The Path of the Protector

Cliffton

Emily and the rest of the party seperated when they were 2 miles from the village, and they would have been spotted if they came closer. The 3 friends walked into the village calmly well after dark, and surprised the villagers as they performed a mourning dance.

The villagers were stunned in the middle of the dance, and many of them ran up to see if the 3 travelers were actually ok. The Priest of the city cleared his throat and the rest cleared a path for him to them.

"Welcome to our fair village Majesty, we feared the worst after the commotion we heard and than darkness fell and you had not arrived. How many of the Feral Lycans were you forced to kill?" he asked leading them to the fire.

"None, is there any food that we can partake of?" Emily asked as they had not taken a pack with them and they had not eaten since breakfast.

Priest Hunter sent off several Wolves to retrieve some food and looked at her. "I am confused, we heard the howls of several dozen pursuing you. How did you manage to evade them without killing a single one?" he asked.

Emily lowered the glass of wine she had been given to drink, and looked at the Priest. "I never said we evaded them, I simply stated we killed none of them. Not all conflict must be resolved with bloodshed." Emily replied to him harshly. "I would think someone who follows the Goddess of the Moon would understand that." she chastised him harshly.

Priest Hunter felt the sting of her words, and bowed his head. "Apologies Majesty, but that has not been our experience with the Rogues. They generally attack us on sight."

Brian chuckled. "Oh we confronted the Rogues, but learned something of interest while we were among them. Until the ascension ceremony at Ahnkara, you are to send word that no Rogue hunts are too occur."

Hunter looked at Brian and looked him over. "You do not have the authority or power to order such a thing-" Hunter began before he heard Emily growling at him in a clear sign of irritation. He watched her eyes turn purple, and her face begin to change shape.

"Do you dare repeat that statement to me little Lycan?" Selene asked him, the threat dripping from her clearly.

"No Protector." he said nervously.

"Than I suggest you follow his suggestion now, the consequences of disobeying this order by any Lycan shall be banishment. Defend yourselves if attacked, but there shall be no further hunts until the ascension at Ahnkara!" Selene roared so loudly that the entire village heard at once. She withdrew again, and Emily looked at him.

"Majesty if you might exaplain so we can understand." Hunter asked politely.

"Ok, I will explain to you as soon as you explain to me how a child not one minute old deserves death because his mother is the long descendant of a Rogue? Why he deserves to die for simply being born?" she demanded of him.

Hunter was shocked at the statement, as that was never their intention. "We would never Majesty. The innocent children should not be harmed because of the actions of their parents." he said appalled.

Emily nodded. "Excellent, than we stand in agreement. However I had an interesting conversation with a Rogue today, that is apparently 28 generations removed from the crimes that made her a Rogue. Why does she deserve death just because she inherited the rogue status from her parents for 27 generations?" she demanded of him.

The Lycans able to hear her were just as lost for words as Preist Hunter was, as what this young woman was saying would be a significant miscarriage of justice.

"She would not be under our laws Majesty. She would be welcomed with open arms if it were true." Hunter said warmly.

"How long has it been since you declared them Rogue by anything more than scent?" Emily demanded shocking him. She knew the answer as well as she did, as they had that rancid scent for a reason. But to smell it from a newborn turned her stomach now that she feared it was far more widespread a problem than she wanted to believe. "No more Rogue Hunts Priest, otherwise the perpetrator shall find themselves the one being hunted." Emily said before she sat down at the table.

"Send word to the villages immediately, however Majesty, there is a concern we must discuss." Hunter said as a laptop was brought to them.

"What is it we must discuss?" Emily asked diplomatically as the food arrived.

"We received word that an Alphas Council has been called in your world. It is rumored they will be discussing who will ascend the Throne now that the entire Royal Family has been killed." Hunter informed her showing her the news clip.

Emily looked at all of the clips, and knew the world was falling apart outside this forest already. Hundreds missing along the southern border, no trace to their whereabouts or who took them.

'She is moving fast, however it will be many more weeks before she is prepared. We have one until the full moon now.' Selene said assessing the situation.

Ashley and Brian even connected their devices in an attempt to learn as much as they could. The picture was bleak, as most believed her to be dead along with the rest of her family. "This could be a huge problem Majesty. The vote is set to be held the day after the full moon." Ashley told her.

Emily smiled as she looked at Hunter. "I assume this means you are connected to the outside world as well?" she asked.

"Of course Majesty, we mostly deal with Humans, however we do have some Wolf and other Supernatural contacts." Hunter replied.

"Excellent, we will be making a recording. Brian, do you know any of the Alphas on the council, and would any still be loyal to my family?" she asked.

"There are a few who might be encouraged to follow milady." Brian said with a smile. "However I think it is time we do something different, the humans must be warned as well." Brian advised her as she nodded in agreement.

"We have work to do, and not much time. Hunter, assuming that the Rogues do not pose a threat, how long to reach Ahnkara?" Emily demanded as Brian began making phone calls to those who may yet prove to be loyal.

"4 days Majesty." he said as the other Wolves of the village prepared to gold an impromptu press conference. Her families Deaths had even made human news, and they were all clamoring for more details.

"Let us ensure that we reach every possible source, I want every major news station broadcasting it live if possible." Emily said as they used their contacts to see what they could get done.

2 hours later Emily stood in front of a mirror, as several Lycans prepared her for the cameras. The major Wolf and Human networks had decided to air her broadcast live, and they were minutes away from the start of it. She knew what she was about to reveal would be ground shattering for the humans. She walked to the stage where Priest Hunter usually addressed the village, and noticed that there were a dozen cameras.

"We set up several relays, and we will be handling the questions via the relay. As the humans think you are just a wealthy heiress, we will have to announce who and what you are. It will likely cause a panic, sonwe need to address thise concerns as well." Ashley told her as they laid a few nkte cards on the lectern before her.

"I know what I wish to say, and assure you I will do everything I can." Emily replied before Ashley walked off the stage.

Sehkmet made it a habit of watching the nightly news, and was not surprised when it came on. The humans were slow to realize what was happening, but it was a situation that had to be monitored.

"We have several important stories to cover tonight, however we bring to you live a press conference being held by an unlikely source. We go now to the live feed wjere we will join the press conference as it begins." the anchor said as the camera shifted to an image she recognized.

"Good evening, for those as of yet unaware, my name is Emily Dickinson, last survivng Heir to the Dickinson Empire. When the attack on my family by those who wish to destabilize and destroy our world happened, I was away at school. In fact I learned of the tragedy shortly after my graduation ceremony from Freemont Military Academy. How I have survived the multiple attacks since than, and where I am currently at will not be shared, as the threat posed to my family and I has not yet ended.

"Most of you know my family in one way or another, and it is time that the two oerceptions become one and the same. In the human world we are known for our many businesses, wealth, charity, and what we do to innovate how our world works. We invest money anywhere it is needed to correct the injustices of the world.

"In the Werewolf Nation, I am Her Royal Highness Princess Emily Dickinson, heir to the Throne of William. I have been informed that the Alphas of the Wolf Nation intend to hold their Council to decide who will ascend the Throne of William, believing me to be dead. I assure you I am very much alive, and cannot wait to defend my rightful claim to the Throne once I finish the path the Moon Goddess has lay before me.

"This broadcast however has more meaning than simply revealing the existence of our kind to the Humans of this world, it is to warn you of a far greater danger that will affect both of our worlds. The enemy we face is one and the same, and they have. ow attacked both of our worlds." Emily said before taking a breath and taking a sip from her glass of water.

"It started with the brutal attack and death of my family that has left me an orphan. They did so in the hopes of destroying the fragile truce of the Wolf Nation, in am attempt to weaken us before they attacked to destroy us. It continues with the kidnappings, and conversions of hundreds of humans along the borders of the Southern Wastelands. Sehkmet has returned with her hoards of vampires, and means to make an army with which to destroy the Wolf Nation.

"I reveal our truth to the humans of this world in the hopes that we may find a way to work together towards a goal that will allow each of our peoples to survive the horrors that we must face in the days ahead. We are not your enemies, as we have coexisted peacefully for many thousand years. Humans may be surprised to learn we operate among you, and some of the most beneficial companies and institutions are either fully owned or heavily invested in. We have no ill intent towards Humans, and hope our warning about the occurences on the southern border will be heeded. I will now take a few questions." she finished knowing that there would be some major ones.

"Majesty, we have a question from the human network that asks how we can be assured this is not a hoax?" Brian said as she laughed.

"I wish I had evidence that I could submit to you all now this second that was not theough a video link, so what you are about to witness cannot be discounted as computer generated." she said before she allowed herself to change her face.

"Those loyal to the Royal Family I encourage to interact with their local human counterparts. If we are to survive the threat we face, we must do so as a force capable of working together. If we cannot find a way to work together for the good of our entire world, I fear we will find a world far darker than we wish to survive." Selene responded before allowing her face to change back. The cracking was heard over the broadcast as she did so.

"Will you be attending the Alphas Council the evening of the full moon?" Ashley asked for the Wolf station.

"I will nkt be present when the council meets, however I will be returning shortly after. If they wish to nominate a challenger to the Throne under Wolf law to face me at the full moon in 5 weeks time, I will welcome it. Otherwise I will provide all the proof they need to prove my claim as the rightful Heir of Queen Andromeda." Ashley answered. "All are invited to attend, as well as any of the Human leadership that wishes to establish diplomatic relations at that time."

The broadcast cut off, and the anchors excitedly discussed the revelations of what they had seen, and Sehkmet threw the remote through the screen of the television. She knew if the humans paid even the slightest bit more attention, her position would become even more precarious to expand her army.

Emily was glad when the cameras shut off, as she had answered many more questions that had not been aired, and the Human news was going crazy with speculation about what would happen moving forward.

The Werewolf Nation was greatly disppleased, as secrecy had been their highest law for thousands of years. They interacted with Humans in secret, and forced any who found or took mates among them to change them. Emily had blown that age old secret out of the water, amd was openly encouraging loyal Alphas to join her. She was unaware of what she had caused to stir, but the storm clouds were circling for her.