Chapter 4

DECLAN

Declan thinks back to how much of his thought had been occupied by the princess since yesterday. From the moment he laid his eyes, he knew there was something very special about him, he just couldn't pinpoint it yet.

He remembers how he had subtly watched her on her horse. He tried to tell himself that it was so he would catch her before she fell while dozing but he innately knew that that wasn't the case. He was just stunned by her beauty. She had the bounciest hair, it was this shimmery blonde that looked so soft he had vaguely wondered if it was as soft as it looked. He had even tried to make conversation partly because he wanted her to stay awake but mostly because he wanted her pale, silvery eyes focused on him besides he could catch her if she fell.

Even in a ravaged dress and ruined makeup, she still looked beautiful. So beautiful that he even caught deforest staring at her adoringly before he would meet his eyes and glance away.

His thoughts move to how intently he had been watching her from the corners when she wanted to escape. He had stopped to make sure the rest were sleeping before taking off after her.

He balefully recollected how she had cried fervently yesterday for her lost pack. The pain in her eyes is too much to bear. He had stood up from his knees because he felt an overwhelming need to comfort her which he did before leading her back to camp.

"Where are you guys coming from?" Deforest barked. His distrustful eyes rovering around them. "I just escorted her to relieve herself, " I replied assertively.

waving deforest off then I usher kianna to her tent thankful for the darkness as if it was bright, deforest would have seen the lie on his face. He was a bad liar and never wanted to do so, until now. He gives Kianna a soft smile and bases her goodnight.

"Be careful Brother " deforest warns as I come out of kianna's tent.

I raise up my hands in surrender. Smiling simperingly "I'm not doing anything Brother. Be calm" I walk to my own tent eager to sleep.

My first thought whenever I wake up used to be my sword. But now it's apparently kianna I think about first as I wake up from sleep.

A servant brings a bowl of water which I use to wash up before gesturing to him to take it out. I leave my tent, smiling inadvertently when I see Kianna dressed and sitting down. She had washed out the blood from her body and gown too because I could see some wet patches. She looked lighter today albeit sullen but that was okay.

"Good Morning princess " I greet. Smiling as I offer her some dried meat to eat .I noticed she hadn't eaten last night so she was probably hungry. She declined before greeting me back.

"How are you today? Did you sleep well? I know it's definitely not comfortable but don't worry we will arrive today" I question.

"I slept okay" she replied snarkily. She was annoyed he thought her a spoiled princess. When she realised what had just gone through her mind. she berated herself, reminding herself that he was the enemy.

With mortification, Kianna realizes that she is now seeing him as a friend! Annoyed with herself, she turns away from him.

I just chuckle at the different expressions that go through her face. She was so expressive.

"We will soon be going so I really think you should try putting something in your stomach. The journey ahead is still a stretch…you wouldn't want to fall off from your horse for a different reason today besides you didn't eat last night" I state. Offering her a teasing smile.

Kianna reluctantly collected the meat, reasoning with herself that she was going to need her strength.

I knew she wouldn't reply but I just needed her to see me as someone that could be her friend.

I started narrating old tales of how I and Deforest always fought and that I had to give it up because our father said I was the younger one so I should learn to respect my older brother. Now, I just think he did that because he loved deforest more than me.

I also recounted the time I first shifted when I was 6 years, relishing in the way her eyes had widened at that. Children shiften mostly in their pre-teens.

I also made a few jokes my friend Jack had told me which made her almost laugh. I couldn't help but laugh at how hard she has to pinch her face at times to withhold her laughter.

She looked so beautiful today. Her eyes glittered in the morning sun. She had tied her hair back using some strands of it. She looked so pretty with the faint freckles on her face as she looked to the sky.

After a few minutes, the journey resumed. The soldiers were done packing our belongings so I tied my horse to the princess' as I had untied it last night. We started moving out of the clearing.

"Let me help you up your horse ki" I wiggle my eyebrows at her.

She ignored my question and climbed up the horse herself after 2 tries. Which was impressive If I said so myself.

"Move out!" Deforest commanded. He rode in front . I could feel the anger rolling off him in waves and I was willing to bet I knew why.

We all followed him at a trotting pace.

I glanced at Kianna, who was wearing a forlorn expression on her face.

If I was seeing her for the first time I would think she was calm but I saw the fire in her eyes yesterday. She was definitely not calm.

The second day of this wearisome journey seemed more tiring than the first.

By noon, we reached the dragon castle. I glanced at Kianna and I could see the awestruck look on her face. My castle is beautiful but I have never looked at it the way kianna was doing now.

She looked like she could fall on her knees and worship the castle.

I chuckled at the entertaining thought.

I tried to look at the castle with new eyes. It was grand but no! Definitely not worth worshipping.

"What do you think?" I question chirping."is it grand enough for her royal highness" I continue, only half-teasing.

Kianna definitely didn't appreciate that because she looked at me with so much angst as she could muster and returned her stare to the castle.

She must have changed her mind or something cause answered me" it looks so modernised, when was it built? Who was the architect? I probably know him…"she bombarded me with questions after questions.

"Woah, calm down. Okay it's probably this modern because I designed it myself…I mean it was built since but I recently thought it needed some strategic changes" I state proudly.

Designing this castle was definitely my best work yet. I had just found an interest in drawing up Designs for houses in the last 2 years and had gone further to study every related material I could find to my father's dismay.

Kianna smiled peevishly as we walked into the castle.

We proceeded into the castle where I went up to my room immediately.

I needed a bath!

Distinctly, I could hear deforest ordering his personal servants to prepare his bath while he told his page to show kianna one of the guest rooms to stay.

After I had a bath, I found my way to kianna's room and knocked tentatively on the door. I hope she was done bathing. I wanted to check if she had eaten before I went to the arena.

The door opened.

"Yes, what do you want?" She questions, hand on her waist. I could see that she had just finished having her bath because she was wearing a new dress and her hair was damp with her face scrubbed clean.

"I just wanted to check on our royal house guests.'' I smirked at her flushed face.

"Oh, I have, thank you "

"Ohk, take care I would lend you my awesome company but I have to check on my wolves." I wink at her and turn away from her door, towards the fighting pen outside. There's going to be a fighting match today between two of my wolves, Roger and Harry. We do this occasionally as one of the ways we strengthen our pack's defenses by Honing the fighting skills of its warriors.

I enter into the arena, smiling as some of my warriors see me and greet me in different ways. One of them brought a chair for me which I sat on.To my right, I see Deforest talking animatedly with our father and I vaguely wonder whatever plot he was hashing now.

Putting my attention back on the pit, I see the referee call out the fighters and they prance out accordingly.

My money's on Roger though literally. We occasionally place bets on who we think will win each arena fight. It helps keep things interesting .

Roger smiles at me giving me a quick salute. I return the smile. Roger is one of my best fighters though he fights noticeably better in wolf form than not.

He stands six foot tall in human form, weighing approximately 250 pounds soaking wet. He is also one of the quickest fighters. With a lightness on his feet even I am amazed at. I smirk at the insulting look on his face as he states belittling at his opponent, Harry. He should know better than not to judge a book by its cover though. That I've always told my wolf is the first key to losing a fight.

Harry stands at 5 feet 8 inches. He weighs about 150 pounds . But damn Harry is good. You would never know but he's definitely my smartest fighter. Second only to me. I took great pride in that fact.

Harry catches by eye and tips his imaginary hat in greeting. From where I sat on a table with my other warriors. I could see the crazily,excited glint in his eyes. I couldn't wait

I knew all my fighters and their specifications which was a pretty impressive thing to store in your memory, as I had 60 warriors under my belt.

I heard the bell ring. The match has just begun.

Roger attacked first, landing a right-handed upper cut on Harry's face. Harry bowed, clutching his jaw. He stood up immediately and tackled Roger, spearing him straight in the stomach.

Roger went down for a while. He stood up and gave Harry 4 hefty blows which the latter dodged all.

They went at it again, this time punching each other repeatedly in succession. I could see blood on each of their bodies but they still continued fighting till Harry took a pin and gave Roger a pinch to his solar plexus which made the latter raise 3 fingers. This was the typical surrender sign.

I was proud of them. They had refrained from transforming into their wolf forms. I had started a new technique where they had to fight only in their human forms. It was in order to hone their fighting skills as they might not be able to change sometimes.

Today's match was over.

I give Harry a high five as he bounds over to me, a shit-eating grin on his boyish face." How did I make sense?" Harry liked to joke around.

"You did good, Harry. Even I whispered at your ferocity" I joke patting his shoulder.

He smiled, shook his head exaggeratedly at me and left the arena.

I sat back down waiting for Roger to get up. From experience, I knew he wouldn't get up till the arena became empty.

About thirty minutes later, the arena had emptied. Roger stood up and walked out with me. I clasped him on the back reassuringly.

The next morning, I wake up, dress up and report to the dining room.

Princess Kianna was going to meet the dragon lord today.

I arrive at the hall in time to see Kianna enter in a green belted dress. She looked beautiful today as usual.

My father looks up and stares at her and I know by the shadowed expression on his face that he is not happy.