A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

Having found her resolve, Neema looked up Naeku with a firmer gaze. "I-I loved him once, princess. Or, I thought I did… I was never very confident in myself, and having the attention and protection of a powerful person was… addictive."

She glanced over at the spot where Kato had gotten his sigil inscribed. "Seeing him hurt was… unpleasant, to say the least. Though I eventually found the strength to talk to the Völva about… everything, there was a part of me that hoped she would just talk to him, and get him to stop."

At this point, she glanced apologetically at Nora, likely not wanting to insult her. Fortunately, Nora didn't seem to mind.

Relieved, Neema then turned back towards Naeku with a sigh. Slowly, a strange smile formed on her lips. It looked like part of her didn't want to say this next part, but the sigil prevented her from lying. "But to answer your question, princess, yes. I do think it was good."

Her breathing sped up a little. Her eyes turned down, but the smile on her face gained an edge of sadistic pleasure and freedom. "Though seeing him hurt was painful at first, it wasn't long before I started to question why I ever submitted myself to that pathetic man… He couldn't control me without beating me… he couldn't prevent himself from being punished by the Völva… Suddenly, I'm struggling to remember what he was good for…"

Silence fell for a moment as everyone looked at Neema with a bit of surprise. The object of their fascination continued looking at the empty floor in front of her, hands folded in front of her chest. It looked like she was either praying or reliving the moments of Kato's punishment… or both.

Finally, Naeku sighed and nodded. "Thank you for telling me, Neema. Perhaps this was a good punishment. I have one more question for you, however. When did you enter into a relationship with this man, and was it always like this?"

Ripped from whatever she was doing, Neema looked startled for a moment. But then she looked up at Naeku again, still smiling strangely. "It was a few years ago, princess. I was having trouble dealing with this new world we live in, and Kato… saved me. Or at least, I thought he did… I'm suddenly struggling trying to recall the specifics."

She sighed gently and shook her head. "At the time, he was one of the few second-rankers around, and he was gentle then. But as more second-rankers began popping up, and eventually the king became a third-ranker, I think he started feeling less powerful… and that's when he turned."

Suddenly, she dropped to her knees and shifted a trembling gaze over towards Erik, hands still folded in front of her chest. "W-When we found our faith in the Wolf-Sire, he felt justified in his behaviour at first… but it was this same faith that gave me the courage to finally free myself. Please, Wolf-Sire… accept my eternal faith, gratitude, and loyalty."

Erik blinked, a little caught off guard by her sudden declaration. "You should really thank Nora," he grumbled, a little embarrassed but trying to hide it by raising a stern eyebrow.

Next to him, Naeku smirked behind her hand with amusement. Though she was a little weirded out by Neema's words, she could feel his emotions through their bond and considered it far too rare to see him embarrassed.

But despite his words, Nora shook her head with a grin. "I am merely your instrument, Master. Her gratitude is directed at her God, as it should be."

Neema nodded absentmindedly, seemingly lost in Erik's fierce amber eyes and the absolute power thrumming behind them.

Erik's eyebrows twitched, seeing the devotion in her eyes. Then he glanced at the field of truth still enveloping them all and narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, Neema. This religion you have become a part of worships me, or at least considers the way of life that I prescribe to be worth adhering to. So what do you think? Am I divine, as Nora likes to claim, or just a powerful man with a particular vision?"

Neema blinked… For a moment, it looked like she couldn't believe he was directly asking her a question. Nervously, she glanced at Nora, and then at the truth sigil, before looking back at Erik. "I—" she started, then gulped. "I think… I think there's no difference, Wolf-Sire. What is the divine, but a powerful force with a vision for the world…?"

Nora and Anne both nodded in concert with Neema's words. On the balcony, Erik smirked wryly, and Naeku frowned thoughtfully at Neema's answer. After a moment of silence, Erik sighed and nodded. "Alright, Neema. Thank you for your answer, and I will happily accept your gratitude."

As Neema's smile widened, becoming more genuine and less strange, Erik turned to Naeku. "Do you have any more questions, Naenae?"

Ripped from her thoughts, Naeku's frown deepened for a moment… but then she cleared up and shook her head. "No. Thank you for indulging us, Neema. You can pick up the sigil stone again, Nora."

First glancing at Erik for confirmation, Nora then picked up the stone and made it disappear. Neema then got to her feet and bowed reverently towards the balcony. "It was an honour to meet both of you…"

Not long after, Neema had left the hall to join her after-party and find the friends she'd made since joining this cult. As she left, Nora and Anne asked Erik and Naeku to wait a moment before leaving through another door and joining them on the second-floor balcony.

As soon as they entered, they first bowed their heads in respect, before Nora looked at Naeku expectantly. "Well, Mistress? Do you have any judgment for us, yet?"

Naturally, she was aware of Naeku's purpose here.

Frowning, Naeku shook her head, hands crossed in front of her furry, werepanther chest. "Not yet. I want to see everything before I say anything."

Sighing with a hint of disappointment, Nora nevertheless nodded obediently. "Of course, Mistress." She looked over at Erik with a grin. "So, Master, would you like to join the after-party for a bit, or go straight to the initiate?"

Erik glanced at Naeku with a raised eyebrow. As this was her inspection, he deferred to her. "I… would like to take a look, but a short one. I doubt they'd act normally in our presence."