Boshu was sobbing profusely as he saw Lin's motionless body. 
He held his hand and cried like someone who had lost everything. 
“ Forgive me! ” he could barely utter through his whimpers. “ Forgive me for not being able to be with you when you were suffering at the lands of your own people. Forgive me for being so engrossed in my own life that I… that I… ” he was almost on the verge of vomiting because he was crying and drooling so much. 
“ Papa! Take it easy. Your friend can't hear you. Let him come around first. ” one of the triplets patted his back. 
He had been guilt ridden for living in ignorance for so long. Besides he had never seen Lin in such a vulnerable state, be it any battle. 
Akata walked in at that moment. 
Boshu immediately wiped his tears at his arrival. 
“Don't worry. He will be up and running any moment, young man. ” Akata watched his father from a distance, smiled at his uncle and then left. 
Everything about his present situation was overwhelming. It was too much for anybody to digest. 
“ I am going for a walk. Tell aunt Roe, not to worry. I will be back before dinner. ”
He told one of the triplets and sped off. 
He knew exactly where he was doing. 
He had sensed her nearby. 
Even though his heart ached for her, earned for her, he knew their story was doomed to begin with. It was nothing but a grave sin. 
*****
In the woods adjacent to the Bird Tribe -
Akata knew exactly where she was. 
He emerged from the dense foliage.
He caught sight of Merindale, her presence seemed to slice through the tranquility of the jungle.
She was pacing the borders of the Bird Tribe, unsure about her next move. She had followed them when Roe had stormed out but she didn't have the courage to show herself to her aunt. 
Akata squared his shoulders, readying himself for the inevitable confrontation.
“Merindale,” he began. His voice was a blend of determination and pain. “What brings you here, far from your castle's walls?”
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
 “ I … I was worried about you and uncle Lin. ”
She stammered. 
Akata turned away, a surge of frustration threatened to smear his words,
“You know these woods are dangerous don't you? It's unsafe for a princess like you. Go back to your castle. There is nothing for you to check on here. ”
She leaped at his hand and grabbed it. Her silent tears fell at the back of his hand. 
“ I am sorry. I had no idea about what my father and mother had done. I really am so sorry… ”
“ Don't worry, ” it's all in the past. 
“ Go back, Merindale. There is no bad blood between you and I. ” Akata insisted. 
“But …love knows no boundaries…I am sure this is not the end…," she pleaded, stepping closer. "I am willing to defy all odds for us.”
With a heavy heart, he shook his head. "Merindale, our love or whatever it was…was a beautiful dream, but dreams shatter when faced with reality. Please, go back. Forget about me.You know we are related, Merindale. This is nothing but forbidden temptation. ”
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she reached out for him. 
"I cannot forget. I will fight for us until the end.”
A pang of sorrow gripped his chest as he gently pushed her away,“ I don't understand Merindale, what is there to fight for? Is this not a losing game? Do not be difficult. Go back! ”
He literally pushed her away and turned back. 
Merindale hit her head on a tree trunk. 
Blood trickled down her face. 
But Akata did not stop. He forced himself out of there. 
Merindale fell flat on her bottom and wiped her blood with her sleeve. 
“ I don't know about you Akata, but I am a Wolf. And we know when we find our soulmates. You and mine and I don't care about any rule that dares to bind our relation. ”
She wiped the rest of her blood with her hand and grabbed the tree trunk to stand up, leaving a very prominent finger mark behind. 
She had no intention of going back to the wolf territories. 
But if she was to spend the night in the wilderness, she had to look for shelter. 
******
Merindale climbed up the tallest tree and settled on one of its branches. The birds nestled there, stirred, feeling her presence.
“ Don't worry, I will not hurt you. I am more helpless than you my feathered friends, ” Merindale lamented. 
She tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The high branch of a tree was no match for her cushioned bedding. It hurt her everywhere, it was uncomfortable. Yet, she refused to go back. 
Suddenly Merindale sat up. 
She could hear rustling of leaves from somewhere down below. Merindale sniffed the air. It was a wolf. She sat up, holding tight onto the branch she was sitting on. 
Was it someone her father had sent after her, to bring her home? 
Or was it worse… perhaps a Rogue. 
Anxiety was making Merindale sweat even though the night air was absolutely cold. 
She could spy a hooded figure lurking where she had been a few hours ago. Merindale saw it examining her blood stained finger marks and then it looked around. 
Merindale held her breath. 
The figure moved cautiously, step by step,as if searching for something,towards the tree where Merindale perched. With every rustle of leaves under it's foot, Merindale’s heart pounded harder. She remained as still as possible, clutching the branch tighter.
As the figure drew nearer, the moonlight revealed a glint of steel.A blade at the stranger's side. Fear surged through Merindale.
But so did recognition.She had seen that blade somewhere.But her mind could not process exactly where. Her mind raced, pondering her options, but she knew climbing down wasn't safe. She braced herself, hoping the stranger would pass by without noticing her.
But fate had different plans. The figure stopped just beneath the tree and peered up, eyes locking onto Merindale's.
She felt as if her heart was beating inside her mouth.A tense silence hung between them, broken only by the wind whispering through the leaves.
"Who are you?"Merindale finally asked, noticing that it was a woman. Her voice quivered but held a hint of recognition. 
The figure hesitated, then lowered the hood, revealing a face weathered by time and hardship.
“I mean you no harm, child. I'm here to offer assistance.”
Merindale's eyes widened in surprise. "Assistance?Sorry, but do we know each other? ”
The elderly woman spared her a smile. 
“ I would say yes, I know you. I have known all of you. I have been watching you grow from a distance. But whether or not you know about me, will depend on your parents. I don't know if they ever told you anything about my existence. ”
Her eyes seemed sad.
“ Not that I am complaining. The things I have done, don't allow me any remembrance. But if you take blood ties into account, I am your grandmother. Your father's biological mother. The former Wolf Queen. ”
Merindale knew she wasn't lying . The resemblances she shared with her father was undeniable. 
And she remembered where she had seen that blade. 
Uncertainty clouded her thoughts, but curiosity got the better of her. Slowly, she descended from the tree, eyeing the stranger warily.
“ I remember seeing that blade in one of our family portraits. I remember it had gone missing and father had made the entire kingdom look for it. It could not be found. How come you have it in your possession? Did you steal it? ”
She squirmed at the direct accusation. 
As Merindale finally hit the ground, the figure pulled the blade out of its stealth. 
Merindale stepped back but the woman offered the sword to Merindale. 
“ You can call it stealing but it once belonged to my husband. I had been using it to protect myself in the wild but I was just safe keeping it.”
She sighed. 
“ I schemed and plotted all my life to watch my children reign over the throne. But… ” She lowered her gaze, “ But I learnt this the hard way… evil never begets any good. No matter how much I tried your father never turned out to be the leader , my Roe naturally was. ”
Merindale could not understand what this woman was getting at. 
“ Here, ” she handed the sword of the old Wolf King over to Merindale. “ Take this as a token of my affection. I can see reflections of my Roe in you. I believe in you. And so must you. You have a pure soul, don't let anyone ever doubt you. ”
She extended her hand to caress Merindale but she hesitated. 
“ It's alright.I am guilty of many crimes. At one point, I was after your very life. I do not know if I will ever be able to atone for my sins in this life, but I made a vow that I will try. 
You know my kids don't love me. They refuse to even see my face. But I am their mother. I could never abandon them. I have been wandering between their lands, watching them from a distance.”
She took Merindale’s hand and clasped it between her wrinkled hands. 
“ What I am about to tell you, I have told no one. Not a single soul knows about this. It is one of my dirtiest secrets and I had long thought that I would never have to deal with this matter anymore. I had vowed I would take this matter to my grave. But my dear one… my little one… if I do not disclose this secret you will never find peace. Perhaps I am still breathing to do this deed. 
I hope your grandfather is able to forgive me, may his soul be blessed. I had been a vile woman and an immoral one. I had an extramarital affair behind your grandfather's back. ”
Merindale took her hand back in disgust but she failed to understand why this woman was confessing just a secret in front of her granddaughter. 
“ Your father is my child from that affair. The great Wolf King's blood does not run in my Xie's veins. ”
She concluded. 
It seemed like the earth had stopped rotating for some time after that declaration. 
The air seemed stupefied. 
The sounds in the wood faded. 
And then soft thuds of her own heart, reached Merindale's ear. 
“ Is this true? Are you being honest? ” 
The old Wolf Queen scoffed. 
“ Why wouldn't I? I bared my dirtiest laundry in front of you my dear child. I wouldn't dare to fool about something like this, no matter my vile reputation, little girl. ”
Merindale clasped the tree trunk because her heart was about to explode with excitement. 
“ You mean… you mean Akata and I are not directly connected by blood? You mean… you mean we have nothing to feel guilty about? I… I knew it… I knew he was mine. ”
******
Akata had left Merindale in the woods, hoping she would go back to the Wolf kingdom if she was left alone. But he could not concentrate on anything once he was back. 
When sitting at the table he kept repeatedly hitting the table with his fork. 
“ Seems like brother Akata lost his appetite.What is the matter? ” one of the triplets asked. 
Akata looked around but without answering he dashed out of there. 
He went straight back to where he had left Merindale but all he could find was her blood stained finger print left behind. 
“ Merindale… Merindale… ”
He began calling her name out as if his life depended on it. 
He ran here and there, forgetting all about tracking her scent. 
It was at this point that he heard her voice. 
“ Akata? ” 
He immediately turned around. 
“ You came back for me? ” She looked delighted. She stood a few yards away along with a strange, hooded woman. 
“ What are you still doing here? ” Akata growled at her, much to Merindale's surprise. 
“ Go back… ” he slashed one tree after another as he approached Merindale, trying to intimidate her once more. 
“ It's okay Akata… We don't have to worry anymore… You know who this is? She solved all our problems. You and I have no more strings attached…”
“You cunning quack… What are you trying to convince her of? ” Akata was not in the mood to listen. He had been terrified, seeing Merindale’s blood. He was going to make sure she left for the Wolf Kingdom. 
“ Dear child. It's okay…Merindale and your love is not a sin… ” the old Wolf Queen opened her mouth but Akata sent her flying a few miles away. 
“ Akata! What do you think you are doing? Do you even know who that was? That was my grandmother. And the told me… ”
“ I don't care about your grandmother or any other relation, wolf princess. Not after what your father did. I will never be able to forgive you. Now, get out of my sight. ”
Akata roared. 
Merindale watched his eyes for a few seconds. She could not read through them. 
“ Alright. I will give you time to calm down. But know that I am not giving up. ”
Akata watched as Merindale haughtily left.