Dumbfounded, all the nobles in the assembly room stared at queen Olivia. "What are you waiting for? Obey my orders!" she shouted, looking at all of them. After an awkward pause, Zora spoke out. "Luring me here, only to arrest me? Was it truly worth defiling the most noble law of this kingdom?"
A murmur grew among the participants. "This does not seem right," one commented. "Not during the assembly."
"If she wanted to arrest her so badly, she should have done so herself," said another.
"How rude! Did the king even leave a decree, putting her in charge?" was spoken under someone else's breath.
The queen stood frozen, growing increasingly anxious. She could feel the support shifting to the pregnant girl. "Do not be fooled, my Lords. This is no ordinary princess that married well above her status. She is a scheming witch, and a shapeshifter!"
"Are you referring to the powers the forest guardian gave me? Must I remind you what I went through to keep this kingdom safe and prosperous. What I was willing to sacrifice for my new-found family?" Zora said calmly.
The chatter grew even louder. "That is true, the land has benefited greatly. You should see my vineyard!" a nobleman bragged.
"Spending every possible evening with that vile creature. Not to mention killing that dragon. That was just a disaster waiting to happen!" his friend declared.
The queen looked at the commander. He glanced back.
"No, no, my Lords. You were blinded by her charms. Her husband disappears, and the first thing she does is call upon the knights of her kingdom. And an entire squad of them," she adds with a scornful laugh.
The assembly grew quiet. Zora could feel loosing their support as quickly as she gained it.
"I assure you, your Majesty. The only reason for that was safety. For me and my unborn child. As I already mentioned, my men have captured one would-be assassin. With the assemblies' approval, I would like to bring him in for questioning," Zora said, trying to outshout the crowd.
The commander scoffed. "Probably one of your pathetic lovers!"
Theodor clenched his hand into a fist.
The queen laughed. "One of many, loyal commander. You should see the line. I watch her window every night. And they just keep coming and going."
Zora's eyes lit up. "So you do admit it! You have been spying on me, and you saw all the attempts on my life," she yelled, pointing.
The queen gulped. She made a blunder, but the commander luckily stood up.
"Oh, how adorable. A foreigner, claiming to be royalty, comes her to accuse our queen," he said arrogantly. "Who the hell do you think you are? You are not worth the soles of her shoes."
Zora did not allow herself to appear scared. "I have every right to be here! By law, I was given the same titles and opportunities as any other princess of this land," she said, determined. The crowd grew rowdy. Some supported her, but others did not. Prince Mark was particularly quiet, making himself look small.
"Say something," his wife whispered.
"Like what?" he said quietly, leaning even more into his seat.
"Do not make me laugh! You are not even human!" the commander said. "Go on, turn into your wolf form. Show us your true self," he taunted.
Suddenly, the commander felt a claw grab the top of his head. It squeezed hard, cracking his skull. The commander was dead before he even hit the ground. Everyone looked at the culprit in shock. Theodor, was now a gigantic monster. Covered in thick brown hair, his body twice the size as before. His hands ending in sharp claws and his face now resembling that of a wolf. "None of you are worthy of the ground my Lady stands on!" he growled.
Zora placed her hands over her stomach, visibly shaken. "No, Theodor! No!"
The walls echoed from freight. Men and women of the court banged on the doors, begging to be let out.
"Help, there is a werewolf here!" they cried.
The transformed knight roared, snapping at anyone who dared look at him. The guards quickly rushed in, shooting at the creature with their arrows. Theodor growled, as his bloodshot eyes turned to the frightened Zora. Gently taking her into his arms, he shielded her from the arrows with his body. "What have you done?" she asked, shocked.
"I apologize, my Lady. I could not listen to them insult you any longer," he said and pounced to the nearest window. The people in the assembly could only watch as the unexpected creature run away with the princess.
She gasped in shock, with his thick sharp fur pressing against her face and body. "Did you take the hair? But I checked. It was still there."
"No time to explain, my princess. I have to take you somewhere safe," he said, running on his back legs through the dense trees.
"But, what about the kingdom? What about Aidan? And other father's guards? What about my wolves?" she yelled, exasperated.
"Do not worry. I have told the men what to do if they send troops. They should join us shortly? And your animal guards are fine. I have freed them," he stated, winded.
"When?"
"After I took the wolf hair. I knew that, in case my plan failed, they would not be spared. Do not worry, I only took a small cut."
The princess stared at him dumbfounded. "Your plan? Theodor, I was prepared. I had arguments. I had documents. Not only that, but I could have solved everything if only I-"
"Forgive me, my Lady, but nothing you said in there would be enough to change the hearts of those wretched souls. I saw how they looked at you. I heard them snicker behind your back. Your words, however well-chosen, would only delay the inevitable."
The distraught woman clenched her teeth. Letting out a sorrowful shriek, she hit the creature with her fists. "Let me go!"
The werewolf did not obey. "As soon as we are safe, my princess. As soon as we are safe!"
"You, you..." she stuttered. "You ruined me. You have no idea what you did!" Overwhelmed and exhausted, she kept hitting him and cried.
The three wolf companions were on the nearby hill, watching the strange beast take their Zora away.
"Do you think we did the right thing?" the youngest asked.
"I do not know," his older brother replied.
From that same hill, they could see another frightening sight. The army, led by the queen, was rushing to the new castle. Storming the castle was easy, since Zora's guards were nowhere to be seen. The army quickly reached the dungeon, freeing everyone there.
King Nathaniel walked out, happy to feel the sun on his face.
The queen looked at the nobleman with a smug expression. "See? I was right."
"You will have more time to gloat later, dear," the king said. "Now, let's go kill those damn shapeshifters."