The morning air was crisp and cool, with a slight breeze blowing through the trees. The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, casting long shadows across the grassy plains they rode through. The sound of hooves hitting the ground echoed through the stillness, punctuated by the occasional chirp of a bird or rustle of leaves.Magnus and Derek rode on their horses, flanked by two of Magnus' men. The air was crisp and cool, and the only sounds were the clopping of the horses' hooves and the rustle of the wind in the trees. Derek felt tense and uneasy, knowing that Magnus was not only his potential future father-in-law but also his enemy's enemy.They rode in silence for what seemed like an eternity, neither man willing to break the ice. Derek could feel Magnus' eyes on him, scrutinizing him. He shifted uncomfortably in his saddle, trying to shake off the feeling of being watched.Finally, Magnus spoke up. "So, Derek, how long have you known my daughter?"Derek cleared his throat
The children had gathered in a dusty open field. The group consisted of about ten children, ranging in age from six to eleven. They were all dressed in rich hide clothing and wore big smiles on their faces. The children were shouting and laughing as they ran around the field looking for the perfect hiding spot.The game began when one of the children volunteered to be the seeker. She counted to ten as the other children scattered to find their hiding places. Once the seeker had finished counting, she began her search. The other children had dispersed and were hiding in various locations around the field. Some had hidden behind the tall grass, while others were tucked away behind the shrubs.As the seeker searched for her friends, she would call out their names, trying to locate them. The hiders remained silent, holding their breath in anticipation of being discovered. One of the hiders was clever enough to climb up a nearby tree, which allowed them to stay hidden for quite some time.
Derek walked quickly and carefully through the woods, his footsteps silent on the soft earth. The moon was high in the sky, casting a dim light through the trees. He had a veil over his face, concealing his features and making him harder to recognize if anyone saw him. He had to be careful, he knew that if he was caught, he could be in serious trouble. But he had a mission to accomplish, and he was determined to see it through.As he moved through the woods, Derek kept his eyes and ears open for any sign of danger. He had been in the woods before, and he knew that there were all sorts of creatures lurking in the shadows. But he had no time to be afraid. He had to focus on his mission, and that meant keeping his wits about him.Finally, he reached a clearing, and he could see the buildings in the distance. He quickened his pace, knowing that time was of the essence. He had to find what he was looking for quickly, before anyone noticed that he was there.As he approached the buildings,
Derek placed the bottle back on the shelf and continued to walk around the room. He came across a large wooden table placed in the center of the room, which had several books and scrolls scattered across it. He walked closer to the table and examined the titles of the books. He picked up a thick leather-bound book titled "The compendium of medicinal herbs and their uses." He opened the book and began to flip through the pages, reading about the different herbs and their medicinal properties. He heard footsteps.Derek quickly looked around the room and saw a small cupboard by the corner. He stealthily made his way towards it and squeezed himself in, making sure not to make any noise. He held his breath as he heard the footsteps getting louder and closer. The footsteps stopped, then continued away, fading in the distance.Derek let out a sigh of relief and waited for a few more minutes before he emerged from the cupboard. He cautiously made his way back to the table and continued sear
Osei's home was a modest single-story structure made of mud and straw, with a thatched roof that sloped steeply to the ground. The exterior walls of the building were covered in a thick layer of mud and had a somewhat lumpy texture, indicating that it was an old and well-used structure. The front of the building faced the road, and there was a small garden patch that stretched out from the front door, filled with medicinal herbs and plants.There were a few windows on the outside of the building, but they were small and did not let in much light, making the interior of the home dark and shadowy. There was a single wooden door at the front of the building, which was sturdy and had an iron handle, giving the impression of strength and security.The roof of the building was supported by sturdy wooden beams, which were visible from the outside. They gave the impression that the building was well-constructed and could withstand the harsh weather conditions of the area.There were also a fe
Derek walked into his father's chambers, head bowed in greeting. "Father," he said softly, "I have returned from Blood Moon Pack."Ragnar looked up from his desk, his eyes narrowed. "How did the journey go? Did you find anything useful?"Derek took a deep breath before responding. "I was able to get access to a lot of their medical records, but I didn't find anything related to the blue blade disease or its antidote."Ragnar's hand trembled with anger, and his grip on the cup of wine tightened until his knuckles turned white. Derek's response was not what he wanted to hear. He wanted to hear that his son had found the cure, that he had accomplished something worthwhile. But instead, he was faced with the harsh reality that Derek had come back empty-handed.Without warning, he flung the cup of wine across the room. The sound of shattering glass filled the air as the liquid splattered against the wall. The red wine trickled down the surface, staining the otherwise pristine walls.Derek
The royal stables were bustling with activity as the stablehands went about their daily chores. Derek strode in, his boots thudding against the dirt floor as he scanned the stables, looking for a horse to ride. He saw some men were busy grooming a few horses at the far end of the stables, their brushes moving rhythmically over the horses' gleaming coats.Derek made his way towards them, his footsteps quickening with each step. As he approached, one of the men looked up and nodded in greeting."Need a horse to ride, Your Highness?" the man asked, wiping his forehead with a rag.Derek scanned the horses, his eyes flickering over the sleek, well-groomed creatures. But his gaze soon fell on a black stallion, untamed and fierce-looking, standing in a corner."That one," Derek said, pointing at the black horse.The man shook his head. "That one's untamed, Your Highness. We don't let just anyone ride it."Derek was too angry to respond, so he strode over to the black horse and grabbed the rei
Derek laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling when he heard a light knock on the door. He quickly sat up, feeling a bit startled as he wasn't expecting any visitors. When Derek opened the door, he was surprised to see Aurora standing there. She had an inquisitive look in her eyes as she peered into his room with curiosity and Derek couldn't help but feel mesmerized by her beauty. Aurora slowly entered Derek's room, looking around with awe before finally turning her gaze towards him once again. Her lips curved into a gentle smile as she took a few steps closer until they were just inches away from each other. "What brings you here?" Derek asked, his voice laced with a hint of surprise. Aurora smiled mischievously before replying, "Do I need any invitation to visit my mate's chambers?" “Um…of course not,” Derek stuttered, a little flustered. Aurora slowly walked in, taking in all the details of Derek's room before finally stopping at the bed where he had been lying moments ago.D
LAST CHAPTER.The market square was bustling with activity as people went about their daily business. The sound of merchants haggling with customers mixed with the clucking of chickens and the neighing of horses. Suddenly, a hush fell over the square as rumors spread that the king and queen were coming. People started to run frantically around, hurrying to catch a glimpse of the royal procession.As the excitement grew, people began to push and shove each other, trying to get a better view. Some even fell to the ground, but they quickly got back up and continued their attempts to see the royal family; the leaders of their pack. It was clear that many of them had never seen the Alpha king before, and this was a momentous occasion for them.As the excitement grew, people began to push and shove each other, trying to get a better view. Some even fell to the ground, but they quickly got back up and continued their attempts to see the king. It was clear that many of them had never seen the
Gasher's heart was pounding so hard that he thought Ragnar might wake up. Ragnar's guards were nowhere to be seen, and the room was eerily quiet. Gasher took a step closer to Ragnar's bed. He could see the veins bulging on Ragnar's neck, and his chest heaving up and down with each breath. He felt a surge of anger and hatred towards the man who had caused so much pain to his family.As he got closer, Gasher could see the sweat on Ragnar's forehead, and the look of tension in his sleep. He wanted to laugh at the sight, but he knew he had to stay focused. He couldn't let his guard down, not for a second.Gasher raised his sword, ready to strike. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should say something. But then he realized that there was nothing to say. Ragnar had brought this upon himself, and he had to pay the price. Gasher looked down upon him with a cold, hard stare, and then he swung his sword down towards Ragnar.Gasher stood in the darkness of the night, sword in hand, rea
"Speaking of the queen, have you heard about what happened between her and Ragnar? I heard she attacked him in his chambers!"The group erupted in laughter at the thought of the petite queen attacking the powerful Ragnar. "I can't believe she had the strength to do that," one of them said between chuckles.Zen, the man who had noticed Gasher's distraction earlier, chimed in with a more serious tone. "I heard that the princess was stabbed by a guard.”Some of them nodded in agreement.“He's still at large, but who knows, one of us might even be the killer,” another added looking at the others with playfully suspicious eyes."But do you guys reckon Ragnar will do if the prince and his wife are eventually found?" one of them asked, his voice shaking slightly."I don't know, but I wouldn't want to be in their shoes right now," another replied.The conversation died down as they continued to walk in silence, the only sounds coming from the rustling of leaves and twigs under their feet. Th
The six rainmakers were travelling through the thick bushes in silence. They had all their ritual tools and materials being pulled in a cart by two men. Fred, who was leading the group, suddenly stopped walking. The other five members of the party looked at him with worry in their eyes as he remained silent, his gaze fixed on something ahead of them.One of the cautiously asked,“Why did you stop? What is going on?”There was no answer from Fred as he continued to look around warily. He then took out a small Dagger from his belt and soon after three more men did the same, taking out their daggers too. The two women held onto each other tightly as they felt fear rising within them about what might happen next. In a flash seven masked men jumped out of the bushes and charged towards them. The two men who were pulling the cart immediately ran for their lives, leaving the other four to fend for themselves. The attackers began slashing and stabbing at them mercilessly as they screamed i
The six people in white robes stood still, eyes closed, hands clasped together as they waited for Fred to start the eclipse calling ceremony. The burning pyre in the center of the square emitted a warm glow, casting flickering shadows on the ground. Suddenly, Fred began to dance around the square, howling words that were incomprehensible to everyone but him. He walked around, rattling the short stick in his hand, while the others in white robes began to sway to the beat of the music.Gasher watched from the sidelines, his face tense with anticipation. Fred's dance grew more intense, his howls louder as he worked himself into a frenzy. His feet pounded the ground as he twirled, his arms flailing around him.Ragnar watched from his seat, his eyes fixed on the spectacle before him. He was surrounded by Gasher and a few other guards, all of whom looked on with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. As Fred's dance reached its climax, Ragnar leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he watch
92.Carissa stirred from her slumber as she heard the faint creak of the door opening. Her eyes fluttered open, struggling to adjust to the dimness of the room. "Who's there?" she mumbled, her voice hoarse from sleep.A familiar figure stepped out of the shadows, and Carissa's eyes widened in recognition. It was Era, one of the maids who worked in the palace. Carissa struggled to sit up, wincing as she felt the dull ache in her bones. "Era, what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.Era walked towards her cage, her footsteps as silent as a cat's. "The princess asked me to give you this," she said, tossing a key towards Carissa. The princess? Carissa thought, confused. Why would she give me a key?Carissa looked down at the key, hesitating before picking it up. She turned to Era, about to ask her what it was for when she spoke up. "What else would it be for?" Era said, a hint of impatience creeping into her voice. "It's the key to the cage. The princess
The maids frantically packed their belongings, the room filled with commotion. Some were shoving each other, while others were arguing about their belongings. One maid shouted, "That's mine, give it back!" while another retorted, "No, it's not, I had it first!" The room was chaotic, with everyone trying to grab their things as quickly as possible.Another maid was trying to pack her jewelry when she realized that her necklace was missing. She searched frantically through her belongings, but it was nowhere to be found. "Has anyone seen my necklace?" she asked the others, hoping someone had accidentally picked it up. But nobody had seen it, and her panic only grew as she thought about losing something so valuable.In the midst of the chaos, one of the maids accidentally knocked over a vase, causing it to shatter on the ground. "Oh no, what have you done?" exclaimed another maid, irritated. "Can't you be more careful?" The maid apologized profusely, but the others were already rush
Magnus furrowed his brows in a deep frown as he observed the vast plains below. The beauty of the land was undeniable, with its rolling hills and expansive fields, but Magnus couldn't appreciate it in his current state of mind. His thoughts were consumed with anger and frustration.Overlooking the vast expanse of the plains below the beauty of the landscape was undeniable - rolling hills stretched out before him, dotted with verdant trees and grassy fields. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over everything it touched. The sky was a canvas of oranges, pinks, and purples, with wispy clouds painted in hues of gold and silver.But despite the beauty of the scene before him, Magnus could feel a deep anger burning inside him. He clenched his fists tightly behind his back, his knuckles turning white with the force of his grip. His gaze shifted beyond the horizon, where the borders of the Scorpion Zeal pack lay. Hatred for his enemy burned within him, fueled by a desire for ve
One of the men, engrossed in the task of cutting down the tree, noticed a faint movement in the distance. He squinted his eyes, trying to make out what it was. Suddenly, he realized that it was a woman walking towards them. He called out to the others, "Hey, look over there, a woman is coming!"The others stopped what they were doing and turned to see for themselves. They chuckled amongst themselves, joking about who the woman might be and whose type she might be."Maybe she's into tall, dark, and handsome," one of them said, eliciting a round of laughter from the group."Or maybe she's into strong, silent types," another chimed in, earning a few nods of agreement.She appeared to be weak and disoriented, barely able to stand on her own two feet. Her movements were slow and unsteady, as if every step required all of her strength.Her hair was disheveled and fell messily around her face, which was pale and contorted in pain. Her dress was torn in several places, and blood had soaked t