Chapter 114: Fox Queen

"Let me go, leave me," Milan was screaming, fighting against Aiden who was holding on to her tight. "I said leave," she commanded. But he did not listen to her. She started getting violent. He couldn't understand why. "I could have saved them, why did you do this? How could you do this?" She asked him. "How could you just let them stay back? Why did you let them have their way?" She started breaking down, her tears fell down on the ground, and it burned the leaves that laid there. The angry tears. Aiden was shocked and he let her go almost immediately. He just stood there still, looking at her. Her eyes were once again blue. She looked a little paler. Her hair were black and blue together and he noticed tiny canines. 

"Milan?" He called her. "Are you alright?" He asked her. He took a step closer and touched her shoulder. She was kneeling down. She turned back and looked at him. Her turquoise blue eyes looked deep and moving. The wind blew her hair and her gown. They sky was clouded and it kept raining. Milan had dirt on her clothes from falling on the ground. The sky spilt into two with thunder and lightening. They could year the water splashing in the distance. Aiden couldn't understand what it was all about. 

"Aqua, Aqua don't, " Milan kept trying soon. Aiden moved towards her and held her. "Don't touch me," she said. "Don't, " Aiden withdrew his hands instantly and stood helpless watching Milan falling deep into sadness. But in Aiden's heart, he was worried about. He worried about her safety. He was unhappy about the fact that she was staying with the Demon King and jealously and anger filled his body. 

He wondered what Aqua would be doing, ignorant about the truth and her family. He wished to see her. He was sure that they live in the same mountain but he will never be able to step out of the barrier built around the forest that protected the rare beasts. 

Milan removed all the protection charms she put around her and decided to live with her true identity since she will no longer be returning back home. She was put back in her place, in the forest she belonged, her father reigned over. Water Woods. The land of the spirit foxes. The nine tailed foxes, though she can shape shift. She was glad that she learned martial arts since her father had met a tragic ending. She got back on her legs and wiped her tears. She tried to steady her heart and fake control over her emotions. She wanted to forget the life she lived until then. But she looked at Aiden and she couldn't change her heart nor shift her feelings. The curse of loving one person for a lifetime angered her. She hated it and she couldn't under why her family chose to put him with her and not her sister. She felt bad, she felt wronged and she felt betrayed. 

"Am not forgiving anybody," she muttered under her breath. 

"Hmm?" Aiden asked her but she did not care to reply. It was no place for him to live but since there is no way out she had no choice but look after him instead. Ever since her biological father died, the barrier had been protected with triple the protection under various formation, wards and charms, that not even emperor can easily break through. And it was put up by King Aenon himself and only he knows io disable them, who no longer lived, hence trapped inside forever.

Milan led the way and walked into the forest from the entrance they spent the night at. The Water Woods is the largest forest in the Water Realm and spread over several moutians together. It had beautiful eco system with seven different types of forests and grasslands. The water resourse too was separate and unique in the woods. Aiden carried the bag they had been given packed with necessities and weapons. He protected both of their swords well. And carried them around. He followed Milan silently. He couldn't tell what her problem was and why she looks different in the woods. He then recalled the moment she kissed him the day before. It was the same value eyes then too. He wondered if it is really Milan or somebody else pretending to be her. 

"Don't make noises, walk without hurting the sapling and ground," she ordered. 

"Mwo?" He asked feeling confused. "Without hurting the ground?" 

"Yes,"

"How is that possible? Should I float?"  He asked her.

"That would be better if you can, the sapling you stepped are moaning in pain," she said to him since her ears had turned sensitive. 

"I.. I.. well.." he could not say anything back at her. "Where to walk then?" He managed to ask feeling ridiculous. 

"Follow my footsteps, am not stepping on anything," she said. He looked for her foot print and he took then carefully. He did feel stupid but her words did not sound like a joke. Who observed the ground carefully as he took each step. He exhaled. As they walked deep into the forest, they heard moments and she got the scents of several people and animals. "It's time, and we are here," she whispered. "Don't ever take the weapon out nor use them," she warned him strictly. "They are sensitive to human forms and big weapons, and swords,"

"Who?" Aiden did not understand what she was talking about entirely. "Are ther tribes living here?" He asked. 

"Hmmm..." that was all she said. Several minutes later, few birds came flying and sat on the branches making alarming sounds. It was like calling for help, loud and clear. Few animals came running towards their direction and stood at a distance. The deers, the centuars, the bear, the sheep, the koala, fox, few wolves, an elephant. And they all watched Milan closely. 

"Wondering who I am?" She asked them. She smirked. She showed them her chain with the wooden locket. She had always had them around her neck and Aiden has noticed it several times. The wooden locket of a fox carved. It suddenly started shining bright and Aiden stood shocked there. Suddenly nine tails appeared at her back with blue blaze around her formed like an aura. Her eyes were blue again and her hair flying in the wind. She lifted her hand and restored the leaves back to the trees and repaired the broken branches. She summoned the ropes and climbers and roots that floated in the air. Aiden swallowed hard. He took a step back from her. He couldn't believe his eyes nor accept the fact that she is the nine tailed fox people had searched for centuries, the queen of the Water Woods, the true master, the daughter of the only fox in the Water Realm, the love child and the tragic heroine of her own life story. Everything unravels slowly to Aiden. "You..Milan you..." he couldn't find any words.

"What?" She asked him. She smiled at him proudly.

The animals shape shifted and took their human form.

"All hail to the Queen of Water Woods," they said together, bowed and touched their head on the ground, welcoming her and accepting her as their queen.

"We have been lost for too long, living our lonely lives, we missed the king, and we were never at mercy of any rulers, we are glad to have the Queen back, let us pay for our sins and serve you well," the Centuar said. Her face was full of regrets and sadness in seeing Milan. Milan could say from the very sight that she is the daughter of one of the Centuars who killed the fox King. 

"Thank you," Milan said. She asked then to stand up and stood smiling at them. But they were not welcoming Aiden positively. Neither did Aiden accept them. 

"Who is this my queen?' The elephant asked her.

"He is my quarter brother," she replied. Aiden was shocked at her explanation. 

"Quarter brother, what in the universe is that?" He whispered to her. "Cousin would have sounded normal than this," he kept talking to her.

"Keeo quiet," she said to him. "He will stay with me, for my own protection, you don't have to worry about him, none of you, he is poor," Milan assured the animal crowd. 

She showed the action to disperse and walked behind them. There were no specific settlements. Everything was in different corners of the woods, living as small small groups based on their crowd. Milan was sure that she will have to put up a shelter soon for her and for Aiden.

Milan found a place for them to stay that had water resource close by, place that rain touched less and she looked at Aiden.

"A house here would do," she said. 

"A house?" He asked her repeating again. 

"Yes, a house, have you not seen any?" Milan mocked him.

"Okay, " he agreed. He was sure what a kind of slave he was going to become and agreed to do it. Milan smiled and turned away. The sky was dark and the cold winds were u unstoppable.

"Something is wrong, it is unusual,  this phenomena, " Milan said looking at the sky and called for Aiden. "Don't you think the effect feels similar?" 

"Aqua," Aiden gasped. He clenched his fists. "No,"