Chapter 233 Chapter 232
"I am not here to make conversation, young lady! All I want is for you to surrender your food reserves, or we shall be taking it by force!"
Rayena's brows furrowed slightly. Why would they need their food reserves?
"You do not need to resort to violence, Great Commander!" Rayena cried out. "We will be willing to share our food reserves with you if you tell us why you're here!"
"And who the hell do you think you are to be asking me such questions?!"
With an unwavering voice, Rayena yelled right back. "My name is Princess Rayena Atkins, daughter to King Francis Atkins and heir to his throne."
"Rayena?! That name sounds familiar. Wait... Aren't you King Xenon's human whore?"
“Mate,” Rayena corrected, her voice low and lethal. Her heart raced at the mention of Xenon's name, but she balled her hands into fists and continued speaking. "Use the proper term
if you're going to address me as such."
The corner of the commander's lips curled into a sneer.
"Come to think of it, we have been looking for you. You just might be coming with us."
Rayena’s jaw locked, the tremor in her limbs betraying the storm in her chest. Fear rose like bile—but she swallowed it, forcing steel into her spine.
The commander's eyes narrowed dangerously, irises flashing a different color.
"Let me be very clear,” the commander barked. “Your walls won’t hold if I give the order. So you have two choices, Princess: One, Watch your people starve and burn Or hand over your stores—and yourself—as a show of goodwill."
Rayena swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling her heart pound in her chest. Still, she held his gaze.
"You will get your grain,” Rayena replied, her voice cutting through the wind like a blade, “but only once my people are unharmed and your army withdraws fifty paces from our walls.
I won’t negotiate with claws at my citizens’ throats."
Soraya stepped forward, chin raised. “If you take her, you take me. A MoonClaw does not abandon her own.”
"Who's that?" the commander asked, glancing at the new person.
"My name is Lady Soraya, from the noble werewolf House MoonClaw," Soraya announced, coming to stand next to her.
"Who you are is none of my business. Now load up the grains!" he thundered.
"They're coming, you oaf," Rayena mumbled under her breath as she walked away.
"Tell our men to give these miscreants as much grain as they need so they can get out of here," Rayena muttered to a nearby soldier, glancing back at the army.
"Yes, Your Highness." The soldier bowed, walking away.
.
.
.
When Francis heard the news of what his daughter had done, he was positively furious.
"How dare you go out and strike a deal like that?" he shrieked, gazing at his daughter who had now returned. "Giving them all of our food reserves?! What will I have left to take care of our people? What's worse, you offered to go with them!!?"
Rayena glanced at him, taking a deep breath as she replied, "Better this than for them to destroy the kingdom. Didn't you say that yourself once? You have a lot of things to protect — Mom, Daviel, your people. I can go with them, and Soraya has agreed to follow. It's a small sacrifice."
Her father opened his mouth in shock, but no words slipped past. Beside him, Remeta was crying softly.
"Please, rethink this, my dear. You don't have to go with them. We can give them everything we own so you can stay here with us. I can't bear having you so far away!"
Seeing her mother so distraught, Rayena's bravado faltered. She gently reached for her mother, pulling her into a hug. Very gently, she patted her back, trying to offer some comfort. "I'm sorry if this decision hurt you, but I can't think of anything else we can do. I believe no harm will come to me, and I also don't want any harm to come to you either. Please, let me just do this," she muttered.
Her mother sniffed and pulled back, cleaning up her tears. Behind her, Daviel clung to her dress, looking up at Rayena with puppy eyes.
"Big Sister... where are you going?" he asked in that adorable voice of his, twiddling his thumb.
Rayena's heart fluttered, and she lowered herself to be at eye level with him. "I'm going for a little trip. I won't be staying long. Take care of Mom and Dad, will you?" she asked, ruffling his hair.
His lower lip trembled. "But... I'll miss you," he muttered, fiddling with his clothes.
"I'll miss you too, my sweet. But I won't be gone for long. I'll always come to visit," she said with the sweetest smile she could muster.
"Promise?" He held out a pinky finger.
Rayena hesitated briefly, remembering that moment when someone special to her had promised to be there for her and never showed up.
Stop thinking about Xenon, you jerk, she scolded herself, and placed her finger in his. "I promise."
Daviel gave a small smile then, reaching to hug her. "Goodbye, then."
Rayena prayed to the heavens she would be able to keep her promise. "It's not a goodbye. It's a 'see you soon,'" she said, pulling back to tug at his cheeks. He gave a cute giggle.
"That's my baby," she said, rising to her feet. "I guess this is it. I'll see you later, Mom, Dad. I apologize for not respecting your wishes."
Soraya came to join her. "I've packed all our things. It might take until nightfall for the soldiers to finish packing up their grains. We might have to wait."
"That's no problem. I hope they aren't causing any problems."
Soraya shrugged. "They're too concerned about the food they're receiving. But the soldiers are keeping a close eye on them, and we've moved the people to safe houses just in case."
"That's good news," Rayena said.
"I'll go keep an eye on them," Francis said, giving his wife a brief kiss on the cheek before walking out with his guards surrounding him.
Rayena waited till the werewolf army finished loading the grains they had stored in their reserves and began their journey back to the Shifter's realm after gathering enough from months of pillaging other kingdoms.
"Are you ready?" a soldier asked, and Rayena nodded.
"Yes..." she said, her voice trembling slightly.
They loaded their things into a carriage and followed behind the army. Rayena's heart raced at the thought of being back there yet again, but she wore a brave face. This time, she had a reason. She was no longer the same naive girl who had been dragged there against her will.
Their journey back to the Shifter's realm had begun.