“Your Majesty.”
I glanced up when a guard grabbed my attention. “What is it?”
“Captain Colette is requesting to see you, Your Majesty.”
“Very well. Tell her to come in,” I said coldly, nodding my head.
The guard left. Then, Captain Colette entered. She bowed before me. “Greetings, General Rachelle. I have come forth to update you,” she said politely.
I almost smiled when she addressed me General Rachelle instead of Your Majesty but I remained composure as I nodded. “Spill,” I ordered.
Colette nodded. “We have tried the peaceful approach by sending a letter to the leader of the rogues.” He placed the letter on my desk. “Here is the response from him.”
I opened it and read the contents. I squinted my eyes as I scoffed. “So, he had chosen a hard way, huh?” I showed the letter to my two Generals and all of the Commanders here, regardless if they were from the Eagle Mist or not. “Thank you for the report, Captain Colette. You may now be dismissed.”
“Yes, General.” She nodded and left the tent.
I turned my head to my fellow high-rank soldiers who were with me for brainstorming and creating military tactics. “We have tried the peaceful approach for the nth time. But Lothim is a stubborn mule who never wanted to resort to a peaceful approach.” I sighed as I leaned in my seat. “Even if we already told him that we would lessen their crime punishment in case they were caught…”
“We have already defeated their left flank two weeks ago. That was about 10, 000 rogues in total that our soldiers managed to defeat,” General Cairo said.
“Even though we already heed a warning at them, Lothim doesn’t want to admit defeat.” It was General Benedict who pointed it out.
“What should we do now, Your Majesty?”
I sighed. “We will proceed to our plans. Eagle Mist must prepare for my orders. We will dispatch all of you next week since he never wanted to make it with the military of the royal family,” I ordered as I massaged my temple. “Let’s end our discussion here.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As they all left, I leaned in my seat, feeling a little sick. I felt like my stomach was churning upside down for some reason. And something was hammering in my head, making me feel irritated.
I stayed there in my tent before I returned to the other tent where I was resting. That tent was heavily guarded with my elite commanders as they were bound to stay inside my tent no matter if I was getting dressed in front of them or sleeping.
I wrote a letter for Claude to update him about the latest warfare in our battle of the rogues. We did everything we could not resort to violence and killing. However, Lothim wasn’t a person who could easily resort to this.
Then I wrote to him that I missed him already which made me smile.
I was already done tying the letter to the messenger hawk and went outside to let it fly. “Bring it to Alpha King Claudian,” I said as the bird nodded before it flew away.
The next morning, I woke up feeling myself wanting to puke. I was getting distressed that I had to feel this which worried my commanders.
“Your Majesty, shall I summon the pack doctor?” Cornelius, one of the elite battle commanders of the Eagle Mist.
I shook my head. “Can you make sure next time that I will not have to eat a rotten meal for our cooks?” I ordered Cornelius when he tended to me and caressed my back.
Concerned, Cornelius nodded. “I shall deliver your words, Your Majesty. Or if you may, I will punish the cooks for making you feel like this,” he said coldly.
I chuckled. “How cold, Cornelius.” I rolled my eyes. “No, just do as I say, alright?” I asked softly.
His cold expression dissolved as he softened and nodded obediently. “Yes, Your Majesty. Your wish is my command.” He bowed his head.
“Oh! And I need medicine for migraine,” I added as Cornelius nodded his head.
After that, the servants came in after I signaled them that they were allowed to come inside my tent. They helped me get a bath, not minding that I was naked in front of my remaining elite commanders. If they ever thought of something unusual, I could behead them anytime.
As soon as I dressed up in my military uniform, I went out of the tent as the rest of the elite commanders followed me behind as I returned to the conference tent where we gathered about the progress of the war.
“Greetings, Your Majesty,” the Chief Administrator, Generals, and other Commanders greeted me when I arrived there.
I nodded my head as I sat down on my chair. “Tell me the progress. Have they marched another troop just as we expected?”
General Cairo spoke. “Indeed, they are. How many soldiers do you want to march and who are the commanders you want to dispatch this time?” he asked.
I was about to speak when Morris Highgate raised his hand. “I volunteer.”
“This is not a volunteering action, Highgate. Allow Her Majesty to decide for this,” General Benedict barked.
Highgate scoffed. “I am capable of marching in the war. It is not as if I will die there.”
I watched him closely. I suddenly remembered that I got to defy my higher-ups because of this. I was so careless however, I could kill a bunch of people even if the tactic was not being followed.
“Let him,” I said earnestly to General Benedict. “Commander Walter and Commander Connor are going to be dispatched today. Move now,” I ordered. “The two of you are supporting while Highgate is the movement.”
The three commanders nodded and saluted me. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
I dismissed all of the commanders, even my elite ones. Only Benedict and Cairo were left here in the conference room.
“Are you certain about this, Your Majesty? You are dispatching Highgate?” Cairo asked, surprised at my decision.
“Indeed. He is not part of the plan we concocted,” Benedict agreed.
I used the pawn that was set on the war table and placed it on the tactical map. “I am having him killed in the war,” I said coldly. “I knew how dangerous this was as I saw myself in him. I was allowed to be stubborn before and I now realized that I am actually courting death when I wasn’t following the tactics created by the higher-ups.” Then I took it, playing it in my hand. “We shall see if he will survive or not.”
I looked at them as they exchanged glances. After that, they all nodded, understanding what I meant.
“Since the rogues have gathered in one place, we shall see if having Highgate’s troops will create at least 30% damage to our enemies,” I added. “Walter and Connor only needed support. They will act as a decoy for Highgate’s attack.”
“Is it too risky to sacrifice him? We will lose a commander if he will die on the battlefield,” Benedict asked as he sighed.
“We still have Her Majesty’s Eagle Mist, Benedict. Sacrificing one commander, not from Eagle Mist will make a difference if an elite commander will be the one dying in this war,” Cairo reasoned. “The Eagle Mist is our trump card as well.”
I nodded, agreeing at General Cairo. I am glad that he understood my Eagle Mist. I was honored to train them when my father-in-law allowed me to do it.
Benedict sighed and leaned on his seat. “Well, time to divert our plan then in case he will die.” He shrugged.
Cairo chuckled while I rolled my eyes. “Hilarious.” But I knew that he was right. We needed to make a diversion in case it happened.
As soon as we finished planning, I took the collapsible telescope as I went outside to observe the loud shouts and screams on the battlefield here in the Auritaurie. I watched as some rogues and soldiers died before my eyes while remaining a stoic expression on my face.
If before, I would go to the frontlines in order to avenge my soldiers, right now, I have to remain calm and composed, watching everyone die before my eyes.
Thanks to my training, I had learned to control my emotions and keep them at bay. It was worth it that Claude helped me get through with this.
As a leader of the brigade and being a General, I need to be as firm as possible and think rationally. I wasn’t the battle commander from before who never listened to my superior’s orders and kept getting suspended.
As a Luna Queen of the Waevalon Kingdom, I still need to think about the safety of my people and be the perfect mother for my subjects.
If it was from before, I would dismiss all of this, but the right time was different. I took things seriously because leading a brigade was a dream that came true thanks to my husband and my mate.
“Claude… Thank you very much…” I murmured under my breath, sighing.
I also missed him so much. It has been a month already that I hadn’t seen him and we were only exchanging letters, updating each other about the progress of him dealing with state affairs while I was dealing with war.
Naturally, the Alpha King was the one joining the war. Even from history, only men could lead the war, and no woman from the Waevalon Kingdom ever had come to lead a war. Also, no Luna Queen had been dispatched to lead the war and brigade.
Only I, Rachelle Simon, changed history back then.
I was the first female werewolf who entered the military and survived the judging comments from men. I had been ridiculed for being a woman who they thought that I couldn’t do what a man could do.
I proved myself and showed my prowess that I could surpass any man.
With my entrance, more female werewolves joined the military which broke the barrier that only men could attend the heavy military training.
I was the first female battle commander who proved my worth to have that title. After earning enough merits in the military despite that I was suspended for defying orders, I earned a General title.
I looked in the sky as I smiled. I was thanking the Moon Goddess for helping and allowing me to overcome these challenges.
And now, I shouldered the responsibility of being the Luna Queen of the Waevalon Kingdom.
I chuckled in my mind, finding how ironic this was. If my father-in-law didn’t halt me from leading the brigade and not betrothing me to Claude, probably I was a General only.
However, my heart was broken at that time since there was a probability that Claude would be betrothed to another woman.
Just thinking about that made me and my wolf in pain right now. Somehow, this was a blessing in disguise that it turned out that I was the one betrothed to Claude.
If that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t realize my true feelings for Claude and I wouldn’t be able to mark him just as he marked me as his mate.
“Claudian…” I murmured his name, not his nickname, Claude. “I really missed you, love…” Sighing, I felt my heart ache right now.
I smiled bitterly. I knew Claude was feeling what I was feeling. I was feeling the same, too. He was longing for me just as I was longing for him as well.
Days had passed, I was feeling dizzy. My elite commanders had been noticing it but they weren’t attempting to ask me how I was because I would dismiss them. I wasn’t sure why I was feeling this way as well.
And every morning, I was feeling like I wanted to puke. However, nothing was coming out but pure bitterness at the back of my throat.
I retired early when I felt like I was about to collapse and I never told this anyone. I focused on reading the past reports when Piran came forth to announce.
“Your Majesty, Luna Queen Rachelle.”
I turned my head at him. “Yes?” I tilted my head a little as I removed my spectacles.
“Her Highness, Princess Cherish has come to visit you. She is with Doctor Gilbert.”
I furrowed my eyebrows, bewildered as to why my youngest sister-in-law was with one of our military doctors, Doctor Gilbert. “Allow them to come in,” I said even though I was quite hesitant about what business they had with me.
Cherish and Gilbert entered as they bowed before me. “Greetings, Your Majesty,” they said in unison as they bowed before me. My sister-in-law was still in his military uniform while our military doctor was wearing a lab gown.
I nodded, acknowledging them. “What business do you have with me?” I asked solemnly as I saw their earnest expression right now.
Cherish stepped forward. “Sister-in-law, I have heard you are experiencing dizziness and morning sickness lately.”
“Where did you hear that?” I arched my eyebrow as I glared at Piran, Flora, Cornelius, and Lucy. ‘I believe I told all of you not to tell this to anyone, didn’t I?’ I said, mind linking these four elite commanders who were with me. They were bowing their heads not meeting my eyes as they didn’t dare to meet my ocean blue eyes. I squinted my eyes at them one more time as I returned my gaze back to Cherish. “Indeed.” Then I glanced at Gilbert. “Are you worried as you have to summon Gilbert here?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “I just want to be certain that you are alright and if my suspicion is incorrect.”
“That is?” I suddenly felt bewildered as to what she was indicating.
Cherish pierced her hazel eyes on me and stayed silent for a moment, prolonging the agony.
“That you are pregnant with Older Brother Claude’s pup.”