"Fresh cheese, Fresh eggs" Des screams at the top of her lungs to get the passerby's attention but fails, getting down from the table she glares at Crystal who was swooning watching her mate.
Making her way to where Crystal was, she pushes the girl who stumbles a bit.
"Stop ogling my brother, he has got enough of oglers. Instead help me sell our dairy and so that he can afford to rest a bit" she snaps at her and Crystal feels embarrassed.
"Do we have to sell them? Can you just not eat all of this?" Crystal asks Des who narrows her eyes and puts her hands on her hips as she stares at Crystal.
"Don't ask stupid questions Cry! Why do you throw carbon dioxide out and take oxygen in? Why not learn to survive with what you have?
I cannot wear egg shell to cover my body, I cannot take bath with cow milk. Or do you suggest we start to skin our cows and plaster our rooftop with that!" Des asks and Crystal stares at the girl apologetically for being so careless.
"I am sorry, Des" Crystal apologizes as she goes to help the girl, knowing how their lives were so different.
Even when Crystal and Destiny both girls did not have their parents alive, Crystal was raised between angels and with protection of powerful men while Des only had her big brother, yet the only thing the girl worried was about helping her brother out.
"You will be sorry when we go home with out a penny in our pouches" Des grumbles as she once again climbs the table and starts to scream.
Crystal wonders if she can use some magic to help them out but before she could think on it, a commotion attracts her. Turning around she finds few wolves running towards the village and her eyes narrows as wolves were not allowed to walk so freely in front of humans.
When a wolf jumps and crash onto a villager's shop, she gasps watching the wolf destroy the little shop the villager set up.
"These bastards" Des grumbles and Crystal turns around to stare at the girl in surprise.
"You know them?" she asks and Des nods her head as she holds Crystal's hand.
"Yes, this is why Connie never lets me come to market alone. They are the hounds"
"Hounds?"
"Yes, these are pets of the queen, a evil witch that she is, she send these goons of hers to collect our food, money and everything once a blue moon and they not just take away everything but destroy out things as well"
"Evil witch?"
"Don't worry, if we just let them have their fun, they will leave us alone and get out of here. This is why we never have enough money; she takes away everything from us while she wears lavishing clothes and leaves so comfortably on that palace high up in the mountains" Des informs and Crystal narrows her eyes as she once again watches the havoc the wolves are making.
"All Hail our Queen" someone shouts and Crystal gasps wondering if one of the palace guard saw her but when she finds all the humans get down on their knees, they chant hail the queen, she realizes they were just letting the fear of the queen in the humans.
Destiny not wanting these people to fear her tries to put her fear on the palace guards by stepping ahead but all of a sudden Connor is in front of her.
"Cover yourself" he hisses at her and her eyes widens at his demand.
"But..." she shakes her head no but he pulls the scarf around her shoulder putting it on top of her head.
"You..." someone shouts at them and Connor closes his eyes before slowly breathing out as he hurries to wrap the scarf and turns around hiding Crystal behind him.
"We said Hail our queen, get down on your knees, you pathetic human" the man snarls and Connor grabs Crystal's wrists tugging her down as he kneels at once with his head bowed down.
Watching her mate kneeling and bowing his head Crystal feels a sudden surge of rage within her for the disrespect towards him.
"What are you waiting for?" the man shouts at Crystal who grits her teeth but due to where she was, she cannot help but shut her powers to teach the guard a lesson so instead she silently kneels beside her mate wrapping her hand around his wrist.
*******
"We will be taking few of these things, our Queen suddenly has the urge to drink cow's milk and cheese. Feel lucky she is generous enough to let all of you stay in this village" the guard announce as they start to collect the things before making their way back to palace.
"I hope she gets stomachache" Des curses as she gathers the remains of her things.
"The queen..."
"Is a bitch, I wish she never gets her happiness"
"Don't say so, maybe she does not know"
"What kind of queen does not know what is going on? And why is she a queen if she knows nothing!" Des snaps in anger and Crystal steps back only to feel a hard body behind her so she turns to stare at Connor whose face was blank.
"Con..." she starts.
"Are you okay?" he worries as he cups her face and Crystal feels her heart skip a beat.
"Con..."
"Have you seen these beings before?" he asks and she stays still wondering how to answer him as she was one of them being.
"Uh..."
"Don't worry, lets wrap up and get going"
"Yeah, lets wrap up and get going Connor while none of you be a man enough to beat them and make them never come back to the village"
"Des"
"Do not Des me, it took hours to gather the hens and collect their eggs, they took it for free"
"Hey, relax Des, don't shout at your brother, you know we cannot fight them. They are dangerous and anyways, Connor good thinking with wrapping her face and hair, next time don't bring the girls to market, they take away the pretty ones remember" one of the villager advices and Crystal stares at Connor who just quietly gathers the things while Des scolds him.
*******
"Des is in bad mood" Crystal announces as she walks in the stable to find Connor cleaning the horse.
"It's better to let her be, shout, scream and take it all out" he states.
"So, how long have the palace guards have been troubling the village?"
"As long as I can remember"
"That long?" she asks and he nods his head before he rubs the horse's back.
"Have villagers never done to stop them?"
"What's the point? We make one run away and they come back with hundreds"
"Have they?"
"My parents died because of them, I don't know how the queen has the hold of these wolves but she does, it was a king before the queen and anyways, I already lost my parents because of them, now Des is all I have...
If something happens to me, there will be no one to look out for her"
"Des is not all you have" she replies and he turns to face her with a smile.
"Not that I wish or hope for anything to happen to you but I will look out for Des, so don't worry. No harm will come her way" she states and he drops the sponge on the bucket as he turns to face her.
"Promise?" he asks and she nods her head.
"Promise" she promises.
"Well, I am glad you are here, Des never had a woman figure in her life and most of the times I don't even know how to handle her so I keep quiet let her talk it out and later on figure it out as well" he adds before splashing the water on his horse whines.
*******
"You must have hate the wolves for the loss of your parents" Crystal starts as they walk out of the stable.
"I don't know how I feel to be honest. I was too young"
"Still, things would have been different if your parents were here" she adds and he stops to think about it.
"Hmm, Des would not have to worry about cooking and cleaning because our mother would do it for us, I would be in the village roaming with my friends, chilling with a cold beer in my hand and we may have few more brother and sister around...
But life cannot stay still because of maybes and what ifs" he states before he continues to walk towards the stream.
"Where are you going?" she asks.
"If I cannot have a cold beer, cold stream water will have to do" he grins before he continues to walk and, in that moment, Crystal decides to follow her mate.
"Can I join?" she asks him and he halts in his step.
"Uh"
"Life cannot stay still because of maybes and what ifs, Connor. So, I am not going to let them stop me" she smiles as she walks ahead of him while he just smiles and walks behind her.
*******
"Is there anything I can help around the house?" Crystal asks as she goes to sit at the edge of the water and dips her legs in while Connor jumps in the cold water.
"You are doing enough"
"Des worries about the rooftop"
"I will handle it"
"But all the dairy products were..."
"I said I will handle it. Selling eggs and milk are not the only way of our income"
"Doing odd jobs around the village is" she points as he dips in the water and she looks around when he does not emerge soon but a squeal leaves her mouth as he gets out of the water right in front of her.
He grabs her legs, holding her in her place.
"I am just a farmer so not a day will go by without food in our table, I may not be able to afford all the jewels you and Des may desire but I will provide you both with love and comfort, a house with strong roof, a home filled with love and laughter, a table filled with food and prayers...
I assure you I will try my best to provide for you and my sister, so both of you don't worry a single thing about how the roof will be fixed or where the money will come from, they took away our dairy products not my strength and spirit" he assures and his words melts her heart as her eyes wets with tears.
"Oh Connor" she whispers as she puts her arms around his shoulders before she dips fully clothed in the water with him as their lips meet in a sweet kiss.
Crystal squeals in delight this time as Connor twirls them around in the water as he smiles brightly her way, she cups his face before pulling him closer to kiss him again.
"Thank you" Crystal smiles as she stares at his face.
"Why?" he asks as he holds her in his arms.
"For being who you are"
"Uh welcome?" he frowns making her laugh.
"You are the best mate anyone could ever ask for"
"Mate?" his frown deepens.
"Yes, mate. Soulmate, don't you feel it?" she asks as she taps the top of his chest where his heart is beating.
"I think the cold is freezing your senses" he smiles before he pulls her out of the water.
"It's not cold, I feel things for you" she goes to explain but he shuts her with his finger on her lips.
"Whatever you feel, we can feel it together only after we get married not before it" he states and he eyes widens as she realizes what she was saying not making different sense to him.
********
"I will get you dry clothes as soon as we reach home" Connor states as they walk back him with his dry clothes while Crystal is stuck with her wet clothes and the towel around her body.
"Next time I will join without clothes" she mumbles clutching the towel tightly while he chuckles.
"There will be no next time because I am dying" Destiny's screech halts them on step and Connor head snaps at his sister checking if she was okay.
"I am dying" she cries and both of them hurry to where she was.
"What is it? Did you get hurt?" Connor worries.
"I am bleeding from between my legs, I am going to die soon. I think it's the queen's curse, I cursed her today and it seems she knows and cursed me back" she sobs and Connor stares at the bleed running down her legs while Crystal hurries to wrap the towel around her hiding her blood.
"Uh, excuse us" Crystal mumbles as she pushes Des inside the house.
"No, let me go. I need to be with Connor" Des cries but Crystal uses her supernatural strength to hold the girl back before she closes the door shut to explain Des she was not dying while Connor walks in the house to clean the blood.
*******
"Uh, so...Des"
"Yeah, I think I know" Connor nods his head as the couple shuffles in their feet in awkwardness.
"She will have some cramps"
"Okay"
"And she may get a bit emotional"
"Oh"
"Uh, you may have to cook for few days as she may not feel like doing it, I will arrive early to make breakfast so don't worry much"
"No, its okay. I can handle it" Connor rubs the back of his neck.
"Warm water helps if the cramp is too much"
"Do I need to do anything else for her?" he asks and she nods.
"A back massage if she feels pain or just ask her what she needs"
"Okay"
"The...uh...bleeding will last few days longer the first time" Crystal informs and he nods his head.
"How do you know she was having her uh...before she did?" Crystal asks him curiously.
"Well, I have animals around, so they do get...you know"
"I am not an animal" Destiny shouts from her room making the couple jump.
"Uh, yeah, emotional" Connor sighs before he glances at Crystal.
"Well, good thing the dinner is cooked, so guess I will be going"
"I will..."
"No, no. I can go by myself, you stay in with her in case she needs you"
"But"
"Connie, I can take care of myself, relax"
"Just the night when I promised I will take care of you" he sighs and she steps close to him.
"You promised to take care of your sister as well, and she comes first. Goodnight" she smiles as she gets on her tiptoes before dropping a kiss on his cheek.
"See you tomorrow" he whispers as he lets her out of the door.
*******
Crystal hurries to the palace and as soon as she enters the place, she starts with a displeased glare to the guards who frowns not understanding why she was displeased with them, before she demands the whereabouts of Antonio.
"May I know what is all the commotion is about?" Giovanni Antonio asks as Crystal walks towards him.
"Are we on some sort of financial crisis?" she demands making him frown.
"Of course not,"
"Then are we not able to look after the palace and the people who resides here?"
"Princess, wait a...."
"Do I have to sell my jewelries?"
"Pr..."
"I need answers"
"I will give you one if you let me talk" Giovanni snaps in irritation as he glares at the girl.
"When are we allowed to walk freely in wolf forms around humans?"
"What?" Giovanni frowns as she changes the subject and he does not understand anything.
"I need all the guards placed in duty here" she demands as she turns to order but Giovanni grabs her arm stopping her.
"Will you calm down for once and explain to me what has hyped you up or upset you?" he demands and Crystal glares at him for a moment before she takes deep calming breathes.
"Did you know the guards have been going in and out of the village, in wolves form, destroying their crops and shops not only that but they have been putting fear into humans in name of the queen which happens to be me, not yet but soon...
And they have been stealing from the villagers who have nothing to begin with" she explains and Giovanni sighs.
"Just that" he sighs and Crystal narrows her eyes at his expression.
"So, does that mean you agree to whatever they have been doing?" she asks and he shakes his head no.
"Of course not, we have enough around here, we do not have to steal from anyone Crystal. But, putting a little fear in them is not bad"
"It's not bad but a sin" Marisa voices which makes them both to turn to stare at the woman.
"Marisa" Giovani warns but the woman ignores him staring at Crystal.
"Fear only brings in hatred and weakness and that is not what the queen should represent" Marisa points and Crystal nods her head.
"What the queen should represent or not, I think it's not up to you to decide"
"No, but am I not here to teach her the ways..."
"Ways to dress up and behave not put your penny thoughts in her head" Giovanni voices displeased.
"If penny thoughts are more fruitful then I think she should put it in" Marisa challenges not giving up and Giovani shuts his mouth.
"I may not know the ways to rule..."
"Then you should spend more time inside the palace instead of running away from here" Giovanni snaps much to their surprise.
"I apologize" Giovanni mumbles as he realizes he had over stepped.
"Apology not accepted" Crystal glares at him.
"If you feel so" he nods before he excuses himself but her next words makes him turn around.
"Gather the ministers and every administrative officer, I will have a meeting with them in fifteen minutes"
"Excuse me?" Giovanni asks.
"You are excused, go call on them"
"It's after ten, Princess" he reminds her.
"I am sure none of them have slept a blink, drunk, in between sheets, I don't care. Call them up, now" she orders.
"Marisa" Giovanni sighs as he turns to the woman.
"Will be helping me to chose what dress should I be wearing for the meeting"
"Crystal" Giovanni narrows his eyes at her as she walks away.
"Connor" she whispers hurrying to get changed.
*******
"You have not fully taken the role; you cannot just call..."
"Next full moon, we will be having my coronation" Crystal announces.
"Excuse me?" few of the men protests.
"I am of age; I have excelled all of my trainings and I am sure by then Adrian will arrive as I have sent a missive to him"
"You cannot just announce"
"I can and I am, letting fear rule this place is fine but false fear is worst than the real one and I will never agree to it"
"I am sure we can control the visits the guards..."
"You are right you can control the visits of the guards but you did not when the right was in your hand but now that time has slipped...
We don't even walk in human world with our true form"
"They did not shift in front..."
"And I will never be okay with using my name or my family's to steal and destroy, the meeting is dismissed any protest will be taken personally by me, so you all either try to kill me tonight or before I take my place as the queen, either way your every movement with me or against me will be watched...
Your drinks are waiting to hear your displeasure and grumblings brought by me, so men" Crystal stands before she nods once and walks with Marisa beside her.
********
"Call the fucking guards that went to the village today" Giovanni shouts as thumps his palm on the table in anger.
"It's all your fault! Women can never be a good ruler they are nothing but ruled by their own emotions! Tonight, she orders her coronation next time she will order for our heads! We need to stop this, we trusted you Antonio, we agreed to this drama because you have claimed she was your mate but it seems your taste in mates change as women walk in and out of this palace" the man sneers and Giovani grits his teeth.
"Have faith, men, things will run in our favor" Giovani assures them.
"Not if she is crowned and mated" the man snaps before walking out of the room while Giovani sits down on his chair deep in thought.
********
"Shall I increase the guards at the door and window?" Marisa asks and Crystal shakes her head no.
"I can take care of myself" she smiles and Marisa nods.
"So, when will I meet him?" Marisa asks and Crystal frowns.
"Okay then, lets pretend I don't know and I never asked" Marisa points as she smiles at Crystal.
"Are you ready to talk about Giovani?" Crystal asks and Marisa sighs looking away.
"Thought so" Crystal nods.
"I wish there was anything to talk about but he rarely listens to me"
"I am sure he..."
"Men in our world will never see eye to eye with us, we are just to stay inside the lines they draw around us, if we cross, they feel insulted"
"Not all men in our world is like that, maybe you just need some time and guess change in scenario to look at it all"
"You will be busy for few days now"
"That I will be" Crystal sighs as she dismisses Marisa as she changes out of her clothes.