Masked Princess ✓

5: Werewolves are infiltrating the castle

Chapter Five:

Wolves are infiltrating the castle.

Prince Kingsley couldn’t hold much.

    His wall of fires doesn’t hold any match to these wolves and he was all but wondering why. Even if they were backing away from it, he could see that part of them now was slightly immune to his powers. His fires wouldn’t last long for having it as high as they were currently, requires tons of strength from within him.

    It wouldn’t take long before he will be drained and these wolves wouldn’t hold back. Slight movements from the side made him aware, blasting his fires to cast another shield from them. He couldn’t understand why these guards don’t understand that what faces them isn’t a normal werewolf.  

    “Stay back!” He says upon seeing vampire guards coming through.

    He flinched as the wolves growled, crutching down to what seems like an attempt to jump through the fires. The guards were quick to fall back, needing to call the princes to help with the mess. Just as when the wolf was to jump to the wall of fire, Prince Kingsley was quick to throw balls of fire into him, setting the wolf into the fire and making it roar into pain.

    What?

    Why isn’t it turning into ash?

    Even if it was growling through the pain, the very fire that he cast would have been enough to kill it. Has he already grown weak? Or have they learned to surpass that? No, that is not possible. However, it still managed to live through that? What is happening?

    “Stay back and get away from here, Princess,” he called upon feeling her wanting to step forward and run into him, “I already told you to run away from here, damn it!”

    She shook her head, eyes still frozen upon seeing these monsters again, “I will not leave you!”

    “What they need is you!” He screams.

    It was only when he throws yet another fire into a wolf did she noticed that his fires were getting weak. His fires don’t hold the same flame as they used to, making it less fetal to the wolves that are hit before it. That is why even with the pain, one wolf managed to get inside his walls of fire.

    Now while keeping his wall of fire strong, he needed to make sure that he has enough strength to battle a wolf of that size. It wasn’t like her to doubt her brother’s power but she knew that he stand there defenseless with his powers withering due to the wall of fire.

    “No, no,” she mutters, shuddering to what was about to happen.

    It only took her one little step before she felt a cold hand grabbing hers, and before she knows it, the wolves were struck with lightning. The force was too strong and quick that it was enough to have the wolf inside the flames to turn into ash, killing it almost instantly.

    Looking to the owner of the hands who grabbed hold of her, she was surprised to see him—the Prince. The man wasn’t even looking at her but the sea of black werewolves who are now surrounding the walls of the palace. His other hand rests on the handle of his sword, seemingly waiting for the right time to draw it.

    “Sir, what are we supposed to do?” One asked, upon seeing the sight.

    Prince V looked at the guards and dismissed them, “Everyone is to leave this place so we could spare casualty as we could. Notify my parents immediately.”

    “Sir!”

    He is a warrior, alright.

    These creatures had managed to break into the barrier and now stand in number, making Prince Kingsley to be utterly outnumbered. Thaddeus was more than confused about the morph of werewolves that he is seeing, never seeing one for the years that he was alive.

    Aeui, on the other hand, was focused on the man who holds her hands. He wasn’t looking in her direction, offering her no elucidation of what he feels. Even then, she could see the pissed expression in his face.

    “What are you trying to do, Aeui? Run to your brother and get killed?” He asked, voice angry as the lightning that flashed through the werewolves.

    Was that his powers?

    Lightning?

    She remembered hearing that four elements were his powers—how can he have something in relation to lightning if that was the case? Lightning is actually pretty fatal not only to werewolves but also to vampires. She saw the color of that damn lightning and it was blue.

    Blazing blue.

    It was like fire and thunder was flashing through the wolf at once.

    Remembering that he was asking to her plan, she could only utter a single word in response.

    “No,” she replied.

    He flickered his tongue, never letting his sight off of the upcoming waves of wolves, “So why does it seem like you are planning to run into him?”

    “I was,” she replied.

    He nodded, “So you were trying to kill yourself?”

    “V, that is f*****g sweet but I could use a hand here!” Prince Kingsley managed to scream as his flames died down. No more powers were fueled inside him as he hasn’t managed to cast his flames to vibrate to all of his body—that is why it would only take little time of him to use such powers.

    It didn’t matter before as he needed no more than three fireballs to kill wolves.

    However, now was different.

    They seemed immune—somehow.    

    How?

    Just as when the wolves were to step foot near Kingsley, another wall of fire erupted before him. Prince Crowde walked in ease as he cast fireballs into their direction, his eyes calculative at how they are now just affected with fires—and not all dying.

    “Make little to no movement, Aeui,” Prince V utters as he carefully placed the woman behind him, “I have to fight in a distance as their eyes were trained on you.”

    She all but gasped, surprised to his words, “Whatever do you mean?”

    “They fight to get you, so I need to make sure that no wolf will ever touch you,” he says.

    As Crowde helped his brothers to back to where they were all where the fires all died down. Walls of fire needed a lot of energy from the caster and now that they were done with one vampire who can make fires, they were at a huge disadvantage. It was about that time that Crowde remembered the man who was with his sister.

    “Any tricks up your sleeve, little prince?” He asked, looking to the man who uses his body to shield the woman behind him.

    He nodded, as his eyes were busy on growling wolves, “For me to do that, I need you to take Aeui away from here.”

    Prince Kingsley looked at him in horror, “Do you intend to fight them alone? There are around twenty of them, V.”

    “Now, if you must.”

    Both brothers looked at each other before listening to the man, grabbing their spooked sister who wanted not to let go of the man who promised to never see the face of danger. It took her one little look from the prince before she let go, believing his promise that he would come back. 

    She really wanted too.

    As fast as he could, Crowde grabbed both of his siblings before dashing to the opposite spot of where the fight was to begun. He had heard the news of V defeating an army of named creatures but he was always unaware of just how powerful the man was—no one is.

    “He can use lightning,” Prince Kingsley uttered.

    Surprised, Crowde could only look at his brother, “That is impossible.”

    “He did,” Princess Aeui agreed.

 .

.

Back to where the fight was, Prince V was calculative as he could.

    There were around twenty wolves and naturally, he could let the ground to swallow them but there was something different about them. He wanted nothing more than to experiment about them but he fears what his bride would think about that.

    Just as when he was to face the creatures alone, his six brothers, who had heard about the attack just arrived at the scene of the war. They all could do nothing but step back, surprised to see the wolves presented to them.

    “Are those even wolves?” Jovani asked, surprised.

    Johannes turned serious, “They are not normal wolves who we used to fight back in the training pad. What are they?”

    Thaddeus wasn’t aware of his brothers as he was nothing but eyeing the wolves who now seemed confused to not see his bride. From there, he knows that their desires were fueled by her sight alone.

    He doubts he can talk to them.

    They are all nothing but puppets.

    “Get out of here,” he all but says.    

    Their eyes grew aware and looked at him, signifying their attack mode. It was one thing that all of them know more than ever. As all of them crouch down and were to attack him, his brothers were nothing but worried.

    However, all of them seemed surprised as V wasn’t even fazed. In fact, all he did was grabbed his sword and everything happened fast almost as if it was a blink of an eye. V seemed to be only sprinted to the opposite side of where he was, having the wolves to still. And as soon as he pushed his sword back to where it was placed, the bodies of the wolves dropped into the ground before turning into ash.

    “What the f**k,” Sylvester could only mutter, surprised to see something like that.

    Nikhil nodded, looking at his brother, “That is right, he is a monster. In case you forgot.”

    “How did he do that?” Harrison couldn't help but ask. 

    “f**k, that was quick,” Johannes uttered. 

    “That is why, my dear brother,” Jaylen uttered, patting Sylvester in the back as he wanted nothing more than to dispose of any ideas that his older brother has, “It is better if you withdraw whatever you feel to the Princess.”

    Sylvester draws back, pissed at how they were delivering their words. It was only Jaylen, who holds the power of analysis to know that Sylvester has no means of defeating those number wolves. He would die before he would have finished half of them. While it was true that he control forces, he could only do it in small instances.

    He couldn’t protect the princess if he even tried.

    Sylvester couldn’t hold a candle to V, and that was a fact.

    Despite him being the second eldest and Thaddeus being the second youngest—he wasn’t strong enough to even draw a sword to V. It was a fact that everyone knows, that Prince Thaddeus holds the biggest responsibility.

 .

. 

Aeui paced back and forth, worried.

    It has been more than a couple minutes but she was nothing but worried. She had seen how many wolves he had to face and all the disturbing things were crippling though her mind. She wasn’t sure how she was able to stand at this point.

    What if he lost?

    No, worst—if he had died?

    As if on cue, a memory flashed into her mind. Tears were dripping from her face as the scenarios of someone dying for her has been too many for her to count. For years that she had lived in this realm, almost an amount of vampire had died protecting her. She didn't want anyone to risk their lives for her again.

    That's wrong.

    Prince Crowde was doing everything he could to heal his brother who was nothing but weak due to what he had done. He wasn’t even aware that his little sister was nothing but panicking on the side.

    Aeui, who was way too drown in her emotions, wasn’t even aware that her necklace has now died now and her mask had fallen from the floor. Nothing was shielding her face anyone and her mark was now all but welcome for anyone to see.

    “Aeui.”

    Her heart jumped, now having everyone aware that she was really alive and a human. Before she could look back to the source of the voice, Thaddeus was quick to catch her and whipped her back to where she was standing. He didn’t miss that her mask fell from the floor and her face was now nothing but bare.

    She stilled, looking at him with nothing but a surprised expression.

    His eyes never met hers, as it lingered all around her face and stopped to the what was below her eyes, one that was hidden whenever a mask was plastered into her face. Ever so slowly, his hands touched it and she was not aware more than ever that she was exposed.

    The Princess thought that he was examining her for any damages.

    But as soon as she noticed how his eyes had turned soft, carrying that damage written before him—she was more than sure than ever that he was going through something. She wasn’t sure what it was—but she was more than glad that he was safe and out of danger.

    “V, what are you doing?!” Sylvester all but screamed as soon as they caught up, a frown settling in his face upon seeing that his brother and the woman that he was interested in was that close, “Let her go.”

    He frowned, “She is to be my wife, why would I let her go?”

    Carefully putting her mask back on, he nodded upon seeing that no marks were seen from her face. He now understood more than ever as to why he was protective of the woman. It slipped his mind that there was a possibility and the numbers continue to rank high when he realized that she was human.

    He wouldn’t make the same mistakes.

    Not again.

    “Are you okay?” she asked, looking at his face for any damages, “My brothers could have helped you, why do you insist on being there on your own?”

    He all but smiled, patting her head softly, “You do not have to fret, as they are nothing but puppets. I have disposed of all of them without a scratch.”

    Sylvester frowned upon seeing his brother being babied by the Princess. He wanted to challenge him but upon remember just how he was able to kill those wolves without even batting an eye; he knows that he stands no chance. They never really cared about training or enhancing their powers as they were used to have Thaddeus handle everything.

    Now, he hated it more than he ever wanted it.

    Why didn’t he learn everything so he could at least have a chance of battling his brother?

    “So, she’s human?” Prince Jovani asked, looking at the female.

    She all did nothing but gasp, surprised to what was uttered. While it was true that she was unaware that they all know, she now thinks that she had managed to let them to discover it without being aware of things.

    Thaddeus was quick to notice that she was panicking. In an attempt to calm the woman, he grabs hold of shoulders. Surprised, she looked at the man who seemed to have warm hands now. Instead of looking at her, however, his eyes were focused on his own hands that were touching her.

    “How did you?” she asked.

    He just smiled, before shaking his head, “You’ll know soon, Aeui.”

    “Why does the wolf wanted to have her?” Prince Nikhil asked, making the Princess to look back at him.

    Prince Johannes frowned, “Is that even a wolf? That seemed like a monster.”

    Monster.

    Yes, that seemed more like a proper name to those creatures.

    It wasn’t like they needed to hide it sooner later.

    If she was set to marry the Prince, she needed them to know that having wolves who are not invited are set to attack any soon. By now, her parents must have been having a talk with the King and Queen with what to do to the next attack that would happen.

    Prince Jaylen looked at the Princess with a frown, “Why does Zahir want a human? That piqued my interest more than my own brother wanting to marry her.”

    “Zahir?” Prince Harrison asked, surprised, “Werewolf King?”

    Almost as if everything snapped, Thaddeus grew aware of her reaction to the letter. It almost surprised him to know that a female was interested in anything about wolves—let alone, Zahir.

    Now, he realized why.

    “You are the one that he claims belongs to him?” He asked, even though he already was aware of the answer.

    She nodded, sighing at what he needed to know, “Yes. That’s me.”

    “Did she told you everything?” Prince Crowde asked, confused.

    He only shook his head, “We saw a letter that was written by Zahir kept in one of the books in the library.”

    “That is unlikely,” Prince Jaylen uttered.

    Thaddeus only frowned, “What do you mean, brother?”

    “Those books are collected way before she was even born. If he was to say that he claims what is his, how can he claims someone who wasn’t even born?”

    He didn’t even answer, even if he already knows the answer.

    There was only one answer to that and back then, he was unaware of this phenomenon that is why he had given Zahir exactly what he wanted. If he was only aware of everything and was able to realize it before making an error.

    Everything would have been different.

.

 .

Princess Aeui was in her balcony, looking at the forest as her night gown danced with the winds. 

    Her mask was on, knowing that there might be someone who can see her at this very night. Everything seemed surreal to her now that she doesn’t quite remember why she got this life now.

    She was a normal person back in the human world, someone who was loved by her family for more than she could even ask for. There wasn’t a time where she was lonely. Her standard on the social ladder was on the top, as she was always popular that would mean that she wasn’t bullied.

    Even before though, she wasn’t mean.

    There was no mean bone in her body.

    Aeui was just a normal human who makes mistakes and would always do her best in life. She has a boyfriend who loved her, friends who see as important. Then as if everything was so against her in having a good life—it vanished before her very eyes.

    It all happened in one night.

    Her boyfriend dying.

    Her family slaughtered.

    Her normal life finally ending.

    She just can't accept that she belongs in this world.

    Aeui shouldn’t have been a part of this world for she was human—for the best part, she really was. However, thanks to the power that cast in this realm… her real identity was escaping through her every emotion. A sigh escapes her lips, wanting nothing more than to disregard all the emotions that she feels inside.

    The wind was refreshing, it was relaxing.

    She loved it.

    Ever so slowly, she closed her eyes as it kissed her face. The winds were like the only thing that she clings on whenever she needed to be calm but then again, it never lasted in this realm. Just as when she opened her eyes, a scream rippled in her lips enough to purse a lip from the man who showed before her eyes.

    “That’s one way to greet your fiancée,” he says, amused to the woman.

    She could only do nothing but back away, “You scared me, V!”

    “Vampires are always deemed as a monster to mortals,” he only says before taking a stroll in her room, “Why are you still awake, my bride?”

    “I can’t sleep.”

    He nodded, as if expecting her answer, “Was it because of those monsters who lurk around you or do you have insomnia?”

    “Both,” she all could respond.

    Confused, she all could nothing as the man looks around the room with her just idling by. It never really happened that someone other than her brothers was to visit her room. Not that she had invited the man, but it surprised her that he was here for her.

    Did he need something?

    “Would you like to have a walk with me?” He asked, never looking at her.

    Confused as she was, all she could answer was a smooth, “Yes, I would love too.”

    “Good,” he says before grabbing one of her coats and walking to where she was.

    Ever so carefully, he let her body be coated with the warm thing as the weather in the realm has always been freezing whenever the night was to visit. Human skins are fragile to cold and he doubts that anyone wouldn’t notice that she was way too coated for someone to be a vampire.

    “How does your skin react to vampire touches?” He asked as he continued on helping her in the coat.

    She gulped, but answered him nevertheless, “It’s cold.”

    “Do you prefer if I warm my hands whenever I needed to touch you?” He asked.

    “How do you do that?” She all but asked, confused as he had felt it before, “It was what my brothers would usually do—so, how can you do that? Does it belong in your power range?”

    He nodded, “Yes, in a way.”

    Vague as he was, she didn’t have enough time to ask him further as he was finished with helping her into her coat. The man needed no other words from her as he offered his arms to be linked to hers. Confused, she only looked at the man who never once set his eyes on hers.

    “Do you want to link our arms?”

    He only nodded, “It will be cold outside. So I’ll offer you some heat while you’re linked to my arms.”

    Needed no questions asked, she grabbed onto him and sighed upon feeling him heating it. It was like she has her own personal heater to grab onto and be warm all through the walk.

    As soon as they were on the outside, it felt like every gust of wind was like a pile of snow touching one’s body. Vampires were never really bothered by this—but humans? Extremely.

    Even if it wasn’t exactly snowing, it felt like it.

    It was all thanks to Thaddeus that she was feeling nothing but immune to the coldness around her. She trusts the man more than ever that he wouldn’t offer to give her heat if it would trouble him further.

    “Is that the same monster who attacked you back when you first got here?” He asked, now wanting more to learn what was after her.

    She nodded, “It was not them, per se. But it looked like them. They are configured DNA of a wolf, and I wasn’t sure who was messing with it.”

    “No, those are not,” he answered.

    Confused, she looked back at him, “Did you realized something?”

    “Those were puppets, Aeui. Set by someone to attack you. Even if they hold enough power, it was never enough if they double in numbers.”

    Puppets, she speaks in her mind.

    Then who has the power to create puppets to manipulate her? It was already obvious that it was one of Zahir’s yes men—but which one? Werewolves rarely have powers and whenever they do, it was one that once belonged to a vampire and all they did was nothing but merged the vampire’s blood into theirs.

    “Aeui,” he calls, igniting another thump in her heart.

    She hummed, never looking at him, “Yes?”

    “Remembered what I promised you back in the library?” he asked.

    “You are to face fights while making sure that you will come back to me alive,” she says.

    He nodded, grabbing the female to face him. Never did he look into her eyes, just the edge of her nose. Scared to know if he will be charmed to her powers, “Can you promise me the same?”

    “W-what?” she asked.

    “There will be a time where you needed to choose between yours and others and while it was brave of you to choose another—I need you to choose your own life,” he all but says.

    “But what if your life would be endangered versus mine?” she asked.

    “Choose your own life,” he says.

    She shuddered, not liking those odds. He sighed, flopping his forehead to hers. The very action surprised her, smiling at the warmth that continued to flow from her body. His hands that were used to be in her own arms were now circling into her waist, grabbing her near him.

    Heat hugged her body like a second skin.

    But why does she feel like she was to faint?

    Why does his skin feel so good to touch?

    “I will do everything to keep myself alive, so please promise that if we are to marry each other—you will do the same, my bride,” he says, his breath stopping in her face, “Please, Aeui. Promise me.”

    She could only nod, feeling her body succumb to his wishes, “I promise.”

    “Good,” he all but says before he continued on regulating the heat on her body.

    From the side of his eyes, he was now aware of a single vampire who was looking at them. Sensing that it wasn’t a threat, he pays little to no attention as he let his bride continue on accepting his heat. Things like this are why he needed more than ever to be calm.

    For he wouldn’t know what he should do if he ever loses her now.

    He frowned, looking from the clouds and was able to felt it before it could even happen.

    “We best head back, Aeui. It’s about to rain.”

    She was quick to escape his holds, now shivering in realization to what she had done. Thaddeus chuckled before grabbing hold of her, letting her again to feel his warmth.

    She will be a handful, he was sure now.

. 

 .

Sylvester gritted his teeth to what was shown before him, surprised this was even happening.

    There were times that he has lied to himself that no matter how much his brother was set on marrying the Princess, there would still be a little chance where he would have a chance in catching the heart of the Princess.

    However, now he sees that it was near impossible.

    For here she was, the Princess—cuddling with his brother.

    Feeling the water dropped in his face, he all did nothing but look into the clouds as his fist clench in nothing but anger. Upon looking into the clouds, it didn’t take long before thunder collides with the rain. The sight was highly unlikely, making him confused.

    However, that didn’t last.

    Looking to one room that was near to the clouds, he saw his brother—Thaddeus.

    “Are you okay there, brother? A Prince of your age shouldn’t play in the rain.”

    He gritted his teeth, “Back off, V.”

    Thaddeus could only shrug before looking back into the clouds. Confused as Sylvester was, he watched his own brother and upon seeing the thunderstorm growing louder and stronger—he was surprised to what he was seeing.

    Lightning?

    Isn’t his brother’s powers nothing but four elements?

    How is he doing this, then?

    “You know, she is set to visit soon.”

    Sylvester frowned, “I was unaware. Why is she set to visit? Under what reason was she allowed here?”

    “You know why, Sylvester,” he uttered as he continued on making the rain poured harder, “She heard the news of what you’re circulating.”

    He scoffs, “So, she’ll come to congratulate?”

    V looked at him as if he was crazy, by the loud crash of the lightning, Sylvester couldn’t help but back away from his brother. Despite his anger to the man, it never slipped his mind that he was powerful that he wanted him to be.

    He knows why he was furious.

    That girl will never accept the fact that he wanted to marry another person or someone who was way off of her liking—or her. Most of the time, he caught what her real intentions were. Despite his best interest, the female was not only holding a power that he hated most and belongs to a very powerful kingdom.

    “He likes you, Sylvester. It’s about time that you accept that,” V muttered.

    “What does got to do with this?”

    “If she ever heard that you are to challenge me for a hand of someone, what do you think she will resort to doing? There is no way that she would congratulate you,” Thaddeus all but said.

    He nodded, wanting nothing more than to finish this talk, “Then why is she visiting?”

    “She will visit to hurt her, Sylvester.”

    He stilled, realizing the reality of his words.

    It was not a surprise that the woman will be able to do something damaging as that. Especially now that he knows that the Princess was a human—he was more than careful that he could ever be. One single look from that woman and the Princess will surely perish.

    “That is why you aren’t allowed to come near her,” he says, finalizing his words, “Ever.”

    Sylvester did nothing growl at his brother, “You just want her for your own, is that it!”

    “I don’t care what you think brother, I am her husband,” he says, not sparing an emotion to him, “To what I want from her is beyond your own business.”

    “V!”

    “I am serious, brother. If she got hurt because of you, I will not think twice before drawing my sword to you.”

    As Thaddeus walked back to his own bedroom, Sylvester was to accept the heavy pouring of the rain with his own thoughts. His fights are clenched tightly, finding everything unfair to his own life. There were times where he was glad of his title of being a Prince—and now that everything was going haywire, he was unsure if he was even glad to his own title.

    He was growling while looking at his brother's room. That Thaddeus, always acting like he holds the most authority.

    Sylvester knows.

    He knew it better.

    He always knew that this day would come.

    He always knew that at some point, they would all push her to him. Without being aware of things, he was the sacrifice to catch the feelings of that creature as she was powerful and he, wouldn't have any choice.

    “Aeui,” he mumbled silently.

    He closed his eyes and lifts his face. Carefully letting the rain kissed his face, as the truths explode before his own eyes. He needed to calm himself down. All he needed to do was talk to the woman before she even insisted on visiting.

    Maybe then, there would be less chance that the Princess would be in danger.

    He sighed.

    Letting that girl see the Princess is the last thing that he'll do.