The Hybrid Princess

Part 9

Logan?

There stood in all his glory and confidence was the devil himself. His face was cold, bare of emotions.

"Good gracious. My daughter.. may I know why are you coming in here with an attitude like that? Have we never teach you manners?" Prince Nicholai, the consort of King Vladislav, his husband, scolded Sorana with soft but firmed voice. He stood at 6 feet 2 inches with a lean body. His eyes was beautiful, with thick eye lashes and stunning reddish brown pupils. Now I know where Sorana inherits her beautiful eyes from. However he had a coppery hair instead of brunette like Sorana.

Sorana stopped her steps and looked around the room. When she noticed Logan, she was a little surprised and a little irritated by the look on her face.

"Apologize, Lord Father. You see, I was kept in the dark of the news on the attack of our kingdom. This kingdom is my responsibility and I was not being informed about its problem?" Sorana addressed the whole room but kept her eyes hard at Logan. Logan just simply ignored Sorana's rude stare.

"We're handling it here. That is why we didn't involve you in this matter." Prince Nicholai answered patiently. King Vladislav just stood silently at the head of the table in the room.

"Handling it? Three thousand twenty eight casualties and you're handling it?! That's lives of our people, Lord Father. It may have been reduced if I was been informed about it!" She turned and spat angrily at her father.

"We have been handling it. It may have been hundred thousands if we're not handling it, my daughter." He exhaled. "And please mind your manners. I never thought you this way, my child."

"That's all I am to you, right, Lord Father? A child. You let a stranger here to intrude in our affairs but you left your own daughter in the dark. Why is this man here, Lord Father? He doesn't belong here!" She pointed at Logan with indignation.

"Sorana, mind your manners!" This time King Vladislav stood. Anger was evident on his face. "Apologize for my daughter's behavior, Your Highness. We have failed as parents." He spoke softly to Logan. He turned to Sorana and his tone changed, "for your information, daughter, if it's not because of Prince Lieschter assistance, many of our people may have died. Thousands of the attackers were coming in on different waves. His Highness suggested a unique strategy that have countered the attack of the siege and avoided high casualties in the process. So before you speak, think deeply and respect your peers and your elders."

"How can she learn to respect people, my lord? All she does all day was playing around and fooling with girls." Logan shrugged and smirked.

"You devil!" Sorana move to attack Logan and he just stood there challenging her. I pulled her before she did anything stupid.

"Stand down." I looked her in the eyes and conveyed to her that I meant it. She calmed somewhat a few notches down and I released my hold on her.

"Apologized for barging in unannounced, Your Majesty. It was a surprised for me as well for not being informed about this. As you know, winning the vampire protectorate championship in Nattbarn means I am responsible for any attacks involving any vampire kingdom."

"Yes, we apologize for that. It was because.. well, you are very.. umm.." he cleared his throat before continuing, "close to my daughter and we are trying to keep the news low as possible. We cannot let the news of the attack reached to our enemies kingdom as it will invite more attacks." My face felt hot by his unspoken meaning. I looked at Logan gauging his response but he just stood there silently without displaying any emotion. Somehow that secretly disappointed me.

I don't know what I was supposed to be expecting from Logan. Anger? Jealousy? Disappointment? Maybe deep inside I still hold that tiny hope that he is still she that I fell in love with. I realized then that I actually missed him since the last time I met him. That somehow surprised me.

No! I can't let my feelings for her mixed with the feelings for him. She is no longer here.

Seeing as I am not replying towards the king, Logan spoke, "as they are already here now, it's better if we just continue with our strategy in getting the rogues out of your kingdom once and for all, my lord." He addressed the king.

"Yes, yes. That will be best." The king turned around and sat back on his throne.

"Wait, hold on. Who's the attacker and what do they want from us?" Sorana spoke again this time calmed and determined.

"Allow me. Your Majesty." The first minister, Lord Pedrag bowed to King Vladislav. He just returned the salute and allow his minister to explain.

"It was understood that these rogues were originally from the Southern Kingdom. Believed to stage lots of attacks towards kingdoms and small villages to build their army. They wanted to take over - or in their words - take back the Southern Kingdom which were believed to belong to the Villehardouin family. Their leader, Prince Landrey de Villehardouin," he pointed at a picture on the projector and what I saw surprised me. It was the man that lead the attack and killed me. I sensed that Logan was looking at me and I turned to him. His face as usual was emotionless but his eyes showed that he cared.

"Oh my goddess! You're alive!"
"Bb--but that's im..impossible! I was there!"

He was there? No. I mean, she was there?

Just as I am about to close my eyes and succumbed to the darkness, I sensed that very familiar scent going around. I'm pretty sure I am hallucinating. I feel rather than heard chaos around me. Or maybe it was inside my head.

"Luckily you're brought back to the mansion in the nick of time. Or else, we will loose you, all of you. At least, now it's only your wolf."

Somebody brought me back from the woods. It's her! But how did she found me? She was out with the love of her life. Wait, where is her human companion?

"But why are they attacking us? We're few leagues away from their kingdom." Sorana crossed her arms and addressed the question back to Lord Pedrag.

"Well.." this time King Vladislav answered. "My father, your great grandfather best friend and assistant," he looked at Logan and continued, "Lord Vallen Dragomir, actually assisted the take over of the kingdom from the unjust ruler of Villehardouin. Furthermore, we kept their family ring in our kingdom possession."

"So they're after revenge and the ring?"

"Pretty much they wanted the ring. Because it will established their rights better on their pursue of getting back their kingdom." Logan answered in bored tone.

"Since five years ago, ever since the attack towards Prince Lieschter, they were pretty much known by many kingdoms, that and the attacks they staged of course. Many have tried to capture them but they moved like ghost. That is why Prince Lieschter is here, to stop them and capture them once and for all, if we can." Lord Pedrag continued.

Logan was attacked before?

Sorana snickered. "Served you right, playboy." She spoked so only I can hear.

Five years ago, that was the same time I was attacked. So he was the next victim of the attack. But why?

My thoughts were interrupted by the commotion outside the room. There was quick knocks and one of the soldiers came.

"Your majesty, there will be another attack on the eastern port of our kingdom. This time they came from the deep jungle of Bisera Forest."

"Very well, prepare to protect the area. Your Highness, lets do what we discussed earlier on. The rest of you, please do what we have assigned you on. Sorana, Princess Adara Reuben'Ari, you will be joining with Prince Lieschter. HE will lead. Sorana, I am sure you can follow orders, right, my daughter?" King Vladislav gave his order and waves everyone away.

Sorana wanted to opposed but I held her arms and gestures her not to fight.

"With pleasure, Lord Father." She answered sarcastically.

Logan began to exit the room without waiting for us and I pulled Sorana away to follow him.

This sure going to be a long day.