DRIVEN

Chapter 9

KRIPGIN KINGDOM

(The Day the warriors return to the battlefield)

Preparations are in full gear around the kingdom, the few warriors who accompanied the commander are saying goodbyes and wrapping things up with their respective families.

Everyone is already outside and the only person left is the princess.

She stayed behind in order to say her goodbyes to her parents as well as take their blessings before she leaves, her father has been moved to the same room as her mother as Amol believed that the presence of his mate will fasten the healing process, the king is awake albeit very weak at the time she enters.

"Father". lucilda calls out and then goes to sit beside him on the bed.

"how are you feeling"

Alexander is weak and also disappointed that lucilda is risking her life by going to war but he holds his tongue from saying anything concerning the journey, they've already spoken about it or rather he kept on shouting and trying to make her listen and her being as stubborn as ever refused to listen. she made it clear that her decision has been made and he can only pray to lucious their forefather for her protection.

Alexander manages to sit up properly with the help of his daughter and then finally replies her earlier question regarding his health.

" I feel much stronger than I did yesterday and that's saying alot seeing that I couldn't really do anything for my self at all the last time you saw me and if I remember your words correctly you said and I quote"you look as pale as a full moon on a dark stormy night".

lucilda breaks into a half hearted laugh" oh.., common Father I was just being honest, you can't really blame me for saying the truth, after all you raised me to always speak my mind or doesn't that rule apply for you too" she teased him.

" it does lucilda, it does" he laughs as he talks.

"But you can't really fault an old man for wanting to hear how awe inspiring he looks all the time you know", he adds with a wink.

"If it makes you feel any better father then I want you to know that you still have your good looks, charm and amazing personality up till this very moment".

"Thank you very much dear princess I already feel so much better now that you've fixed this poor king's already bruised ego". king Alexander attempts to lighten the mood by cracking jokes and it works cause the air isn't too tense and for a moment they forget about the task at hand.

The laughter dies down and the atmosphere shifts from father and daughter to king and princess and back to father and daughter in a matter of minutes.

"I can see you're already set to head out".

"yes father, I just came up to see you and say goodbye to both you and mother before I leave".

"I know we've already talked about this lucilda but I can't help but hope that somehow you changed your mind over night".

"as much as I'll like to entertain that hope for your sake father, I'm sorry to disappoint you but not happening, I'm still going". lucilda says with finality.

"hmmm...have you packed everything you'll need for the trip, it's going to be dangerous out there you know, the weather this time of the year isn't favourable and the terrain is really difficult to navigate so be careful".

" I will father, I will,"

"And remember if it gets too much to handle, come back home lucilda, I'm damn serious about this, I won't risk your life to make some old nuggets with wrinkled butts happy"

The king's statements earned a deep laugh from lucilda, as she knows her father is just being scared and is trying to do the fatherly thing and protect her, he thinks she feels pressured by the council to make a name for her self that's why she wants to go to the battlefield.

The council had always criticized his rule and if he wasn't a very strong and powerful king who also had the love and full support of his people, he wouldn't have still been king up till this moment.

They always felt like since he had a female heir, he failed his bloodline, times without numbers they've asked him to have women on the side who will birth him a male child to continue his legacy but then he has never been a man of many women.

Alexander believed in the sancity of the mate bond and couldn't even fathom how he could be with someone else other than His queen ( Mirabel), the thought of being with another woman was enough to send his blood boiling and so he outrightly rejected all their attempts to in his words" give him an early death".

Because of that his daughter was never truly accepted into the high council.

"Common Father, those old nuggets don't stand a chance against me, I want to do this not for them but for me, you and mother and the future of our kingdom".

"I'm going to be queen one day remember and it's time I grow a back bone to stand up to whatever challenge they'll want to throw at me".

" I got this don't worry, I'll be fine".

" Fine, I'm going to trust you on that, but expect to see me once I become well, I'm going to come bring you back home to your mother".

" ohk father".

They hear the sound of the horses hooves thumping loudly and lucilda takes it as time to go.

She wraps things up with her Father with then promises to write back to him once she gets to their camp at the edge of the border of kripgin and the forbidden vallleys.

She goes to her mother's side and gives her a kiss on the cheek and asks for her blessing in the journey she's about to embark upon.

With one final look at her father, she marches out, stepping out of the place she takes a look at everyone gathered out side saying goodbye.

she sees the commander standing beside a pure white majestic horse, holding it's reigns.

she walks down the stairs, collects the reigns from the commander and mounts her house, she gives the marching signal to the rest of the men and together they all ride out.