Her father's eyes stunned at her just as she told him about what had happened in his absence. Horror struck his eyes and it was scaring Samara how much afraid he looked for his only son.

"They took him?" He asked calmly. "Just like that. Without any notice to me. Without any news."

Samara handed him the glass of water which he took hesitantly. She walked back to the bed, sitting beside her mother who couldn't stop sobbing heartily. Her father gulped down the water hurriedly and put the glass down on the side table.

"I am going to bring my son back," he told them loudly.

Samara stared at him, shaking her head. "Father, it's getting dark. You know the environment in the village. Even the Warriors warned us to light torches and stay in the house."

Her father flared his nostrils. "My son is out there alone in front of the King. If they get a slightest of wrong hint that he is the wolf, they won't leave him alive, Samara. They won't."

Samara's mother gasped and broke into tears as she stared at her husband. "Bring my son back to me, I beg you. Bring our son back. Since the day he had arrived from the war, he has been on the bed. How could he even dare to hurt others when he himself was injured all this time?"

"A little happiness he got last night. A little by receiving an honor in Archery, by receiving the post. He made us proud, Alistair. He made us happy. But it wasn't enough for that King. For that God," she yelled angrily.

Samara's father looked away from them and checked around the room. She could see emotions swirling in his eyes but understanding what was more important this time, he said, "Close down the windows and bolt all the doors, Samara. I don't know how much time it will take for me and Samuel to return. The whole village is under protection by the guards and they won't leave any innocent man in doubt."

"Do not go out by any chance until the daylight appears," he gave her a warning look. "Sleep in your mother's room, tonight."

She nodded slowly while feeling terrified to let her father leave at this time when the sun had set and people were inside their homes having dinner. "Will you be fine all the way, father?"

Her father walked towards a wooden cupboard and pulled out his sword that he was given by the Council. "I will be very fine. Enough to kill that beast if he comes my way. He has put my son's life on stake," he grunted angrily while clutching the sword belt.

Samara held the lantern with her while walking behind her father, out of the room leaving her mother alone. "Father, do you think this beast is really one of the soldiers the Prince had talked about?"

Her father stopped to turn around and looked at her. "This is not something that has been made up. If we think through the proofs and the Prince's tale, we must revise which soldier and how many of them were there with the wolves. It is clear that none other than those ten had any encounter with the wolves. So it is one of those ten soldiers only."

"Our Samuel is one of them, father," she reminded him.

Her father nodded while grimacing. "That is what I am not able to understand, dear. The whole time during the war, Samuel was in my sight. He might be a newly recruited soldier there but he was my only son. I kept my eyes on him fearfully."

His eyes filled with memories as he described, "When he took those arrows to save some of his friends, I was stunned. I was dead there, seeing him getting stabbed slowly. Since then, a part of me has died inside with this much horror."

"But we fathers, whether or not Warriors, whether or not are brave men— when it comes to our kids, we never step back from even begging if we have to. Samuel is burdened with the horrors of the war. Not just the attacks but the wolves too. Now that he knows, there is one wolf around here, he is traumatized."

Samara nodded while lowering her eyes, letting a tear escape. "But he told me, he isn't the wolf. He is nothing like a monster would be. He looked into my eyes and told me the truth, father. He is innocent and he mustn't get punished. He was there with the wolves but he isn't the wolf. I can feel the honesty in his tone. You know, he never lies."

Her father clenched his jaws while wiping her tears. He cupped her cheek and patted slightly. "That is what we will have to find out. What he was doing there in the first place. During the trainings, he has never been with Commandant's son. Even if the boy is your love interest," he said, making her gulp.

"Samuel just never was fine with him. He doesn't like Nathaniel and his lads. Jeffrey is who he stays with. Both are of same nature. Both are obedient and not the one to overact," he told her. "I don't understand why not even informing me, Samuel and Jeffrey reached the woods just to get in linked with Nathaniel and his friends."

Something shrunk inside her chest immediately, her heart. Samara gulped in realization. "I never really thought about it. Now, the King will dare to ask him. Samuel is mysterious but when it comes to him speaking, he is very blunt. I am afraid, he will make them angry or offend any of them. He will be in trouble even when he is innocent. . ."

Her father shook his head. "I am going. Do not worry. Get your mother some food and lock the doors. I am leaving," he told while getting out of the house and shutting the door behind him.

Samara immediately locked it down and rushed to the nearest window, watching her father climbing on his horse. He waved a hand at her and finally travelled towards the darkness.

She turned around and took a long breathe. She could almost feel her heart drowning in her chest. Looking around, she nodded to herself.

"Get mother some food. Lock the doors," she muttered while walking into kitchen. With plate full of food in her hands, she walked towards her mother's room and saw her still sobbing quietly.

After a moment full of requesting and begging her to eat, she finally was able to feed her when she promised that Samuel would be back soon. Putting the plates away, Samara told her mother to rest for sometime.

"You too eat something and come back to lay with me," her mother murmured slowly while closing her eyes.

"I will," said Samara while spreading furs over her.

Stepping back, she watched her mother sleeping quietly. Her heart settled a bit thinking that father would take care of Samuel while she needed to take care of her mother.

She had lost the appetite because of all the happenings. She also didn't want to sleep and her father might arrive in the night only. Someone would have to be awake, not that she even wished to sleep in this dark environment.

Deciding to bring a book to read, she went back to her room. Climbing the stairs slowly, she opened her door. A sudden picture of Rodwin's face flashed in her mind when the first, her eyes fell on the open window.

Her heart cried for his presence at this moment when she felt so alone and unsafe. This was the difference without him. She couldn't even sleep peacefully. Only she knew, how blissful it was to sleep in his arms last night.

She missed him.

But what happened in the street wasn't truly her fault. He too didn't give her the chance to explain herself. He was being aggressive for no reason. But she knew that he still loved her and still cared for her.

Even if he was upset at her, he still wished to save her brother. Samara couldn't understand why her heart was not ready to accept Rodwin so easily. Maybe, it was her mind that hadn't caught Nathaniel doing any wrong ever.

Which was why, she never felt that he was not a decent man. But how could she just believe others when she knew him from so close all this time. He was polite and charming. Never rude and beastly.

But after seeing so many things happening, she had to prepare herself for the worst.

Staring longingly at the window, she ignored her bleeding heart. Walking closer to it, she closed her eyes. The memory of Rodwin standing behind her, whispering sweet and naughty things in her ear, churned her stomach.

Why was she feeling guilt surfacing her mind again? She had done wrong, she knew it. But still it felt that she should not just keep quiet and work on her mistakes. Work on her relationship with Rodwin.

When Samuel and father would arrive, she would go to his home to check on him and talk about what had happened at the street.

Locking the window, she turned around to walk towards the book shelf in her room. She was only tracing her fingers on the corners of these old books when she heard a sound.

Thud. Thud.

Someone was beating the door. Oh Lord! Her breaths caught in her throat. Samara gulped slightly.

Freezing herself, she waited for the sound and gasped when someone again started beating the door. This time, it was more desperately. She walked back towards her window and opened it slowly. Twitching her lips, she closed it back when she wasn't able to see who it was.

Again the sound came and her heart had started crawling up her throat. She took the lantern in her hand and slowly stepped down from the stairs without making any noise. While walking towards the doors, she managed to glance in her parents' room and saw her mother sleeping, peacefully.

A thought came in her mind that she should wake her up. But after thousands rounds of pleading, she had decided to rest finally.

Sighing heavily, she continued walking towards the shaking door. She hurried her steps, thinking that her mother could be startled. Picking a bamboo stick that her father always used while taking a walk in their backyards in the morning, she made herself mentally ready for the unexpected.

Nodding to herself, calculating all the attacks that she could perform, she finally reached the door. Her hand moved towards the loop as she picked it out from the hook, making noise of the chains. The Beating of the door stopped along with her heart.

Her jaw dropped in shock while eyes widened in disbelief. "Lord Lester," she shrieked under her breath. "What happened?"

His face was full of horror, his grey eyes holding fear. He pointed back at the well, making her look around the society. It was highly cold outside.

"Samara, dear. Rod-Rodwin, he left the house. He, I don't know where he has gone," he stuttered fearfully.

Samara held his hand and looked in his eyes. "Lord Lester, what are you saying? Where would he go?"

She pulled him inside slightly but he shook his head. "I-I was about to sleep when I saw him walking out of the house while tying his sword belt around him. I am afraid he is doing something wrong. Since the evening, he was hell bent on going to the castle but didn't go when Logan came at home, explaining that there won't be any use because the hearing was tomorrow."

Samara gasped, "Then why did they call the men so early?"

His hands shook as he wiped his forehead. "I don't know, dear. Is your father here? I am afraid, Rodwin has either gone to the castle or to the woods to get that beast."

Samara opened her mouth in extreme shock. "Why? This would make the King doubt him very much. How could he be so careless?"

"Through the evening, he kept saying that he wanted to kill this beast. He would find out whichever soldier is playing with so many minds and killing this people. . ."

Samara held her head as her legs trembled in utter terror. What was Rodwin thinking that he left home alone this late at night? Why would he even dare to go to the woods? He was sane enough to not do mistakes like these.

"So many murders are happening," the father's voice shook as he joined his skinny hands in front of her. "He is what I live for, Samara. I beg you, help me. Call your father."

"He has gone to the castle to bring back our Samuel."

Samara's lips trembled as she stared at him empathetically. Her own heart was shrinking in fear for his life. How idiotic that man could be? How dare he played with his life like that?

She felt scared and angry at him. Turning around, she hurriedly took her mother's cloak from the nail on which it was hanging. Wearing it hurriedly, she picked out the knife from the fruit basket.

"Take it, sir." She handed him one and put one in her own boots.

"I will go for your neighbors, then. You don't have to come with me," he grimaced while shaking his head."

Taking a last glance at her mother, she swallowed. "God sent you to me, Lord Lester. What if my father is not here? Rodwin is the one. . ." who had always been there for me.

She shook her head. "We mustn't think over it and find him before he gets himself in trouble." Picking the bamboo stick that she had left on the wall, she shut the door behind her as they both got out of the house but not before picking a lantern from the table.

"These soldiers are so hot-blooded these days. Some dare to go the wolves. Some dares to kills people. Some dares to roam in the woods. I don't. . . I don't have so many sons. I only have one," his voice cracked as he walked towards the path.

Samara glanced at him, feeling her own eyes getting wet. "Do not worry, Sir. We will find him. Where did he go?"

Lord Lester pointed towards his home. "The way behind our fields. Towards the woods that even by foot."

Goosebumps risen on her skin as Samara stared at the dark woods.

Do not leave home at any cost.

Her father had warned her strictly. "Are you sure?" Her voice shook slightly.

The father was about to deny her to come with him again when she nodded to herself while gulping.

"Alright."

Exchanging a last glance, they both started jogging towards the woods. Rodwin's father had already lost his tears. It was hard for Samara to keep going with him breaking by each moment. She could understand what he was feeling.

She had seen it twice today. Her own father had said that even if they had to beg for their kids, they would. As if God was just giving her this experience.

Not just being sad from seeing the concern in his eyes, she herself was distraught at Rodwin's act. She cared for him immensely even if there were issues unsolved between them. She still was worried for him.

But where had he gone? What was he thinking? Only time could tell.

Or Rodwin himself.

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"What do you think?"

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I wouldn't have been able to sleep without giving you guys an update tonight. I felt like it was getting unfair. I couldn't update at so many chances because of reasons. But now, I can. So I want to fill the space and make you all feel happy and loved.

Hope, you enjoyed it.

I am enjoying writing it too and there are more fun chapters coming up.

Will be updating soon.

Take care. ❤