Chapter Four: The BloodHowl Lycan

My instincts flared up and I jumped down from the horse with the little strength I had garnered.

"Run to the camps over there!" The guard pointed towards a hill overhead. "They will take care of you. Go now!" 

His sword and that of his partner were fully drawn.

I sprinted as fast as my feet could carry me towards the hill where he had pointed. 

Behind me, I heard growling and howling, like a beast...like wolves. I heard the slash of claws and the soldiers scream, but I didn't look back. I couldn't look back.

What kind of world am I in? It seemed no one and nowhere was safe.

The sun was already setting when I saw lights and torches at a distance. I smelt fresh bread and something else. I didn't know what it was, but whatever it was, my stomach rumbled so hard to it that I had to move closer.

As I approached, I noticed tents set up and lots of horses tied to wooden sticks dug into the ground. A woman noticed me and called others. Soon I was surrounded by many people from the camp.

"My goodness, how did you survive?"

"Where are you coming from?"

"Who are you?"

I was asked different questions, none of them I had the answers to. An elderly woman took me by the hand out of the crowd and into one of the tents.

She treated my wounds and gave me food and water which I ate like a hungry beast.

"You are quite a miracle young lady" she said looking at me strangely. "No loner can survive these islands. It is plagued with cannibals, Pirates from the near seas and rogue wolves. The moon goddess must have her eyes on you for you to have come this far" 

I looked at her, food stuffed in my mouth, not knowing what to say or how to respond.

"We are merchants delivering goods to BloodHowl Kingdom. We will drop you off there and go back to our lands. I heard their Lycan King is fierce, but generous. He might just let you stay" 

I nodded my head and she let me get some sleep. 

I laid down, completely exhausted, dreaming about meeting the Lycan King. 

But in my dreams, when he turns to me, he tells me to leave his presence, and I am dragged away by guards to the deepest parts of the dungeon. 

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The next morning, the tents were brought down and everyone in the camp had packed their things to set off for the journey.

We had not moved long when I saw it from the uphill we were standing on.

BloodHowl.

It was magnificent. It stretched and covered a very wide part of the Island and the Palace within was a sight.

"Hopefully, this will be your new home" the elderly woman said to me as we trudged forward.

I nodded in anticipation and continued moving. Soon, we were before the mighty gates of BloodHowl. The guards searched through the merchant's goods and allowed us in.

The elderly woman left the rest of the merchants to sort out the goods while she took me to the palace. 

It seemed the King knew the elderly woman as she walked into the palace with confidence and requested to see the King. 

The guards went into the King's room and after a while they came out and gestured for us to enter. 

We were about to enter when a woman sauntered towards us. "Halt!" She ordered, stopping us at our tracks. 

The elderly woman bowed when she saw her, but I, not noticing it, stood and stared at her. 

She was beautiful, but she had an icy and cold look, with long dark hair that was braided and adorned with flowers. Her red dress flowed down to the floor, her maids following it closely behind. 

Red. Something disgusted me about that color. I didn't know why, but I knew I didn't like it. 

The elderly lady noticed I wasn't bowing and tugged violently at my dress. I quickly followed her and bowed too.

"How dare you look into the eyes of the future Queen?" She spoke with a voice that was as cold as she looked. "Have you no manners?"

"I apologize on her behalf princess Montanne" the elderly woman said "she is new here and doesn't know who her masters are"

The elderly woman bowed, not raising her head as she spoke to the future Queen.

"The King will not be seeing anyone today" she held out her fan and ordered the guards to shield the door again.

"I will be attending to his matters, now tell me, what exactly do you and this peasant want"

I raised my eyes and glared at her. Unfortunately, her eyes met mine and she shot me a death stare.

"Your highness, you know the King owes me a favour, after I supplied food and clothing to his soldiers at no cost in the last war"

"Yes. And so?"

"I would like him to repay this favor by allowing this young girl to stay and work in the Palace"

My back was hurting from bowing and I stood straight to stretch for a bit. 

Princess Montanne gasped in horror at this. 

"This disrespectful thing will not serve in this palace!" She yelled with irritation laced in her voice. 

"Please your highness, she is still getting used to customs, I'm sure she will adapt soon" the woman pleaded on my behalf while I stood there confused.

The future Queen's eyes fell on the shiny thing on my neck. The locket was inside the dress, so it wasn't obvious, but she had noticed something glistering on my neck and she pulled it out before I could say a word.

"Well, what do we have here?" She said examining the chain "a thief?"

"Merchant Rhea, you have brought a thief to steal from us? Because I know a little wretch like this cannot own such a thing. She must have stolen it form her former slave owners"

"It belongs to me!" I spoke up with defiance in my voice that shocked me. But from the look on the princess Montanne's face, it seemed it shocked her even more.

I couldn't let her take the locket away. It was the only thing that I had on when I woke up and it might be the key to finding out who I am and where I'm from.

I snatched the locket from her hands and wore it back on my neck. I wasn't about to part ways with it. 

"Take this filthy thief to the dungeon!" She yelled with rage amidst Merchant Rhea's pleas. The guards were about to lay their hands on me when another soldier walked out from the King's throne room.

"An order from the King!" The man bellowed. 

Everyone froze. Even the future Queen.