The Princess and Her Lycan Pirate

How Bran met Eilidh

The days passed quickly. After one week of getting everything ready with last fittings for the dresses, Amena decided to take Alana early to the human town.

A courir had arrived at Edward's mansion, letting him know, that the debutant ball was delayed of a week due to the human's Queen indisposition. In truth she hated the mating balls and found each year other excuses so she didn't have to participate. Some sharp tongues were whispering that the Queen had a distaste for all the young and beautiful girls coming of age, reminding her constantly of her lost youth and not being able to bare a child.

She hated espacially Eilidh who she couldn't ignore because she was a Duke's wife. Every time she saw her, her nerver aging beauty stung in her heart! And why did Edward still look so well and her own husband, the King got a belly, saggy bags under his eyes from drinking too much and rediculous thin legs! He looked like a cartoon figure and not a powerfull man.

Still, Edward picked up Eilidh and Bran and made his way to Conall's castle. Once there he tried to clear the air with his mate but to no success. So he proposed to leave early to the human town, so they could start the saison with a few privat soirees. He invited Bran as well as he had to travel that direction later anyway and it would mean he had more precious time with his mate Eilidh.

Everybody thought that was a good idea, it meant, that the girls, Alana and Grian, could spend more time together as well. The only one disliking it was Conall. But he couldn't really tell his mate why he didn't want her to go early.

Conall waited for a quiet moment and dragged Edward into his office: “Why on earth would you ask to go to the human court early? Do you want Amena to find out about Lydia? Do you want to see me suffer for the next years?!” Eward had an amused smile on his lips “First of all, she wouldn't meet Lydia, because we would stay in our town house and entertain guests there and secondly, do you remember our problems about the pirates?” Conall nodded his head and looked a bit confused. “Well, James found out that the human King has captured one of them and is going to torture him in order to find out everything about their whereabouts, their strength and their leader. James had the idea to help him escape to gain access to the gang. I just want to be there to help him just in case something goes south.” Conall thought about what Edward told him: “Shouldn't I come with you then? I don't want Connor in trouble! And before you say anything: We both know what would happen! Markus would get wind of what James is planning and tell his best friend Connor about it and Connor would think it was fun! Right?” Edward looked at Conall but before he could answer the door swung open and Connor barged in: “Guess what, Markus just told me that the human King has a pirate in his dungeons and James want to free him alone to become best buddies with the pirate! What fun! Of course Markus and I will joyn him! We won't let him all the fun alone!” His exciting gaze went from his father to Edward and back. He reminded Connor more and more of an overexciting pup that wants the stick to be thrown.

He looked at Edward like he wanted to say: “What did I say?!”

Edward was just about to say something, when the door was opened roughly again, this time by Markus: “Have you told them? Isn't that great, dad? Our own little adventure! We will become pirates!”

Enough was enough, Conall got angry and barked: “Listen to you two pups trying to play grown-ups! You won't do anything! James is on a mission, he has a far better chance if he acts alone! The only one I will allow to be near is Edward!” The two young men tried to argue with their fathers but Conall only looked at them with a stone face and said dryly: “If you are not happy with my decision, you can always go to your mothers and ask them for permission!”

Their excitement died down in an instant. Without a word but glares they withdrew from the office and walked away with hanging heads. Old men were just no fun!

Edward turned to Conall, still smiling in amusement: “They remind me so much of us in that age! What a shame we didn't have a captured pirate in the King's dungeon when we were at that saison! It would have prevent a lot!” Conall threw his friend a agreeing gaze. “Going back on that subject without intruders I do understand why James is doing it. He wants to get his head clear and focus on something before he finds his mate. To be honest, I'm glad he is giving him such a challenge and doesn't just run after every skirt in town!” He sighed and continued “He is so different from us! Like the honorable part of us, that we left at home when we went to Charles' saison. I have tried to talk to Connor about his behavior towards she wolves and that I expect him not to touch one single human woman, but it is all fruitless!” Another deep sigh came out of his mouth. Edward patted Conall's back. “Oh I know what you are talking about! We have tried to talk to Markus as well! But the only answer we got was 'a she wolf can't get pregnant, if she is not marked and as soon as they find their mate we are fine!' But don't you worry! I will keep my eyes on them two! No human girl will be beded by them! Not on my watch! Espacially not after Lydia!”

Conall started coughing after that reminder.

At the mean time was Alana going for a walk in the garden. Grian was upstairs in Eilidh's room, helping her mother to sort out some clothes that had to be send back home. That was the raison, that Bran was walking aound in the garden as well. Alana went over to him asking him what he was doing. Bran smiled at her: “I am looking for herbs. Your mother was kind enough to plant some rare ones in her garden and now I am searching for them. Would you like to help me?” Alana beamed at Bran: “Oh yes, please! I love gardening!” Bran chuckled “Then get yourself a little basquet and I will meet you under that big oak tree over there in 5 minutes.”

Alana run back to the house, grabed one of the fruit basquets the maids left in the kitchen and run back out to her uncle. At first she couldn't see him because he was extremely well concealed with his dark skin but then Alana closed her eyes and followed her nose. Bran smelled of chocolate. Dark chocolate, the rich one! She walked about 20 steps and streched her arms out: “Gotcha!” Bran laughed showing off his perfect white teeth. “Your nose is impressive! You found me even without a wolf and I rubbed this special herb onto my skin, that fools even a werewolf nose! See, it has big leafs and is dark green. If you ever have to hide, use this!” Alana looked at the herb closely and took it out of her uncle's hand. “Maybe my nose is better than most, but I think it was just the fact, that you kept your clothes on and didn't bother to rup them with herbs, too!”

She gave him a small smile and Bran winked at her: “Our little princess is not a stupid one!”

He took Alana by her arm and both walked towards the woods searching for herbs. Bran explained every herb to her like he had done with his daughte a thousand times. Grian knew it all already and Bran was happy to share his knowledge with somebody else.

They were walking and talking for a while, when Alana suddently had to think about James again. But in her mind his face changed and it was Adonis who was smiling at her. Was it possible that he was her mate? Her mother had told her that that was highly unlikely, but why was she thinking about him all of the time? Bran watched her from the side and decided to find out what was bothering her: “What's with the serious face, sweatheart? Is it because James is not your mate?” Alana looked at him with wide eyes: “Even you know about that?” - “James sort of confessed to your father about his feelings for you and that he would like to clear the air with you. So I told him to talk to you, which he didn't do, by the look on your face.” Alana shook softly her head: “No, he didn't. Maybe I will meet him in the human town next week.” - “Maybe you will.” Bran stroke her head “but that is not all! Why did you want to go with me old man and listen to all that boring stuff? Is something else on your mind?” Alana couldn't forbear a smile “You know me too well, uncle! I did enjoy our walk and say what you like I loved the lecture about all the herbs, but there is something else I wanted to ask you!” She paused and Bran made her sit next to him on a fallen tree stem. He didn't say a word, just held her hand to let her know he was there for her.

Alana plucked up courage and started coyliy: “When you met Eilidh years back and she had a baby with another lycan, did it bother you?” Bran looked at her surprised, he had never thought about that question, at least not from his niece! He took his time to answer to get the words right in his head. “When I met you aunt, I was captured by humans who wanted to sell me at a slave market. You do know that humans make a differents with skin colours. Not like us. The darkest lycan is worth more than the whitest mere werewolf. But for humans it is just different! So, I was standing there, proud, chained up, whiped, when suddently the most intoxicating scent tortured my nostrils! There she was, on the other side of the marked, staring at me with lust in her eyes!” Alana giggled because it seemed that Bran and aunt Eilidh did nothing else but mate! “Don't laugh! It was a serious moment! I was in chains and she was lusting over me!” Even Bran couldn't stop laughing. “Ok, stop that now, you are destroying the atmosphere of my story!” Alana fake appologised and signed Bran to carry on. “As I said, she was lusting for me and I was concentrating on her so hard, that I hadn't realised that a man had bought me! The man took me by the chains and wanted to pull me with him! Away from that beautifull goddess on the other side of the market.” He sighed. Alana hung on every word Bran said, he really knew how to tell a story. She felt like she was there and could see her aunt with her seductive gaze. “Did you fight him?” Bran chuckled “I wanted to! But before I could he came close to my face and whispered only for my ears: Play along and your mate will warm your bed tonight!” Both burst out laughing. Then Bran turned serious again: “It was Edward who had bought me. He took me to his town house and prepared a bath for me with his own hands. First I thought he didn't want his servants to know I was there but then I realized that it was his way of showing me respect. From one lycan to another! While I was in the bath and Edward helped me with washing and getting dressed, Eilidh was cooking a nice meal for me. Moon goddess was I hungry! The humans hadn't bothered with feeding the slaves that day. But I swear to you, when your aunt came towards me with that steaming plate in her hands, all I wanted to do was devour her!” He purred remembering everything. “Then I heard a small baby crying and Eilidh turned around to see to Markus. I was confused. Was she the maid? But she was a lycan! And no lycan is ever a maid or servant! Edward pulled me onto a chair, put the food in front of me and started to explain, that my mate was married to him. I have to tell you, I nearly jumped up and bit his throat! But then Eilidh came back and smiled at me. Nothing calmes a man down as well as a smile from his mate, maybe a touch, but a smile is pretty close. Ginessa came into the room and sat on Edward's lap, taking his hand and saying to me: 'She is yours, he rejected her as soon as he found me!' Eilidh sat down on my lap, hold my hand and kissed it slowly. She curles up on my lap and started purring. Ginessa got up and pulled Edward away and then Eilidh explained the whole situation to me. At first I was jealous, angry but then I thought about my life before I had met my mate: As a healer I get a lot of attention. Female attention. I wasn't a saint, but neither a man w***e! All she had done, was choosing a mate and give birth to his son. And now she was mine! With all she is and all she has! I don't have to tell you that I marked her that night! The next morning we started talking a bit more and Edward was really impressed that I was a healer. It fitted perfectly for me! You know, as a healer, I have to travel all the time. No healer I know takes his mate with them! Only female healer do that, for protection. With Eilidh officially still married to Edward she was safe! I could go on my travels and she could play lady of the manor! Win win situation.”

Alana picked the information that was important to her: “So, you didn't mind that she had been mated to Edward before you?” - “The short answer is: No, princess, we are from the werewolf kind, we do have a soul mate and we will follow them as soon as we find them! We cannot deny the mate bond! She hadn't sold her body on the streets or anything like that, all she had done was starting a family with one lycan who looked after her well and treated her right! And by that I mean, that he let her go! In the human world is a lot of heart ache and trouble because of love and affaires! Humans are just not that lucky. They have to kiss many people before they find the right one. And the women are not even allowed! They get married off to the highest bidder, sometimes! Believe me, we are the lucky ones! Once you will find your lycan, you will find out what I mean! The mate bond will make everything that happened before void.” He moved closer to her and whispered: “So, you can enjoy the debutant ball, flirt with every man you like and even kiss one or the other!” Alana smiled, her uncle could read her so easily! “Has this answered your question? Because I think we have to go inside otherwise we will be late for lunch. And I don't know about you, but I'm starving!” He got up and offered Alana his arm which she took immediatelly. “Yes, let's go back. And uncle Bran, thank you! That was going around my mind for quiet a while now!”

He smiled at her and they walked back quickly as they could smell the food already!