He looked so angry which made her hesitate even more. If it was someone else, she wouldn't even think to talk back, but it was Wyatt. She had to think twice before speaking. She didn't want to hurt him with her words, even more.

"See, you couldn't answer!"

"It's not like that, Wyatt. I searched for you there as well"

"As well? So what else did you do there?"

Diana felt like her head spinning with all these questions. He was not in the right state of mind so she was not sure what to say, what to not say.

Her head ached so much that she had to rub her temple twice.

"I'm sorry, Wyatt! I was wrong this time"

"....."

"I'll explain everything once you are calm!"

Wyatt was still standing in front of her. His breathing had quickened already because of anger.

"Let's talk tomorrow. Is that Ok?", Diana asked in an appeasing tone.

"No need for your explanations!", suddenly the two in that room heard another voice by the door.

"Ruthernglan had already seen enough of your disobedience!"

Wyatt turned to the door with a frown.

Diana could only see a dark shadow by the door. He moved into the light.

The man appeared to be in his late fifties. With a bald head, sharp eyes, and a smirk on his lips, a man entered the room. His magnanimous size made the room appear a lot smaller.

It was the knight of Ruthernglan! The chief of Ruthernglan!

After a minute of silence caused because of shock, Wyatt spoke again.

"What are you doing here, father?"

"I have already warned you that she'll bring disgrace to all the Ruthernglanners. But you never listened to me!"

"Father!"

"This girl doesn't belong here, in Ruthernglan"

Wyatt looked so shocked. "What do you mean?"

"She will be sent with the parade to the Cardended!"

"Cardended? The capital? Why do we need to send her there?"

"Do you think we can withstand the werewolf army? They will attack soon if we keep her here. They could smell her Wyatt"

"Where in Cardended? The palace?"

"Most likely, to the prison!"

"Father!"

The horror in Wyatt's face was so obvious and it hurt Diana very much. She had seen him protect her before, but this time, he looked extremely scared.

"Don't defend her Wyatt"

"But it was not her fault"

"Wyatt, my poor boy. I don't know what she did you gain your trust. Don't trust anyone this easily!"

"Father, Diana is not anyone. Also, she only tried to save me"

"Save you? And you trust that?", the knight maniacally laughed.

"Do you know what that mark on her forehead means?"

Wyatt's head turned in Diana's direction.

"What does it mean?", he asked while looking at her with worried eyes. His voice shook for some reason.

"It means that the wolf had chosen her as his bride!"

Wyatt couldn't say a word immediately. It had started to rain outside a while ago. All Diana could hear was thunder.

"Bride?", Wyatt muttered.

"The wolf will come back for her"

"....."

"Also, that'll put the whole Ruthernglan in danger!"

"But... but father, the wolf king is dead. So... so what a mere werewolf can do against our protection?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it was the werewolf king who enthralled her!"

"What?"

The 'what' thundered in that room followed by another thunder outside.

"She was enthralled by our kingdom's rival king. She is nothing more than a traitor!"

"Father, please don't say such words"

"She is a shame to Ruthernglan!"

"Father, please!"

Wyatt's eyes fell on Diana. She could see that his eyes were already teary.

He desperately looked at his father.

"Father! Father, please. Please don't send her away!", he pleaded.

Diana suddenly remembered the angry Wyatt who fought with her a moment ago. But now, he was begging his father to save her. To save someone who lied to him and broke the promise!

Diana was not scared to go to the prison but seeing him like this was a lot more painful for her. She didn't know when it started, but she was already crying.

'Wyatt, I'll always remember this!', she couldn't say the words out loud, still, she thanked him deep from her heart.

"Wyatt, I'm sorry", she whispered.

"Guards!", the knight yelled.

"Father please", Wyatt kneeled in front of his father, still begging and Diana couldn't move her eyes off him. She was still crying.

"Bring her to the castle!", the knight ordered and without looking back he walked out of the house.

When Diana reached the door, she could hear Wyatt calling her name. "Diana!"

She turned to him and smiled in between her sobs. She knew that every time he had saved her from the punishment he went through something like this. She understood every time he begged or argued with his father!

"Wyatt, I'm going to be fine. Everything will be alright", she said.

"I'll come back to you!", she said and walked out of the room, leaving Wyatt alone.

The confusion which was surrounding her had already started to fade away. She could see clearly. She could see that the wolfman who saved her had chosen her as his bride.

Was it Ray? But why would he do that?

Whatever it is, now Ruthernglan was in danger because of her.

She understood that she should not stay in Ruthernglan anymore.

She could somewhat understand the mystery about that ruby red-eyed man. She was still not so sure if he was Ray. Because Ray never behaved like a human with a sixth sense. He was so pure to be one! Diana felt that he cared for her as well. So she still hoped deep down inside her heart, that it should not be Ray!

Also, she wasn't ready to accept someone other than Wyatt as her husband. If Ray had enthralled her as they say, it doesn't matter. Because she never felt that way towards him.

Her only love and her only home had always been Wyatt. Wyatt had always been her world! Though she realized it a few days ago, it was a bond that grew between them for ten years. No one could easily break this love.

No one could marry her without her consent.

About Wyatt, Diana had already hurt him enough to this point.

She would never hurt him again!

Still, she didn't want the Lanirs to hurt Ray as well. He was innocent in her eyes.

She would definitely find a way to protect both her new friend and her love!