❝You... love me?❞ she whispered, and if it weren't for the perfect smile on her lips, her watery voice would have been nothing but distressed.
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Dev is a knight to the imperial family, an avid werewolf hunter, and utterly smitten with the E...
a/n Here's a sketch @SearchingAstronaut made of Dev and Princess Morrow :D
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The Holy Empire of Odrana was known for its disdain for creatures that were once integral to the fabric of Odranic society. Half a century passed and the divide between humans and these creatures split into a chasm wider than any mountain valley, any oceanic trench, or even the forehead of Devesh Odrasi's boss.
Dev Odrasi—an orphan of rural roots, an admirer of the art of hunting, and a member of the imperial guard—was an avid fan of this divide. Before her time, and before the time of many young folk, mankind ran with the wolves, sharing their food and their lust for blood. As civilization grew from these feral roots, the only blood they craved was that of their ancestors. The eradication of what they once were: descendants of the hellhounds, disciples of chaos, and otherwise colloquially known as werewolves. And now, they were hunters.
Dev was a hunter.
On occasion.
One didn't exactly have free time for leisurely hunts in the imperial guard, nor could werewolves be simply hunted. Such beasts were felled not by one man, but by many, and as a sport it was a dangerous one few were equipped to partake in.
For someone as drawn to the hunt as Devesh Odrasi was, the most appropriate course of action would be to join the imperial guard, which was precisely what she did. Her Emperor was known for his wildly successful, ostentatious hunts that took him from coast to coast across his empire. It was a dream to any hunter worth their word to join the Emperor on such a journey.
Despite joining the imperial guard nearly five years prior, the Emperor had no plans to embark on such a quest. His hunts and haunts remained local. In the imperial city, wolves were tough to come by. Those that were found traveled in packs, and while a dozen men could fell a wolf, it would take an army to take down a pack.
Said army could be found under the command of the Grand General Alberos, who is "the General" to us, "sir" to his underlings such as Dev, and "Al" to his mother. The General was a member of Emperor Dharos' prestigious inner circle, but despite this profound ranking, the General was not invited to the Emperor's birthday party.
Much to Dev's chagrin, she was invited. There were perks to being a member of the Emperor's knighthood, and for Dev, it all had to do with hunting.
Another facet, of course, had to do with the fact her Emperor had a daughter that Dev was simply smitten with.
The full name of the Emperor's daughter would be too long to articulate without sacrificing another 99 characters, but luckily, she is better known as Princess Morrow Dharos. Rumors and facts both agree that Princess Morrow was the sole reason the Emperor's travels brought him back to the imperial city where he has remained for almost two decades. She was his pride and joy, and an honor to serve and protect as an imperial knight and guard.
