The Princess's Bride

Chapter Five

Thana jumped in front of the three werewolves. They all stare with wide eyes at this female vampire’s bravery. They all gave each other a sly smirk and lunges towards the princess altogether. Thana reaches for her golden spears and extends it long enough for her own convenience. She smirks at her incoming victims. With the swift move of her spear, the three mighty werewolves fell on the earth ground.

Thana doesn’t wait for them to stand on their paws when she threw the spear at one of the werewolves, through his heart. He changes back to his human form before weakly slump to the earth, bleeding to death. Thana whistle for her spear and flew back to her. One of them saw their friend motionless corpse before he releases a deep growl.

Thana lets go of her spear and show her fist at the remaining attacker.

"Come on." The werewolves shifted back to their human form and reach out for their silver sword.

"Let's see how you will keep that smirk when we f**k your corpse." One of the guys said and ran towards Thana. He was about to stab Thana with the sword but the princess manages to avoid it.

One of them reached for a bottle filled with acidic solution and threw it to Thana. The solution landed on her arms and slowly dissolving the princess's arms to her bones. Essence saw what was happening and decided to help but Ricca stopped her.

"Don't. They’re both dangerous."

"But she's...."

"You think a little acid will make her weak? Look at her eyes, it is not the color of gold anymore. It's the color of death, bloody death,” Luce pointed out.

Essence turn and her sister was right. Thana is not herself anymore. The Princess holds her dissolving arm and spits on it. The attacker watched this with their eyes widen. They were both astounded by the fake that the vampire manages to stop her arm from dissolving into nothingness.

"I am the creature of the undead. You think a little acid will hurt me?!" Thana glared with her blood- red orbs.

The attacker was shaking to their bones as the vampire making her points. They both know that this vampire will end their life instantly. Thana casually walks towards them, Using a spell she learned from Sephora, she bound their soul to the ground, keeping them from escaping her wrath.

Thana held both of the attackers by the throats and squeeze as hard as she could.

"Rogues always disgust me," Thana watched as she witnessed they raping innocent little girls before coming here.

"You rape a pregnant woman?!" She applied more pressure on their throat. Their eyes bulging from its socket. After watching as they raped a little girl, Thana just had enough. Using her strength, she unattached their head from their body by squeezing their neck.

"May the Goddess punished for what you’ve done." Thana dropped the attacker bodiless body head on the ground and put a spell on to burn them to nothingness.

When she went back to the Morag’s, they were staring at the princess with eyes widened, surprised by what the princess capable of doing.

"Well... I'm sorry." Ricca and Luce were holding on each other, confused. Essence hides behind them and took a little peek.

"Is it over?" Thana chuckle.

"Yes, my dear, it's over." Essence made herself visible and look around.

Her eyes landed on the burning corpses. She turns to Thana and blushed when she doesn’t wear anything.

"What happened here?!" Mondo and Cyran shifted and went to their wife.

"Three rogues attacked us," Mondo's eyes widen and immediately put his hand on Ricca's belly.

"Are you okay?" Ricca nod.

"They didn't get even close to us."

"Princess Thana killed them," Luce said. Mondo and Cyran turn to look at the naked princess. They wonder what had happened to her clothes.

"Acid burned my clothes away." Thana laughed. Essence looks at her mate in disbelief. How can she laugh after what she been through?

Both of the Morag's boy knelt on their knees and thanked the princess.

"We've been careless. We put our mate's life in danger." Thana offered her hand to Mondo. Mondo shakes the princess's hand. Thana was surprised to see Mondo's past. He's not a great brother at all. He once tortured his own flesh and blood. Thana lets go forcefully.

"Why did you tortured my mate?!" Thana asked Mondo in anger. Ricca was surprised as Mondo does but not Essence. She remembers that day vividly. Mondo turns to his brother.

"You hurt your own flesh and blood!" Thana screams at the top of her lungs, making everybody flinch at her tone.

"What's going on here?!" Talan's alpha tone booming at the scene. Thana doesn’t care about the alpha. She just stared at Mondo with rage.

"Princess. I didn't know you will come to my estate." Talan greeted the princess. Thana turns her deadly gazed to the alpha and his Luna. Talan stopped dead on his track.

"What did you do when Mondo tortured my mate?" Ardra the Luna was surprised like the rest of them.

"What?!" The Luna turned to her Alpha.

"What she meant by torture?" Talan didn't say anything.

"What did you do to Essence?!" Ricca asked her husband. Mondo couldn't even look at his wife.

"MONDO!" Ricca yells. Essence walk towards her Sister in law.

"He didn't do anything. Don't be mad at him." Mondo looks up. He was positive that her sister would love to see him suffer.

"Mondo's didn't do anything. He was... teaching." Essence grabbed Thana's hand and walk towards the house. Essence doesn't know why she let Thana inside. She leads the naked vampire towards her room and locks it.

"Why!!" Essence yells. Thana look at her mate with wide eyes.

Thana showed her wrist to Essence. Slowly scars begin to appear. Essence noticed the scars... It looks so familiar.

"You self-harm," Thana simply said and turn so that Essence could see her bare back.

"These scars appeared on me the first day I saw you. These are yours correct?" Essence couldn't believe what she's seeing right now.

"What you feel, I can feel." Thana turns to meet Essence's eyes.

"People blamed you for what had happened 10 years ago correct?" Essence nod. She walks towards her bed.

"They blamed me for it. But it's my fault anyway. I didn't follow the alphas orders. I was an i***t and it causes people to die to protect me," Essence’s vision gets blurry as tears beginning to fall on her cheek

"That night the rogue attack the pack and they killed my grandparents, my aunt, and cousins." Thana kneels in front of her mate. she took her hands and feel her mates pain.

"You saw them huh?" Thana opens her eyes and nod.

"I will do something about those bully tomorrow." Essence cupped Thana's face.

"No! That will make me more guilty." Thana pout. This is the first in her immortal life she pouts to someone.

"You're a crown princess. Nobody will dare to touch you now." Thana said. Essence feels uneasy.

"What's wrong?"

"First, I never trained a day in my life. Second, I'm a delta to this pack. Lastly, I never thought you would be here." Thana furrowed her eyebrows.

"I can train you. I don't care about rank and you're my mate. We're meant to be and we shall. But first, you need to meet my parents." Now Essence really feels a lot more uneasy.

"Meeting the Queens?!" Thana nod.

"What?" Essence looks away.

"Look at me, look at you, we're not the same. I'm a werewolf and you're the mighty vampire," Thana forbids her mate from continue.

"I didn't see the difference. All I see is my mate and I love her for who she is. But I need to say this, I'm possessive." A knock on the door startled both of them.

"Princess..." It's Ardra. Essence removes her hand from Thana and walks towards the door.

"Mom..." Ardra walks in with her eyes landed on the naked princess on the bed. The Luna turns to her daughter and sighed heavily.

"It's almost dinner time. And I want the princess to stay. I hope that is alright?" Thana nod.

"Please call me Thana, don’t be so formal with me," Ardra nod.

"Of course... Thana," Ardra turn but before she walked out, she turns back and smiled.

"Essence please give one of your clothes to the princess,’ Essence nod and close the door. She turns and smiles at Thana.

"Wait here," Thana nod. She watches as Essence went to her closet.

Thana looks around the average size room and smiles when she saw a picture of Essence as a kid. Her mind wonder if their kids will look like her.

"Well, Thana that's too far ahead of the future." She said under her breath. Essence came back with a sweatshirt.

"I don't know if it will fit. Because you know, I don’t have the same size as yours in this region." Essence gesture to her chest area. That made the princess laugh.

"It's fine." Thana took the sweatshirt and put it on. Essence tries to hold her laughter when her sweatshirt just barely fit. Thana looks down on herself.

"Well. At least my breast is showing herself." She chuckled.

"I need to help my sister in law in the kitchen. You can wait here or join me in the kitchen."

"I'll follow. Lead the way, my queen." Essence smile.

"I am not a queen." Thana lean closer to Essence's ear.

"You will be..."

***

ESSENCE'S POV

Thana followed me closely. I lead her towards the kitchen where Ricca and Luce both preparing the foods. Then I suddenly remembered something.

"You can sit and watch." Thana nod and walk towards the chair. I walk towards my sister in law.

"Ummm... Do we have blood?" Ricca turn.

"We all have blood Essence." Luce chuckled.

"No, I mean for Thana. She's drinking blood yes?"

Ricca and Luce look like they finally realized something.

"Well, maybe she will eat undercook meat..... AHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Ricca screams at the top of lungs. I look up to her direction and there's black cobra on the windows.

"Oh, shit..." Luce slowly moved away from the windows towards me.

"MONDO!!! CYRAN!!!" Ricca yells for my brothers. The cobra slithered towards the sink and hissed at my sister.

"Don't scream!!" Luce whispers desperately. Mondo and Cyran came running and they were surprised like we are.

"Dude, kill it," Mondo said.

"You kill it!" Cyran bantered.

"We call out for you guys not to hide behind us!" Luce said her frustration.

"We both hate snakes!" True. They have phobias with snakes. I sigh. Thana walks in and laughs at us.

"What are you guys doing?" She asked, bemused. Ricca pointed at the cobra that currently looks like ready to attack any seconds.

"So that's how you protect your wife against an enemy?" Thana joked and walk towards the snake.

"The key to overpowering a snake is by grabbing the head." With one swift move, Thana grabbed the snakes head. We watch as she treats the snake as if it's a plaything.

"This is also a great source of a meal. For Chinese medicine, snake blood is good for the body." She took out her sword and decapitated its head in front of us. She put the cobra's moving head on the table and reaches for a small bowl.

"Can somebody handed me a bottle of vinegar?" I reach for the vinegar bottle and gave it to her.

"Nice. Put it in the bowl please." She smiles and I did as told. Her next move is draining the snake's blood and threw the body and the head outside.

"Cheers." She said and drink the blood. By now my brothers can't even look at her.

"Delicious." She said and licked her lips.

"Well thank you for killing it for us." Ricca thanked her.

"Now. If you all excuse us, we have a meal to prepare." Thana nod and follow my brothers outside.

"That's one scary mate you have, Essence." Ricca joked.

"Thanked the Goddess she's here when that thing attacks us." Luce sigh in relief.

“She saves us twice today," Ricca said and I smiled.

"Oh, my Goddess. You realize she's the first vampire that ever entered our territory right?!" Luce pointed out.

"She's a royalty. She's welcome right?" I asked

"Well not really. But she's your mate. So she is." I blushed. I'm not used to this mate stuff yet. Maybe I should be asked them or mom later.

We ended up preparing undercook meat for Thana. Ricca just adds some salt and pepper to it for some flavor. While we were serving the food, I look at my brothers and dad talking to Thana.

"I've met your parents Thana. They both quite friendly. It's a nice meeting without constantly aware of the surrounding. The last time we met was at the Great War." I notice Thana smile.

"I do have a request." Dad waved his hand.

"Well if I may, I want to bring Essence to the Royal castle."

"Why would you want to bring this weakling to the castle?" Abe walked in with Aura.

"ABE!" Aura hit his shoulder. He laughed.

"I'm saying the truth." Abe continued.

"Well at least look who's your talking to first!" Aura turns paler by the second. Abe turned to Thana's direction and stopped dead.

"I'm getting really tired of hearing people calling her weak." Thana was about to stand when I rested my hand on her shoulder.

"Don't. This is my brother in law, Abe. He's the alpha and my sister Aura, the Luna." Aura bow but not Abe. Thana raised her brows.

"He's the alpha?" I nodded. Abe let his fingers through his black hair and smirked.

"Yes, I am the alpha."

"You look too frail and weak to me." Abe expression changes to rage. Mondo and Cyran stood up from their chair and dragged Abe away from the dining table before hell broke loose.

"I'm sorry for my husband rudeness your highness." Aura apologized.

"It's fine. Please have a sit. This is your house after all. And please call me Thana. I am your sister's mate." Thana smiled.

"Nice knowing you." Thana offered her hand. Aura looks hesitant but she shakes it anyway. She smiled softly.

"Well at least that frail alpha loves you." What Thana said left Aura in a very confused state. Ricca leans in and explained it to her. Aura nod and smile back. I placed a plate of meat in front of her. She looks at it.

"What? No good?" Thana shakes her head.

"It looks raw though."

"Well, I didn't know what you like your meat to be." Thana laughed.

"I do eat cook food. But I also eat raw meat." Thana smile at me. I smile back and walk towards my chair.

"Why aren't you sitting next to your mate Essence?" Dad asked me.

"Well, I'm supposed to be here..." Dad shakes his head.

"You have a mate now. Sit next to her." Did he just…

"But that's Mondo's seat." Suddenly Thana stands up and walks towards me. She pulls the chair next to mine and sits.

"Done." She said. Abe and the guys walk back inside. Abe didn't even look at Thana. He just sits next to Aura. Dad took the first bite and it's a signal for us to eat. I watch as Thana cutting her food into smaller pieces

"That's a very interesting sweatshirt Thana." Mom breaks the awkward silence. Thana laugh.

"It's Essence. That reminds me to bring her shopping next time." Mom laughed.

"Essence here is not very fond of those stuff Thana. She's more to jeans type of girl." Ricca added.

"Her fashion sense is off the hook." Luce joked.

"Remember that banana suit for Halloween?" I glared at Aura.

"What happens with the suit?" Thana asked. Oh no. Don't... Please don't.

"Moana tricked her to use the suit. She first put a very strong glue to it and Essence had to wear it for weeks before the glue dissolve." Aura said and laugh hard. I wish I could disappear now.

"Who mentioned my name?" Moana walks in with Barion. Thana looked at him with an expressionless glare.

"Does this area infested with wild animals?" Thana's question caught all of us off guard. Dad cleared his throat.

"Well yes. It is the forest." Das replied

"Dragons?"

"There's a dragon village not far from here."

"How about a Manticore?" Dads expression turn dark.

"Why?" Thana sniffed the air around her.

"Because I could smell it." Dad looks at Mom and then turn to us.

"We believe the rogue group that constantly try to attack us, captured one and make it their own."

Everyone on the table felt uneasy.

"Tell me about this rogue group." Thana seems to be interested in that particular group.

"We believe they called themselves the Red Sphinx." Thana laughed.

"I've met them. They killed my grandmother. Anyway, I'm sorry. It's just false alarm. Let's enjoy this." Thana said and smile to all of us. I know she's lying since her eyes just twitch. She knows something and so does Dad. I know something is up. I just know it.

THANA'S POV

"Thana. Can we have a moment." Talan called for me after dinner. I nod and follow him to his office like room.

"Yes, sir?"

"Your Highness. I have a favor to ask."

"I'm listening." He clears his throat and sighed.

"I need your help to train my army."

"Army?" I questioned. He nods and reaches for something. He handed me a piece of paper. I read it thoroughly.

"They declaring war?" He nods.

"What do you have that they want?" Talan sigh and walk towards a metal box. He opens it and places the content on the table in front of us. My eyes widen as I examined it.

"This is the ring of Gyges." He nods.

"Where did you found it?"

"I was an adventurer in my younger days. I came across this ring while I'm in one of my adventures in Lydia." He explained.

"Does it do what it claims to do?" He nods. No wonder those rogues want to end him.

"Does Queen Kora know about this?" Again he nods.

"Does the Lydian's know about this?" He shakes his head.

"What do you want me to do to your army? I mean your son in law, Abe claimed himself a strong pack leader." Talan sigh.

"He has never been to war before, Aura and three of my oldest did. Moana and Essence didn't," he seems troubled.

"You, you've been in the front line of all the fights we have in the Great War alongside your mothers’. You know how dangerous and deadly a war can be Thana." Well, I do but…

"You want me to train an army werewolf? I'm a vampire, sir. They will not listen to me." He sighs.

"There's a time where they have to. You will be my daughter in law. They will obey."

He smiled.

"Besides, you're the next Queen of this realm alongside my daughter." He added.

"Does Queen Kora said something about this?"

"She will be sending her own army to help when they decided to attack." I nod.

"I need to train Essence as well for this." He looks away.

"Why didn't you train her like you have with the others?"

"When Essence was born, my wife the Luna suffered a lot of illness. It's so bad that I wanted to kill her because I thought she's a... curse to my family. My wife was not happy with my action and I swear I will not train her to be a warrior. She will only bring more bad luck to my army." I raised my brows.

"You do realize your blood flows inside her." He nods.

"That makes you a curse as well."

"When she was 12, I did try to train her. But she was weak, has such a fragile health. So I end the training and just let her do what she wants to do." I clenched my fist hard.

"So you decided to leave her vulnerable?" He shakes his head.

"My wife was a sword wielder. She taught her how to use a sword. Essence can protect herself but she has a low confidence level." I can’t believe him.

"That's what father’s supposed to do. Telling his kids everything will be okay." I said, making him feel more guilty.

"I am at fault. Aura, Ricca and Luce taught her to shift and how to use her power to the max." I can't believe this guy. I show him my wrist.

"Your action cause this to your own daughter." His eyes widen.

"You cause this. But no matter what, I will help. My friends and I will help you." He felt relieved.

"I will come by tomorrow to get Essence. Most of the teens in your pack go to the academy correct?" He nods.

"Good. I'll do something about their weakness." I stood up and offer my hand to shake. It's time to see something in this man's life. He took my hand and I watch as his life playing in my eyes.

I released and walk towards the door.

"By the way... Essence loves you. No matter what your sons did to her, she never said anything. She accepts and loves you guys no matter what. For her, I will protect this pack with my own life. I promise you that." I said and walk out.

After the meeting, I went to see Essence.

"I'm going home. I'll pick you up tomorrow, we’ll go to the academy together," She nod.

"See you tomorrow, Essence."

"Likewise." She smiles and sent me to the door.

I waved at her and turn on the ignition. I look back at her for the last time before going home.