‘Mrs Fields, this is Maia. Maia, this is Mrs Fields, my Head Housekeeper. Please escort Maia to her room, the room next to mine. Get the staff to tend to her wrists, and tell the cook to make whatever she wants for dinner. I will be accompanying her then,’ King Fenris says.
‘Yes, my Lord,’ she says, curtsying and taking my hand.
‘Maia, I have some urgent matters I need to tend to. I’ll join you for dinner, and we can discuss the war and so forth,’ he says kindly.
‘Yes, I’d like that. Thank you,’ I say.
Mrs Fields leads me up the grand staircase, along a lengthy passage, and into a stunning bedroom, with a Queen-sized four-poster bed and a balcony. I run outside through two open doors and admire the views.
‘The view is breath-taking,’ I tell Mrs Fields, and she chuckles.
‘It is indeed. We’re very blessed with excellent views here,’ she says.
The skyline is bordered by a row of tall and large trees on the horizon. The training fields are just visible in the distance beneath them. A beautiful lake with ducks, swans, lily pads, and lots of frogs is on my immediate right.
I need to tell King Fenris werewolves are not a threat. That this war doesn’t have to happen, and we can live peacefully. If I can persuade King Fenris to stop the war, I can return home and inform Damon.
Mrs Fields leaves, and her absence is filled by two middle-aged women, who knock on my door and enter my room.
‘Princess Maia,’ one of the women addresses me, tiptoeing toward where I sit on the bed.
‘Please, come in, and call me Maia,’ I say, smiling. The women, like everyone else, are in awe of me.
‘I’m Jewel. This is Leah. We will tend to your wounds,’ she says, bringing a small wooden table to me and placing a large bowl of warm water onto it.
‘I’m sorry, but this will hurt,’ she says, washing my wrists and making me wince.
Leah dips her fingers into a wooden bowl with ointment and rubs the balm on my skin before each woman bandages a wrist.
‘Thank you,’ I tell them, incredibly grateful.
‘What would you like for dinner, Miss Maia?’ Jewel asks politely.
‘Tell the cook to surprise me, please,’ I answer happily.
‘Okay,’ Leah smiles.
‘I’d really like to try some wine,’ I add. Leah smiles and bows.
‘Of course. I’ll tell the cook right away.’ Leah leaves the room, and Jewel offers to tour me around the castle.
‘I’d like that very much.’
We start with the library, where there are books, some are many centuries old, in glass stands. I’ve never seen a book or so many books before.
The ceiling is twenty-foot high, and the second level, which is also lined with bookshelves, is secured by a polished, mahogany balustrade that edges around the whole rectangle room. Both levels have six sculpted mahogany columns, spaced apart evenly, with perfect architectural precision. Against the bookshelves are several wooden ladders on wheels, and it seems these, too, have been spaced apart at exact intervals.
The Great Hall is magnificent and full of regal splendour. White marble flooring meets gold skirting boards, white walls adorned with white wainscotting meet gold ceiling cornices, and five roses decorate the ceiling. In the heart of the room is a twelve-armed crystal chandelier.
‘Hundreds of people could fit in here,’ I marvel, never having seen a room so grand and so big before. I can’t help but twirl around and bask in its splendour.
‘Hundreds of people do,’ she says, smiling. ‘We like to have regular balls here. King Fenris likes to entertain a lot. Five hundred guests fit comfortably in here,’ she explains.
‘I’ve never been to a ball before,’ I say.
‘We shall host one in your honour,’ she says.
‘Oh, I’d love that. Although, I intend on leaving in a day or so, though,’ I explain.
‘But, the people of West Wallow are happy, knowing you’re staying in the castle. Maybe we can have a ball within the next couple of evenings. I was told you’re going to help with the war?’ she says, confused.
‘I do plan to help. Just not in the way everyone thinks. I don’t plan on winning this war. I plan on stopping it,’ I
inform her, and she gasps.
‘Werewolves are evil and ruthless,’ she says, trying to
persuade me of the certainty of it.
‘What if I told you that isn’t true at all?’ I tell her, but before she can answer, King Fenris enters the Great Hall quietly.
‘Princess Maia, I’d love to escort you to the dining room for dinner,’ he says, smiling, completely charming.
‘Thank you,’ I smile. I’m quite warmed by him. He is so kind and so generous, it’s really hard to dislike him. I’m hopeful he is a good king, and I will be able to persuade him to end the war.
‘Pardon the interruption. Dinner is waiting for you in the dining room,’ Mrs Fields says as we join her in the hallway outside the Great Hall. King Fenris offers his arm to me, and I take it, and we make the short journey to the dining room. The staff and servants whisper and the female servants giggle as we pass them.
In the dining room, a servant pulls a chair out for me at the dining table on King Fenris’ right, I sit down, and I’m pushed back in.
‘Thank you,’ I say, making him blush.
Footmen appear with plates of cooked vegetables on top of rice.
A servant pours some red wine into the goblet in front of me, not spilling a drop.
King Fenris begins eating, occasionally looking up to smile at me. It seems my presence makes the female servants giddy.
‘How is your wine?’ King Fenris asks, and I realise I haven’t touched it yet.
‘Oh, the wine!’
‘You like wine?’ King Fenris asks.
‘Well, I haven’t ever tried it, but when Sir Hugo… kidnapped me, he was drinking it at every village we went through, and all the villagers were drinking it at the taverns,’ I take a sip and savour the burnt, sweet, fruity flavour, ‘I love it,’
‘I have the finest wine in all of West Wallow. Fit for a princess,’ he says playfully.
The footmen give each other knowing looks and stifle their laughs.
‘King Fenris?’ I start.
‘Yes, my Princess?’
‘I need to talk to you about this war,’ I say as a servant tops my glass.
King Fenris puts his hand gently on mine and interrupts me.
‘Of course, but before we do, I know Sir Hugo told everyone you would help fight against the werewolves, but you won’t be. I know about your elemental powers, and I intend to keep you safe, preferably here, away from the war,’ he explains.
‘I’m grateful that you care about my safety, but I’m not in any danger. I’ve met Alpha King Damon, and he isn’t what you think he is…’ I explain.
King Fenris is surprised.
‘You’ve met Alpha King Damon?’ He asks.
‘Yes. I haven’t known him long, but I know he doesn’t want this war, and he wouldn’t harm me or anyone,’ I say, feeling lightheaded.
‘I’ve seen many werewolves rip people apart for no reason. I’m sorry, but he has you fooled. I’m very curious why you’d think he wouldn’t hurt you? He must know you can control elements?’
‘Yes, he knows I can. I only know I’m an elemental sprite because he told me. He has been very kind to me,’ I say.
‘That explains that then. King Damon is trying to fool you so he can use you against us, and after the war, he will probably dispose of you,’ King Fenris says.
‘No, I don’t think that’s it.’
‘There’s no other reason he’d be kind to you. You must see that? He’s a werewolf,’ King Fenris says.
‘You don’t understand. He won’t hurt me because I’m his mate,’ I explain.
King Fenris pauses before he breaks into laughter.
‘You’re his mate?’ He repeats and then realises I’m not joking and quite serious.
‘How do you know you’re his mate?’ King Fenris asks, tapping on the table, seemingly annoyed.
‘He found me by the river days ago. His wolf appeared and called me mate. He said the Moon Goddess has chosen us to be together. And he wants me to be the Luna and Queen of Moon Crest Valley. I do feel drawn to him. He says that’s the mate bond,’ I explain, taking a sip of wine.
‘Very interesting…’ he says, still tapping and pondering what I have told him. ‘Have you considered, since you aren’t a wolf, it could just be lust rather than the bond? After all, he is supposed to be one of the most handsome men in Moon Crest Valley. So any female would feel some kind of attraction towards him?’ He adds.
Feeling disheartened by his words, I stare down at the table.
‘I’m sorry. It’s not my intention to upset you. Yes, the bond would probably stop him from killing you, but he would still kill everyone else. And you being his Luna, you’d be obligated to help him, and the werewolf army kill us,’ he says.
‘Damon cares for me,’ I say in distress. The plates, glasses, and cutlery shake on the table, with the energy building up inside of me.
‘Alpha King Damon is only sincere to you because the bond makes him so. He only found out what you are so that he can use you against us. He is using the bond to his advantage. He is a monster, and if you go back to him, you’ll find that out,’ he says, not batting an eyelid.
The plates and dishes on the table shatter into a million pieces and rolls of thunder roar outside.
‘Stop! Please stop talking,’ I command.
The footmen gasp in fear.
‘I’m sorry he has lied to you,’ King Fenris says sympathetically.
I suddenly feel lightheaded, and before I know it, I collapse. I momentarily stir awake, still dizzy. I’m being carried somewhere by King Fenris. Tears run down my cheek at the thought of Damon lying to me. Warm lips touch my forehead, and a thumb wipes a tear from my cheek. Then, as I’m about to drift back to sleep, I hear him whisper in my ear.
‘It’s okay my love. You have me now.’
