Chapter 6

[ A week and 3 days in the past ]

BLUE BLOODS

"So Anna, tell me, what is the purpose of a princess?"

"To be a beacon of nobility, beauty and integrity to the kingdom."

The palace matron gave Anna a smile and a nod as she continued.

"And what is a noble woman's duty in the order of things."

"Uhmmm....to bear kids for the king and groom them in order to keep the royal family name pure and strong".

The palace matron then wobbled over to where Anna was sitting and ruffled her shoulder length hair.

"Well done Princess Anna, you never perform below expectations, now get your books packed up and go eat lunch".

Anna with a smile and slight bow replied to the palace matron.

"Yes matron, thank you for your time".

The Matron smiled back at Anna and was on her way out of the lecture room when Josef, the son of Harold the Lord-Militia, stopped by the door.

"Dear princess Anna, as beautifully stunning as ever."

Anna then looked up to the source of the voice and barely managed to produce a smile at Josef.

"Josef, I thought you would be out in the fields sparring with your father's men."

Anna at this point had finished packing up her books and held them to her chest as she walked out of the room.

Josef then grinned a little and moved his right foot to block Anna from leaving the room.

Anna got to the door and looked down at Josef's foot.

"Josef, please take your foot out of the way, I have pretty important matters to attend to at this instant".

Josef who was a feet taller than Anna then looked down on her and smiled while gently touching her arm.

"Beautiful Anna, you do know that one day you'll be mine and you'll gaze upon my handsome face and physique all day long.

You might as well start getting used to my face now".

Anna who at this point had gotten repulsed by Josef's proximity to her then gently shoved his arm away from her body,

took her books in her left elbow and used her right hand to lift up her gown as she crossed over Josef's foot in the doorway.

Josef upon seeing this act laughed a bit and turned to follow Anna as she walked briskly to the palace gardens where she kept her rabbits.

"Princess Anna my dear, I hear you talk to rabbits now. That is quite unbecoming of a highly placed blue blood such as yourself."

Josef sneered at Anna who wasn't paying attention to him as she approached the gardens.

Upon getting to the gardens, Anna reached for a leather bag which she kept fresh carrots for her rabbits and the key to their cage also.

She then began whistling gently as she approached the rabbit's cage.

Josef was walking slowly behind her while he tried to gain her attention.

"Anna, I'll get you a dog when I become King or a pony at least...I know for a fact that girls love ponies."

Anna then turned around and faced Josef straight faced.

"Josef, I know the only reason you're following me about is to get to know me better thinking that something can happen between us but lemme tell you".

Anna then raised her finger and pointed at Josef as she continued speaking.

"There can never be anything between us, you're not my type of man. You're boastful and arrogant like your father. Qualities that I find very appalling in a man".

"No matter the plans that our fathers have for us, you should have it at the back of your mind that I will never love you".

With these words spoken, Anna turned back to attend to her rabbits.

She unlocked the latch and the rabbits came out hopping around her.

Anna with a laugh then began throwing the carrots in her bag for the rabbits to munch on.

Josef then with a grin to one side of his face, turned about and began walking out of the gardens with his hands in his pockets while he silently muttered the words, "You'll be mine, all in due time".

He repeated the words while he turned little to see Anna in his peripheral vision.

"All in due time".

Damon dragged the struggling youth all the way to the palace of Werekult to present him to Lucian.

Damon got the palace doors with one hand and shoved it open while he threw the human youth into the palace with such force that his left shoulder got bruised upon impact with the floor.

Lucian then rose from his throne to meet Damon.

"Damon, what is this that you bring before me".

Damon with a slight bow then began explaining himself.

"Lucian The Bold, this human you see before you is one of the travellers that our scouts on our side of the borders of Burnt Side Forest captured recently.

This youth here said that they were on a mission to gather herbs.

Upon my further investigation, I discovered that the herb this boy and his folk claimed to be seeking for is nothing other than Wolfsbane...."

Lucian then dimmed his eyes and began walking towards the youth as Damon continued speaking.

"My Lord, I'm made to believe that this "journey" of theirs is in preparation for a pre-emptive strike against us.

We must be ready to strike before the humans do or all will be lost".

Lucian got to the human youth who was already shaking with fear, looked him head to toes and lifted the boy off the floor with one arm.

"Tell me child, who sent you and your folk into Burnt Side Forest....do not attempt to lie to me."

The youth who was struggling to breath at this point because Lucian's hand was on his throat then began to babble barely coherent words.

"A high ranking... kingdom official...we weren't given a name."

Lucian then rolled his eyes around and shrugged while he said "fair enough," and snapped the boy's neck like a dry twig.

Damon then flinched a bit but didn't show it. Lucian then turned to Damon and said to him.

"Go get Venus ready, tell her that she'll be infiltrating Grenalia to carry out espionage to find out more about this official who clearly has a death wish".

Lucian then turned and began walking into his inner chambers while he said to Damon.

"Oh and Damon, you and I will be going for a walk in the Forest....I want to see things for myself".

Damon bowed slightly and replied "yes my Lord" and walked out while dragging the dead boy's body behind him.

A few miles shy of the walls surrounding Grenalia, there resided the dreaded witch cult known as The Seven Sisters in a black and gloomy single storey building.

They rarely get any visitors but today there happened to be a heated discussion with a guest.

"Harooooold!..... where is the Aconite you promised us?!"

Harold, who was speaking with his head bowed, then responded.

"Great mistresses of chaos, I sent a party of merchants to Burnt Side Forest to get the Aconite.....till this moment, no positive news nor sighting of the merchants has been heard..... although I've seen evidence that they all may have not survived veering too close to werewolf territory."

The Seven Sisters then shouted in unison.

"Harold, Lord-Militia of Grenalia!, We didn't empower you with the gift of seductive speech to give us excuses, we need the Aconite to complete our ultimate weapon against the werewolves, the werewolves must be vanquished once and for all!".

Harold then folded his hands together and proclaimed "the Aconite will be brought to you in due time, a slight delay that is what this is... nothing more".

The Seven Sisters then waved their hands in Unison and whispered "Begone from this place".

Harold then bowed and walked out of the building to saddle up on his horse outside.