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B E T R A Y E D

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Throwing the mahogany doors open, the man rushed over to the young girl burrowed beneath the covers, his thoughts scattered about. He had to get her out of there now. "Princess Irina, Princess Irina. Please wake up," the eunuch urged in a hushed tone as he jolted the sleeping girl's arm, trying his best to rouse her as quickly as possible. It may be the middle of the night but, by this point in time, nobody was resting in the royal palace.

"It's too early. Let me sleep," Irina replied drowsily as she attempted to shrug his hold off. She snuggled further into her silk sheets and released a content sigh. She had a long day with her piano and ballet lessons. She deserved a break. She was seventy-five percent human after all.

"You cannot," he answered firmly. "The king has just been accused of corruption and treason. You must leave this instant, your highness."

The preposterous and disturbing news was enough to awaken the young princess as her eyes immediately snapped open. She shifted toward the messenger and plastered on her small and delicate face was a more than incredulous look of disbelief. "What do you mean? My father has never been corrupted!" In her tone a mixture of anger and bewilderment could be detected.

"We don't know what happened, princess. The high councilmen all just appeared with over a hundred troopers and declared his arrest. Some of the royal guards are stalling as we speak but it isn't looking good for us. You must flee now or you will also be captured," he advised, his voice trembling a great deal.

As Irina focused harder on listening to what was going on around her, she could hear the clinking of armor and clashing of iron swords. Then the shots of several guns going off rang in her ears. Growls, howls, hisses. She heard them all. A battle was going on just under her nose and how she had not sensed it earlier, baffled her. Nothing like this has ever happened. What was one supposed to do in such a hectic state? "What about my siblings? My parents?"

"They are being warned just as you are now. But please, we're running out of time." The man glanced over to the door, his heart pounding wildly. He was worried that they would get caught if they delayed their stay any longer. Realizing that she must act now since they did not have time to spare, Irina tossed the covers off and jumped out of bed. She did not have the luxury to change out of her nightgown, nonetheless gather anything she might need. As she slipped out of her chambers empty-handed, she stumbled into the halls and found them to be in a state of chaos.

Maids, eunuchs, guards, royal physicians and whoever else resided within the castle walls were all running amuck, like wild geese during hunting season. No one bothered to acknowledge her presence as they had always done in the past. They were all too busy heading in all sorts of directions, trying to save their own lives. This was not a good sign. Anxiety and fear finally seeped into the princess's core as the reality slammed into her like a ton of bricks. This was happening. They were under attack. Irina did not know how, why, or what led to this tragic outcome and all she could do was pray that her entire family was safe and sound. All she could do was hope they would be waiting for her arrival somewhere secure so that they might find refuge together.

Lifting her gown to avoid tripping over the fabric, Irina managed to keep up with the eunuch's rapid pace even though she was exhausted. The eunuch weaved through the rustling bodies effortlessly with the girl trailing him before an ear-piercing scream echoed in the corridor. It had definitely been a cry of pain and the sound caused Irina to skid to a halt. Slowly, she turned around and her eyes rounded as she witnessed a man, whom she was familiar with, ram his spear into a maid's chest. The poor woman screeched in agony but he ignored her pain and slammed her against the wall. Next, he placed a foot on her abdomen and then turned his head and locked eyes with Irina.

A sadistic smirk greeted his lips as he yanked the weapon out of his victim. The black blood was evident on the sharp head of the weapon as it dripped down and landed on the carpet, the faint rhythm blaring loudly in Irina's ears. The woman slid to the floor after and the girl was no longer able to hear her heartbeat. She was dead. He – he killed her. He killed a person! Suddenly, she felt like she was paralyzed from head to toe, as stiff as a statue, and the man approached her with slow and steady steps, his gaze never parting from her. Anyone who crossed his path was slaughtered, perishing under his spear, and Irina began to tremble with trepidation.

"Princess Irina, what are you doing?" the eunuch shrieked as he hurried back and dragged her by the arm.

"They're killing everyone," she croaked, her mind clouded by the stench of blood.

While they scurried down an abandoned hall barely used by anyone anymore, Irina quickly made her way over to a window. What was waiting for her on the other side of the glass had her aghast and anguished. Her own people were attacking one another mercilessly and her knees nearly collapsed beneath her. Blood splattered and sprayed across the paved grounds, like snow falling during wintertime and she felt nauseated, sick to her stomach. The scene was too atrocious, too gruesome. She could no longer bear to watch such a cruel sight unfolding in front her eyes without the urge to vomit lingering in the back of her mind. A lump formed in the back of her throat, making it rather difficult for her to breathe properly.

She scanned the sea of people again and she watched one death proceed after another. It was a never-ending cycle. Irina then spotted the five noblemen, whom she had crossed paths with in the palace more times than she could recall. They were the five prestigious men who also made up the board of High Councilmen. To think this was their doing. How could they betray her father? How could they betray their country? Looking more closely, Irina could have sworn that she had seen a glimmer of satisfaction flicker behind Lord Mayfield's eyes. It was as if he was actually –  pleased with what was going on. That couldn't be right. She must have seen wrong. "Where do you think you're going?" Irina whipped her head to the left and discovered the man from before staring at her, the corners of his lips hiked upward in a wicked smile. He raised the blood covered tip to his lips and licked it.

"Run, princess!" the eunuch yelled as he grasped her hand and began pulling her yet again.

"As if you'll be able to get away," the assailant hissed under his breath, knowing very well Irina was able to hear him. Her body became rigid and she did not dare to look back. "Run while you can, little puppy. Sooner or later, you'll be dead anyways," he sang.

His words floated around in Irina's mind as she fled. Bursting through one of the exit doors servants used to carry in supplies, the eunuch gasped as he came face to face with a blade. Irina rammed into his back and gulped, the light from the moon reflecting off of the sword. "Please don't do this," her servant pleaded, standing protectively in front of her. "The princess is innocent. She is only a child."

"Child or not. Innocent or not. I am taking her in and if either of you refuse, she will die," the soldier firmly declared.

"You know very well if you take her in, her fate will be no different. Please, I beg of you. Let this child go."

"I have my orders and I will obey them. Now hand her over or I will not hesitate to kill you."

The eunuch peered back to his frightened princess who was only fifteen years old. He could tell how scared she was. His entire life had been dedicated to serving the royal family, just as like his ancestors, and Nigel Cobbleton was determined to stick by them until the end. He was willing to sacrifice anything for them, even his own life. Because if it wasn't for the royals, he wouldn't even have existed. For a second, Irina thought she saw regret flash in Nigel's eyes. She thought he was going to heed to the man's command and as she tried to writhe free from his hold, Nigel released her and tackled the soldier to the ground instead.

"Please go!"

"Nigel!" Irina shrieked as the two men struggled against one another.

He was on top, his hands wrapped around the man's neck as he looked up at her. "You must run, princess. You cannot look back. You will not look back," he ordered and because he had been distracted, the soldier beneath him gained the upper-hand, seizing the opportunity and using it to his advantage. He stretched his arm out and recovered the sword, which had fallen a foot or so away from him, and before Irina could reply, Nigel let out a strangled yelp. Her eyes widened when she realized he had been stabbed. Her heart immediately plummeted into her stomach, a hand flying up over her mouth. The soldier pushed the eunuch off of him and climbed back up onto his feet. Standing there, unable to move her legs, Irina shook her head in denial. Oh how badly had she wanted this to be some kind of sick and twisted nightmare. Next, the man removed the blade from Nigel's womb and staggered toward Irina, his breathing erratic. With all of the strength he had left in him, Nigel lunged for the man's ankle, crippling him from advancing any further.

"Get off of me!" the soldier snarled, trying to shake him off.

"Princess Irina! You get out of here this instant or my death will be in vain!" Nigel barked hoarsely, clinging onto the man's limb as strongly as he could. His teeth were stained with blood and despite feeling the wound in his side stretching, he refused to give up. The scene was truly and utterly pitiful and Irina did not have it in her to abandon him. How could she leave him to die there alone after he had just sacrificed himself to save her? He could have been selfish like everyone else and handed her over in exchange for his own safety but he didn't. At the same time, however, Irina knew Nigel had a point.

If she was captured after what he had done, his actions would go to waste and she could not allow him to die for nothing. "Thank you, Nigel. I... I will never forget you," she choked as she spun around and sprinted as fast as she could out of there. The twigs and leaves crunched underneath her feet as she continued to run aimlessly, no specific destination in mind. The woods were vast and Irina did not have a clue to where she was heading. It was dark out here and there were so many trees that were all so similar. It felt like she had been going in circles. By now, she was beyond shaken. She glanced over her shoulder to see if anyone was pursuing her and when she caught sight of the torches emerging from a distance, she gasped.

They were coming for her. She could hear the leaders demanding the troops to find her, dead or alive it did not matter. The words made Irina shudder and she picked up her pace. Tears were flooding down her face, staining her cheeks and no matter how much she tried to remain calm and rash, her emotions were getting the best of her. Then, her foot got wedged underneath a tree root, which had been jutting out of the ground, causing her to lose her balance and tumble down the nearby hill. There was nothing Irina could grapple on in order to stop herself from falling deeper. Everything was a blur and before she knew it, she arrived at the bottom where her head collided with a large boulder. The impact rendered her unconscious but safe. At least, for the time being.

* * *

"You must run, princess. You cannot look back. You will not look back."

As those words haunted Irina's mind, she let out a blood-curdling scream, eyes snapping open. "Nigel!" Her voice resonated through the spacious woods and, for an entire minute, Irina did not utter another word. She didn't even move a single muscle as she lay on the ground composed of dirt, dead leaves and branches. Up above, she could see the dreary gray sky and the canopy of trees hovering over her head. It took her a moment to recollect the grotesque events. Chills ran down her spine as she gradually sat back up, her entire body sore. Gingerly, she grazed the tips of her fingers against her forehead and winced at the contact.

Next she examined her surroundings and, indeed, she was still located in the forest. Where precisely? She hadn't the slightest clue. Her brain began to throb violently against her cranium, forcing Irina to squeeze her eyes back shut as she clawed into the grass beneath her. Suddenly, she heard branches cracking and then a brisk breeze whips by her. Steadying herself onto her bare feet, Irina coils her arms around her body in attempt to keep herself warm. Her gown had been torn and ripped in certain areas and now sordid because of the dirt. Tiny twigs and brown leaves were nestled in her hair and a few cuts and scratches decorated her arms and face.

"Is someone there?" she questioned hesitantly. There was no answer and the girl grew weary with each passing second. She could sense eyes fixated coldly on her but who did they belong to? Someone who wanted to kill her? Someone who wanted to help her? Another branch snapped in half and instantly, Irina flinched, ears pricked up. Again, she scanned the area and that's when she noticed the pair of eyes watching her intently from a distance. They were not the normal eyes belonging to any human, however, but ones owned by a wolf. The kind of wolf the people in Elysium called Savage Rogues. They were also the wolves who habituated in the outskirts of the kingdom. The kind of wolf everyone despised but at the same time feared.

They were bestowed with the infamously notorious title because their kind was known to be fierce and barbaric. They hunted whatever and whomever stepped over into their territory. They were possessive over land and consumed anything as long as their appetite was satisfied. They displayed no mercy or leniency for trespassers, that was an established fact. It didn't matter to them if you were a wolf, vampire, human, elf, fairy. If you crossed the line, you were dinner. Everyone had been warned about the Savage Rogues. Signs and fences were put up, differentiating the safe and dangerous zones. If you chose to ignore them, well, you were on your own. The Rogues were rather beastly and atrocious beings and, every now and then, a few citizens did die because of the irrational decisions they made which costed them their lives. To think death could have been easily avoided if people would listen. All of this talk about how vile these wolves were is just hearsay and gossip she had heard from the maids in the palace.

Irina had never encountered a Rogue herself so she could not confirm or deny anything. Many folks said the Savage Rogues were uncivilized animals, who did not know how to do anything other than eating, killing and excreting. They believed these monstrous creatures were illiterate and stupid but the king knew not everything his people believed in was true. Irina's father, King Ashton, didn't bother eradicating these wolves because he didn't think it was fair for them. Savage Rogues existed long before the kingdom was established and all the races were joined together in harmony. Their way of living was the only style they had known for centuries. For them it was their culture, who they were and he wasn't going to send them into extinction just because they refused to assimilate the Elysium customs with theirs. He understood that and in fact, he appraised how prideful they were. As long as they didn't cross over into Elysium land and kill someone there, he was all right with it.

This did not mean King Ashton was celebrating when one of his own died in Rogue territory. The tragic outcome, though, was a result of their own poor choices and there was nothing he could do about it. If he wanted to maintain peace and ensure that the Rogues did not attack the capital, he had to make do with what he had. The Rogues were no joking matter. They were powerful and vicious. They were twice the size of the wolves in Elysium and could take down five vampires with a swipe of their paw. That's how strong and capable they were. Instead of making enemies with them, King Ashton realized that it was best to strike up a negotiation with their leader, Gideon Blackwell. The deal written out and signed by both men and two loyal servants, allowed the Rogues to continue on with their daily lives, completely undisturbed, so long as they did not wreak havoc on Elysium. As a sign of good faith, King Ashton had even gifted them a thousand acres of land which appeased Gideon immensely. What these two men forgot, though, was that it was impossible to please everyone.

The dark green eyes of the wolf never detached themselves from Irina as the animal circled her. It was huge, needless to say, and Irina was positive it could shred her body to pieces in the blink of an eye. "A-are you a Rogue?" she stammered and she swore she saw the creature's mouth twitch into a smirk. Was it amused? The wolf halted and Irina held her breath since it was planted right in front of her. Subtly, she moved a foot back and her action elicited a growl from the animal. It was obviously not pleased with her. Irina did not want to die, not like this anyways. Not before she knew if her family was safe and sound. Times like these made Irina wish she was already sixteen. If she was, she could transform into a wolf and defend herself. If she had already come of age, she could have prevented Nigel's death. She could have protected herself but here she was. Completely useless and vulnerable, at the mercy of the most merciless creature ever known to live.

"L-look, I know your kind isn't very fond of trespassers," she stammered, trying to remain composed. The wolf nodded and Irina was a little relieved to know it was taking the time to listen to her. She saw this as a small sliver of hope and decided she would try to seize it. "But, you must believe me. I can swear to you that it had not been my intention to invade your land. You see, I was being chased and I tripped and fell down a hill. It must have brought me here. You can tell by my appearance that my story matches and, if you do not believe me, please do listen to my heartbeat. You will see whether I am speaking the truth or not, and I am." The wolf squinted its eyes skeptically at Irina but did as she had suggested. It noted how steady and even her heartbeats were, meaning she was being honest. "I'm actually—" What if this Rogue carries resentment towards father and the people of Elysium? Would telling it I'm a princess worsen the situation?

Without her knowledge, Irina's heart began to race. The animal took this as a sign of doubt. It could not trust an outsider and the agreement between King Ashton and Gideon allowed it to attack, no matter what kind of excuse the girl had. No longer interested in listening to her story, the wolf bared its teeth at her, showing the sharp instruments that would soon penetrate her body and devour her. Irina's flight-or-fight senses kicked in to overdrive but before she could react, the animal jumped at her. It tackled her to the ground with ease, one paw holding her down as the other lingered in the air, ready to claw her throat out. "Please don't!" she cried out desperately as her clamped eyes bravely flickered back open.

Her orbs were glossy, welled with tears, but that was not what made the wolf freeze. It was the color her eyes had changed into which caused him to falter. It was a beautiful, bright and burning auburn. The same kind it had once heard about. The selection was rare and, so far, Irina was the second person it had ever met to carry such a quality. Slowly, the wolf lowered its arm and retreated. The girl was stunned the beast actually yielded and as she propped herself up on her elbows, she let out a low groan. She looked at her shoulder and realized the wolf had sliced into her while pinning her down. She could see the blood gushing out, like a waterfall by a battlefield, before her vision was compromised. Everything was becoming hazy and Irina was certain that this was the end for her. She collapsed flat on her back and the last thing she remembered seeing was the figure of a boy, no older than seventeen, towering over her.

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Author's Thoughts: I hope you guys liked this chapter. Was it intense? I hope soooo. There's a major hint on who the boy is. Did you catch it? Oh and I already have ship names. Team Kalina or Team Luna <3 Also, here's the trailer I made for this story. Ehe, I'm still a novice. Don't mind the awkwardness. Please leave comments and votes if you'd like.

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