The Wolves' Princess

SoManyDeaths

“My father thinks that marrying an eighty-nine-year-old man would prevent the war.” Julietta sighed and looked up at the circular hole in the roof with her knees kissing the floor.

She could see the sky through the hole, some believed the grotto was built that way to allow easy communication between mankind and the heavens.

She closed her eyes briefly, whispering, “All I desire is what every other teenage girl desires, a true love story.”

At that moment, she heard screams from outside. Her eyes snapped open, her hands trembled, and she stood up and dusted her knees. She looked at the entrance door, it was locked from inside.

That gave her some feeling of safety but the banging on the door grew louder. She stood still, unable to utter a word, she heard her heartbeat.

The monks who had been praying upstairs rushed downstairs. The screams outside had penetrated through.

The building had no windows; only the roof’s opening allowed air and the faint sound of what was happening outside.

The door began to c***k, and the sound of splintering wood got louder.

The monks quickly rounded Julietta to protect her. Her eyes widened in fear and the door burst open allowing five armed men to rush in.

Julietta peeped through the space between the two monks standing before her and saw the gold cloak that was on their armour; the seal on their gold cloak.

“The French,” She whispered.

One of the men, a broad-shouldered soldier with fierce eyes, unsheathed his sword, but a taller, leaner man held him back. "This place looks sacred," Leon said, his gaze sweeping over the burning candles. "We must honour it."

"They're still Spanish!" Francis, the broad-shouldered soldier, growled, yanking his arm free.

Without warning, he stabbed the nearest monk. The monk gasped, but no one retaliated. The monks held each other's hands, forming an unbreakable chain around Julietta.

Francis's gaze fell on Julietta. Her terrified eyes and trembling hands caught his attention. But he ignored that, he noticed the rich fabric of her dress, the jewels that adorned it.

“She is the princess!” he shouted.

Leon's face lit up with a smile. “The princess of Spain, right before us.”

“You will have to kill all of us before you can have her,” one of the monks said and bowed his head, the rest followed suit.

“Gladly,” Francis released a rumbling noise that spoke of suppressed laughter.

For the first time, she regretted refusing the marriage to the elderly King of England in exchange for ten thousand men. Her father had proposed it to her, not wanting to force her.

She saw her death standing before her, there was nothing she could do to defend herself. She knew the monks weren't warriors, they were interpreters of the words of the heavens, she wondered if the heavens had whispered their death to them, they seemed prepared and comfortable to die.

Leon hesitated, glancing at his men who were waiting for his command. But before he could speak, an arrow penetrated his leg, he turned and the next one ran through his throat.

Francis' mouth opened in surprise as he saw the arrows piercing the throats of his comrades while seven armed men fired and walked into the grotto.

He grabbed the closest monk to him, he pressed his sword below his neck as he allowed the edges to touch beneath his jaw.

“You come any closer, he dies.”

The monk's cheeks widened, “It will be an honour to die for the crown.”

Gonzalo aimed his arrow at Francis's head and fired.

He fell and his head landed at the feet of the princess, she gasped and crossed her hands across her widely opened mouth.

“Princess, you must come with us,” Gonzalo said, lowering his bow as he approached her.

“What has happened?” she asked, her body shaking.

“The French have invaded Spain, your brothers are defending the castle as we speak.”

“And my mother?” she rushed out of the circle.

“We don't have the updates.”

Julietta turned back to the monks, “I have you to thank for my life. I promise such loyalty will never be forgotten.”

“I have a message from the heavens.” Brother Santiago stepped forward and whispered something only to the hearing of Julieta.

He smiled at her while her mouth remained open in shock.

“Princess”

Gonzalo opened his right hand to her, expecting her to grab it but she stared at him instead.

They heard screams from outside, the armed men drew out their weapons and pointed them to the entrance door.

“We must take refuge now.”

Julieta moved her head up and down. Gonzalo grabbed a hold of her and dragged her out. The other armed men fought the French outside while he mounted Jullieta on his horse and rode out with her.

“Where are we riding to?” she asked, her grip tight around his waist.

“I do not know but I swore to your father to keep you safe.”

He rode miles with speed as her dark hair danced to the rhythm of the breeze.

He rode into the woods where he encountered some French men who were hiding there. The moment the French saw his cloak, they surrounded them.

Her heart began to beat faster, death stared at her once again.

Gonzalo slid his arrow bow to Julieta while he drew out his sword. He got down off the horse and began fighting the two men out of the eight men surrounding them.

The rest began to approach, her hands were shaking as she tried to fix the arrow to the bow. They got closer and the bow fell off her hands, she quickly dragged the horses backwards. She turned the horse and realized she was surrounded.

“Please…. please don't…hurt me,” she pleaded, her voice breaking.

Gonzalo, who had just killed the two men, threw his sword at the one closest to the princess and it penetrated his back. Gonzalo quickly picked up the swords of his fallen and rushed at the five remaining French men.

He clashed swords with the French soldiers, his movements swift and deadly. Two more soldiers fell to his sword, their bodies crumpling to the ground. But as he fought, a third soldier landed a lucky blow, striking Gonzalo's sword aside and plunging his blade deep into Gonzalo's eyes. The French soldier plunged out the sword and slashed Gonzalo's head off his neck.

“Nooooooo!” She screamed, tears rolled down her cheeks.

One of them positioned his sword to cut off her head, he approached and in that instance, a white wolf emerged from the woods and howled.

Another picked up the bow that fell from Julietta's hands and fixed it. He fired shots at the wolf.