King's Lycan Left A Mere Human Alive

In another corner of the palace, a solitary female lycan bathed in the morning sunlight. Her nightgown indecently exposed much of her that even her robe couldn’t hide.

She felt a headache coming. She fiddled with the slip of paper informing her Magny had disposed of all the bodies she had her assassins dump in her yard.

Nothing here goes according to her will, the Ehan Princess was supposed to be her responsibility but now she is dead! The alliance was screwed, if a war occurs the King was going to have her head first.

"That crazy bitch Magny... Argh!"

Disposing of those spies was important because if it was known that under her jurisdiction such a thing had happened in the Inner Palace, the King will force her to hold responsibility and punish her.

Clicking her tongue in irritation, she rang the bell to call her servants.

“Bring Sansy here.” She ordered Hessy, her former nanny before she could report her arrival.

With a bow, Hessy approached the violent sky hunter. She shivered as the predator set his eyes on her but obeyed the Princess's command.  

Moodily the Falcon glared at the Princess before the bird began to groom itself. Its magnificent wings spread, and it ran its ethereal beak through its feathers. Occasionally, glaring at the servants as if it stood above all.

Sometimes they felt as if they were looking at a person rather than a bird.

With easy hands, she tried to pat the bird but he snapped her hand away. Smiling at her trusted comrade's antics, she got off the chair and looked out of the window facing the inner palace. Her eyes narrowed at the crouching servants hastily bustling around.

"Now what is this nonsense?"

“Princess! The court ladies are receiving the Ehanian Princess as we speak.” The maid reported grimly while the rest of the assistants lined up behind her.

She gave a languid nod at the news. Magny got her hand on the Princess before she was informed of her arrival. Her power in the court was waning. The nobility was demanding a Queen. A Queen will suppress her power in the court.

But all she can do is by order them to greet the heap of meat left in her brother’s wake.

She hummed, considering her next move. Once a Queen is decided or an heir is produced, the King's authority will be solidified and she will be nothing but a thorn in his side.

With a tired sigh, she drew closer to her feathery friend. This time he let her stroke him, “Aah… Sansy, I’m a disposable pawn and I never thought otherwise. I still don’t but…” She grinned humorlessly and tapped his beak a couple of times, “…But I’ll be disposed of on my own terms.”

A perfect plan formed in her head to bring the real culprit, Magny, to light. 

She turned around sweeping a lazy glance at her entourage, before straightening up. “So the hostage Princess arrived from Ehan last night but her arrival wasn't reported to the main Palace? Not even by General Ivan or Rurik?” Smirking, she exhaled. It was a poor attempt to calm herself. She could burst into flames with how mad she was. 

Hessy gave a nod. "They probably saw Lady Magny's spies and assumed they were from the Main Palace." Scarlet hummed. “No one… heard from the Princess after she entered the chamber. We believe it was easy and quick.” Hessy added.

Scarlet scoffed. Her bloodthirst cousin was getting out of hand. He was no longer a petty murderer. He had killed a Princess! His insanity would soon drive him to the edge of no return. 

“So I heard...” she hummed, while nothing in her expression betrayed her thoughts. “Fetch the meal over.”

Hessy took the meal trays from the maids and set them on the table. Once done, she tucked the empty tray neatly by her side.

Princess Scarlet took a sip of her tea, nodding along. Like everything, it tasted bland as if she was stuffing sand in her mouth but a good kind of sand. There was something wrong with her tastebuds that not even healers could diagnose.

Though this new piece of information was welcome, she didn’t care about what happened to another preppy bed-warmer. But the way Magny had challenged her authority once again, was ticking her off.

Welcoming the Court ladies was the right of the Imperial Family. How daring was she to step out of her limits like this?

Sansy, who was done, flapped his wings, landed on the table. The table tilted under the Giant Bird's weight. The servants strode forward but the Princess raised her hand halting them.

He settled on his own and nastily grabbed the fresh meat in his talons and tore through it. The sight was brutal but the Princess watched him eat with a content smile.

Princess Laylin was a mirror to her, just less murky. Both of them were disposable trophies. Somehow she felt empathy toward her. It was useless now though.

With a sigh, she turned to Hessy, “Hold a proper funeral, following all Ehanian traditions. When it’s ready… inform me. I'll be attending.”

The heavy tension condensed but her servants nodded anyway.

“Yes, Your HIghness. The Chamberlain sent word he’d arrive no sooner than next week to report this year's annual expenditure to you. Since the King won’t be present for the next few days, General Ivan took the initiative of holding office for pressing matters in advance. He had also expressed his wish to see you soon.” Hessy helpfully supplied.

Princess Scarlet's jaw clenched. Of course, General Ivan did. His incompetence had killed a foreign Princess but why would he miss the opportunity to play King?

Princess Scarlet gave her an apathetic, practiced smile, just to appear polite. As she opened up her wardrobe to choose the appropriate attire for the day. She, the only living member of the Previous Royal Dynasty, was smarter than these key players in the palace.

The King.

General Ivan

Chamberlain Hazi.

‘THUD!!’

Her doors were slammed open. She scoffed, raising a brow at the audacity of the intruder. Not a moment later, her spy, a maid in the King's Palace, came rushing in. The commotion she caused had the Princess’s head throbbing hard.

“Princess Scarlet!” The maid flopped down on the hard floor. She looked spooked and the way the sweat dripped off her body, you could tell her way here was arduous.

Scarlet smiled widely and nodded, throwing the tea in her cup at the maid who squeaked. She threw another cup in the air only to catch it. “Yes. Bother telling us, Melissa, what had you thinking, you would live after this stunt?”  

She sat up, waiting for her to spout nonsense so she could rightfully disfigure the wench's face. This was a perfect target to vent her anger. Her other maids winced, giving the culprit a pitiful glance.

Today really wasn't Melissa's day...

The maid freaked out and looked around for support before pleading. “The Ehanian Princess! She- She survived the night.”

Stupefied, the Princess stared at her, before cackling. She scoffed, turning her head back at Sansy. “Hessy, get her out of my sight.”

“No! No, Princess! She’s alive.” The maid fought against the hands dragging her away.

“Where did you even hear this from? The only way she could survive was if she was a bigger monster than my brother is!”  Rolling her eyes, she waved her away, “It must be one of the servants from the West Wing spreading gossip to aid boredom.”

The maid, who was dragged to the door, shouted desperately. “It was the Court Ladies, Your Highness!” Knowing her fate if she left the room, she fought against them.

"Huh..." Finally curious, the woman leaned forward.

The Princess finally raised a hand, halting them, “Lady Simos even fell and broke her neck in hysteria!” The Princess parted her lips to counter her statement when the door was once again slammed open.

“Princess!” Another servant barged in, huffing with terror, “Lady Magny is on the move. Our spy reported she wants to deal with the Princess of Ehan that survived the night right away!”

Narrowing her eyes, the Princess tapped her nails on the marble table, pondering. Will the commotion be worth saving a human?

She hummed, her cousin's Lycan had left a mere human alive and Magny was agitated enough to get sloppy. There was bound to be something about the woman. She smirked, she needed to be there or she would feel like she was missing out.

She left her place, once she was resolute. “Prepare the horses and dispatch the cavalry. We are guarding our future Queen candidate.”

Her statement was followed by gasps of horror. She clapped her hands to get them out of their trance. Startled, her servants swiftly dispersed. They couldn’t let the woman die or they will have to compensate with their own necks.

“Princess, shall I start preparing for your departure? The Chamberlain will be on his way as we speak and the cavalry won't refute him in the absence of the King. If you leave now, you’ll be to arrive before he does.” Hessy suggested, and the Princess nodded.

The Main Palace was closer to the King’s Palace than the Flower Palace. There was a chance they could be too late.

“We shall,” Princess replied, giving her another smile. This day was surprisingly getting better.

Hessy bowed her head respectfully, backing out a few steps before moving aside. The Princess turned to her pet and whispered something in his ear. He stared at her for some time before flying away with a nod.

With the absence of their King, The Internal disputes must be sorted without any major commotion. She would have to quickly settle this business before the news of the affair spread in the capital city.

The King's Lycan leaving a human alive is no joke.

If word spread, it will make the protection of the Princess all the more hectic before her cousin’s return. Besides, after his return, she will be powerless in court. Now was her chance to save the Princess who will be her perfect puppet.

She will go there but not so fast, the more violence they cause, the easier it will be for her to victimize the Princess. And if the Princess died waiting, she could use her death to uproot their power once and for all.

She threw her head back to laugh. Ahh... How the tables turned!

After slipping into the bathtub, she was quickly aided by Hessy, and dressed up promptly, maintaining her usual calm demeanor.