The Prisoner’s Princess Chapter 126

Y’all I’m back, and I must say that this year, the end of it has been poop on a stick. I lost my mom and almost my house, but I’m back after writing, not liking, then not publishing for months. I hope you guys understand, but I won’t publish trash. It may be poorly edited since I’m doing it by myself and for that I’m sorry, but it won’t be garbage! I am so busy at this new job now that I can’t guarantee I’ll make allot of chapters, but I will publish at least once a week.

Isabelle

It was late into the night at our packhouse, and the sky was still tinged a crimson red, while the unscheduled full moon was high in the sky…. It didn’t move from its original spot while the sun was up either, and there was much speculation on Why this was happening.

Everyone who didn’t know was confused, saying it was anything from the end of the world to aliens. Political leaders too were baffled, and advised their people to stay indoors while riots caused looting across the world.

“Turn off the TV.” Said Mini, holding her silently sleeping pup. She was a sweetie, behaving almost like a big girl. I did it since I was the closest one, because I didn’t want to wake Harmony’s finally sleeping father.

Caleb had finally collapsed out of sheer exhaustion, but Bryson was up and with us, horns out, and flame crown flickering between them. To my understanding the Horned One was always depicted with a flaming crown between his, so I could only assume that that was some residual ability of Bryson’s that he had as of yet to master….

An Omega knocked on the door, something the Warriors must have come up with, because Bryson wasn’t letting anyone on our floor.

“Alpha, the minotaur Jerold and his human mate are here.” he said leaving out, and I opted to go downstairs and let Bryson stay in here for my brother’s sake.

Downstairs I could smell fresh meat and baked goods, as they both had large gift baskets. “We come in peace.” Said Jerold, already knowing that I was ready to chew him out if he even thought of taking Harmony from them.

“We come with food and more news. Queen Sky purposefully foaled her twin girls tonight, so there’s now a bit of confusion on who’s the mate of the High King. All three of the babes were literally born today, and already there’s talk of rounding them all up and ‘training’ them to be the perfect mate.” Grumbled Noah.

“Over my steaming dead body.” Snorted Jerold. He likely knew more details being the Battle Bull, but I knew he wouldn’t share said detail unless he had to.

“Don’t say that around Caleb.” I warned a little playfully to hopefully calm his anger, going up the stairs with them, but they were stopped by Bryson anyway.

“We have come to see our grandcalf, is she awake?” Asked Jerold, and Bryson let a small smile crease his lips.

“She’s asleep, but it shouldn’t hurt anything.” He said leading the way.

“She’s so small.” Mumbled Jerold. “I just wanted to drop off Noah before I leave again for the resting place of the High King…… he detests humans.”

…. So he’d gone there before by his wording, likely the day of Harmony’s birth, but details on the what, when, and where were hazy…. I couldn’t explain why though. It was as if details were melded in my memory to all mash together, but by who I couldn’t say.

“And I don’t even think my natural charm will save me.” Said Noah, picking up Harmony. How he got over there so quick I didn’t know, but she didn’t cry when she got up. She hadn’t at all now that I thought of it….

“What’d you name her?” Asked Noah.

“Harmony Isabelle Charred.” Said Mini quietly. “I’d be happy if you stayed anyway dad.” She smiled.

They shared a hug, and he couldn’t have been prouder. “I’d be glad to.”

“A word Bryson.” Said Jerold stiffly, and I followed them just outside the door.

“I’ve seen all three babies, and I know for a fact that Harmony truly Is the High King’s mate… his brand is under her armpit. It’ll be imperative that we keep her with her people, so she grows to be an individual, not the trained doll the King’s Council wants.” He grumbled.

“Good grief… she’s not even a year old yet and they already have plans for her future?” Asked Bryson angrily.

“Victor is the one who’s pushing for it because he feels the King would want her to behave as a trained concubine from the old times, but no calf of mine will be trained to lay on their back on command.” He growled.

“As a princess, I can confirm that the last thing she’d want is to be…. Trained.” I grumbled. “Hell, I’m sure that might even make her fearful of him since so much pressure would be placed on making him happy in their relationship. You don’t have to worry about us spreading this information around.”

“… I have a vague memory of him being excited for who she would be… how disappointing it would be to wait thousands of years for a robot.” Grumbled Bryson. “If any of the Kings dare try touching that pup, I’ll personally kill them myself.”

Me and Jerold shared a look. Neither of us were sure if he could make good on that statement, but also neither of us wanted that to ever happen…. Jerold and grandfather were the strongest, but I didn’t know about the others….

“If anything changes, I’ll text you two… but in the meantime allow them to go home when they’re ready. The sooner things return to normal, the easier it is to fake that nothing happened here. I can feel the Horned One’s presence even now… but it will dissipate and travel with them, then fade away hopefully in about a week. We just need to stall about that long. Any longer and I can reasonably rationalize that it’s Bryson that they feel, because I cannot lie, you smell as your brother right now…” he said going downstairs.

“I don’t feel anything.” Mumbled Bryson looking at his slightly clawed hands.

“I don’t know why not… he delivered Harmony in a terrible fea disguise.” I mumbled back.

“He only needed it to be good enough to fool the people that don’t see him often, and hide his presence… that’s my guess anyway.” He said with a small frown.

“But for no one to notice him, even you, I think he also wanted to stay hidden so he could leave as soon as he came without attracting attention.” I added.

------Bryson------

“Thank you Bryson for all you’ve done… I still can’t believe I’m a father.” Said Caleb, shaking my wrist. The Wolf King, Queen, Jerold, and Noah were here. They’d come last night after being at one ‘secret’ meeting after another. From what I gather, if not for those two and their power, the little pup would be in the arms of a caretaker in some discrete location being trained with Queen Sky’s foals.

According to Noah, those two were born as my pups were, as only the unicorn. They were technically pure blooded because of this, but Sky had made the compelling argument that her mate is an elf, therefore they were hybrids. My mate’s gentle touch broke me from my scowl, and I shook the wrists of them all as they were preparing to leave, escorting them home, then likely staying a while.

“I feel the same sometimes. You’ll get used to it. Enjoy her still nature while you can. If she’s anything like her middle namesake, she’ll be a ball of energy in no time.” I chuckled while my mate playfully huffed.

“Damn I wish you guys could just stay.” Complained Isabelle, wanting to hold her niece, but Jerold was busy fighting off Queen Gwyneth too. She’d had her the entire day, and he wanted to have his turn.

“We’ve been here the majority of her pregnancy, and two weeks more.” Caleb said finally getting his pup, breaking up the ‘fight’ over who got to cuddle her next, by passing her to the Wolf King.

The two week old pup was held in her grandfather’s arms for the first time tonight. Jerold had been gone a full seven days and six nights, though he said nothing about his findings. Mini and Caleb would leave with his escort, and the King of Halves would protect them at least another week, until Shadow Warriors sent by the King, as well as Jerold’s own royal guard could be permanently stationed at the perimeter.

The Wolf King was not ‘grampy’ as my mate calls him, when he came. His aura befit his title, as oddly enough, I could kind of see cinders radiate from him, though no one else could. He’d come to confirm with his own eyes and ears that she was the mate of my brother, and his firm expression confirmed it if not also for my mate witnessing the Horned One himself.

“We must not speak of this moment with anyone…. I still see the flickered flames of Tartaron’s Crown betwixt the young one’s ears….” He said pointing at me. I saw and felt nothing as at the moment they were put away, but his old eyes seemed as if he’d seen what happened in the birthing room, and did not like it.

No one said anything a while, until Queen Gwyneth spoke up. “Dear it will be fine… Though I can feel Tartaron’s flames in this place, I sense no hostility…. Maybe he will not come this time with his boot on our spines…. ripping the pelts off our backs of pack…. Stripping the meat off the bones of our allies.” She said quietly, running a hand on his arm, and he sighed.

“Let us hope with Harmony comes true peace then.” He said patting Caleb on the back. “I will protect her with my position, and with our power, we will hope that you raise a pup who’s attitude coincides with her namesake. My blessing is that her words are sweet as honey, and light as the morning dove’s coo to the High King…” He said giving her a gentle kiss.

Usually blessings were as soon as you see the pup, but it seemed he’d thought long and hard as to What to bless her with.

“Yes, my mate; I too wish this, and add that he hears her even in his blindest rage.” She said taking Harmony’s hand, thumbing it gently, and the symbol of the royal family appeared on her hand. It was Grendel the First Wolf’s silhouette, breathing fire, a legend in his own right. Isabelle told me he was the father of the Wolf King, but why he didn’t rule was never shared to us…. And I looked at it fade on her small body without so much as a noise.

Now that I thought of it, that small pup hadn’t cried a peep…. Not once. They gave her a bottle and changing schedule like I did with my pups, but even they cried. They still yipped whenever they needed us, but this pup was different. I could only assume that that was the blessing my father gave her. She was a calm pup.

“I suppose I should bless her too.” I said waiting for some outrage by one of them, but none objected. I was passed the pup, who looked at me with golden eyes. “I just want her to be happy. I don’t want her to be forced to do anything she doesn’t want… so I guess I want her to be free. That is my blessing, that she be free.” I said hearing a grunt of approval by the Wolf King.

“I too contemplated that blessing for my sweet one, though hearing it from You may hold more weight. Freedom is a blessing even the greatest men wish for. May your words come true.” He said with a light chuckle, and I did too when I saw what my little girl was getting into this time.

[Papa!] yelled Grace at the top of her lungs. She’d somehow gotten stuck in-between the bookshelf in my office and the wall.

“Good Lady….” I said shaking my head getting her, and she wiggled desperately to be put down so she could try a different way to get back there.