5 — Laura

Hollow. That's the feeling that you get when you walk through the wolf kingdom. Places that were once creeping with Ivy and scattered with roses, now lay desolate. You could see what was left of fountains and stone hedges, houses, and stores. The wolf kingdom was falling. And it was falling fast.

Some years ago, immediately after the wolf king took I'll and was sheltered from worrying eyes, the kingdom began to eat away. Like something infectious was finally making its round. And making sure that we saw the progress and the mark that was left on the town.

Yes, the wolves stayed by the king. They didn't seek for greener pastures and ease to their riotous stomachs, they were forever loyal to their sovereign and they would see him to the end. If he lived to see more moons.

Princess Laura, the king's only and loved daughter, could be called a fool. Not foolish per se, but the people of the kingdom didn't look too fairly upon her. She didn't act like she was capable of ruling after her dad and the wolves were worried that the kingdom would be picked up by vampires, those bloodthirsty demons. There was already speculation that they would be arriving soon and it put everyone in a frenzy.

"Make sure the pins stay in place. I hate it when my hair comes away." Laura said, placing her fingers beside her maid's own on her head. Her father had requested for her and even though she shamed him for not being excellent at state issues, she could do better at improving her appearance. And an excellent appearance she made.

Suzy, her maid, pulled on her scalp, till Laura was sure that her veins popped out. "Careful, Su. I don't want to look red in the face. I have to meet Father."

Suzy apologized and helped her into a sleek gown made of muslin. It shouldn't have worked but it brought out the beauty of the gown. She hurried out of her room and walked at a fast pace, struggling not to run to her father's room. The guards outside the room deliberately turned away from her and Laura tried not to show her hurt. She pushed open the doors and was surprised to see her father sitting on his dining set, his recently slim and wiry frame making her choke back tears. She could still remember the jokes she made about him filling up the table with his too-large presence.

She quickly threw the sadness out the window and schooled her features into a smile. Striding forward, she leaned over his shoulder and kissed his cheek. Staying like that for a while. Just breathing with him.

She could feel as his shoulders tensed and he turned to look at her. Avoiding his gaze, she rose from the embrace and walked to her place at his right side.

Rolls of bread and boiled egg with jam were set on the table. Her father buttered his bread and stared at her, waiting to see if she'll finally eat with him this time. But she always lost her appetite whenever she was around him. Not that he was repulsive, she was just too sad to eat and she had to keep a leash on the tears that always threatened to fall.

"You called for me, Father."

He harrumphed and took a piece of his buttered bread, nibbling on it and staring at her. "You didn't show up by eight. I had to wait for you."

She felt bad about that. Truth was, today she felt extremely down. It was almost impossible for her to get out of bed. And surprisingly, she forgot about their weekly breakfast meetings.

"I didn't wake up early." She placed her hand over his and squeezed, willing him to just for once feel how sad and tired she was. "I'm sorry."

To show how sorry she was, she picked up the bread knife and cut a roll into two, spreading jam over the cut surface. Looking up, she saw her father staring at her, a smile on his face. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as well.

"You're going to see that Sutherland girl again today, right? What's her name? Martha?"

"Mary." She looked at her father, surprised that he even remembered Mary's name. Mary was her best friend and she lived down in the village. Her father was a cobbler.

He nodded and buttered the rest of his roll. "Yes, we'll cancel that. We have to talk and I fear that it'll take up much of your time."

Laura groaned internally. If her father was trying to bore her to death, this was the way. She didn't doubt that it was a state issue and she thought that he would've accepted that about her by now.

"Talk about what, Father?" She tried smiling, but her lips couldn't form into a semblance of a smile.

Her father chewed on his bread and drank down his tea. "A state matter." He put down his teacup and she noticed Banks walking towards the door.

A matter of state? She couldn't repress the shiver that worked its way up to her spine and spread around her body.

He laughed at her expression and sat back on his chair. "A matter of state, Yes. But not the way you think." He laughed again as a maid came in with a trolley to clear the plates.

"Not the way I think? I think 'matter of the state' only means one thing." She nodded at the maid, Velma and she rolled the dishes away.

He ignored her and asked the question that she had been dreading ever since, "Any suitor turns up lately?" This time, she doesn't quell the groan that slips out of her mouth.

Fifty years have passed and he kept asking her about her progress with suitors. She glanced to the side and saw Banks struggling to conceal his smirk. It was not news that her father didn't trust her with the ruling of the kingdom and that he's been trying to marry her off to the best suitor, one who had experience ruling and who could rule, better than he had even.

The last prince she had met was so pompous and full of himself and she made a vow never to be in that position again. The marriage didn't appeal to her anymore. She was no longer that little girl who was enamored by the number of princes that waited to slip their rings through her finger. That silly girl was long dead and it'll serve Father good if he finally made Banks the ruler in his stead.

To sum up, her failings wouldn't even be possible. She messed up with meeting dates with the various clans, she never attended state classes, she never interacted with people period. It's a wonder a title greater than the Proud Princess wasn't given to her yet again. She sighed and looked at Father.

"I haven't been called on for two years now, I told you just last week." She wondered if his memory failed him.

He frowned and looked at Banks. Then back to her, "A lot of things can happen in just a week." She snorted and glanced out of the window. The garden that once drew her when she was a kid was lying in disarray and it pained her that she couldn't do anything about it. The rains had stopped for a while and things were scarce over here.

"Well, nothing of that magnitude." Banks and Father exchanged a look again and Banks walked out of the room, glancing at her as he moved. She glared at him and he winked, making her boil on the inside.

"You know the faeries have moved into the other side of town and our people have been forced to run from there, setting up camps on the east side and away from those cunning creatures."

"You're making small talk before Banks comes back?" The King frowned at his daughter. He didn't know where he went wrong but something about her wasn't right. For the throne, that is. She didn't take any interest in what she was meant to be interested in and she didn't care how that made her look.

"I'm not buying time, I'm trying to let you know what is happening currently."

Laura stared at her father. She was getting a bit miffed. Not with him, just about the issue. He knew that she didn't like talking about these. "Well, Mary would surely have informed me about it when I went down to see her."

"You're not going to see her today. And what do you think it'll look like, if your subjects told you, their ruler, what was happening in your town." Laura worried about the way his chest rose and fell in fast. He was getting worked up and she had to pacify him immediately.

Placing her hand on his arm, she made sure he looked at her before she spoke. "Well, now I know. Thank you for telling me." In all honesty, she didn't see the use of the information and she was about to ask him about his plans in driving the faeries out when Banks walked in, a folder in his hand.

Her father rubbed his palms together and smiled at her. "Better news, you're getting married."

Laura knew that Banks and Father could see the color drain out of her face. What they couldn't see was the fast pace her heart started beating with.

"What?"