A short story I wrote for a class this semester.

The Queen of the Lycans

Once upon a time, in a far off land, there was a large kingdom called Tandeya. Tall pine trees covered the perimeter of the Tandeya, isolating it from the rest of society. The kingdom was complete with small village houses, glittering lakes, and a large stone castle where the reigning king and queen lived with their families. Tandeya was a peaceful place; the citizens were kind to one another, their natural crops from the woods were flourishing, and the leaders were thoughtful of their subjects' needs.

This all changed on one fateful autumn morning. A couple of female water gatherers were making their way down to one of the lakes in the woods. The sun was slowly creeping over the horizon, shining in the young women's eyes. The youngest in the group was lingering behind the group, admiring in the beautiful colors of the leaves. Her eyes eagerly counted the different colors on each tree. Her game slowly became boring as more and more leaves were stained with red. She stopped to examine a few of the ruby colored leaves. She gently caressed one with her thumb. Her eyes widened as the color rubbed off onto her skin. A chorus of screams echoed through the woods. The young woman recognized the voices of her companions. She ran towards the noise. A gasp of horror escaped her lips as she joined her companions. Laying on the ground before them were three young boys. Ruby liquid seeped out from the long gashes on their faces and bodies. Some of their limbs were missing; their skin was torn, as if someone had ripped their limbs clean from their bodies.

The women hurried back to the kingdom to alert the king and queen of the horrific sight. The rulers sent a few of their soldiers to retrieve the young boys and bring them home. The villagers crowded the streets to watch the soldiers carry the mauled boys to their families. Each one of their parents held their children in their arms and wept in agony. Their friends huddled around them; they offered hugs and condolences. The king and queen visited the families personally. They offered the families heavenly blessings for the healing of their souls and the children's safe trip into their god's arms. Shortly after the communal blessing, the king declared the woods were no longer safe. Anyone who went into the woods would have to be trained military personnel or armed food gatherers. No one knew what had murdered the boys, but they knew they didn't want anyone else to end up in the same predicament.

For over a decade, the kingdom harbored a fear of the wooded area around them. The citizens moved their houses farther away from the daunting pine trees. Only members of the militia or certified food gatherers wandered out into the shaded area. Over time, people began to make up stories about what was out in the woods. Some declared a monster. Others said a demon. A select few said there may be uncivilized humans waiting out there, lusting for the blood of another on their hands. No matter the creature or thing, the citizens knew whatever lurked in the woods was something to fear.

Thirty years after the murdered boys were found, the young king and queen of Tandeya gave birth to a daughter. The two had tried desperately for a child, but they'd prayed for a boy. The monarchs in the past had always given their throne to the first born son. A daughter had never been the one to step up to the throne. The king and queen dismissed the past traditions and thanked their lord for the blessing of a child who they named Talia.

Talia wasn't one's usual princess. Rather than twirling in dresses and trying on tiaras, she occupied herself by mimicking the soldiers training in the yard behind the castle. She'd stand out behind them under the hot sun and copy every single move they made. The young girl wasn't sure why she was so fascinated with the armed men; they were giants with stern faces and bulging muscles. To most of the other children, they were intimidating protectors. To her, they were gentle giants. They allowed her to train with them and entertained the games she made out of their drills. The men came to be her closest friends.

As she grew older, Talia grew into a beautiful young woman. Her parents had blessed her with brown skin that glistened under the sun's fiery gaze, dark eyes sheltered in wide sockets, long tangles of kinky black curls that fell just below her shoulders, and a slender physique. In the eyes of the entire kingdom, she was the most beautiful woman to grace Tandeya's humble streets. The moment she turned sixteen, the age of matrimony, suitors were lining up at the castle walls; all were aiming to impress the princess enough to win her hand in marriage. Some tried to woe her with romantic dinners and outings. Others challenged her knowledge of the militia techniques with their own. A select few tried to seduce her with their muscles and sweet talk. For two years, Talia sent each of her the men suitors away after one meeting. She wasn't interested in marrying the men who came to her quarters. Although all the men had good intentions, to love and care for the future queen, Talia had no interests in marriage. Instead, she wanted to put the skills she'd acquired from the soldiers to the ultimate test.

Unbeknownst to her parents and her subjects, Talia was intrigued with the mystery of the danger that lurked in the woods. She listened tentatively to the soldiers she deemed friends who relayed stories from the citizens who've gone into the woods. The princess wasn't the only one interested in the creature haunting the woods. There were many citizens who went out in the woods, armed with bows and arrows or knives, to seek out whatever was circling their kingdom. Not many of those citizens ever returned. The ones who did were declared as crazy. The wide-eyed men would return with pale faces, long scratches, and a never-ceasing tremble. They'd talk of these "monsters" who lived in the woods, waiting for humans to destroy. They'd watched their friends get ripped apart by what they only believed could be the creation of the devil. From what the men could bear to describe, the monsters had sharp white teeth, glowing eyes, and large paws with claws that could slice one in half with a single wave. The poor men's words were taken into consideration, as the citizens did take notice of the consistent descriptions. The citizens coined the term Lycans to describe the monsters; the vague description fit the myth of the large, wolf-like creature. Talia wasn't frightened by these stories like others were; rather, she was interested in seeing these creatures for herself.

One night, in the midst of a gentle snow fall, Talia decided to go conquer the creature herself. She dressed herself in a pair of baggy trousers she'd stolen from one of her soldier friends, the top half of a dress she'd cut for training, and soft cloth boots filled with sheep's fur. She tied her favorite royal blue hood over her attire; the thick cloth would shelter her from the cold. Her bow and case of arrows, a gift she'd received from one of the late militia generals, was the last thing she grabbed before she headed out on her mission.

The princess tied a thick rope around one of the poles of her balcony to hoist herself down from her room. With her sapphire hood flowing behind her, she ran out into the woods.

The space between the pine trees wasn't as daunting as Talia thought it might be. Through the silence, she could hear the soft crack of twigs beneath her feet, and the quiet murmur of the owls echoing through the wind. She wandered around the trees for hours, following the white full moon in the sky. However, she found nothing. No claw marks. No paw prints. No shadows. Nothing. Needless to say, the young princess was disappointed. She hated to wonder if the men had made up the stories about the creatures. What if their friends had died of sickness or malnutrition, but the men had used the myths to make their deaths more interesting? Talia didn't want to admit it, but the possibility was likely. Most of the men who went out in the woods were older. None of the young men dared to risk their lives; they believed they had too much to live for.

The crack of a large twig behind Talia broke the silence - and her short strides. Immediately, she grabbed her bow and an arrow from off of her back. With her arrow pulled back on the bow, she turned around towards the darkness. The arrow she released sliced into the bark of a large tree. Talia sighed at the sight. There was nothing behind her. With a shake of her head, she retrieved her arrow from the tree. Another crack of twigs echoed behind her as she pulled the arrow from the bark. Talia's heart began to thump in her chest. The sound was much closer than the first. "Who's there," the princess called as she stepped away from the tree. She drew back her arrow. "Come out!" More twigs cracked to her right. Talia followed the sound with her arrow. "Reveal yourself! The princess of Tandeya commands you!" The princess turned as the twigs cracked behind her. Her heart dropped into her stomach as her dark eyes connected with large, glowing emerald eyes. Within the emeralds were smaller rubies, surrounding the onyx pupils like tiny flares. Talia wasn't sure if she should be frightened or infatuated with them.

She took a step back as the eyes got closer to her. Following the eyes, Talia took notice of a large black nose, glimmering white jaws, large paws with sharp black nails, and auburn fur that glowed like a gentle flame in the moonlight. With each step the beast took forward, Talia took another step back. Her dark eyes didn't break with the creature's green ones. She didn't scream as the creature leapt onto her. It tackled her to the ground and pinned her with its large paws. Talia's chest unevenly heaved up and down as the creature snarled at her. She could feel its hot breath blowing against her cheeks. Its sharp jaws were extremely close to her face; she could make one move and they'd pierce her skin. Still, her eyes didn't leave its. "Please," she whispered almost inaudibly. "Please don't hurt me. I didn't hurt you, so please."

A growl rumbled in the creature's throat. Talia could feel the vibration against her own chest. Tears escaped the princess' eyes as she spoke again. "Please let me go. It's alright. Let me go." Cautiously, she raised her hand. A violent growl left the creature's lips; its eyes watched her small hand slowly reach up to his ear. A shaky breath left the princess' lips as her palm touched the cashmere fur on its' ear. She caressed the thick hair with her fingers before delving them into the crease behind its ear. She began to scratch the spot. The creature's snout curled over its bared teeth. A grunt of content left the creature's lips. "See. It's alright."

The creature didn't release her. It shook her hand off of its head. Reluctantly, it broke eye contact to glance out at the woods. Talia couldn't ask what was wrong. Before she could speak, the creature bent its head and pierced her side with its sharp teeth. A blood curdling scream left Talia's lips from the sudden, and intense, pain. A raging fire spread through her veins, paralyzing every inch of her limbs. Her body, overwhelmed with fear and pain, began to shut down. The girl's eyes began to flutter shut, and she involuntarily fell unconscious.

In the morning, Talia woke with the sun in her eyes. She was laying on her stomach in her bed, dressed in her nightgown. The princess groaned from her weariness, and the lingering pain in her side. Her eyes widened as the events from the night before flooded her mind. The creature's hot breath, its paws against her chest, and the unbearable pain it'd inflicted upon her. It'd tried to kill her. So how did she get back home? How was she still alive? Was she even alive? Talia wasn't completely sure. Hesitantly, she got up from her bed to check her side. As expected, large teeth marks were engraved into her skin. The princess was confused. How had they healed so quickly? Why had the creature left her alive? Did it bring her back there?

Talia didn't have time to contemplate her questions. Her mother burst through her room door to announce another suitor from outside their kingdom had come to see her. Talia doubted she'd be impressed by the newcomer, but her mother didn't give her an option to decline. The princess assumed she'd have to entertain the suitor for a few hours before she sent him away. A distraction might be what she needed after the night she'd had.

The princess washed and dressed herself in a royal blue gown; she gathered her curls up into a bun. Then she followed her mother down to the courtroom. Waiting for the two of them was her father, and a man she'd never seen before. The stranger was extremely tall with a head full of silky brown hair, bronze skin, chiseled muscles that showed underneath his formal militia attire, and exotic green eyes. Her father introduced the man as Mr. Aiden Diaz; he was the military general, and prince, in a kingdom on the other side of the woods. Aiden kissed Talia's hand as her father read off his credentials. He'd given her a sly smile that expressed his canines when her stare hadn't broken for five minutes straight. The smugness caused Talia to turn away from him.

Talia couldn't deny the man was attractive, but she hadn't been staring at him because of his looks. She'd been staring because of his eyes. They were the most fascinating color she'd ever seen in her life. His emeralds were encrusted with topazes and rubies that surrounded his black pupils. She'd never seen such a more unique combination of colors.

The king and queen eventually left the princess alone with her suitor. The two sat outside on the patio and ate breakfast. Talia questioned him about his militia and his kingdom. He explained his militia was very elite; they relied heavily on teamwork and trust. His kingdom was also very community-oriented; the philosophy of their people was to trust and protect each other at all costs. Talia thought it was similar to her own kingdom's way of life. She invited him to stay for the day, and he did.

For the day, the two took a walk around the castle. Talia explained her love of her militia and shared stories of her training days with her soldiers. Aiden shared her love of combat, battle, and the elegant yet brutal dance of warfare. The two became extremely fond over each other after one day.

Aiden decided to stay in the kingdom for a month's time. Every day, he spent time with Talia. Usually, the two would train with the soldiers. In their spare time, they'd take walks together or spar with each other. Over the weeks they spent together, Talia fell in love with Aiden. She admired his respect for the militia and his mutual love for combat. She also enjoyed the comfort she felt around him. In his presence, she didn't have to keep up her prissy princess façade. All she had to do was be herself. Talia concluded he'd be the man she was going to marry.

Everyone in her kingdom was thrilled from the news of her engagement. Her mother began preparing for a large wedding, and her father began prepping Aiden with knowledge of the kingdom's royal procedures. Talia was excited with the plans, but her mind couldn't stop drifting to the bite marks on her side. After she got married, she'd never have another chance to sneak out of the castle; Aiden would be the one in bed next to her, and she knew he'd stop her if she attempted to sneak out. If she wanted to see the creature again, for the last time, she'd have to do it before her wedding.

On the eve of her wedding night, Talia snuck out of the castle again. She dressed in her sapphire cloak and wore her bow and arrow to make sure the creature would recognize her. She headed out into the woods with the hope to have one final glance at the creature who spared her life.

The princess spent hours searching for the creature, but she couldn't find it anywhere. The woods were dangerously quiet; not even the creak of the twigs under her feet could be heard. Disappointed, Talia began to make her way back to her kingdom. On her retreat, she once again heard the crack of twigs echo behind her. Her heart thumped as she turned around to face her company. The hope in her heart fell as Aiden's face came into view. "What are you doing out here," Talia screamed at him. "Don't you know what happens to people who go out in these woods?"

Her fiancé raised a lazy eyebrow. "Yes. Do you?"

Talia crossed her arms in response.

Her lover smiled. "So why'd you come out here by yourself? Are you looking for something?"

Talia watched the smug smile on his face with an uneasy tumble in her stomach. She didn't recognize the wide, almost sadistic expression. "I've seen the monster who haunts these woods. It's this large wolf of sorts. It could've killed me, but it didn't; instead, it spared my life. I just wanted to see it one last time. I wanted to know why it saved me of all people."

Aiden chuckled at her.

Talia glared at him. "This isn't funny! I'm being serious! There's a giant wolf roaming around my woods, murdering my people, and for some unknown reason: it saved my life! If you were in my position, wouldn't you come out one last time and see if you could get some answers?"

Aiden came closer to her. He gathered her hands in his and gave them a soft squeeze. "I know you're being serious, sweetheart. I believe you. There are strange wolves out here in these woods."

Talia perked up. "You've seen them too?"

"No, my dear; I am one."

Talia looked at him in confusion. She backed away from him as she spoke. "What are you talking about?"

"Let me show you." Aiden took a few steps back from her. He bent into a crouch position, and let out an inhuman growl. His fiancée yelped in fear as he magically transformed into the beautiful yet terrifying wolf she'd seen a month before. The two stared at each other for a long moment. Aiden was testing Talia; he was waiting for her to run. The princess, on the other hand, was simply in shock. She recognized his eyes; the emeralds with rubies encrusted in them. How had she missed it? How hadn't she known it was him from the start?

Aiden walked toward her. He tried to nudge her with her nose, but Talia punched him in his snout. He let out a growl as he took a few steps back. "You bit me," Talia yelled. "Why'd you bite me, you stupid jerk?" She tried to punch him again. Aiden morphed into his human form and caught her wrist with his hand. He pulled her against his now naked body, causing the girl to blush.

"Because I mated with you. From the first moment I saw you, I knew you were going to be my wife. You were so beautiful and fearless; I knew I had to have you." His strong arms wrapped around her small torso and brought her closer against him. "And now you're mine, forever." He bent his head down to catch her lips with his. He kissed her passionately, roughly, possessively, lustfully.

Talia wasn't sure how to handle the long string of sensations he was giving her body. Her heart was racing, butterflies were swarming around her stomach like buzzing bees, and her mind was swirling; her better judgement began to slip from her mind as she indulged in the novel emotions. She succumbed to his lustful kisses that dragged along her jawline and trailed along her neck. However, she didn't want to do their devious acts in the middle of the woods; it was cold. Aiden, despite his laughter, complied with her wishes. He carried her back to the castle and climbed up to her room with her latched onto his back. Once they were in the privacy of her room, she allowed him to devour her body in any way he wanted. She fell victim to the fire of seduction, and let the flames completely consume her.

In the morning, Talia woke alone in her bed. Her thick sheets were wrapped around her bare body, offering warmth and comfort to her sore muscles. For a brief moment, she was confused.

Wasn't it rude to leave a woman after a night of making love? She thought Aiden had more decency than that. Even if he had to step out, she was sure he would've waken her with a kiss. He'd always done so in the past when they secretly spent a night together.

Her bedroom door suddenly swung open. Talia turned to her mother standing in the doorway. Salty tears were streaming down the older woman's face. She whispered her daughter's name almost inaudibly as she walked over to her bed. She sat down beside her daughter and gathered her hands in hers.

Talia squeezed her hands. "What is it, mama? What's happened?"

"It's Aiden," she croaked. "The soldiers found his body early this morning in the woods."

The princess' brows creased together. "What?"

Her mother's grip on her hands tightened. "His body was all torn up. He was barely identifiable. They only knew who he was because of one of the badges laying around nearby."

"But, mama," Talia whispered. The words she and her fiance exchanged the night before echoed through her mind. "That's impossible. He couldn't have been killed by one of them…"

The queen kissed her head. "I'm sorry," she whispered against her forehead. She embraced her daughter. "I'm so sorry."

Tears welled in Talia's eyes. She shrunk in her mother's grasp, and began to sob over her lost lover.

The princess' tears lasted for the entire day. She didn't leave her room or speak to any of her maidens who brought her food. She lay in bed and tried to wrap her head around her fiance's death. It wasn't possible if he was one of them. Unless his mates had turned against him. Were there others? Or was their only one? Talia gradually stopped crying as she recalled the smug grin on Aiden's face the night before. She recalled his eyes; the emerald green with the rubies. They were unique, but they weren't the ones she'd fallen in love with. Aiden's were lighter; they carried topazes alongside the rubies. Talia slowly sat up in her bed. She recalled her lover's skin under her hands. Both were mauled with scars from warfare and battle, but Talia thought a few she'd seen the night before were novel and unfamiliar. Amidst her lust, she hadn't paid much mind to them. She'd assumed with new territory came new scars. But, Aiden hadn't received any fatal wounds within the past month. He'd been by her side almost every day since he'd been there. The only day he'd stepped out had been earlier the day before. He'd gone out with a few of the food gatherers to experience their duties. He'd kissed her goodbye, and then she hadn't seen him until later that night in the woods.

Talia's eyes widened as her thoughts came full circle. She hopped out of bed, and threw on her royal blue cloak. She grabbed her bow and arrow before hoisting herself back down her balcony. She stormed into the dark woods. "Come out," she yelled. "I know you're here somewhere! Come out from wherever you are."

Talia continued yelling for a half an hour until she heard the familiar crack of a twig behind her. She turned around and shot a bow in the direction of the green-eyed man standing across from her. He caught the arrow in his hands. "Someone's feisty tonight," the man said. He stepped into the moonlight. He was still in Aiden's form.

Talia resisted against the tears in her eyes. She prepared another arrow. "You killed him! You bastard!" She released another arrow.

The man used an inhuman speed to dodge the arrow. He darted to right of the princess. A smug grin appeared on his face. "How cute," he mused. "You're trying to avenge your little boyfriend."

Talia shot another arrow at him.

He dodged the bullet again. He ran behind her. Quickly, he slung the case of arrows off of her back and knocked her bow from her hands. He grabbed her wrists and pulled her against him.

"Let me go," she spat in his face.

"I can't do that, princess."

Talia raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

His eyes darkened. "Because you're mine." His grip on her wrists tightened. "You're destined to be mine."

Talia struggled in his grasp. "Over my dead body." She brought her knee up and kicked him in his sacred spot.

The stranger released her and fell to his knees from the pain.

Talia ran off towards her kingdom. An inhuman growl echoed through the trees behind her.

The following night, the kingdom held a large funeral ceremony for Talia's deceased fiance.

Everyone from the kingdom arrived to the castle later that evening in black dresses and trousers. The funeral was held on the training fields behind the castle. A large fire was lit, and the spiritual elders led the youth in an honorary prayer. The citizens mourned around the grand fire for an hour before they were interrupted by a soldier running from the left of the castle. "Run," he commanded. "Run! Get out of here! They're coming!" As the last words left his lips, a large black wolf leaped onto him and pierced his head with its bare teeth.

The citizens on the field went into a frenzy as more large wolves followed after the first. The soldiers surrounded the princess and her parents. They tried to hurry them towards the castle, but Talia kept looking back at the melee going on before her. Some of the soldiers were trying to fight off the wolves, but they were losing significantly. The wolves tore them apart the moment they noticed they were being attacked. The large creatures also tore the innocent citizens apart. Blood painted their jaws, and the patches of snow, as the wolves continued the massacre. Talia was horrified. She knew it was her fault. If she hadn't angered the wolf, then the wolves wouldn't have attacked; her people wouldn't have been murdered, and everyone would've been happy. Rather than watching a bloodbath, she could be watching a peaceful funeral. Talia knew she had to stop the wolves. She believed she was the only one who could.

She snatched a silver sword from one of the soldiers. Then she broke out of their protective circle. She ignored the soldier's protests as she ran into the middle of the chaos. With great strength in her voice, and the sword behind her back, she commanded for the wolves to stop. The wolves obeyed the moment they heard her voice. All of their glowing eyes turned to her. Talia ignored their gazes. "Come here," she directed to her wolf.

Like the red sea, the wolves parted to make way for the auburn wolf with emerald eyes. Talia resisted shuddering under his livid gaze as he made his way towards her. He growled at her. His hind legs set themselves back as if he were about to leap on her. "Stop," she called before he could jump. "Please stop."

The wolf snarled, but he didn't leap at her. He shook his large head as he continued towards her. He bared his bloody teeth at her.

"Calm down," she said. Cautiously she held her hand out to him. Her fingers drifted to the crease behind his ear, and she gently scratched there. "It's alright. You don't have to hurt these innocent people. I'm sorry about earlier, but please don't take your anger out on my people. If you're going to hurt someone, then you should hurt me."

Aiden snarled with a shake of his head. The movement removed her hand from his head. He stepped closer and growled.

Talia took his bloody chops between her hands. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "Please stop hurting my people."

Another growl rumbled in her wolf's throat.

"I love you," she lied. Her words caused his growl to stop completely. Her wolf fell silent. "Please calm down. Please leave my people alone."

Aiden nudged her cheek with his large nose as a soft whimper hummed in his throat.

"I know you're sorry," Talia said. She wrapped her arm around his large neck, bringing him closer to her. She raised the silver sword in the air and stabbed it directly into the wolf's jugular. Her grasp on his neck tightened as he writhed in her arms. Talia pushed the sword deeper into his neck. She slowly sank down onto the floor with the wolf as its strength fled from its body. She only released the wolf when it'd ceased all movement.

Her dark eyes went to the wolves who'd slowly approached her. She retrieved the sword from the auburn wolf's neck and held it in front of her. To her surprise, the wolves bowed their heads to her.

A white wolf approached her. His voice hummed into her mind. "You've killed our alpha," he said. "We're under your command, princess."

Talia offered him a kind smile. "We should talk," she said. "In private."

The white wolf agreed with a huff. He lowered himself to the ground. Talia climbed onto his back. She looked to her citizens. "I'll be back," she said simply.

The wolves fled. The people of Tandeya watched their princess be carried off into the woods; the wolf she was riding led the pack into the darkness of the pine trees. The princess returned in the early morning, but she didn't speak of her conversation with the wolves.

Since her return, Tandeya had never been a more flourishing kingdom. There were no wars, no famine, and no illnesses. The woods became a safe place for the citizens again. Although the wolves were never seen again, the people of Tandeya knew they were the ones protecting their country from any harm. The princess' late night trips into the night strengthened their beliefs.

The legend of the Tandeya people states the alpha male had been looking for a queen to lead him and his wolves; their kind had always been led by a goddess of the moon. It's believed they'd only make peace with themselves and the humans around them if there was a kind, yet assertive queen standing beside their king. The Tandeya people believe the alpha chose the princess for who she was; he'd admired her independence, her sharp wit, extravagant combat abilities, and her serene beauty. She was the perfect queen in the eyes of both the human and Lycan world. The night she killed him was the night she officially became the queen of the Lycans; ruling the wolves to be allies to the citizens of her kingdom rather than enemies. The people believe her reign will forever bring peace in the Lycan community and provide service/protection to the Tandeyan people living nearby. May her powerful reign be everlasting.

For those interested in seeing more of this short story, I am currently in the process of forming a full-length novel with this fable/myth as a backbone; in the story this will be a real myth and has connections to the occurrences and events in the modern day. Let me know your opinions or suggestions on the idea.

Review if you wish!