At the end of the seventh year, the werewolf prince finally came out of seclusion.
It was a festive period.
A ceremony was being held to celebrate his return.
Carts dragged by donkeys filed into the Moonstone stead to deposit exorbitant gifts from the various clans.
While the royal quarters were celebrating a tedious but successful completion of studies, the rest of the territory proclaimed the emergence of a strong future king.
This was called the ceremony of the Crest Rising. As the name implied, once the prince completed his studies with distinction, he made an auspicious king.
Usually, this cycle of learning and intensive training was supposed to last ten years.
Prince Relik had conquered this in seven years.
The streets were filled with werewolves and their protective candles. Jubilation or not, it would be a terrible night to fall prey to nightly creatures.
The Moonstone stead was heavily guarded though the werewolves had recovered all their abilities and no longer needed a battalion to hold their own.
The rumours of vampire invasions were not taken lightly.
Nevertheless, the night dazzled and the moon shone... What more could they ask for.?
The werewolves in the streets danced.
They shifted into their wolf forms and pranced proudly.
Trinkets jiggled, occasionally loosened and scattered into the night.
Joyous laughter was heard from all corners.
Inside a dressing room that was almost the size of his room, Prince Relik allowed himself to be jostled from side to side, barely at his wits' end.
"You need to look very good, like a king," his aunt tutted with enthusiasm, a hen over her chick.
Relik's closed eyes betrayed no emotion.
I hope that day never comes.
He pushed the thought away and opened his eyes, regarding the woman through a large ornate mirror that was adorned with precious stones.
Her stance was bent in laser-sharp focus behind him as she straightened his hair out with a comb.
"Ow," he wanted to groan whenever the comb picked at sensitive spots.
But at the mere awareness that she was hurting him, she would call over those maidservants that thought their hands were cotton when they were steel.
As he obediently remained seated, he had to strain his eyes slightly to continue observing.
His aunt, despite his posture, was merely a head over him. Her hair was drawn tight into a bun which brought out a slender face with soft lines.
Every so often, Relik would catch himself staring at Lady Citrah and shake himself to order.
Looking down at his own reflection, Relik concluded that no matter how good-looking he was, next to her, no one could compare.
In the ballroom, his father was his chaperone.
Shamelessly, Relik was passed around the powdered women in a dance that he had yet to perfect. This led to a lot of stepping-on-toes until he found a way to escape to the restroom to breathe.
A few strokes to midnight, the moon ball in the sanctuary of Woodhaven was exposed on a rotating platform.
A blue hue emanated from it and a bright white halo hung over it like a tender cloud.
From strategic points, Shaman Gu and five other people stood upright.
They formed a pentagonal shape, hands outstretched as they poured in their soul energies.
A small yellow flame floated in front of their foreheads.
At the strike of midnight, the night suddenly brightened.
The dark-blue sky, the moon, and stars were all swallowed by a brilliant white light.
Its intensity increased until it was at a blinding threshold.
The four corners of the werewolf territory fell silent.
After a moment, the white sky paled down until it was a translucent film.
A tapestry of colours blurred into life to illuminate the chambers of the royal room.
The werewolves saw their king and prince stand side by side. The lords of the major clans were all present.
Prince Relik was in full imperial attire.
Nothing was left out — this time.
He was in his nineteenth year when he entered seclusion. Now, he was in his twenty-sixth year, a head taller, and inches broader than his father.
It was said he loved farming. All that hardwork paid off in his physique.
As those who had doubts saw him, their doubts instantly cleared.
Prince Relik was capable.
As customary, the werewolf prince gave his first bow to his father.
A lopsided smile accompanied the one he gave to his people.
He raised his right hand, palm facing away from his chest. His movements were graceful. So princely, so elegant yet exuding a quiet strength.
He took in a deep breath, and howled.
The werewolves responded with alacrity.
Like that, howls of great power descended upon the realm.
The night was well pleased.
The fourth hour came.
"Damn it!" Relik swept the empty dishwares off the stool with a gloved hand. They fell with a clang, shattering on impact.
Shedrik rushed in but was commanded by King Janes to stand aside.
Disapprovingly, King Janes and Shaman Gu stared down at the errant adult who sat indignantly.
They'd only managed to hold him down for a while, and he was already acting up.
"Control your anger," Shaman Gu warned, worried that the boy would make a mess of his sanctuary.
Relik glared at his father. "You promised to let me explore the territory with my friends. Was that a lie?"
King Janes was troubled at the extremity of his son's reaction.
That had only been part of the ploy to keep him for this long in seclusion. But this werewolf refused to take it easy and quickly completed his studies.
" Your friends will go with you."
"On a damn mission?"
"Relik!" King Janes raised his voice.
Shaman Gu pulled a long face, stopping king Janes with a glare.
The king looked away in shame.
"Prince Relik," Shaman Gu coaxed in a firm voice, "You calm down first." Shedrik stared into those boiling defiant eyes until the oppressive aura in the room cleared.
"I have grown. I can do the damn hell I want."
"All clear. You are. But this is your mission, your responsibility," Shaman Gu explained.
He sighed, "The territory is not yet free from the curse. You have to be the one to defuse it."
There was an uncomfortable silence as Relik sulked away.
Reasoning calmly with these two had failed now he was left to act like a petulant child to let his voice be heard.
What nonsense. Defusing is just an excuse. They were trying to mate him quickly.
Sneaky old men. He could see through their tricks.
He couldn't imagine how Ander would feel when he knew that their adventure wouldn't be filled with merry and taking risks.
He didn't need to inform Shedrik specially. The aide stood at a far corner, squirming in badly hidden dismay.
Worse still, they even had to be accompanied by an entourage.
Relik had always wanted to leave the Moonstead to see the world.
But, not like this. He didn't want to be searching the nooks and corners of people's houses.
He looked at his father, then to Shaman Gu. Do I have a choice?
After the two talked and talked which went in one ear and out the other. He was let go.
Just as he settled in his bed, a gentle rap sounded at the door. Relik turned over, anger rising.
"Little prince."
The tenderness in those two words doused his anger in an instant.
He leaped up and raced to open the door.
"Aunt Citrah!" He called breathlessly as he opened it.
She looked him up and down and tsked, shaking her head. She didn't try to hide her grin.
Relik snorted and peeked his head out to note the empty passage.
"Come on in."
Once Lady Citrah settled by her favourite desk, beside the mural painting of his stoic face, Relik didn't hesitate in asking.
"He sent you, didn't he?"
Purposely being skittish, she removed her dark gloves which revealed tanned, slender fingers. "Is it working?"
"Ha, ha," he laughed without mirth and came over to perch on the table beside her.
"Don't get me wrong. I will go; it's my responsibility," he paused, his eyes darting away and his lips pulling into a crisp line before he released them. "I would appreciate it if father stops treating me like a child."
"Then, show him."
"I have. But in his eyes, he doesn't want to come to terms with the fact that I have grown."
"Normally," Lady Citrah began to say, " when you resort to immature behaviours like not following the rules, hurrying your studies in the stead of taking it slowly, hurling things, breaking things and clamouring; how can he treat you like that?"
You stubborn child, she thought.
All the same, she knew better than to say it aloud. She was fortunate that she refused to form a bond with the king's child. The boy would not like his image in her mind.
"Do rational things, and you'll be treated rationally. Do you understand?"
Relik ground his teeth bitterly. "Yes, Lady Citrah."
Lady Citrah got to her feet, and Relik hurried to hold the gloves for her.
She slipped the first one into her hand as she stared at him.
This carbon copy of her elder sister made her wear a sad smile.
"You will be going to find your betrothed . Both of you will do right by us."
The second glove slid into her hand like it belonged.
"The werewolves will finally return to their ultimately immortal status and no one would get hurt easily. This is enough reason for you to go."
Citrah rubbed her palms together. There was slight resistance. She then placed a gloved hand on Relik's shoulder.
The breath stuttered in the man that gazed down at her.
"While you're on this journey, be careful. Be good," she smiled sweetly.
"Just be good. Your mother must be proud of you."
Relik's heart filled with an indescribable emotion, and he stepped back after a fierce nod.
After that night, he didn't complain again.