The Alpha's Temptation

Sirrah got up from the couch and went to stand behind her daughter. "I will have complete control over Pegasii, and as for Draka, my plans are in place. Once you are married to Eltanin, we will slowly take over Draka too. I have already removed the filth out of our way."

They watched the girl, whom Sirrah had gotten the girl herself to the kingdom, for specifically this purpose. She had asked her handmaiden to look for a girl who had blond hair. The handmaiden didn't understand what she was actually looking for, so she chose five servants who had golden hair. Out of them, the girl she brought along, matched Tania's shape the most.

Before leaving from Pegasii, she instructed the girl that she would be calling her Tania. How could a servant girl deny? She had thought that the queen was taking her on a special mission that involved the princess. So, she did whatever was asked of her. It was not her place to know where Princess Lusitania was when Sirrah had hurried her to sit in the carriage, after making her wear one of the gowns of the princess. After that she didn't utter a word as the two talked.

"Come Morava," said Sirrah. "There's a lot you need to know and understand for the fire festival. It is going to be my first step to conquer Draka."

Morava followed her mother to the closet where her clothes were hanging. She took out a purse and extracted a key. Then she walked to her bed and pulled out a small black velvet box. She inserted the key to open it.

"What is it?" Morava asked as she stared right into a small bottle that had a thick transparent liquid in it.

"Tonight, during the fire festival Eltanin will be looking for his mate. It is possible that he will find one. Before that happens, you have to make your move. You have to put this in his body." Sirrah plucked the bottle from the box. "On ingestion, it will produce the same symptoms in his body that would be like that of mating fever. All you have to do is be in front of him when this happens."

Morava's face drooped like a wilted flower. "Mother, he doesn't trust me. I wonder if he would take anything I would offer him."

Sirrah placed the bottle back in the velvet box. "Then think of a way, Morava. If you want him badly enough, then you have to try. Notice his movements, see what he is doing, look at his needs and seize the moment when you see a gap."

"Seems like a huge task, Mother!" she said, still not convinced. "Why don't you help me out with this?"

Sirrah smacked her head. "Once he has this potion, he will want to mate. You have to be in front of him so that he pulls you to the cave and mates with you!"

"Oh!" her mouth formed an O.

Sirrah gave her the box. "Keep it safely with you. Tuck it onto your body before you go to the fire festival, okay?"

"Okay…"

For the rest of the day, they stayed cooped up in their room. Sirrah called the servant girl inside in less than an hour. And in that time, a few servants of the Draka palace had seen her from afar. It was enough to spread the rumors that the Pegasii princess was sitting in the gardens and reading a book. Sirrah was sure that the news had to have reached Eltanin's ears as well, but she knew that he wouldn't be able to meet with her, he was too busy with the court. Satisfied that her plans were going just as she had planned, she waited for the day to come to an end. She had run over her plan again and again with Morava so that she didn't miss a single detail.

The fire festival was supposed to start in the evening after the king lit the first fire. Morava was extremely excited. She had gotten ready an hour before. She was wearing the dress that her mother had chosen for her. The bustier and skirt were skimpy. She had to tighten the strings at the back so that the bustier stayed put as she walked. The skirt fell to her thighs and fitted over her hips pretty well. She didn't wear any panties beneath it. A beaded necklace with matching earrings completed her look. She appeared so sexy that she was sure that many would fall for her charms.

The servant girl was sitting in a corner and staring at them with fear in her eyes. "What should I do, Your Highness?" she asked, finally. "Do I also have to come with you?" She was hoping to go with them to see the popular festival. It was much talked about throughout Araniea.

"You may get ready," Sirrah ordered her in a chilling voice, pointing towards the bathroom.

The girl bowed eagerly and rushed to the small closet room with her gown. Little did she know that a guard was standing there with a dagger in his hand. He had no difficulty in slicing her neck. The girl gurgled and gasped for breath as she tried to reach out to her queen who was standing and watching her die.

"Once we leave, take her to Eslam forest and bury her body there," she instructed the guard before leaving. "Her work is done here."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Outside, she saw Morava standing by the window. She was waiting for the royal escorts to take her to the fire festival. However, Sirrah announced that they would be escorted by their guards and not by the Draka guards. She arranged the skirt of her green floral gown.

"Where does the festival take place?" asked Morava.

"It takes place in the premises of the palace. There's a cave here that Eltanin's ancestors considered sacred for mating. No one except mates can enter the cave," said Sirrah. "There is some ancient magic that wards off everyone else."