Chapter 45

First Prince Christopher woke up in a little bit of a daze. His head was spinning and he was so thirsty. The Prince tried to sit up in his bed but realized that there was something lightweight laying on him. "What is this?" he asked looking down at his chest. He gasped when he realized that it was a female laying on top of him. "Wow!" he exclaimed waking her up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you!" the First Prince said brushing her hair out of her face. "My Prince. Is everything okay?" she asked him in a daze herself. "Yes. Are you okay. Did I hurt you?" he asked her. "No." she said giving him an angelic smile. "My beautiful Lilly. You are perfect!" he said to her. Lilly smiled and kissed him on his chest. First Prince Christopher and Lilly met by chance. He had left the party after his brothers, cousins and even his sister all found their mates. He strolled around the castle and eventually made his way outside to the garden. Since the incident last time involving his mother being abducted, none of the royal family are allowed to grow flowers outside of the castle. It's too high of a risk. So as the First Prince sat in the garden and enjoyed the scenery he was joined by a single unmated female. She was an extraordinary female though. Instead of being a Wolf Beastman like the other females this one was a Lion Beastman. The First Prince was astonished. He did not know there was such a female inside of the White Wolf Kingdom and she smelt like strawberries. Immediately he claimed her as his mate and consummated the declaration right there in the garden. She went along with it happily even though she was a little nervous too. Now it is morning time and time for the new Princesses to greet their Queen Mother. Prince Christopher was nervous now hoping his mother wouldn't have a bad reaction to his mate. He knew that there was trouble involving the Lion Kingdom. But Lilly was innocent and now she was the mate of First White Wolf Prince Christopher. "Who was living with you here in the White Wolf Kingdom?" The Prince asked her. "My brother and uncle." She told him. "Did they know that you held come to the party?" he asked her. He was still concerned that she was out there all alone with nobody accompanying her. "Yes. We all were in the castle together but then I started to get uncomfortable so I had to go outside for a breath of fresh air. I figured that since I was still within the castle walls I should be safe." She said to him "You got lucky. And you were definitely lucky that it was me who was already outside and not anyone else. Don't trust anybody!" he told her grabbing her small hands. "I know. Luckily my father and my brothers taught me how to fight. They were inspired by our Queen." She said to him.

Prince Christopher groaned and lifted himself out of bed. "Lilly my fair Princess. I am happy to have met you in this lifetime." He said kissing her on her forehead. "My Prince, where are you going?" she asked him in a worried tone. "Don't worry in not going anywhere but to the door to tell the servants to bring me warm water to wash you up with." He said smiling at her. "Oh okay!" she said smiling again. "Silly girl. I will never leave you." He said to her. The servants came in with a huge basin of warm water and then they immediately left. After bathing himself and his mate Prince Christopher showed her his small collection of fur dresses he had made for her. He was proud to show them to her because he spent days sewing them all together hoping that gifting them to his mate would make her love him more and Lilly did love the dresses. She put on one that he picked out for her and looked down at her appearance. Her hair was longer and had turned to a white color like the Prince's hair. The dress was a dark brown making her light brown skin stand out. She was short and slim and had the arms of a water carrier. "You are beautiful. Here take this ring." Prince Christopher said to Lilly. She held her hand out to him and smiled from ear to ear.

All of the Princes' gathered into the dining hall with their mates waiting for the Queen to come and greet them. Princess Eden and Billy came and Princess Winter and Harvey came as well and even Snake King Ezekiel and his mate Charity came. The Queen would give them her royal blessing and welcome them to her family. They all were nervous and excited at the same time. "Good morning my children!" Artemis said coming into the dining hall with her makes behind her. "Good morning Queen Mother!" they all said bowing their heads. "You all behaved very well last night. I can't tell you how happy you have made me!" she Artemis said sitting in her chair. "My little Snake King! It is good to see you this morning!" Artemis said happily when she noticed him amongst her oldest children. "I'm glad that you are happy to see me mother! I have missed you these past few days!" King Ezekiel said to his mother. "Charity. How are you? Is the Snake King treating you well?" Artemis asked. "Yes my Queen. Thank you for inviting me to you home and to your family!" Charity said bowing her head. "Last night Mother we consummated our marriage! She is now my Snake Queen Charity! I hope we live a long happy life together!" the Snake King told Artemis. "I am happy to hear that my son. I wish the same for the both of you!" Artemis said clapping her hands happily. "I'd like to send a Snake to guard my brothers and their mates for their protection. That is my gift." The Young Snake King said bowing to the Wolf Princes. "Thank you older Brother!". The First Wolf Prince said bowing back to the Snake King. "No big deal. As long as my brothers and sisters are all safe." King Ezekiel said proudly.

"There is someone here this morning that I did not get the chance to meet last night. Artemis pointed out staring directly at First Prince Christopher and his mate Lily. "Forgive me for being haste my Queen mother. I met Lilly outside of the ceremony last night. She has agreed to be my mate." First Prince said on both of his knees. "Get up son. I'm not being hostile. Formally introduce us." Artemis said to him shaking her head. "This is Lily my mate. She is a Lion Beastman." First Prince Christopher said to his mother. "Hmm. Lily. A Female Lion Beastman?" Artemis said out loud. "Is there anybody from her clan here to represent her?" Bowen asked strategically. "Not at the moment. She said she will need to send a message to her uncle and brother here in the Kingdom." Prince Christopher said. "Each of you will receive two pouches of gold and a designated plot of land of your choosing you can take a cub from each litter of farm animals and some food as well." Artemis said to them. "I have prepared food baskets for each of you. Use them gracefully until you acquire more food." Danny advised them pointing towards the kitchen. "Thank you Mother and Father. You have thought ahead for us. Now we must repay the favor by honoring your wishes and living happy lives." Said Second Wolf Prince. "That is all I ask of you." Artemis said nodding her head. "Mother I thought you said we could stay inside of the castle? Why are you pushing us out?" Prince Knox asked. "I am still a Queen. I have affairs I need to tend to and as long as I know you all are busy handling your own affairs I can deal with mines." Artemis told them. "So you may be leaving us behind in the White Wolf Kingdom?" Princess Winter asked. "Yes." Artemis said firmly. "Help me look after our Kingdom and look after your Ape siblings who I have yet to name still." Artemis said. "I will do so before I leave. We won't be gone for too long either." She continued. "Is grandfather going too?" Prince Walker asked. "Yes. This matter involves his brother in the Lion Kingdom and maybe much more." Danny said nodding his head. "Your royal Aunt Princess Wende will stay behind to help look after you all." Danny told them. The Princes and Princesses all seemed to be agitated with the news of their parents going off on a mission but they dare not protest. "Don't worry Queen Mother. I'll watch over them completely. Even if me and my mate have to move into the castle until you come back." Said the young Snake King Ezekiel. Artemis smiled and nodded her head.

"Mother, Father!" yelled the Ape cubs as they all wildly ran into the room. "Greetings Mother!" they all said at the same time as they bowed their heads. "What has you all so excited this morning?" she asked the Ape cubs. "Royal Aunt Princess Wende says she will be teaching us all

by herself for a couple of weeks!" the First Ape Prince told her. "Royal Aunt likes to make things fun and adventurous for the children in our school." Said Prince Thomas embarrassed. "That's right, and royal Uncle Prince Kasper teaches us how to fight!" thenSecond Ape Prince told his mother. "Oh really? So you all like to have so much fun? Well it's too bad you will have to take your class much more serious than that. Each day after school you are immediately to report to the barracks for training. This time it won't be your royal uncle training you but two of our most seasoned veterans instructing you all. Later you will have to show me what you have learned." Artemis said firmly to the litter of Ape cubs. "You guys better listen to mother. She could be more strict but she has more pressing matters to deal with." Said First Wolf Prince Christopher. "I will be your third instructor during this training to make sure you are on your best behavior," said Snake King Ezekiel. "That''s right. Listen to your older siblings. Don't disappoint your mother with unruly behavior." Said King Daniel. The Ape cubs looked at their older siblings and nodded then they respectfully bowed to their mother and fathers. "First White Ape Prince!" Artemis said authoritatively. The little Prince stood up straight with his hands at his sides "Yes mother!" he replied. "My beloved first Ape Prince. You shall be named Prince Caesar." Artemis said to him. The First Ape Prince realized that he had just been given a name and smiled with wide eyes. He looked over at his brothers who all were shocked as well. "Second White Ape Prince!" Artemis said. The second Ape Prince stood up straight with his brother. "My son. You will be named Hershel." She told him. The second Ape Prince beamed and looked at the rest of his Ape brothers happily. "Hershel!" they cheered for him. "Third White Ape Prince!" Artemis said to the third prince. "You will be called, Milo!" she told him. Milo bowed his head respectively. "Milo thanks your mother!" he said to her. "Fourth White Ape Prince!" Artemis called out. "I will name you George!" she told him smiling. The fourth Ape Prince Laughed and smiled. "I love it mother. Thank you!" he said bowing his head "Lastly. First White Ape Princess!" Artemis said gaining the Princess' attention she tries to shy away and keep herself hidden most of the times but her parents still don't on her. Of course she must have a name. "My sweet Princess. You will be named Princess Thea!" Artemis told the Ape Princess. "Thank you mother!" the Princess said giving her a bow in respect. "Caesar, Hershel, Milo, George and Thea!" Artemis said out loud. "Now all that's left are the two eagle Princes." King Daniel said nodding his head in approval. "My father will be here to watch over them as their Eagle Elder. They should be old enough for us to give them names when we come back to the Kingdom." Said Bowen. Artemis nodded her head in approval as she watched her children celebrate with each other.

"Your Highness." A voice said coming from behind Artemis. She turned and found Yozar standing there with a dreadful look on his face. "How bad is it?" Artemis asked him in a low tone. Yozar didn't say anything. He just shook his head. "The rumors are bad. Your grandfather King Maximus has gone rogue and left us behind." Yozar informed her. "What!" Artemis said loudly unable to control her anger. "Luckily he hasn't gotten that far although he is in wolf form." Yozar said. "Unbelievable. I thought we were supposed to discuss things together anyways. How did he end up hearing anything before I did?" Artemis demanded. She turnt and stormed off away from the children. As she walked by they bowed their heads in fear of their mother going on a rampage. "Mother is pissed!" said Princess Winter. "My Queen. Slow down and breathe!" Bowen said following behind. "Please calm down my love!" Prince Thomas said all the way at the back of the line. "My Queen don't jump into action so quick like your grandfather did!" Yozar said following close by. "We still need to go get him and bring him back before he does something stupid. He is a King! He should not have left his Kingdom unattended. We agreed to be smart and tactical this time. Not rash!" Artemis ranted. "I know my Queen. We will figure that part out." Yozar said grabbing her to make her stop walking. "He is my grandfather! I will not sit by and let another one of my grandparents get murdered!" she said to him shaking in anger. Danny rushed up and grabbed Artemis into a tight hug. "I know you are scared my love but nobody wants to lose anybody else okay. I promise that if we take our time and be smart about this everything will be okay." Danny said to her in a soft voice. Artemis struggled for a moment and then she finally gave in and relaxed into his body. "Danny." Artemis sighed. "It will be okay. Let's go to your study and think this through." Danny said to her. Artemis nodded her head and let out another deep breath.

Artemis, her mates and Yozar all sat in her study and looked over a map trying to come up with a good plan and a good back up plan. Bowen decided to take a few Eagle Beastmen and fly ahead so that they could stop King Maximus in his tracks and bring him back to Artemis. After regrouping they would then head out together to deal with this problem in the Lion Kingdom and rescue the Lion King. There would be plenty of carriages being pulled by mules and at least one carriage for food and extra supplies. Danny began to pack up what ever food he would need for the trip on the way to the Lion Kingdom and he even made sure to fill up a barrel with water one on each carriage. Each carriage will have four guards escorting them along with the thirty other soldiers that's coming along as well. Hopefully thirty Beastmen will be enough. If not there are more waiting for the signal close by. Everyone was confident that this would work out. All they had to do was go and see what is going on and rescue whoever needs to be rescued. Plain and simple. Bowen quickly made it back to the White Wolf Kingdom with King Maximus within the next day. He was not happy about it but he also did not want Artemis to go off on her own to find him or to confront what ever bothering the Lion Kingdom. "Tell me clearly what you heard that made you so angry?" Artemis demanded. "I received a message from my brother that came way too late. He said that something is creeping up on his Kingdom and it's using Lion Beastmen to do it's dirty work. The next message was from his son saying that he is missing!" King Maximus said. "How could a King just go missing?" Artemis asked him confused. "Your Highness it's not entirely unheard of." Yozar said shaking his head. "It's absurd. We need to set out a and go find my uncle the Lion King" Artemis said angrily.