Chapter two: Welcome to the 21st century.
"No. I know what a tunic and a pants looks like, commander" Judd insisted.
Defiance watched both of them. They never got along well. Even though Judd was her father's secret illegitimate brother, he was also the lead knight and the overall commander of the human battalions of the empire while Semeen was second in command of the werewolves pack.
No one thought that King Emperor Alexander of Aradale would one day unite man and beast and make them live together in perfect harmony, depending on who was asked.
There was always a power struggle between the pack commanders and the knights.
Judd stood up from where he was holding the imperial princess and he towed over Semeen but she didn't back down. She never steps away from a fight. She was also Defiance's Aunt since she was married to her maternal uncle, King Elliott of Namura before he was killed months ago.
"What are you not telling me, Commander?" Judd asked the werewolf.
Semeen opened the bag as she talked.
"First of all, it's sweetheart or honey…"
"Like hell it is!" Judd roared. "I am not calling another woman that is not my wife an endearing name!"
"Well, congratulations….we are married" She picked the clothes up and she shoved it to his chest.
Defiance stood up, she has known these particular people all her life. They were her favorite people but they were too alike to coexist.
"Aunt Semeen, you know it will go a lot easier if you just explain to sir Judd and I what is going on" Defiance told her.
Semeen exhaled. She might be her Aunt but was also a subject and the imperial princess's rank was above hers.
"Diddy, The King-Emperor and the Queen-Empress knew that there was no place in Derkal to hide you that the Vampires, the werewolves and humans alike can't hunt you down before you can take that stupid amulet off…Your father and his pack comb through the sixteenth century looking for a way out of the predicament you created…"
Judd grabbed Semeen's hand roughly. "Enough! She made a mistake. There is no need to keep throwing it in her face any chance you get"
Defiance appreciated her uncle's leap to her defense but not the commander.
Semeen pried his hand away from her body.
"Like I was saying…to keep you safe they had to look further…they had to hide you in the future" Semeen told them and blinked.
"What…what do you mean by future?" Defiance moved closer to her.
Semeen paused and swallowed. "You are not you, Diddy. You are not…Defiance Isa Aradale…well, your soul is but you are in a different body. Her name Is Maddie, she was harmed in a home invasion with her father and her mother a few hours ago. Her parents sustained little injury but Maddie is in a coma. I stole her body from the hospital so you can have a vessel. And you Judd, you are in the body of Marcus Cross, the Alpha's right hand man, his Beta and I am currently occupying the body of Jeanine Cross, his wife" Semeen explained to them.
"What rubbish?! Blasphemy!" Judd yelled. "I am looking at my niece and she is Diddy…look at her, Semeen" Judd pointed at the imperial princess.
"Oh…my bad. There is a necklace around your neck, take it off" Semeen commanded them.
"I don't have a…" Defiance touched her neck and found a necklace there. She took it off and then she screamed.
"Ahh! Uncle Judd, you're different! You are…shorter"
Defiance looked at her uncle and she didn't see the man she once knew.
He wasn't a gaint with a devil's fork beard with no moustache which fitted perfectly on his diamond shaped face anymore.
He had no more devil may care outlook that made people weirdly uncomfortable around him. He wasn't the man that hardly spoke unless it was to bark orders to his knights or order for an execution on behalf of the King-Emperor. He wasn't formidable anymore.
Defiance remembered that many people that went against Sir Judd in battle never live long enough to tell the tale. And with a viking-gold hair and concrete jaw, he was ruggedly handsome but oblivious of it but that wasn't the case anymore.
He was just an averaged height man with an unkempt beard and bloody clothes. He didn't look…formidable anymore.
Judd took off the necklace and he too saw his niece in a different way. She was no more the imperial princess who inherited her father's height and her mother's red hair. She was shorter and fragile like she was intentionally starved. And she was wearing an even stranger outfit that had both her legs exposed. She was almost naked.
"What are you wearing?!" He screamed at her and tried to cover her up with the clothes Semeen gave him.
"I have no idea" Defiance murmured.
"Welcome to the 21st century, folks. Now, change into these!" Semeen ordered.
Even Semeen looked different. She was no longer the blonde they once knew, she had black hair now with a round face.
"We are dead?" Judd asked her.
"Yes and No. You are not dead but you are not alive either. You are in-between the veil of the living and dead…"
"How…"
"Your mother is the greatest white witch to walk the earth…well, excluding yourself, Your royal highness. She found a way and all we have to do is survive in this godforsaken century for a whole year, just until she is able to get the amulet off and we can leave this rottening corpses we are occupying and go back home. But don't be afraid. Everything that makes you…well, you is still intact. Judd is still annoying and Diddy, you are still the most powerful hybrid to walk the earth. And I am still a wolf"