Bound in Blood

"I am fighting to protect the people I swore to protect when I wore that crown," I snap, looking at Zion as he has brought up the topic once more. "I am fighting for my people, I am not just fighting for you or for my life." My voice is raised, anger beginning to run through my veins.

"Even the victors in battles have great losses. I do not want you to be one of those losses," Zion argues, throwing his arms up as I shake my head. "We do not have a chance with the number of warriors we are putting against Crimson Lock and Fiona's coven."

"Battles are not just about the number of men and woman who are fighting for a side. Battles are also about the range of abilities and the desire of those fighting. Penelope's pack has some of the best warriors in the kingdom, she has gathered packs with great capabilities, and we are fighting for the people of the kingdom, not just to get revenge," I explain, trying to calm myself down as I can feel my wolf trying to come forth.

"I took a vow when I became your wife and the Queen. Sure, I no longer wear a crown, but I still believe in those vows and believe it is my duty both to my people and the Moon Goddess to keep that vow. We both took those vows and it our duty to protect the people, the crown, and the kingdom and what it stands for," I state. I can still recall the white dress I wore, how my veil was replaced with a crown of precious gems, and the vows I spoke that day before a crowd of the people I decided to serve. "I may not be someone built to go up against an enemy larger than myself, but I have spirit. I have a desire to do what is right. How can you not see that...or are you just afraid?"

Zion remains silent, the crackling of the fire in the fireplace the only noise in the house as we stare at one another. "We both took vows." Zion looks out the window as I repeat my words again. Taking a step forward, I reach out my hand to him, placing it on his chest as I feel his heartbeat. "We swore to protect this kingdom until our souls leave for the afterlife and our bodies are buried."

He knows I am right. Zion knows what I speak is truth and we cannot just ignore the kingdom we swore the rest of our lives to protecting. "Let us protect this kingdom once more."

A hand is placed upon my cheek, brushing against my skin as his touch is soft. Leaning forward, Zion places a soft kiss upon my lips. "You must remain by my side the entire time," he states, less of an option.

"I will try, I promise."

<><>

My body feels tense all over, every muscle on edge as I can no longer force myself to relax. My knees are weak, my legs turned to jelly as I look at the woman before me, standing in the mirror as she holds scissors in one hand.

I was a Queen once, someone who many knew what I looked like, my hair color, skin, shape, and general appearance. A piece of me hopes the kingdom has forgotten pieces of my appearance, especially those who I will soon surround myself with. It makes me sad to think of wishing no one will recognize me, to no longer remember what I looked like, and to only think of me as a life which had lived and then passed on to the afterlife.

My once long brunette locks are cut up and laying around me on the floor, my hair hitting just below my shoulders, and now holding a auburn color which Zion helped me do in the bathroom. The goal is to try and make those who question if I am the last Queen to have more doubt than reassurance of who I am.

Zion knee he could not change his face. Sure, my face was plastered across magazines for the time I was with him, but those magazines only made it into the hands of teenage girls and those who lived in the capital city - just a short drive from the palace. But Zion's face has been all over since he was a child, his features unable to be forgotten. The most the two of us can try and do is to only think Zion is fighting beside them and not their supposed deceased Queen.

"It's an interesting look," I comment, running my hands through my short locks. "I've never changed my hair color before. The past me would have cried at seeing this much hair cut off too."

Zion walks up behind me, placing his arms around my torso as he pulls me in for a soft hug, placing a kiss on my temple. "You have the right personality to pull it off." Meeting his gaze in the mirror, I take in a deep breath, knowing that the hours are flying by and we must be on our way. "Let's get dressed. Penelope dropped off clothes before she left."

I follow him out of the bathroom and into the bedroom as I see the small luggage Penelope left behind before she went back to her pack to prepare. Unzipping the luggage, I watch as Zion opens the suitcase and we see neatly folded clothes to wear for battle. Penelope was right to drop this off, for all Zion and I have to wear in this house are clothes for leisure. Handing me a pair of form-fitting black pants, a dark grey shirt made of a thick material to double as light armor, and a dark green military-style jacket with the crest of Penelope's pack on the sleeve.

As I get dressed, Zion hands me a pair of boots and a small modern holster-like item to wrap around my mid and upper thigh. "What's this for?" The moment I ask my question, Zion pulls out of the luggage a set of knives.

"Don't touch the blades. They are made of silver." Handing me the handles, I place three knives into the holster and buckle the article snug around my thigh. "Keep those in close reach." Nodding, I slide on my boots over my pants and place the shirt and jacket on as well. Zion hands me a small device to keep on in pocket. "This is dangerous. Don't use unless you have to. It is an incendiary device to start fires. Be careful if you do."

The moment the small object is placed in my pocket, my shoulders become more tense as I think of all the objects I have on me now. All these weapons designed to kill. I've never killed anyone before...but I've seen dead bodies in the palace. Being dead and returning back to kill shouldn't scare me, but it does. These people have families, friends, and lives left to live, but it is the cost of war. We all make our choices and we must take responsibility for them, even if it means charging at another with the intent to kill.

Zion changes as well, putting on a pair of similar black pants built for fighting in, a deep red shirt like my own, and a black jacket made of a thick material to act as armor. I know the type of clothes we wear are spellbound, expensive pieces of clothing only well-off warriors can afford or are gifted. These clothes do not rip when you shift into your wolf, but simply are stored away, disappearing under your fur, and the moment you shift back to human form, you are still clothed.

"You're wearing jewelry?" Zion point outs, looking to the piece Keva gifted me.

"Keva gave it to me, for protection," I explain, twisting the piece around as Zion nods, looking to the luggage we have packed in the doorway. Everything in that single luggage is what we will take to the elves, my engagement ring, our clothes, and a few mementos packed away.

Pushing my hair behind my ears, Zion tilts his head to the side as those golden eyes search across my face, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," I whisper, my hands cupping his face as I pull him in for a gentle kiss.

Wrapping his arms around me, Zion holds me close to him, my body flush against his as we stand in the silence, tensions rising all around us as we try and enjoy the last few moments of peace we have with one another.

As he pulls away from the embrace, Zion takes in a deep breath and looks outside. "We should get going." I agree, following him out of the bedroom as he grabs the luggage and we head for the car.

I remember coming her what seems like years ago to this house, to the place Zion promised a haven. He was right, for no one ever bothered us, attacked, and made us feel unsafe, but the outside world always had a way of getting in. If Penelope had never shown up, I wonder if we would still be staying in this house. We would still have heard of the things happening in the outside world, but we allowed ourselves to bring it to our door and enter into our house as we debated over what we would do.

Some would call me foolish, for I could be throwing a future left on this earth with Zion down the drain, but I took an oath as Queen, and I must protect my people. Zion did much wrong, he did many things which made me doubt if I could ever love him again, but I agreed to move past those events and see the man he had become and was still becoming. For Zion to be heading out with me now to fight for his kingdom, his people, and for me, it shows he has changed.

Loading the car with our luggage, I hop into the passenger side and take in a deep breath as Zion shuts the trunk and comes around to the front. As he hops into the front seat and turns on the car, we sit in silence for a few minutes, the two of us looking ahead down the private drive, our heads filled with thoughts. The buzz of a phone and a text from Penelope draws us back to reality. Putting the car in gear, Zion begins to drive away from the home.

Looking back, I take my last look at the house which I called home for a few weeks, the definition of peaceful. As it disappears from view, I look ahead to the street, Zion placing a hand on my thigh as he offers it a soft squeeze of reassurance and comfort. "We will catch up with her caravan in a few hours."

"And when will we be at the palace?" I ask, my question making my shoulders feel a weight pressed upon them.

"At dawn."

Resting my head on the window, I watch the trees go by as the soft purr of the engine surrounds me, my heart racing in my chest as I wonder what the battlefield will look like. What the blood will look like as it stains the grass of the plains before the palace and the marble floors of the palace. I do not expect myself to walk away from this battle without any blood of my own being spilled, but I know that I would be foolish to think I could walk away with only a few bruises and scratches.

Taking in a deep breath, I allow my eyes to shut as I think back to the life I lived before all of this, of when I met Nixon and Lily at our wedding, how even then tensions were thick in the air. Lily had seemed so naive to the world, so shy, so much like me in her own respect. We both changed when blood was spilled, for her husband and I both lost our lives the same day. Lily and I were once weak female parts of a relationship we were almost forced into or pushed into, but through bloodshed, we became stronger, bound in blood together almost. In different circumstances, perhaps we could have been friends.

<><>

Penelope's car is the first one I spot as we park, an entire field filled with hundreds of SUVS which escorted warriors to this pack. We were informed by Penelope that her army had parked in an allying pack's territory, a three hour walk from the palace grounds. Her and her army already started their way on foot an hour ago, Penelope telling us to wait before following. The moon is already no longer in the center of the night sky, but falling as the sun will soon rise.

Zion and I wait in the car a little bit more, the two of us sharing few words as we are more nervous than anything. "Penelope has led attacks on massive packs before, her men outnumbered a bit. I know she is a stronger leader and these men will respect her orders." Every conversation we have had is one which tries to reassure us of the decision we have made to be here. As Zion's phone buzzes again, we grab our jackets and exit the car. On the way here, we had made a detour to get our luggage to the private jet hanger where Zion showed me how far away from the palace I would have to run to get here. The jet had not yet arrived, but we left our luggage there for Keva to find and load for us and then wait for us to make it to her.

The moment we begin the walk for the palace, every step I take my wolf gets restless within me, wanting to break free. Zion takes my hand in his as we walk in the same path as the many others who have as well, following their tracks as I can pick up the scent of multiple packs. Offering his hand a soft squeeze, we pick up our pace and enjoy the silence of the forest which runs all the way to the palace grounds.

For the next two and a half hours we are unable hear anyone else, all alone as we try and catch up with Penelope's men and try her. Penelope informed us she set up her tent in the forest by the trail and we should come in when we arrive. I can see the army, a dense gathering of warriors as they sit and chat with one anther, sharpening their knives, fixing certain articles of clothing, and getting ready for the fight which will occur beyond the treeline. No one here as brought a silver bullet to load into a gun, as those are outlawed by werewolf rule to use in an attack, seen as a cruel instrument only utilized by hunters. Some of the warriors here look younger than me even, ready to sacrifice their lives for this kingdom.

A tent with a high ceiling is placed at the side of the trail before the warriors, Penelope's pack crest on the side as we know where to go. Beyond the trees, I can make out the green fields which extend to the palace, the palace looking like a miniature castle figure. I have not seen the palace in so long, the place where I thought I would spend the rest of my life.

Zion and I walk to Penelope's tent, entering into see just Penelope, her eyes glazed over as she leans over a fold-up table and examines a map of the battlefield. Looking up to us, Penelope smiles and motions for us to come in further. "You made it," she comments, placing a small, dark red piece of what looks like a grouping of wolves onto the battlefield layout. Zion walks over to the table and looks to what she has laid out. "Crimson Lock has made their camp at the Western end," Penelope informs, motioning to the grouping of wolves she just placed on the map. I look to the grouping of wolves which denotes our side, the black wolves placed where we are.

"When will we attack? Have you notified the King of this?" Zion asks, taking a seat as he motions for me to sit down as well.

"We are waiting for Lily Maxwell to make the first move, to see if she really goes through with this when she sees people are here to fight her. As for King Laraxis, that coward will hide away in his crypts to stay safe. I know his royal guards have spotted our armies by now, but they do not know if someone is going to attack the palace or not," Penelope explains, crossing her arms as she lets out a huff. "Sybil, are you ready?"

"There's no going back," I reply, knowing my truth. There are those who may choose to leave when they become afraid, but those who have a strong desire and believe in what they fight for will fight till the end. Nodding, Penelope goes back to her layout of the battlefield as she offers us coffee and explains that she has men scouting out around Lily's camp to do another head count.

"People always have a choice," Penelope comments, going back to my words, "the ignorant believe that no purpose to fight can ever be shattered. Every warrior has a fear and something which can break them." Taking a sip of my coffee, I watch as Penelope looks up from her table and meets my eyes. "I wish you both luck on the battlefield today if we are to attack. May we all live another day." Penelope grabs from under the table a bottle of scotch, pouring three shot glasses as she passes us each one. "Here we stand and fight. If we cannot stay here alive on that battlefield, then we will stay dead on that battlefield for our legacy to carry on. Cheers."

We all take our shot, the brief and slightly dark speech Penelope offered making me wonder if she herself thinks she will not return home to her mate. "Another for good luck," Penelope comments, going around to pour us each another shot.

The sound of screams cuts our bleak celebration short, the piercing screams and smell of smoke causing Penelope and Zion to run for the exit of the tent, Zion grabbing my arm as my shot glass shatters across the ground. We exit the tent and are met with flames consuming the forest behind us, driving us towards the battlefield as I watch men and woman being burned, running for help as they scream out in pain, their body in fire.

Zion grabs me again, pulling me from the flames as Penelope shouts for her men to head for the field, for it is time to fight. Looking to the field, I see Lily's army coming out of the forest line, my stomach turning as I feel nauseous. As Zion and I run from the flames which set our camp aflame, the next obstacle stands before us, a hundred yards away, ready to charge as warriors in human and wolf form as well as witches all await the fight.

The sun has just begun to rise, dawn upon the world as I take in a deep breath, Zion taking my hand in his as we watch Penelope give the order for her men, beginning to battle. Zion stands by my side like he promised, but I wonder just how long he will be beside me as my shield until we are pulled from one another.