The dark sky over the Ruthernglan castle looked splendid with the fireworks.
The drum sound added to the majestic air surrounding that old castle.
Within a few minutes, a few hunters of higher rank entered their street in their horses.
"Everybody, to the castle!", they announced.
"Sire, may we know what the occasion is?", a woman asked them.
"Who gave you the permission to talk back?", a hunter sternly forbade them from speaking.
"Let them talk. They are all agog!", the man who appeared to be their leader silenced him.
He turned towards the people with a proud face.
"His highness, the crown prince will arrive in minutes. Go, pay your respect!"
This announcement almost created pandemonium in that street.
"But sire, what are the fireworks for?", a confused man questioned.
"Have you all heard of the tale of the dark werewolf king?"
"Yes, sire", the man responded.
"Our king had successfully killed that ruffian"
"Killed? So the stories were all real?" a young man asked.
"Are you trying to say, our lord is lying?", the hunter who spoke before angrily bashed out.
Their leader stopped him with a hand sign.
"Don't raise these questions in front of his highness, if you don't want to be beheaded" he continued.
He turned towards the hunters and yelled "Move". They strode out of that street.
'The werewolf king is dead,' this news hit Diana differently. Once again, the images of that little black wolf cub that had run back into the forest ten years ago, the ruby-eyed man who had saved her a few days ago, and Ray whom she parted with yesterday appeared in her thoughts out of nowhere.
For some reason, she couldn't immediately jump to the conclusion like other villagers, that the werewolf king was someone evil. From what she saw and experienced, it appeared that not everyone beyond that border is evil. There may be a few beasts, but there were some friendly animals as well.
Though she was still doubted the idea of a werewolf since she never saw Ray turning into a human.
But what she heard a moment ago meant destruction. If the king claimed to have killed the beast king, there won't be anything that will restraint these hunters from ransacking Hangrooves.
Everything will be ravaged and killed. This idea gave her chills.
Ray would be in danger too!
She can never let Ray be in danger. She still remembered how he saved her, then befriended her and loved her more than himself. He may be just an animal with only five senses but for her, Ray meant loyalty. The bond she had with Ray was something divine and unbreakable.
She would never let something bad happen to Ray!
Now that she thinks of it, if only these stupid Lanirs were a bit kinder, she would have brought Ray into the village and kept him with her all the time.
*Sigh*, this kind of fantasy is never possible for someone who was born in Lanir.
Finally, Diana decided to go back into the Hangrooves the next weekend. She had to somehow warn Ray and his friends! Ray is intelligent, he would probably understand.
With these thoughts, she came back to her bed.
She was not sure if she should go and pay the so-called respect to that evil descendant of that king. She was not willing but she felt like she should be there to learn more about the death of the werewolf king.
Finally, she decided that she should attend the celebration. She got ready within minutes and hurried to the back door.
When she opened the door, there she was so shocked. Wyatt was there just outside the door, with another man!
She never thought that he'll be there but now she was so sure that he is going to hate her more.
She nervously awaited him to say something.
"Where are you heading to?", as expected, Wyatt asked her with a stern face.
"The hunters invited everyone to the castle!"
".....Go back to your room", his voice and the way he said clearly showed how angry he was.
Diana didn't like the tone but since he told this considering her safety she patiently went back to her room.
The two men followed her.
Once they reached the illuminated room, Diana turned towards the two.
"Who is he?", she asked straight away.
"Diana, where are your manners?", Wyatt scolded her again.
"What's wrong with my manners?"
"You should consider his age, at least! Don't be always reckless! Everybody is not going to bear with you just like me and your father!"
Diana was shocked listening to him. She was afraid that she may end up crying if this argument continued. The way Wyatt behaved seemed so different from before. She was not used to this kind of behavior.
Still, she didn't want to appear weak in front of them.
"Forgive me, sire. May I know who you are?", she directly asked the man this time.
This man stepped forward into the light so she could see his face.
He was a man in his late sixties or early seventies. There were visible wrinkles on his face, especially near his eyes. His long white beard covered half of his face. His hair was white as well. He was much shorter than Wyatt, still taller than her.
"I'm the royal physician of Lanir, dear. My name is Oliver!", the man introduced himself.
"R...R...Royal physician?", Diana's words got stuck in her throat.
"Yes!", the man smiled.
"Good evening sire," Diana had no idea how to respond so she sheepishly smiled.
Though she had expected Wyatt to appear again with some other doctors, she had never expected him to bring the man who is responsible for the royal family's health!
"Come sit down!", the physician pointed to the chair before him. Diana obediently went and sat down there.
"First of all let me see your hand", the royal physician said.
Diana lifted and showed her wounded hand to him.
The man grabbed her hand then observed with the help of the lantern he was carrying in his other hand.
His eyebrows raised once as he closely observed the wound, he nodded once.
Now his eyes drifted to Wyatt as he said, "It's not an animal bite".
Diana curiously waited for him to finish the sentence since she too wanted to know what bit her then.
"It's a vampire, a fully grown royal vampire bite", his eyes drifted back to Diana's face, which showed confusion.
"A vampire is a kind of superhuman being with some powers. This bite is capable of turning you into a vampire in just one day!". he finished.
"Then... am I a vampire, now?"
"No. It doesn't seem so", the physician said.
"But...", he continued making her heart skip a beat!
"But, we should find why!", he finished.
"What?!", Diana almost shouted in shock.
"Yes. It's impossible for a human to not change into a vampire after being bitten by a royal vampire"
'Then am I not human?', Diana didn't ask this out since it sounded so stupid. She kept thinking.
"We need a stronger antidote in a case like this to retain one's humanity"
'Could it be any herb Ray used to treat her wound?', she continued to think.
"And the answer is already here", the man lifted the lantern a bit exposing her forehead to the light."
This time he immediately didn't say anything. The smile on his face froze for some reason.
"A werewolf's kiss?", he said.
Diana's eyes widened in shock and panic.
"Wyatt, when did she go missing?"
"Six days ago"
The man stepped away from her. Sweat beads already appeared on the side of his forehead.
"It can't be... It can't be...", he muttered again and again.
"What's wrong, sire?", Wyatt stepped towards him.
"Th... The flame mark on her forehead, it's from a M...Mavros wolf"
Wyatt frowned in confusion. "Is that bad?"
"Diana, did you see any black wolf in Hangrooves?", the physician immediately questioned her without giving Wyatt an answer.
"Black wolf?"
"Yes. Any huge black wolf?"
"N...No", she immediately denied.
"Diana! Think carefully. Are you sure?", Wyatt asked her emphasizing the 'Are you sure?' part.
"Y...Yes Wyatt", she replied.
Wyatt's gaze stayed on her two seconds longer. Diana couldn't bear that look in his eyes. She felt too guilty for lying.
"It is a Mavros wolf! The flame has five tips!", the physician insisted. With this, Wyatt drifted his gaze away from her.
"Will I die?", Diana who couldn't take this suspense, directly asked him.
"It's not fatal!"
Before she could let out a sigh of relief, the man continued, "but" then turned towards Wyatt.
"There are two possibilities. She may go into the Hangrooves searching for the vampire again. That's how vampire venom works. She cannot be cured with any medications. This is a curse."
"What about the werewolf?", Wyatt impatiently asked.
"About that werewolf, I'm not sure. But there is a high chance for this werewolf to enter the Lanir in search of her. Tighten the security at the border."
Wyatt nodded.
"You should keep your eyes on her. Either way, she'll be in danger."
"I will"
"There is another important thing you need to do, Wyatt."
"Go ahead sire", he said.
"Go, tell your father that 'he' is alive", the physician gave the order.
"Who?", a confused Wyatt continued to look at the physician.
"You don't need to know!", he replied!