SACRIFICE TO THE MOON (Completed) #Wattys2020

CHAPTER 24

Waya and Freya continued their journey to Malabour, only this time, they stayed off the roads on account of Athena's cloud.
There was an uncomfortable silence between Waya and Freya after the incident at the pond.
Freya reeked with shame as she inwardly chastened herself for stropping low enough to be considered cheap.
Waya watched her intently as these thoughts ran through her head. He reached to hold her hands but she brushed him off .
She was mad at Waya for taking advantage of her affection for him.
Waya felt intense guilt. He had always been aware of Freya's affection for him.
Those affections were the reasons why Freya always had his back through thick or thin. Moreover, she was more of a sibling to him. His reciprocation of her affections night have ruined that so he built a wall around him. He could show her love for her, he could never tell her.
      So, for the remainder of the trip to Malabour, the duo stayed quiet.
          As they got closer to Malabour Waya's eyes ate up all the everything in his sight.
         From the mode of housing to dressing to the sheer number of people, Waya took it all in.
       The duo knew they needed a disguise when they got to the stone walls of Malabour for Athena's cloud would be waiting for them.
    Waya dug the ground and hid the shield of Belus for an extravagant weapon would draw a lot of unwanted attention.
       Waya exchanged his medallion for change of clothings for himself and Freya.
     Undetected by both Malabour's guards and Athena's cloud, prince Waya and grand commander Freya gained entry into Malabour disguised as locals. Immediately, priestess Zainab opened her eyes and announced to Amykos and his remaining three children.
       "He is here, in Malabour".
   Waya was hungry and he knew Freya was equally starving but she said nothing for she was still mad.
            He racked his brain for a solution. He had given off the only valuable on him in exchange for meager clothings. He knew virtually no one in the vast city of Malabour still he had to find food.
       Against Freya's consent, Waya grabbed her hand together, they weaved through the thousands of bodies that could be found in Malabour.
        They found roamed Malabour the best the could in search of food. Then they found it, an extravagant building in which Athena's statue was erected. This was the famous temple of Athena.
      They shot each other a look and walked in. Waya was in awe over the amount of precious stones that went into the construction of a temple for a goddess who cared nothing about them.
      He spotted a tree rich with ripe apples. His mouth salivated. Quickly he approached the tree, and gathered as much apple as he could.
    Freya was incensed
  "Do you know this tree of Apple is sacred to Athena?" Freya probed
   "To whom, my mom? Don't worry about her"  Waya replied nonchalantly.
   "It's not her am worried about. In these parts, it an offense punishable by death"
       Waya didn't pay her any heed as he continued gathering as much apples as he could and storing them in his garments.
       A group of guards spotted them.
   Once spotted, Waya and Freya took to their heels while the guards fiercely chased after them but a handful of guards were no match for the grand general and prince of the moon. Easily, Waya and Freya escaped.
    Strangely, Waya knew the way to his home. By night fall, the duo arrived outside the cottage.
     The moment they got there, Waya's intuition told him something wasn't right but he had come to far to back out.
    He looked around, the cottage was located in a secluded area in Malabour.
    The moon shone brightly, a part of him missed Athena and the moon but this was his home and come hell or high water, he was going to reclaim it.
      "Your dagger, do you still have it?" He whispered to Freya.
   Freya nodded once.
     "Good, keep it close. I'll be back "
      With that, Waya marched to the cottage door.