11 - The Feast

One of the sentries ran from the gate into the village and shifted into a man. Darius stood up from the midst of the men he was discussing with and beckoned the sentry closer.

"They have arrived, milord." The sentry informed him.

Darius nodded and dismissed the sentry. He turned to his Beta, Herrick and said, "Prepare the men," and to his mate who had come out of the house to the shade of the tree they were all sitting, he said, "Let the preparations commence."

His mate nodded and hurried away while Darius walked out to where the path to the Alpha's courthouse began, joining the members of his curious pack which were beginning to walk out of their houses on to the path the queen was to arrive on.

Soon, the queen's foot troop of soldiers arrived, followed by the horsed lycans which were led by Lucas, and then the carriage bearing the royal emblem of the realm which was carrying the queen and her lady-in-waiting. On one of the horses riding behind the carriage sat Theresa with a hood ov