Chapter 3: The Wolf

Luna woke up to the smell of honey. Her body feeling pricked all over by needles. It should not have hurt. She overcame her panic and "sort of" controlled the wind a moment before she fell on the "ground".

Someone poked her on the ribs.

"Ugh...!" Luna let out a moan. Then she heard a shriek.

She opened her eyes in a slow manner, adjusting to the light. Her vision is still a little blurry from the fall. But saw no one.

"Oh, god."

She moaned some more as she heaves herself up. Her movements, sluggish.

"Where am I?"

Luna closed her eyes for a moment and opened it again to focus. She rotated her shoulders and make an effort to asses her body. All the while her eyes busy roaming taking time to survey her surroundings.

She was in some kind of forest. Definitely not the one behind their backyard and she seems to be intact, no broken bones, no-.

Gold!

Around her were trees made of gold. Her mouth gaped open at the sight of golden trees bearing emerald, ruby, sapphire and many more gems she cannot even recognize. She had not noticed it right away, for every now and then the trees reflect a different color. Green, blue and on it changes. It is like a prism.

Caught unaware, Luna screamed in pain.

"Awww!"

Someone pulled her hair; she swayed and lost her footing. She fell butt first on the ground. That was when she noticed some hair-like crystals covering the ground. Next came a thud. Something hard hit Luna in the head. She was slumped on the ground, dizzy and disoriented.

"Stay down and don't make any sudden movement! How did you come here in Constancia?"

From somewhere came a command. Bursting with authority. Yet Luna cannot see anyone around.

"Who is there?" She asked in a weak voice. A pounding had started inside her head. She attempted to get up but everything went spinning at once.

"Armand, you could just have made her sleep! Knocking her on the head is a brutal use of force!"

This one coming from a softer and mellow voice. But Luna can no longer concentrate. Her head throbs from the blow. The two individuals are still arguing, but she can only faintly hear them. She closed her eyes and darkness engulfed her. Luna fainted.

"Quiet! How many times did I tell you, never reveal my name during operation!"

"Oh, you're impossible! Look at the poor girl sprawled on the ground unconscious." Lily scolded her friend and commander.

If she were in-charge, she would have like to show herself to the girl and ask her how she came to the Kingdom undetected. She looked at the girl again. Her eyes, she had seen were that of murky brown. Her hair black as ebony. She had on a funny-looking shoe, the color of yellow. Her built shows she is tall and toned.

Armand may have been right after all. The girl looks strong and may have given a fight if given a chance. Lily's frown deepened when she noticed the something glowing on the girl's wrist. She approached the girl with caution. Then blanched. Up close, she can see markings etched on the skin. A tattoo.

But Lily knows better.

These were not simple markings.

It is of a royal blood! Not just any royal blood, but that of a princess!

"We're so going to die..." She whispered to herself. And an involuntary shudder came over her.

With glazed eyes, she looked over at Armand. He too, had noticed the patterns. She fretfully reached for his arm.

"What are we going to do commander?"

"Well, we did what we had to do. I will shoulder all the responsibility. Don't worry." He looked determined and sure that Lily trusted him.

Thundering hooves broke the moment.

"Here comes Wulfric." Armand said turning around to meet the general.

Lily shudder at the sight of General Wulfric Wolf. This means the Princesses knows what happened. They ALWAYS know what is happening. Well not everything. but all most all the time (or whatever). One of them, Princess Morga, has the gift of sight.

The General holds the highest position of all the royal guards. He is of royal blood himself but choose servitude to the crown just like all the other Wolfs that came before him. He is ferocious in battle, the scars his body wore tells it all. Rarely smiling but honorable and just. Feared by all but respected and revered by those under his command.

Riding his black stallion Beast, he presents an imposing figure. Cold sweat run-down Lily's back. She hoped they did no permanent damage on the girl. She glanced down at her thinking, if she turns out to be a princess after all, they sure will be punished. She is not looking forward to it.

"Commander Armand and Captain Lily of the Border Line Police, General Wolf" Armand introduced himself to the general. They knelt and put their fists on their left shoulders, sign of submission and respect.

The general hopped down his horse ignoring the two dwarves. His stride quick and fast bringing him in seconds, right next to the unconscious girl. The general is huge but swift and lithe. Kneeling, he examined the girl, his eyes lingering on the markings glowing on her wrist.

"Ortho, Keith take men with you and scout the area." The general stood up facing his troops. "I don't want a chance that she may not be alone."

"Yes, general!" Both soldiers went into different direction to follow his command.

His eyes the color of gold then settled on the two dwarves still kneeling before him. Both pair of eyes downcast. One, the female, looked so pale that she may faint. General Wolf heave a sigh and spoke. "You two ready your goats. You will accompany me to the castle."

The female dwarf Lily whimpered. Wolf turned his back. He cannot help others to be afraid. It was his own fault, he thought. For he never did anything to quell stories of his ruthlessness. His face hardened. He cannot easily show compassion. His notoriety has some disadvantage but it had never failed to give him more.

After a while, Ortho and Keith both the generals right and left commander came back. It seems that the girl came alone.

The General then climbed on to Beast as Ortho picked-up the girl and carried her over to him.

Looking down, General Wulfric studied the girl in his arms. She has dark hair. A small face with long dark lashes creating shadows on her cheeks. She looked so young and... vulnerable.

But he needs to confirm one more thing. Prying the girl's eyelid open, he peered into her eye.

"Murky brown..." he muttered.

Indeed, the color was just as the princesses had said.