Lunacrest

Prologue

Many years ago, the Kingdom of lunacrest had many enemies and was plagued by war and death. When the  king died in battle, people say that his distressed queen had an affair with an unknown Devine being while seeking help to end the war and suffering of her people.

She gave birth to three immortal sons, popularly known as the triplet angel kings of Lunacrest. With their might they conquered the enemies of Lunacrest and oversaw the rebuilding of the Kingdom. Both human and werewolf kings of the neighbouring kingdoms gladly paid homage to them. 

For many years, none of the angel kings has ever showed interest in marriage or relationships, but four weeks ago  messegers from their kingdom spread out word that a contest has been set for all the royal ladies of the surrounding kingdoms to compete for the chance to be the queen of Lunacrest, married to one or all the three angel kings. 

Chapter 1

Keira's Pov

"I need you to swear by the gods that I look twice as beautiful as the moon and all the stars together." Our beautiful mistress demands in vivid excitement after gaping at the imperial palace ahead of us for almost an hour.

We are to be guests of the great palace of Lunacrest for five days, the time granted to our princess to showcase her feminine virtues and loyalty to the angel kings. If she gets selected to become their queen she will spend the rest of her life in the imposing palace, which looks like a piece of heaven that descended down to earth. 

"Worry not your highness, you're the prettiest of all royal women. I am sure the angel kings will be awed by your bewitching face." Helen, one of my fellow servants, praises with the sweetest of smiles. She is Princess Lyna's favourite maid.

"Any noble man would gladly pay to lick your feet, your highness. The angel kings will feel honoured that you have graced their palace with such beauty." Lisa, Princess Lyna's second favourite servant, offers her praise. 

I keep my mouth shut because I am her hated servant. I only speak to her when it's extremely necessary. Still I get snapped at more than anyone.

Royal women of every pack have been fighting for the chance to take part in the undignifying contest. Because it's not just about becoming the wife of three powerful angels, the inside of those imposing buildings must be like little heavens. Who wouldn't love to spend their lives in a earthly paradise sparkling with gold?

"I want to take one last look at my face and hair before we proceed. Nothing boosts my confidence more than the sight of my bewitching face." Princess Lyna states and her favourite servants nod in agreement.

"What are you waiting for, foolish human? Get me my mirror!" The Princess screams at me.

I hastily pull out her full length mirror from one of the bags we packed. 

I kneel down on the floor of the carriage and hold up the mirror so that she doesn't have to see any part of my chubby body while watching her beauty.

She stares at her beautiful reflection, carefully checking if there is a thing out of place. 

I have been her servant for about a year now since I failed to phase on my eighteenth birthday. Without a wolf one is considered a useless member of our small pack.

My father is the sole reason I wasn't banished or turned into a lowly slave. Being the gamma of the pack he was able to point out the things I am able to do to the alpha. It was decided that I become Princess Lyna's third servant. I am paid half of what my fellow servants are paid, reason being that I am a useless human.

I have hope that things will change for the better if Princess Lyna becomes the wife of the triplet angel kings. She might be less mean to me in their presence. I may get a fair pay like everyone else and probably be permitted to take part in Lunacrest's warrior training. 

I may have a chance to a better life here, but I must first help Lyna win the hearts of the three angels kings so we won't be going back to Silverthorn.

Apart from her physical beauty, I doubt the Princess possesses any of the other required virtues. But I made it look like she is the embodiment of perfection in the application letter she made me write for her. 

Yes, all contestants had to write a letter to the palace detailing their qualifications in order to be given the rare opportunity to come to this palace and showcase their most feminine virtues and unwavering loyalty to the triplet angel kings. 

I wrote the letter as best as I could. Now our mistress must perfectly display an angelic character in order to be picked by the triplet angel kings.

"Look, my hair is already a mess!" Lyna gasps, pointing at a strand of her blonde hair that has fallen out of place. 

Lisa and Helen hurry to fix the hair with colourful pins while muttering assurances that she is still as beautiful as the morning sun. 

This is a great quest that may change the future of our pack forever, I would not have been allowed to come if I wasn't the one that wrote the application letter that got her accepted in the contest. Yes, all contestants had to write a letter to the palace detailing their qualifications in order to be given the rare opportunity to come to this palace and showcase their most feminine virtues and unwavering loyalty to the triplet angel kings. 

Lyna stares at her reflection for a long while before turning away. 

I set aside the mirror and settle back on my seat as the carriage carries on towards the big gates.

The uniformed guards at the big gates list down our names and the purpose of our visit before letting us in. 

The big palace buildings looks even more beautiful upclose. Meticulously curved statues of three flying angels sets at the top of the tallest building. They are decorated with shimmering gold engravings that hints of the power and wealth of the angel kings.

For a brief moment I am awestruck by the sheer beauty of the lush gardens and masterfully sculpted sculptures scattered around the expansive coumpound that I fail to notice the carriage halting near the front entrance of the first building. 

"Grab my bags, human! I swear I will send you back to Silverthorn if you make me repeat myself again!" Lyna snaps, having stepped out of the carriage with the help of Lisa and Helen who are now holding the tail of her dress. 

I quickly gather the heavy bags and follow them down the path leading to the open doors of the palace entrance. 

Three women in elegant gowns step out and walk forward briskly to meet us. They are escorted by four young servants in uniform. 

"Welcome, Princess Lyna of Silverthorn." The first woman greets Lyna. "My name is Doria, a distant cousin of his Majesty King Fenris, King Garren and King Conrad. I am in charge of overseeing the performance of all contestants and I have been looking forward to your arrival. Your application letter was quite impressive, my cousins may pick you if you showcase the same amount of wisdom and humility during the tests." She adds with a polite smile. 

Lyna appears exhilarated by the praise as she happily smiles. "I am highly grateful for the opportunity I have been granted, your highness lady Doria. You have my word that my performance will not disappoint you or the great kings." She assures, bowing in a show of respect for the distant cousin of the kings. With the heavy bags I am carrying I can only bow my head slightly. 

"Your maids may hand the bags to our servants, they will help you settle comfortably in your prepared quarters." The royal woman says gesturing at her uniformed servants to take the bags. But Lyna stops them.

"You don't need to burden your servants with my luggage, my maid is well capable of carrying the bags to the room you have prepared." She says and the royal woman and her maids nod.

"I will show you to your guest room so you can rest from the journey and prepare for tomorrow's test." Doria says and gestures at Lyna to follow as she turns around to lead the way into the palace. 

I walk behind everyone struggling with the weight of the bags. Our hosts do not know that I am wolfless so they think that the weight of the bags isn't an issue, my mistress has after all assured them that I am well capable of carrying the load.

I notice how every room of the palace is spacious and full of guilded furniture. It is exactly as I expected, a little paradise. 

"If I may ask, when will I be meeting the kings?" Lyna asks as Doria guides the way down the hallways of the palace. 

"My cousins appointed a special council that will oversee the performance of each contestant and report to them. I am the head of that council. No contestant is allowed to meet the great kings unless they have finished all the tests and been selected to marry the kings." Lady Doria answers, causing Lyna's smile to fade and get replaced by a look of worry.

"You mean that I will not see the alpha kings until I have been selected to be their queen?" She questions in disbelieve. 

"My cousins trusts that I and the council will select the best bride for them. They want a woman with the right virtues, nothing else will matter unless you're their fated mate." Lady Doria replies. 

"But if a contestant has a critical issue or proposition she wishes to speak to them about she can request for a meeting with them through a letter that will be delivered to them by the council. They shall then accept or turn down the request to meet depending on if the contents of the letter interests them. Only one of our last four contestants who failed the tests managed to got the chance to meet the kings. It is not easy to get their attention through the letter." She adds and Lyna looks even more devastated. 

She had hoped to impress the kings with her beauty, but it sounds like she may go back to Silverthorn without meeting them. 

One had thought that the famous angels are eager to meet every one of the royal women who arrives here to compete for their hand in marriage, but it sounds like they are only interested in getting a modest woman to bed but not to love. I know that Lyna doesn't mind the loveless marriage, she will have the wealth and the special status of the queen of Lunacrest. 

"This will be your quest quarters for now, Princess." Lady Doria says after halting in front of a wooden door. One of the servants takes out a key and ushers us into the opulent room with a king-size bed, a massive closet and a guilded table and chair near the window.

I set the bags down beside the big bed.

"There are four beds for your maids in the next room." Lady Doria informs. Princess Lyna nods and smiles in gratitude. 

"If you get selected to marry our kings you will be allowed to move to the main palace where they stay." Lady Doria adds. Lyna appears motivated as she nods her head vigorously. She doesn't however look as confident as she was before she found out that she won't be meeting the triplet kings anytime soon unless she can interest them with contents of a letter.

"Your tests will begin tomorrow. We will provide anything you need so you can rest well." Lady Doria says before gesturing at her servants to leave us. 

"We wish you the best of luck." She adds before stepping out of the room.

We immediately start unpacking Princess Lyna's bags so we can put her exquisite dresses in the closet.

"I must meet the kings, they will choose me when they see my face." Lyna desperately says, pacing around the room. 

"Write that letter now!" She orders, pointing at me. "And it better make them want to meet me or you I will no longer have use for you." She threatens. 

I stand frozen with shock for a long moment. Lady Doria said that only one of the last contestants who have so far failed the trials managed to get a chance to meet the triplet angel kings. And I am sure that she didn't meet them on the first or second day. 

I however cannot afford being sent back to Silverthorn right now, I would be banished for failing their Princess.