LUCIUS' POV
I watched Dusk as she suddenly excused herself and left the party.
Since the first night of the party, she had always been leaving before I did, and each time she wasn't in her room.
"Lucius! How have the parties been?" Alpha Roland said coming to me.
I smiled and looked around.
"It's been really nice. The cheer, the bubble and the fact that the villagers have been given the chance to attend is quite thrilling too." I said and he clapped me on the back.
"Let you and I have a quick drink. Come with me." He said, and I excused myself from the Alphas and their Lunas.
Alpha Roland took me into an exquisite room, that was partially dark. There was food on the table and drinks.
I sat and Martha came up behind me.
"I see you're having fun Alpha Lucius." She said and I nodded.
"Yes, I have." I replied with a smile.
"Martha, get us the best wine we have in the Palace." Alpha Roland said and she chuckled.
"Do you really want to get drunk tonight?" She asked and left the room.
"So, we haven't really had a chance to talk, with all the parties and tours... How's your Kingdom? With the death of your father, you must be finding it difficult." He said and I gave a little smile.
"Luckily, my father had been training me on how to manage the Kingdom from a very young age. I'm coping really well, I just feel his absence emotionally." I said and he nodded.
"You're in charge of defense too? Tell me, how do you plan your wars, what would you do when enemies invade?" He asked, and my father's words floated into my mind.
"No matter who, friend or foe, never tell how you handle your personal wars. Your defense mechanism remains a secret between you and your men."
"Well, there's not much going on. I'm just training my men." I said, and he laughed.
"The greatest joke! I heard there was something your father always equipped his men with when going to battle. What is it?" He asked. Martha came in with the liquor.
"This is our best liquor and it's a bit strong. Do you think you can handle it? You don't mind getting a bit drunk, do you?" She asked, and I shook my head. She poured it into two cups and gave a cup to me, then to Alpha Roland.
We both drank it and she poured us some more.
But after my third cup, I began to feel dizzy. I was drunk just as Martha had said.
"So tell me about your Kingdom, who are your best warriors?" He asked.
"All." I replied.
"Oh really? What are your best weapons?" He asked, and I smiled.
"All."
I looked at him and it felt like I saw anger flash across his face.
But it couldn't have been, since I was drunk.
"What did your father equip his men with when they were going for war?"
"I'm sorry, Alpha Roland, I don't reveal my defense mechanisms to friend or foe." I said and Martha laughed.
"We're beyond friends. We just want to learn a bit more from you." She said and I looked up.
"I need Dusk. Please send for her." I told Martha and she nodded, slowly.
~ DUSK'S POV.
The unnerving part hadn't been the names; it was the stones. She had called the stones Ymra, and that meant Army. What was she trying to say? Was she trying to tell me Alpha Roland and his wife invited I and Lucius so they could attack our Kingdom while we weren't aware?
I excused myself from the table and made my way to Matilda's room.
But she wasn't there when I pushed the door open.
"Matilda?" I called, but there came no response, so I decided to check the party, since she might have been there.
On getting to the party, I searched, but Matilda was nowhere to be found. I suspected she had done it on purpose because that was the kind of person she was.
It was then I noticed Lucius was no longer on his seat. Could he have been searching for me?
I went to his seat.
"Sorry, did Lucius go..."
"My Lady. Lady Martha calls for you." A servant said, bowing to me.
"Me?" I asked to be sure.
"Yes." He replied politely.
"Please excuse me." I said and left them. I followed the servant to a room that was quite beautiful.
Lucius was there with his head on the table, and so was Alpha Roland.
"Your Alpha got a little bit drunk." He said with a smile, but I smiled in return. If Matilda's story was true, then it meant...
I shook my head thoroughly.
Matilda was just a spoilt child. How could Alpha Roland, with all his wealth and power, want our Kingdom? He had enough. And he hadn't called us alone, he had called other Alphas and Lunas from other Kingdoms too. Did she mean he wanted to steal their Kingdoms too?
The servants helped me with Lucius, but when we got to his room, he stopped me from leaving.
"Can you just stay tonight?" He asked, and since my head was already full, I gave up on any form of protesting and gave in.
~ However, the next morning, I was ready for Matilda. She couldn't play expensive jokes just like that.
I opened her door and saw her reading. She looked up.
"I figured it was about time." She said still with unfocused eyes, like she was really blind.
"Why is Ksud dumb?" I asked and she tilted her head a bit.
"She doesn't listen when she's meant to and fails to trust when she's meant to." She said, and I hit my hands on her table.
"I don't believe you! What's your deal with Roland and Dnalor? Suicul and Lucius? Are you trying to screw with my head or something?" I asked, but she didn't make a sound.
"So Roland's army is going to attack our Kingdom? You're such a brat and a liar! I only wanted to be friends, but you act all mysterious and..." She stood up abruptly, taking me aback, and made to disappear around her shelves.
I went to her.
"Maybe you're just a sad little girl who's unhappy because her mother who never loved her made her blind!" I said and all of a sudden, she turned and hit me with her stick. I fell to the ground and I watched as something white came from her hands and she struck me with it.
I screamed and closed my eyes.
The light was so bright and blinding.
Everything around me was darkness.
I opened my eyes and blinked, but the darkness remained.
I wiped my eyes and cleaned them numerous times, but I still couldn't see a thing.
Was I... Was I...?
Blind?