Under the moonlight

The first to many

“Damn.” Riven exhaled the words out after finally– finally hearing this journey’s entire purpose. Three days have passed since they left Avalair, camping through the forest and hunting food for the group no more than 10, including the king. Five of them are Garrisons, walking through the woods in full armors alert at all times. It was already midday and in a moment, they would reach the destination, a bridge bordering the 5 poleis and Helike. The scouts traveled ahead, as well as several marksmen positioned in the trees, surrounding human’s side of the bridge.

“At last” Maeve of Kaira rolled her eyes. Riven have been whining the entire time. Asking questions to which no one would answer. The remaining four of the ten were the team of huntsmen; Alexandria, Riven, Maeve, and Nolan of Lecouth.

Despite the situation, Alexandria chuckled. The truth is, leaving Riven in suspense had been her only source of entertainment throughout the journey. She would tell snippets of information to Riven, like ending the war which is then attacked with Riven’s questions of how? and then proceeding to tell him that she would continue tomorrow.

It was revenge for the prank Riven thought back at Avalair, involving water and vinegar. Alexa was furious when he handed her a bottle of what she thought was water after running miles, and then finding out it was vinegar the hard way.

She has warned the team, even the Garrisons, with her eyes when Riven would question the others. While some have been briefed back at the palace, Riven had not been informed since they arrived last. The warning eyes of Alexa have not gone unnoticed by Riven of course, complained about it and at some point, he could only huff in defeat.

Petty are they, like siblings indeed.

After the shock and the conversation subsides, Riven poked at Alexandria’s side, “Alexa”.

“Hmm?”

“Have you seen the way the scout lady looked at you?” Every once in a while throughout the journey, a scout would report back about the situation upfront, if it’s clear or if there were any obstacles along the way.

“What way?” Her eyebrows knit in confusion as she tried to recall how exactly the brunette scout in her mid-20’s looked at her.

“The ‘lay me down on this very grass and undress me’ way” He theatrically said raising his eyebrows repeatedly in a teasing manner.

“What? No, she was not”

“Yes she was” Maeve interjected, nodding her head after overhearing the conversation.

“Really? I haven’t noticed”

“Typical” Riven deadpanned, “You should try switching lanes Alexa, broadens your perspective” He added, raising that eyebrows in that same manner.

Alexa shakes her head in disbelief at that. The reality is that Alexandria herself have never been attracted to the same gender, but she’s not entirely closed off the idea nor is she disgusted by it like some people. After all, Riven had a penchant for men. We can love whoever we want, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, she had once told Riven after he came crying to her, thinking that she would be less accepting– which truly is far from that.

“We’ve arrived” One of the garrisons named Julius have exclaimed, garnering all of their attention to the bridge ahead. The bridge was made of stones and woods, built over decades ago by the looks of it, covered by slimy algae and vines. It is built slightly on top of a small flowing river, which became a border between Helike and the 5 poleis. No one was on the other side though.

“There’s no one sir, I think we should turn back.” A giant dark-skinned garrison said. Alexa remembers him as a remarkable swordsman from the arena she watched many years ago, right before she left the palace as a teenager. He worries that this would be an ambush, or a tactic of the enemy. A chorus of agreement echoes from the group.

“Shh” The king raises his hand open beside his head, gesticulating for them to keep silent.

Once they were silent, bustling and footsteps from the other side of the bridge could now be heard faintly, then gradually getting louder.

When Selene came into view, it was then the time King Azar spoke, “Alexandria of Caelum and Julius, you’re with me. The others stay here and keep watch.” The three of them dismounts their horses and both followed closely behind the king as they approach their end of the bridge and into the center. Selene and two of her people did the same.

“Selene. It is nice to finally meet you” The king spoke. Alexandria was close to rolling her eyes, give it to her father, politics carved in every inch of his soul.

“Do not lie to me. It is not” Selene replied as a matter of fact. This is the first time Alexandria met the Alpha. It was quite disarming, so to speak. She is slightly taller than Alexa, with dark straight hair that’s tucked behind her ears and settle smoothly on her back. She’s got perfectly symmetrical bone structure, pouty red lips, and smooth tanned skin. Her voice soft honey, with just the right touch of rasp.

She’s beautiful…

At the moment their eyes meet, azure blue eyes and Selene’s emerald green. Previous emotions came running back to Alexandria, overlapping the fluttery ones she could not explain nor wants to, till anger and challenge were the only ones she could feel. Alexandria did not glare at her, tried her best not to, but anger must still show in her eyes as she kept Selene’s gaze.

Alexa’s pretty sure the feeling was mutual, after all, she’s killed a lot of werewolves herself. But Selene looked unbothered instead as she switches her gaze to the king, and for some reason, made Alexa a little bit more frustrated.

“Being civil with each other is a great starting point, isn’t it?” The king stated, trying to lessen the tension within the air.

“Funny, does being civil with each other involve needing assassins in the trees? Or are we only civil when you have the leverage?” Selene barked out, fully aware of the marksmen hidden in the trees. That alerted as well the men on her side, stretching their bows and arrows towards the King. An action that garnered Alexa and Julius to unsheath their own swords.

“I assure you, none of us is going to strike first. I only brought them with me as precaution."

“Why would I trust you when you can’t even come here without an army as planned?”

“Because my people needs this as much as yours do, Selene.”

After a few moments, Selene gestured her men to lower their bows, the same time Alexa and Julius were ordered to loosen their grip on their own swords.

“This alliance will solely be on the purpose of defeating a common enemy” Selene adds, “Control your people as I will control mine, one trouble between our species marks the end of this alliance.”

The King of Avalair nodded his head at that. He knows that this alliance wouldn’t be easy, they’ve lost families and friends to the other. But they need to make it work, to not lose more.

“As you know by the letter I sent, we’ve found information on the monsters. Come with us to the fallen castle, it is best that I show you.”

“Why can’t we take this on a common ground?”

The group and the king was of course hesitant to go to the werewolves’ territory. It must have been visible on their faces as Selene added, “Don’t you think trusting each other would also be a great starting point for this alliance to work, your majesty?”

“No, your majesty. We would be outnumbered.” Alexandria spoke for the first time in this negotiation. She has tried to keep silent, afraid of what she might say as she’s a turmoil of emotions. Selene glances at her and raises her eyebrows up, “Does that frighten you? Alexandria of Caelum?” Selene taunts.

Alexa glares at her and challenged, “You have requested for me to stay within your line of sight. Do I frighten you?” Selene may not be the Alpha who commanded the m******e on that village, but she is the current representative of the werewolf species, and Alexa hates them. Alexandria thought she saw Selene’s lips twitch into an amused smile for a fraction of seconds, gone as fast she might as well have imagined it.

“We will come with you Selene,” Azar answered, raising his hand in an order when Alexa was about to interrupt, “but I will bring most of my men present here, and that includes those on the trees, while some will go back to Avalair to report in my instruction that if we do not return unharmed, my people would rain fire on yours.”

Selene nodded at that, she knew trust is something built overtime. She cannot rush it, even if she may have pushed the king’s buttons previously. Precautions, for now, will do.

“Lead the way”