It was a cold day in the kingdom of Athea; people were hurrying around in their long dresses and jackets, trying to keep the cold from getting to their skin.
In the midst of the hustle and bustle, the topic of conversation was the wedding of Prince Artanis to the Count's daughter, Aretha. And because of all that, no one cared that a young man was standing outside the tavern, drinking his fourth bottle of wine.
Luke closed his eyes, a little dizzy from the drink. His white shirt and black pants were wrinkled and dirty from contact with the ground and the wine he had downed. No one would have thought that someone so disheveled would be the Prince's future brother-in-law.
He staggered to his feet, deciding whether to return home or wander around a bit more. He chose the second option. Hardly anyone would care.
Luke thought it would be just another day like any other, coming home drunk and ignored by everyone as if he didn't even exist. Except for his older sister, who would wake him up with her smile and kind eyes.
"What will become of me without her?" He thought about what he would do when Aretha was gone and married. He would probably be forgotten.
The cold wind cut him again, and he rubbed his arms to warm himself. Maybe it would be better to go home. But something unexpected caught his eye. Or rather someone.
A hood hid the blond, almost white hair of the passing stranger. But there was an unmistakable scent of wood about him. Luke had gotten used to the scent whenever his sister's fiancé visited her at home.
What was the prince doing there in the middle of the night? Was he betraying Aretha's honor on the eve of her wedding? If it really was him, where would his guards be?
Well, it wasn't so strange that Artanis was alone, after all, the prince was known for being an excellent fighter and swordsman. And, of course, his greatest title: High Mage of Athea. He could certainly defend himself.
The young man knew better than to mess with the prince, as he was too powerful compared to someone like him. But the desire to protect his sister, who had always done so much for him, won out.
Although he was clumsy, Lucas was very light and thin, so he could walk almost unnoticed. Despite being drunk, he did his best not to let his dizziness get the better of him.
The future prince had almost disappeared into the crowd. Luke hurried so as not to lose sight of him. He followed him through the streets, hiding in the rafters so as not to be seen.
The Count's legs were tired from walking. They had already left the center and were heading for the dark forest. It was no place for ordinary civilians, especially weak ones like Luke. Even so, he didn't give up. For his sister.
He followed the mysterious man until he finally stopped. The place he arrived at was an abandoned shop. A woman with red hair, gray eyes and a blue dress was waiting for him.
Luke smiled, happy to be right, as he hid among the trees. So it really was a lover.
The stranger lowered his hood, revealing platinum blond hair. And the soft, husky voice that the young man had heard so often praising his sister came forward:
"Have you prepared what I asked for, Talise?"
The red-haired woman, who couldn't have been more than 30 years old, nodded in confirmation. Then she turned to retrieve something from the counter.
"Here it is, Your Highness. As requested."
The prince turned to examine the object, and Luke could see his cold blue eyes on his honey-colored skin, watching the small greenish phial.
The man smiled, showing the white teeth on his thin lips.
"Perfect for mixing with peppermint tea, the Countess's favorite. Thank you, Talise. Once again, you've been as helpful as ever."
Talise bowed slightly and agreed:
"I have only done my part to be of service to Your Highness."
Luke covered his mouth and tried not to make a sound. His heart was pounding, and his hands were shaking. But what hurt his body the most was the desire to attack that bastard for trying to kill his sister.
Aretha was perfect, a beautiful and gentle lady. She possessed a million qualities, certainly worthy of being a prince's wife, so how could this man want to kill her? What could his sweet sister have done to deserve such a fate and such a desire?
Anger gripped him, and he had to do his best not to move. But his efforts seemed futile. Artanis' voice came again:
"Quiet. We seem to have a lost pup between us, Talise. Take care of it for me for a moment." She handed the bottle to the woman, and in a few seconds, without Luke noticing, the icy eyes were staring at him with amusement.
"What are you doing here, puppy? Are you lost? Still, I admire that you're such an exemplary dog, able to see through my barrier."
Luke's heart raced even faster, anger mixed with fear, and he clenched his fingers, not knowing what to do. Should he try to fight the wizard or run away? Finally, he cried out:
"What are you going to do to my sister? She doesn't deserve this. She's good and kind, why do you want to kill her? "
Artanis smiled darkly, his mouth moving closer to the young man's ear. Luke could feel his breath very close.
"A puppy, loyal to his sister, blindly followed her as if she were a saint. But he doesn't know that she is a wolf, just like me. A wolf who pretends to be domesticated, so people won't notice her wild side. Are you sure you really know her? "
Luke turned away in fear. He stood a few steps away from the prince. Still, something held him there. He couldn't move.
"What nonsense are you talking about? How can you sully her name with such words? My sister isn't like that. She's a real lady. And even if she were, why kill her? "
Artanis' smile made your body tremble. He really did look like a wolf looking at a fragile, frightened little lamb. Luke blamed himself for finding that expression warm.
"Your sister has something that I want very much. Something I've been searching for years. And I'm going to have it anyway. But since I'm a gentleman and follow the rules above all else " The prince moved closer again." I'll have to get married to get what I want. If you're a good puppy, I can tell you. But I think it's too late. Besides, there's not much a drunken outcast like you can do.
Artanis finished the sentence, running his fingers along Luke's lips until he covered them with his own.
Luke was startled; he had never been kissed in his life. But he knew there was something very bad in the middle of that taste of whiskey and mint. A kiss shouldn't cause his vision to darken and his mind to shut down.
When the young man fainted, the prince took him in his arms.
"Here you are, Your Highness." Talise showed him the vial, which disappeared within seconds. The wizard had sent it to a safe place.
"Thank you again for your service, Talise. Now I must take this abandoned puppy home. "