"Meow"
Alexander turned around, surprised by the noise. A gray cat was looking at him, with large yellow eyes. It didn' t seem to be scared of him or anything else, for that matter. It stood firmly there, on the grass, in front of him, waiting.
"What are you doing here, you little one? " asked Alexander in a gentle voice, slowly stretching his right hand towards the cat, in order to stroke it.
A faint "meow" could be heard again. And, exactly when his hand touched the cat's head, something inside him stirred. Deep. And forever.
Alexander's wolf howled and surfaced, in all its might and beauty. They were now facing each other: the fierce wolf and the fragile cat.
They looked, but didn't move. The wolf howled again and again, louder and louder, longer and longer.
Hunter's appearance was frghtening and majestic: fur as black as coal, large body, broad chest, strong and athletic paws. His eyes were piercing blue. It was such a beautiful sight! The precise image of its master.
Hunter was growling at the cat, because there was something very disturbing about it. Its smell had ravished all his senses, chaining him and subduing him forever. But the cat was curageosuly confronting him, without showing any sign of hesitation.
Without hesitation and looking straight into the wolf's eyes, the cat approached the beast and jumped, in one elastic move, on Hunter's back and placed its little head on the beast's head.
Calmness overcame Alexander.
NYAN
Nathaniel was restless: he was obssessed with the finding of the missong princess. Many questions invaded his mind:"Was she alive?", "Will he be able to find her?", "Was she beautiful?" These questions and more were tormenting him, urging him to find her and to...
"To what?" asked Nathaniel furiously. "What?"
He didn't know that she existed, let alone knowing her face or her name.
"That would be nice..." murmured Nathaniel ..." getting to know her..."
He chased the thought from his mind. He was thinking too far. First, he had to find her and the decide what he should do with her.
He agitated impatiently a small bell thag was lying on the table in his chamber. A boy, his paige, appeared almost immediately.
"Yes, my lord", said the shy boy, not daring to raise hos eyes and look at Nathaniel.
"Search the castle for a drawing or a painting of the missing princess. Do not stop until you have found something! " commanded Nathaniel in a thundering voice.
After ten more minutes, Nathaniel left the room, heading towards the Garrison of Royal soldiers, in order to talk to some of the generals of the Iron Army. No sooner had he left the room than he bumped into a maid of the palace who was carrying a tray with tea at that moment. The hot contents spilled on Nathaniel's clothes, inflicting pain, as well.
He groaned with pain, holding his right hand tightly. The, he looked to the maid. What he saw, left him breathless: a young woman with piercing blue eyes, white skin and long dark hair. No soonee had their eyes met when the maid threw heraelf at his feet, begging for mercy.
"Oh, my lord! It was my fault! How could I have committed such a sin? Please forgive me! Have mercy on me!" whispered the young woman in tears. Having said that, she remained silent, waiting at his feet.
Being in a hurry, Nathaniel told her to rise and left, still thinking about her mesmerizing eyes and peachy mouth. "And her skin is so milky-white", he said slowly, under his breath, envisioning her white hands, and the light touch of her delicate fingers on his chest, right when they colided. He shook his head nervously and picked up his pace. He was in a hurry, after all.
He reached the Garrison and went straight to fhe generals' tent. When he entered the tent, all his generals were in the middle of a discussion, trying to decide which one is the most suited way to protect the northern of the newly formed Empire. But, when their Supreme Commander entered, they all raised as one and saluted him, by placing thier fist at their heart and bowing their head.
"As you were." said Nathaniel, taking his place at the table and asking about the soullutions that had been identified so far. There were many urgent things that needed his immediate attention and fast decisions: the manner of food, manner and clothes supplies hor the Jokoans, the best way to involve them in agriculture, mining, making clothes, candles, ink, the picking of medicinal herbs and so on. Even though they had conquered Niata and, according to the laws of war, they had to right to take whatever they wanted, their main purpose was to live peacefully with the people they have conquered. They wanted to work and gain their bread. They weren't expecting charity, but the opportunity tu work and provide for their family. Everyrhing had to be planned carefully.
Several hours had passed since Nathaniel had joined the meeting, when a soldier, popped his head in the tent, telling his Majesty that a paige had come to see him and that he claimed to bear urgent and important news.
"Let him wait a little longer", answered the king. "I have more important business to attend here and now. Tell him to wait."
The solsier instructed the paige to wait sending him to find a sit and something to eat at the kitchen. The young boy protested, but it was in vain. He shook his head and headed for the kitchen.
The gathering ended a little after midnight. But it had been a fruitfull one. Nathaniel was tired and hungry. He decided to go to the kitchen tent to have something to eat and drink before going to bed. It had been a very, very long day.
The cook served him lamb stew, bread, cheese and a pint of beer. He ate everything and gulped down the beer. As he was preparing to leave the kitchen and go to hisă tent, his eyes fell on his paige, who was sleeping on the ground, near fhe fireplace. He poked him repeatedly, until he woke up, a little confused. But, as soon as he realized who was that stood in front of him, he became perky and alert instantly, and kneeling, said:
" My lord, I have searched the entire palace and was unable to find the princess. But, did find something!, added the boy, quickly and almost shouting. He looked for something in his pockets. When he found it, he presented it to Nathaniel. It was something hard and round, wrapped in a cloth. When he revealed the object, he froze. It was a portret. Of a woman with piercing blue eyes and lips as soft as peaches.
"Guaaaaaaaaaards!!!!!"