Princess of the Wolves

Chapter Four:

I followed the claw marks that were etched into the floor all the way to our room, which was across the palace. It took me a little longer, since werewolves ran faster. The claw marks stopped and disappeared, where I guessed Dimitri had changed back into his mortal form. I had to stop and catch my breath, because I wasn't in very good shape with my heart and the castle was a half a mile long, no joke. I made it through the first door, which lead to his study. It was deserted. I then went through the French doors, and I found it was deserted too. Where could he be? I didn't have to wait long to find out. I heard the gross, guttural noise from the bathroom. He was throwing up in the bathroom. I didn't say a word, but I pressed my ear to the heavy wooden door. I could hear deep breaths, puking, and sighing. This went on for a while, so I sank to the floor and felt the cool marble on my legs.

Eventually, I heard the running of facet water and the sound of him brushing his teeth.

I got up, kicked off my heels, and smoothed out my dress. The door opened and the light clicked off, and leaning in the doorway was Dimitri, at least some form of Dimitri. He looked uncharacteristically weak. His eyes were sunken into his face, and they were dull. He looked bad, very bad. I forced him to let me help him, which he struggled in doing. He liked independence and control, and accepting help was a direct shot at it.

He squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth, and muttered, "I'm fine." I noticed that he was already changed out of the black dress pants, matching vest, and blue dress shirit he had worn at the Luncheon. It was a clear sign he had given up.

"Really?" I asked, "Because you look pretty bad to me. I'm going to get help."

There was a strong bite in his weak voice that startled me, "Don't you dare!"

I responded quietly yet surely, "I'm worried about you."

"Don't be," he responded, as I headed into the changing room to get out of this dress. It was made of a scratchy tulle that had marked up my arms with tiny red scratches. I shrugged out of it and into a long sleeved shirt that bore the logo of my favorite sports team. He was still standing against the bed post. His skin shook and his teeth were uncontrollable chattering in his hard set jaw. I got on the bed, which was carefully made by some of the maids when we were both out.

I motioned to him, and told him, "Come here." I tried to keep my voice strong, but I wasn't use to ordering him around. That just wasn't how things worked. Maybe he was too sick to say anything, but he surprisingly obeyed. I pulled him so his head rested on top of me, and I pulled the comforter over top of his shoulders. His forehead was warm while the rest of him was freezing.

"Really, I'm fine," he said again. He knew I was worried, but he wasn't worried about himself.

"You're going to kill yourself," I told him, like I always did.

"This has happened before," he said quietly before letting out a huge sigh.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm allergic to duck," he added, "My father knows that. He didn't like my plan for the military. He sabotaged me on purpose."

"That is messed up," I stated, well shouted. Dimitri winced, so I mumbled, "Sorry."

"That's my father," he responded. He held my hand and moved his thumb in a circle on the top of my hand. "Besides, he would've shut my plan down anyway."

"Did he ever hear it?" I asked.

"Bits and pieces," he responded, "Enough to hate it." I didn't say anything so he went on, "I proposed something he knows nothing of: peace. I requested that the pack cities get two representatives and the royal state gets one. He couldn't stand the idea of the crown losing power, so he instead proposed a draft for the military and up the amount of castle guards." I could feel him smile a satisfied smile, "He didn't win though."

"Oh?" I didn't follow.

"Since I am in charge of most military affairs, he conduct a vote without me there," he smirked. "That's why I left; he couldn't win."

"You know you're brilliant, right?" I asked him.

"Or incredibly stupid, depending on who you talk to. I do prefer brilliant though."

A soft knock at the door penetrated the conversation, "Your highness, Prince Dimitri, the Queen wishes to speak to you in the library."

"I'm going to pass," Dimitri responded.

The maid, who I recognized as the one with the bell earlier today, was obviously startled, "Sir, what should I tell her?"

"Tell her," Dimitri responded flatly, "That I declined. Fabricate some kind of story; you maids are good at sugar coating things."

I hit him lightly, and whispered, "Be nice!"

He rolled his eyes at me, "Sue me." So I hit him again. When we heard the click-clack of the maid's heels get fainter. "Ouch that hurt," he said sarcastically, his eyes with a lazy look to them. "I'll bet you she shows up."

"Who?" I asked, then realized he meant the Queen, "Never mind." Surely enough, minutes later, there was a louder yet still dainty knock on the outer door. I got up to answer it, and turned around to ask, "What should I say?" He shrugged at me. "You're a lot of help," I told him sarcastically.

"I know," he shot back.

Queen was still dressed as she was this morning, but now she wore a concerned look with her lips pursed. There were wrinkles in her forehead that aged her a number of years. "Does he even care about what he has done?" she abruptly asked and came inside. "It's a mess in here," she spoke of the study, which was covered in stacks of books and papers. It wasn't that bad; it had been much worse before. I still straightened out some of the loose papers on the desk, which did little for the space. "Where is he anyhow? Has he no respect for anyone?"

"He's..."I tried to make up a story, but before could Dimitri appeared through the French doors, looking better than before but still not much. He had his chest puffed out and his shoulders back.

"Yes, mother," he said in professional voice, "To what do I owe this pleasant appearance?"

"Save it," she responded, as he smirked at her. He was pulsating and angry, but he was attempting to conceal it with sarcasm and fake politeness. "Do you know the severity of what happened today?"

"Ai," he responded, "I do. I understand that I was conspired against to look like a fool."

"Dimitri," she said, "What ever are you referring to?" I felt like I shouldn't be there for this, so I slowly tried to exit.

I was stopped by a strong hand on my back, "No, stay. What I am referring to is the fact that you of all people know that I am allergic, used that against me, and allowed me to be laughed at."

"You're too sensitive," his mother chided.

"I am not sensitive!" he retorted angerly. "I'm enraged. You should be happy I didn't shift right there and ruin everything a little more."

Her face softened, "Please be reasonable with your father tomorrow; he does his best."

"Yeah, sure," he responded before slamming the door behind him, leaving me alone with the Queen.

"I guess we'll have to see if my lessons have been utilized some other time. You certainly got lucky! I best be off, the king is also very angry. The two of them share the same temper." She moved with such grace and poise as she left. Although she had tried to be diplomatic, nothing was solved. Things were actually worse, because when I ended the bedroom, I was face to face with a huge steel-colored wolf that growled in my face.