Alvania was the most feared kingdom in the South, flourishing with dynasium, the most rare mineral, and gold and fertile grounds that would produce delicious foods and fruits without even the slight drop of artificial fertilizers, a kingdom rumored to be the best kingdom to live in yet the most feared kingdom in the entire world, the home of warewolves and kingdom of King Lucian Arithan, youngest and most brutal king who practically made the kingdom a safe heaven for his people but an unbreathable hell for any outsider trying to wreck havoc.
The kingdom wasn't like that at first; it used to be among the struggling kingdoms for years. Warewolves were leaving in large numbers to other kingdoms, those who stayed were either too poor to leave, or were banished from other kingdoms. Kings and nobles were rich and greedy, the townspeople were bitter and angry, demanding accountability and a better king, but each king that ascended the throne was more cruel and greddy than the last, up until ninety-nine monarchs. By this time, the kingdom was regarded the worst kingdom in the entire South. Warewolves numbers were dropping and scanty, till former monarch King Lorien Arithan died in battle and his son, Lucien ascended the throne at age ten and shortly after the discovery of dynasium, everything changed.
Now at age twenty-five, Lucien had brought Alvania out of it's ashes and revived it so much other people wondered how exactly this King had accomplished such a great feat in ten years, not only bringing his kingdom up but also raising to be the most feared kingdom in the world. Warewolves who left returned in numbers larger than in that which they had left and rebuilt the city.
Lucien had everything; fame, wealth, power, love of his people, and a very feared and fierral black wolf, magnificent and deadly, always by his side and speaking the emotions that lie behind his stoic icy face.
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The large throne room, beautifully decorated in gold and red curtains and drapes, each bearing the royal crest of the Alvanian kingdom and bathed in bright lights was filled with members of the royal committee, all twenty ministers in total, seated opposite each other in two rows of ten while the king sat on the throne with his wolf curled up at his feet, resting peacefully. Lucien was listening to his head tilted to the side and carefully supported by his hand, clearly getting annoyed.
"I believe his highness needs a young lady of high nobility. My daughter Kisha has grown to be a very beautiful lady King Lucien." One minister spoke but was quickly cut short by another.
"Shut up you greedy fool. The king should have a lady that is soft and very intelligent, like Lilian-"
"You are all clearly just trying to get into the royal family with your children. Shameless people." A minister scoffed.
"Can you all stop bickering like old men?"
"I believe my daughter would really be a good match."
"You are clearly a dog and not a wolf for that nonsensical statement. Foolish old puppy."
"How dare you?!"
A fierral growled tire through the entire throne room as Lucien's wolf barked at the committee, clearly mirroring Lucien's annoyance masked under his calm facade. Lucien rubbed his wolf to calm him down and it went back to sleep.
"Who are you to decide a queen for me?" Lucien asked and the entire room turned cold. He stood up and walked to a minister who gulped and kept his head low.
"Your daughter Kisha, right?" Lucien asked and he nodded, not daring to look up at him. Lucien smirked and whispered close to his ear.
"You're lucky I have manners, because I doubt anyone here would question me if I made you drop dead." He said and stood straight before walking back to the throne with his red robe sweeping behind him as he took his seat again.
"Your highness, we mean well-"
"Oh really?" Lucien asked sarcastically, cutting in.
"Yes, your highness. You remember your ailment." The minister said and everyone stopped breathing as Lucien's eyes sliced through the ministers and landed a deadly glare on the minister that made his wolf whimper.
"So you all believe I'll die soon and so I need an heir, right?" Lucien asked generally, scaling through all the ministers who had their heads lowered like injured pups.
"Tell me, what exactly do you even discuss in meetings about me?" He asked, looking directly at the head of the ministers who stood shakily.
"Y-your hi-highness, w-we, j-just-"
"Speak! Don't stutter." Lucien ordered and everywhere somehow got more silent.
"We just want what is best for the kingdom, your highness." The minister finally said. Lucien scoffed.
"Instead of trying to get your dogs of a daughter into the royal family, focus on getting an actual healer this time around." Lucien said and rose immediately and left with his wolf following closely behind.
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Lucian layed on his large white bed, staring at the white ceiling with one hand splayed on his abdomen and the other one his forehead. Seven maids stood by his side, each with a basin. The head maid bowed as she folded a wet towel.
"Your temperature has stabilized your highness. Now, please use your meds properly your highness. I will take my leave now." The maid announced and bowed along with the others before leaving.
Lucien groaned and sat up, letting the black cloth covering his bare chest fall and revealed his toned abs, scarred from wars and battles. He walked into the en suite and slipped out of his clothes and submerged himself in the herbal bath prepared for him. His veins glowed purple and his vision blurred. He winced and closed his eyes, sinking further into the water. His body relaxed into the water and his vision became stable again.
"It didn't work." His wolf said telepathically. Lucien looked at the wolf, lying in its own bath. He tossed his head backwards and groaned.
"I know. I'm tired. I feel like these herbs and potions are weakening me more." Lucien said telepathically.
"I agree." His wolf responded and yawned. "I don't know which kills me more; the loneliness or the curse."
"It's not a curse, and we aren't lonely." Lucien snapped.
"Keep telling yourself that. This entire thing might even be loneliness." His wolf said casually.
"Shut it Howler." Lucien snapped and his wolf kept shut, not because he said so, but because he was finally relaxing into the bath.
Lucien sighed and gazed at the chandelier above; was he really lonely? No, he wasn't. He just preferred solitude. Yes, that was it.
"Lies." His wolf said, easily reading his thoughts._"Shut up you!" Lucien snapped, banging his fist into his water, making it splash all around. He layed back in the water and shut his wolf off his mind.
Lucien had been under what he called and 'ailment' but his familiar called a curse, because that was what it was. In the early days of his kingship, he drove a mad old witch out of Alvania and she had cursed him; things meant to soothe him would bring him pain and discomfort and with each pain he felt, he would slowly die.
Mages skilled in this aspect had said a cure could be provided, but no cure had yet been found and Lucien had only three years left to live. His purple veins were a testament to it. He groaned submerged his entire body into the bath.
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"Diana be quick!" An woman called out as she quickly tended to some men getting beautiful jewels for their ladies. She smiled and wrapped what they had gotten in beautiful wrapping paper. A younger girl stepped out from inside the stall and brought out a small handcrafted bag. One of the ladies immediately fell in love with it and paid triple the price.
"I love it. Actually, I'm getting wedded next week, can I use her service at my wedding? Here." The lady proudly said and threw a bag of coins on the table. Diana clutched her mother.
"No! I don't want to go!" She immediately said and his behind her . The lady crouched to her level.
"Diana was it? I promise to take good care of you. You would be working in the house of a minister, paid generously and have everything you want as long as you handle decorations for me. Of course there will be servants who you would order to help you. What do you say red?" The lady asked, stroking Diana's red hair with a sweet smile.
"Alright . But I want to also be able to see my mum too." Diana said and the lady smiled.
"Of course. Every Saturday, your mother would be allowed to see you." She said and stretched her hand out to Diana. Diana looked up to her mother for approval and she nodded. Diana accepted the hand and the lady smiled and led her to the chariot that brought her and led Diana in before getting in beside her.