CHAPTER FOUR

A couple of years later, a lot had changed in both Melnyk and Baku’s lives, Melnyk thought about it, some were good memories, while most were the opposite, the latter side still gave Melnyk sleepless nights, but the top of it all was the passing away of his father. He thought of his father as a great warrior that restricted himself, he saw his father as someone who could conquer the world but choose to conquer only his mother’s heart. Coward wasn’t the best of words to choose while describing his father but Melnyk found himself settling for that even though deep down his heart. He was certain that his father was far from being a coward. Melnyk believed that to describe his father, he will have to find a word that settles between brave and coward, brave because he had tried numerous times to change what his forefathers had spoilt and a coward for he did not try his very best, even though in future he will come to regret ever thinking low of his father.

  Melnyk came to understand that his father had struggled to make peace with the humans, he knew his father wanted to fight but he believed the old man had so much to lose. But then he settled for nothing.  He chose to walk in the path of his grandfather and father which was settling for less when they could do so much more. 

This was not what Melnyk wanted,  the young soldier who had been undergoing training with Lord Dorma for quite a long time, wanted more, he wanted to see all the kingdom united, he wanted to see the Werewolves being the strongest side when they face the humans. 

Melnyk wanted to achieve something that the thought alone made others shiver and have shaky hands, this was the dream of the young Melnyk who was made the ruler of his city at a very young age after his father’s demise. 

With his training and guidance from Lord Dorma, Melnyk had already started navigating his ship towards achieving the success he desired, he had travelled to almost all the towns and cities that were inhibited by the Werewolves, trying to convince them that they stood to gain a lot if they had a united kingdom, but as usual, everyone was scared to board the same ship with him.

 Most of them dismissed him, even when he tried to convince them that this was not the small boy that they saw whenever they visited his father. 

Melnyk alongside his Beta-- Peter the Bulldog would have chopped their heads if not for Lord Dorma who had warned them about controlling their anger and not doing anything stupid, for anything stupid, will blow their chance of ever achieving anything.

  Two Alpha lords were remaining. Melnyk had always hesitated to go to Karak, for that was the city where his dad had passed away, he still remembered the day like it was yesterday. It occurred during his father’s constant visits to Lord Haimi as he tried to persuade the Alpha Lord of Karak to accept his proposal to exempt the Humans from visiting his town. 

The invasion was getting much, he wanted Lord Haimi to stop remitting the monthly tax to the humans and if they insisted, he could just change them to werewolves. 

Melnyk, personally thought Lord Haimi was not interested in the proposal for it had no impact on him nor his kingdom and for that reason, he seemed unbothered.

 On that day, the weather was a little bit harsh, the heat was hotter than usual, and it was like the sun decided to come down with more kilometres closer to Karak.   Melnyk and Baku had decided to go to the beach where they had found a Human Lady called Astana, she seemed like a goddess, even though Melnyk was no longer interested in her the moment he found out she was a Human princess. 

His best friend Baku on the hand was eager to have her to himself when a guard interrupted the whole drama by sending an emergency message for the boys to return to the palace with immediate effect. 

The rest of the day became blurry for Melnyk for all he could remember was being consoled by Lord Dorma who had embarked on the journey with them. Melnyk still recalled his mother crying her eyes out even when they returned home, the slightest thing made her remember her late husband. 

Camila could spend half of the night crying and Melnyk will come over to console her, promising that he was in a better place, he said it with full confidence, one will believe he could interact with the moon goddess, Azuul. The memories of everything still lived in Melnyk's head and for that reason, he hesitated in going to Karak, but the

                      ***

Meanwhile, Baku was enjoying his life as a prince of the magnificent city of Karak, everything was moving as if he was in control, servants bowed to his wish and desires, and every mother in the city of Karak wanted her daughter to be betrothed to this handsome prince but his heart belonged to only one lady and that was Astana. The princess of the Human kingdom, though he knew it was a herculean task to win her heart and convince his people that it meant nothing to marry a mere human she was worth the risk he thought, as he galloped back home from the Human Kingdom.

    Baku was still wary of his father’s sickness as he got back to the palace after he had been gone for a two day's journey, 

“I just pray father had recovered,” Baku said out loud as he made his way into the huge palace ballroom. The building had elegance written all over it.  The designs were made mostly of gold. From the pillars down to almost all the artefacts in the ballroom, gold was added to its constituent.

       Baku walked towards the King’s room as his shoes made a sound whenever they came in contact with the marble floor. He paid no attention to the palace maids and guards that bowed as he walked past them, for all that was on his mind was his father.

    He finally asked, “Father, how are you doing?” Baku saw the Palace physician trying to convince his father to take his medication

“Leave me alone, I am tired of this…” he started to cough loudly, it scared Baku as he rushed towards the bed where this great Lord lay weak.

“It's okay Father” Baku consoled the sick man

“Please convince your father to take his medications,” The Palace physician who was an old man in his mid-sixties, with a beard all over his face said emphatically, knowing the repercussion that might occur if he doesn’t.

“Leave me alone,” Lord Haimi said authoritatively in a weak voice.

“He will father, why don’t you want to take your drugs,” Baku asked

“Because I am tired, I just  want to go to the moon goddess”  he released a slight grudge of pain  

“Drop the medicine and go,” Baku said to the physician. The old man nodded his head and did as he was told to do and walked away in his white and blue jacket.

    Baku tried to convince his father why it was not yet time to leave, he talked to him about his achievements and reminded him that the world will lose a great hero and it wasn’t time. Lord Haimi looked at his son as he tried to persuade him 

"I believe you are ready for this," he said. "Baku, be careful with the throne and make sure you don't make any decision that will cost you the throne. I am certain you know what I am talking about. Can you please leave me to rest, we have a lot to discuss later" Lord Haimi added.   Baku had no idea who his father was referring to if it was Melnyk or Astana, either way, he nodded to his Father's command and left the room.

                            ***

    Lord Halalnik, had some friends over, they all sat in the throne room having a good time, most of them were laughing hysterically, and their voices could be heard from a couple of miles away, the day was not over to conclude that every man could not finish the meat that he was being presented with even though they seemed interested in the discussion than in the food. It was natural, you tend to cherish what you don’t have over what you already had. In this situation what these men lacked was information, so they paid attention like an eight-year-old in class, laughing at the jokes of the teacher who in this case was the Alpha lord Halalnik himself.

    The discussion lasted for a long time, until a messenger from Karak walked into the palace, and paid his respect to everyone within the walls of the room by bowing down. He was signalled to come forward and as he did, he ended up giving a sealed milk-coloured envelope to Lord Halalnik. 

The Alpha lord collected it with a smile, but as he read it his demeanour changed to the complete opposite, from happy to sad, from a smile to a frown, from joy to grief, his face had changed and this time it settled for agony, for this letter showed him that nature had struck him with an ultimate blow, defeating him and rubbing the victory on his face.

“What happened?” the man by his right asked after noticing the change in the Alpha lord's appearance. 

Lord Halalnik after a while of silence, handed him the paper that made a brave king tremble in fear, stood up excused himself and walked away.

“What happened?” Another black-bearded man asked. With pain, grief and agony in his voice, he replied “Lord Haimi of Karak passed away in his slumber five days ago”