Golden Duty: A Golden Novella

Chapter Three. Compromise

Eighteen years old

I was screaming. I felt as if fire was licking my entire body, turning my flesh and bones to ash. My bones were breaking apart, my ligaments were giving way. I felt like I was dying.

"Mon bebe, be strong, it will be over soon. You're so beautiful, dear girl," I heard mother's voice croon smoothly in my ear.

It was happening. I was shifting for the first time. I had always been told that the first shift would be amazing, that it would be one of the most momentous occasions in a wolf's life. Now, as my body was breaking apart and reforming, I would gladly skip this important step.

It had been two minutes since I started shifting, but it felt like hours that I had been in this excruciating pain. When I was younger, father told me that we who were from the royal families would feel much more acute pain than other wolves. I remembered I scoffed at that and said that I could withstand any pain the Goddess would throw at me as long as I could shift.

I was wrong.

Another moment passed and suddenly, the pain was gone, just like that. It left my body just as suddenly as it arrived and I opened my eyes to see that a host of colors I had never before seen was present in my surroundings. There were blues that had shades of green and gray, and pink, reds that had a golden tinge, violets that had orange and blue hidden in its strands. It was wonderful!

I let out a whoop of joy and a loud bark sounded. Right, I wasn't in my human form. I looked around at my parents and saw that they were holding each other, tears streaming from their eyes, and proud looks on their faces. Father got down on his knees and bade me to come to him. I trotted over and licked his face when I reached him.

"I'm so proud of you, Sophie. You're such a beautiful wolf."

I nodded my wolf head then headed to the door, wanting to let my wolf legs run. My mother let out a low giggle and obliged, opening the door for me.

I sped past her and ran around the courtyard, feeling stronger than I had ever been, as if I could run as fast as the wind if I dared to.

My parents let me run around for a while before calling me to go back inside. I followed them and once we were back in father's office, my mom handed me a robe, which I took in my mouth before going to the attached powder room.

Before going in, my mother called my name so I turned my head to look at her.

"Just envision yourself in your human form and let your body do what it knows to do," she told me with a smile. Right, this would be my first shift back to my human form.

I shut the door with my rump and began the process of shifting back. It was painful, but not as painful as when I shifted earlier. Maybe it was because I was fighting the change before and this time around, I just let go.

When I was back to skin, I put on the robe and went back to my parents. Mother was in father's lap, he in his seat, his hand rubbing her back while the other was grasping her delicate hands. They stood when I came forward.

"Mother, father, I would like to make a request," I began. I had been practicing this for the past three months, hoping that my parents would allow it. "Mother, father, I have been aware of the part I have to play in the prophecy, however, I want to ask for a year before my part is to begin."

"What do you mean, Sophie?" My mother asked.

"I would like a year to be away from the palace, mother. I would like to see the world, see human culture," I started.

"You want to leave the palace?" My father asked.

"Yes, father. As I understand it, two things will happen. Either my mate rejects me, or I have to watch my daughter get rejected by hers, and be sacrificed in a war that began way before either of us was born. I just want a year, father. I want to immerse myself in the human world, see what it is we're sacrificing ourselves for."

When we got back to the palace that day three years ago after we went to the Temple, mother and father explained to me the war that was referred to in the prophecy. They took out this old leather-bound book and told me about the part of werewolf history that had been glossed over by academia. It turns out that rather than the five royal families we have at present, there used to be seven. Two were wiped out, one by greed, and the other by forces that believed they were stronger than love.

My parents also explained to me that the rogues we were dealing with everyday consisted of two breeds of wolf, if you will. While one arose because they wanted us, royals, to do what we were made to by the Moon Goddess, which is to serve as the protector of all wolves without greed, the other kind of rogue, and there were more of them their numbers getting larger by the day, was fueled by the dark desire for all-encompassing power. These rogues essentially wanted to hold the seat of power and extend that power over to the human world. They believed that beings other than wolves, including humans, were beneath them and were supposed to bend to us. They were behind despicable acts seeking to instill fear, and they also wanted to wipe out wolf packs that went against them. When I was twelve, I remember a ceremony my parents and the other Royal families held jointly in remembrance of a pack in Turkey that was completely obliterated by these rogues, and the humans that they killed for sport.

The prophecy made known to me by the Seers talked about this second type of rogue as being the threat hanging over our heads. While I understood the need to protect werewolves, I really didn't see the point of protecting humans. I mean, it wasn't as if we needed them to survive, so why should we sacrifice ourselves for them?

Of course, I had grown up sheltered, only having been inside the palace walls. The few times I travelled, I was always surrounded by our wolves so I had no occasion to get to know what it was about humans that made them so special. This was why I wanted to see what humans were all about. Also, and more importantly, I wanted to delay the prophecy, if I could. Staying in a human town would most definitely lessen the chances to meet my mate. This second reason, of course, I didn't tell my parents.

I didn't want them to know I was selfish.

My father and mother looked at each other, and I knew they were speaking through the mind link. After a while, they both looked at me, and my father spoke.

"One year, Sophie, we will grant you this request. But we have some conditions."

I swallowed.

"First, Sophie, you will go with a guard. No," he stopped me from speaking. "This is not up for discussion. One guard, Sophie. Lena will go with you."

I nodded. Lena was one of the warriors who had been sent to live in a human settlement so she would be invaluable to me. She was also a friend, having grown up with her up until the time she started warrior training when she was thirteen.

"Second, you will come back when we summon you. Trust that we will not do so unless it is absolutely needed."

I nodded again.

"Last, Sophie, you will be in contact with us everyday," my father said. I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, father. Please reconsider this. I understand the need to not lose touch, but I having to talk with you every day would feel no different from just being here."

Father was silent for a second, "What do you propose, Princess Sophie?"

"Once a month," I offered.

"Out of the question," my mom resolutely said.

"Every other week," my father said, his tone brooking no argument. I nodded for the third time, knowing that it was the most they could give me.

"Well then, princess. Just let us know when you want to leave."

I went to my room, got ready for bed, and fell asleep with a smile.