The Princess and the Two Dukes

The Talk

  Zari woke up the next day and the first thing that popped up in her mind was Demetrio. The vampire Duke that she met in the past that was her mate was in the wedding. He was clearly looking for her but somehow he looked at her as if she was a stranger and he didn’t look like he was excited to see her. Far different from what she expected to happen when she sees him again.

  Zari winced when her head suddenly hurt like it was being split in two. Then she remembered chugging down the whole bottle of liquor in Alpha Zeke’s office.

“Stupid booze.”Zari mumbled before she climbed down her bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

  After Zari took a refreshing shower, she got dressed in a pair of denim shorts and white lose blouse. She wore white sneakers to go with her outfit, and then she blow dry her hair and just applied some lip balm.   

  Then she went out of her room and went straight to where everyone would be, eating breakfast in the garden. When she got there, she’s the only one missing so she went to sit beside Zander and took a sip of her coffee.

“You went to bed quite early last night.”Zab started and Zari froze.

“I don’t feel well.”Zari said and just focus on the bread that Zander placed on her plate.

“You walked out Zari, dragging Ivan with you. And what’s worst? You did it in front of Lord Demetrio, an esteemed member of the council. Is that how a princess should act?”Zab scolds her daughter.

“Mom, Zari has her reasons.”Zander said.

“And what is that reason?”Zab asked.

  Before Zander could speak, Alex beats him to it.

“We can talk about our daughter’s behaviour after our breakfast.”Alex said.

  Zari quietly ate while her cousins are exchanging knowing glances. And after they had breakfast, the Queen called in everyone in the Alpha’s office so they can talk.

“Okay let’s talk about what happened yesterday, Zari.” Camilla paused calling out her eldest grandchild.

“What your mother said earlier is right. That is not how a princess should act towards esteemed guests. You are not just a princess but the second in line to the throne. What you did was uncalled for.”Camilla said and Zari lowered her head.

  Then Camilla sighed.

“Your mother and I know what’s up with that. Have you forgotten that we can read minds?”Camilla asked but Zari kept quiet.

“But what is fascinating is that it was Lord Demetrio’s mind whom we read, and not yours.”Zab said and Zari looked at her mother.

“What?”

“Zari, since you came back from your mission in the past somehow we can no longer read what’s in your mind. It’s like your mind put up thick walls around that prevented our minds to penetrate yours.”Camilla said and it surprises everyone, especially Zari.

“So it’s like she put up strong walls around her mind, so no one can read them?”Creon asked and his mother nodded.

“I don’t understand. How can that happen when I don’t remember doing so or how to even do such thing.”Zari told them.

“Maybe it’s something you picked up on my mother. She had walls around her mind like yours now.”Camilla said.

  Zari fell silent and just thought of the former Queen. Her mind was really strong that even Lord Castor cannot get a glimpse of what she’s thinking.

“Let’s talk about Lord Demetrio.”Liam started, and then Zari groaned and stood up.

“Fine! I’ll tell you what was happening. Lord Demetrio is my mate. There, I said it!”Zari blurted.

  Her cousins are quiet while Alex shot up from his seat.

“What?” Alex growled, and Zari huffed.

“It’s true dad. We met Lord Demetrio back in the past and there we knew that we are mates.”She told them.

“No! Please tell you haven’t completed the mating –“

“Ew! Dad no!” Zari cut off Alex with a horrified expression.

  Then Shanaia and Lysandra began giggling.

“Uncle, completing the process during that time is the most impossible thing to happen between them.”Lysandra said.

“That’s true. Zari beat the crap out of Lord Demetrio all the time and he’s quite an ass then.”Shanaia added.

  Hearing that Alex let out a sigh of relief and sat back down while Zab groaned and rubbed her temples. Zari sighed and rubbed her forehead, and then she began pacing.

“We had a very complicated situation. Lord Demetrio is once betrothed to great grandma and he’s in love with her. That is one of the reasons I never accepted the bond. And...” Zari trailed.

“And what?”The twins asked in unison.

  Zari stopped pacing and looked at everyone.

“I am also mated to his brother, Lord Davorin.”She said, and Alex once again shot up from his seat with the surprise look on his face.

“How did that happen? They are not twins.”Roe asked.

“I am actually Lord Davorin’s second chance mate, since the soul of his late beloved is the angel in me. The angel that dad unconsciously transferred to me when I was born.” Zari answered.

  Seeing everyone’s confused look on their faces, Zari decided to explain how and what happened in the past. Her cousins even helped her explain to their parents what really happened.

   Zari also told them how she feels that Demetrio found her but they are like strangers to each other. All throughout the discussion, Alex had his arms crossed over his chest and had a clear scowl on his face. The others may not notice it, but Zab did and she finds her mate cute.

   After that much discussion, Camilla dismissed everyone else except Zab, Alex, Zari and Zander.

“I understand your stand in this Zari. You are old enough to make your choices when it comes to your personal life –“

“She’s still my little girl mother.”Alex cuts off Camilla, and everyone’s eyes fell on him.

  Camilla and Liam smiled at him while Zari and Zander looked at each other.

“Alex, I do understand where you are coming from. What do you think I felt when I found out you are mated to Zab at the very young age?”Liam asked, and automatically Zab and Alex’s face turned red.

“Putting aside your personal life, Zari you have a duty to our Kingdom. Since Calie is pregnant she passed the commanding post of the Elites to you. And as the Elite’s Commander, I am sending you to Croatia to deal with the issue that Lord Demetrio has in his territory.”Camilla told Zari, who gaped at her grandmother.

“Zab and I can go instead, mother.”Alex said.

“Not this time Alex.”Camilla said and Alex pouted.

“It is time for Zari to grow as a warrior and have this as her training.” Camilla paused and looked at Zari.

“I feel like you need this chance to clear whatever it is between you and Lord Demetrio, so you can finally give him a chance.”

“But grandma, why do you think Lord Demetrio think that whatever it is between them was just a dream?”Zander asked.

  Camilla pursed her lips and looked away.

“I am not sure about that, but maybe because it wasn’t supposed to happen.”Camilla paused.

“It’s like the time line was messed up because you went back in time. Since Zari and Demetrio are supposed to meet at this time or in the far more future, the timeline was messed up when they met in the past instead. And it continued to mess up by Demetrio having recurring dreams of what happened in the past that wasn’t supposed to happen. So for him it didn’t happen and he’s just having dreams.”Camilla explained.

“That’s why the concept of time travelling is like an untouched subject from then till now.”Liam told them.

  Zari thought about it, and her grandma is right. She needs to do the mission.

“Do you think Davorin will act like how Demetrio acted? Like I am a stranger?”Zari asked.

“That is if he’s still alive.”Zander blurted and he earned a couple of burning glares from his family.

“I don’t mean to be pessimist but think about it. If he is indeed alive like Demetrio, shouldn’t he be looking for you now? Lord Demetrio found you, and if I remember correctly how attached Lord Davorin to you, he would’ve found you first. But at this state, I doubt it.”Zander said.

  Zari fell silent and what her brother said just brought pain in her heart. There is a big chance that Davorin is no longer alive, and it didn’t sit well with her. That thought hurts her and Aeliana; even Andromeda didn’t like it a bit.

“I scheduled an appointment with Lord Demetrio today regarding the issue in his territory. Sit with us and discuss what the Elites’ stand on this issue. Also, tell him the truth.”Camilla told Zari.  

“Yes your majesty.”

*************************************.

  Sometime in the afternoon, Demetrio is on his way back in the River Ash pack house with Roko. They have a meeting with the Queen and the Elites Commander.  Demetrio has also told Roko that he found his beloved, and that is the princess.

“I still can’t believe that your beloved is a princess.”Roko said.

“Me too. Our meeting yesterday was brief but I know she is the one.”Demetrio said.

“Well, good luck with that my lord. I heard the females in the royal family are extremely stubborn.”Roko said while Demetrio just looked out the window of the car they were in.

  And when they got to the pack house, they were immediately led towards the Alpha’s office. Since the newlyweds are off for their honeymoon, the Queen is using the Alpha’s office for her work.

  When they entered the office, Demetrio and Roko immediately bowed their heads when they saw the Queen. Demetrio on the other hand turned his head towards his left where he saw his beloved standing by the window, wearing just a simple denim shorts and white blouse.

“Welcome. Please take a seat and let’s start this discussion.”The Queen said, and then they sat on the couch.

“So about your territory; can you repeat what you’ve told us last night? So the Elite’s Commander would have an idea of what’s going on.”The Queen said, and Demetrio nodded.

  He looked at Zari’s direction before he cleared his throat.

“There has been a numerous attack towards the humans within my territory and the nearby villages. The attack was not made by a vampire or a werewolf but something else. It is something none of us have any idea on what kind of creature that was attacking the humans. Not only that, there is a group of vampire slayers that was formed and they began killing my people.” Demetrio said.

“What do you think Commander?”Camilla asked.

  Zari heaved a deep sigh. After hearing what Demetrio said about his territory, she new somehow they are in deep trouble.

“What did your brother say about this issue, Lord Demetrio?” Zari asked and it surprised Demetrio.

   When Demetrio didn’t answer her, Zari turned around and looked at him.

“I believe House of Litica is just adjacent to the Braeden House’s territory. What did Lord Davorin say about this growing issue? You mentioned that this unknown creature not only attacked those within your territory but also the nearby villages. Meaning it could be that the creature has been terrorizing his territory as well.”Zari said.

  Demetrio gulped as he stared at his beloved.

“Princess, Litica House was the first one to be attacked by the creature.”Demetrio said and Zari gasped.

  Hearing that, Zari felt like her chest was being squeezed.

“I haven’t heard from my brother since his territory was attacked a few months back.”

  Zari felt his whole body turned cold. She cannot believe what she just heard. Davorin cannot be dead or else she would’ve felt it, or wasn’t she supposed to feel it. Aeliana don’t believe the news as well.

‘He’s still alive, I know it.’ Aeliana said.

  Zari heaved a deep breath and then she turned towards the Queen.

“Your majesty, as the newly appointed Commander of the Elites I say I’ll do this mission. Not only there are a lot of lives at stake, there could still be a chance that the Head of House of Litica is still alive and needed aid. And besides, this creature whatever it is is needed to be stopped as well as the slayers.”Zari paused.

“Their people needed our help and we are going to give that help.”She added and the Queen nodded.

“Very well. I’ll call in –“

“I’ll deal with that your majesty. I’ll build a team out of all the Elites, since this is a very hard and important mission.”Zari said, cutting off the Queen.

“If you say so.”Camilla said, and then she stood up making Demetrio and Roko stand up as well.

“I’ll leave you to Zari to talk about this mission. You have to excuse me as I promised my mate an afternoon stroll in the Salamanca Market.”Camilla said and then she left the office, while Demetrio and Roko bowed their heads.

  When the Queen was gone, Demetrio looked at Zari who was looking at him directly. And then that look suddenly transferred to Roko.

“Can you give us a minute?”Zari asked, and then Roko bowed his head.

“Certainly, your highness.” Roko said and then he went out of t he office.

  Once the door closed, Zari sat on the couch opposite Demetrio and she told him to sit as well.

“I would like to apologize on how I acted last night, it was uncalled for.”Zari started.

“No need to apologize your highness, I understand.” he said while looking at Zari.

  Demetrio felt that his beloved has something to tell him but somehow she finds it hard to talk.

“Is there something you wanted to talk about?”He asked and Zari nodded.

  Then Zari heaved a deep breath before she looked intently at Demetrio.

“I knew you were my beloved way before you came here last night.”She said, and then Demetrio was about to speak but Zari stopped him.

“The dreams you were seeing; the ones that I am in it, they were not dreams but memories.”