Verboten Lust

Chapter Seven - Victoria

After Counten gave me the mask for the ball, my father, Amelia and I jumped in the carriage after kissing all the wolves goodbye. I vowed to see the gravesite where the fallen soldiers fell with the battle between my father and King Henry, before leaving off for the mating ball.

My wolf whines for our men that has passed. None of the wolves survived because Howard was not able to muster enough energy to conjure the soldiers health immediately. My solider Allod survived though, he only has a limp in his paw when in his true form. He is a brave wolf, with a bright future.

The wind blows making the tree branches move with the wind's movement. The sun on the peak of leaving my eyesight and my moon will come soon. I lay down on the bench in front of all the graves and absorb the warmth of the sun. Flowers and wreaths lay where I organize daily. A gate of green vines wrap around the graves marking the only entrance and exit within the castle walls. The families of the fallen men, King, Queen, Amelia and I are the only people who have access to this gravesite. 

The sides of my dress falls and touches the dirt which my mother hates when I get dirty. She does not understand why I spend time at the gravesite so much. These wolves will never return home to their family, it is my duty as future Queen to bring peace to the families and the solider's soul. It is the least I could do.

"Sorella, daddy s-said you need to finish packing before the moon reaches the s-sky s-so you can be prepared to leave at first light." She breaks me from my thoughts and sit down by my feet. She stumbles over s-words and it might be because she has not met her wolf yet. Hopefully, she will become better in her speech when she turns. Until then the only s-word she can say is Sorella, which is sister in Italian. We do not speak Italian much, our people understands English. Another change that will happen under my rule. We will all know our native tongue, Italian.

Amelia eyes search over the graves, breathing in and out. Graves makes her anxious. Her heartbeat increases and her palms become sweaty.

"Ami, you did not have to come out here. You could have mind-linked me." I sit up, taking her hands into mine. I rub her wet palm against my cheek relieving her anxiety. Her head turns to me and she smiles. Her long brown hair flies with the wind.

"I know, I wanted to come... It is time to go inside, Sorella. I will have a bath prepared for you." She kisses my cheek and walk inside the castle doors. After I watch her go back in the castle, I get up from the bench and bend down in front of the graves. Among many royal grave sites this is the one, where I would want to be buried. Near my brethren, my men, my soldiers. I bless the souls to have peace among each one and I bunch my dress up, leaving the site. My wolf howls a song of vengeance to the ones responsible for our people deaths.

Once I am inside my room, I slip off my gown and slide into the tub of warm water that is placed in the middle of my room. The steam, from the water, heats up my room making it warm and toasty. The milky water comes to my breast as I lean my head back, relaxing my head against the edge. The brown tub is shaped into a circle with gold studs on the outside. I rub my hands over the studs feeling the contrast of the wood and the gold. The smell of pine comes through my door. She walks over to the towels and picks one up. Her footsteps are very quiet, she is still silly with this game of trying to sneak on me. Her breathing evens out as she gets closer to my tub.

"Alina, how many corsets does a Future Queen take to a mating ball? Two? Three?" The sound of towels drop.

"Oh dearie! Your eyes are closed Princess, how did you know it was me?"

"Alina I told you can never sneak on me. I hear and know all." She does not know of the secrecy of wolves. Sometimes my nerves get the best one of me and I want to tell her. She is my one of my good friends, I hate to lie to her.