Rhys

"Again!" I shouted to the men. Even with the so-called peace, we could not afford to take anything for granted.

"You really want to kill the bastards?" Liam asked. He was sitting to my right, rubbing his sore shoulder.

"You should pour some cold water over your face, Liam. Would you like another black eye?" I said, mocking.

"Bah, it will go by tomorrow." he replied with nonchalance.

I scrutinised the field with my eyes. The warriors were tired. But in war, they wouldn't have a break. That could make the difference between life and death.

"Have you thought about, Prince?" he continued. "When are you going to give me an answer?"

I knew what he wanted. It's been four years since I had to act as First Aga, amongst other things. I was a Prince, and, when Raiden was away, I acted in his place as well. I was feeling overwhelmed by the endless tasks and drained of energy. But I couldn't bring myself to replace Jayce yet.

"Again!" I shouted even louder. I had to push them more and to keep them fit. I turned to Liam.

"When you will get in your thick skull that I'd rather kill them myself than watch them die at the hands of those bloodsuckers." I slapped his shoulder, making him groan in pain.

His hand pressed harder into his shoulder as he got up from the bench. "You are right, my lord. I should go and look for some cold water".

Deep inside, I was still hoping that Jayce will come back. He was the best man for this. Born a leader, just like Raiden, he was our most trustful werewolf. I remembered how I spat on him when he was punished at the stone. I still hated myself for what I did, but I knew the necessity of it.

Just like I know now. We need another Aga, and it couldn't be me.

A distant rumble drew my attention. The warriors stopped their loud fight and looked at me, expecting their orders. At one snap of my fingers, and a defending line was formed.

Six high ranked men took their strategical places on the flanks, while four of our fastest trackers were already past the trees that surrounded the clearing of the training field.

The smell of our kinsmen filled my nostrils, and I relaxed. They were still far, but my powerful senses could discern their scent. The men relaxed as well, scattering away when I dismissed them. Training was over.

Three border trackers approached with their heads bowed. I was sitting on the raised platform in our great hall, in the king's chair. They stopped before me and kneeled.

"Why are you here?" My harsh voice filled the air.

"Lord Prince, we come to bring someone you might find of great importance." one of them answers.

"Rise." I knew the one that spoke. He was a loyal wolf, but a bit of a square head. "Of great importance? Well... do you need an invitation to bring him inside?"

The man turned his rough face to the others, commanding them only with his eyes. While he stood chin to chest in front of me, the two men hurried outside and returned with their capture.

With a sack over the head and her wrists tied brutal in front, she crumbled on the filthy earthen floor. Her fingers were stained with dry blood, half of her nails broken and caked with mud, just like her boots and half of her woolen skirt.

Remembering the man's name, I furrowed my brows. "It seems I can not understand, Zain"

"Lord- "

"How come that this woman needs such an escort? Two outside, and you three here. She is only a damn lower, so explain this to me: why does a shackled human need five werewolves?"

Zain grimaced and scratched whatever itch he had on his chest.

"She is not a common lower, Prince, but a Dawner."

He search for a moment in his pouch and revealed a moonberry. They were rare small fruits, highly poisonous for us but deadly for humans. It was a known fact that the dawners preferred to take their own life instead of being captured alive. They invented a special wax that wouldn't melt under their skin's warmth, so they usually kept the waxed berry hidden in their hair or beards. If one doesn't look for it, it's very easy to miss.

And this one was coated.

"That still doesn't explain why five strategic spots on our border are now unguarded!" I shouted at their stupidity. "If a single unarmed woman, dawner or not, takes all of you fools to tame, then what happens if you catch a bunch of them, or a bloodsucker?"

I scrunched my nose and rotated my head to chase away the tension in my neck. These idiots need a way to learn, apparently the hard one.

Zain and the others tried to mutter something, but I cut them harshly. "You will go outside and strip to the waist. Then, you will tell Liam to give you five lashes each! After that, you will go back and keep watch on that bloody river, like you are supposed to!"

The men retreated with their eyes to the ground and the shame written all over their faces, while the captive was sitting still on her knees in the same spot.

I got up from the king's chair and walked to her. I pulled the sack from over her face and threw it aside. "Your name, dawner!"

She opened her eyes and measured me head to toe, reciprocating my assessment of her, but didn't reply.

"I asked your name, woman!"

"You asked a name of a dawner, prince," she spoke with calm. "And I can not give you one."

Her voice didn't hold an ounce of fear. Maybe I should put her in charge of those dunder heads, I thought to myself.

"Explain this, if you are not a rebel." I held the moonberry at face level with two fingers.

"Old habit."

"Is that so? Well then, tell me your name, first of all."

"My name is Endrine, Prince. Not that it's of any importance to you. Just be done quick here, I am sure you have many other things to do since your king is not here."

My face dropped at her words. She was dismissing me, not the other way around. I took a moment to gather myself, but her spirit of observation and cleverness impressed me.

"You are a bold one, Endrine. Why are you so eager to meet the dungeons?"

"I am but another lowborn soul destined to end up on the stone soon, whether justly or unjustly. So why don't you do us both a favor and end this little interrogation? I know you seek a confession for the witnesses, but I have none to give."

"Are you not afraid of me, woman? Of the fate that awaits you?" Anyone else would cower and beg for mercy, but not her.

"Afraid of what, Prince? Of the fate I tricked long ago, or of my end? Do you know why I wish to go to the dungeon? Because only there can I pray in peace for my daughter's soul. Your men did not even allow me to cover her grave."

Her words struck me deeply. We honored the rites of the dead, unlike the vampires who cared nothing for such matters. Each life I took was accompanied by a coin for the soul's passage.

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a burning smell. I looked at the empty hearth in the wall. Realizing what was happening, I shouted for Liam.

"Yes, Lord?" he appeared quickly, holding a whip in one hand.

"Take her to a cell," I commanded and dashed toward Raiden's room. In my haste, I collided with Uma, our housekeeper in name but truly the mistress of the household. She was carrying a tray of refreshments, now scattered all over the floor.

I grabbed her by the shoulders. "Are you all right?" I asked, worried I might have hurt her. Her gaze was fixed on the captives in a way I couldn't quite describe. Odd. I gently shook her shoulders and asked again, "Are you all right?"

Her face turned pale, but she recovered quickly. Her eyes met mine, and she placed a hand on her hip. "Look what you've done," she scolded. "No more hot syrup for you now. I should make you clean this up so you'll mind your steps next time," she continued.

I muttered an apology and hurried up the stairs, more fearful of her making me clean than of the task at hand. Liam escorted the Dawner outside, not in a particularly friendly manner.

I braced the heavy oak chest in my arms and carried it outside. If it was going to burn, at least it will not burn our wooden hall and chambers. I won't turn back to sleeping under the sky, like in the old times when I was only a rogue.

I stood near, in the grass, guarding it. Liam showed up after a while, and I told him to bring me the fastest lad we had, which I sent to find the king. The chest slowly cooled down, but I waited a bit longer before I took it back.

I spent the night in the king's room, just in case. On that rigid floor, I barely had any sleep and my neck stiffened. Why in hell he refused to have a bed?

It was well past midday and the second training session about to start, when Zain showed up again, with another captive.

"We caught her on our side of the river, Lord." he said, bowing. A trespasser.

He simply doesn't learn, does he? It was the second time he left an opening on our border watch line, instead of signaling to a tracker from the woods to escort a prisoner. I let out a deep growl and dismissed him, thinking that perhaps he would need another assignment.

I threw the covering aside to reveal her face as I inspected her. On the Sun and the Moon, this young woman was beautiful! Even the dirt on her face couldn't hide that, nor the muddied rags she wore. Her alluring scent was intoxicating, and my bulk stirred. She will make a fine present for Raiden.

She had her hair held up in a bun with a white veil falling on her back. That piece of material contrasted with her plain brown dress and her scratched bare feet. I rubbed the edge of it between my fingers while I admired the blue little gems encrusted in the lace.

"Who are you, lass?"

With her eyes cast to the floor, she answered nervous "Dawn".

I took the knife from my boot and grabbed her tied hands. She jerked back, frightened, but slowly released the air she held in her chest when I cut the rope around them.

"Thank you" she said, rubbing the angry red skin on her wrists.

"Don't thank me yet," I said while I threw her up on my shoulder and dashed to the chamber without a bed. "If you please him tonight, he might go soft on your punishment."

She tried to resist, but her tiny fists only tickled my back. I left her on the fur he sleeps on and headed to the door. She cuddled herself in the far corner, her delicate frame trembling.

I looked to her one more time over my shoulder.

"I warn you, girl, he likes it rough."

Closing the door behind me, I went to search for a guard- just in case she might get some ideas.

The warriors waited in line outside. It was time for another training. Rubbing my hands, I gave the command.

"Begin!"

.....