The Mating Games

Chapter Two:

PRINCE ARES:

The horn sounds as Nate and I appear through the clearing of the forest. To make things a bit quicker, especially after having to put Nate through that stop with the Nomadics, we decided to run the rest of the way in our wolf forms. I peer to the side and see his large, grey wolf walking only a bit smaller than mine. My wolf is a pure, dark, chocolate brown. This is to signify the purity of my blood. The wolves are represented with dark brown hair and eyes. My claws dig into the dirt in frustration from the long trip and we both watch as the guards open the gates to Apreez. The large, solid, stone wall was built after the city was destroyed by my mother. It’s supposed to provide extra protection or something. Nate and I both run through the lifted gates, bags in mouth and our wolves desperate to finally get home. I can feel the burning, sizzling excitement in my friend. He hasn’t seen his mate in over a month now.

“Let us shift here.” I mind link him and then turn to go into one of the guardrooms. When we walk out from opposite ends, we are back in our human selves. I chuckle at the way Nate is trying to wipe his face from sweat and dirt.

“Trying to look good for the lady?” I tease and his chest growls. I chuckle at how idiotic he looks right now. He carries on using his old clothes to wipe away at the dirt on his face, but it’s doing little to clean him off. We have been running through the wild for the past twenty-two hours. Our taxing journey, the mud from last night's rain, and the stench of our sweat are plain and clear.

“You know she won’t care what you look like, old friend?” I try to make him feel better as our legs drag us up to the castle stairs. We both look up at the thousands of steps ahead of us and sigh. Why do these castles have to be so huge again? I put my head down and walk up slowly. I would much rather live somewhere in the forest, but my father insists on me having a room of luxury. The castle has something like fifty rooms and suites, ten parlors, and who knows how many kitchens. Imagine what else could be done with space like that? We could house so many homeless. We could open a whole school or hospital.

“NATE.” A familiar scream echoes across the whole front foyer, almost rattling the mosaic on the castle windows. The birds that were relaxing on the front lawn even flew off. I smile as I see Nate stiffen. The guy looks really tired, but hearing this voice seems to have given him a new boost of energy. His nose lifts in the air as his eyes turn to the side where Linda is standing and panting as if out of breath. Quicker than ever, Nate runs up the last of the stairs and I chuckle at his body crashing into Linda’s. He didn’t even spare me another glance and by the time I got to the top of the stairs, they were nowhere to be seen. I chuckle again and shake my head. At least I know they are safely back together now. Before walking through the front door of the castle, I take a quick look back and observe the view. The air here is cool and adds a refreshing undertone to the atmosphere. I smile at the layers, upon layers, upon layers of pine needles and forest that stretch all the way ahead. The narrow, cobblestone paths of the town can be seen meandering into the distance and the castle is still standing strong and wise against the blue sky. I take a deep breath in. No matter how much travel I do and how many adventures I face, this will always be home and it will always feel like home. My wolf whines in agreement before settling.

“Ares?”

When I turn I see my father standing in the doorway, leaning across the doorframe in his best regalia. His muscles are still impressive and his presence intimidating. He looks like a true and powerful king, but what I see is the face of the caring man who raised me. There is care and kindness in his eyes and the small lines forming by his eyes are a sign of how time is truly moving along. Something in me stirs from the fact that I am always away from home. His eyes scan over me quickly, I guess making sure I am fine before a smile appears on his face.

“Father. It is good to be back.” I say as I pull him in for a hug. We stay like this for a while. Father and son. It’s always been us against it all.

“It’s good to have you home, son.” My father responds and we pat each other's backs and pull away. He picks up my bag and we start to move inside. I can see him peeping at me and internally chuckling.

“Something funny?” I tease.

“Well, every time you come home you look wilder and wilder. It’s like these trips out in Zenox ignite something in your primal self. You and your wolf look content. It makes me happy. It would make your mother happy.” He trails off at his last words and I feel a small part of him sadden. He quickly recovers and laughs as he looks at me watching him.

“You look like a wolf in human form with that beard, boy!” He chuckles and I join him. I will admit that sometimes I do let these trips get away with me. I haven’t shaved in weeks and even though I packed a blade, I couldn’t be bothered. I don’t travel to look good and sometimes the beard makes me a bit less recognizable. My father and I head up the steps both in silence and he drops my bag in front of my bedroom door. The mahogany wood is still tainted slightly black from the fire all those years ago. The carvings are what I like best; A wolf howling up to the moon and another, smaller wolf standing and watching over by the sun. I always imagined that the smaller wolf was my mother, watching over me and keeping me safe. That was what my father used to always say, anyway. My eyes wander back to where he is standing. He hasn’t said anything about why he wants me to be back here.

“Father, is everything alright? You rarely call for me.” I had to ask as the question was eating up at me the whole way here. His eyes scan over me, his expression a little difficult to read and his body stiffened. He doesn’t look distressed and his aura isn’t giving away negativity, so it cannot be something too concerning.

“Are you in trouble? Have you met someone?” I start rambling as I pick up my bag. Why would my father call me back here for something that isn’t bad news? Thousands of scenarios plagued my mind on the way here. Some good and some shockingly bad.

“Goddess, you aren’t giving me the crown already are you? Father, I am not ready…” My eyes widen as the words come out faster than my brain can reel. He laughs deeply and I start to become even more confused. His laughter is filled with amusement and his expression is one that tells me I am overthinking things. Clearly, he hasn’t called me here to take the throne either. So what?

“Ares, you needn’t concern yourself, my boy. We will chat in the morning over breakfast. I had the maidens put dinner in the warmer of your room. Now, get some rest and shave the bladdy beard off, will you? You look like a Neanderthal!” My father laughs loudly and I smile at his words. At least my trip hasn’t seemed to dampen his humor and that brings me a huge relief. My eyes scan over him one last time, seeing that he looks more than fine. In fact, he even looks like he is wearing a gleam of excitement. Maybe the news is good news after all? I nod and wish him good night before heading back into my room and the smile never leaves my face as I hear his laughter all the way down the castle halls. This is why he is such a loved and cherished man and King. He is great, fearless, and mighty, but he is also so in touch with his human side and offers so much personality to not only Apreez but the whole of Zenox. I quickly dump my bag on the closest chair, deciding that the contents can be tomorrow's problem. I can smell the plate of freshly cooked and marinated meats in the warmer but decide to catch a hot shower first. No matter how delicious the food smells, I haven’t had a decent wash in a week and the thought of using soap seems more appetizing than a meal. My room still looks the same with its accents of black and forest green within a large space of dark wood. I am not sure how or why I chose these colors, but green has always been my favorite and just speaks to something inside me. I smile at the open space. It really is one fit for a king, it’s just a pity I am never here!

*~*

A soft tapping hits my door and I turn to face it as I roll on my shirt.

“Enter.”

One of the maidens comes through and I just about smirk at the pink blush on her cheeks.

“Ah, good morning Trinity. How are you doing these days?” I ask the little maiden that happened to catch a glimpse of my chest and stomach muscles. I don’t try very hard, but being an alpha wolf has blessed me with a rather great physique. Not to mention the amount of natural exercise I do on my adventures out. Trinity’s soft, blonde curls bounce as she moves closer and I am once again reminded of why I have her as a usual muse around here. Sure, she’s a maiden in the castle, and relationships with them are strictly forbidden by my father, but how can I resist her submissive, little wolf? That and the fun of sneaking around my father.

“We sure did miss you here, my Prince.” She whispers softly and I smile at how shy she is acting. Always shy, but never in bed. I grin at this.

“Why are you here, Trinity?” I say as I step closer into her personal space. I feel the heat of her aura picks up.

“Y-Your father- uh…” She tries to say as I take one of her golden locks of hair in my fingers.

“My father, yes?”

Her brown eyes look up to meet mine and I see the lust forming in them. Should I continue this?

“Your m-majesty has asked f-for you to meet him for b-breakfast, my Prince.” She stutters and I smile as I drop her curl. Let’s rather not do anything about this. I need to get to my father so that I can find out why I am here and not balls deep in some other magical creature somewhere in the land. I nod at Trinity and I see the disappointment in her eyes as I step away. Too bad.

“Thanks. Unpack my bag for me, will you? I have some items in there that haven’t been washed since my last visit here.” I say. Trinity looks shocked but composes herself well. Good girl. I quickly grab my bottle of water and smile at the cleanly shaven reflection in the mirror.

“Oh, and please make sure to clean the bath. I made a bit of a mess of it last night. Happens when you don’t have clean water for weeks!” I laugh and leave the room. I know I sound like a spoilt brat right now, but Trinity must know her place around here. My feet pound their way to where the dining room is. It’s a decent walk across the castle, but the journey is one of delight anyway. My eyes scan over the many paintings that I have seen a thousand times over. There are so many, if not hundreds of specially designed and professionally painted portraits of my father and I spread all over the castle. My eyes search the walls for my favorite one and I smile as I see it against the red wall. It’s a picture of my mother. Her dark, curly hair is pinned up into a bun as she smiles towards the artist. I have her hair, only not the curls and I also have her refined cheekbones. Her face has a softness and a warmth that I can’t explain and certainly don’t share. I have my father's refined and sharper features. My favorite part of my mother was her eyes. One eye was the deepest and most perfect shade of brown, much like every other werewolf in Apreez. My eyes shift to the other eye, where she boasts a vibrant shade of purple, almost like that of the lavender in the garden. That was her witch side. I sigh and shake my head. She had different eye colors because she was a hybrid. Each eye showed off her two, magical parts and even though she was once loved for this, it was the very nature of her genes that ended up destroying her and many others. I lower my gaze and keep my head low all the way to the dining hall. My mother may have been a beautiful woman, she may have birthed me and been a great mate to my father, but nothing excuses how she chose to end her days here. Nothing excuses the lives she ended all because she couldn’t control herself.

“Ah, my son, looking a lot more refreshed, I must say!” My father booms as he glides some morning ale mixed with orange juice into his mouth. I laugh as he slides a glass towards me.

“Yes well, the castle does provide homely comforts that the bush does not.”

“I am not sure why you let yourself sleep in tents on your journeys. You know I could organize a whole guard for you to set up better sleeping arrangements. You are a Prince and you needn’t sleep like a pauper.” He responds. I take a slice of ham and place it on the freshly baked goods on my plate.

“I prefer to keep it discreet on these trips, father. Sometimes I spend time with those less fortunate than I. What good would it be for me to flaunt my wealth to them?” My father lifts his eyebrow and laughs at my comment.

“You mean sometimes you like to shag the lower-class women and would prefer to not let them think of you as a womanizing prince, hmm?”

My silence makes him laugh and I roll my eyes at his words.

“I care not what women think of me, father.” I insist and he only laughs harder.

“You say that now son, but one day you will find a mate or even take on a chosen mate and then they will have a bit to say about all the gossip from the trolls.” My father responds and I let out an annoyed groan. The trolls in Zenox love to spread gossip. They run a type of newsletter that lets anyone and everyone in on the latest news across the realm. The general public loves it, but anybody is of royal or noble blood hate the limelight it sheds on our personal lives. No matter how many times we have tried to catch the sneaky bastards, we just cannot. They really are a tricky, little bunch. My grip tightens on my fork as I recall their previous newsletter; One that advertised my member as a sucker for all those in the realm that enjoy sharing their lollipops. They were even asking women what flavor they think I am! My father's rumbling of laughter gets me out of my thoughts.

“Can we get onto more important matters, father? For example, why did you call me here?” I clip out and my father's laughter slowly fades. He has tears in his eyes from laughing at his own son's fame on the gossip panel. f*****g trolls! My father clears his throat.

“Well, as you ought to know, the Spring Equinox is fast approaching…” My ears perk up and I look at my father become a bit more serious. He is still sporting a smile and warm glow.

“People all over Zenox are preparing their festivities for the annual event. It is a tradition that each year a royal or noble family hosts an event for all elite members of Zenox to join in on and this year it is going to be here in Apreez!” My father beams as he says this but for a moment I forget to swallow the food in my mouth and my chest starts to rumble as a choking fit takes over.

“Whoa, father, wait…” I cough again.

“That annual Mating Games s**t is going to be here this year?” I ask again. My eyes are watering from the bagel that’s still only halfway to my stomach. My father laughs again.

“Yes! Isn’t that exciting?”

“NO!” I boom in response.

“You called me back here, from my trip, for some ridiculous games?” I ask now feeling rather irritated that this is the reason for my return.

“I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WHEN YOU CALLED ME BACK!” I say a bit louder.

“Oh, son. Don’t be like that. I need your help hosting the event. It was our turn to host it and you know from before how crazy it can all become. I needed my son with me.” My father says now more honestly. I groan and roll back into my chair as a hand slides over my face. This is NOT what I wanted to hear from him, but I also know he isn’t wrong. The Mating Games are held every year at a new noble or royal house in the realm. It takes place over the course of around ten days and is one of the biggest opportunities for the elite magical families in Zenox to meet, hopefully, find their mates, organize or take on chosen mates and just indulge in lavish, over-the-top, wild, and obscure forms of entertainment. Usually, it’s the young, unmated offspring of all the families that take part in the actual “games” part which consists of a series of fun and sociable events. All of this is done in the name of choosing someone to share the night with when the s****l tension is at its highest with the spring equinox. The parents join in and just sort of “watch the space” as their young make fools of themselves in falling in love and participating. It’s an absolutely ridiculous concept to me and I am usually away on my travels when these games happen. I have only been to one when I was much younger and I hated every part of it. First off, the women in these noble families are so desperate to fall in love and have a man sweep them off their feet that they will do ANYTHING in the games to get ahead. Second, the men walk around like big machos who think they own the realm.

“Father…” I try to protest.

“Son, please? It will look wrong if I host this without you. Besides, I have NEVER forced you to come to any of these events before. The families in other lands have wondered why you keep yourself hidden. The trolls even went as far as saying you perhaps find yourself to be…”

“DO NOT FINISH THAT!” I hiss as I remember what the trolls said last year when I didn’t make an appearance at The Mating Games in the Witches territory. They wondered if my absence was due to being “ungifted” below the belt and incapable of conceiving a child. This is a huge insult to any wolf! My father laughs again and I raise my eyebrow at him.

“Well, they all arrive the day after next. I have to get Apreez ready for all the nobles as they arrive. I have already set out the order of events for the games and all is in order. I just need help making sure it goes smoothly. Spring Equinox is a special time, Ares. Many people end up finding their true loves, their mates, or take on chosen as a result of these games. I will be damned if I don’t offer these families the best of the best in terms of luxury, parties, and special moments leading up to a highly anticipated and sexually charged evening. Perhaps you may even find yourself enjoying the event, hmm?” His suggestion makes me groan further.

“Father, I can think of better things to do than prance around with obnoxious ladies who think…”

“Ares, I wasn’t ASKING for your help. As your KING, I DEMAND it. As your father, I say try to make the most of the next two weeks. We both know that you hardly need noble ladies to keep your bed warm at night.” My father’s response shocks me and I see his eyes flicker to the door, where Trinity is standing and twiddling her thumbs. My eyes snap back to his. This is the King speaking to me now, not my father and I know his word is order.

“I have let you roam around at your own accord for all these years. This is one of the first times I have ordered you to fulfill a duty here. I am not asking you to participate in the games, but I am TELLING you that you need to help me make sure these games are ones that may never be forgotten by all. Some of my dearest friends are coming and this place needs to be transformed for the event.” He says again and I hang my head to avoid eye contact. I know that whilst my father is like this, it’s best for him to not see the truth in my eyes. My defiance, irritation, and anger at being here, for this reason, will only make him all the more demanding of me.

“Yes, Sir.”

Silence.

“Good. Now, have a good day, son. I will be in my office.” He says before leaving and not allowing for any further debate. Only once the door closes and I hear his steps fade away to I let out a loud curse and bang my fist on the table.

The f*****g MATING GAMES! Here, in the castle. Here, in my own house and home! I slouch on the table at the thought. So much for rushing home because I thought my father needed urgent and serious help! He just f*****g needed me to play the perfect prince in his little social event.

It’s going to be the longest ten days ever.