A Griffin's Voice: Finding Her Path

Chapter 1

Meeting the Prince’s

Fawn’s P.o.V.

I just can’t understand why my parents demanded that we take a stupid ship across the ocean and river instead of just f*****g flying. I mean, we are griffins! Great Goddess! This is just plain stupid, and it makes no sense to me. Deep within my head, I can feel Mystery stirring from a slumber and she huffs in agreement before lowering her head again. I know that Mystery is longing to shift and take flight. She was longing to feel the wind under her wings.

Sighing, I look out over the blue-green river that we are floating along. As much as I hate this trip and what it means, I will say that it is absolutely beautiful here. I will never deny it, but it still isn’t the place I want to be in. It isn’t a place that I want to call home. I am just longing to go home to Ablaria, but I know deep down that it won’t be happening……unless this goes terribly.

I glance over at my brother, Fox, as I contemplate my life and the changes that are going to be happening in the coming weeks. Soon we will reach the small island known as the Castle of the Kings. The island is home to the ruling families of Clastan, Escana, Despye, Asmurg, and Vucron. The island is also home to the ruling thunder of Clastan, the ruling pride of Escana, the ruling coven of Despye, the ruling pack of Asmurg, and the ruling skulk of Vucron.

My parents are hoping for an alliance between Ablaria and each of these kingdoms. Which is why we have had to spend three miserably days stuck on this dreadful ship. I mean, my brother and I have nowhere to go to escape from our parents. Not even for a minute. We are traveling a long way for an alliance that we don’t even need AND they are using me as their negotiation piece! Like I am some meat! A juicy piece of meat! This is so insulting and barbaric! They are selling me into marriage to the princes for an alliance! Whatever, I guess……not like what I think matters. Not like what I want matters.

I mean it isn’t like Ablaria needs this alliance for any reason. We have no need for the medications and doctors of Escana. We have no need for the money of Clastan. I mean, we could use the gems from Clastan, but we don’t need them. We have no need for the food from Asmurg. Honestly, their food would barely even satisfy a griffin from how my father described it in the past. The clothes of Vucron are nothing that a griffin would ever be caught dead in from what my father has said. We don’t even need military power from Despye.

We have managed to have everything that these kingdoms specialize in on our own. Ablaria has always stood alone, so it makes no sense why our parents want to change it now. We handle everything with just three main convocations. Well……I guess four convocations, but the fourth is just for our warriors to live at after they complete their training. Anyways back to my point, we handle everything that these kingdoms could offer us with just three convocations.

The Valley Convocation is where my family rules from. We handle money and clothes for our kingdom. The Southern Mountain Convocation lives in the grasslands in the southern parts of Ablaria. They handle the food, medications, and doctors for our kingdom. The Northern Mountain Convocation lives in the magma mountains in the northern parts of Ablaria. They handle the military power, military training, armor, and weapons for our kingdom. The Warrior Convocation resides near the Northern Mountain Convocation at the base of a volcano.

I mean, I don’t see any reason we need these other kingdoms other than for gems. Obviously, we have no need for this alliance, but they do need us. Ablaria has always been unstoppable. These other shifters can’t survive on their own like the griffins can. They need us for our weapons and armor. They need more military power and better training. They need better tasting food and more food. Better money that is worth more. Better medications and doctors. They need us, or at least this is what our father is claiming. So, why is my father so determined to marry me off to the princes? Why are the princes agreeing to mate and mark me as their chosen mate and queen? These princes are so dumb to agree with this.

I mean, who the f**k doesn’t want their fated mate?!?! I do! I have even heard whispers that these princes have each found their fated mate, but for some stupid reason they each rejected them on the spot without a care in the world. Like what the hell? Who does that? Who just rejects their mate without thinking about it? Idiots, that’s who! Dumb, arrogant princes, that’s who! All I want in this world and lifetime is my mate. Someone who will love me and only me.

I sigh again as I realized that my ranting thought process was not going to get me anywhere, I decided that I wanted the insight of someone close to me. I mentally prod Mystery as she sleeps and can see her lift her head. I open my thoughts up to her. I want……no I need……her thoughts and opinions on all of this. Her opinion means the world to me. I quickly showed her all of my thoughts and opinions from the last few minutes with her listening in this time. Afterwards, I open a full link with her. Well, Mystery……What do you think? What are your thoughts on all of this? Your opinion means the world to me, and it matters to me what you think.

My thoughts? My thoughts you are asking for? Well, let me tell you! Ablaria doesn’t need nor do our people want this alliance. I have heard every griffin muttering their complaints about this. No one thinks this is worth our time! It is three days each way! Possibly weeks here! No one will be home to rule our people! I truly believe that our father and mother have a hidden agenda. There has to be one! As for these princes……They are incredibly stupid shifters if you ask me. They are unworthy of us! Rejecting their mates for no reason other than a possible alliance? Disgusting! Horrendous! Despicable! I say let’s just find our mate and quickly. That way we can escape this fate that is being forced upon us. I don’t want these princes to be our mates, and I will never accept them as such. Now, leave me alone to sulk and sleep. Go bother Fox with these thoughts.

I let out an aggravated sigh due to my griffin as she slammed our link shut. Why do I ever even bother with her? I should have just known that this was going to be how she was going to react to my thoughts. Suddenly, I feel something……or should I say someone nudge me. I look up and to my right. I glare at my brother, Fox. I notice that he has slid closer to me and is looking at me with raised eyebrows. I instantly know that he is asking me a silent question. I sigh and turn fully as I stare at him with an annoyed look.

Fox is my identical twin. My best friend. My only friend, really. We have been inseparable our entire lives. That is until now. Now, there is a good chance that we will end up hundreds of miles apart. Fox will now have to handle our parents and the griffin ways on his own. Which, might I say, is an impossible task. Especially where our parents are concerned.

I focus on the strong bond between me and Fox. I pull on our link and share all of my thoughts. I also include the conversation I just had with Mystery. Afterwards, I open a full link with Fox. We don’t have much time before our parents notice that we are linking. What are your thoughts on everything, Foxie Boy?

I think that Mystery is right. Our parents are definitely up to something, but more importantly these princes are extremely stupid. Our people don’t want this alliance. But I have a more important question for you. What do YOU think, Little Sister? Because it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.

That right there is why Fox is my best friend and basically my only friend. He is the only one that will ever ask me about how I feel about anything. No one else ever cares enough about me to ask. Only he does. In the end it feels like only he really cares about me.

What do I think? I think that these princes are far too stupid to become the next rulers of their kingdoms. I think that if they can’t respect the fated mate bond, how are they ever going to respect me as their mate or the chosen mate bond? I think these princes are just desperate. Desperate for what? More power. Better ranks. A powerful mate. Approval from their families and our parents. I think that they will never give me what I desire most from me mate or in this case mates. All I desire most in this world is even that hard! Love. Validation. Acceptance. But what I want the most is for my mate or mates is for him or them to see me as their equal. Once prince would never see me as their equal. Let alone five! I think I am praying that my mate just happens to turn up suddenly so that I am not trapped and forced into this mating. I think that I don’t want to leave you on your own, but that I likely won’t have any choice at the end of this. I think that I don’t want to endure any more of the griffin culture. I think that this forced marriage is a way to escape the griffin culture, but I don’t want you to endure it alone either. Basically, I am confused. I am scared. I don’t want this, Fox.

I know, Fawn, but make sure you never share your thoughts with anyone else. Dad and mom would kill you. There isn’t any choice regarding this for you and I don’t know how much I can help with this either. So, we need to keep this just between us. Mystery and Maximus can know, obviously, but no one else. There is no point in sharing them. Plus, our parents will blow a gasket if they ever find out. They would kill us for our feelings on this.

I know all of that, Fox. I just wish that I had a say in this. I wish that WE had a say in our futures.

So do I, Little Sister. So, do I. I am losing my best friend. I am losing my only friend and ally in Ablaria. All I have ever had are you, Mystery, and Maximus. Soon all I will have left is Maximus. I am already dreading leaving you behind at the Castle of the Kings. I wish that I could change this, but I don’t have the power and strength to defeat father. Even together we wouldn’t be able to take him down. Let alone mother. She would fight beside him. Which means that his word is law, and he has decided that this will happen no matter what we want or think or say.

Fox sighs softly as he looks away from me, effectively cutting off our link before our parents notice. I don’t miss seeing the heartbreak in his eyes, though. The sadness in them. I quickly look away and look back out over the water to give him time to compose himself. All I feel right now is defeat and I know Fox is feeling the same way. Fox can’t do anything to help me, and time is running out for me to help myself. But what can I do?

I sigh as I notice the Castle of the Kings in the distance. That means that soon my freedom will be gone forever. Soon my chance at true love will crumble into dust. Soon my best friend will vanish from my life. Soon my only friend left will be Mystery.

Avalon’s P.o.V.

I am standing on the balcony just outside of the throne room. It overlooks the shipyard. My best friends are standing with me, and we are all watching the shipyard, excited to see a real live griffin. We are all excited to meet a princess. What makes this even better is the fact that this is a griffin princess.

A month ago, when my parents were contacted by the griffin king with the opportunity to marry his daughter, I jumped at the opportunity. It wasn’t until later that day that we realized that all of our families had been contacted. It really didn’t matter to my friends or I at all.

A week after that we had each found our fated mates. It wasn’t a hard to decision for me to decide to reject her. I mean she was cute, but she was a regular vampire. Whereas this is a griffin and a princess. It went the same way for my friends. Sadly, our mates keep coming to us trying to get us to take back the rejections and accept them, but they just don’t understand that there is only one female for us. Even if we weren’t exactly completely thrilled by this.

I mean, I was at first, but when I rejected my mate my vampire spirit, Jackal, stopped talking to me. He is pissed at me for rejecting her. I can still feel his excitement at meeting a griffin princess and he understands why I rejected our mate. But he doesn’t exactly agree with it. He is concerned that this female won’t like us or want us or give us a chance. So long story short, he is really hurting and pissed at me. At least all of my friends are in similar boats to me.

I lean forward as I see their ship dock at the shipyard docks. I watch fifty warriors disembark the ship. Even from here I can see that all of these warriors are seasoned and lethal. I watch a four other people disembark the ship. My eye went straight to the female that is obviously the princess. And even from this distance, I can tell that she is breathtakingly beautiful. Immediately, Jackal stirs within me.

Archer’s P.o.V.

In the throne room, behind us, all of our parents are sitting in their thrones. The thrones are set up in a semi-circle. Vucron and Asmurg royals on the left. Despye and Escana royals on the right. Clastan royals in the center. We all quickly enter the throne room and stand behind our parents’ thrones and off to the side slightly.

After a few minutes, a guard comes in and speaks in a loud voice, “Your Majesties, I would like to present King Sebastian, Queen Cindy, Prince Fox, and Princess Fawn the griffin royals of Ablaria!”

Immediately, the doors are thrown open to reveal a tall male figure. He walks gracefully, yet commandingly, into the room. Light brown skin. Short black hair that is starting to show silver highlights. Hard and hostile blue-gray eyes. He radiates power and demands respect with each step that he takes. King Sebastian.

A female is walking beside him. She hangs off his arm with the aura of a queen. She holds her head high with the aura of superiority. Tall. Light brown skin. Platinum blonde hair. Cold and lifeless steel gray eyes. She walks with the grace of a queen. She radiates power and superiority, but it is calmer and more subdued than her mate’s. It is still clear though that she demands respect with each step. Queen Cindy.

Behind them walks the twins with their heads held high and their shoulders back. Like soldiers. They are identical except for their heights and hairstyles. The male is tall, while the female is quite a bit shorter. Maybe 5’4” at most, which is quite small for a shifter. Both have light brown skin. Both have platinum blonde hair. His hair is short and styled neatly. Hers is long and pulled into a beautiful braid that curls around her head. Both have two toned eyes. One that is blue-gray like their father’s. One steel gray like their mother’s. Their eyes seem friendly, but very distanced and fearful. These are obviously the young royals. Prince Fox and Princess Fawn.

Great Goddess! She is beautiful! I can feel my wolf, Orion, stirring in my head for the first time in weeks. I can tell that he is staring at her. I instantly know that he is smitten by her.

Carter’s P.o.V.

I can’t help but stare at the goddess that is standing before me. She is absolutely perfect for us, and she is beautiful. No. Beautiful is an understatement. She is drop dead gorgeous. She is curvy with a little fat in all of the right places. A plump ass. Big breasts. She is absolutely perfect for my friends and me.

Then there is her outfit. There is no way to describe it or her in it. The outfit leaves very little to imagination, but it also leaves everything to imagination. It is form fitting, yet still regal. Fitting for a future queen. Fitting for my future mate. The dress is a green B Darlin Juniors’ Ruched Bodycon dress. Her shoes are black high heels with a single strap around her ankles. She is absolutely stunning in it.

Honestly, it isn’t what I was expecting at all. Normally, griffins are constantly training so rarely look the part of their ranks. At least that is what our fathers warned us. I was more so expecting leggings or shorts or jeans with a tabard or tank top or short sleeved shirt. It is a very welcome surprise though.

My fox spirit, Atlas, is drooling all over my mind over her. I mean not even five minutes ago; he was wanting nothing to do with this female. Now, he is practically undressing her in my mind. It is going to be a very long night, I fear.

Dean’s P.o.V.

I immediately step forward ready to speak. “Your Highness’, my name is Prince Dean of Clastan. May I please be introduced to the beautiful female behind you?”

I am hoping that he agrees and doesn’t take insult to my calling her beautiful. Thankfully, he nods and in a deep voice that rings with authority he speaks. “This is my daughter: Princess Fawn of Ablaria. Your chosen mate.” He pushes her forward.

I lick my lips as my eyes roam up and down her body. She is stunning and beautiful. Her hips are wide. Perfect for bearing me and my friends’ children. She will be a wonderful mate. Suddenly, I no longer regret rejecting my mate for this female. This female is a million times better. My dragon spirt, Thorn, rumbles with his agreement. She is far too perfect and beautiful to let us regret it any longer.

I can’t help but notice that the twins are glancing at each other as their parents step past Princess Fawn to converse with our parents. After a few moments, they both step forward and look at their father. “Father, we don’t need this alliance. We don’t benefit from this alliance at all,” Prince Fox tentatively begins. I won’t lie; it hurts to hear that neither of them wants this alliance. Which means that Princess Fawn doesn’t want us. I want her to want this. I want her to want me and my friends.

“I want to mate with someone when I find true love. I want my fated mate, Father. These princes didn’t even respect their fated mates or their mate bonds enough to accept their mates or give them a chance. Griffins are shifters that demand respect, and I don’t see that these princes are capable of giving Mystery and I the respect that we are deserved,” Princess Fawn tentatively finishes.

Immediately, I notice that both of them are trembling slightly. It is like tremors of fear racking their bodies. But fear of what? There is no danger to them here. So, why are they afraid? I quickly look at their father and see the unconcealed rage in his eyes as he stare at them. “SILENCE! I will deal with you two insolent cubs later! You will both do as your told and you will do so silently or be punished the griffin way! NOW, SHUT UP!” I flinch at his rage filled snarl.

Seth’s P.o.V.

I hate the way that King Sebastian just spoke to the young royals. I mean, they are his children and he just threatened them. It just doesn’t sit right with me. I watch both young royals closely and can see the terror in both of them as they silently hang their heads and tremble. Right then and there I decide that I will do everything in my power to protect my chosen mate. Even if she already despises me. She is my future mate. The mother of my future children if all goes right. I will admit though that she is H-O-T. Hot. Like way out of my league hot. Out of my friends league hot. I am just hopeful that she gives us a real chance.

I step forward quickly. “Prince Fox. Princess Fawn. Will you both do me the honors of stepping outside onto the balcony with me for a few moments? I would like to introduce myself privately.” All I need is a few minutes alone with them to determine if I am right or not.

Sadly, their father speaks for them. “Perhaps after dinner. We would like to get settled into our rooms before dinner,” King Sebastian quickly says. “I assure that you followed my request that my twins share a room. Correct?”

“Of course,” my father, King James, said immediately. “The guards will show you to both rooms. Dinner will be ready in about an hour. Please take your time getting settled.”

With a quiet ‘thank you’ all four leave the throne room. A sinking fear creeps through me. What is about to happen to my mate and her brother? This isn’t going to be good.