Petun sat in the chair while the handmaiden brushed her light hair as it came to her waist. The other handmaiden took out a dress from the closet and placed it on the bed, ready to dress her princess once her hair was complete.
"What is on the agenda today?" Petun asked, standing up and checking herself out more in the mirror. She walked over to her dress and proceeded to hold up her arms to get undressed.
"Well, you have a meeting with the King after breakfast." One of the handmaidens said.
The dress was devine. It was purple mixed with gold satin hems that expanded wider toward the bottom, similar to a hoop skirt.
Petun twirled around and shook her hair. She sighed and was led out of her room to the dining area where breakfast was laid out for her. Afterwards, she was led to the conference room to speak with her father.
He sat in his chair with his commander uniform on. Red and white, pressed slacks and a jacket. Prior to Petune coming into the room, he stroked his beard, only stopping when he saw his daughter. He smiled warmly at her as she took a seat. He was a man who adored all of his children and was proud of all of them.
Petun lifted up her dress and sat down. "Morning, father."
The King bowed his head to acknowledge her greeting. "Petun, how many wolves have you killed?"
He go right to the meeting. She smiled. His directness was her directness. Like father, like daughter.
"Two...maybe three."
"And these wolves are spies?"
Petun nodded her head.
"Are you sleeping with one of their own?" He asked, sitting back in his chair. "You're going to get enough of sleeping with other people's wives."
Petun interjected. "She's different." Her father raised his eyebrows and waited for her to argue her case. He watched as she gave an exhaled and turned to the window, like she was expecting something other than snow. "Me and Aticus-"
"Aticus?" Her father repeated. Petun nodded her head.
"Aticus and I have been seeing each other for years. We met way before she had her son."
"She has a son!?" He titled his head back, shaking it then rubbing his temples. "Is she an Alpha?"
"An Omega."
"Tsk," her father smacked his lips. "That meant she had an Alpha." He stood up from his chair and walked over to get some tea that was left by the butler earlier that morning. He gestured whether Petun wanted any but she raised her hand to deny it. The King walked back to his chair and sat down. He looked at his tea and raised his head. "Continue."
"Yes, she has an Alpha."
"What rank is this Alpha?"
"Second in command."
The King moaned once more and got up to get some more tea. Mumbling that maybe he should have had the butler bring in some alcohol if he knew how the conversation was going to turn.
The King remained standing, keeping his back to his daughter, the teacup still in his hand.
"Are you willing to go to war for her?"
Petun chuckled. "It would be suicide for them to go to war with us."
The King turned around but walked toward the window. He cracked it open just a bit to let in the coldness. The room was also becoming stuffy.
"You must not have been paying attention to the meetings. Our own spies have given us intel that they plan to attack."
"When?"
"We're predicting in a couple of months. Tensions have already been high for decades. The wolves always seeking power, never wanting to bow down to any other species."
Petun sat there silently. She licked her lips, not liking this. Thinking that maybe she could speak to the second in command to put a stop to this. "Tsk." What Alpha would listen to a human?
"We will not play with them. We plan to use our most powerful weapons that we've been working on. If this means, all will perish then so be it."
The King walked to his daughter and put a hand on her shoulder. "It was good that you killed those spies. If any other come to you, do the same. Maybe when this is finally over, you can finally accept my probably for being one of the leads of the defense team. No nepotism here. You really are good."
Her father finished what was left of the tea and left the room. She stood there while the butler came in and gather up the items to be cleaned. Petun stood up, in her head and at a lost of words.
There was a place where Petun liked to go and play her pipe. It wasn't too far from the palace yet at the same time gave her sense of independence.
She walked the snow path, a path taken by not only her but also plenty of the animals that roamed. From the path, she was able to see the water streams that weren't frozen over, the neighboring forest that led to other villages, towns, and even cities within the country of Conaska.
There under a drove of trees, Petun took out her pipe and began to play a note. It wasn't long before the rats and other rodents began to come out of their burrows and interact with her. Although most pipers were magae, it was a talent that even humans could have although rare. So rare, its why the royal family was the royal family.
Crunch!
Petun stopped playing and the critters ran off. She put her pipe away and kept her hand on a switch blade she had tucked away in her bosoms. In her stocking was the glock with the silver bullets.
She sat and closed her eyes, listening to any movements. She heard a sigh and a shiver.
The wolf charged at her. Petun quickly got down, ducking, and pulled out the glock from her stocking. She hitched it then pointed it at the wolf.
BAM!
Through the head, a line of blood came out from the other end and splattered the white snow. The wolf fell to the ground.
Aticus ran faster to where she heard Petun playing. She could hear Petun playing all the way in the wolves' area. That was how good she played. When she played, all animals listened including the wolves. But there were so many spies being sent out to her that of course, the pipe would bring them forth as well.
She stopped running and leaned against the tree, breathing heavily. She sniffed, her nose starting to run. She could easily transform and make it there faster to Petun but she didn't want to ever show herself as a wolf to Petun. For one, Aticus could end up with a bullet in her head.
Aticus came upon the sight of Petun standing over the wolf. Petun looked at the Omega and ran to her. Giving her a quick kiss.
"Your people are planning a war?" She asked. The Omega lowered her gaze. "They won't make it, Aticus. Are you to fight?"
Aticus shook her head. "Omegas don't fight."
Petun hugged Aticus once more. "When they attack, you need to take Poop Poop and run."
"Run where?"
Petun had been planning. She knew exactly where she wanted Aticus to run to. "Run to the border of Nadia which will have you at The Valley of Trey. From there, make your way south all the way to Canas, and then cross over, and get refugee status in Red Woods. Red Woods has one of the most powerful wolf packs. And they're accepting other wolves into their packs with conditions. You're an Omega, so you and your son will be given to an Alpha ready to mate."
"I'll have to mate with another Alpha?"
Yeah, Petun didn't like those conditions either but Aticus would be safe. When she had went through this plan on paper in her chambers, she took extra care into determining what would be the best outcome for Aticus. Besides for staying with Petun, Aticus had a good chance of being successful in Red Woods. Aticus shook her head though. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. She didn't want to leave Petun only to go two countries over only to be given as an Omega to an Alpha ready to mate. She was more than just a vessel for bearijg children.
"No, I'll stay here. I'll keep my son safe-"
"Come to me."
Aticus' eyes got wide. That's what she wanted, all along was to come to Petun. Tears began to swell in her eyes and then the reality hit of what would happen if she were to desert her pack.
"When you know they're going to attack, come to me at this palace then."
Aticus didn't know what to say. She looked at her lover. "That would make me a betrayer."
"We'll be together...and...they'll be dead."