Forged in the Flames

Chapter 95

Forged In The Flames By Karima Sa’ad Usman

Chapter 95 Aligning Our Goals (Aliana)

Nikolas returned to the room, and I could see his nervousness. It had been almost a week since his friend and half-brother left, and I knew he was doing a lot.

I also knew we were preparing for battle. I wished I could pause everything and just savour the moment. There was fear inside me. The fear of failure, of losing him and everyone I know and care about.

Even though the battle was necessary to free my mother, was it worth risking Nikolas’s life and the life of others?

Will our child be glad that his father was a hero if he has to grow up without him? The questions that plagued me made it impossible to lend Nikolas the needed support.

Title of the document

“How are you feeling,” I asked him as he sat beside me on the couch.

“We are getting ready. I know Fred*ic*k will attack between now and the coronation day. I do not want the battle to take place in Riverhead. I would prefer the lands that lead to Forest so the battle would not destroy our progress,” he said, and I sighed.

“Have you reached out to Piotr? Is he going to help?” I asked, and he shook his head. It scared me to think that he would be doing this alone.

“But you should,” I said, almost in tears.

“You can’t fight this war alone. He will benefit from it. You should, Nikolas,” I said, feeling a panic rise in me, and he turned towards me.

“Shhh,” he said, trying to calm me down. My body was shaking, and I was crying. He held me to his chest and k*issed the top of my head.

“Don’t be afraid, little wolf. It shows how little faith you have in me,” he teased, and I broke away and shook my head.

“No, Nikolas, I do not have little faith in you, but you are everything to me. Knowing that your life will be on the line is scary. I am afraid that fate will not favour us, and you will lose. You really do not have to fight. You can just be Alpha, and we can….” I said, and before I could finish the sentence, I realised what I was about to say was impossible.

How can we be?

I was expecting his child.

As long as a child is between us, he will be found wanting and will have to protect his life.

“I had set things in motion by getting pregnant. It is all my fault. I should have researched and not gotten pregnant, Nikolas,” I said, panicking, and he shook his head.

“Be calm, Aliana. Our baby is why I have a purpose. You and our baby have given me a reason to push harder. I want this; I want you and our child. Both of you are a blessing to me, and I will be damned if it is likened to a mistake. I promise you I will not fall,” He said with strong determination, and I knew it would only be wise to boost his confidence and support him. So, I nodded, and he k*issed the top of my head and held me to his chest again.

“I will be heading to Timber this evening to check our arsenal. The troops are already in Riverhead, so I will return tomorrow to address and prepare the people. I need you to keep things in order before I return. Can you do that?” he asked, gazing into my eyes, and I nodded. It was the least I could do.

He held me for a while, and soon it was time for him to head to Timber. I managed to see him off.

After Nikolas left, I decided to support him by boosting the morale of my people and ensuring they understood the significance of this war. I needed them to fight with their heart because it was our war, not the war of a man who wanted to be King by force.

“Father, I need you to assemble all the werewolf warriors and abled-bodied fighters on the grounds. I want to address them,” I linked him. “Princess, wouldn’t that be seen as treason by other Lycans?” My father asked, sounding worried. Knowing everything we had been doing was secret, there was no point hiding anymore. We all know that werewolves will be part of the army and need a purpose.

“If we do not help them understand the importance of this war, they will not fight it as they should,” I linked with my father, who was silent for a bit.

“Still, we cannot gather them on the ground. As far as the Lycans are concerned, Nikolas is

moving to become King. I will have them gather in the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. Both werewolves and half-breeds. Then I will send a Rickshaw to bring you so you can speak with them. That way, the lower officers will not know, and there will be nothing to spy on,” he explained, and I appreciated him for it.

Not long before I had finished talking to my father, Ania and Lisa entered my room.

Ania was looking down, and she reeked of Qusack. As much as I wanted to keep ignoring her latest behaviour, I couldn’t, so I called her out.

“What is with you and Qusack,” I asked before she sat on the couch, and she was in shock. She looked at me, and I raised an eyebrow. Lisa was chuckling.

“That obvious?” Ania asked me, and I nodded.

“Come on, share,” I said quickly, and she sighed.

“I did not know, Aliana. I like him, but I also hate him,” she said, and I already knew that part.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” I said, and Lisa laughed.

“Well, he has been trying to get with me, and I am yet to say yes because I can’t get over the fact that he rejected me because I couldn’t play chess,” she said, and I could understand her pain. The whole branding situation and all.

“I know you have the right to make him suffer, but this isn’t the time, Ania. We all know you are crazy about the guy, and now that he is talking to you and likes you, I do not think it is wise to procrastinate a decision. He is going to war, Ania, you should give him a reason to return,” I told her the truth straight up, and she looked at me with misty eyes.

“How are you h*andling it, Aliana? It has been giving me sleepless nights. Since the troop started arriving from Timber, I have been worried. This morning he confessed to me that they will be going to war. I am afraid,” She said, tears streaming down her cheek. I nodded, knowing that her behaviour was perfectly normal.

“Me too, but we must be strong for their sake and give them a reason to come home. It will be best for you two to iron things out before the fight,” I said, getting up to change my clothes.

Ania was thinking while Lisa followed me to the closet to ask what I was planning.

“Well, You two are coming with me,” I said, wearing a trouser and a blouse.

“To where? To do what?” Lisa asked, and I stepped out of the closet.

“I want to speak to werewolves and half-breeds about this war. We need to take it seriously because Nikolas isn’t going to war because he wants to be King; he wants to be King to liberate us and abolish the Unity law. We need to put our heart and soul into the battle and ensure we emerge victorious for the sake of our future,” I said, and Lisa was shocked.

I realised they were finding out the real reason for the first time.

“Oh, Aliana, it will be great. It means we can travel and won’t have to worry about hunters and slave traders. We can own things and won’t have to keep our heads down or be treated like lesser beings. It means we would be free,” Lisa said, overjoyed and determined.

Ania snapped out of her thoughts and looked at me with surprise.

“Are you serious?” She asked me, and I nodded. I saw relief wash through her and did not need to guess why. She was holding back from Qusack because she did not think their relationship would have a future.

“I need to find Qusack,” she said, and I shook my head.

“They went to Timber with our King. You are stuck with me until they return tomorrow. Now get off your ass, and let’s convince our people to support our King,” I said, and she beamed at me.

An hour later, my father sent a rickshaw to get us. I took some money from the dresser and headed out.

The ride was long, but we finally got to the venue. There were several rickshaws parked in the area.

It was clear a lot of people were present in the warehouse. The man riding the rickshaw we came in parked and followed us into the warehouse.

My father was standing on a make shifty stage when I entered, so even though many people were in the roofless building, I could see him when I stepped in.

We began to make our way to him through the crowd, and they quickly parted the way for us. When my father saw me, he smiled.

“My daughter is here to speak to all of you, so I will implore you to listen and be patient,” he said and came down from the elevated platform. I climbed it and looked at the vast crowd in front of me. They stood and looked at me, wondering what I had to say.

“Hello, you all know me by now. Some of you call me the alphas’ whore, mistress, slave, name it, I have heard it all, but I am not here to address you because of that; I am here to speak about the pending war,” I said, and people began to murmur.

“It is bad enough that he killed our people and took our lands; now he wants us to die for his cause,” someone said, and everyone began to murmur; I did not know what to do, but my father helped using his alpha command to shut them up. The hall was silent immediately, and I could speak.

“Firstly, he did not steal your land because he is the rightful heir to the throne. He is King Mathias’s son. Technically, we were living on his land,” I said, and they were silent.

“Also, King Nikolas is not crowning himself by force for his vanity. We all know how badly Fredrick has wanted to take this land and enslave us. My father has kept us safe, and

Nikolas has done the same. Because of this, he has been denied his birthright.

Nikolas is fine with just being Alpha and living his life. He does not need the crown to validate himself, but along the line, he realised how unfairly we have been treated. He realised the lies of his past and decided to rectify it.

King Mathias did not sign the Unity Law; a man called Isaac Lucas manipulated it all and pitted us against the King.

You can ask my father, and he will explain it to you. I am not here to talk about the past but the future.

Nikolas is crowning himself so he can abolish the unity law so we can be set free,” I said, and people were surprised. I nodded. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I would like to go into details, but we cannot linger here,” I said, reminding them that we were meeting in secret and our number would make our absence in town evident if we lingered. I watched them, and when I realised I had their attention, I summoned courage and opened my mouth to speak to them.

Standing before my people, my heart pounded with determination and anxiety. I took a deep breath, letting the weight of the impending war settle upon my shoulders. The fate of our future, our freedom from the clutches of slavery, and the welfare of our children rested upon the decisions we would make in the days to come.

I scanned the crowd, taking in the tired faces marked by years of oppression and hardship. These brave souls had endured unimaginable suffering yet still clung to a flicker of hope.

They had longed for a leader who would guide them to a brighter tomorrow, and now, in our darkest hour, Nikolas was determined to be that leader.

“Brothers and sisters,” my voice echoed across the gathering, “we stand on the precipice of a battle that will shape our destiny. The time has come for us to rise and fight for what is rightfully ours. Freedom!”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. They had been waiting for this moment, waiting for someone to ignite the fire of resistance within them. I had heard their whispered conversations, their

doubts about their ability to prevail against the mighty forces that sought to crush us; I had shared in these conversations and doubts. It was my task now to dispel those doubts and rally their spirits.

“King Nikolas,” I continued, my voice steady and resolute, “is not just a king. He is a beacon of hope, a ruler who values equality and justice for all. His reign will safeguard our people, a shield against the tyranny that has plagued us for far too long.”

I paused, letting my words sink in. The crowd held its breath, their eyes fixed on me, waiting for me to lead them out of the darkness that had consumed our lives.

“We have been oppressed, downtrodden, and stripped of our dignity for many years. Trapped in Forest, we dared not venture far, or we would be captured and sold like a commodity,” My voice resonated with passion, “but we shall no longer bow our heads in submission. We shall no longer live in fear and restriction. It is time for us to reclaim our freedom, to stand tall and fight for a better future, not just for ourselves, but for the generations yet to come.”

A surge of determination coursed through my veins, spreading like wildfire to the hearts of my people. They cheered, their tired bodies infused with newfound strength. Their eyes sparkled with a glimmer of hope, a flame that had long been extinguished but now burned brighter than ever before. I looked at my father, and he was proud.

My words carried the weight of our collective dreams, our aspirations for a life free from chains, hunters, slave traders and fear. I knew that my people were willing to fight. Still, they needed to believe in the cause to understand that the battle they were about to wage was not just for themselves but for our children’s future. “Our children,” My voice softened, brimming with love and determination, knowing I would welcome my little one into the world in the near future.

“Our children are the embodiment of our hope. They deserve a world where they can grow, flourish, and dream without the shackles of oppression. They deserve a future not marred by the scars of

slavery.”

Tears glistened in the eyes of many as they thought of their sons and daughters, innocent souls who had known nothing but suffering and confinement. They yearned for a world where their children could laugh freely, where their dreams could take flight.

“We cannot allow the chains of our past to bind the h*ands of our future,” I proclaimed, my voice resolute, “Nikolas offers us that future. He offers us the chance to build a society based on equality, where every person’s voice is heard, and every life is valued.”

As my words hung in the air, a sense of purpose descended upon the crowd. They were no longer a gathering of weary individuals but an army united in their quest for freedom.

The flame of resistance burned brightly in their eyes, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

I took a step forward, my voice filled with conviction,

“Together, we can achieve the impossible. We can rewrite the course of history, shaping it in the image of our dreams. We can create a world where our children will inherit the fruits of our struggle and a legacy of courage, determination, and unwavering hope.”

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, their voices echoing through the night.

I had gathered my people, ignited their spirits, and filled them with a fierce determination to fight for their liberation.

The war ahead would be arduous and the challenges daunting, but as long as we stood united, our cause was invincible.

And so, with hearts ablaze and hope coursing through their veins, they vowed to fight alongside Nikolas, the King who believed in equality, justice, and the power of a united people.

For the sake of our future, our freedom, and the welfare of our children, they would march forward, their spirits unyielding, ready to shape their destiny with their own h*ands.