CINDE, The Kings Mate (boyxboy) ✓

Chapter Three

        Fearing my own stupidity I kept close by a family of four young girls and they're mother, who where obviously poor and walking on foot. Only, what I presumed was, the eldest daughter wore shoes. I guessed she too had the intention of impressing a particular man of royalty.

        As intended we followed the narrow and packed cobble path up to what could only be a palace. And true by name it was. It was one hell of a palace. I had been somewhat skeptical earlier of how so many people should fit inside the place, my doubts had been washed away with the running water of the glorious fountains that stood grand and proud on either side of the open drawbridge across into the palace. The palace its self was the size of the sun, only bigger. It was of a pearly white with seven tours all pointing sharply towards the sky and each connected by what seemed to be marble bridges, flung across each side looking as delicate as china.

        As I stood there admiring the place in awe as so many others around my the quiet breeze strangled my arms and chilled me silently. The sky was cloudy and almost black in preparation of the Solar eclipse.

        The Solar eclipse happened very rarely. When Luna would test her subjects (us) by sending over Soul. Her brother, to test our lives with the black sky both empty of moon and sun. It is said she tests us when it best fits the bending of fate. When important things are going to happen.

        My arms grew tired as I waited for the family ahead of me to go in. Which they eventually did. I really didn't want to leave they're side, I didn't want to be here alone. When I lost them in the crowd however I lost my opportunity of staying by them.

        Big carts where parked out side the draw bridge which odd necessities one might need baking cake like eggs or wheat or sugar. As I made my way through one of the many soldiers now guarding the palace entrance made they're way to me in a hurry.

        "You there! Take that mask off and show me your claws!" He yelled.

      I lifted my mask, resting it on my forehead and half turned my hand into a paw, long nails peaking form my fingers as my hand curled slowly in the slow process of turning. I changed it back quickly, he nodded and pushed me ruffly through the crowd running off to another with a mask like mine.

        I was guessing they expected the masked ones to be robbers from neighbouring kingdoms, hearing of this grand ball and attempting to intrude. I would not put it past them, we had very rowdy neighbours.

       When had made my way into the great hall I was surprised to find almost every nook and cranny covered with bodies, alive ones I mean, sleeping. Some families had even brought mattresses which would end up unintentionally being shared. I would probably have to sleep outside, like most of the other slaves.

        "You best keep out o the way o this lot!" A girl shouted at me.

        I nodded, keeping my head low. Something about her made me nervous. "Yes mam little wild today."

        She nodded, bobbing her head vigorously and letting her long brown plat fling about her head like a noose. "Tis tis, that mask cause you be like me or whas your reason then?"

        We both knew what she was asking. She was asking if I was a slave. Something I could hardly deny being how thin and useless I looked. I nodded. "I be like you."

       I smiled a little as she stepped on other sleeping guests to get to me. Shaking my hand violently and eyeing me like one might a well seasoned chicken. I in turn did the same to her. She was about the same size as my sisters, though smaller since she did not wear unreasonably high healed shoes. She was slightly chubby, healthy in color, obviously pampered by her owner. I wondered silently if she was a royal slave but made no mention of it.

        "It has been a while since I saw such a gentleman this low down on the chain!" She exclaimed.

       People rushed past me roughly shoving me to the side and staring at me like I had just practiced dark magic. She hurried me onward, trying to find a place less crowded and cold.

        "I'll guess you where a royal before you where sold off en?"

        I suppose in some way, she was right. But I had not lived to see any days of wealth and ruin. Mine life was as it has always been. I shook my head. "Nay mam, I have always been nothing but a slave."

        "Oh but what smart manners you wear! Men in such position are so clouded by greed they couldn't walk a straight line if a penny lay to the side! Why do you seem so sweet my dear?"

          This was a question I could not answer. In my own reflection I see nothing but bitterness. I was a boiled radish in my own eyes. If she saw me as sugar it was of her own perception, something I can hardly answer for her. "I would not know." I replied curtly, with a small polite smile as not to seem rude.

         A rush of color flourished her cheeks. "You do have a pretty smile. Are you mated? I do wish you where mine!"

          It was my turn to blush. The idea of a mate warmed me from inside out. "How I wish!" I grinned brightly. Watching as her cheeks reddened darker and deeper than before.

          "Such a shame... You do seem like one to be mated with a man don't you think?"

           I nodded, it was possible.

         I understand in other kingdoms those in love with the same sex are labelled as the queer folk and punished in whatever retarded manner. It was not so with werewolves. Mainly because whoever you love is chosen not by you but by Luna, the moon goddess. To punish someone for falling in love with whoever she had chosen is like punishing a student for having a lolly pop given by the headmaster. They're animosity to someone so vaguely different seemed an odd thing to werewolves.

          "I'll be leaving then dear... What was your name?"

          "Cinde." I replied. Smiling. "And you my dear?"

      "Verity!" She laughed, as though there was some hidden meaning behind the name. And walked off into the sea of sleeping bodies, her chocolate brown black swinging wildly from side to side.

          I turned right through a large door and on through a tall corridor. It was warm and dull. The red carpet I walked on seemed to curl on endlessly. When I finally reached a room, it was one almost in ruins and seemed an odd thing for such a palace to have. The walls where of white pattern and a hanging chandelier showed that it must have once been a glorious thing. There was a corner to the room ashen black, as though burnt and abandoned. Dark shadows creeping up from behind old tables and a rocking chair almost senile in its decay.

         It was almost ugly it its desertion yet held to heart such a beautiful atmosphere. Here was where I would sleep.

          I curled up near the fire place and imagined it flickering and crackling in my mind. Imagined the warmth and the tingling feeling it would exude, that would leave me warm and cozy. Imagined this and fell asleep in a wave of warmth.

           All worries forgotten and left to the me of tomorrow.