Chapter 6 - The Threat

The huge heavy curtains in the palace of the Kaplawa Clan are elegantly spreading from all the colored glass windows. It does not permit a single sun to gleam from the outside and enter the full-glass palace. 

Extraordinary crystal chandeliers are widely displayed from all over the ceilings. Six-foot ancient jars made of precious gems preserving the ashes of their ancestors are glamorously aligned to each other.

The numerous servants in gothic styled-black long dresses with pale faces and black lips are holding golden trays with crystal plates and fine goblet glasses. Each dish has freshly cut liver and heart embroidered with savory spices topped with scrumptious herbs from their garden. Goblet glasses with freshly squeezed red juices from flavorful fruits of divine mortals are magnificently revitalizing to the immortals.

Members of the clan get their fair share and are satisfyingly full leaving a bright evil smile on their cold-blooded faces with every bite of the special dish and with every gulp of mouth-watering red juice.

"SLLUUURRRPP!!!"   "SLLUUURRRPP!!!" A delicious bite can be heard from all the corners of the palace. Each beast gets excited every time a servant hands them their plate. Their curdling stomach is in the heights with excitement because after hundreds of years, this precious flavorful meat from mortals will give them strength for their next battle.

"How long has it been Father? I have longed for this flavor... freshly seasoned liver from the weaklings. Hundreds of years that my tongue has no choice but to taste the filthy flesh of chickens and goats. This is a celebration of our victory!" Victoria raises her body and extends her blooded arm to give a toast to the clan displaying a wicked smile.

King Angus disagrees with Victoria with his fierce eyes, instead of raising his glass for a toast, he strongly stabs the black marble floor with his black wooden cane which gives chills to the beasts while he remains from his seat, "We lost! Those mortals are nothing but a witness to our defeat! You moved recklessly. WE moved recklessly! Brainless beasts!"

"Who told you to attack and kill the people?! You crossed the line, it is against the law!" King Angus' continues to scold the clan.

"Sir, we did not know that Martin's tribe will come over to save the people. We are confident that we closed all the borders that can lead to Martin's way, it puzzles us how Martin knew about our attacks." Larry steps forward and defends Victoria.

King Angus gruffs loudly, "Huh! So who will be blamed, Larry? I know Martin is threatened and at the same time he gained more power because of people's trust, and that's what you lost. It could have been better if you befriend first the townspeople, give in to their wishes and, make them as bait to Martin."

Victoria bends her head with shaky feet and anguish eyes, "Fa...father, we did not lose but we gained Martin's attention. Isn't this the best trick for their tribe to fully conquer their land and let them be aware of our plan? In that case..."

King Angus cut Victoria's excuses, he thinks that the surprise attack of his clan on the townspeople will let Martin plan to further protect the people and his tribe, "In that case, Martin will safeguard the mortals and will train his tribe to prevent us from future unpredictable attacks. They will be more ready for the next battle."

Nervous Victoria wants to regain his father's trust and show her eagerness to claim Martin's land, she stays close to King Angus and whispers, "Bbb...but father, I plan to trick them. Our members will spread a rumor that our next attack would be more intense and horrible. In this way, the mortals will have no choice but to leave their houses, their town and, their place will be at last in our hands." 

"Hahahhahah! " Ear-splitting laughter from King Angus shrouds all over the place disturbing the crows and owls from the trees as he continues, "You must be forgetting Victoria, that every strong loyal beast soldier and numerous angry werewolves of mine lost their lives trying to claim the power of undefeated Tikaluna tribe. They have been into blood-shedding battles more than you and your members had, trying to impress me that they have the strength to make the townspeople their allies to destroy Martin's tribe. But none of them victoriously brought me Martin's head. None!"

Beasts are crazily eavesdropping on their conversation while clumsily eating their share with their nasty hands.

"Trust me on this one Father, trust me, we will be able to defeat the Tikaluna Tribe, their members will be ours. Their people will be ours, their land will be..."

"Enough!" King Angus does not want to hear Victoria's further plan instead he threatens her, "You know me, I can have a relative killed when their failure resulted in such a humiliation for the clan, but... you deserve a second chance and, this is also your last. If in a month of trying and planning an intense greedy actions of yours to claim the land does not succeed, you and your beasts will turn into useless ashes that are worth to be blown away by the wind."

Victoria smirks without lifting her head as King Angus' speaks and slowly walks away, " Trust me, Father. Martin will bow his head to you, making you the most powerful King of two clans."

Larry follows King Angus' lead but asks his permission to leave and spy on the town. King Angus nods but warned him to be careful when he disguised himself as a human. 

Kaing Angus turned his head to Larry, "Bear this in your mind, a member from Tikaluna tribe disguised as a mortal can still smell your blood. Avoid getting close to people."

Larry bends his head forward to show respect and before King Angus' enters his room he whispers to Larry, "Tell me all about Victoria's plans and I will make you my untouchable right hand."

Larry's eyes beam with desire displaying his hunger for power. He excitingly wants to go to Sabina's arms to share the good news. Only "Sabina The Mermaid"  from the Tikaluna tribe knows his true colors. He does not have to pretend when he is with her. 

He transformed into a 6 foot tall human with fair-skinned tone-muscled arms and dark brown curly hair before he steps out from the palace and goes straight to the river to meet with Sabina.

He slowly dips himself into the cold rushing water of the river and when he suddenly rise...

"Are you waiting for me, my love?" Sabina the mermaid and goddess of the river, teasingly asks Larry surprising him with her presence as he opens his eyes.

His almond green eyes and cherry red lips are beautifully aligned with his handsome pointed nose that lures Sabina to come close to him. He answers with a deep voice, "I miss you, and your presence deeply warms my cold-blooded heart."

Sabina being in a fragile state has no choice but to come closer to Larry. She excitingly swims across to him, gliding her beautiful face into Larry's lower torso up to his upper body, meeting him eye to eye.

She furrowed his forehead while she touches his worried face, "What happened? Are you in trouble after the failed plan of Victoria?"

He lays his soft cherry lips into Sabina's soft youthful hands. Her grayish eyes reveal her dazzling smile and off her pinkish glow under her tawny skin. 

While he runs his fingers through her waist, he pulls her closer to his chest, the gentle wind through the fair-weather blows her light brown hair with golden highlights, the two creatures unveil their heart-throbbing desires for each other creating a placid wind in the forest.

She pressed her lips to Larry's pointed nose down to his philtrum and his tender lips. They kissed gently sharing each other's breath and taste. Their bodies combined gracefully longing for each other's silky touch.  

Suddenly a hustling wind blows through the steamy vapor of the river as green-eyed Victoria peeks from the bulky mossed trees with slick leaves and she mumbles, "Hmmm...Sabina... you are stealing my man..."

Larry embraces Sabina from behind and with weary eyes she utters, "I'm worried my love, what if somebody sees us and knew that we are keeping this relationship for so long. Lord Martin and King Angus will get angry. This is a humiliation to our families. Our lives will be in danger."

Larry turned Sabina's smooth body to face him, he pushes her gently to the huge black rock and answers her with assurance in his lovely eyes, "I won't let anyone ruin our hundred years of being together."

Victoria appears from the huge tree with her jealous eyes and threatens the lovers, "Hahahahah!!! So...you have had this secret relationship for long? I cannot wait to let King Angus knows this." She turns her back and leaves.

With fearful eyes, the lovers were left frozen in anxiety holding each other's arms.