2_Call him Duke.

CALL HIM DUKE.

The scent of lavender spread across the lavishly decorated room. Her favorite toy sat right beside her on the bed.

The ceiling was high up and a single chandelier hung down to give a complimentary look to the golden curtains and neatly arranged royal candle stands.

A room that befits royalty.

Keondra woke up with a fright.

She had a terrible nightmare that made her relive the horrible ordeal.

All she saw was flashes of the masked man.

His entire body was black showcasing his huge physique, including his muscles and veins. His pecs stood proudly with a claw necklace that had skulls in between them which slightly fell to the shoulders. The mask covered his entire face with ears on his head that gave a perfect description of a werewolf in human form because of his wolf-like shaped face but he wasn't too hairy.

He had an armor around his waist that covered up his pelvis, well designed vambraces on his forearms and detailed greaves on his legs each.

He was the scariest thing she'd ever seen because he had deadly scary eyes.

"Mummy!" She shouted, eagerly looking around but her precious mother wasn't with her.

"Calm down baby, I am here!" A rough and tough bearded looking man said to her in the sweetest voice. Despite his scary looks, the little girl calmed down.

Unlike his daughter, his hair was brown and his lips were slightly pink. He also wore a robe and his eyes were emerald just like his daughter.

"Daddy!?" She hugged him and suddenly tried to get down from the bed. "Mummy! She...the house!" Keondra started having a panic attack. "She said I should run!" She held her father tightly with tears in her eyes. "But...b...but then, a masked man. He...he…the baby.." She slowly collapsed into his hands and the tears flowed down her pink fluffy cheeks.

"Keondra!" He gently placed her back in the bed.

"Call the doctor!" He said when he rushed to the door.

He came back to tightly hug his daughter.

Not only did he lose his wife, his unborn baby too, Keondra had the misfortune of watching the whole nightmare.

How can a child this young survive such trauma?

The moment he got the message about his family, his world came crumbling down but the news that his little princess was found in the tunnel gave him hope. It turned his life around again.

What has he done to deserve this!?

He will find the monster who did this and make him pay.

Niylah's father rushed in with a man.

"What happened Ludwig!?" He angrily pushed him aside.

"I do not know! She woke up and started talking, then she had a panic attack and passed out." Ludwig tried to walk past him but the older man pressed a hand on his chest.

"You and I need to talk."

They walked out of the room.

"Any reasonable person knows pressuring a traumatized child to talk immediately after regaining consciousness is wrong!" He angrily turned to him.

"I did not pressure her, Casper!" Ludwig replied.

"Well thanks to you, my granddaughter is left without a parent!"

"I am her father!"

"Only by blood! You do not deserve that title! I knew letting Niylah marry you was the greatest mistake I would ever make! And thanks to you, I lost my daughter!" Casper pointed at him.

"I do not care what you think! I will take my daughter away from Kraxuris! We are going back to Wrodromor!" Ludwig angrily turned to walk away.

"You are as useless as that crown sitting on your head! I will never forgive you for killing my daughter!" Casper roughly pushed Ludwig and walked away.

"She was my wife and the queen of Wrodromor! She was carrying my heir! Nothing you say will change that, Casper!" Ludwig shouted, took a deep breath and walked back into the room.

His wife and unborn child was killed by a man identified as a 'masked man'. Their home was burnt and he was only able to see her disfigured body, he wasn't given the chance to say goodbye. He couldn't even give her one last kiss but he will forever keep the promises he made to her. He will protect Keondra with his life.

And to his displeasure, his father in law hates and blames him for killing his own wife.

This is not a safe place for Keondra.

He should have never allowed them to come over in the first place.

Wrodromor is the only safe place in the whole of Vroudia.

"Hi baby!" He put the sweet mask on. She doesn't deserve to see his grief. She can not see his tears and definitely can not know he was slowly dying inside. She was only six years old so how will she handle all these?

Niylah was her life and she will hardly get over this.

"Daddy? I am sorry." Keondra tried to sit up but he placed her back.

"For what?"

"For running." Her eyes filled with tears. "I should have stayed with mummy and the baby."

"No, no! Do not ever say that! You did the right thing! I am sure mummy is proud of you." He kissed her forehead. "Your mummy has gone to….somewhere...beautiful."

"Is she dead?" She sniffed. Ludwig blinked twice.

"Um,"

"I saw him kill her!" She cried. "It is all my fault!"

"Sh," He removed his crown and joined her in the bed, tightly hugging her.

"Mummy loves you wherever she is and she is watching over us right now. I love you and will always be here for you." He kissed her again and felt so proud of his little smart daughter. “Touch your heart whenever you miss her and she'll always be with you.”

"I am sorry," She quietly cried.

Ludwig and Keondra cremated Niylah, spread her ashes in the river and went back to Wrodromor after much opposition from King Casper.

"Baby! Come here." Ludwig beckoned his daughter, who was playing with her toys in the garden under the close watch of her numerous nannies.

"Yes daddy?"

"This is Czar," Ludwig patted the stranger's shoulders but Keondra hid behind her father.

"Do not be scared." He turned with a smile. "He is daddy's friend. I knew him since we were kids and he is going to protect you at all times."

"No." She shook her head. "I want you to protect me." She stomped her feet.

"I wish I could but daddy has a job and I will not be here always and I trust him to take care of you. He will also start your training too. You were excited about it right?" He straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin.

Ludwig knew it was time for her to be welcomed into the system. Not only does he want to protect her, he wants to make sure she knows and accept the being that she was and know how to live like one.

There are a lot of predators out there and he can't possibly protect her all the time so he can as well as start her training.

It's crazy out there; kill or be killed.

"Yes sir!" She seriously said but he tickled her and they both fell to the beautiful flowers.

"Daddy! Stop!" She laughed.

"Okay fine! Now, say hi to Czar." He stood her up.

"Hi Czar!" She gave him a toothy smile.

"Hey Keondra! Nice to finally meet you." He smiled back.

"I also have a surprise for you." Ludwig signaled one of his men and he unlocked a cage. Her jaws dropped when a very young white tiger cautiously walked out.

"You like it?" He smiled.

"Yes!" She squeaked and jumped. "Is he mine?"

"Yes, and you can name him."

"Duke!" She quickly said. “Call him Duke.” That was supposed to be her baby brother's name. She suddenly turned to Czar.

"If you are my daddy's friend, why haven't I ever seen you here in the palace!?" She walked closer to him.

"Well sweetie, something happened to Czar years ago and we are happy to finally have him back. He has been around you just haven't seen him before." Ludwig said instead.

"But why does he look younger than you?" She accessed the two men. "How old are you?"

"We are just about the same age!" Ludwig sighed.

“Keondra and her questions.” He said to Czar who only shook his head.

"Well, that's because your father fought so many battles for his empire.” He bent to her level.

“Do not worry, I will tell you everything you need to know honey…" He looked at Ludwig who nodded. "Can I call you that?" He asked her.

"Sure!" She smiled again.

"You are a warrior right? My mummy was a warrior too. I want to be like her! Will you train me?" She held his left hand but all her attention was on her new pet and she took him to the furthest part of the huge garden. “Will you teach me how to use a bow? Can you fight? Have you killed a lion before?”

Ludwig smiled and watched the three of them. He definitely did the right thing.

He will train his daughter to the best of his skills. She will become the best warrior in the Wrodromor Empire.

"You do not have to worry Ludwig. I will train her." Casper knocked him out of his thoughts.

"I know Czar. I know you will. I have no doubt about that but I do worry for my beloved Keondra. I do not wish to pressure her. I just want her to be able to defend herself. She needs to be the best and she will." Ludwig placed his hand on the other man's shoulder. "Just promise me Czar, you will always protect her."

"And when have I ever failed you?" Czar smiled at him.

"Thank you. I am glad you are back and I promise to give you a befitting position in the palace." Ludwig hugged him.

"You are king after all."

"I am sorry Czar. I know things would have been different if what happened years ago did not happen but I promise to make it up to you. Besides, what is better than being alive? I wish you were here to meet Niylah. She was a sweetheart and you both had a lot in common. Keondra took after her physically, in soul and might. I will show you her paintings." Ludwig painfully smiled.

"I am sorry for your loss." Czar slightly bowed.

"Thank you Czar. Keondra mentioned a masked man. I do not know how to ask her about it again because she cries whenever she hears about that night and blames herself for everything." Ludwig replied.

"Do not worry Ludwig. I will carefully get her to talk and do not worry, I will not push it too far and maybe, she will give out important information. We will catch him, Ludwig. Niylah will have the justice she deserves."

Czar encouraged him.

"I will forever be in your debt, Czar."

Czar smiled and nodded.