The Escape of the Lycan Princess

3, Messenger

The city of Daren in the Southern Kingdom

Raul's point of view

I was standing on a hill at the exit of the forest. The city of Daren stretched below me in all its grandeur. The city was surrounded by a rampart while on a hill in the very center of the city a high wall surrounded the king's palace. The morning sun shone on the red brick houses and it looked like the whole city was on fire.

After five days of running in my wolf form, I felt tired enough to just find a pub and order a hearty breakfast and then rent a room to rest and sleep.

„Good idea“ Rufus agreed in my mind.

„Just breakfast, the rest will have to wait.“

I found an inn near the palace that seemed decent but not too expensive. As it was early in the morning there were no guests yet. I chose a table in the corner by the window. The big innkeeper came to me right away. I ordered eggs and bacon, toast and coffee. Breakfast was delicious but I didn’t enjoy it too much. I felt nervous before meeting Patricia. I was told she might not want to come back, right? So what to say to a spoiled girl?

Seeing that I was done with breakfast, the innkeeper came to charge. I paid by adding a tip and he nodded.

„You're a stranger, aren't you?“

„Yes.“

„If you stay longer I can rent you a room upstairs. It is clean and comfortable.“

„I'm actually just passing through“ I said.

He was just about to walk away when I suddenly changed my mind.

"Maybe I'll stay a day or two after all. Could I rent your room later in the day if I decide to stay." I didn't know if the princess would decide right away. It was reasonable to secure myself in case I had to wait.

The innkeeper nodded and I could feel Rufus already stirring contentedly in my mind.

Finally, it was time to head to the palace.

The guard at the gate was not unkind, but he looked extremely suspicious when I said who I was. He almost jumped back when I said I wanted to see the princess. He told me that for her safety, only the king could approve visits. The guard then escorted me up several floors of stairs and down several long corridors until I entered what looked like a huge and lavish study. I was left alone in that room waiting for the king to appear. He came in after a few minutes, although it seemed to me that much more time had passed. He was a very tall and slender man, with a narrow pale face and a pointed beard. Very thick eyebrows and small black eyes gave him some cruel, cold expression. He wore black leather clothes sprinkled with tiny silver stars. A dagger hung from his silver belt. I felt Rufus growl. All my human senses also became tense. Fortunately, I remembered in time that the king should be greeted with a deep bow. When I looked up again, I saw that he was watching me with cold interest.

„So you are a messenger from the North Kingdom.“

„On behalf of the North Kingdom, Your Majesty“ I said

„Why did you come?“

The question could not be simpler, but my whole being called for caution. That's why I chose the safest answer.

„I need to hand over a letter to Princess Patricia from her father.“

„Nice.“

„And who are you anyway?“ he asked.

„Finally a question I could answer with pride.

„I am Raul, son of Alpha Paul, a pack of White Oaks.“

„Not even Lycan.“ said the king with contempt.

Rufus growled gravely in my mind. But the king continued to speak.

„I wonder why my dear friend, King Elrond, chose such a humble messenger.“

Until then, the king stood facing me, but then he began to move slowly around the room, as if that movement would help him find the answer. I had no choice but to stand and wait. For the first time, it occurred to me that he might not allow me to hand over the letter. Until now, I was just thinking about how to convince the princess to come with me. The king was still walking around the room when he began to speak so softly that I was not sure if he was addressing me at all.

„Really interesting.“

He walked so quietly that I almost winced when he reappear in front of me.

„Do you know what that letter says?“ he asked. It was alfa tone.

„No, I don't know your highness. I swear.“

A thin, contemptuous smile appeared on his lips.

„All right, you can hand the letter to the princess.“ he said

„It will be enough for her to see such an insignificant and modest messenger to know how much her father values her. A letter can therefore make things worse than fix them.“ he added as if to himself.

My blood was boiling with rage and Rufus was ready to take over and cut his throat. However, I received permission to hand over the letter, so it was necessary for me to calm down. So I bowed to him and thanked him. My only wish was to get out of the room as soon as possible. I was already at the door when I heard quick steps on the other side. It was only so long that I got out of the way of the young man who rushed into the room.

„Father, I heard about the messenger!“ he almost shouted.

Then he saw me. We looked at each other for a moment. He was in every way only a younger version of his father. Even his smile immediately took on the same contemptuous form. I briefly bowed my head in his direction and literally flew out of the room.

The guard who brought me was waiting in front of the door.

„I have the king's approval“ I said in one breath.

He just nodded and showed me to follow him. I moved again through the intricate tangle of hallways and stairs. But this time that walk helped me calm down. Rufus, however, calmed down more slowly. He growled all the time.

In the end, I had to tell him

„Please calm down. We overcame only the first obstacle.“

„Let me tell you something, HE is the biggest obstacle. And if the princess really wants to stay with creatures like them then she's f***ing crazy.“

„Listen to me now. I don't even care if she's completely crazy or not. I just want to take her home. That is the only way for us to return to our lives one day.“

„You are right as always.“ Rufus answered half mockingly half seriously but at least he stopped growling.

The guard stopped and pointed to a bench by the wall.

„You can wait here. I need to see if the princess is awake and wants to see you now.“

As soon as I saw the guard enter the nearby door, I touched the letter in my inside pocket and prayed briefly, without a voice, to the Moon Goddess

„Please, Moon Goddess, help me with this girl. I feel that only you can help.“

This short prayer calmed me down though and when the guard reappeared I could tell myself I was ready for anything.

„Raul, son of Alpha Paul, a pack of White Oaks.“ I heard the guard announce me to the princess and stepped confidently.

The next moment, I was overwhelmed by a sense of perfect unreality. I sensed the scent of jasmine and roses. The girl in front of me looked like a dream apparition with her long gold hair and big eyes that were the color of the sea at noon. In my mind Rufus triumphantly shouted "MINE!".