Chapter 125 Commencement
Melissa had been sitting on her throne, in the same posture for thirty minutes and smiling at everyone. Maids and other citizens came into the throne room to get a glimpse of her. They all wanted to see how beautiful the Luna was. She could hear a series of murmurs from outside the throne room discussing her.
Some were even discussing how elegant both her maids looked. Melissa shook her head, she wasn't interested in any of this. And she knew if this lasted ten minutes more she would scream. But luckily for her, after about five minutes, a procession from outside announced the arrival of the king. Everyone in the hall stood up, except Melissa. She was the Luna, hence she was the host. The rest of the people were the welcoming party.
The entire room went silent, then a drumbeat boomed across the room, then another. Soon a symphony of multiple drumbeats filled the entire room and a large beat sounded, behind them in synchrony to the other beats. It was as if a warrior was walking in.
The first person that broke through the palace jumped forward and cartwheeled his way into the throne room and cheers came in. He was a barechested man, that even Melissa agreed was aesthetically pleasing. The man did multiple stunts then rolled towards her and bowed.
Then ten uniformed men entered, with large staffs hitting the ground, as they marched in with a ferocious synchrony, slamming their staffs on the ground, growling the name of their leader as he walked in.
"Hance! Hance! Hance!" They bellowed, their voices filling the hall.
Melissa smiled wide, she was enjoying this more than she expected she would. Maybe the ceremony wasn't all that bad afterall. The drumming on the ground, the calling of their Alpha's name, all excited her. Maybe she wasn't supposed to be a Luna afterall, because this was supposed to excite little girls not queens with a crown of bones on their heads.
Then Hance stepped in through the door and Melissa could almost stand up and clap. He actually fit the entire procession. He looked exactly like a warrior- like a demigod as a matter of fact. He stood at almost seven feet tall with muscles that matched his entire posture. His skin was fair and he had blonde hair, shaped like he was a prisoner of war. In his hand he held his crown and his eyes were deep blue, with a slash scar above them.
He was wearing a large purple overall and within it a military attire, and a sword was hanging down his belt. He walked towards the Luna and an entire party followed him. Melissa recognized Dearmond and his other ambassador. She couldn't help but grin, this was about to start and for the past week it was all they had been planning, scheming and working towards.
"Lady of Dunham!" Hance said right in front of her. "Do I have your hospitality?" He asked, stretching his right hand.
Melissa smiled heartily at him, then stood up. "People of Dunham!" she hollered then paused. She did this on purpose, putting everyone on suspense as an eerie silence descended on the entire room. The staff men had stopped hitting their staff, everyone had stopped talking. This moment, as simple as it seemed, could start a war or be the beginning of a meaningful alliance.
In one of their history books, there was one king who'd spit in the hand of the guest whom he was supposed to welcome. He plunged the country into a seventy year war. It wasn't just a mere gesture, it was a thousand year old tradition that was founded by the wolves who fought for their freedom and their identity. So it wasn't anything they took lightly.
"Welcome our guests from the mighty Vance pack," she yelled, gripping the right hand of Hance with hers and the king smiled.
Then the king helped her down from the throne pavement and they walked together as they headed outside the throne room, their council members holding each other's hands. Directly behind her and Hance was Avalors and the beta of Hance, who surprisingly was a woman.
Melissa exhaled as they matched all the way into the great hall of the castle. She opened the door, and the regional leaders were already ready to welcome them. Margaret was the one who took them in, leading the Alpha to where he would sit and so did other members of the regional castle lead all others.
Soon enough they were all seated and the doors were shut. On her side were six councilmen and ten regional leaders and her Beta, her diplomat, Margaret and the head of security of Dunham. The Alpha of Vance pack had brought along with him two ambassadors, ten council members and six state heads. This was an actual political meeting, the most formal Melissa had attended in her life.
Her two maids were by her side, so were her guards and to top it off, Richard appeared right behind her. "Little One," he called her telepathically.
She glanced back in surprise. "Since when did you call me that?" She asked him.
"It is cool," he replied. "I wish you luck, now focus," she said.
She stood up. "I, Melissa Dunham, Luna of the Dunham pack, commence this meeting," she said with a smile.
Hance stood up. "I, Hance, Alpha of the Dunham pack hereby second the commencement of the meeting," he said and everyone went silent.
The two rulers sat down and then a man stood up among the crowd and he started to read out what had happened in the last meeting between the two packs. Melissa exhaled, her heart was slamming against her chest.
She hoped everything they planned worked and they were able to solve at least this issue. If they did, this would leave them with just the council and The Oracle.
At last the man finished reading the text and then said, "For today's meeting, Hance Vance would be our first speaker," the king stood up and began.