prologue: a beast and her prince

[Unedited first draft]

"What's the bloody meaning of this?" The robust voice of the Solomon King resounded and bounced off the main palace's exquisitely pristine walls. From the corner of her eye, she saw her companions all wince as their acute sense of hearing picked up the distressing voice of the King.

The tall and wide oaf of a bear, Bryan, looked away from the front of the royal audience room. His eyes were downcast as if he was in physical pain while Jade and Cody also looked around the room, content to stare at anywhere that was not where most of the commotion was currently unfolding.

Jade winced again at the sound of the Solomon King slamming his fist down on the armrest of his throne. Her dark hair fell below her shoulders in curly ringlets as she shook her head, trying to get the King's voice from persisting inside her sensitive ears. The youngest, Cody, tapped the side of his head with his hand, also trying to shake out the King's voice.

"What are you saying Sam? Never mind that, whatever are you bloody thinking?! Is this another one of your foolish tricks? You brainless, spineless, dimwitted twit!" He roared, and Kiera had to stifle the rage she felt inside. After all, he had asked this of her.

Her blue eyes traveled to the kneeling Prince, his face did not show even a hint of amusement as his father continued to rain down insults upon him.

If Kiera could use three words to describe the Third Prince of the Solomon Kingdom, they would be: cocky, clever, and irresistibly handsome. With his stunningly vivid emerald eyes and golden blond hair, the Prince was quite the sight for sore eyes. She would have never thought she would come to care for such a man.

A corner of his lips twitched up again as his father slammed down his fist one more time. The boom of when his fist connected with his armrest echoed through the room. Her companions all winced again at the excruciatingly disturbing sound.

Kiera shifted her weight from one leg to another. Her eyes watched as the Prince continued to smile brightly, confidently even, as he kept kneeling at the foot of the stairs leading up to his father's throne. On the other side, his father glared down at his foolish son. Anger was deeply ingrained in his regal face.

"Do you believe this is a joke, Sam, well, do you!?"

Her eyes traveled between the two figures as the surrounding atmosphere was taut with tension.

"Not one bit Father." But the prince's laughing face said otherwise. Kiera inwardly sighed at his lack of tact. She had come to learn that he took great joy in antagonizing his father. He reveled whenever he had the chance to stoke a reaction from him. It was satisfying for him, she knew. In a way, the prince was avenging his mother.

"Idiot! Do you realize what position you are in?" The King slumped down on his throne, bringing up his fingers to his temples as he firmly closed his green eyes. "You were to be married to the Duke of Fleming's daughter within the year. Now we'll have to cancel the engagement."

Sam shrugged his shoulders as if he could not care in the slightest, "What a crying shame. The poor Duke's daughter missed out on quite the catch." Standing beside her, Cody was fighting the rising temptation to laugh. By the trembling of his shoulders, she could tell he was failing.

"Because of your insolence and immaturity, word has quickly spread of your," the King quickly glances over to Kiera, "relationship with the Beast General." She could only muster a faint smile at the Solomon King and she hoped her eyes did not betray her and showed the hatred she held for the man.

Then their eyes met. Winking one jeweled emerald eye at her and she couldn't help the genuine smile that blossomed on her lips. She lowered her eyes to keep from laughing in front of the seething King. Before, she would have ignored the prince's advances. She would have given herself a million reasons to reject the infatuated prince. Now she had no reason to. He was undoubtedly hers.

"The Beast General Kiera is a wonderful woman. She's the complete opposite of me wouldn't you say? Isn't she exactly what you wished my future bride to be? Someone levelheaded who would be able to keep your idiot son from doing anything fool-worthy?"

"Bride? Are you saying you intend to marry her?" The King said, completely stunned at the idiot prince's latest scheme. By the look on his face, Kiera could see plainly how appalled he was at the very notion of a royal wedding taking place between his third son and the savage Beast.

Prince Sam nodded his golden head, the color gleaming brilliantly under the light, almost like a golden crown sat on top.

"Yes, I do."

"What does the King of Beasts have to say over this? Surely William you are not planning on handing over your esteemed Beast General to my fool of a son?" An exasperated King looked over to where the King of Beasts stood, towering over the other Generals.

King William stroked his brown beard pensively, a hint of a smile on his tanned skin. Luscious locks of golden brown hair fell around his face, perfectly framing his sharp features. He was the very image of their Lion Lord and the King of Beasts.

"I cannot intervene in what occurs between Mates. In the Beast Kingdom, the two of them are already considered linked, or as humans put it, married. Besides," his amber eyes twinkle under the light, "General Kiera is a brilliant woman and a mighty force to be reckoned with. The prince has probably gotten to know this of her already, but she is modest and knows how to keep her warriors in check. All qualities show she is a true leader. She will do well as the prince's life partner and I am sure the prince agrees."

Her King turned behind him to look at her. Pride swelled in his eyes as he peered at his Beast General. Kiera knew King William was not pretending or putting on any airs, he truly meant every word he uttered.

"Twelfth Beast General Kiera, is there anything you would like to say?" His amber eyes were bright and full of hope for what came next once Kiera opened her mouth. The incoming revelation would shock the nobles in the room, forever changing the course of this kingdom's history.

She smiled, stepping forward as she steadied her gaze on the prince's father.

"As King William has stated, Prince Sam and I are Mated. I am willing to go forward with the marriage proceedings as is customary for humans." She heard the shocked gasps around the room as her voice carried through the grand space of the throne room.

She didn't dare look at the prince for she knew if she did, she would see the boyish grin on his face. A smile that always made her lose her composure. She wanted to avoid that reaction if possible. She needed to be serious if she was going to say what comes next.

"Are you sure?" The Solomon King asked her, perhaps hoping she would change her mind. She supposed the idea of lifelong partners was an inconceivable idea to the human king, "The Third Prince is known to have his head in the clouds, a man much different than you. You deserve someone better, a strong and capable Beast man."

She smiled again, knowing full well that the King was severely underestimating the third in line to the throne. Sam was more than what he appeared to be on the outside. She had come to know that about him during the short time she has been in this kingdom.

"I hope that come time, he will be mature enough to take on a big responsibility." Kiera placed a hand over her stomach. She stroked her belly with a softness she did not know she could possess. "Nine months should be enough time for him to prepare him wouldn't you say?" For Beasts, a full pregnancy can take much longer than a human pregnancy, and it often ranged from Beast woman to woman. Kiera already showed the slightest bit of a bump when she was naked, even if it did not appear over her clothing.

Taken aback, the Solomon King couldn't hide his aghast expression. As his green eyes immediately settled on the Beast General's stomach, his face paled at the implications of her words.

She stroked her belly again, overcome with the thought of her child growing inside her with each passing day. She hoped to see her child in her arms in time for spring, as spring in the Solomon Kingdom is truly spectacular. The capital would be covered in a mosaic of greens and pastel hues from the budding flowers, and in the mornings the ground would be wet with the refreshing morning dew. Or so that is what Sam had told her and Kiera found that she was looking forward to seeing the spring colors for herself.

"Kiera?"

Kiera's blue eyes look over at the shocked face of the prince. She found herself smiling at his rehearsed reaction, picking himself up from the ground and rushing over to her in only a couple of strides.

His lips met hers in an almost too sweet kiss. Kiera did not mind his affectionate action in front of others. It was downright impossible for her to get angry at him, as she couldn't bear to see his forlorn expression. She rather he kept his bright smile.

When their lips finally separated, Sam looked down at her with devotion deeply ingrained within his emerald eyes.

"Kiera are you really with child? Am I going to be a father?" He said to her softly in a voice barely above a whisper. She wanted to laugh but kept it in. Later, when they are alone in their room, she would make him pay for the over-dramatization of his lines.

"Yes." She nodded her head, still locked in his embrace. "You better be prepared."