In the Witch's Kingdom, the palace was illuminated by a dim light. Through one of the corridors, a young girl dressed in a black uniform—pants and a shirt that fit her fighting persona—with a sword belt tightened around her waist, announced her complete readiness to fight.
She took quick steps towards the queen's court, the walls whispering old tales, her eyes watching what might happen in these crucial moments.
The girl bowed before the queen and said in a quiet voice, "Your Majesty, you commanded my presence. Has something new happened?"
The queen spoke firmly, "There is no need for such formality now, Olivia."
Olivia looked at her and said, "What has happened?"
The queen raised her head as if she were preparing to reveal something serious. "We have received reports that the werewolves have begun to move in secret. They seem to be planning something."
Many questions swirled in the girl's mind, but she was silent for a moment before answering, "But they have disappeared from the scene since the last war we fought with them. They haven't attacked us for a long time. Why are they showing up now?"
The queen looked at her with a heavy gaze, as if remembering the past, then said, "I know. That's what scares me. Their calmness is not normal. The werewolves seem to be up to something. So I sent one of my agents to find out what's going on behind the scenes."
"And what was the result?" the girl asked eagerly.
"Nothing... But they're on high alert, mobilizing their strength as if they're preparing for a surprise attack. That's what worries me the most, especially with Eclipse Leonar, the lunar eclipse that will be at its peak soon. We will be at our weakest at that moment."
Olivia smiled softly, trying to ease the queen's anxiety, and said, "There is no need to worry, Mother. We will be careful to secure our borders before we run out of energy. We will avenge them for what they did to the previous queen. We won't let them take any more from us."
But the queen looked at her with eyes full of wisdom and concern, and said in a low voice, "Come closer to me, Olivia."
She approached to stand in front of the queen, then bent down to sit before her, placing her head on the queen's lap. The queen tenderly patted her head and said in a strong voice, "Know, my dear, that we will not allow this to happen again.
"Know, my dear, that we do not seek revenge against them. We are simply defending ourselves. It was the werewolves who attacked us first and killed many of us. We don't want to prolong the war aimlessly. But I am certain of one thing: the werewolves are not the ones who killed the former queen, or more precisely, not all of them were involved in that crime."
Olivia was taken aback by the queen's words.
"Why do you say that, Mom?"
The queen remained silent for a moment, as if considering her words carefully, before responding seriously, "Because I don't believe that werewolves killed the previous queen. There's something bigger than that. Maybe an invisible hand is behind it. I believe this is just the beginning of a much bigger plan than just a war between us and them. The fire of discord has been burning for a long time, and it won't be extinguished before it reaps too much."
Olivia paused, her eyes widening slightly at the enormity of it all, then said cautiously, "So what do you intend to do?"
The queen looked to the horizon and said with determination, "We have to be prepared for anything. We have gathered some information, but we don't yet know where this will lead. I don't want to act on suspicion, but I know that what's coming is bigger than any war we've fought before. We will be at our most vulnerable during the lunar eclipse, so we must be stronger than we expect. Do what you think is right. I'll leave you in charge of protecting the kingdom; I trust you are up to the task."
"You haven't seen in the past how werewolves and wizards lived together in peace, my child. So don't judge everyone by what you see now. This strife has consumed many of us. But, sadly, some did not understand this. And don't forget that an alpha werewolf was killed that day, and that only made things worse."
The queen's words were sincere, carrying a burden of sorrow as she saw before her eyes how suddenly things had changed.
Olivia nodded carefully and replied in a quiet voice, "Okay, Mom. I'm going to go now and get some rest. Good night."
Olivia walked out, leaving the queen to continue thinking about those days.
Flashback
On a beautiful day in her childhood, Aniela was playing in the fields while her little sister Elizabeth excitedly chased after her.
"Wait for me, Aniela! Why are you running so hard? It's not a race!" The girl with curly black hair and a pure white face said as she caught her breath, trying to keep up with her sister.
Aniela giggled and laughed loudly. "I know it's not a race. I was just showing you my new skills. I'm not lazy like you!"
Elizabeth replied with a cocky smile, "I'm not lazy! You are the future queen, so you should be practicing in all areas. As for me, I'm your little sister, so I should relax and take care of my beauty." She said as she rearranged her curls.
Aniela laughed and said, "You can do all that, but with practice! We don't know what the future holds. You could be the queen one day."
Back to the Present
The queen woke up from her memories, smiled sadly, and said in a low voice, "Your words have come true, Aniela. I wish you were here with me now."
She took a deep breath and then said confidently, "I know you're here. Show yourself now."
It was only a few seconds before McQueen stood up and said lazily, "You and Olivia always catch my eye."
The queen gave him a stern look and said seriously, "Won't you stop playing games? Should I send you on missions in the caves to learn to respect your queen?"
McQueen bowed in fear and said in a low voice, "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I will not do it again. Forgive me for my mistakes."
The queen looked at him with cold eyes, then said in a heavy voice, "Why do I receive complaints about you from your teachers? Do you think the prince of the kingdom must be weak, that you can do whatever you want?"
McQueen froze in place, his sweat dripping with anxiety. He realized that this moment would have dire consequences.
The queen approached him and offered her harsh words: "Look at yourself. Who do you think you are? As a prince in this kingdom, so much of our fate depends on you."
She paused for a moment and then continued firmly, "Therefore, I want to see you make a greater effort to learn. If you don't, I will send you to the caves. This is your last warning. Go now."
McQueen rushed out of the room, but felt something heavy in his heart as the door closed behind him. Before he could take a deep breath, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder that made him jump forward in dismay.
Hearing a soft giggle made McQueen sit up, and he turned around to find Olivia standing behind him, smiling.
McQueen gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Because of you, I'm going to have a heart attack!"
Olivia moved forward, not paying attention, but stopped abruptly and said, "Wait! I want to ask you something."
She turned to him, and McQueen stood puzzled. "What is it?"
"When are you going to stop eavesdropping on the hall and the rooms? If the queen finds out, it will be the end of you." Her last words were more of a threat than a warning.