Once Upon Many Times

At The Beginning

The Red Rock Castle looms high above the ridge of the cliff, its occupants able to see their surroundings easily. The face of the cliff is jagged, brooking no chance for any enemies of the Royal Family to ascend and endanger them and their guests and staff. Around the perimeter are curtain walls that are 10 feet and 30 feet thick, allowing the warriors to get to their battle stations and occupants a chance to get to safety. The thick walls provide a chance against bombardments, while the tall walls prevent makeshift ladders from reaching the top for access to the castle. Surrounded by these walls are walls called crenelations that allow warriors to walk around the castle’s perimeter performing sentry walks and are given the ability to easily protect the occupants in the keep, where the family and their staff reside and/or work throughout the day and night. Nearby is the Great Hall, a place for gathering, either for eating, celebrating, or public meetings that could spill out into the bailey, offering a chance for a large gathering if need be. The Alpha Lycan King and his family are well-loved by their pack within their area, often associating with them during their celebrations of the Alpha/Luna Ceremony, birthdays for young Alphas on their first shifts, annual Alpha meetings, and during the Great Hunt, which has only happened when the Royal family welcomed new members into their family, an occasion that has happened only twice. It is a time when packs gather for a feast as well as the hope of finding mates with all packs who are compelled to meet the newborn Royal pup.

The royal family and their staff enjoy the scenery before them. The sunrise is a glorious sight to behold. The light pinks, oranges, and yellows of the sun rising above the sea make the sight serene. Below the castle, the village is starting to awake, the people opening up shops, preparing for the day. Tailors had dresses and menswear hanging, farmers had their stalls filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, merchants had exotic fruits and spices from faraway lands, bakers readying the day with baked goods and samples, cobblers making space for shoe repairs and wheelwrights showcasing ready-made wheels for carts and wagons. Business has started, a crowd has gathered, their voices carried over far and wide. Families with little ones running and dodging, playing tag while their parents shop, the excitement of the day ahead of them.

To the left and right is the Evergreen Forest, filled with large vast trees, broken into large patches, creating a place that offers safety for Lycans and werewolves who live in the surrounding area, a place to shift and run freely. Their wolves need to be able to run unimpeded, given this freedom so that their human counterparts do not worry about their beasts taking over. The flora and fauna of the forest are also plentiful for hunting, allowing the wolves the peace of mind that they do not have to go hungry, as well as medicinal herbs and plants for their health and beauty. The woodsmen who are tasked with hewing the trees available are also responsible for ensuring there are future trees, planting the nuts fallen from the various trees found and gathered. This is a task they do not take lightly, learning as they go what they can do to ensure the saplings grow healthy and strong. They teach all the pups that are in school how they can help, learning the ways of nature, to appreciate all that is there for them and to possibly find an occupation working with nature like them. Smelling the earth and trees, knowing the difference between them and their uses. Like the oaks, elm and beech, great for construction, ash for bowls and tools, birch for crafting items and the yews, greatly important to making the bows the warriors used to defend the castle’s walls. The pups are all given tasks they perform according to age to learn and grow, learning the simplest of things until they are old enough to know what they want to do as they grow older. The forest is their playground and school, and they wouldn’t want it any other way.

Within the castle, the shuffling of feet is muffled by the slipshoes, a shoe worn while inside the castle. Its owner is quiet, yet with some speed, hurrying to the toilet, one hand to their mouth, the other reaching for the handle, giving a harsh twist. Spewing the contents of their stomach, the retching sound reverberates in the tiny room, along with the voice praying to the Goddess for peace. It had been a long time in waiting, a plan made perfectly in hope, and from what is happening now, there can be no other explanation. The Luna Queen is with child.

“Dear Goddess, no. No. Not now. I have done my duty. I have given him his heirs, both boys. Please, let me rest. The last pregnancy was hard. Stephen and I nearly died. Please, I beg you.”

The Queen is heartbroken, not wanting to go through the process of bearing another pup, the possibility of suffering l the last time, her body finally feeling healthy. Young Prince Stephen is barely a year old, the memory of his birth causes tremors to rack her mind and body. Though the idea of having a little girl with her mate's eyes was her dream, she feared that she would not survive. She knows that to refuse the Goddess’ gift is wrong, it is, but to willingly do this, to carry to term, could end them both. Her heart heavy, she pulls herself up, walks back to her and her mate’s room and drinks a little bit of water, hoping to find a way to fix this situation.