The Future Lunar Queen

I was very happy Edaleen believed the reason I told her for arriving late the previous night and I could as well say I was lucky because she didn't act like she suspected that anything went wrong with last night. But I couldn't sleep throughout the night, I kept having nightmares about when I was being chased and that only reminded me of my misfortune, my huge secret. Regardless of the headache the sleepless night made me feel and the terrible pains I was feeling in my legs I woke up the next morning and started doing my chores before madam came to wake up with a bucket of cold water like she usually did some mornings when I wasn't able to wake up early.

After sweeping the wide living room I decided to wash the council meeting room and save the children's room for last but cleaning the council hall wasn't as easy as I'd expected as the pains in my legs and back weakened me. It wasn't almost impossible for me to get on my fours and scrubbing back and forth on the floor while crawling around with my hurting legs made the assignment so slow. I continued cleaning with the hopes of taking medicine when I finished the work. Just then, the floor suddenly flung open and the lunar matched inside,all livid and fuming

"Good morning Lunar" I greeted bowing my head but what I got in response was a kick in my belly that sent me sprawling across the cold wet floor, the bucket of water was up in the air instantly and before I could recover it landed on my head spilling it's remaining contents on my face

"How dare you" she roared "how dare you disgusting, hopeless and useless bum, how dare you burn my food,did your whore of a mother ever know the taste of luxurious food"

My mother isn't a whore, I don't know what she is or anything about her but I know she isn't a whore and I know I would find her someday

I struggled to rise to my feet and the sight of Edaleen behind her mother suddenly brought relief to my heart as I remembered the promises she made to me the previous night

"I didn't burn the food ma'am" I started slowly, making a slight eye contact at Edaleen to remind her of her promise "you asked me never to go near your food, you said I wasn't fit enough to cook for the noble family"

"Of course you're not but when where were you when the food was burning, where were you when that much amount of food was burning"

"I was doing my morning chores ma'am,I usually don't come to clean the kitchen until the whole family has finished cooking dinner"

"How dare you talk to me like that" I saw the slap that came with the statement coming but I dare not dodge it, the only thing was that her pinky finger grazed my eyeball and it became blurred instantly

"There shall be no food for you today or tomorrow". She announced, shoving me angrily "do you know how much that food you wasted cost, do you even have an idea" The Lunar started kicking me again and I half expected Edaleen to stop her from sending leg shots at every part of my body

"I'm so angry I could kill you right now, I'm very angry"

"Let's go mother" Edaleen said slowly"she's already miserable enough, let's leave her to finish up the cleaning and take care of the burnt food ourselves"

"Why should we take care of the food ourselves" The Lunar said to her daughter angrily "have you forgotten who we are, have you forgotten that people like us don't do demeaning things like that"

Seeing that the spilled dirty water was beginning to spread to places I'd washed I quickly went back on all fours and continued scrubbing the floor

"It's alright momma, let's find a way to cook something else and leave the kitchen for her to clean up. Father won't like this place in the messy state that it is in and besides..."

Edaleen's statement was cut short by an approaching noise that came from the living room. The noise sounded like people were arguing with the Alpha but I didn't listen,I went back to scrubbing the floor

"Who are those" the Lunar asked as she turned to the door "have the rouges caused another attack"

"I don't know mother" Edaleen answered "let's listen carefully"

"How dare you look me in the eyes and call me jaded" a deep masculine voice shouted "do you realize how miserable I can make your life"

"I'm not trying to call you names your highness, believe me I dare not" I heard Alpha Lucius stutter and that instantly drew my attention to the conversation. I wonder who was powerful enough to make The Almighty Alpha Lucius tremble with fear

"I don't care about you Lucius" the man said rudely "I'm here for my wife, summon her for me, I need to see her I'm leaving with her now"

"Of course your highness" Alpha Lucius stuttered again "Edaleen and Franshia are inside their rooms,why don't you take a seat and have some wine while I send for someone to call them. We've already agreed on Franshia but you're free to choose Edaleen if you want"

"Goddamit" the arrogant prince screamed in anger, frustration and irritation "I'm not talking about your first two daughters, for goodness sake who cares about them. I'm referring to your third daughter"

Alpha Lucius froze instantly at those words and a look of shock enwrapped his face

"But I don't have a third daughter your highness"He said softly "Franshia and Edaleen are the only female children I have and the king has already chosen Franshia to be your wife, he said he'll ask you when you want the wedding to take place"

"I'm sick of exchanging words with you Lucius" the man said rudely, twitching his nose in irritation, then he turned to his guards "search the house, search every nook and cranny of this building you know the girl I'm looking for don't you"

"Yes we do your highness,we all saw her enter into this house"

"Good"

"no your highness you're..."

"Search the whole house and turn it upside down if need be,I need to leave this place with my wife,I need to set my eyes on her"

"We'll do as you've said your highness" the gusrday said in unison and soon footsteps could be heard scampering around the house

"What is Prince Orion talking about?" The Lunar asked

"What does he mean by a third daughter"

The moment I heard the name, my heart shattered into pieces and fear, greater than that I've ever felt before in my life engulfed my mind instantly. I felt like I was living a nightmare, my hands and feet turned cold and I began to shiver. This is the end I thought to myself, this is finally the death of me, the frightening look of hatred and distaste Edaleen thew in my way confirmed my thoughts and my throat began constricting in trepidation. If only I'd refused going to run Edaleen's errand but who knew the crazy man from the previous night would be crazy enough to look for me.

"How dare you" Lunar said with so much hatred and anger that the atmosphere shook with it "how dare you ungrateful bastard, how dare you try and destroy our lives, tell me" she began advancing towards me "how dare you sneak out of the house"

I opened my mouth to explain that it was Edaleen who sent me out of the house but Edaleen ran a hot slap across my face before I could get the words out. The slap almost blinded me and as I clutched my face to suppress the pain I slipped on the wet floor and fell with a loud thud. I felt my skull crack and break as my head hit the stone floor and pain shot through my neck and the rest of my body

"You can't destroy everything we've worked our lives for" the Lunar continued as blood gushed out of my nose and out the wound above my eye "you can't stop us from becoming the king's in-laws and gaining power,no not you, not in this world or in the next I'll rather kill you before that happens, I'll end your miserable life before Prince Orion gets to see you"

The Lunar grabbed the iron bucket on the floor and was about to bash my head to pieces with it when the door flung open and Alpha Prince Orion stormed inside

"What is going on here" he shouted as his gaze fell on my sprawled out body "and what did you do to her" he screamed in anger "what have you done to my wife, what have you done to my Lunar Princess"

"We didn't do anything to her your highness" Lunar said with a weak smile as she hurriedly dropped the iron bucket she was holding "she slipped and fell while she was cleaning"

"And who asked her to clean, who asked the future Lunar Queen to clean"

"We don't have maids and we always have a lot of chores to do in the house..."

Orion ignored the Lunar's explanation and turned to the men behind him "pick her off the floor and take her to the palace and be careful not to let her fall or else you would all lose your heads"

"Yes your majesty" they uttered in unison and they lifted me from the floor

"but you can't do this your highness" The Lunar said ruefully "it's our pack's turn to choose the next queen and we've already decided on Franshia it's not right for you to change your mind at the last minute. The girl isn't even from a noble family and isn't even fit to be your mistress "

"You have no right to talk to me that way and I don't see myself taking advice from an idiot like you, you and your loose daughters"

"We're sorry your highness" Both The Lunar and Edaleen said bowing respectfully but Prince Orion didn't even look at them, he gestured to the man who had me in his arms

"Let's get out of here"