4.The stranger.

Year 1131

"Grace! Where are you? Come here sweetheart! Your father is waiting for you." Aurellia entered Grace's room with a smile on her face as Mateo came back after a week. He was out hunting with neighbouring packs as hunting together was also considered as a first step towards starting new strategic relationships with other packs.

Grace, who was standing in front of a mirror, getting ready with the help of her maids, smiled at her mother's excitement. "Coming, mother!" She said, smiling at her reflection in the mirror, admiring her new purple gown, gifted by her grandmother. Her mother took a comb and started combing her daughter's long honey brown curly hair affectionately, admiring her beauty. She mentally smiled at the fact how that cute little baby with blue eyes turned into such a graceful princess, her eyes were now more of a dark blue, her skin became pink and the only thing which was still the same was her lips, as red as rose just like they were when she was a baby.

"Come on, let's go. Your father has a surprise for you." Aurellia put a beautiful crown on Grace's head and said. Grace nodded and they both headed their way towards the throne room along with the maids.

Grace looked at her father, who was sitting on the throne and bowed before running towards him to hug him. Mateo's old eyes beamed with happiness after getting a glimpse of his darling daughter after so many days. "How are you doing, sweetheart?" Kissing her forehead, he asked.

"I'm doing well, father." She smiled, "Where is my gift?" She asked in excitement.

"Come, let me show you." Mateo took her with him to the stable. "There, there he is!" He pointed to the white horse, who was standing there. He was as white as milk, spotless with beautiful black eyes, as black as coal. Grace jumped in excitement, looking at her horse.

"Oh my God! This is mine?" She said, carrasing the horse with love.

"Yes princess, It's all yours." He grinned, looking at her daughter's happy little dance. Aurellia looked at her and smiled," Isn't she the most beautiful gift we've ever received?" She said, looking at Mateo with a smile on her face and he nodded.

"Father, I will call him Ether." She said, looking at her father.

"Ether? This is a beautiful name." Aurellia said, proudly looking at her.

"I want to take him to the Eastern field gardens." Grace jumped on the horse to sit on its back gracefully and said.

"Don't go alone there.Take some guards and your cousin Casper with you." Mateo shouted from behind as Grace left the stable riding that newly received horse. "Yes father, I will." She looked back for a second and smiled at her parents.

Grace along with her cousin Casper, who was the son of Aurellia's sister, left the palace to enjoy the ride. Some guards also followed her.

After sometime when Mateo and Aurellia came back to the throne room, an informer greeted them.

"Yes? What is it?" Mateo asked, sitting on the throne and Aurellia stood there waiting for his response as he was injured badly.

"Your Majesty, our commander-in-chief has been killed by the alpha of Corinth pack." He said, looking down at the floor. Mateo and Aurellia got a little heart attack as soon as they heard this news as Commander-in-chief was none other than the husband of Aurellia's late sister Amyra, Casper's father.

"What? What did you say? Who killed who?" Aurellia said, taking some steps back in shock and when she was about to fall, Mateo caught her quickly.

"Commander-in-chief Jason Homer has been killed by Alpha of Corinth pack near Eastern fields." Informer repeated himself once again. Mateo's heart skipped a beat as soon as he heard "Eastern fields". Aurellia couldn't handle this sudden revelation and fainted in Mateo's arms.

"Eas-Eastern fields?" Guards!!!!" He shouted and within the next few seconds, all the guards were standing there in front of him. "Bring my daughter back safely as soon as possible. Go!" He ordered them and they left the room immediately in search of their beloved princess Grace. Mateo's whole body went numb. He lost his twins once and the surge of the same pain stung his heart again but this time he was not in condition to bear that same pain again. He put Aurellia in bed and rushed to the temple to pray to their deity.

On the other hand, Grace was enjoying the ride, unaware of the fact that her life was in danger. She was so fast that Casper and other guards were left behind and she came so far, deep in the gardens, near River Soca. She stopped for a second and looked back but found no one. She smiled proudly ," Was I that fast? Great!" She said, getting down from the horse to drink some water from that river. She carefully walked towards the shore of the river, avoiding any pebbles or stones in her way. She looked at her reflection in that clean water of the river, the sun was setting down so the redness from the sky falling on her reflection in the river was making her look even more beautiful. She smiled and took some water in her hands to drink and suddenly her eyes landed on a person who was also drinking water sitting at some distance. She scrunched her eyes a little and carefully observed him, he had a sword placed near him with a seal sign which was definitely not a Syrcousian seal sign. She took some steps towards him and again took a good look at the sword and recognized that sign.

"Corinth seal sign?" She whispered but loud enough that he could hear clearly. He was about to turn his face and with a jolt Grace got out her sword from the scabbard hanging around her waist. She put the sword directly on his neck and looked at him with a rage in her eyes. His face was covered in blood, someone else's blood. He looked at her and then kept looking at her.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my territory without permission?" She said, looking at him, his brown eyes looked into her blue ones but he didn't even flinch for a second. He was just looking at her with a smile as if he was lost in her beauty.

"I'm talking to you, stranger! Who are you?" She again said in her commanding voice.

"I lost my way, our pack went on a war and they left me behind unknowingly." He said, smiling at her.