Free Web NovelChapter 109: A house divided (2)
"Okay, but why do you have them with you? Humans aren’t allowed in our community. Now that they’ve seen where we are it’s too dangerous to send them back because they might tell someone about us. Weren’t you thinking straight?" Jane scolded her husband. Sometimes he made tiny mistakes like everyone else in the world but this was hard to overlook. "What happened?"
"A man tried to take them because they are orphans and I killed him. They followed me back even though I suggested they go to an orphanage or a palace guard for help. They don’t trust the adults from the orphanage and who am I to tell them otherwise? They were waiting for the man Alexander to show and give them money like the other children. How could I have left them alone? Two little girls won’t survive in this world all alone. We have to help them." He tried to convince his wife. Derek knew Jane would’ve done the same in his position.
Jane looked at the two little girls in need of good care, food, shelter. She too would’ve helped them as they had no one else but she didn’t disregard the fact that this placed Vincent in a bad spot. He couldn’t break the rules just because Derek cared for the little girls. Many of the wolves here won’t care about the two girls. "What are we going to do Vincent?"
"The gates are closing soon. Last call to come inside!" One of the guards on top of the gates repeated three times.
"What do you mean what are we going to do? Send them back of course. Do you want to join your husband or go alone? Aurora, let’s go inside before the gates close," Vincent held out his hand for her to take but she slapped it away refusing to let the children have to go back when it was clear they didn’t have anyone to protect them. "Aurora, we can’t bring them inside because it’s against the rules. I can’t let them inside my gates."
"Then I will stay out here with them until you find a better option. We have to find somewhere they’ll be safe or I will take care of them," she grabbed hold of both the girl’s hands indicating she was going wherever the girls were going.
Vincent pinched the bridge of his nose frustrated with the entire situation and Aurora’s stubbornness. The gates were on the verge of being closed and he did not intend for Aurora to be on the outside of them when it happened. "I am not taking in those children and you are not staying out here. My decision is final. Don’t make me have to pick you up against your will and take you back."
Aurora didn’t move and gave the girl’s hands a little squeeze to assure them she was going to convince Vincent to let them stay until they found a better home for the girls. "Jane said you can’t allow them to leave because they know the location of this place. Don’t doubt how paranoid the king is and how he’ll attack if he gets wind of girls claiming to be here. They might not know what resides here but the king not knowing himself is enough reason for him to send his knights."
"She’s right," Jane agreed with Aurora. Even though the girls were young, if word got back to the wrong people of a place in the forest, the king might be paranoid enough to inspect the situation. "We have no choice now but to keep them here to make sure they don’t speak to anyone. And they saw Derek kill someone."
"Which is why it’s his responsibility to take care of this. Kill them for all I care but I cannot just accept two humans staying here so easily. Aurora, come right this instant. The gates are starting to close."
Aurora was surprised Vincent suggested killing the two little girls. How could anyone be so cruel? "I’m not going anywhere with you unless I know the two of them will be safe."
"We can have a trial with the entire community to determine what happens to them. It won’t look like you are being biased if you have a trial," Jane quickly suggested the trial so they could go inside. "They’ll have to be imprisoned till the trial. What do you think?"
"Fine, we shall have a trial. Take the two girls and lock them up somewhere Jane. You will have to be punished for your carelessness Derek. Don’t expect the trials to be an easy one for the girls because you know the community will be against having them here. Don’t get your hopes up. Are you satisfied now?" Vincent asked Aurora in particular. He needed to get her updated with the rules of the community because her stubbornness won’t end well for her. "Let’s go inside the gates because we have kept the guards waiting long enough."
Since Vincent was one of the people outside of the gates, the guards had been conflicted to shut the gates leaving him outside. The correct thing to do was to close the gates regardless of who was on the outside. He knew what time they were closing along with everyone else. "Now!" He commanded everyone. His patience had long run thin.
Aurora reluctantly handed the girls over to Jane, disliking the idea that they had to be imprisoned until the trial but it was better than killing them. "I’ll see both of you later," she promised the two girls.
"I’ll stay with them since I have to face punishment," Derek assured Aurora so she wouldn’t have to worry about the children.
Aurora gulped, feeling the intensity of Vincent’s gaze. Vincent started to walk through the gates and then they slowly started to close. She hurried behind him followed by Jane, Derek, and the two young girls. She knew he was extremely angry with her but how could he expect her to just stand by and allow something bad to happen to the girls? She wasn’t happy with how he chose death for them before the trial. frёeωebɳovel.com
Now that they were all inside, the gates had officially closed leaving anyone on the outside to fend for themselves till the morning. Jane and Derek headed off in the direction of the prison while Vincent collected his horse.
"Vincent-"
"Not a word until we get home," he stopped her before they had a talk about what just happened. There were too many ears listening to their conversation. Vincent helped her get onto the horse once again and rode back to his home.
The ride back was one filled with silence and an awkward feeling.
"Thank you," she softly spoke when he helped her down when they reached his home. The butler was waiting for them to take the horse. It was weird how apparent he was now that Vincent had pointed out his existence. Had Vincent not called for him, was the man not going to introduce himself?
Vincent opened the front door allowing Aurora to step inside first before closing it behind him.
"It was cruel of you to suggest killing the two girls instead of coming up with another idea," Aurora said now that they were alone.
"I did come up with another idea which was to send them back but none of you wanted to listen to me. Death was the next best option because a trial here won’t be too easy for them. Derek knew that when he allowed the two of them to follow him here."
"The girls were already frightened enough, you talking about killing them wasn’t helping. I understand that Derek might be wrong but understand what it took for them to see him as a saint in their lives. To follow a complete stranger over the guards placed to protect them. What makes me an exception when I am not a wolf? Why don’t I have to stand trial?" She asked because she had easily settled in here. Clearly, he bent the rules when he wanted to. He should be able to do it again when it comes to children.
"Wolves worship the moon Goddess Artemis and you are a part of her. That’s what made it acceptable for you to be here. Have you forgotten human’s stance against those who are not like them? A wolf child would not be easily accepted in their world and killed on sight. I have seen it happen many times before. Why should I easily accept their kind here?" Vincent tried not to raise his voice because Aurora didn’t fully understand how dangerous this world was when different creatures crossed paths.
"You don’t have to be as cruel as the rest of the world. You don’t have to kill as they do. How can the people in the world ever live together with some sort of peace if no one is willing to show that they don’t have to immediately kill the other? You can show mercy," Aurora tried to reason with him.
"I showed mercy when I told Derrick to take them back."
