The Mission

Because of his own determination and ingenuity, the brown wolf had managed to reach the wall of Oblivion while the tide was still going down. He had nearly gotten caught as he approached the wall, but he was dead set on meeting his goal.

The climb on the aged stone was terrible. He was not accustomed to using his claws in such a manner and they kept catching on the rocks, causing him to lose his temper and growl.

Thankfully for him, the wolf had found a blind spot in the northeastern watchtower which allowed him to ascend the wall unnoticed. If he survived, he would have to tell the others about this route so they would also be aware.

Finally pulling his head above the crenellations, the wolf peeked around to make sure no one was watching him. A lone figure was walking on the platform in a cloak. As if sensing his presence, the figure turned around, and the monster barely had time to duck back below the edge of the wall.

It was not yet time to reveal his presence. If he did, it would likely all be over before he could complete his mission. He was sure the other wolves would rejoice at his failure, thus he could not make any mistakes.

For certainly, the other wolves thought he would fail. They had mocked him. But he would show them that he had been underestimated. Being gangly did not equate to being weak.

After a moment, the monster peeked over the wall once more. The figure had moved on, and he was free to move past. As a slight drizzle began to fall, the wolf ducked into the tower to plot his next move.

He had anticipated having to evade a guard. But oddly, no one was in the tower. Looking around he realized it made a perfect place to hide. The plan all came together in the creature's mind. He would wait until dark and make his move. No one would suspect a wolf to already be in the walls. It was the perfect time to complete his task.

The brown canine lamented that he had been unable to execute his mission the previous day when he had seen the humans on the shore. If his efforts had worked, he wouldn't be soaking wet now.

Rubbing his muzzle, the wolf whimpered softly. It still hurt where the Guardian had wrapped him with the cord. He would not let the insult go unanswered.

Tucking himself into a narrow alcove in the round tower, the wolf had a perfect spot to watch and wait. It did not take long before his ears perked up as someone approached.

His pupils dilated as the very person he was seeking walked into view and stopped directly in front of him. His plan had worked better than he could possibly have hoped. Without warning, his breathing became frantic.

The time had come. One way or another, it would all be over soon.

——————-

Walking along the pathway at the top of the wall, Mairwen felt horrible about the way she treated her father. She had lashed out against him when they were actually on the same team.

'Father wasn't trying to hurt me. He was only trying to protect me. I would probably do the same thing in his shoes,' Mairwen reflected.

The princess has been acting rather unpredictable even for her. Mairwen prided herself on acting rationally, but lately her emotions kept taking control. It was unsurprising that her father wanted her out of harm's way when she wasn't acting as she normally would.

"You've been being more than a little crazy…" The princess paused and looked over her shoulder to see if anyone had heard her self-criticism, but the battlement was surprisingly empty. It was just as well; Mairwen did not need additional rumors spread that she had lost her mind.

The princess continued her walk in silence. 'Put aside your emotions and think!'

When she finally calmed her nerves and thought logically, Mairwen could admit that it didn't make sense to try and go after Renat herself. The wolves had seen her lurking about yesterday. Surely they would be on the lookout.

If the princess tried to return to the same spot to pick up the trail, the monsters could easily ambush her. Mairwen would be putting herself, Eira and Junayd in danger if they had let her go through with her plan. Really, she had dodged a catastrophe.

But as right as her father had been for shutting down her plan, his plan was also wrong. Devrim hoped to hide his daughter safely away, but she wasn't a child anymore.

The young woman was married and her husband was missing. Mairwen couldn't run away like some scared little rabbit just because things were about to get harder. She was a warrior!

Putting aside her emotions, this was the core of the issue. Mairwen could not stand aside while others fought a battle for her. The blue-eyed woman would contribute to the defeat of her enemies, one way or another.

'I'll talk to Father and we will get it worked out somehow. He has enough to worry about without adding me to his pile of problems.'

Mairwen turned around to find her father. But as she scanned the wall, the princess noted that Devrim had already gone. In fact, the part of the battlement on which she walked was almost completely clear of people.

'How strange!' She walked a little further to find a way off the wall, but the next exit was quite a ways off. The tower behind her was still much closer.

Just then, moisture fell against her cheeks. It seemed the overcast clouds had just a little bit of rain left in them. As it was only a light mist, the princess was not worried that it would slow down the draining of the valley, however it was cold and unpleasant. With just a little drop in temperature, it would easily turn to snow.

'I better get inside before I catch a cold.' Mairwen turned back and sought out the nearest watchtower, in search of shelter. The fortification was empty. Although the princess scanned for the soldier on guard, the soldier was nowhere to be found. She was alone.

The princess sighed and went to look out of the window of the round tower to keep watch herself. The weather was gloomy, but not nearly as bad as it had been on the night of the storm. She wondered if the wolves and lizards would wait to attack until the weather was more certain.

It was too bad they didn't have magical creatures to fight on her side this time; it would be much easier if there were more than just human forces inside Oblivion. Even a Fate or two would have made a massive difference to the security of the fortress.

"Where are you when we need you, Hanna?" Mairwen said aloud, hoping the Fate would hear her somehow. The strange ethereal creature always seemed to appear when she was least expected.

The princess felt a presence behind her, and a wave of relief washed over her. "You came!" she exclaimed, "Oh Hanna, I have been such a mess…" the princess explained as she turned around, expecting to see Hanna's glorious visage before her. She stopped short.

To her horror, Mairwen found not a beautiful, blue skinned woman, but a ferocious, brown wolf.

"Princess," a guard yelled to Mairwen as he returned to his post, "Watch out!"

The brown wolf turned on the soldier, using his massive paw to hurl the guard against the wall. The soldier didn't even have a chance to draw his sword before his head hit the rounded stones, knocking him unconscious.

Because of the powerful display by the monster, the whole struggle had taken less than a moment.

Turning back to the princess, the wolf bore his sharp, canine teeth. His eyes were wild as he stalked toward her.

Mairwen pulled the hidden knife from her dress and held it up to defend herself.

"Help!" She screamed, almost sure no one outside the tower could hear her. Planting her feet, the determined woman prepared to fight. "Stay back!"

Really the princess knew there was nothing she could do against the strong creature, but the dark-haired woman hoped to at least prevent it from hurting someone else before she died.

The monster growled, his lips rippling along his jagged teeth. It would all be over quickly…

Then something strange happened. The wolf's vision suddenly came into focus, his brown eyes looking at her with a hint of confusion.

Exhausted, the wolf fell to the ground. "They're coming," he rasped. "The wolves, the lizards and more…you have to be ready. Please. You must listen!"

A monster looked on the verge of passing out. He had worked so hard to deliver the message, and now his job was complete.

Mairwen's grip around the knife loosened until it clattered to the ground. She looked in stunned silence at the creature before her. The news he brought was indeed dire, but that is not what caught her attention.

The Princess's chest burned as one question escaped her lips.

"Renat?"