Angel of the lake

Prologue

Demons flanked him on the left. Demons flanked him on the right. Beneath his boot, the snow crunched, crackling and flaking.

Guards lined the walls of the castle. Each of them were significantly smaller than the demons, though their faces were swarmed by masks of importance and responsibility. From their ranks, a small, stout woman pushed her way to the front. She wore a mobcap with a half apron tied around her waist.

"King Claudio," She greeted, face painted in friendliness and respect. "We weren't expecting your arrival any time soon. Although I'm sure the King will be terribly happy to see you."

Claudio knew this woman. Her name was Sue. Sue was the head of the castle staff in the Lupine Territories, recently anointed by the werewolf Queen. In the few years since her promotion, she'd become a familiar face upon his arrival here.

"I didn't realise we were expecting you," She apologised, wringing her hands together. "But I can have a suite prepared for you before nightfall and a fire drawn." She paused, staring at him carefully. "Though I doubt you'll need that. Your fire and all. Oh, no. I'll have a bath drawn for you and a meal made. Yes, I'll tell the Chef right away and he'll—"

"Don't worry yourself Sue," He interrupted with a polite countenance. "I won't be here long."

She nodded at such a speed it was comical. "Right. Yes. I should've asked you that first." She glanced over the gathering of demons—some of Claudio's best men. "But the meal," She offered. "You can still stay for a meal and a bath." Another glance. "Separate baths of course. Unless you want to-"

"You could tell Lorcan I'm here," He offered instead.

Claudio's arrival to the land of the werewolves had been something of a last-minute decision.

Gathering herself, Sue nodded quickly. "Of course. Right away King Claudio."

His heart went out to the little werewolf woman. Usually, she got more of a heads up with these sorts of things. Above that, he sympathised with anyone stuck dealing with him. Claudio was no blind fool. Self-awareness said he was intimidating. Dreadfully intimidating.

But the fact of the matter stood that he'd travelled here on a whim.

Some time ago, the Queen of this castle- a witch with the ability to see into the future- had divulged that Claudio's fated female would be a Valkyrie cursed to plummet to the lake of angels where she'd then be labelled as one amongst the fallen.

Now, Claudio had had years to stew on this fact and gather the information he needed.

Since then, he'd acquired the coordinates to this hidden lake and was fully prepared to go.

All he needed now was her blasted stamp of approval.

Claudio, fair and intelligent as he may be, had an impulsive tendency when it came to matters of the heart. His arrival here was simple evidence of that fact.

Sue turned to the castle, shifting between the guards. She froze up at the middle, sheepishly turning back in a fluster.

"I'm so sorry your highness. I seem to be in a bit of a blubber today. Please come in. I forgot to ask. You must be freezing." She thought on it once more and grimaced. "Of course you're not freezing—I'm sure that fire of yours keeps you warm—my manners. Please just come in Sir. My apologies."

Intimidation was a quality he was thankful for as a King. A King of a warrior demon species no less.

But as he counted down the days to finally meeting his fated female, a new insecurity crept up on him.