Chapter Twenty: Rags

Chapter Twenty: Rags

Alexander ran towards the young wolf. It had a knife plunged in the abdomen. Alexander moved it in a position that the head rested on his legs.

Then the transformation happened. One second, it was still a wolf and next, he heard cracking of bones as the Wolf changed into a young girl. She couldn't be more than eighteen years of age.

"You came....Y-you came. You are real, Wolf King"

"Shush...try not to talk."

"I am...g-going to die, aren't I?" The girl asked him.

Alexander knew the injury was bad but she could survive it but the chances were slim.

"No. You will be fine. It's just a flesh wound"

"No, i-it is not. You think I am going to die. That I am not strong enough to.. to heal. I can hear your thoughts"

"How can you do that? How can you read your mind?" Alexander couldn't believe the magic.

"I can't. I can't read your mind. Your mind link is still open. You need to learn how to close it."

"Are there more of your kind?" Alexander whispered more to himself "are there more of me out there?"

"Not very soon. They are hunting us. They are killing us. My pack was attacked. Most were killed including our Alpha. Only you have the power to save us, wolf king"

"What is your name?"

"Semeen. My name is S-semeen"

Alexander used the distraction to pull out the blade in her abdomen. She screamed and fainted.

Alexander heard a tree branch snap and turned almost immediately. It was the Queen of Aradale. She had came back for him against his orders.

"What are you doing here? I told you to go back to the Castle!"

"I want to make sure you were alright, his Highness" Jamie walked faster to assist him.

Alexander wanted to argue but Semeen was bleeding faster than he could stop it.

"She needs a healing leaf" Jamie looked around the forest. She hoped that the west was blessed as much as the East. Luckily, there it was and she took one.

"Don't touch her!" Alexander yelled.

Jamie was taken aback. Who was she to him that the stone cold king was so overprotective of her. She had never felt so much jealousy in her life. She was almost tempted to watch her bleed to death.

"Do you want her to stay alive, Alexander? Then stay out of the way" She pushed herself to Semeen's wound and applied the healing leaf. She could hear Alexander grunt like he was in pain too.

Next, Alexander lifted the young girl up and carried her towards the King's cottage. The same cottage he placed her after he had her lashed. He paid no further attention to Jamie.

Jamie simply stood up and went back to her castle. Rachael was already waiting for her when she entered the king's chamber.

"Her Majesty! I have searched for you all over the Castle!"

"I took a walk, Rachael. I am allowed to take a walk!" Jamie snapped at the girl.

"I apologize if I offended her Majesty with my question" Rachael bowed before she continued "The Queen's Chamber is ready for occupancy, Her Majesty"

"Did the King ask you to move me?" Jamie asked her.

"His Highness said Milady will be more comfortable in the Queen's Chamber"

Jamie knew at once that Alexander wanted her gone. It stung but she accepted it. She wasn't planning on staying in the western hemisphere for long anyway.

It was days before she saw Alexander again from a distance. He conveniently had a lot of kingdom affairs that needed the king's attention.

To avoid looking like a child that lost her toy, Jamie resulted to dining in the royal garden instead.

The atmosphere was quiet with the type of breeze Jamie enjoyed. It was evening and the sun was saying goodbye to Derkal. Jamie wondered how her home was. Everyday, she expected her father to match his army to rescue her but everyday was as quiet as today.

Did Alexander kill her father? Was Namura under his oppression? Jamie had a lot of questions but little answers and it was driving her crazy. Rachael walked inside the garden with a jar of wine. She placed it on the table. It was then Jamie saw the necklace on her neck.

"That neck belonged to my sister, princess Arabella. Why do you have it?" Jamie was tempted to pull the necklace off her neck.

"The former Queen gave it to me"

"Leave me at once!" Jamie ordered and Rachael left her alone.

She doesn't understand why Arabella would leave the necklace for her to find. Arabella wasn't in any trouble. The necklace was a symbol that she left of her freewill and she will be back when it was okay to come back.

It was something they invented as children. To leave each other clues whenever they would secretly leave the Castle.

Arabella left willingly knowing the king would force her to take her place. Yet something didn't feel right, something at the back of Jamie's mind bugged her. Something was wrong. She could feel it. Arabella was in trouble even though evidence said otherwise.

Jamie made up her mind to find her sister. She was so lost in her head that she didn't hear princess Rosemund walk in.

"Her Majesty, how are you feeling today?"

"Feeling?" Jamie had temporarily forgotten that she asked Rachael to inform the royal household that she was unwell and would like to be left alone.

"I have a feeling that you already know I am well, Her Royal Highness" Jamie simply said.

"Yes, her Majesty. I had a feeling that you don't like that Alexander is so busy with kingdom affairs and it seems like he has forgotten all about you"

"I couldn't care less about the affairs of the King. If he died today, I won't shed tears for him, princess Rosemund"

If Rosemund wasn't anticipating her reply, she didn't show it. She poured herself a drink and took a sip.

"The king has ordered for the wedding to be held next week. He wants you to pick a nice suitable dress, her Majesty" Princess Rosemund told her.

" Is Alex afraid that I might show up in rags to my own wedding?"