Standing my ground, the guard still growling, his canine poking from his top lip. Gripping onto my arm, yanking me up close to his face. "What did you just say to me, ranga?" he said. Another guard approached, standing a meter from his comrade. The additional guard toying with a lock of hair, twisting it between his thumb and index. Turning to face him, if looks could kill, he'd be 6 feet under. "Never met a ranga with an attitude to match, huh Mitch," The guards continue bickering, referring to the ceremony never hosting gingers before.
"Release her! You fool," income my hero Myra. Her face burning with rage at the sight in front of her. The two guards now facing her like a deer in the headlights. "Have you no thought other than animalistic urges?." she said, sliding her palm over her face, placing both on her hips. Go, team, Luna. I enjoy seeing the men now being verbally abused by a woman half their size. Her rank beat both of theirs by a landslide.
Myra escorts me over to a small group of girls. All dressed in formal wear, many appear tired or drained from the journey. I settle beside Lilyan on a log, everyone now looking around at each other. None of us said a word, just sat there, no clue what to do.
A few of the girl's heads snapped to the left, the sound of hooves clicking at the dirt tracks. More Royal Guards marching in sync with each other, appearing from one path. Five rows coming around the corner, followed by a carriage led by two Friesians mares. The men stop once the carriage is in plain sight. A larger man walks over to the carriages' door, opening it to allow a woman out. Covered from head to toe, her gown trails behind as she walks forward in our direction.
I couldn't help but wonder who she was, I couldn't even catch sight of her face. A veil of material covered it, coming off a headpiece. The woman stopped in front of us, motionless for a second before her hand pointed to each of us. "13, 14, 15, 16" she stops at me, her voice sounding panicked."We are missing one." as if on cue, the larger man who opened her door came forth. He bent down to whisper something in her ear. "Ah I see," she said, the panic state replaced by a motionless stance.
Confused by what just happened, a girl to my left perked her head to Lilyan, asking. One of the girl's heard her mate was a royal guard. The poor soul was taken straight away by her mate.
The mystery woman spun on her heel. Returning to the carriage, the large man followed suit quickly to close the door. She reached her arm out of the window, gesturing to the rows of guards. The men turn to face us, they all waiting for something. With a single snap and the guards nodded in return. 16 of them fell upon all fours, shifting in front of us. Bones snapped as the bodies morphed into the shape of massive wolves. Strange enough, they're all the same color as each other, all their fur coats were a light gray. "Northern born," I said out loud. All the Royal Guard first shifted in the North. The other men walked out in front of the wolves, waiting for the next command.
"What is going on," Lilyan yelled, clasping her hand to mine. "SNAP." the woman made another gesture, The men began approaching us on command.
None of us knew what to do. I held onto Lilyan as six girls were lifted up and thrown over a guard's shoulder. One screamed and pound her fists into the man's back, earning a snarl. She seals her mouth shut. They hoist the first six girls up onto the wolves' back, their feet and hands hatched into what appeared to be rope and chain mail. They expect us to ride those hound beasts. The process repeats itself. This time one of them is coming for me.
Pushing from the log, I dart in the opposite direction. Heading towards the trees, pushing branches out of my way. I make it 10 meters before hands grip my hips, pulling me back to his chest. "Let go of me. Stop, no, please. I won't ride one of you." screaming at the man. He hoisted me over his shoulder, resting his palm on my thigh. "Don't panic, she-wolf, you'll only ever ride your future mate." He snickers, heading back towards the last row of wolves. He carries me to a huge one, my view being that of paws. "I said no," I yell, attacking the man's grip on my thigh with my nails. Jab after jab at his knuckles. The man sighs, doing the opposite of what the others did. Instead of hoisting me onto the wolf's backside, he drops me. My ass lands to the floor with a thud. Oddly enough, the man smiles down at me, "Happy?" He laughs.
A cough cuts us off. The woman looking out her window back at us. Shaking her head slowly, not impressed by what she sees. The man dipped his head back at her, his hands grabbing my hips again, this time I'm hoisted to mount the wolf. He doesn't say a thing, just tightens my wrists together, and adjusts the ties around my feet.
Strapped to the wolf, chain mail gripping my thigh to his side. My feet tucked into the leather pocket along the chain so I wouldn't fall or escape.
The horses pick up again, a slow trot to a gallop. The few shifters head switch into gear. Proud standing paws greet the gravel to follow the tail flicks of the whip. I spat out two fine clumps of fur which adorned my tongue. Who's idea was this to abuse our abilities as a form of transferring goods. I want to cry, reverse today, and start over. Play that never-ending game of charades, I'm ill, my blood starts that day, or even..."Mind where you spread your saliva, pup," the wolf below me snarls.
*~*~*
The surrounding scenery slowly shifting, the thick shrubs and lush forests thin out, snow coating the grounds. The wolves' paws drifting against the ice to keep up with the carriages speeding ahead of us. My skin blended in with the snow, snowflakes fell from the clear sky above. Some landing on my wrist, melting into droplets from body heat. My breath came out misty, the weather of the North infiltrating my lungs. Shivering, I lean in closer to the wolf's fur. I hadn't left the safety of the pack land before. Never once seen snow so deep.
We emerged close to what seemed to be a wide frozen lake. The carriage slowed down to avoid cracking the ice. What might lie underneath the ice is what worried me. The freezing waters could blacken limbs, or worse, freeze the blood in the veins altogether. Stories spoke of the thousands of men storming across the lake to take the Kingdom. But they weren't aware of the lake under their feet and fell through the ice. Some believe the bodies can be seen if you remove the layer of snow and look close enough.
Far off in the distance, gigantic walls surrounded the Nation's capital, where we headed. The horses pulling the carriage took the first steps across the lake. Walking carefully, the wheels swiftly rolled forwards over the ice. The wolves followed suit at the same pace. Turning my gaze to the other girls, some sobbing quietly, some passed out and dangled off their wolf's side. Finally, I found Lilyan. Her gaze met mine, watching each other's hounds take step after step. Bergy seltzer sounds came from below, our weight constantly shifting over the ice. My breathing picks up as a crack comes to the surface underneath us. None of us stop, we keep heading towards the stone walls. My gut-clenching, I try to hide my face into the wolves' fur, blocking out the continuous crackling sounds.
The moments we spent walking dragged on forever. None of us spoke. Everyone kept their focus on following the carriage further and further across the lake. A swarm of black crows flew ahead of us, cawing more after the first few. Maybe 100 of them in total fly laps around the wall. The next sound interrupting the cawing, a loud howl. It woke up the sleeping girls, groggily looking for the source of the sound. All the crows landed one by one on different rocks of the wall. Watching us approach the massive gates. Thick ancient oak logs meld together by an iron plate. A single crow swooped down from the very top, a blue lace ribbon tied around one of its feet. The crow landed upon the stretched out arm of the mysterious woman. Cawing at her as she brought the bird inside the carriage with her.
We are definitely not in the South anymore.
YOU ARE READING
Alpha's Divine Commandments
LobisomemA dynasty rooted in the bloodshed of the past, blossoming over centuries into the nine divine commandments. The last civilization grounded by law, led by the beast himself. Those who obey, stay alive. They who refuse, face his wrath. ~*~*~ Warning...
