Chapter 46: Mary “What tis the summit again?” | ask Draq for what feels like the millionth ttoday.
“I've told you multiple times Mary it is at nightfall.” Draq replies, his tone showing just how exasperated he was with me.
*It's essential for you to visit the market today, Mary.” Dru states, “On the day of the summit it’s important for the Village to know that their Queen has their back. Nikolai will be introducing a new law today, and its one the village folks will support.” “Do | finally get to know this secretly law?” | ask raising my eyebrow at the both of them.
“I guess it’s safe enough for us to spill the beans now.” Kade replies makingjump. | had forgotten the he and Nevaeh were accompanying us to the village today.
| turn my full attention to Kade, intrigued on what the new law was.
“Nikolai, since meeting you, has discovered a flaw in the system, one that should have been apparent as soon as he becking, but he didn’t notice it until he realized how poorly you and your family were treated.” Kade paused and I'm almost certain it was for effect, (This will be daily updtaed at www.jar.com) “He has decided to free the humans from slavery. He is abolishing the slave trade entirely. Any attacks upon humans with out just cause will be punishable by death. And Vampires are no longer allowed to take blood by force. We will either need to go to the blood bank or find a source willing to let us feed from them. In order to keep the blood supply up every eligible human will need to donate at least a pint of blood every four months.” | stared up at Kade in complete shock. Had Nikolai really done this because of me? “He knows it’s not entirely what you want, but | think it’s a good start towards change.” Kade replied to my blank stare.
“This is wonderful!” | exclaimed, with a new pep in my step as | walked towards the market. This tnext week, this market will be filled with free people. People who will finally have a choice on how they want to live their lives.
| begin to wonder if Nevaeh will stay or if she'll leave the castle to return to her village. | know she misses her family, but | can’t imagine her not being here. We've already been through so much together.
“Don’t worry,” Nevaeh said as she walked withinto the village, “I'm staying. Kade and | have decided to try the relationship route.” She gushed.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“WHAT!” | yelled.
“Shh...” Nevaeh said while covering my mouth with her hand, Drag, Dru, and Kade all giving us strange looks.
“A relationship? Are you sure?” | asked.
“I've never been more sure about something in my life. Being with Kade, he makesfeel so wanted, so alive.
He's brought back excitement into my life, and he has shownwhat it’s like to be loved.” Nevaeh said a huge smile on her face as she gushed about Kade.
“Well you supported my relationship with Nikolai, (This will be daily updtaed at www.jar.com)so I'll be supportive of your's with Kade, but | swear to the heavens if he so much as harms a hair on your head, | will kill him with my bare hands.” | responded.
Nevaeh gavea side hug, “This is why you're my best friend. Who would have imagined that little oldwould be best friends with the Queen of the kingdom and dating the King’s second in command.” “Nevaeh, there is more to you, than even you can see.” | replied.
A noise ahead of us made us stop in our tracks, there was a commotion in the village, and the sounds of people fighting “Nevaeh, Mary, stay back here. Dru stay with them. Drag and | will see what's happening ahead and make sure it’s safe for us to proceed.” Kade stated.
“I should see what's going on.” | insisted, “These are my people, and it is my responsibility to make sure my people are safe.” “Do you ever do as your told?” Kade asked, narrowing his eyes at me.
“No. It's why | make a better leader, than | do a follower.” | replied as | began to walk ahead of Drag and Kade.
“Uhh...I'll stay back here.” Nevaeh replied to Kade, “I don’t want to get mixed up with whatever that is.” She said pointing towards the commotion.
Kade looked hesitant to leave Nevaeh with just Dru. He knew that three of us would be able to watch each other's back, than just the two.
“Kade, stay back with Nevaeh and Dru. Draq is all the protection | need.” | stated as | gestured for Draq to follow me.
“But, Nikolai insisted...” Kade started to respond.
“Nikolai knows that he has never been able to tellwhat to do.(This will be daily updtaed at www.jar.com)” | reply, “Now stay back Kade. That's an order from your Queen.” | said as | smiled back at him, smiling wider, when | noticed he had his arms wrapped around Nevaeh’s waist and was facing towards her, no longer interested in what | was or wasn’t doing “Okay Your Majesty,” Draq states rolling his eyes as he looks over at me, “I'm not as big of a pushover as Kade.
I've put you in danger one to many times already. You will listen to what | tell you to. If not, I will pick you up and escort you to the dungeons and leave you there until Nikolai comes to get you.” 41lla “Uhh..Can you even threaten your Queen?” | asked, hoping | didn’t look as nervous as | felt.
“Nikolai will understand.” Draq responded as he lead the way towards the center of the village where the commotion was taking place.
There were two boys, no older than five years old, who were fighting over a loaf of bread.
“Tis'the last one in the market, and my mama hasn't eaten in awhile.” One of the boys exclaimed.
“My pa is sick and he needs to keep the weight on him to live.” The other replied.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Rubbish.” The other boy replied, “The entire village knows your Pa is nothing better than a drunk and a whoremonger. Your family would be better off without him. We all would.” “How dare you talk about my Pa like that, when yours was stupid enough to get killed off by the wolves.” The other boy shouted as he pummeled his fist into the others face.
Their bread long forgotten as they started to wrestle around on the ground, trying to get the most hits fi The sight of the other villagers watching the boys fight over a piece of bread sickened me. The few times | had been to the market, it was flourishing, could people who lived just right outside the market, really be struggling like this? “STOP!” | yelled loudly, drawing the attention of everyone around us.
Drag let a rumble out of his chest when one of the villagers got to close to us.
“Your highness!” One of the villagers who | recognized from the wedding exclaimed.
The whispers started up almost immediately.
The queen is here That's her majesty? So the rumors are true, she is just a human.
What make her so special? Drag glared atthe entire time. | knew he was angry that | didn’t let him assess the danger fully, but | couldn’t stand by and let the boys harm each other.
“You should all be ashamed, (This will be daily updtaed at www.jar.com)” | state raising my voice an octave so those standing towards the outskirts of the fight can hereas well, “To watch these two fight over a stale loaf of bread, instead of helping them find a way to feed their family, is a disgrace. When one villager fails, the entire village falls.” “Well your highness,” Cthe voice of a snarky old man, “If you haven't notice, the rest of us aren't doing so well ourselves. I'm sure you wouldnt understand the struggle, being as you live in the warm luxury of the castle.” “You will not talk to your Queen...” Draq starts to say as he steps betweenand the elderly man, blocking his path to me.
“Drag, please.” | state looking into the eyes of my dragon guard, “I can handle this.” “Sir,” | begin, “I lived in a far away village, | watched as my sister was slaughtered by a wolf, for during nothing more than trying to escape the life she would eventually be forced to submit to. | was then auctioned off to the highest bidder to do with as he please. | was lucky that it was King Nikolai who choseand not one of the other men in attendance. Not all the girls were lucky.. The girls who weren't chosen ended up being given to Alpha Ash, where he and his werewolves would fuck them to death.” | growl out spitting on the ground.
“...I.. 1 did not know your majesty. | am sorry.” The elder man replied bowing down to me.
“Now, let's see what we can do today, to help the village prosper.(This will be daily updtaed at www.jar.com)” | state, “Change won't happen one day at a time, but it is in the wind.”