The Prince's Catch - Remastered

I sighed loudly in frustration as I brushed my hair for what felt like the hundredth time. Glancing at the wooden cuckoo clock on the wall told me that it was nearly 6.30 pm. It was time. Tonight was the night that all the eighteen-year-old virgins gathered under the clock tower for the selection. What was this selection, I heard that you asked?

The Imperial Family and their ministers, advisers, and privy council members would come down from the mountain top palace every year. They would then select the prettiest and purest girls to join them, highing up in the castle. Depending on the girl's abilities and skills, they would end up either as a servant, bedmaiden, or becoming a trusted Pack member. That's right - a Pack member. I lived in the Bloodmoon Empire, which meant we were ruled by the Imperial Family, the purest of bloodlines you could ever get in a werewolf world. And tonight was the night of their annual selection.* Or purge as I called it! *

Most of the selected girls wouldn’t survive or see the year out. Most slaves and servants ended up being killed if they disobeyed their new masters or didn’t please them. The bed maidens were simply thrown out by the Princes or whoever owned them when the owners had finally got bored of them. This Practice didn't bother the Palace as they knew they could get new girls every year. I just hoped and prayed that I wasn't picked at all. Even though I was a werewolf, it didn't bother me whether I joined the Empire Pack or not. I was just happy to live an ordinary life down the city if you could call my life anything but ordinary.

I glanced over at the black lacy dress with fancy gold embroidery – the attire of choice for this year's ceremony, hanging up against my wardrobe door. Every year, a dress was made and created for the tributes and proudly hung on display in the city's square so that everyone could see what the tributes would be wearing. It was a great honour if you managed to get picked, but a great deal of shame came to the family if you weren't, not that I was a stranger to shame. Not being picked only meant one thing. That you were no longer pure and in our world, there was no greater shame.

Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve been bullied by the other kids who I, unfortunately, had to go to school with. I lived with my elderly grandmother for as long as I could remember. Both of my parents died seventeen years ago after catching the White Plague. The White Plague also happened to wipe out just under half of the city population. The other school kids found it quite amusing that I was essentially an orphan and blamed it on my looks. They often told me that my parents went and caught the plague willingly, just to get rid themselves of having an ugly, weak daughter. I was petite, with pale skin and green eyes that shone like glass bottles under the sunlight.

I had pale pink, plump lips, a small pointed nose, and perfectly sculpted eyebrows. I always styled my breast-length chocolate brown hair in a half-up, half-down style, which accentuated my looks and showed off my slender neck. No matter how pretty I made myself look, I was ruthlessly picked on.

A loud knock sharply bought me back to my senses as my bedroom door creaked and opened noisily, then my grandmother shuffled in quickly. Her long grey hair was tucked neatly into a bun on the back of her head, while a floor-length purple dress covered her weathered and hunched body. As frail as my grandmother looked, stupid she was not. She was bright as a button and sharp as a knife, even though her body was giving up on her.

"Come, come, my little minnow," urged my grandmother loudly. "It is quarter to 7. You need to be under the clock tower at 7 pm. And you aren't even dressed! This will not do!"

"But grandma, I cannot do this!" I protested loudly. "If I do not get picked, then shame will be bought to our family. Not that I have already brought shame to you!"

"Now stopping with that nonsense. You have not brought shame to me, pet!" my grandmother smiled fondly. "The other kids do not understand. They do not see the beauty that I see in you. And besides, if you don't get picked, what's the big deal? I'll still have my little El by my side. Now, come. Get that dress on quick sharp and get yourself behind down to the square! You know the rules! They’ll only come looking for you and it wouldn’t be a good start if you get labelled as a deserter!"

Smiling gently, I hugged my grandmother tightly before pulling the dress carefully off the hanger and slipping it over my tiny frame. Carefully, I gazed at my appearance in the mirror and gasped loudly. The dress was a perfect fit! The lacy sleeves finished just above my elbows, while the deep v-neck showed off the little cleavage that I had. The hem of the dress lovingly skimmed across the midsection of my thighs, teasingly showing off my pale skin. I had to admit that this dress was beautiful, and it made me look almost regal. Feeling tears beginning to prickle in the corners of my eyes, I turned around and hugged my grandmother tightly once more, which for all I knew, could have been the last time.

"Oh, grandma, don't cry!" I sniffed tearfully. "This isn't a goodbye! I promise! Before you know it, I'll be home again, and we can forget this night ever existed! I love you! Forever and always. Don't you forget it!"

“Good luck, my little minnow. Remember what I have always told you. Always remember, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, more beautiful than you imagine and are loved more than you will ever know!” my grandmother whisphered softly, placing her forehead against mine. “Now, are you okay walking down to the square by yourself?”

“Yes, grandma, I’ll be fine,” I soothed gently. “I’ll be back by 10 pm. Mark my words!”

Before my grandmother could reply, I planted a soft, lingering kiss on the top of her head and picked up my bag. Quickly, I turned away and walked out of my room, and down the hallway towards the front door. Pausing, my hand hovered above the door handle as I slowly closed my eyes and took deep breaths. Before I could change my mind, I pulled the door open and stepped out into the cold, black night, feeling my skin prickle in the cold air.

I knew if I were late for the ceremony, the Imperial guards would come looking for me, and the possibility of being punished for my delay was high. Hurriedly, I made my way through the dark cobbled streets and empty alleyways towards the square where the cheery sound of regal music was playing. The cobbled streets were empty and silent as everybody had now assembled themselves in the square to watch the proceedings gleefully. As I neared the square, the rumble of hundreds of excited voices began to fill my ears, and a nervous lump formed in my throat. Just as I was about to make my way through the stone archway and towards the stage, a group of dark figures leapt out of the shadows and encircled me, blocking any means of escape.

"Ahh, look guys, and girls," sneered a high-pitched voice cheerily, who I instantly recognised as a girl called Rainie. "If it isn't the orphan girl on her way to the selection. Like any of the Imperial Family would ever want you!"

"Look, Rainie, please move out of the way," I pleaded. "If I am late, the guards will be sure to punish me. Please let me through! Don’t do this to me. Not tonight!"

"Look at the little tramp, pleading for her life," laughed in a harsher voice that belonged to Rainie's boyfriend, Everett. "Such a shame to prolong her life anymore, wouldn't you say, hum? I mean, The Imperial Palace will only kill her anyway. Why wasting their precious time?"

It was because of him, that Rainie escaped the selection process. You had to be a virgin, and because Rainie had already been claimed at the tender age of sixteen, she is now exempted. Like many of the girls and young lads around her, who had also made sure to lose their virginities. Staying pure and keeping their virtues intact were not big deals to them or to their families. In our world, people like these were called Tamed Rogues. Rainie took one small step toward me and lowered her hood, revealing her flame-orange hair and bright blue eyes, glistening evilly. Smirking gently, she eyed me up and down before taking another step toward me.

"Yes. It really would be a shame to let this tramp waste the Imperial Prince's time," purred Rainie slowly, letting every syllable roll over her tongue effortlessly, while batting her eyelashes over at Everett. "I agree with Eve, baby. Let's do everyone a favour and make this quick."

Before I could utter another word or move another muscle, the dark figures surrounding me suddenly enveloped me in a whirl of darkness. The last thing I could remember was the pain from the many pairs of hands and feet connecting with my body and the cold, hard cobbles were connected painfully with my head…