The Wolf Queen's Prophecy

Breakfast and Dessert

She had changed into a simple gown of plain white linen, a green belt at her waist. She would change into the beautiful, luxurious midnight blue dress just before dusk, when the festivities would officially begin.

“Have my grandparents arrived?” She asked Caldien as they made their way to the Prince’s chambers.

“Not yet,” he replied. “I believe they’re expected at midday.” She nodded. The Prince’s guard, standing outside the wide double doors into his chambers, which were smaller than either the King’s or Lyria’s, but still quite spacious, bowed low to Lyria.

“Your Highness,” they murmured. She greeted them fondly, as they were well known to her. They’d been with the Prince’s household most of his young life. They swung the doors open to reveal the Prince’s sitting room. Servants bustled about, and the Prince sat on the floor playing with a small wooden horse which had been handcrafted by Duke Greyfur.

“Lyria!” Wyatt shouted joyfully when he saw her. He bounded up to hug her, and she chuckled as he leapt into her arms.

She hugged him close. “Hey there, my little Prince,” she whispered. “How are you?”

“I’m good!” The Prince exclaimed with a broad smile, as Lyria put him back down onto the floor. “Can I tell you a secret?” he asked, looking shyly at her.

“Always,” Lyria replied, kneeling down to look at him.

“My secret is… I have a secret!” Wyatt said, excited. Lyria laughed.

“Are you going to tell me what it is?”

“No! Well, yes. Later! It’s a secret for Gathering Dark! Actually, it’s a question. A secret question!”

“A secret question?” Lyria said with exaggerated surprise. “Are you going to ask me to buy you another horse?” Wyatt loved horseback riding, and often proposed buying more horses. At age six, he was also learning to care for them, and spent many hours of his free time in the stables, asking questions of the stable hands. The stable hands, for their part, were happy to answer his questions, excited that the future King was so interested in their craft.

“No!” Wyatt said. “But maybe we could?” He looked up with his big blue eyes so like his father’s. Lyria ruffled his hair.

“I’ll ask your father,” she told him.

“Yay! But that’s not the secret question. You have to wait!” He told her.

“Okay,” she said. “I will. Are you hungry?”

The boy nodded enthusiastically. Lyria stood and held out a hand. He grasped it, his other hand clutching his wooden horse, and let Lyria lead him out of the room into the hallway.

Caldien and Sirre Firesell were socializing with the Prince’s guards in the hallway. At the appearance of their Prince and Luna Queen, they snapped to attention. Then they followed at a discreet distance as Lyria and Wyatt walked toward the halls and down the stairs to the dining hall, where the kitchens had set up a lovely breakfast feast for the castle and its many guests.

“Oooh,” Prince Wyatt said. His stomach rumbled “Does Auntie Aertis have redhopper eggs?” He dashed in between servers toward Aertis’s table, where she sat with Lord Lyle Windmere, her husband and mate.

Lyria laughed heartily as Lyle flinched when Wyatt crashed into the table slightly. She followed him over at a much slower pace.

When she approached the table, Aertis was scolding the young Prince gently. “You could have hurt yourself!” she was telling him.

“Sorry,” Wyatt said, looking down at the ground. “I’m just happy to see you!” he said, brightening and smiling at her.

All three rolled their eyes and laughed, because Wyatt knew how to charm people. With his pretty, dimpled, angelic face, he was hard to say no to and, as Prince, he was used to getting his own way.

“Well I’m happy to see you too,” Aertis replied. “I’d be even happier if you promise to be more careful next time.”

“I do promise,” Wyatt replied, his face full of sincerity.

“Okay then,” Aertis said with a little giggle. “Have a seat and you can have some eggs.”

In an instant, two servants had fetched chairs for each Lyria and Wyatt and placed them at the table. Behind them, two more came forward with plates and goblets of juice.

The two royals began to dig into a delicious breakfast. Over eggs, Lyria teased Aertis and Lyle for their outfits, as both had dressed very fancily for the day.

“You look more royal than I do just now,” Lyria said, after she spilled the bright red juice she was drinking on her dress and dabbed at it with a napkin gently.

“You have a crown on,” Aertis replied, “you know that, right?” she gently flung a small piece of a roll across the table at her oldest friend, who smiled and took the little crown off of her head. Jokingly, she held it across the table toward Aertis.

Aertis took it from her and placed it jauntily on her head. “How do I look?” she asked.

“Better than I do,” laughed Lyria, as she took the crown back from her friend. “Although you might look better in a golden crown, because of your hair.” Lyria had blonde hair and silver stood out more easily against it. Aertis had dark hair.

“That isn’t true!” Wyatt said indignantly. “You are the most beautiful.” He looked at Aertis. “You shouldn’t take Lyria’s crown, Auntie Aertis.”

Lyria ruffled Wyatt’s hair again. “Thank you, my dear. Such a protector. But it was just a grown up joke.”

Wyatt seemed placated and turned back to his meal with gusto. As he did so, Lyria turned to ask Lyle about Winding Road, but then she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Sorah standing meekly behind her.

“Ma’am,” she whispered, “I’m sorry to interrupt you, Your Highness. There is a problem in the kitchen, and Miss Ruthalie is asking for you.”

“Oh,” Lyria replied. “Speak to Caldien,” she said. She watched out of the corner of one eye as Sorah slipped back and scurried toward the wall where Sirre Firesell and Caldien stood watch. As she turned back to the conversation, which had turned to Lyle asking the Prince about his studies, Sorah whispered in Caldien’s ear.

“I love the astronomy studies,” he said, glancing shyly over at Lyria, who nodded encouragingly.

Just as Wyatt was expounding on his favorite astronomy facts, Caldien tapped Lyria on the shoulder.

“So sorry, Your Highness,” he said. “It sounds like the issue is related to Ruthalie’s planned dessert, and I can’t make final decisions on that. Would you be able to come investigate with me?”

Sighing a bit, not at Caldien but just in general, Lyria nodded. She pushed back from the table and stood, following Caldien who was following Sorah. At the entrance to the dining room, Lyria felt a little pressure in her hand, and glanced down to see Wyatt looking up at her.

“I want to come!” he said in his demanding little voice. She gripped his hand tighter as they walked out into the hall.

“Okay,” she said. “I could use your help in making sure we get a delicious dessert tonight!"