Forbidden Queen

Katy

The Royal Betas have left to return to their territories. I am exhausted having spent the whole day entertaining them, but I am pleased at how well it went. I beginning to believe that I can make a success of my role as queen. Now though I am looking forward to spending time alone with Alex.

When I reach our rooms, he is already there, sitting on the sofa reading a book. “How did it go?” he asks. “They seemed happy when we met them for lunch. Did they enjoy Adrian’s demonstration?”

“They did. I thought that Philip wasn’t going to go for it at first, but when he saw how easily the sensors could pick up the presence of strange wolves, he started to get excited. Once Adrian had blown up an entire car with one of his booby-traps, he was sold. Adrian has agreed to go up to his territory next week to start installing the kit. If they prove to be successful in the northern territory, then they will be rolled out to all the other territories.”

“Excellent. I am glad you have had success with the Royal Betas. You needed to win their support, if you hadn’t, we would struggle to defeat Lucius.” Alex says hugging me.

“Now, you just have to convince Joseph that we should be using more of Adrian’s inventions. Adrian has been trying for years to get Joseph to adopt them but has had no luck.

Joseph is an excellent commander. There is no one better to train and lead warriors, but he prefers to do it the old-fashioned way with brute force.”

“Which will always be important but if we can use technology to do some of the hard work for us. we may be able to reduce our casualties and save lives.”

“I agree, and I will support you when you speak to Joseph about it. We will never be able to replace warriors, but we need all the help we can get when we finally face Lucius. One thing you can rely on is that he won’t be planning on giving us a fair fight.”

I join him on the couch and snuggle close to him. I have been longing to do this all day.

“The next battle will be for Joseph to agree that I can take a trip into the capital. I want to go as a normal person, I don’t want people to know that I am their queen.”

“On that one, you are on your own. I agree with Joseph that it would be too dangerous. I know better than to argue with you on this, I know how much you want to go, but Joseph is right it is too dangerous. If Lucius was to find out….”

“It is a risk worth taking” I interrupt. I can’t hide away out of fear of what Lucius will do. I am not going to let him rule my life. It is important that I get the chance to meet the ordinary people who live in my kingdom. Anyway, hiding in the palace isn’t guaranteed to keep me safe. It didn’t stop Lucius massacring my whole family here.”

“The palace is much better protected now. We are prepared for an attack from Lucius.”

“Really how can you say we are safer when no one ever worked out how they managed to get in and murder my parents? We still don’t know who betrayed them. Until we have the answers to these questions can we really say that this building is secure?”

“It was a long time ago. The person or people responsible probably didn’t even survive the war.”

“I hope so, but there is no guarantee.”

……..

The next morning, I wake refreshed, and determined to start planning my trip into the capital. After a leisurely breakfast I head to Joseph’s offices in the guard’s headquarters. I want to speak to him now and get the argument out of the way.

I knock on his office door, and it is not long before he is ushering me inside and directing me to sit in the seat across from his desk.

“I understand from Adrian that the Royal Betas enjoyed the demonstration yesterday and Philip has agreed to install the equipment on his borders. A good result. You know that I prefer more old-fashioned methods, but if it gives the Royal betas confidence then I am happy for Adrian’s inventions to be used. It will also stop him pestering me to use the damn things.”

“Good, I am pleased that you are willing to support the installation of Adrian’s kit but that is not why I came to see you this morning.”

“Oh, what can I assist you with your majesty?”

“I want you to help me plan a trip into the capital. As I mentioned before I would like to visit and mingle with the inhabitants as a normal person. Not as their queen.”

“To venture there incognito? You know that I am concerned about this idea. Sending a few guards with you in plain clothes will not be enough to keep you safe if Lucius attacks.”

“If we keep the details of the visit restricted to only a few people, those who we know can be trusted, then surely Lucius won’t find out. I am determined to go. I am not going to hide away in fear of what Lucius might or might not do.”

He sighs. “I am not going to convince you not to go, am I? Very well, I will start planning the security arrangements for the trip.”

“Good. I want to go next week.”

“So soon? It will be difficult to put a plan in place that will keep you safe in such a short timeframe. How about next month?” he suggests.

I know what he is doing. If he can’t persuade me to abandon my plan, he will delay it and hope that eventually I will give up. That isn’t going to happen.

“Yes, it needs to be next week, who knows what will have happened if we wait until next month. Lucius could attack and we could be at war. I am not prepared to delay.”

“OK. Next week it is.”

“Thank you, Joseph. I do appreciate all that you do to try and keep me safe. You are my most trusted advisor, and I value your opinion and judgement. Even if I don’t always take your advice. “

“Thank you, your majesty.”

I leave him to start the planning. I am excited. Everything feels like it is coming together.

…….

It only takes another four days for Joseph to arrange my visit to the town. I am going to spend the afternoon (a whole four hours) getting to explore the capital like any ordinary person would. He has arranged for five warriors to accompany me. Joseph even managed to rope in my other senior advisors to help with the logistics of the journey. Adrian is going to provide one of the servants who grew up in the town to act as my guide. Karen has planned a route that takes in the key social areas – the market, a popular café, and some small shops and businesses which are popular with the inhabitants. At one point Ruth even suggested that she would join me but at the last minute she was called away to deal with a diplomatic incident related to one of our allied packs.

Alex is of course coming with me. The only way he was going to let me go was if he was able to be there standing right next to me. I didn’t push it. I know that his first instinct is always to protect me. I had expected him to try and talk me out of it again but fortunately he didn’t.

So here we both are, dressed in simple clothes ready to walk into the capital. I am wearing similar clothes to those I wore growing up. I have never however seen Alex in anything so plain as he is wearing now.

“Do you feel uncomfortable dressed as an ordinary wolf, rather than an Alpha?”

“Of course, I don’t. You forget that I spent two year away from the Lunar Eclipse pack working with the royal guard. There were plenty of times when I had to dress and live simply. I am not a pampered prince.”

“I know you are not. I am just not used to seeing you this way.”

“Shall we go?” He says grabbing my arm.

…

It doesn’t take us long to walk into the town. I walk arm in arm with Alex. My guards are close by, but they take care not to look as though they are with us. We go to the market first. I am fascinated by the goods that are available to buy, there are things on sale here that I have never seen before. Later I will ask Alex what they all are. For the moment though I don’t want to stand out as a stranger.

I listen to the stall owners, as they shout at passing customers advertising their wares. I watch as one woman haggles ferociously with a stall owner. Determined to get him to drop the price of a dress that she is holding. It is so entertaining.

One of the stalls is selling pretty jewellery. I wander over to take a closer look. I spy a beautiful necklace made of silver and pale blue stones.

Alex notices my interest and asks the stall owner. “How much for the necklace?”

“A beautiful item sir, and it will suit your lovely mate. For you fifty pounds.”

“I will take it.” Alex gets his wallet out to pay.

“You don’t need to. It is pretty but I don’t need it.”

“But you want it, and I have never bought you anything before. I should be buying you diamonds not costume jewellery.”

“Thank you. I love it.”

After an hour exploring the market, we have visited all the stalls, and Alex has bought me everything that I mentioned I liked – jewellery, chocolates a pretty scarf. I got to the point where I am afraid to say that I liked anything because I know he will rush to buy it for me.

“Shall we go to the café for a coffee now?” Alex asks.

“Sounds good.” I would love to stay here longer but we have less than three hours before we need to return to the palace, and I don’t want to miss anything.

Our guide directs us down a narrow road. It is quieter away from the market. The street is populated with residential homes rather than shops. The only people walking here are Alex, and my guards who are staying close by.

Suddenly I hear a loud howl, and nine wolves jump out of side street next to us. Partially shifted, they snarl at us, their claws out and their fangs bared. We are under attack.