“Take her away,”
The whip snapped against the rear end of the horse and it trudged forward pulling the carriage along with it.
A young female set out on a journey and her family stood at the gates of their mansion to bid her farewell. She gazed sadly at her father who stood with a child in his arms. 'You are going off to a hidden place' they had said to her earlier before dawn when they woke her up in a haste.
She was scared and didn't know what awaited her. She watched them from the window of the carriage, her mother covered her face with her palm as she sobbed quietly into her mate's shoulder.
She waved them off with a sad smile. Her father stood rigid, a blank look on his face. He didn't bother to smile or nod at her as the carriage left. As the alpha to the western pack and the greatest warrior amongst the four kingdoms. He had to always remain strong and never show any weakness. Or that's what he always said she thought to herself.
The carriage had gone farther and her family was no longer in sight. It all happened so suddenly. Her mother had awakened her from her slumber very early this morning. The servants weren't even awake to help carry the luggage she packed with her.
Only a few of her father's elite soldiers helped in getting her things to the carriage.
Her face dropped with immense sadness. She had not gotten the chance to tell her baby sister goodbye. Barely half a year old and she could understand most things other cubs couldn't.
Was she being sent away to train? Or someone was coming for her. She was after the only heir to the Western pack. Nothing she thought could make sense of where she was being taken to. She just had to remain strong and hope she makes it to the end of her journey.
Someday she would become a great warrior wolf like her father had been for the kingdom all his life. She couldn’t fail him.
She promised to fight for her family's name no matter the consequences. This was what she had trained tirelessly for from a small toddler. Now It was going to be put to the test.
****
With the carriage long gone, the alpha of the western pack, entered his mansion. They should have reached the borderline of the pack by now, he thought deeply to himself. He felt disturbed if she would be able to cross the borders without raising any suspicion. He had men keeping watch after the carriage until it reached that 'place'.
The little child squirmed in his hand, cutting off his thoughts to watch her. She yawned tiredly doing a small stretch. She had not woken up from her sleep since he carried her from her crib. A small smile formed on his lips stretching wide into a soft grin. He watched her angelic face, thinking to himself this was the daughter he had always wanted.
His mate joined his side, intertwining their arms around each other. He supported their child on the other arm. And they left for their chambers.
It was still the early hours of the day and no one was aware of the carriage leaving the mansion's gates. Only a trusted few were present to witness it.
They made their way upstairs only to be halted when one of his elite guards appeared out of thin air. He knelt before his alpha.
“Alpha, The carriage is already approaching the borders. We await your orders on the next course of action. What shall we do with your daughter” the elite guard said,
The alpha sliced a sharp gaze, at the guard irritated by the utter audacity of his words. He had just called the useless runt he sent away, his daughter.
“Watch your words," his voice went dark and threatening. " Or it may be your last"
The guard apologized wholeheartedly before he responded to his earlier question. "Dispose of the carriage and make sure no word gets out to anyone. I have only one daughter,” his voice was cold with no remorse.
The guard left his presence and he turned his attention to his mate who held their newborn child close to her chest. She stared at him, with curious eyes.
“Now our family is perfect,” he said, his gaze softened on the little child that yawned tiredly in its mothers' hands. His mate smiled upon hearing his words and they departed back to their chambers.
****
The carriage came to a stop, having moved for a long while. She immediately pulled up her cloak to cover her face. After her father had specifically warned her not to show it to any other apart from the horseman.
She listened in to the muffled voice barely able to make words from what they said to one another outside the carriage. She was prepared for anything to go south. Her hands had reached to clutch the safety dagger she had strapped to her thigh every time she went to sleep. It was a habit her father instilled in her.
~~~~
" You never know when the enemy will attack so you always have to be ready even in your sleep" he had said to her the first time his elite guards barged into her bedroom unannounced. They attacked her defenselessly on her sheets.
She could never forget how terrified she was fighting for her life against soldiers that had trained and fought in the cold war.
They only stopped attacking when her father entered the room. His face bore no surprise to the disastrous state of his daughter that had been attacked by strangers. It was his plan so it was just.
****
The memory was rather unpleasant for her to think of. Instead, she paid attention to what was going on outside the carriage.
“We’re traveling south, me and my sick child,” the horseman said to the officer at the border.
“sick?” he asked in a questioning tone.
“aye, terrible sickness, contagious even. Have to keep her out of sight because she's hideous” the horseman lied effortlessly.
The officer raised a skeptical eyebrow at the horseman. Sorting to do a physical examination. She threw in a raspy cough wheezing as if her life depended.
The officer stepped away with visible disgust. “Carry on then” We were free to go. She breathed a sigh of relief. This was the first successful step in her journey.
Her heart thumped loud, giving a faint rush of excitement and anxiety, she pressed her palm gently to her chest hoping it would ease the nervous chills she felt in her body. It was going to be okay. She thought to herself.
The sun had set its golden rays behind the horizon and the night drew in after it. Already they had set camp for the night. Riding a carriage this big would draw attention to thieves and maniac rogues. It was best to continue at daylight.
The journey according to the horsemen had made steady movement. If it continued as smoothly as this then they might make it to my destination by tomorrow sundown.
She was looking at the starless night sky. She yearned deeply to see the speck of dotted sparkly diamonds that stained far wide above. However, was disappointed by the thick black blanket that covered the sky instead. Not even a single twinkling diamond in this never-ending blackness. It was suffocating.
Startled by the small grunt from the horseman as he stood up to leave. Her eyes followed him attentively, curious as to where he was headed all of a sudden.
“I’ll need to take a piss missy, won’t be long,” he said in his rough native accent.
She found it intriguing as she had never stepped out of the mansion and hardly conversed with anyone except her parents and the maids. She barely talked even when speaking. Much better to watch idly than exchange words.
A few minutes later,
She heard someone approach behind assuming it had to be the horseman but her nose picked up the strange scent a little bit too late.
Hands traveled swiftly around her neck. Wrapping tightly so she could breathe. She stared wide-eyed at the person that strangled her to death. The lack of air barely entered her lungs. She clawed hard with her nails on their palm to free herself. It was to no avail. He pressed his grip tighter, the look in his eyes meant he came to kill her.
She couldn't even reach the dagger strapped to her thigh. Soon it started to get fuzzy with not enough oxygen reaching her brain. The assassin had his face covered with black masked clothing. Her killer was unknown.
Suddenly she felt a sharp pain pierce through her back to her chest. her blood stained the blade that crushed her heart-piercing through it. He let her go, watching as she staggered with a blade running through her. Then fell face flat to the ground.
She lay in her pool of blood. The only thing she could feel was regret and loneliness.
'l've failed my father once again. if only I had been born stronger, maybe…'
Unknown character
“Here's the rest of the change” They tossed the small satchel into the air and the horseman caught it mid-air. the mischievous grin on his face when he snickered in delight. His pay was complete so he grinned from ear to ear.
“What happens to the kid, I could help get the body far from here if you would like, but that will cost you’ll need some extra coins if you know what I mean” he snickered.
They stared back at him intimidatingly, causing him to flinch away in fear. “I see you both got it under control, I'd best be on my way” he rode off leaving.
“Let him know”