FOGGERY

Rain drops kissed the earth, making it more soggy as every step one took was muddy.

Welsfar's approaching figure could be seen from the thick fog as his boots dove into water puddles.

Agatha laid there, finally breathing, finally at ease.

She felt her lungs give way freely to every breath she drew. Although still sore from the injuries, she managed to sit on her back.

"Good morning, kind sir! The gods bless you in the name of all that is good." Her frail voice sounded with so much genuineness.

"It's okay, miss. I bless the gods I remained alive to help."

Her eyes coated in emerging clear fluid as she stared into his and spoke the words her heart whispered.

"How can I repay such kindness? I have nothing," she said as droplets slid down her eyelids.

"If every kindness were to be repaid, most of us wouldn't be here, Miss Agatha." He stared at her like he also had a story to tell.

"Here! Drink up. You have a long walk back home."

Agatha's hand trembled as the baby in her arms began crying. Neh…neh…neh…

Going back to where she came from would cost her head and the life of her baby.

The child she had tried to protect so much cannot be taken away from her. Lost in thoughts, she stared into void space without realizing when the words escaped her mouth.

"Please…Welsfar," she cried out.

"I can't go back, please, take me with you. Pl…ease…" she begged.

"I would be your maid and take care of your household.

I'll till the soil if I have to. If I go back, we both die!"

"My home is no fancy castle, miss! I don't think it would be okay for a young lad to grow up there. My home is the forest, Agatha," he said as his gaze pierced hers.

"Then the forest shall become my home too, and his home."

"Hold him!" She said, and for the first time she saw nervousness in the eyes of this brave stranger.

Welsfar's rough hands tried to hold the little baby in his arms. He could feel his heart open as his eyes couldn't hide the tenderness his heart felt.

"What would you call him?" Welsfar asked with so much curiosity.

"Alvalgo Res Vagos! He shall be called Vagos!"

"Va…gos," Welsfar repeated slowly.

"What does it mean?"

"It's an old word! Older than our kingdom itself," she responded.

Giving the child back to his mother, the damp cloth Vagos shifted, showing a crescent moon mark on his little chest.

It shimmered under the Blood-Silver Moon in resonance from its rays that rested on the chest of Vagos.

The half crescent moon mark glowed like blood fire coated in silver glass.

Welsfar's gaze froze as he had never encountered such before.

"Please promise me you'll protect him. Don't let them take him," Agatha spoke with a shaky voice.

"I will! I promise you this, Miss Agatha. As long as I live, you both remain under my protection."

A sigh of relief escaped her mouth as she tasted the salt from her tears.

"Thank you… you're indeed a blessing."

The moon did not only make a pact resonance with the child of the forest, but also its rays rested on the daughter begotten to the silver moon wolves.

"Sire," the servant called out (taking a bow). "The Queen summoned you!"

"And where is she?" King Snow asked as he waved his hands, dismissing the council members.

"She's in the garden, sire! And the crown Princess remains in the royal garden with the Queen, sire!"

"You can leave now," King Snow said to the servant.

"Thank you, sire," he said, taking a final bow before leaving.

Her ball gown spilled across the garden floor as she sat upright on the bench, its delicate fabric shifting gently beneath the evening breeze.

Her skin shimmered like royal honey beneath the moonlight. In her arms, she cradled her newborn daughter, gently stroking the tiny strands of hair upon her head.

Queen Snow, hearing footsteps, turned to see her husband as her blue eyes flickered. "My king," getting up to take a bow.

"No, no, my darling, I have told you, only kisses from you." His eyes rested on hers as he placed a kiss on her head.

"Husband, you should see this," she said as his gaze fell upon the half crescent moon mark, glowing on his baby's neck.

"In all my life, I have never seen such," he confessed. "Indeed the gods have blessed this dynasty with a greater treasure."

"What do we call her?" He asked as his admiration for his wife couldn't hide.

"Laura! Laura is the name I desire her to bear, if his Majesty pleases."

"Then Laura it is, my dear," stroking the hair on her head. "But of course in one condition."

Queen Snow raised her brows in curiosity. "Which is?"

"You'll let me call her my little wolf's fang!" King Snow said as he burst into laughter.

"Wolf's fang?" Queen Snow questioned as she joined in the laughter.

"Sire! Look!" a servant called out, drawing the attention of the king and queen.

"It's the moon, sire! Its central rays have two coordinates. One which rests upon the crowned princess! and the other…"

"The House of Mondriach?" King Snow affirmed.

"It doesn't rest on the house of Mondriach, my king. It goes beyond!"

Silence fell upon them as their gaze fell on the moon.

In the house of Mondriach where the moon was believed to rest upon but didn't rest… Tears of a newborn echoed through the underground chambers of this castle. Torn with blade even before he suckled on his mother's breast, all because of a mark he had no choice but to accept.

Vreegoo valiyeso, fanco meliyeelso, vasmus vradyado Ashkamush Infantus alfrayoo! (Demonic incantations)

"It is done, my Queen. I shall return to The dark forest."

The baby shrieked and cried on the altar as his little limbs and feet kicked thin air.

Neh…neh…neh…

Merlinda handed the baby to Cersei.

"My Queen, I think it's time he needs to suckle on your breast. He's hungry."

Cersei for the first time held her son tenderly with her eyes filled with affection as she could feel a part of her rigid heart melt.

"He has a beautiful mark just like in the prophecy.

An heir would be born with a half crescent moon mark that glowed like blood fire under silver glass coating, and he is my son!

I shall call you Nario," and with that she breastfed him.

"My Queen, I think you need to see this," Merlinda said, pointing at the moon.

"What is this? What does it mean?" Queen Cersei asked in total astonishment.

"I don't know, but it spans across two main directions. The red burst of the moon rays running across to main coordinates.

I have never seen anything like this before," Merlinda confessed.

"One directly points at the silver moon wolves' territory and the other…" (Merlinda froze).

"The other what?" Queen Cersei shot a cold merciless stare at Merlinda.

"The other lies beyond both territories, my Queen, somewhere deep inside the forest," Merlinda said nervously.

Cersei, realizing a truth she couldn't accept, shot a vile tone at Merlinda: "Summon the Queen's guard at once."

"Yes, my Queen," Merlinda scurried away.

"The moon knows its true heirs, my Queen," the sorcerer whispered in a low but audible tone, enough to make Cersei's skin crawl.

Her heart raced but her mind was quicker. Following the direction of the moon, her gaze fell upon where it rested.

The Blood-Silver Moon had finally risen. But looking at the child in her arms, it was a faith she couldn't accept.

On hearing the sounds of steel penetrating the earth, she adjusted herself and straightened her face enough to cover up the fear she felt within.

With a bold smile, she whispered to the sorcerer: "I think you should return to the forest."

"Damion!"

"Yes, my Queen."

"I want you to find those soldiers I sent on the last ambush, chop their hands off. If they can't kill with their hands, it will be taken from them. Gather your strongest soldiers, send them into the deepest parts of the forest beyond Blackwood, and tell them to bring me the head of any woman whose young infant bears the crescent moon mark."

"Yes, my Queen."

"Tell them if they can't bring my demands to me, they might as well die in that forest because this time around I won't be taking just hands."

Damion gulped down saliva, staring at Cersei's soulless eyes. It definitely had no mercy.

"Yes, my Queen," Damion said, taking a bow and preparing to leave.

"Oh! And one more thing, Damion. Our great sorcerer is traveling to the dark forest. I want you to en

sure she has a proper escort to her ancestors silently."

"Yes, my Queen."

Watching his figure disappear into the fog, a satisfied grin crossed her lips.