Princess Luna Australis wasn't sure how she felt about knights watching her get ready. The red tint that shined on their upper arm was a beautiful, daunting color. Almost like blood. It was all she could concentrate on while Faye, the head chambermaid, fixed the bottom of her dress.

"Looks like the Beast Masters brought their finest, doesn't it, my lady?"

Fine would be an understatement. They threatened the finesse and class of the Artisan knights, that was for sure. 

"I see. Do you know why they are here, Faye?" Luna masked her alarm with practice that only a princess can learn. 

The princess had never seen a Beast Master; let alone a knight from their royal guard. She had heard plenty about them growing up, though, none of it was good. 

"Oh, I can't say." Faye replied in her heavy country accent. "Maybe it has to do somethin' with King Australis's speech."

The princess turned away from the knights.

Suppose it was the day her father would finally reveal why he had been acting so strange. It was impossible to guess why the Beast Masters were here. From the stories she heard, they were known for bringing war and bloodshed. 

It ran deep in their history. 

Someone cleared their throat from the doorway. An orange haired Artisan knight feigned a smile. 

“Are you ready, Princess?” He asked. 

“I suppose I have no choice.” Luna sighed and went to his side.

“Need any help?” He raised a brow.

“Me? Not ever, Nix.”

He gave a handsome chuckle. 

The princess clasped her hands behind her back while they walked down the hall. Artisan voices echoed from the square, calling to her nerves. Her heart was throbbing against her throat, in rhythm with Nix's metallic footsteps next to her. 

“Things are changing.” Nix noted.

“…Appears so.” Luna said under her breath.

Nix smiled briefly. “Just remember, Your Highness, that we are here to protect you.”

Luna avoided his gaze. It was just another obvious statement.

“Thank you, Nix.”

He stopped at the balcony door way, leaving her to approach the balcony alone. When she stepped outside, a pale, white light shined into her eyes. Intricate, gold spires made from Artisan engineering surrounded her. 

Only the finest cage for the finest princess.

Her father raised his wiry brows, feigning a proud smile. Luna saw the tired deepening around his eyes. Each time she saw him, his appearance changed like a magician. Life drained from his skin and made him an old man. His eyes were sunken and red. It made her wonder if he succumbed to the same illness that plagued her.

"Luna, my starlight, come to my side."

She should have felt calm. Making appearances in Artisan's Realm should have been a typical duty, but the truth was, today was anything but ordinary. 

Luna wasn't so sure how much longer The Artisan Times could repair her father's words and actions. When King Australis cleared his throat, the feeling of dread sunk to the bottom of her stomach. The cold wind captured the her dress so that the ends blew across her legs.

“Artisans, Brothers and Sisters, it's time to forgive our old history. I received correspondence from the Beast Master's requesting for my daughter's hand in marriage to the prince.”

All of the Artisan people erupted, and it was impossible to tell whether they were thrilled or furious. Luna mentally picked her heart up from the floor and tightened her mouth shut. Her father raised his hands to the sky.

"I wanted to share that I humbly accept. May the Gods and Goddesses look down on us with light." 

That was it.

Luna watched him turn away. She'd always envisioned her wedding with a soul mate, the love of her life, not a stranger from a foreign land. Not to mention, the only other male she saw in her life frequently besides Nix, was her old magic tutor, Mr. Sable. 

With practiced grace, she waved a hand to the Artisan people, who looked like moving dots from the balcony. Anger bubbled against her chest, tightening her throat. Her gaze remained focused while her father pulled grabbed her wrist to pull her away from the balcony. 

“Marriage? What are you thinking?" Luna twisted her arm away from him.

"Luna, listen to me. This will be good for you." The sagging skin below his eyes scrunched up.

“Good for me?" Luna rubbed her wrist. "You hardly know what's good for yourself. You've always told me that the Beast Masters were a threat, now you want me to get married to one? Without even telling me?”

She peered to her sides and saw the maids in the hallway distracting themselves with errands. They practiced with a fake courtesy. The maids bent over boxes of Yule decorations so they could hide their faces.

“It's been a long time. Their King is old. King Deimos. Heh. Older than me, actually. His son is handsome, I've heard. Last time I saw him, he was a child…"

Luna shook her head, unable to hold back the ache that tightened her rib cage. Every ounce of her was used and exposed. 

“I don't care.”

“Luna, stop. Listen to me."

Her arm brushed against her father when she rushed into her dressing room, the door shutting with a wind of anger.

King Australis stopped at the pair of Beast Masters by her door. He took a deep breath.

"There only needs to be one guard for the princess." 

He excused the second guard, who broke the convincing illusion that they could have been statues. The king lingered in front of the lone knight.

"It's been a long time. I'll have to send Deimos my regards. I'm honored to have his elite sent to my dwelling, nevertheless, that is my daughter inside. You will protect her at any cost. It will be your duty and watch that will keep her safe. Especially at the ball."

The knight did not speak or motion that he heard. 

King Australis turned away with a heavy sigh, his crimson robes following his solemn frame. From the other end of the hall, Nix watched with a raised brow.

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Princess Luna Australis unloosened the curtains, making everything dark. It was a superficial way to hide, after all, a princess can't hide for long. Even in the depths of her dressing room, the frosty air behind the windows crept inside. 

Luna struck a match and hovered over towers of wax candles, pausing at the last wick. Images of her father, a wedding, and a faceless prince flashed between the pulses of her headache. 

She sunk onto the bed and rubbed her temples. Maybe to the rest of the world, a princess doesn't hurt or bleed. A princess never leaves her keep. 

A princess never dies. 

In it's own way, royalty is foolish and royalty is it's own divine. 

Luna plucked the twisted, silver tiara from the crown of her head and laid it carefully on the pillow next to her. Up until this moment, no suitors were ever acceptable under any condition. 

Why now? 

Her only male visitor was her magic tutor, Mr. Sabel, who was a married old man. All throughout her life, the Artisan knights protected the at all costs, while rendering her as an untouchable. No longer an adolescent, she sensed their wandering eyes. In the beginning, she blushed, but one day, it brought her first experiences in vanity. Not long passed when she found herself studying their immovable stances and wondering who exactly they were. 

In the end, they were knights with presumed loyalty. Even Nix, the Commander of the Artisan knights, seemed so stuffy and faraway.

Luna daydreamed for so long, she was certain she drifted off. When she opened her eyes, the candles were still burning brightly. She laid motionless for some time, her eyes registering the world around her. There was the sound of water dripping from the veranda doors. Pushing herself off of the bed, she carefully tip-toed to the veranda and pushed it open. 

Nighttime came, and freezing rain soaked the streets. 

She pulled herself out of her sleepy stupor and unlocked the dressing room door. At first glance, the grand hallway was dark and devoid of life. 

She stood at the doorway, looking lost until candle light flickered on the sheen of metal next to her. 

Her first reaction was to stand still at the doorway, too petrified to react. Luna was accustomed to guards at her door, but they were usually Artisan knights, who were always a routine sight.

The knight at her door now was towering and barrel-chested, with detailed bands of gold and red impressed into the armor. These knights were more like sculptures of warriors rather than real beings. It was the view when she looked up that made her feel afraid. 

The strange helmet was masterfully welded and shaped to the maw of a wolf. She could make out a pair of flared ears near the back. The part of her that was Artisan was completely intrigued by the craftsmanship. 

Another, more rational part of her, stayed afraid. 

Luna heard the rumors about the Beast Masters's Royal Guard. There were comments that the guards were not human, maybe not even of this world, though the rumors started getting a little far fetched after that. Perhaps they weren't human.

To her wonder, the knight moved, the head of the metallic wolf tilted ever so slightly in her direction.

“Excuse me.”

Luna left the guard by the doorway to return to the south side balcony. She stepped out to feel how cold the rain was, letting drops of water fall onto her shoulders.

She spun around, her arms wet from leaning against the marble rail. The royal guard stood at the entrance of the balcony, rain droplets sticking to his armor coating.

"You don't have to follow me everywhere." 

The tall guard was still silent.

What did she expect? Knights don't understand. Knights don't speak, at least, knights from the Beast Masters do not speak. 

Especially not ever to a princess from another realm. 

It was unheard of.

Luna turned to the railing again, laying her arms against the wet railing. The knight perched himself at her side, his arm holding a shield above her head to block the moody sky. She first blinked in bewilderment, knowing well that any Artisian knight would have let her soak herself through the bone. 

She had to disguise her smile.

His presence in the cold rain softened her mood. It wasn't fair to make him stay.

"I have a request for you, though I do admit, it's something rather unusual for a knight of the royal guard."

The princess lead the way down the hall which was now empty. She nearly didn't expect the knight to follow her, only he did, looming like a shadow. Luna stole one more glance at the knight, while trying to control her breathing.

These knights were different. They were much larger, even finer than the Artisan knights. 

She led him into her dressing room. She closed the heavy veranda door before turning her attention to her canine guard. It was the first time she permitted, even requested, a royal guard inside of any of her rooms. The low light flickered against the wolf's head. Though the wolves head was unsettling, it was beautiful.

"Can you untie me?" Luna's cheeks started to burn. She faced away from the knight, showing the laced back; her arched shoulders waited for his touch.

She let out her breath when she felt him come close, the power behind his step making her freeze.

After a pause, his motions of heaviness became more finite and careful. When the ribbon was pulled from the first eyelet, the tension around her breasts relaxed. She reached up with her pale hands to hold the fabric above her bust. The sensation of ribbon, bit by bit, slipped across her back in a zig-zagging pattern. She felt the knight stop half-way.

"Keep going."

The ribbon pulling resumed with the cooler air now tickling the frame of her lower back. She held her breath as she peered into the reflection of her vanity's mirror. She saw his hands his hands and saw hesitation.

Those hands were human hands.

There was no doubt that he was seeing something that no man in the Reach should have been permitted to see. Rather, she knew that part of him was like man, at least. 

His hands pulled away after the last eyelet. 

Luna turned around to look at the impassive guard for sometime, her hands slipping lower as the truth of her existence sunk in once more. 

"That will be all."

The guard turned away to obediently return to the post outside of her door. Luna felt the empty size of the room, cool and quiet. She supposed it made a degree of sense to marry now, but her sinking heart said otherwise. 

She wanted so much more than this.

So much more.

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"Do you want us to do anything about the crowds, Your Highness?"

“No. They're allowed to voice their opinion. Don't you think?”

Princess Australis stood by the veranda doors. Wedges of cabbage were catapulted by Artisans who cheered as vegetables bounced against the window panes. They were angry, though more confused about the engagement with the Beast Masters. 

Only one day had went by, but the reaction was explosive.

The sound of moving metal distracted Luna away from the scene. Nix thrust himself onto a knee, lowering himself in front of her.

"Not good enough for you anymore, are we, princess?" Nix had a devilish smile.

Once the distant and cold guard, he was now charging into her room without much notice. 

His outburst tactfully cornered her, forcing her burning face to meet his. It was the first time she noticed his eyes; a charming blue. As much as she wanted to believe he was being unfair, it was more unfair that she was becoming distracted. For all she knew, he could have been teasing her.

These were strange times. 

“Why would you think that?” Luna asked.

He shrugged.

"The King seems to think we need Beast Masters. As if my service, my honor," he paused, "My devotion, means nothing."

She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. What did he want from her?

"Is a union between Beast Masters and Artisans that shameful? Father has been trying forever to keep the peace. It might not be bad."

Luna didn't know what she was saying. Was this it? Was her starring moment to seal her lips and submit? Her words ran away when she felt the inside of his hand trace the tops of her fingers. Her vision swirled as Nix took her hand, hovering it closer to his mouth. 

"It is a shame."

His warm breath fell across her skin, making it was impossible to reply. The only thing between them was silence and the soft glow of dust motes. The commander was pushing boundaries that danced with the threat of execution.

“Think about it." Nix raised his voice, "They are beastly people, if we can even call them that. Always waging and ravaging wars that our Reach doesn't need. Why have an engagement now? What purpose does it serve?”

“It… it does seem rather strange. And sudden." Luna pulled away from him. "But, marriage is a frivolous thing." She tried to reason out loud.

“It isn't frivolous when it reunites people who have been at odds with each other for decades." Nix explains. "I've dealt with King Deimos myself. He's an old bully--"

Luna breathed again when the sound of footsteps stopped short at the doorway. Her heart dragged across her rib cage, trying to calm down when she saw it was Faye.

"S-sorry, m'lady. I was just comin' up to help put things away and help with the ball."

Nix looked flustered as he rose to his feet. Once he became tall again, his face went stoic. Everything around him became unemotional again, as how it should be for the Commander of the Artisan knights. He raised a brow at Faye.

"Don't be sorry. Come in, Faye." Luna straightened her back.

Faye quickly looked up at the tall knight, her dark eyes challenging him.

“Well, excuse me, then.” Nix turned his head high before leaving the room.

Luna barely paid attention. She chewed on her lip before tugging at the curtain to look outside again.  She needed a distraction from Nix's abrupt confession.

"They're angry." Luna pressed a hand against the cold window, trying to shock her nerves.

"It appears so, m'lady." 

"Don't you think we should listen to them?"

"Well, it isn't in my place." 

Faye was picking gowns for the ball, fixing wrinkles and bows as she went along. 

Luna sighed while she watched her come over with a dress.

“Apparently its never my place. I shouldn't have to stand here and just watch my father… plummet into insanity and take the Reach down with him.”

Faye smile as she held up the dress in front of Luna's chest.

"I'm supposed to help you pick a dress for the ball. What one do you think you'd like?"

Luna could feel her heart sink. It was such a trivial question.

"Whichever one I please." She mentally recoiled at her words. 

Luna wasn't trying to deliberately be arrogant. She couldn't control the last of her candidness. Choosing a dress was the least of her worries. Her tone must have been enough to send away Faye, though. 

"Well, my lady, I'll be here when you need to dress." 

"Then where were you last night?" 

Faye turned a bright red.

"I'm-- Princess, I'm sorry, I-- who helped you?" 

Luna didn't reply.

She immediately regretted her words. Everything after that was uncomfortably quiet. With a polite curtsy, Faye excused herself from the dressing room.  

Luna wished she hadn't been so snappy. In the end, she only earned loneliness. Luna couldn't stand here and listen to her people yelling and chanting. She opened the dressing room door. 

She didn't see Faye, but she did see her Beast Master guard standing obediently at her door. 

"Would you like to come in?"

The guard didn't look at her. Disappointment bubbled in her chest. She clutched her hands together after a moment, then felt a blush rise against her face.

"I'll be inside, then." 

The princess freed herself and nearly bounced back into the room. Foolishness she bitterly thought. 

She sat down at a small table, away from the veranda doors. The desk drawer that she pulled open was full of precious stones, gems, and dried herbs. On the edge of the table was a mortar and pestle. 

She heard the sound of her guard's steady footsteps and tugged a gold chiffon robe closer around her small shoulders. 

Turning around in her seat, she looked at the same canine guard from last night. A sudden thud rattled the window again, a carrot becoming a torpedo of someone's opinion. 

The princess cleared her throat. 

"I have another odd request. I bet that no one told you there would be so many."

Without looked like much thought, she whisked across the room to pull a pair of dresses from a glass wardrobe. 

"Which one should I wear to the ball?"

To her delight, the guard stepped forward, then closer to look down and inspect a crimson dress.

"This one?"

The princess took the crimson dress and hung it back into the wardrobe. When she looked back at the guard, she could see the inquisitive head tilt again. 

He seemed puzzled.

“Never mind that. Can you come back after dinner? I'm going out later. If you'd like to see the Reach, I wouldn't mind showing you around.”

The knight didn't say a word of acknowledgement. Like a living statue, he began to leave the room. Luna watched, mystified at these soldiers who were so different than the Artisan knights. 

A knock against her bedroom door frame made her jump.

“Luna, are you decent?” A voice croaked from the doorway. 

She rolled her eyes.

“Of course, I'm decent. My doors are wide open.”

“Hehe. Had to ask.” 

An old man came shuffling in, a cane in his hand hitting the floor each time he took a step. It was a wonder she hadn't heard him first. 

“Mr. Sable, I didn't remember our lesson for today at all. I'm sorry."

His thick mustache that reminded her of a broom wiggled while he talked.

“I'm sure your royal duties keep you busy, hehe." He carefully settled his bulging suitcase onto the dresser that was reserved for practicing magic.

“What royal duties?” Luna sarcastically shot back. Her fingers curled against her cheek as she leaned her elbow against the table. 

“Your father will have to give you some, eventually.”

“If he doesn't ruin the Reach before then.” 

“You speak harsh words, princess. I've heard the news about the Beast Masters, quite obviously, there's one by your door as we speak. Does it bother you?"

“I don't know.” Luna admitted, unable to look at Mr. Sable. ”What do you know about them?" She asked casually.

Mr. Sable hummed in thought. “Well, if you ask an Artisan their thoughts, they'll say that they're unruly beasts. But, since you asked me… you've asked the right Artisan.” He winked. 

“It's amazing that you practice magic and consider yourself Artisan, still, with as much hatred as there is for crafters.”

Mr. Sable swiped his hand.

“I have seen prejudices come and go in my life time. I have high hopes that the prejudice against magic crafters disappear before I die.”

Luna lifted her head up. 

“It's more of a double standard when Artisans use magic to smith and for our daily lives. It's ironic enough that my father let's me have a magic tutor when he hates magic so much.”

“Indeed…” Mr. Sable's voice trailed off. “However, I am not here to speak against the man who hired me. I can tell you about Territory, though.”

“Territory?” Luna repeated. 

“It's where the Beast Masters come from. I was there a long time ago, before you were born.” 

“I was there a long time ago. Before you were born. Their city is called Territory.”

“Oh, yes. Quite homely, but cold. I was there, writing my research papers about potion making methods… which, Territory was a horrible place to conduct that sort of research. They aren't magical folk, that's for certain. Their potions were rudimentary, and there were no experts…” He cleared his throat.

“Right, the Beast Masters. They are the warriors of Territory, believed to be sentient with their wolf halves. Their Beast Masters have been King Deimos's protectors for decades. Not all of the people living in Territory have these wolf senses, but it seems to be common, since they were raised alongside wolves since their beginning.”

Luna nodded.

“King Deimos was very secretive, you know. Impossible to see him. It was said he had a son, and when I met your father in town, that's when I first met your little face--"

Mr. Sable's suitcase popped open without any effort. 

“Wait. You saw me?” Luna asked, moving her hand away from her face.

“Ah, I shouldn't have said that." He scratched the top of his head. 

The inside of the suitcase was empty, except if you looked closely enough, the darkness inside of it had depth.

“If you excuse me, princess…" Mr. Sable reached a hand into his suitcase and lifted his leg up to the table. His entire leg fit inside of the suit case. He held onto the sides and lowered his entire body inside.

“Tell me.” Luna peered her head into the suitcase. “You said you met my father there. And me? I was there?"

"Speaking of potions, I thought we would continue with last week. You were doing a good job the last time.” Mr. Sable's voice sounded farther away, as if he was in another room.

“Please, stop changing the subject.” 

“I know you burnt a hole into the table last time, but this time, that won't happen…”

Luna sighed and rubbed her fingers over last week's incident. 

“Mr. Sable--"

“Practice makes perfect!” Mr. Sable's hairy hand and wrist appears from the suitcase, holding two small vials. “If you please, princess.”

Luna reached over and took the concoctions from him.

Mr. Sable mumbled from inside the suitcase. 

“I've known you since you were a baby. Your father… hired me… to find out if there were any conditions you had.” 

“So, you saw me in Territory, and I was with my father."

“Yes, yes. Now, that's enough."

“It's not. What else do you know?” 

“I do know that you are a very sick young woman. And no one knows why.” Mr. Sable changed the subject again.

Luna's heart fell. She leaned her head back into her hand. She would have to consider asking her father about Territory. Why was she there as a baby? Did he bring her with him? 

Why would she come to potentially dangerous diplomatic visits as a baby?

“I won't stop searching the Back Alley for a cure.”

Mr. Sable's hand came back up from the suitcase with more potions. Luna took them and carefully set them against the table. His old hand pointed an index finger in a matter of fact way.

“Not only is the Back Alley dangerous, but I doubt anyone there is skilled enough to heal you. Magic good enough for royalty is hard to come by.”

Luna was afraid that's what he was going to say.

“Father probably wouldn't allow magic, anyway, even if it could cure me,” she paused, "You won't tell anyone that I've been going there, will you?”

“Fear not, it is none of my business." Mr. Sabel cleared his throat. "Your knights are your protectors. I can only be your magical advisor.” 

The top of his balding head comes through. He grips the sides of the suit case and brings one leg out, then another.

“I can only make suggestions. You know what my thoughts are, Luna. It's just a guessing game, my dear."

Just a guessing game. 

The words made Luna feel sour.

“I don't want a guessing game anymore.”

Mr. Sable pulled up a chair that complained against the floor.

“Luckily, potions isn't a guessing game. It's a confidence game.”

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When the half-moon rose, the princess came out from her bedroom wearing a long, blue cloak. Her protector followed behind her, unquestioning, per usual. In a cloak, her figure was small. It could have been the way she carried herself, the way she walked. She was something that would have gained plenty of watchful eyes at night, if it wasn't for the looming foreigner in armor and his wolf-dog.

His dark creature came bounding out from the stables at a brisk pace, it's black fur making him look more like a shadow than an animal. When the princess caught sight of the wolf's yellow eyes observing her, she felt her heart pulse against her chest. She took a deep breath and composed her nerves.

If anything, she must have been the most protected woman in Artisans's Reach, but against what? She usually went to the Back Alley without any guards.

It was too cold for shops to stay open, and the street stalls were already empty. The inns, however, were busy until morning hours. The pub Artisan's Delight had it's front door propped open. Pillars of fire lined the walk ways, illuminating night dwellers who moved into the inns and pubs. 

There was laughter and popular melodies, the smell of smoke and wood burning. It was an addictive smell. She couldn't help but to notice, the faint sound of wolf paws tapping against wet stone. It was a constant reminder of her protection.

She thought that her knight was owed an explanation when the scenery began to change. The buildings were built differently than the modernized spires and towers in the main city square. It was rustic in it's own charming way, with lush trees that managed to grow within the cracks of stone. 

“This is the magic district. My father would throw a fit if he knew I was coming here.” 

She looked down to see his wolf slinking by her legs like a shadow. He watched her intently, as if he was listening. 

“I guess I should explain that Artisans believe that magic is… inferior to raw skill. My father made an effort to push out any practicing witch or wizard in the Reach, which is ridiculous if you ask me. It was a miracle he even let me have a magic tutor. I'm not very good at it, but the truth is that every Artisan uses magic. They just don't know it.” Luna explained, talking faster.

“Every piece of Artisan armor, weapon, or staff, that's all magic.” Luna beamed proudly. “It's just plain ignorance on our behalf. That's all.”

She picked up her robes. They climbed a wooden staircase to the southside circle. Every closed store front they passed had intricate signs advertising for common, ordinary Artisan goods. At first glance, it was a normal sight, unless you came when the stores were open. Artisan soaps was a disguise for healing, medicinal soaps brewed on a full moon. Artisan weapons meant already made swords, lances, and armor, that was blessed with varying good fortunes.

At the end of the alley was the newest sign that Luna often dared herself to visit: Madame Chance's Fortune Telling. If no one in her life had the answers, maybe a crafter would. Luna turned well before the fortune teller.

 They came to a pair of immense gate doors, it's red walls brightened with amber lanterns. Chiseled into the gate were the words “Moon Pool” in cursive.

Quicker than she could reach forward, the guard reached his arm out and pushed open one of the doors. The black wolf charged inside with raw excitement. Being bound to the stables must have been bothersome for a wild animal who needed to run and hunt.

Inside was a garden, secluded enough for a princess with it's heavy trees and perimeter walls. The spring itself was tucked away to the back of the property, where the only sounds were rustling leaves and trickling water. Uncertain about what to do next, the guard situated himself at the edge of the basin while his wolf glanced over with an unusual curiosity. 

"Usually my guards don't follow me inside." Luna passed him.

When the knight motioned to move, she stepped in front of him, her hand against the clasp of her cloak.

"I don't mind your company." 

In one swift movement, the cloak slipped off, and she carefully hung it against his broad shoulder. Her natural scent filled his armor as he gazed forward. With his back turned against her, he faced the inside of the pavilion, where the adjacent wall was fixed with a mirror that ran along the top rafter.

The water swallowed some of her curves, but accentuated different contours of her body. While the other guards hypothesized and fantasized, they missed everything else that made her desirable. They went blind trying to memorize her scent. 

"It's hard to believe that I'll be getting married to someone who's name I don't even know." She came closer to the edge of the spring, her arms leaning against a flat rock. 

Would a prince from another land want to look at her? Would he want to touch her? 

Her chin was dipping into the water, and she was getting close to submerging herself in an underwater world, until a sound caught her attention. 

"Prince Deimos, Your Royal Highness." A low growl came from the knight. 

The princess raised her head from the water, blinking as the voice registered. She thought about teasing him, but stopped herself, since there wasn't much that she understood about the Beast Masters Royal Guard. There could have been a ruling that prevented them from speaking with any royal member. 

“Prince Deimos. It's a handsome name."

The alloy wolf's head turned half-way towards her.

Princess Australis fell back into a daydream, drifting away in the lagoon. 

It was hard to imagine how Prince Deimos could comfortably hide in his kingdom before a wedding. 

Their wedding. 

She arched her shoulders underneath a cascade of steaming water, her apprehension washing down her body.

She didn't want to think about Prince Deimos anymore. It was a waste of time to try to imagine what he would look like, or how he would act. Her never ending curiosity would be the death of her. 

While water poured over her, she saw her guard's stance falter. She couldn't help but to notice his steady breathing; panting like a dog. His constrained reply rivaled their testimony as Knights of the Royal Guard. It was black humor that he was safeguarding her for another man to take away. She was afraid to think about what it'd be like in a strange place that had wolves all around.

Surely, they weren't completely primal…

Luna stared into the night sky, the occasional cloud racing in the winds. She would have repented on her knees to have problems revolving around studies, learning diplomatic skills, and Artisan affairs.

Luna hung her head low in thought as she waded to the shallows. She emerged from the sanctuary where no one could bother her, her body throbbing, red and soft. Ravines of water dripped down her thighs in jagged lines while she took her cloak from the knight's pauldron. 

"Thank you. I feel a little better."

She knew that was a lie.

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If the knight was alarmed about the princess's condition, he had the decency to mask it. Using one hand, she felt her way through the hallway, while the other hand braced his upper arm.

"I'm sorry. I'll be fine. Please, just help me inside." She felt her body floating, her feet lifting from the floor. The knight picked her up, as if she was a feather. Her hot body chilled against his armor.

He was a forbidden visitor in the princess's bedroom, surrounded by her feminine elegance and magic jewels.

Her silvery hair unraveled against her pillow, strands falling across her forehead and behind her ears. Luna mused to herself as she felt the bed underneath of her. 

In this world, there were two realities. 

One reality was the real world, full of frustrated voices of the protesters resounding in the square. The other reality, just as real, was happening in the warmth of her bed covers. A woman trapped in a body. She felt her muscles tense at the sound of the angry voices outside. The protestors were back.  

"What can I do?" Luna shook with uncertainty, her face flushed pale.

"They're afraid." The knight's voice came from his helmet.

"Afraid of what?" She asked.

"Afraid of the unknown."

She didn't expect a response. Part of her was too distracted by her aching joints. The exhaustion that set in was making her vulnerable. It was the first time that someone gave her a real answer.

"I need to do something." 

What he said was true. 

The Beast Masters were the epitome of the unknown. To the Artisans, there were outlandish brutes without artistry or magic. Their skill was unknown. Their land was unknown. Their prince was unknown. Their faces... unknown.

Her eyes were unable to focus on anything in particular.

For now, she was in a world where her sickness was safe to reveal to a knight of the Royal Guard. Hiding her illness from Prince Deimos, however, would be an almost impossible task. 

She had to save her crying for another day. 

"Have you heard the news, my lady?" Faye's pink face leaned into the wardrobe, shifting through dresses for the evening ball.

"No, Faye. Enlighten me." 

"Prince Deimos is coming to the ball tonight to see you. Isn't that romantic?" 

Luna swore she hinted a tone of sarcasm. She felt the color flush from her face as she sunk into her chair. 

Faye interrupted her thoughts. "Just like a story book."

"Something like that, I suppose." Princess Luna sat upright again. "Do you see that red dress? I think I'll wear that one tonight."

Faye pulled out the crimson dress with black trim. Little black bows cascaded across the hem. Faye hooked the gown to the top of the wardrobe dresser, then looked at it with a questionable face.

Luna gazed at the dress, her eyes faraway. "I like the red. It's  different."

"Er... it is different for a ball..."

Princess Luna barely heard the reply. She rested a hand against her cheek and sunk back into the chair. Prince Deimos's arrival for the ball should have been obvious. 

All week long, the maids frantically and strategically placed every Yule season decoration known to man. Wreaths, bows, firs, holly and bundles of rosemary filled the halls, while the kitchen always permeated with the smell of mulled spices. All of this was to welcome the prince's arrival.

It was planned. Some could even argue it was romantic.

Luna had to prioritize. 

Instead of daydreaming about the details from the springs last night, she should have been focused on the prince. There were a thousand other worries, but the most important was that Prince Deimos was coming, and she would have to be ready.

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Countless of people came for the ball, overwhelming the marble floor with colorful gowns, gloves and capes. Such an occasion didn't need a special invitation; Princess Luna Australis's marriage spread like wildfire. 

Artisan aristocrats and members of the royal family brushed arms with old world pleasantries. It wasn't unusual to have so many guests show up for these types of gatherings. Celebrating holidays, marriages, or birthdays were all perfect excuses to drink Artisan spirits. 

Luna couldn't escape. 

She spent some time hiding behind a pillar, holding a glass of mulled wine to numb her nerves. Her bright eyes watched the courting and flirting, an art form turned into sport during these long nights. While glasses emptied and refilled, laughter sometimes over powered the musicians, which was a shame since their songs were so charming. Their music was easy for waltzing, and Luna admitted that she would have loved to waltz.

Everything was primed to perfection, decorated for royalty, but Luna was drawn to the gardens and their natural simplicity. Wisteria trees stood in rows across the field, their long strands of purple flowers calm in the air. Only magic could nurse them so quickly, since they were far mature for their age.

"I love your dress. Very dramatic, Your Highness." Sang Lady Emily in a bypassing comment. Luna looked away from the wisteria trees and found her grace again.

"Thank you, Emily." She gave a curtsy before continuing into the crowds.

Throughout the night, she was showered with comments, and blessings on the behalf of the old Gods and Goddesses. She could still feel her knight's eyes watching her.

Never far, his presence was an anchor in a vast sea of ruffles and silk. The ball was adorn with the strong columns of Beast Master knights, all with the likeness of sculptures. To Artisan's, they were new, therefore, exotic. Much more interesting compared to their own variety of knights. 

If anything, the festive scenery and wine was a distraction, just enough to blunt her senses to what mattered. As she scanned the crowd, Luna realized that none of these people were Prince Deimos. She felt time passing on as the night went on.

Luna clutched the sides of her gown as she drifted down the stairs. She sunk behind the balcony wall, where an overgrowth of flowers and vines grew like wild. She stood in front of her knight, the aquamarine gems on her crown flickering when she breathed. 

"Nervous?" Her knight asked.

"Hardly." The princess lied. "I think it's the prince who should be nervous." 

"Maybe so." There was amusement in his voice. 

She saw her reflection in his armor and wondered if he polished it before the ball. An Artisan lance cradled in his arm, gifted most likely for show. 

She fixed an upside down bow on the skirt of her gown, worried that the prince would spot her as imperfect from a mile away.

"Prince Deimos!" 

Someone called out his name as if he were a great gift to Artisan's Reach. Luna's heart skipped a beat. She forced herself not to crane her neck to search above the crowd. Instead, she lingered by her knight for a moment more. 

“Prince Deimos is here!”

Luna looked at the floor and felt her lips curl.

“I suppose I should go see the prince.”

If anything, she enjoyed the peace with her quiet knight. Just one minute longer.

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"Don't step out of line." 

A Beast Master knight growled at Prince Deimos.

"Please. I was picked to come." He brushed a hand against his front coat, "Now, shall I finish this, or shall I run away with a tail behind my legs?"

A young man with reddish blonde hair stood proudly behind the wall that separated him from the most influential nobles of Artisan's Reach. And, of course, Princess Luna Australis, whom he was told was especially beautiful. He couldn't wait to see the Artisan Princess in the flesh. She was probably soft and good smelling. 

Maybe they would share a dance.

A shove against his shoulder interrupted his thoughts. Prince Deimos scowled at the knight. 

"I'm going." 

All eyes were on him when he came through the doorway. He walked with practiced refinement, a red cape that looked several sizes too big billowed behind him. If it wasn't for the breeze against his face, he would have been sweating.

King Australis had a look on his face that was impossible to decipher, until he clasped his hands together and stepped forward. A wide smile stretched across his face.

"Well, I thought you would have been a little bit taller since the last time I've seen you..." King Australis cleared his throat. "Either way, Prince Deimos, I hope you've found your stay in Artisan's Reach comfortable? How is your Father?"

"Yes, yes. It's comfortable enough. I humbly thank you for your invitation. Father... father is..." The young man looked everywhere but towards the king.

"He's doing well."

“Good.” King Australis boomed. “It's time we put our old differences aside. It's a new generation, now.”

Prince Deimos stopped and looked at what must have been the young lady he heard so much about. There was no doubt in his mind that she was the princess.

"There she is! Good. The princess is wearing our colors. How patriotic." 

The king blinked. 

"She is?" 

"Yes, and she looks... ravishing." 

The prince swallowed. When she got closer, he could see her stony, cold face.

It was too late to turn back. 

When Prince Deimos looked around the open room, he saw the metallic faces of the knights taunting him, snickering like conspiring hounds. 

"Lady Luna." He eased his scowl in front of her. He bowed low, his hand twirling in the air. 

"What a pleasure to be able to finally see you. We have a lot to talk about. Come for a walk with me." With a practiced grace that she was all too familiar with, he reached for her hand.

"Certainly." Princess Luna's eyes avoided everyone, just as her father did the same. His indifference stung her heart.

Prince Deimos, to her disappointment, was boyish and young. He was hardly what was conjured in her mind when she envisioned a Beast Master. During their saunter to the balcony, Luna barely breathed.

He cleared his throat. "I hope you understand that I've been very busy, Princess Luna. I wasn't able to make it until now."

There was a pause.

"What keeps a prince busy?" Luna looked at Prince Deimos's face. 

His cheeks were sprouting patches of light blond and orange hairs like a wild child. He was only a teenager.

He seemed to stall. "Things have been busy for us."

"I see." 

"Let's not bore ourselves. I wanted to ask you to dance with you tonight. May I?"

"Of course." Luna kept herself short.

Dancing wasn't supposed to be hard, at least, not as hard as it was conversing with him. She hoped that dancing meant little to no socializing. 

Still, it's an intimate activity. 

There was socializing with hands, movement, and eyes. When Luna forced herself to meet his gaze, she saw that his eyes were an unusual amber. 

The crowd on the dance floor waltzed in a clockwise stupor. When Luna's hand crept on top of his shoulder, the horror of realization set in that she would not be able to escape young Prince Deimos's toothy grin. Even his hands were slick with sweat. His sharp canine teeth distracted her.

"I've been waiting for this, my lady."

"I can only imagine."

"Humor me, princess. What do you think it will be like in my Kingdom?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

"Cold and snow. You'll freeze if you don't have someone like me to keep you warm." The prince laughed, his voice cracking.

"I wouldn't know." Luna gripped his hand. "You've hid yourself away all this time, making yourself some enigma. Then you come here, unannounced, and act like a fool?"

If Prince Deimos had canine ears, they would have folded over in humiliation. To her awe, he suddenly snapped back with a new attitude. 

"Please, Lady Luna, you must understand. Considering that we're here for your protection, you could be a little nicer."

"My protection? What for?" Luna snapped, her voice wavering with uncertainty. 

Prince Deimos leaned close to her ear. "You haven't heard? About the Dark Mage?" He whispered. 

Luna felt a shock wave ripple through her body. The melody from the violins and cellos became muted.

“No. Who is that?”

Prince Deimos smirked now that he gained her attention.

"It's important that you know, we've been fighting this person who calls himself the Dark Mage. He recently came back to us with… servants…to do his bidding. They wanted our wolves. They wanted our power. Whatever they wanted, we didn't let them. We fought. But they still burned and murdered..." 

Luna shook her head. 

"You couldn't hold them back?"

"Barely. Wolves fight with strength, not with magic. This happened 2 weeks ago, and your Artisan knights won't stand a chance. He is a master of magic."

Her hands fell limp off of Prince Deimos's shoulder.

“No. My Father has told me nothing of the stories about war and death from the Beast Masters. Now, you're trying to drag us into it. I… if you'll excuse me.”

While she wanted any excuse to escape Prince Deimos, she never would have asked for the end of the world. When she turned away, she was surrounded by a rainbow of dresses that swirled as dancers gyrated in clockwise circles. In all of her years of experiences in these social functions, she waited for a gap to open before slipping away. 

A hand gripped her arm.

"Going somewhere in a hurry?" Prince Deimos was behind her. "Lady Luna, come. Walk with me."

Luna tore away her arm. 

"Leave me alone."

He sighed. 

"I'm afraid you have no choice." 

The prince grabbed her hand and placed it on top of his arm, as if they were a courting pair of love birds. 

"Don't make this hard. Come with me."

Luna clamped her mouth closed to prevent any outbursts. Her black gloved hand lay calmly above his arm.

"Good." 

Prince Deimos lead her away from the dancing and music. They went down the stairs and towards the gardens.

"No one knows about the Dark Mage but us, Lady Luna. It would be rather unwise to just go blabbering to that pig-headed father of yours." 

"I beg your pardon." 

Luna swallowed the truth like a rock in her throat. Her feet sunk into the field of grass, the frost clinging to her shoes. 

“Anyway, you should know that we came to warn you. The Dark Mage is after you. He asked for your name.”

Shadows from dancers shown across the grass, their bodies stretching like giants. Voices from the ball grew faint, the calming sounds of the fountains filling the air. They wandered into a covered archway, the vines of flowers smelled sweet.

“How…" Luna gazed at the ground and her lips fell open. "How many days does Artisan's Reach have until the Dark Mage's servants come? Who are they?”

"A few more days, at best. His servants are wicked creatures. I suspect that the Dark Mage went into a boneyard in the deserts and used magic to conjure some dead warriors to do his dirty work. They're... otherworldly. Dark magic. Hard to describe, but terrifying, really. You know, being dead and all."

Luna shivered. "Is there any negotiating with them?"

"A foolish endeavor, but of course, an honorable choice from a princess."

Luna let go of his arm. 

"Will you protect us?"

"We will fight until our last breaths."

Prince Deimos was too young to look tired, but he did. He looked like a scared child. 

"He's asking for me? Why me?" Luna asked.

Prince Deimos lowered his voice. 

"Only your knight friend knows."

Luna shook her head. He knew? 

"You'll have to excuse me this time. I have a lot to think about." 

She dared herself to look back, only to see Deimos watching her hurry across the gardens. Thick snowflakes began to fall from the blanket of gray clouds, to the delight of everyone at the ball, it was a true sign of the Yule to come. 

Flakes clung to Luna's hair, the curtain of white snow beginning to blur her vision. She was fixated at the ground when she nearly ran into armor.

"Oh. I--I..." She gave a dazed sound when she saw Nix. His armor was crisp from the air. As always, he was impossible to read while on duty. 

"Require my help?" He asked.

Luna shook her head, looking lost.

"No. No, I'll ask if I need any."

Nix flashed a smile, which was gone the next instant. "Very well, Your Highness." 

He must have sensed her distraction. Nix snapped to attention, half-way frightening her. 

Luna felt the heat in her face. She turned her attention away from Nix, her eyes setting on Prince Deimos. Frustration and panic hit her in turns. Seeing Prince Deimos only made it worse.

She went out of her way to avoid Prince Deimos who meandered back to the party, glancing at the oblivious faces around him. She nearly walked into Faye, who was dressed modestly for the party.

“I'm sorry, I was just going-”

Luna grabbed her wrist.

“Please. Come with me back upstairs.”

Faye smiled.

“Done with the party this evening?”

“I don't know how many more blessings I can stand upright for.”

She knew the next few nights would be long and tiring. Her father would find reasons to invite friends, family, and most likely Prince Deimos himself, to drinks, dining, concerts, whatever else royalty could desire. Everyone would be strung along a road of merriment, blindsided by the Dark Mage's roaming path, headed straight into Artisan's Reach.

 Meanwhile, the celebration dragged on. The quartet, tickled pink to play for the princess, waved their bows with show. Her ears rang when they went into the quiet halls. 

Faye skipped to keep up with the princess. 

They were breathing steadily by the time they reached Luna's bedroom. The door behind them with a satisfying bang.

“What's wrong?” Faye asked. 

“It's Prince Deimos…”

Faye let a laugh deflate past her lips.

“Young, ain't he?"

“Never mind that. He told me we were in trouble.”

Faye locked the door.

“What kind of trouble?" Her eyebrows contorted with dread.

"How about a glass of Artisan brandy?" 

The heavy bottle sat, barely used, on a dresser next to the fireplace. Luna opened the bottle and picked it up with both hands, pouring a glass for herself.

“Luna, I--”

"I insist." Luna moved the brandy to a second glass, pouring into it with a heavy hand.

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"She accepted our help." Prince Deimos said quietly. 

He lifted a glass of wine to his lips, but the barrel chested knight moved in a flash to knock it out of his hand. The glass rolled into the grass.

"You're not old enough to drink." The knight teased.

Prince Deimos growled. "I did what I was asked, Ares. The princess is going to stall for time and try to negotiate with the servants, whatever that means."

The knight didn't reply. Prince Deimos nervously tugged at his high collar. "Maybe if this works out, we could keep the little marriage agreement..."

"Don't even think about it."

He rolled his amber eyes. "I knew the whole marriage was a ploy or whatever to have King Australis let us in, but I'd really like to marry her."

"She's too old for you."

Deimos looked as if his ears could fold over. The knight seemed to watch him with amusement, then turned away with his heavy armor thudding together.

"Where are you going?"

Prince Deimos watched the knight parade away with a face full of disdain. It was wrong of him to keep secrets, but he must of had his reasons. 

He was such a show off. 

Prince Deimos felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around to see Nix.

“Prince.” He smiled. “I believe there's something you're withholding from the court.”

Deimos gave a careless laugh.

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Really?” Nix pointed his lance down towards the teenager's throat. “I have ways to make you talk.”

The violins and cellos were out of place, with the pom-pom-pom of strings playing over and over again. Deimos swallowed and looked around him. On one side were the Artisan knights, peering cautiously at the collection of Beast Master's on the opposite side. Like a game of chess set on a board, they stared their opponents down. 

Nix's attention turned to Deimos with the precision of a hawk.

“Talk.” He spat.

“There's nothing to say. I really don't know what you're on about." Prince Deimos's voice rose above the music. Nix thrusted the sharp end of the lance closer, his stance breaking when the bark of a wolf startled him. 

Faces turned to find the source of the commotion.

“What's happening?” King Australis's reverberated in the rotunda. 

Nix calmly withdrew his lance. He brought his feet together and stared forward with a stony expression.

“I believe they are instigating war again.”

“On what grounds?”

“None, King." Deimos swallowed. "We have no-”

“I heard it all.” Nix interrupted. “Your people have been fighting. You want to use-”

“You didn't even hear all of it!” Deimos argued. 

King Australis waved his hand. "I don't give a damn about you or your knights, Deimos. I want you and your guards out of our city, tonight. I knew you." 

“You should hear us out, first--"

“Enough.” 

"You might want to tread a bit more lightly. You don't want to make him mad." Deimos motioned over to the barrel chested knight and his black wolf.

King Australis looked at the knight.

“I will not be threatened at my home. I should have known better. King Deimos hasn't changed. Selfish, as his children are."

The Artisan knights barred down on their stance, as if they were preparing for war.

"See them out." King Australis ordered. "And you, too. Take your mutt with you. Take your jokes, your mockery, and your... your... bad manners with you."

There was the clamor of armor as the Artisan knights closed in, until Prince Deimos stepped in front of them.

"We've never been treated with such disrespect. The least you can do is let us see our own way out." 

It was a rather anti-climatic resolution. All that was left from the party was the sad wail of violins and the lament of howling wolves. It was almost as if they knew the gravity of the situation.

King Australis gave a final grunt before turning away.

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"You fucking idiot." 

Prince Deimos's small frame was lifted into the air and crushed against the stone wall. He gasped and his breath rose into the icy air.

"You had one job."

"I was-- ow!" The prince squeaked as he was shaken against the wall. "I couldn't keep calm anymore. That Artisan Commander overheard some of our conversation and started to get aggressive. It was bullshi-"

"Don't curse." The broad knight jostled him like a rag doll, his breathing heavy. His black wolf sat by his side, tilting his head with each shake. The other wolves pranced around the scene in excitement.

Another guard stepped forward, opening the face plate of the metal wolf's maw. His golden eyes were reflective in the night. 

"Hey, Ares. You should go easy on him. He just lost Uncle in the fight." 

"Thanks, Puck." Deimos looked relieved. He felt the grip around him loosen and he fell to the ground. Wet snow soaked his legs. 

"I wasn't going to let Artisans push us around after we've lost so much."

Ares, still masked, gave a frustrated growl. The smaller guard, Puck, put his arm across Ares's wide shoulders.

"We'll figure something else out, brother." 

The knight turned. "I was supposed to protect the princess. Now what?"

"We either run away with a tail behind our legs or figure something out." Puck smiled. "I say we stay."

"And do what?" Ares asked. "The Artisans are afraid of us. Where would we go?"

"It's not like we won't know when the servants are coming." Deimos crossed his arms. "Even if we're stuck in the country, we'll be close enough."

Puck grabbed the Artisan lance that leaned against the wall and studied it.

"The country sounds good. Quiet. I could use some of that after dealing with King Australis and this failure of a plan." 

Ares walked away, disappearing around the corner of the wall. 

Puck sighed. "He isn't listening, is he?" He followed, lowering his voice. 

"We need you to save your energy for when the servants come." 

Puck jabbed his elbow into his brother's side.

"It's not that." Grumbled Ares.

"What's bothering you, then?"

The knight looked down. "It's the princess. When the servants come, we can't be late."

Puck smirked. "Huh. Got attached to her while 'on duty', did you?"

"She's strong, but... she's weak. Not by choice. She won't make it."

"Is that so?" Puck raised a metallic hand to his chin. "Then, we have no choice. We'll find somewhere to stay and be right on time to save your princess."

"I'll tell the others." Ares reached for the Artisan lance. When he walked away, his black wolf followed.

The teenage prince shuffled in the snow, shivering and huffing warm air into his hands. 

"You know, you're ultimately in the wrong." Puck folded his arm. "You were picked to be Deimos, but you couldn't even handle that. Got your fur all ruffled up by a pretty girl, didn't you, Max?" He winked.

"I was trying."

Puck sighed and looked away, a cloud of ice coming from his mouth.

"We have to trust Ares. There must be a good reason for all of this. Whatever father told him must be true, so protecting the princess it is."

"Fantastic. Maybe we can stay in a barn and roll around in some hay like a bunch of animals." 

Puck laughed. "I bet it'll be a barn."

"We should go."

"Go where?" Luna asked.

"To the festival. I'll take you."

Luna thought she heard Nix say something else. It was as loud as a whisper.

"What's that?" She asked.

"I said I'll take you to the festival."

Luna wiggled a finger near her ear. 

“I thought you said something else?”

“No."

Strange. 

Ever since the Beast Masters came and went, strange things started to happen. Some of it was ordinary pain and fatigue, while some of it were symptoms that Luna had never experienced before. Sometimes she heard voices speaking while laying in bed. It was always a woman speaking who was the loudest, but her words were indecipherable. 

Luna wasn't even sure she was speaking a real language.

Only 4 days had passed, and she spent most of her time in bed, where time had a tendency to crawl on its knees. Luna didn't have time to think about something as ridiculous as going to a Yule celebration. While she hid in the bedroom, Artisan security increased around the perimeters. She watched them from the window sometimes, as they paced back and forth.

"We shouldn't." 

With the weight of the Dark Mage on her shoulders, the Yule meant nothing. The faint lights from merchant stalls below reflected into her bedroom, bringing back old memories. Every Artisan grew up to know the smell of cider, spruce, roasted nuts, and fruit bread.

The princess lifted her elbows from the window frame, ignoring the red marks imprinted into her arm. When Luna turned, her eyes could make out his silhouette. It was the only regal stance that belonged to Nix. 

Ignoring him was a failed tactic, he was determined to pester her, whatever his reasoning was.

"You haven't been quite yourself since the Beast Masters left." Nix drew her out from her personal demise.

“You still haven't told me why they left.” Luna breathed heavily. “No one has." She slammed her hand into the window in a rare outburst of anger. 

“They aren't to be trusted. If I were up to you, I'd take the invitation to go out while you can.”

Luna scoffed at him.

“You mean a once in a blue moon invitation that my father allowed me. He told you to take me, didn't he?"

Nix lifted his face.

“Does it matter?” 

This was how the Dark Mage wanted her: to succumb as a beggar, alone. Luna didn't need to be a war strategist to understand his motives. His stalling was meant to torment her every being.

Luna bore her eyes into him. Movement flashed by the doorway. Faye came in, holding a basket full of clothes.

“Where are you going?” She asked.

Nix smirked. 

"We are going to enjoy the festivities."

"I was askin' her highness." Faye nodded with her chin.

Luna stepped closer to the door. "We're going out. Just for a little bit." 

Faye's eyes widened. "You shouldn't." 

"Why not?" Nix chimed in. "Are you suggesting no fun allowed for the Yule?"

Anger boiled to regret. 

"I suppose no fun during the Yule would be blasphemous." Luna said dryly. She looked at Faye. Nix wasn't going to give up.

"We'll go together to the next one." 

Luna, always the calm optimist, played her role again. In the back of her mind, she already knew that trying to enjoy the Yule was a selfish endeavor. Only a fool would turn a blind eye to the Dark Mage.

A pair of knights filled in behind her. No outing would be complete without the sound of heavy armor surrounding her. She followed Nix, unable to shake the sensation of being whisked away. Luna didn't understand. She could have simply said no, if she didn't want to go.

Being well rested was more important than making a public appearance, but following through with the motions was important as a princess. She would do anything for a fleeting moment of normalcy. Before turning the corner, Luna craned her head to see Faye still standing by her bedroom door. If it wasn't a trick of her eyes, Faye's pale face had something to say.

It would have to wait. 

Only an hour. 

Maybe a bit longer, with the time it would take to walk there.

"Well, I'm glad it's much less like a zoo without all of those smelly dogs." Nix broke the silence.

"Do you really think so?" Luna challenged him.

"Of course. Animals don't belong here, and those creatures carry disease."

Luna held an eye roll, still debating on correcting him. She heard a short, muffled snicker coming from behind her.

"I doubt it." She said.

Nix was quiet after that. She would take it, however long it lasted. The Yule festival was the perfect distraction, with its lights and decorations. Each stall was adorn with strands of holly and berries, wreathes centered with bows. They passed signs written in cursive, advertising for bakeries and brew.

"I'll be damned, not one single wand vendor. Raising the vending fees for non-residents worked." Nix laughed.

Wands were definitely not Artisan made. Luna hadn't even noticed until he said something. It sounded like something her father would enforce.

"I wasn't aware." 

"It's an Artisan holiday, anyway."

Luna served him a glance.

Luna saw Nix's mouth moving, but voices drowned him out. Her eyes widened and she reached for her ears. Even when she plugged them, the voices still spoke. It was impossible to decipher what the words were.

Luna was only able to catch the end of what Nix was saying.

"--I only meant to say that it's more authentic, don't you agree?"

"N-no." Luna replied. "I don't."

"Tsk. If that's what you want to think, princess. Differences aside, how about a drink?" 

He held his open palm to Famous Berry's Brews. The sign above their stall read "Real hops- no magic!". It was considered tradition to get a glass of mulled wine at Berry's. 

Luna was silent, perplexed by the voices.

Nix curled his fingers into the palm of his hand. "I'll take that as a yes." 

The women working inside of the booth immediately recognized the Royal Guards, then Luna. The cashier pummeled her elbow into the waitress, and they picked up the hems of their dresses. They gave a deep curtsy, bowing their heads. 

Nix, ever so confident, waved his hand while saying something to the girls. He came back with a mug. Luna carefully took it from him and stared at the red foam.

She hadn't had mulled wine from Berry's in so long, she didn't know how to pace herself. Maybe it didn't matter. Everything hung on a final note with the Dark Mage. When people began to coo at the fresh falling snow, she couldn't understand. Everything seemed so abstract and vague. 

Snowflakes dropped in her eyelashes, making everything wet when she blinked. Colors and lights went blurry. 

"It's a shame those Beast Masters are gone. They're missing out."

Luna pulled the mug away from her lips. 

“You heard the Prince talking to me that night and told my father, didn't you?” She probed him.

Nix raised his head.

"Well, I didn't hear all of it, but I heard enough. Something about war and their failures, what does it matter? Artisans won't get involved. It's my duty to keep the Reach safe from foreign nations."

"They were here for our protection."

Nix smiled. "Were they here to marry you off or protect us? Which one is it?"

Luna felt a blush crawl onto her face. 

"I-it's none... of your business." Her senses were fuzzy.

"Really, now?" Nix asked. "Foreign affairs are taken very seriously in court, Your Highness. You wouldn't say, during that night of the ball..." 

Nix was came close to her, his breath forming frozen clouds.

"...You were told about someone called the Dark Mage, and you've known about him for a few days now."

Luna remained silent.

"This is a war." Nix continued, "And a princess doesn't belong in a war."

She looked behind her, blocked by her own knights. They were an impenetrable wall. Snowflakes dropped in her eyelashes, making everything wet when she blinked.

"Are you feeling alright, Your Highness?" Nix's voice pierced through her.

"Mm...I..." Her voice sounded far away. 

Where was she?

"If you ask me, you don't look so great at all." Nix held his arm to her. She grabbed onto his cold metal, feeling pale and out of breath. He was leading her out of the row of vendors when her heart slowed down. Was it even beating? 

Was she... alive?

Luna tried to pull her arm away from him, but he was faster. His arms swept around her, controlling her body as if it were on strings. Everything else was hard to do and impossible to remember. She blinked away darkness, and the last person she saw was a man with a red beard. Nix's voice was faraway like a dream.

The cup in her hands tumbled and rolled onto the ground.

"There she goes... what are you doing? For the love of... no, grab her other side. Don't mind him, he's already been paid. If anyone sees, tell them the princess is ill."

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧
 

"Princess Luna…"

No response.

"Luna!"   

Darkness turned into shapes, and slowly, Luna felt her senses awaken. She realized she had arms and legs, stretched out on a frozen floor. 

Had she really been sleeping on the floor?

Words were too hard to form from her vocal cords. She dragged herself vertical again, her head spinning and her mouth dry.

"F-Faye?" 

It didn't make sense, but that was her voice, as clear as a bell. There was also screaming, things breaking and footsteps trampling against the ground like waves from an earthquake. 

"Luna, are you alright?"

“Well... I don't know.” She slowly sat upright. "This isn't very comfortable. And it's so loud."

She placed her head firmly against the wall, closing her eyes. The footsteps were going, then coming again. The voices she heard were real and panicking.

"I don't know what that rotten bastard did to you. I knew he was up to something. Next time I see him..." Faye paced back and forth.

Luna slowly shook her head. 

"Who? Nix?"

Faye stomped her foot. "Nix! Yes, him. He's is useless. If I see him again, he'll be lucky if I spare his life."

"Did... did he do this?" Luna opened her eyes. Her vision was becoming clear. She saw black bars and a plain bed without any sheets. She was sitting on the stone floor of a jail cell, for the first time, thank you very much. Faye blazed a trail as she paced back and forth, her long black hair flew behind her in a self-made breeze. 

"Ugh! You should have heard him. Talkin' to me like a maid... what nerve."

"Er, I'm afraid you've lost me." Luna blinked. “You are my maid.”

Faye stepped aside, exposing the body of the man with the red beard.

“There's a few things that… you don't know.” The body was slumped against the wall, looking pale. Luna's eyes widened.

“Goodness, is he dead?"

“Just knocked out for now. Forget it. Let's get you out.” 

"Faye, what's happening outside? Isn't the Yule-"

"No. Up. Get up. Something… someone… is attackin' the Reach." Faye's hands were shaking as she fumbled with the set of jail cell keys. She tried one that didn't fit inside of the lock, then threw it aside with a satisfying clang. 

“It's the Dark Mage." Luna held her chin in thought. "I mean, a jail cell might actually be safe. Maybe we should give Nix some credit." Luna placed her hands against the wall as she steadied herself back onto her feet. 

"Nix must have put something in my drink."

"That's right." Faye tried the second key with no luck, throwing it aside. "He put somethin' in your drink so that he could go off and pretend to be a hero. He's just goin' to get himself killed. Idiot."

Luna grabbed onto the freezing bars, turning her knuckles white.

"Try that key."

Faye shook her head and wedged the key into the lock.

"I am, I am..." 

Nothing. 

She thumbed the last key and sighed.

“I heard him talkin' to your father.” Faye explained, "That's what they get for havin' me around. I hear everything. Anyway, Nix is a sly fox and overheard everything at the ball. Then what does he go do? Tells your father that the Beast Masters are up to no good. And what's worse is your farther ordered him... to do exactly this! Drug you up silly and put you in jail."

Luna let go of the bars as Faye turned the last key. The door swung open effortlessly.

“My Father ordered this?”

Faye nodded and lowered the keys. “I tried to stop you from going to Yule without makin' it obvious that I knew what Nix and him had schemed up.”

Luna clutched her hands, feeling her nails dig into her sweating palms. The little details that shouldn't have mattered were sticking out. The lower levels of the Artisan jail cells were gleaming clean with pride. The doors and locks must have been greased every day. 

“Can I be honest?”

“Sure, my lady.”

“I like this version of you a lot better.”

Faye reached out, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.

"Wish I could've told you sooner, but, listen. Artisans tryin' to fight back magic... is ridiculous. It's suicide."

Luna let go of her hand. 

“We have to try.” 

Faye broke.

"Fine. I think everyone was headin' to the northside garden. I'll take you there, but be ready to run."

She didn't think twice, even though it's not an easy thing to choose death. With her dress bundled in her hands, Luna jogged after Faye, who seemed to know her way around the jail halls. 

The streets of the Reach seemed inexplicably different. A blanket of dark clouds hugged the city, patches of orange reflecting the ambiance. The snow falling made everything quiet, thick snowflakes tumbled into her hair and making her lips blue. 

Her chest caved in and out and blood ran hot in her ears. She was red and numb when they made it to the garden wall. Faye spun around, pointing towards the wall with wide eyes. She nodded.

In there.

The princess expected something of an epic battle to be happening, except the air was so silent, her ears could hear the snowflakes hitting the ground with soft, wet taps. She held all of her courage hostage and stepped into the opening. 

The northside garden was made up of wide stone pathways that were lined with elegantly trimmed bushes. The tops of shrubbery was coated with fine snow, everything fresh and undisturbed except for the erratic horse tracks running through everything.

Luna could see in the darkness that Artisan knights lined themselves like chess pieces on a board, their lances facing a trip of  horsemen. 

Luna wasn't even sure that they were men. Maybe they were at one time, long ago. The horses were only bone and gangrene. Luna wondered if they were in pain, but as they whipped their heads from side to side, she sensed more of a temper. These animals only knew an afterlife of chasing  death.

Luna looked for Nix. She felt pitiful that she looked for him almost desperately, even though she wanted to send a fist through his face. 

"Commander." She called out for him.

"Your Highness? Your Highness- leave." She heard his voice and sensed hesitation.

She felt her heart pound against her rib cage. The horsemen slowly turned their skulls to watch her. The hollowed sockets where eyes would have been tracked her every movement. 

She found him looking unamused in every sense as she started to walk towards him. 

"I've been looking for you." A dark voice interjected.

Nix raised his lance. 

"Who the hell is that?"

"Don't worry. I'm just visiting."