Chapter1-Michaela has killed hundreds

I had once stood at the top of the beast realm, with every species bowing before my throne.

But for a promise, I had given up my glory, hidden my true identity, and become an ordinary woman whom everyone could trample on.

The man who had signed a three-year marriage contract with me had never loved me, nor had he ever respected me.

Until the day war arrived.

I had spread my black wings and returned as the Queen of All Beasts.

Only then did he finally realize what he had lost—

It had never been a lowly wife.

It had been the only queen in the entire world.

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Michaela’s POv

Sweat and blood streaked down my temple. I struck the last soldier that made his way toward me.

So many men had fallen by my sword, and their leader had been carried  away bearing a bloody arm, and legs that would take years to heal.

After the last soldier fell to the ground, I fell on my knees beside him and let out a long sigh.

“Victory at last.” I murmured and swiped the back of my hand over my brow.

I turned to the carriage where they’d tied up some of my villagers. Innocent kids and vulnerable women alike.

Their mouths were taped when I opened the door and I made quick work at untying them. While the other warriors handled the older men.

“Michaela has killed hundreds! Even strong seasoned warriors have fallen by her hands!”  

There were the words the warrior repeated again and again when they saw the victory had wrought for them and some other villagers who had been hiding  rushed toward me with kegs of water and clean clothes for me to wipe my face with.

“Drink warrior!” One woman with a child pushed her just under my nose.

I sucked in a deep breath before accepting the hug thankfully.

“Thank you.” I whispered, my throat dry and drank that water like I had been thirsty for days.

The people kept chanting while I drank and rose to my feet.

Other soldiers who had fought valiantly beside me, made their way toward me and wordlessly knelt before me, their heads bowed in subservience.

“You have slayed our enemies with such courage and strength.” The elder among the  soldiers announced while still on his knees.

“You have valiantly rescued our people from

Becoming the prey of men who wouldn’t mind tearing our women and children apart and feeding them to the wolves.”

He bowed his head when he said these words and all the other soldiers beat their chest in unison.

“For this reason,” the elder continued, “We crown you now as the queen of tigers. We know no else is capable of the great power you carry.”

Despite how tired and bruised I felt, their kind words left me feeling slightly overwhelmed.

“Queen of Tigers! Queen of tigers!” The people hailed and I smiled at the lot of them.

But eventually I shook my head and their loud praises slowly became quiet.

“Please rise.” I quietly said to the soldiers and they aptly did so. But the older soldier kept looking at me skeptically.

“Is something wrong? Do you not like this title we have given you?”

“I appreciate the sentiment.” I said honestly and held out my sword in front of me. “But I do not wish to be famous icon.”

The people looked at me with new interest, and quickly explained my reason.

“You see, when I was younger, my brother was a champion. A seasoned warrior who won many great battles…except one. The very one who took his life.”

Sorrow filled the faces of the women and smiled again.

“I decided to follow in his footsteps, but only after I’d made a promise to my mother to keep my true identity a secret. I intend to keep that promise.”

I sheathed my sword then and looked at the faces of some of the people I had just saved.

“Thank you for crowning me the Queen of the tigers. But I have a duty to my mother to keep that part of me a secret for as long as I can manage to. So, please understand that I must return to where I came from and continue to live a normal and quiet life.”

A stretch of silence followed my words as the people tried processed my words

Then, much to my surprise, they began to clap, hailing me again, and thanking me for saving them.

When their praises died down again, the elder warrior came closer and smiled at me.

“We understand what you mean.” He said and looked at the other soldiers. “Don’t we boys?”

They all nodded eagerly and I felt both warmth and gratitude rise in my belly.

“Yes, of course! Your secret is definitely safe with us!”

“Don’t you worry, Queen of tigers! No one is going to know who you truly are.”

“You can count on us to continue to support you wherever you choose to go from here!”

Tears stung my eyes to hear them accept me this way. 

But I blinked away the tears and nodded once.

“Thank you very much for your support and understanding. I promise to always be one call away.”

After saying those words, I looked up to the sky and called in a loud voice, 

“Come Tigré!”

The people fell backward and someone cried out in distress when I suddenly transformed into a six feet tiger with heavy black wings.

I gave one loud roar when they began to cheer, then lifted myself high up into the sky and flew away.

Before heading home, I had one last stop to make.

I had to visit the sorcerer’s castle, as per another of my mother’s wishes.

After the death of my brother, she always feared that my desire to save people would take up all my time and I’d end up alone.

So she made me promise to attend a blind date she and the sorcerer had set up on my behalf.

I was hesitant about it at first, but eventually gave in when I noticed the idea of it made her happy.

“It’s just one silly date, anyway.” I said to myself. How bad could that be?

Half an hour later, I landed on the courtyard of the Sorcerer’s castle and shifted into my human form.

I was about to walk into the castle when a young man with a scowl rushed out of the throne room as soon as he heard it, followed by another young man, who had a much calmer expression.  

Both they both regarded me with great disdain.

“Who do you think you are?! Barging in here with those rags?” The first one spat at me and after giving me a callous once over, he began to laugh hysterically.

I merely watched him with a calm gaze.

I was wearing a plain dress. Something one would wear  while tending sheep. I looked nothing like the great warrior I really was.

But it was a shameful sight to see how a man like this one treated those he considered to be beneath him. I longed to teach him a serious lesson.

“Get out of here this instant, you dirty low-life!” The young man barked and actually attempted to advance on me. He looked feral as though the very sight of me disgusted him. 

While I just stood there, I couldn't help but think that this man was in desperate need of some discipline. His arrogance had clearly gone unchecked for far too long.