A MAZE OF GREED

"Hurry Ruth. We need to get ready for the dinner." Thea reminded Ruth of the umpteenth time in a day.

"May I ask what is so special about this dinner that it is more important than my work, Thea?"

Thea froze at Mr Cooper's annoying voice.

Ruth and the other women workers giggled, seeing her nervous smile.

"Nothing, Mr Cooper. What can be important than your work?! You are our kind employer with a heart as deep and wide as ocean and-"

"Enough, Thea. Your sugarcoated words are not going to work on me. Stop wasting both our time and start working." He glared at her and left to write something in the register on his table.

"Start working! Chop Chop!" Thea mimicked the old man in a throaty voice.

Ruth burst out into fits of giggles as discreetly as possible.

"Really Thea. You are overexcited to meet your in-laws. I understand. We will reach Rees's.. I mean YOUR home on time." Ruth giggled again teasingly.

"Yes. With your speed, we definitely will!" Thea said sarcastically.

At the hour of the evening, they stepped out of the shop. Thea did not let Ruth inhale the fresh evening air as she dragged her by her hand.

"Thea, slow down, please!" Ruth asked but got no response in exchange.

Ruth wondered why she agreed to stay at Thea's place for the night when she could have gone to her home, get changed and then would have left for Rees's home.

Ruth was also looking forward to meeting Rees's parents. She had heard things about them from Thea. She was excited to meet them and ask about Rees's childhood stories-most of them were embarrassing and funny.

'Are they just like Rees- calm, caring and kind?' She had asked that question to herself multiple times.

They both reached Thea's home earlier than the usual time. Ruth was dragged by Thea inside her home while she tried matching her pace, panting in need of air.

"Mother, we are home!" Thea screamed at the top of her lungs.

Mrs Green came wiping her hand with a napkin.

"Welcome! Sit and I will prepare coffee for you." She offered.

"No.. no mother. We do not have time. We are already late and need to get ready."

Mrs Green's eyes shifted to gasping Ruth, sweat on her forehead.

"Thea Green! Look at my poor girl. She is tired and I can imagine how you must have rushed her all the way. Sit down for some minutes and let her take some breaths."

Ruth smiled thankfully at Mrs Green. The only person that could order Thea Green was her mother.

Mothers are fantastic at tightening their children's reigns!

Thea sulked but did as her mother told. Ruth enjoyed the hot, bitter liquid as it warmed her throat from inside. She chatted with Mrs Green for a while. Her relaxing moment came to an end with her coffee.

Sighing in defeat, Ruth followed Thea to her bedroom wordlessly. Thea had already prepared two dresses for them. Thea's dress was peach coloured that complemented her dark hair.

She had chosen a light green dress for Ruth. Ruth liked that dress as soon as she saw it. They washed their hands and face. Then they changed into their dresses.

"Thea, is not this corset little tight?" Ruth asked while Thea helped her with her dress.

Thea matched her eyes in the mirror. "Just look at you, Ruth. You are looking beautiful already and we are yet to do your hair and put some jwellery."

"really?"

Ruth asked in uncertainty.

"Of course!" Thea exclaimed.

Trusting her best friend's words, Ruth smiled and resumed getting ready for dinner. after twenty more minutes, they both were ready, smiling at each other in content.

"Thea, Ruth! Are you two done or need ten more hand to help you get ready? I swear even the queen must not have taken this much time for getting ready for her own wedding!" Mrs Green complained to her husband.

She adjusted his shirt collar when she heard the sound of the door opening.

She turned to scold the girls for taking long to get ready, but no words came out of her mouth as she watched mesmerizingly at the two angels in front of her.

"My God, kids! You both look gorgeous ladies!" Mr Green walked towards them and hugged both of them dearly.

Ruth liked how his fatherly warmth felt good to her lonely heart.

"Thank you father!"

"Thank you, Mr Green. You look handsome in that charcoal coloured suit!" Ruth complemented with a bright smile.

"So mother, you were saying something?" Thea smirked at her mother, twirling her braid with a finger.

Ruth shook her head mentally at her friend. The woman liked to get on her mother's nerves, but Ruth knew how much Thea loved both of her parents dearly.

Mrs Green also wrapped her arms around both of their shoulders. "You both look like angels, my dear!" She said.

Then turned to her husband and continued, "Honey, I do not know what I will do after seeing our daughter as a bride?! She will be the most beautiful bride in Vincardine!" Mrs Green's eyes turned misty at the thought.

Mr Green draped his hand over her shoulder and pulled her to his side.

"You are right, honey! She will be the most beautiful bride in Vincardine!" He agreed with a proud smile.

Ruth felt emotional witnessing their exchange and prayed mentally for their well being.

"But do not forget our Ruth. She is already one of the most beautiful women in the region. After Thea, we need to find a gentleman for her too!" Mr Green smiled.

Thea's eyes widened as Mrs Green's eyes lit up brighter than a hundred bulbs. She threw an alarmed look to Ruth.

"Father, I think we should get going. We do not want Rees and his family wait on us."

Saying that she held Ruth's hand, and they hurried out of the house before Mrs Green opened Edwin Berrycloth's chapter one more time.

*

*

*

"Theodora, what are you doing here?" Augustus came searching for her to found her standing on the balcony.

She disappeared immediately after the dinner, and he did not get a chance to speak with her. It had been quite some time that they had spent time together.

And tonight, he wanted to melt himself in her warm arms.

Theodora did not turn to face him and kept staring at the sky that had started turning darker.

"Theodora?" Augustus called again when she did not reply the first time.

Although they were not mates chosen by the Moon Goddess and their marriage was only for the then political gains, he had always treated her with respect and had cherished her the way he did to his dead mate- Agatha.

He could not read her mind as the mate bond could not be taken place between them, but he had learned reading her face and her heartbeats over the years to tell she was worried about something.

Her tall and slim frame stood resting her hands on the railing of the balcony, her loose nut brown wavy strands whipped in the air. Her high forehead displayed two vertical lines of worry. Her thin cupid's bow-shaped lips were pressed together in a straight line.

"Theodora, darling, what is on your mind? You look stressed." Augustus gently covered her one hand on the railing with his.

She was silent, but not calm. Augustus could hear her heart beating in worry. He was not used to seeing his wife in that state. She was his backbone. She had been with him every moment of the years of their marriage.

She had elevated his spirits when they dipped down. She had pushed him to extend his horizons and had always been his shoulder to rely upon.

Then what had made her upset this way?

After a brief pause, she said with a serious voice. "I do not know, Augustus."

She did not use his name usually. It was only in the times when she was upset or was worried that she used his name.

"Look at those dark clouds in the sky." She pointed, moving her head a little.

Augustus tore his gaze from her face to look at what she was pointing.

"They are only clouds, Theodora. The sun has already set." He reasoned.

Theodora shook her head.

"No, Augustus. Those dark clouds are indication."

"Indication of what?"

Theodora took another pause before saying, "I have this feeling inside my chest, Augustus. Something is going to happen soon that will change all of our lives. The cyclone is advancing towards us. It is right there at the threshold of Vincardine. I can feel it."

Augustus's worried after hearing that slight tremble in his wife's voice that had never sounded that frightened before.

"Theodora-"

"I know you do not believe me. But trust me this time, Augustus. I do not know what it is or why I suddenly developed this feeling. But my heart feels restless since the evening.

I can not explain what it is. But I have this coil tightened inside my stomach. We should be ready, Augustus. We should be ready!"

"Theodora!" He immediately pulled her in his chest as she grew more disturbed.

She kept mumbling the same sentence on repeat. Augustus was confused and worried about her. She had never acted that way before. Then why now?

Was it because those dark clouds indeed warned about the coming danger?

No, he should not think about that. For now, he had enough served on his plate and had no space for new problems.

He ran his hand on her back from up and down, then repeated.

Theodora tightened her hold around him, seeking something in him to hold on to.

"Shhh... calm down, love! I am here. No matter what dangers run in our way, Iam here to deal with them. I will not let anything harm my family, my town, my pack. I will fight till my last breath, I promise!"

Theodora believed his words, for she knew they were genuine.. But she could not help glancing again at those dark clouds that had covered the whole sky leaving the earth below in complete darkness.