The News
Chapter Summary
Returning from their honeymoon, the newlyweds confront a conflict... will a happy ending still reign?
Before the gates of The Tundra Den, Sabrina and Divinity stood beside each other, holding each other's hands. They inhaled deeply and exhaled a sigh before the gate heaved open.
Both of them walked in together, comfortable and confident with one another. The citizens who peered at them from the windows, behind the carts, and on the pavements, immediately went clapping.
Soon, the den had gathered a loud cheering for the newlywed. Sabrina and Divinity flashed a bright smile at them before heading inside the castle. The hallways were dimly lit by the scarce sunlight flooding through the windows.
Sabrina guided Divinity towards the throne room where Stella and Seth were in the middle of a happy conversation. They were interrupted as Sabrina and Divinity strode forward with clicking footsteps. Seth, the King of the Den, swiveled his head at the young couple a distance away from him.
He rushed over to Sabrina and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "My niece! How I missed you," He held back the tears as he relished every second of embrace before pulling away and wiping an imaginary tear from his face. Sabrina chuckled and held her uncle's hands in hers.
"Uncle, it's nice to see you again. It feels good to be back with my husband," She gestured Divinity to step forward. He did and offered his hand out to Seth. Seth disregarded his extended arm and instead, gave Divinity a bone crushing embrace.
"Oh. A pleasure to meet you, Uncle." He reluctantly patted the back of Seth and managed to turn his lips up into a smile though it wavered. Eventually, Seth tugged himself away and faced both of them with a warm and welcoming smile. Stella linked arms with him and looked Sabrina up and down.
"I'm proud of you, Sabrina." She shifted her gaze to Divinity. "I trust that you will treat her well and love her eternally."
Divinity bowed down elegantly and with manners then put his head back up to gaze between Seth and Stella. "It is my duty as Sabrina's husband, to give her the affection and care she needs."
Sabrina looked at the ring which had been slipped onto her finger. "I can't believe this day had come. Before, I was unsure if I could claim the throne for myself then mom turned out to be alive but she still gave the throne to me. Now, I'm married and about to have a family."
Stella stole a glance at Seth who was late enough to notice. "Oh, time does have an effect on everyone. Now, enjoy your life, dear, and may you find abundant happiness in your binding."
Seth nodded, agreeing to his wife's words. "Indeed. Life of marriage may have its ups and downs but in the end, love will reign victorious," He captured Stella's hands and twined his fingers with hers.
Divinity and Sabrina held each other's gaze and grinned from ear to ear. "Well, the Lycan kingdom is waiting for us. We promise we'll visit you two more often!" Sabrina said as she had already hurried off to the exit while dragging Divinity with her.
Divinity cast one more smile and glance at Stella and Seth before he had been completely led away from the room. Sabrina happily held her husband's hand and pulled him towards the exit of the kingdom. The citizens bid farewell as the two raced towards the gates.
"Come on! I can't wait to see my mother and Lisa!" Energy pumped in her veins as a frisson of anticipation ran through her body.
Soon, they were beyond the walls of the Lycan Den. They strode hand-in-hand towards the pristine white palace sitting ahead of them. Two wolf guards bowed down and heaved open the large doors, light spilling out from within.
Down the corridor, the two walked, then turned left towards a long hallway that extended towards a balcony. "Are they inside?" Sabrina asked the wolf guard standing vertically beside the door, his face straight and solemn.
The guard eyed Sabrina and nodded. "Yes, they are, Your Highness."
"My husband and I would like to enter," Sabrina informed the guard before he opened the door to the Royal Library. The two crossed the threshold of the library and were greeted by several massive bookshelves filled with tomes and literary works.
A few steps away was a long circular mahogany table, Snowdust and Lisa were close together, inspecting a laid out map on the desk. The two had their eyebrows furrowed, chest tight in worry.
"If a war ever happens again, the den will be on lockdown. We will have to relocate to a more secluded island in our realm." Snowdust pointed at an island printed on the map and it was a far away distance from the den.
Lisa nodded in comprehension. "And if they find us?"
"I fear that a war may happen. It's a gut feeling. We'll have to secure alliance from other dens. Their military is what we require the most if we want them pinned to death," Snowdust lifted the pistol from the desk and aimed at a mannequin with sapphire bijouterie standing motionless near a shelf.
Lisa watched her and flinched as gunshot rang through the library. A bullet flew from the pistol and pierced an icy hole through the mannequin's chest. "Don't worry darling, I'll make sure you are ready to fight." She placed a reassuring hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"Whatever they plan to do, I won't allow our kind to fall. The God of Blood has instilled his trust in Amelia, The First, and it is the duty of the following generation to uphold that trust. We, the Lycans, are the highest of our kind and must do everything we can to keep the wolves from their downfall." Snowdust explained to her daughter.
Then, the two women noticed Sabrina and Divinity silently standing by the door, shocked at the scenery before them. Lisa raced towards Sabrina and wrapped her arms around her. "My dear sister! You have returned!"
Sabrina closed her eyes with a smile, gently patting the back of her younger sister who captured her in a long and tender embrace. "I missed you too, sweetie. How was the den?" She pulled herself away and peered at Lisa. Lisa fiddled with her fingers and glanced at her mother, Snowdust, over her shoulder.
"I think it's up to mom to give you that answer," Lisa refused to meet her sister's eyes. "I have an activity scheduled by mother. It is best that Ieave you three as soon as possible." With that said, Lisa hastily left the library. The clicking of her heels become faint as she briskly walked away from the library doors and disappeared around the corner.
Snowdust sat her pistol on the mahogany desk behind her as Divinity and Sabrina sauntered forward. "Auntie, may I ask? What was all that about?" Divinity asked, lifting an eyebrow out of curiosity.
Snowdust took a deep breath and turned around, her back facing Sabrina and Divinity. Her gaze slowly moved up to study the shelves in front of her, towering over. "I don't mean to impose on your merry time but last night, the guards have found peril outside our gates." She walked towards the mannequin she shot, with hands held together.
Her eyes inspected the sapphire necklace draped around the neck of the mannequin then her finger traced the hole her bullet caused. "What kind of peril?" Sabrina questioned, ambling towards her mother in unhurried steps.
Divinity nervously stepped aside, trying to look everywhere but his wife's mother who painted the whole room with her own aura. Her own strength and intimidation. "A pack of wolves were found dead. Two pups lost their heads, while the adults had much worse." She closed her eyes and tried not to think of the scene but the image of gore always threatened to frighten her mind.
"Oh my god," Sabrina's voice went low, covering her mouth with her palm then spun around to face Divinity. They both jerked their heads at Snowdust who added much more.
"Most of their flesh had been reduced to bones. There were bite marks that resembled a vampire's." Snowdust laid her eyes upon Divinity with concern. "I do not want to make you feel that you have a fault in this which you don't. It's just, maybe this is a sign of something terrible. Though, I don't wish my daughter to experience what I've been through."
"I understand. I love Sabrina so much. I'd turn against my own kind to protect her from harm," Divinity concealed his vow and Snowdust was pleased to hear those words from him.
"There is always time to think about these things. For now, let us all spend our hours on happiness. I have the Royal Garden prepared for you both. You two may stroll around as long as you'd like and maybe even do something together. You two have privacy," She winked as she neared her daughter and son-in-law. Then, she exited the library.
"Shall we check out the garden?" Divinity asked her.
She responded with a hearty grin. "It would be a pleasure to explore the garden alongside your presence." Afterwards, the two made their way to the garden.
The flowers blossomed with fragrance. A mist of bliss embosomed the greenery, the vivid landscape soothed the minds of Sabrina and Divinity. Sabrina sat down on a swing as Divinity walked up behind her then gently pushed the swing. He relished every second with her while inhaling the travelling aroma of lilies.
She held onto the ropes while her backside perched flat on the plank carrying her. "I love today. Though, the possibility of a war perturbs me." She let her thoughts out and Divinity inclined his head then sighed.
"I think we should follow your mother. She seems to know what she's doing." Divinity replied, continuously pushing the swing.
"Well, she was in The Great War. And everybody thought she died," Sabrina said, sighing as she lowered her head. "Two decades, I thought she was dead. But, she is one hell of a warrior surviving some battle."
"If it wasn't for your father and Kismet, she probably wouldn't be here by now. But, I trust her instincts. Your mother is capable of bravery." Divinity spoke, he was genuine with his words. He did have faith in Snowdust, in her skills in leading the den if Sabrina wasn't there.
"I agree. Even if I'm queen, I still need her as guide." She said, then she felt a stinging sensation in her womb. "Ow, what?" She looked at her abdomen.
Divinity ran towards her front and knelt down one knee, his hands searching her abdomen. "Is it painful? I should bring you to Doctor Leandro," He suggested as Sabrina widened her eyes.
"Div, I think I'm pregnant," She thought.
Divinity stared at her abdomen in disbelief and surprise. "Already? It's been a few days," He said, voice dripping with shock.
"But we're from different kinds. Who knows? I might give birth to a hybrid which is very possible as of now," She said.
Divinity considered for a moment before cupping her cheek. "Do you know what this means? It means we're going to have a family," He tried to contain his joy but it kept pouring out.
She smiled as tears welled her eyes. "We're going to be a happy one." She wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him.
A black bat overheard the conversation and flew away from the branch towards the ocean blue sky. The bat streaked towards gloomy clouds until it reached the fiery land of a vampire kingdom. It landed on the railing of a front balcony where a woman in a black gothic dress awaited.
The bat brewed up with charcoal black smoke and shifted its form. The bat returned to being a vampire and then addressed the news to his mistress. "Lady Amiraneed, Sabrina may be carrying a fetus as of current time. If this remains true, then your plan shall succeed."
Lady Amiraneed's lips turned up to a wicked grin. "I am gratified by your service, Lieutenant Isaac. It seems that patience is all that is left for us before we initiate a celebration for his return."
Lieutenant Isaac dipped his head down in grace, paying respect to his mistress standing before him. "You've done an admirable job, now I want you to come with me and bask at his tomb." Lady Amiraneed ordered him subtly then he trailed after her.
He followed her to a basement that had a spiral staircase leading downwards. It was a long and painful journey to the deep but it was worth the effort.
Lady Amiraneed ambled towards a spiky shrine with a silver goblet resting on its palm. She took the silver goblet in her hands and allowed Lieutenant Isaac to examine it, its intricate design and shape.
"This is where we shall fill the blood of the newborn. To feed him welcome after the land quivers to carry the feet of his return," She gazed at the shrine again, and beneath it were sacred papers lying inside a mini coffin. "We shall wait two or three months. Then, we will build up the momentum before we strike down the wolf empire, and Sabrina. That pup murdered my daughter."
Her hands balled into fists as anger boiled in her. "I can't wait to sense complete satisfaction once I look down on her corpse alongside The First Vampire himself."
Lieutenant Isaac smirked at this plan. "This is why I follow you, mistress. You will make a great partner to The First. I still remember how you commanded me to butcher those wolves. Oh, how I loved the smell of their death," He clasped his hands together and bowed down as he recalled the memory.
---
"Them dying near their den would be a good tease and scare," Lieutenant Isaac's brother, Harry, crouched beside him, staring hungrily at the wolf family lingering around the forest.
Isaac gazed at the little puppies happily stomping around near their mother wolf who sniffed at the bush near her. He watched hungrily then noticed Harry unconsciously lulled forward by temptation. He placed an arm in front of him to restrain him. "We need to attack at the right time," He whispered to Harry.
Harry responded in a low and insatiable growl, his eyes glowing red as it peered at the furry flesh of the puppies playing with each other. "Three... Two..." Both of them attentively looked at the wolves. "Now!"
Harry and Isaac sprang out from behind the bush and charged at the parent wolves who weren't quick enough to react. Harry swiftly burrowed past the ribcage of the father wolf and sank his fangs into the wolf's heart. He gulped in the blood that tasted like fine wine in his tongue then allowed it to flow down his throat. But, it wasn't enough to satisfy his blazing hunger.
Harry darted his eyes at a trembling pup and smirked devilishly. He displayed his sharp fangs at the pup, enjoying the smell of fear travelling up his nostrils. Then, before the pup could run away, Harry seized it and ripped its head off like paper then swallowed the detached head.
The mother wolf cried out in agony then her howl was intervened by Isaac's nails clawing at her eyes until she was blind. Isaac inserted the mother wolf's head inside his mouth and began chewing down on her skin. His tongue tasted the drip of blood swimming in his mouth.
Meanwhile, Harry tore off every limb of the puppy and swallowed it whole. He licked his lips which trickled with fresh blood. Another puppy laid on the ground, violently quivering against the blood stained grass. Harry snapped its neck before digging in to feast on its organs.
Isaac pulled off the tail, it detached itself from the body. Isaac bit down the tail until it was no more. All that was left of the mother wolf was its spread out intestine and scattered bits of brain. And some of its bones were left there. Isaac lifted a bone up and waved it on air like a feral. He watched his brother eating a pup.
Both looked up as their heard metallic creaking. They sprinted away through the night as the gate opened slightly, fit enough for a guard to slip through and follow the trail of odor and blood. The trail led the guard to her gasp and fright, as she surveyed the corpses of a family of wolves who were slaughtered by something sinister.
She knelt down and inspected their necks which had bite marks that resembled a vampire's.
The wolf guard instantly kicked herself back up and raced back inside the den and towards the palace. She swiftly ran to the throne room and burst through the doors then stopped, panting.
Snowdust stood up from her throne and stared worriedly at the wolf guard panting before her. Lisa ripped her gaze away from her book and looked at the guard.
"What is going on?" Snowdust asked as she briskly walked towards the guard slowly kneeling down, sweaty. Lifting the sides of her dress, she sprinted towards the guard in her heels and looked her over. "Is there trouble I need to solve?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow as she surveyed the guard from head to toe.
Lisa pressed the book against her chest, trying to push away the fear biting at her. She walked towards her mom and sidled up beside her, casting a fearful gaze at the guard now on her knees. The guard mustered up the words to send off her lips.
"A family was attacked and left to rot outside our walls. They had bite marks of a vampire. Their flesh has been devoured. The puppies lost their heads." The wolf guard was in the attempt of breathing again.
"Show me where they are," Snowdust instructed the guard and she nodded in return then led Snowdust to the corpses. Before they could leave the throne room, Snowdust spun around and cupped Lisa's cheek. "Stay in your room. I will be right back," She told her before carrying herself away with the guard.
Lisa ran back to her bedroom and hopped on her bed then tugged her blanket. The hairs on her arms stood up, her body was filled with dread. "Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay." She chanted to herself, hugging her knees.
Outside the gates, the wolf guard showed the corpses of the family wolf that were once happy, now crumpled on the ground without life. Snowdust gasped at the view then covered her mouth. She regained composure as quickly as she could then her arms fell back to the sides.
"Emily. An outsider or a kingdom of outsiders are posing a threat. My suspicions are putting a target on a dynasty's name. They want to scare us," She glared at the silver moon glowing at the sky, illuminating the shadows of the evening.
Emily, the wolf guard, bobbed her head at Snowdust. "Then, the army must act upon training again in case of a battle."
"Do ready yourselves just in case." Snowdust said. She swept her gaze around before heading back inside the den with Emily.
---
Lady Amiraneed cackled wickedly. "Snowdust thinks she has enough strength to pull me down but I'm just a part of what comes next," She drank the red wine from her glass as she admired the gray landscape outside her window. She then placed down the glass on the modern table next to her and turned around with folded arms.
"It will only take two months but I won't hinder you from hunting your prey. Just like hunting that young mortal from Tokyo. We're always hungry. We're built for that, aren't we?" She smirked at Isaac.
Isaac smiled, lifting up his glass of wine then took a sip. "Indeed. We are created this way and we are not banned from doing what we want to do. That includes impressing The First. Soon enough, the vampires will certainly rank higher than the wolves."
Lady Amiraneed took her glass of red wine and clinked it with Isaac. "To pending victory!"
"To pending victory."
---
Sabrina sat up on her mattress to pull the sheet of blanket over her legs. Divinity perched on a chair with crossed legs and a straightened back. "So, how many months do you think we're gonna have to wait?" He asked, his eyes staring blankly on the floor as if he was caged in a spell.
She tightly hugged her pillow, causing creases on it. "A wolf gets pregnant for two months or three. How about female vampires? How long do they carry their child?" She slowly shifted her gaze at him. Divinity took in a deep breath and looked up the ceiling, trying to recall the duration of pregnancy when it came to female vampires.
Then, he remembered. He answered her question calmly, "Females carry a vampire newborn in their womb for an estimate of three months. Three months because the process of cell creation is quicker than usual."
"That's extraordinary, and amazing." She flashed a smile at him then wondered what their child would look like. "I can't wait to have this baby with you," Sabrina stroked her womb gently, a tear crystallising in her eye. Divinity rose up from his chair and sat on the edge of the bed then his hand crept up to hold hers.
"I also can't wait. We'll raise him or her together. A child of our own sounds exciting." His lips brushed against the knuckles on her hand. "Raising our child would be a challenge, but it's worth it."
Then, Sabrina's heart dropped to her stomach as worry overtook her. Divinity noticed the change in her expression and asked worriedly, "Is something wrong? Do you feel pain?"
Sabrina did not allow perturbance to eat away the exciting future for the two of them. She shook her head and regained her smile. "I'm fine."
Their attention was claimed by the knocking on the door. "Come in!" Sabrina allowed then the door swung open to show three familiar people striding in.
"Yuki, Tatsuya, Asha," She called them one by one happily, her eyes lighting up with joy.
Asha and Tatsuya sidled up against each other while Yuki twined her fingers and gazed between Divinity and Sabrina. "So, we heard you're carrying a baby?" She said.
Divinity nodded, "She is. It's been a few days since we, uh, had fun but the process seemed fast though," He answered them.
"It is. If ever, we can leave military duty and babysit your little baby when it arrives," Asha suggested, her words caused Sabrina to chuckle.
"Oh, Asha, just stay in military. We need a fighter like you there." Sabrina replied.
Yuki crossed her arms under her chest then responded, "I guess I can babysit the baby. I don't usually have much tasks from the Army other than helping citizens in their daily tasks."
Sabrina inclined, harking. Divinity gave out his own form of suggestion. "I suggest we take a babysitter in case we need to travel far lands. We might have to since..." He trailed off, gazing at the ring on his finger. Then, he looked back up to the three standing near the bed. "For the safety of the kingdom."
Tatsuya glanced at Yuki then addressed his thoughts, "I think I can qualify for that. I've been babysitting my younger siblings so I think I have enough skills and knowledge."
Sabrina and Divinity held each other's gaze before looking at them with a solid decision. "Okay. You can take the job," Sabrina confirmed.
Tatsuya answered with a grin, "I won't let you down," He pledged.
Yuki rolled her eyes in her head, "I guess it's our cue to go now. The Army can't wait for war training," She said. Then, she led Asha and Tatsuya out of the room to give Divinity and Sabrina the alone time they needed.
---
Snowdust lifted up the hidden trapdoor fixed on the ground of the basement then she entered. Her mom showed her this secret area when she was young. She took an unlit torch and lit it up with her lighter. The torch was finally alive with bright burning fire. She dragged herself down a long tunnel that led to a pristine center chamber.
She placed the torch on an empty holder then a loud click echoed through the chamber. The wall ahead of her shifted downwards uncovering a torture room. "I will find your little pets, Margaret. Then, I can take away the answers from them."
She folded her arms and looked at the chains around her then her gaze darted at a cyan tinted crossbow. She bent down and heaved it up from the ground. Snowdust took an ice bolt and loaded her crossbow. Then, she leveled the crossbow mid-air until her aim halted at a skeleton.
She took a deep breath before letting the bolt slide out of the crossbow and plunge deep into the skeleton's skull. It cracked and exploded into a gray powder of dust.
"If they don't follow through, they shall meet ill fate," She shot a scowl at the skeleton. Then, she dropped the crossbow and held onto her cloak as she bolted out of the chambers and back up the basement. She closed the secret entry by pushing the lid of the trapdoor shut.
Snowdust exited the basement, her body aching with temptation to hunt down one of Margaret Amiraneed's most loyal subjects.
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