Chapter 13: Whispers in the Hall.

Just like the guard had thought, he came up with a way to get to Vanessa.

"Do you think that this would work?" One of Vanessa's personal maids asked him.

"In all sincerity, it is not like I want to do this but for the alpha's sake," 

"Why would you say such a thing, Alma?" The guard scolded.

"The last time I tried to talk to her about it, you needed to see how she chased me out of her room. Like I was a dog or something," she explained, still adamant.

"I know how she can be but if we are being fair too, you approached her when she was in a very bad mood. You should have read the room before telling her about something like that," he said.

"Whatever, but just so you know, this is the last time I will do this," she said before stomping away.

"Hmm," he deeply sighed.

"I hope it we get fruitful results this time."

------------

The air in the Alpha's quarters was thick with tension.

Alma walked with so much caution as she approached the Luna's quarters, she was unsure of the step she was about to take, and muttered prayers under her breath.

Getting to Vanessa's room, she peered through the tiny space created from the opened door.

She saw Vanessa who sat in silence, staring at the half-filled wine glass in her hand. She could not help but notice that her once-glowing skin had now become pale, and her fingers trembled as she thought no one was watching.

Two miscarriages, and then another. The healers offered excuses, and the priests offered prayers but none of it mattered as things were still the same.

She still woke in cold sweats, seeing Tiara’s face in every nightmare, in every cradle she could never fill.

Alma took deep breaths, and finally mustered every iota of courage in her before she placed a soft knock on the door.

She saw Vanessa jolt. She knew that she had interrupted her thoughts.

“My lady?” she quietly stepped in, bowing her head.

“What is it?” Vanessa snapped at her.

"Just the exact reaction that I had predicted," Alma thought.

 Vanessa's mood had worsened in recent days, making the workers tread carefully around her.

Alma hesitated at first before she finally spoke in a hushed voice, “Forgive me, my lady, but…"

She was trying to say when she was abruptly cut short, " but what?" Vanessa yelled at her.

"What is it that you have to say, huh?" She continued, pouring her frustration on the maid.

"If you cannot pull yourself together and go straight to the point, then I see no reason for you to stand before me, you coward!" She hissed.

Alma closed her eyes, allowing the rain of insults fall on her.

"I am sorry, my lady," she apologized, squeezing the hem of her apron.

"Speak! And speak up well so I can hear you," Vanessa ordered.

"The thing is, the women in the lower markets, some of them speak of a seer.”

Vanessa blinked. “A what?”

"A seer, my lady," Alma replied.

"I went to the market and I was opportuned to heard them talk about a seer," she explained.

" And what do you know about this seer?" Vanessa shifted to the edge of her seat, very eager to listen to what Alma had to say.

"I really do not know much about her but literally everyone has her stories and praises on their lips," Alma said, sounding a little relaxed.

"Go on," Vanessa gestured for her to continue.

“According to the little information that I have gathered, I know that the seer is a girl," Alma continued.

"A girl," Vanessa muttered.

"Where does she live? Is she a member of this pack?" Vanessa inquired.

" She is not of this pack, my lady, but she sees things: death, love, peace, and even wounds that are yet to bleed."

"There are so many stories about her and her visions. And if I correct, i heard that no one has left her place without their problems being solved,"

" Really?" Vanessa asked, her eyes glistening up.

"They say she told the Alpha of the Scarlet pack his son would die, but he mocked and ridiculed her. And two days later, the boy was buried,”

Vanessa froze.

Seeing that she had gained her attention, she continued. “They say this Seer has the powers of the Moon. So I thought to share it with you, my lady, " 

Vanessa’s grip on the glass tightened. “Are you sure about what you just told me?”

"I would not have told you if I was not sure about her, my lady," Alma assured her.

"Hmm," Vanessa sighed.

"So this seer, where does she live and how do we get to her?" She asked.

“I heard she resides in the Scarlet pack, but they are very intentional and careful when it comes to her," Alma said.

"Do you know her name?" Vanessa asked, standing up from her seat.

"That, I do not know, my lady," Alma fearfully said.

"No one asides the Scarlet pack knows her name. They have kept it a secret," 

" A secret," Vanessa hammered, looking into her mirror.

---

Later that evening, Vanessa burst into Edwin’s study. 

It was evident that she had a ray of hope in her eyes. Her eyes looked alive, with a fire he had not seen in weeks burning through them.

“We are going on a trip,” she announced.

Edwin looked up from the scroll in his hands. “huh?”

"Did I just hear you say we are going on a trip?" 

"You heard me loud and clear, Edwin. We are traveling," she repeated, in a rude tone.

Edwin knew better than to argue with her, "and where will we be going to?" 

“To see the Seer,” she replied in a sharp tone.

"What seer are you talking about?" He feigned ignorance, raising his brows.

 “The same one literally everyone is whispering about," she rolled her eyes out of annoyance.

"Are you trying to feign annoyance and act like you have never heard of her?" She went at him.

"I was not trained to believe everything I hear, Luna," he calmly responded.

"I totally forgot that you have your principles, but that is not the point here," she put her hair behind her ear.

"So what is the point here, Luna?" He asked without looking at her face.

"The point is that she might be able to fix this, fix our childlessness, our... everything,” she desperately said.

Edwin chuckled, resting his back in his seat, "our childlessness," he repeated.

"What are you trying to do?" She raised her voice at him, knowing he was being sarcastic.

"I would not be childless if it were not for that witch that you once called your fated mate," she flared up.

"Alright then," Edwin said, touching his mouthstache.

"So what do you want me to do, huh?" He asked, placing his hands on the table before him.

Hearing Edwin say this made Vanessa calm down, a little.

"To go see her, together," she replied.

"She might have a solution to all of these," she tried to urge him.

Edwin frowned. He had heard the rumors too, and a part of him… had wondered, had hoped that seeing the well-renowned seer would put an end to all the troubles he was facing.

He slowly set the scroll down.

“Together?”

“Of course,” she said. “This affects us both, does it not?”

"Just imagine that she helps us, imagine the peace we would both enjoy," she pressed further.

"I do understand you, Vanessa but think of the repercussions it might bring too," he said.

"We do not know the source of her powers, we do not know if we will be safe after we think it has all been sorted," 

"And we both know that having a child is no small joke, not to talk of one that was conceived after visiting a seer,"

"What difference does it make with the priests and healers that have been brought in here? What makes her any different from them?" She questioned, boiling with rage.

"The difference is that these people you just mentioned are the normal ones that we know of, they are the ones allowed to be, by tradition," he defended himself.

"When was the last time you heard of a seer?" 

"I am sure that none has existed ever since you were born, since I was born. So tell me why I have to believe in all of it?" 

"I really understand your concerns, Edwin but have you thought that the existence of this particular one, one that hasn't been heard of in decades is the reason you need to believe in this," she said.

"I have done my research too and I would not be here, trying to convince and pester you for us to give this a chance if I was not convinced or sure about it, myself," 

Edwin paused, then nodded. “Fine, if you think we should give it a try,”

"Really?" Vanessa asked, almost not believing her ears.

"Are you being serious, right now?" She asked again.

"Yes, I just told you I have heard," Edwin replied her, turning to look at his scroll.

"So we leave tomorrow, right?" She happily jumped.

"We?" He looked up from his scroll, looking all innocent.

"Yes, we," she smiled, looking a little confused.

"We cannot leave the pack together, Vanessa," 

The happiness that had started to brew in Vanessa was beginning to die down.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" She asked him, moving closer to him.

"That is because, no one will be in charge of the affairs of the pack," he simply put.

Vanessa ran her hand through her hair, knowing that he was speaking the truth. They could not just leave the pack at the same time, thereby exposing it and themselves to great danger.

"I am sorry that I was so selfish and blinded that I didn't not even think of that," she apologized, taking a seat.

"I try to understand," Edwin replied.

After a moment of brief silence, she finally spoke again, "um, I think that I should go alone then,"

"That way, you can continue to stay and see to the affairs of the pack," she suggested.

"I totally disagree with you, Vanessa," he replied.

"Can you just tell me what your suggestion is? Instead of disagreeing with almost everything I say," she flared.

Edwin studied her for a few minutes. He knew that she was not always this hot-tempered but the circumstances she had met herself led to her emotions being unstable.

"You do not always have to flare at everything, Vanessa," he started with.

"Sometimes, you should learn to keep your emotions in check and not let it overwhelm you. I mean, you are the Luna and most women look up to you," 

"You could also help me by being straightforward and direct," she shot back at him.

"Very well then," Edwin said.

"I think that it is safer for you to be here than outside the walls of the pack," 

"Sometimes, you make me laugh, Edwin," Vanessa laughed.

"In case you have forgotten, I am a skilled warrior and I can take very good care of myself and a couple of enemies and threats," she winked.

"That is not the point, Vanessa!" He raised his voice, a little.

"You stay here while I go see the seer and that is final!" 

"If you are not content with that, then cancel your thought of meeting with the seer," he threatened.

Vanessa knew that Edwin was a man of his words and that against all odds, she would not be able to smell outside the pack even if she tried to.

"Fine, journey mercies and I hope you bring back some good news." She gave in, before walking away.

"Let us hope that it would be worth the risk and hype," Edwin said before resuming back to his scroll