“Salute!”
We saluted the coffin of Morris Highgate one more time before he was brought to the carriage. I remained standing at my ground until the carriage was out of my sight.
“As expected…” I glanced at General Cairo who was already beside me. “You are right, Your Majesty. He really courted for his death,” he added. “Literally.”
I felt General Benedict’s presence on the other side of me. “However, he did not meet the damage percentage we were looking forward to having. 10% out of 30 is not a trifling matter.”
“It didn’t create huge importance to us. We lost half of his troops due to his carelessness,” General Cairo said.
I sighed and agreed with them. “It is a lesson to learn for the other commanders not to do what Highgate and I did. I also courted my death before,” I said, remaining stoic. “It is also a lesson for me not to have the same attitude.” Sighing, I spun around. “We must head back. We will dispatch the Eagle Mist. The other commanders will act as a decoy so my elite soldiers will try to infiltrate the hideout of Lothim.”
“Your Majesty, we noticed something in you,” General Benedict said as soon as we were heading back to the camp.
“That is?”
“You’re getting bloated. Are you getting fat?”
I halted and arched my eyebrow when I glared at Benedict. “Getting fat? Seriously?” I asked in a dangerous tone.
General Cairo nudged him. “Aww! What was that for?” Benedict said and glared at Cairo.
“Really? Right in front of Her Majesty?” Cairo rolled his eyes. “You are forgetting that General Rachelle is now a Luna Queen so you cannot just utter ridiculous statements, Benedict.”
Benedict smiled wryly and looked at me. “P-Pardon me, Your Majesty… P-Please forgive me for uttering such a stupid statement…” He was about to kneel on the ground when I halted him.
“It’s fine. I already know you are a bastard.” I rolled my eyes before I started walking away.
“That hurts, Your Majesty!”
I stuck my tongue out as I headed to my tent. That moment, I sighed in relief as I placed my hand on top of my stomach.
I almost got caught… However, they started noticing the change in my body. How must I explain this to them?
“Your Majesty.”
I turned my head when Lucy arrived as she bowed her head before me. “What is it?”
Lucy came forward to whisper something in my ear. “An envoy from our elites came forth. There is news circulating in the palace that you might be pregnant.”
My heart froze at her words. “W-What did Claude say?”
Before Lucy could answer, Flora came inside the tent, waving a letter. “Your Majesty, there is a messenger hawk that came from Alpha King Claudian. There is no ribbon tied on it.”
My eyes widened. “No ribbon? Is it a straw rope that is tied, instead of a ribbon?” I asked which Flora nodded as she handed me the letter. Along with it was a straw rope she was indicating about.
There was always a meaning if a ribbon is being tied up in the messenger hawk’s leg.
Blue ribbon means an update of the progress of the war.
Yellow ribbon means health emergency if a royalty falls ill.
Green ribbon means we need more backups from the palace.
Red ribbon means urgent from the military.
Lastly, ribbon made from straw means it was a private letter between Claude and I. No one must bound nor dare to open the letter.
I immediately opened it after I dismissed Flora and Lucy. I read the contents which made my heart flutter upon reading it.
***
My dearest Luna Queen Rachelle,
I have come to write to you because I have missed you so much, Ray. Having without you here makes me so anxious. I could have wished we were together or perhaps, we should cast away and elope from the kingdom so I could have you all for myself.
***
I laughed at his words. It was selfish and possessive yet my wolf and I were squirming. We found it adorable because we already knew that one of the contents of the letter would be about how obsessed Claude was with us.
***
Anyway, I want to offer my condolences that one of our commanders in the military has died. You already explained the details and I want to say that he was a stupid scoundrel to even have himself killed.
I trust your judgement as to how you settled this, Rachelle. I know that you want to show to others not to act hastily.
Also, this is to convince yourself not to repeat the same mistake he did.
***
I bit my lower lip.
Claude…
Claude and I were really in sync. We really trust each other. Our minds were on the same page. He knew that there was something more into it when I was allowed to dispatch Highgate. I never included it in my letters that Highgate was just a pawn that could easily be discarded.
It was a trivial matter if one of the commanders would die, as long as they weren’t part of the Eagle Mist. It wouldn’t make a difference actually.
Claude… You really knew what I think, love. You knew that I never wanted to act hastily anymore.
***
I’m so proud of you, love. I really do.
I can’t wait to kiss you senselessly once the war is over.
One month without seems like ten years to me for being drifted apart.
Come back soon. I really missed you, Rachelle.
Your beloved needy husband,
Claude
***
I placed the letter in my heart indicating that I was so in love with this letter he always sent to me. I would never get tired of reading them.
I went to my desk to keep the letter in the small compartment when I noticed that something was written behind the small parchment which I failed to notice.
***
P. S.
I have heard that you started bloating for some reason. A few of the military personnel suspect that you are pregnant. That is not possible, right? You have taken your fertility control, I believe so. You must have been eating a lot. That is what I suspect is why you are getting bloated.
Because you know the consequences if that happens. You badly want to lead the brigade so I know you are not going to be reckless, Rachelle.
I love you.
***
My smile drastically vanished as soon as I finished reading it. I covered my mouth with my hand as I felt my heart racing wildly.
These last words sounded like a threat…
I knew… I already knew that if Claude finds out I am carrying our pup already, he would force me to come back to the palace whether I like it or not.
“Shit…” I started pacing back and forth.
I didn’t expect that they would reach their ears about the change of my body. I halted in front of the full-length body mirror. I bit my lower lip seeing that I was starting to get bloated.
And I started to have cravings such as spicy food lately but I limited eating them because I didn’t want the cooks to suspect anything. I caressed my bump as I inhaled and exhaled.
Gilbert told me that there were studies that if a female werewolf craves spicy food, it could mean that the gender of the baby pup is a boy.
If that would be the case if my pup is a boy, his name would be…
“Claudian Alexander V…” I murmured while looking straight into my eyes in the reflection of the mirror. “Your nickname should be Cloudy…” I smiled as I sighed.
I decided to write a reply letter for Claude. I didn’t want him to think that what he said, in the end, startled me.
But it really startled me!
Damn it!
When I finished writing a reply, I tied the letter to the messenger hawk using the rope Claude used. I watched the hawk fly away with concern expressed in my face.
Then I proceeded to where the Eagle Mist was already lining up, having a stoic expression right now smeared in my face. I went to the platform and saw my five thousand troops lining up. I suddenly felt overwhelmed seeing my elite soldiers and commanders.
‘Hear me, my Eagle Mist,’ I said through the mind link.
All of my five thousand soldiers would be able to hear me as I made a blood pact with them. It could mean that they were like my pack members and I am their Alpha. I could be able to mind link them without needing to open my mouth.
Also, as I became the Luna Queen, I had more influence than before. No one would ever defy a Luna Queen. Since becoming the Luna Queen, I was able to mind link anyone within the premises only.
Premises mean the territory of the Waevalon Kingdom.
That was the advantage of becoming and marrying an Alpha King.
We had a wide range of mind linking people. Because the whole kingdom was our pack, that is why.
I snapped back when they saluted me creating a loud thud sound because they were all doing it together. I smiled and nodded.
‘I am expecting 80% damage to the rogue troops once you are all set on the battlefield. As you all know, you have trained to defeat a thousand wolves per elite soldier. Strictly,’ I emphasized which they all nodded in agreement. ‘Now, show me your prowess! Show me the result of the heavy and strict training I bestowed to all of you which serves you as the elite soldier of the Waevalon Kingdom!’
“For the Waevalon Kingdom!” I said in a loud roaring voice.
“For the Waevalon Kingdom!” they said as they stomped their feet.
Satisfied, I looked behind me to the mountains of Auritaurie where they hid there. I unsheathed my sword from my scabbard pointing something in the direction of it. But with great insight, I could feel there were people staring and watching me.
Then I smiled sweetly in that direction and mouthed, ‘No mercy.’