Chapter 3 A woman of red blood

"The suit fits you wonderfully," The maid had said, her eyes sparkling.

She was young, very young. Her brows were thick, untamed yet shaped sleekly, and her hair ran down her back like waves. I felt the strong urge to ask her where she was from and what she was doing here when thousands of males would be asking for her hand in marriage if she even stepped foot outside the castle, but fought it.

"Thank you, dear," I pursued my lips, sending her a sad smile.

No child should be wasting their years grooming adults who were fully capable of moving themselves. She should've been running outside, chasing birds and catching feathers with her fangs.

"I've been instructed to send you to the Luna. It's only a short walk, right down the hallway on the first left," She took a deep breath in, checking my armour for any faults, "does it fit comfortably, madame?"

"Yes, don't worry about me," She nodded, gesturing for me to leave the room and follow her.

Her shoulders slumped when she walked, a clear sign that she was overworked in this awful place. There was this shadow in her eyes, almost blackening the bright honey hue of her orbs, one that I'd never expected to see in a 14 year old. In fact, I don't think I saw her smile once inside that changing room.

I gulped, genuinely fearing the doings of this castle.

We passed by several guards who sent me looks of envy and disappointment; that the protector of the king of all wolves would be a female rogue.

I was restless for peace, for a sick serenity.

The untamed forests were only ever approached by those who had been banished by their packs or rogues, and I had grown up in that wilderness; though I couldn't take anymore of it.

"We are here," The young girl halted in her footsteps, forcing me to do the same, my cape dropping to the ground.

She swallowed, turning around to face me after taking a frightful glance at the set of double doors in front of us. The young girl had hope in her eyes. At what? I didn't precisely know, but it made me feel something.

"Please, do your best to become the kingdoms royal guard-" The girl shut her lips as a male guard passed by us, fear saturated in her eyes before I bent down slightly and pointed to my ears, ushering her to whisper her final words, "The kingdom must understand that the females are worth more than balls and galas. They must understand that it is us that will lead them to prosperity. Please, prove yourself to the Luna, I cannot stand my status,"

A tear had slid down her cheek, pulling the strings of my heart painfully. I wiped away the lonely tear, looking her in the eyes intensely.

"What is your name?" I asked her, tilting my head to one side.

"Dalal,"

"I will do my absolute best to prove myself worthy, Dalal," I let go of her face, unable to stare into her gloomy eyes one second more.

It reminded me too much of myself.

She knocked onto the door three times, waiting patiently before a loud 'Enter' had echoed throughout the length of the hallway. Dalal trembled and turned the knob of the double doors, pushing them open.

A cold air had whooshed past me, evoking a shiver out of me.

Behind the large ivory desk sat a platinum haired woman of great age but youthful beauty. "Dalal, you're excused," I watched as Dalal scattered out of the room, closing the doors behind her, leaving me alone with the cat eyed woman.

I got down on one knee, my head bowed down in respect as my hair shielded my from her powerful gaze, a curtain surrounding my slim frame. Either the air was especially thick or my fear of her had sky rocketed, but it was getting hard to breathe. The armour began feeling like second skin in the worst way possible, as though I were trapped in it. I itched to scratch at my neck and free myself of this position, to throw myself out into the woods once more.

"Rise," I did just that, waiting for her plethora of commands.

My heart was beating out of my chest and my hands were getting sweaty. I just hoped she hadn't noticed.

"Your past lies within these files, darling," The Luna drummed her fingers onto her desk, tantalising me with the yellow file that sat right in front of her, "I've read it before you arrived, I like to keep myself prepared for whatever this kingdom throws at me,"

I gulped.

"There is nothing more I hate than surprises. They execute silliness, are an unneeded waste of time and never help,"

I felt a droplet of sweat run down my neck.

"So, lets see," She opened the file. "The royal guard,"

And so she began.

"A female,"

A line.

"A woman of red blood,"

Another line.

"A vacant history,"

Another line.

"Unbonded and unwedded,"

The last line.

"A rogue,"

My heart stopped.

Her eyes were furious, as though I'd just murdered her son and served him to her on a platter.

"There is absolutely nothing on this piece of paper that remotely inclines me to elect you as the royal guard. Absolutely nothing," Her eyes glowed a dark amber, "So I will allow you to talk of yourself and not this," She dropped the piece of paper, folding her hands in front of her.

"Who are you?"

Who was I?

In those moments I had completely forgotten who I was. I'd forgotten the platonic reason of my existence, why I was where I was and why I was wearing such armour. All I could see was blooming fires and fallen homes, all I could hear was deathly screams and the burning of wood. All I could do was sit still, until I saw my reflection in the mirror that sat behind the back boned Luna.

All until I saw those damned green eyes.

Mothers eyes.

Become the golden warrior your father trained you to be.

I'll try.

Once you turn 18, run to the castle.

I did.

Don't deprive me of those eyes I gave you.

I won't.

I love you, Dimah.

I love you too.

I looked up and into her eyes.

"I am a female rogue," I started, "I am someone who has witnessed what terrors lay looming beneath the trees of the untamed forests. I am someone who has heard what the wallowing winds whispered within the midnight skies of the outskirt lands. I have grown up in the wilderness, surrounded by evil, yet I am still alive,"

My wolf rumbled in the back of my head, cowering at her stare.

"Luna, I do not expect you to understand what power one must withhold to survive 6 years in the undisciplined lands of this kingdom, but I do expect to at least respect my integrity when I say it is not easy. Nobody in this castle would last a week in the anarchy that is the untamed forests, you have my word for it,

"My blood may be red, my past may be vacant for reasons you have no business creeping around to find, but that is not something that should determine my ability to protect the king of all wolves. What should is that I have scored the highest amongst all the white blooded boys. What should, is that I am still breathing and alive when I am supposed to be dead," By the end of my speech I was out of breath, clenching at the edge of the Luna's table

As though I had been burnt by it, i snatched my hand away from the wood, regaining my composure. I didn't know what had gotten into me, what had allowed me to speak in such a manner with the Queen, but there was no taking it back.

I clenched my jaw, praying to the moon goddess that I had not blown my chance at serenity.

The Luna looked taken aback, her sea blue eyes wide and her shoulders leaning against the chair, away from mine. She hadn't expected me to ignite at her, to tell her exactly who I was. It wasn't exactly possible to raise your voice at someone of higher status than you, but I think the moon goddess has granted me the ability after all my years in the wild.

She gulped, fixing her posture, before shutting the file completely closed.

The luna rose her hand to her face and pulled a stray strand of her hair behind her hair, seemingly flustered.

"The guards will guide you to your section of the castle. You will meet the alpha tomorrow and be prepared by the dressers. A maid will be assigned to you, one to your liking," She said.

Immediately, Dalal's teary eyes flooded my memory.

"Could I please have Dalal assigned to me?" I asked, hopeful.

Surprise and a flash of angst sprawled across her blue orbs before she nodded.

"You're excused,"

I bowed my head before turning around, my cape flying in the thick atmosphere. The set of double doors opened themselves, bidding me my farewells as two male guards awaited me in their metal armour, swords and chains strapped to their belts.

Awakened.

I felt awakened, as though something minuscule in my soul had snapped and spread.

The soldiers walked me to my section of the castle in silence, their heads held low as they exchanged glances every now and then. Their metal armour was noisy, but that was more comforting than the suffocating silence of the castle walls.

Our silent walk came to a stop once we faced a large set of doors. The guards gestured for me to enter, and I did just that.

I pushed the doors open, entering a small room that held exactly one weapons closet, a grande sink and a mirror. At the end of the room was another set of double doors, this time rich in colour and mighty jewels. Taking a deep breath, I pulled down the handle of the doors and pushed them open, eyes tearing up as I witnessed the beauty of the interior of my new home.

A living room with beautiful red sofas and fireplace facing them, a large dining table and a matching set of beautifully crafted chairs. A bedroom at the end of the room and a kitchen of my own. Most importantly, windows. Windows that surrounded an entire wall of my new home, that allowed me to the witness the beauty of the starry night.

"Thank you," I nodded at the guards, eyes teary, "I'd like to be alone now,"

The guards left, not sparing me another glance.

That night, I moved the three seater couch so that it was facing my wall of windows and fell asleep in front of the midnight stars, hoping that wherever she was, the moon goddess could hear me thanking her.