Chapter 3 Episode 3

When the gates of the Royal Castle opened, Talia saw her brother's form coming through. On his chest, he carried a small, beautiful girl who seemed to be sleeping quite peacefully. Quickly, she ran over to him and helped him set the girl down on the front stairs.

"Who is she?" Talia asked, carefully cradling the small form.

"Laura. Lost her mother after a hunter attack. I rescued her before she was killed."

"Oh, God."

"Get her to Lorna. Make sure she bathes, finds a new set of clothes, then make sure she eats and rests." With that, he left her and walked up the stairs towards his room.

That evening, Ryan walked into the dining room for the first time in two weeks. His place was set at one end of the table. Talia sat on the other end, while Lorna and Laura sat opposite each other in the middle of the table. Laura seemed to have adjusted well, minding her own business and eating hungrily without sparing anyone a glance. She didn't even notice when Ryan walked into the room.

The meal was eaten in silence, as conversation during meals was unheard of in the castle. After the meal, Ryan walked to the balcony and sat on a rocking chair, soon lost in thought. Talia came over and sat next to him, also falling into silence.

"She seems like a sweet girl," Talia finally broke the silence.

"She's probably been through a lot, and now she has no family. It's up to us to take care of her now."

"And who's going to look after her? You know I'm not good with children."

"Lorna will help. Remember, she took care of the three of us alone. We weren't always obedient," he answered, smiling at old memories.

"Remember that time you disappeared for hours, and when you came back, she beat your butt really good?"

"Yeah, I couldn't satisfy my curiosity and decided to explore the forest on my own. Got lost and wandered around aimlessly until a warrior wolf found me and brought me back. She really gave me a beating."

"Yeah. Anyway, you can't keep disappearing on me like this. I can't lose you after I've already lost Nicky."

"I had a lot on my mind and needed to keep myself occupied. Besides, I'm here now."

"Okay, don't do that ever again."

"Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you. I think the hunters have crossed into the forest. We need to call the Defense Council to a meeting. I think it's time we started preparing for war."

With that, he rose and went to his room, probably to contact the council.

As the sun began to set over the dense forest of Seriva, casting long shadows across the castle grounds, Talia made her way to Lorna's quarters. She found Lorna sitting by the window, a peaceful smile on her face as she watched Laura playing with a wooden toy."Lorna, Ryan thinks the hunters have crossed into our territory," Talia said, her voice tense.Lorna's smile faded. "Then it's time we prepared ourselves. The Defense Council will need to act swiftly."Talia nodded. "Ryan is contacting the council now. He wants us to be ready for war."Lorna rose from her chair, her eyes filled with a mix of determination and sorrow. "We knew this day would come. The humans have always feared us, and their fear turns into aggression. We must defend our home."As dusk settled over the Royal Castle, Ryan stood in the grand hall, surrounded by the members of the Defense Council. Roman, the commander of the warrior wolves, stood beside him, his expression grim."We have confirmed reports of hunters entering the forest," Ryan began. "Their leader, Sir Redmond, is no ordinary man. He's dangerous, and he has a personal vendetta against us. We must be prepared for anything."Roman nodded. "We will fortify our defenses and double the patrols. The warriors are ready to fight.""Good," Ryan replied. "We also need to ensure the safety of our young and the elderly. They should be moved to the innermost part of the castle where they'll be safe."Later that night, Ryan walked through the quiet halls of the castle, his thoughts heavy. He found Talia in the library, poring over an old book."You should get some rest," he said gently.Talia looked up, her eyes tired but resolute. "I can't sleep, Ryan. There's too much to do.""I know," he said, sitting down beside her. "But we need to stay strong for our people. We'll get through this, just like we've gotten through everything else."Talia sighed. "I just hope we're ready.""We will be," Ryan assured her. "We have to be."The following morning, the castle was abuzz with activity. Warriors were preparing their weapons, fortifying the walls, and setting traps around the perimeter. Lorna and Talia were busy organizing supplies and ensuring that everyone had a safe place to go in case of an attack.Ryan stood at the top of the castle, looking out over the forest. He could feel the tension in the air, a palpable sense of impending conflict. But he also felt a fierce determination, a resolve to protect his home and his people at all costs.As the first light of dawn broke through the trees, Ryan knew that the time for waiting was over. The battle was coming, and they had to be ready.He turned to Roman, who was standing beside him. "We'll fight them with everything we have."Roman nodded. "For Seriva.""For Seriva," Ryan echoed, feeling the weight of his responsibility but also the strength of his resolve. The war had come to their doorstep, but they would face it together, united and unyielding.