The Test

PRINCESS ROWENA'S POV

"We called the Great Oracle to test the accuracy of your destiny as the heir of Elowen's crown. The test will without doubt be painful. I expect you to withstand it without embarrassing me," I say to my royal slave, Abel Everhart, the fate's chosen emperor.

No one had anticipated the heir to be human since werewolves have always been the dominant species. But Abel's beauty makes him look like a devine species. 

I would not subject him to more pain if there was another way of affirming without doubt that he is the crown's heir. 

The Great Oracle is a popular expert in the mysteries of the crown and the prophesies about it's first heir. She is also the only one that can test Abel's connection to the crown and maybe foresee a time of his reign.

I worry that his heart is too good, too gentle to stand against the most wicked of kings who might soon be scouting for his blood.

"If I may ask, how will the great Oracle perform the test without the crown?" he asks, slipping on the white silk shirt I just gave him. 

It's against the laws of any land for commoners and slaves to wear silk. But my slave is a royal, sort of.

"That's the Great Oracle's job to know. Just make sure to withstand the pain for as long as she demands," I respond in a cold tone to make sure he doesn't complain. 

The huge gathering will be waiting to watch the test before the feast to celebrate his presence here begins. It would be disgraceful if he fails to withstand the tough test. 

"What happens if I pass the test?" he questions.

"That's my job to decide," I answer dismissively. 

People would expect me to entrust the king's council with making the momentous decision. But my father is the head of the council and just like every alpha his mind is controlled by insatiable greed for more power and gold.

It saddens me that I will have to fight him to ensure my slave's safety. 

"Let's go," I take hold of Abel's chains and guide him towards the palace hall. 

Every alpha of our packs and officials of the king arrived early, eager to meet the heir of Elowen's crown and witness the test. The news of his arrival as my slave in this kingdom spread like wildfire. Thus the most powerful officials brought even their families to watch the test.

All eyes turn to stare in our direction when I lead Abel into the exquisitely decorated hall full of werewolf men and women in their best attires. My father and his favourite guests sit around the central table with the finest wines laid out before them while my sisters and his beloved officials watch from another overlycrowded table. The great Oracle sits alone on a lavishly curved chair on the raised stage. Her assistant stands with his head bowed submissively behind her and holds a golden chalice filled with a liquid of some sort.

A dark veil with shinny pearls hides the Great Oracle's face. To many she is a mysterious figure, except to me as we have met several times before. 

My father rises from his seat at the head of the table.

"Welcome, my wise daughter, Princess Rowena, and the chosen heir of Elowen's crown, Abel Everhart, King Roderick's own first born son!" he proudly introduces. 

His guests applaud, except a few thst remain stoic. 

"Your majesty, please allow me to express my doubts," one requests after bowing his head deeply in respect. "It's highly unlikely that the crown of Elowen would choose a human to rule over our werewolf kingdoms. Human slaves were destined to serve us, not to become our rulers," he foolishly complains. 

"The fact that King Roderick's men begged to buy back my daughter's slave with ten thousand gold coins is prove enough that we have got the crown's true heir," father argues. "Dare not doubt my daughter's wiseness-"

"Silence!" the voice of the great Oracle reverberates across the hall, cutting off the alpha king inside of his own house.

"My test will decide if he is truly the crown's heir. Bring forth the slave!" 

I lead Abel forward, watching his face to make sure he isn't about to panic. The great Oracle watches his every move intently, like she can see more than just his beauty. 

ABEL EVERHART'S POV

"Kneel!" Princess Rowena orders and I fall to my kneel in front of the mysterious witch.

Her assistant steps forward with the chalice and holds it's out for me to take. There is a thick, white liquid inside that doesn't look inviting for a thirsty person.

"Drink!" the Great Oracle orders in a an authoritative voice that sounds like a choir of a thousand ancestors reprimanding me. 

I take the chalice and raise it to my mouth. The liquid tastes worse than I actually thought it would. But both Princess Rowena and the great Oracle keep their stern gazes on me so I keep gulping down the distasteful contents of the chalice.

Meanwhile the witch's assistant brings forth another chalice with a different liquid. Hopefully it's not something I am required to drink as well. 

The great Oracle reaches out a hand after I have finished gulping down the contents of the first chalice. I try handing her the empty chalice, but she instead goes for the front of my silk shirt and rips it open with a jerk of her hand. 

I am starting to feel overwhelming dizziness, probably an effect of the liquid I just drank.

The Great Oracle takes the second chalice from her assistant and dips two of her fingers into the thick, dark liquid inside. 

"Hold him!" she demands from the guards in the room.

Princess Rowena nods at them in approval and they immediately match forward. They pull back my hands and seize my shoulders to keep me in place even as I feel too disoriented to resist.

The Great Oracle chants lines of strange words before leaning forward and touching the left side of my bare chest with the fingers covered in the dark liquid. I gasp in pain as it feels like my skin is burning. 

"Be quiet!" Princess Rowena snaps and I bite down on my lower lip as the witch carries on to dip her fingers into the dark liquid once more and draw symbols on the skin of my chest. 

It feels like my heart is being ripped out. But the Great Oracle carries on expertly while chanting weird incarnations. I didn't think there is an amount of pain I couldn't quietly withstand after so many years of abuse. But the agony caused by her touch keeps souring and I gasp out loud. The guards hold me tighter, keeping me in place for the Oracle to finish the painful ritual. My vision starts to blur just as her hand leaves my chest and cups the left side of my head. 

"Open your mind and soul for me!" she orders. 

I wouldn't know what that means, but I feel the drowsiness taking full control of my mind. I feel like I am floating in infinite darkness. It must be the awful drink I took or her weird incarnations. Hopefully both my mind and body will survive her crazy test. 

Her hand rests on the side of my head for a long moment before she suddenly withdraws it, seemingly baffled. 

"What did you see?" Princess Rowena demands. 

"Is he or is he not the crown's true heir?" her father anxiously questions.