Stiles smoothed her grey gown down as she waited for Malia to finish washing up. The dresses that were brought to them are nothing more then simple maiden dresses. Something a servant would wear on a normal day. Personally Stiles preferred dresses like these instead of the all to tight gowns the royals are expected to wear, though she does enjoy dressing up every now and then.
Stiles looks up to see Malia entering the room, towel drying her brown hair. Stiles doesn't think twice of Malia's nakedness as she goes to find a dress for the coyote. Being in front of people nude is somewhat normal for shifters. When Stiles had first went to work at the castle it had startled her when Malia shifted from her fur to human skin in front of her. She had grown up in a solely human home, never seeing a were shift.
Stiles finds a dirt brown gown that seems to be perfect for Malia. The coyote has always like earth colors. Turning to her cousin, Stiles presents the dress.
"You are no longer a servant, Stiles. You don't have to pick out my clothes for me." Malia grumbles, dropping the towel.
"Well, until the king throws us out, we both are servants and I am not doing this because I have to. I am doing it because I want to." Stiles helps Malia into her dress. Once the coyote is dressed, Stiles goes to fix her long hair.
"Oh, no. We are going to do something different with our hair." Malia pulls Stiles down on the desk chair.
Stiles watches as Malia rummages around her things until she pulls out her small dagger. "What are you doing?"
"Until we decide we are going to come out with the truth we must play the part of servants. Meaning we need to hide any resemblance to Hale royalty." The coyote makes her way back over to Stiles.
"What are you going to do?" Stiles narrows her eyes.
"I am just going to give you a hair cut."
"But servants can have long hair!" Stiles protests.
Malia rolls her eyes. "Yes, but it is also easier for someone to recognize you with your same hairstyle."
Stiles grumbles under her breath but allows Malia to cut off her brown locks. Then returns the favor. When they are done both have boy like hair styles. Stiles can't help but run a hand through her too short locks.
"Stop pouting. It will grow back, eventually."
Stiles huffs. "We are going to be late if we don't leave now."
The two make their way through the halls. Noticing how there is no hustle and bustle that should be going on within the castle walls. There should be servants milling around or guards stationed. Not this barren silence.
They don't have to even knock when they reach the doors of the throne room. The guard named Boyd, ushers them in. The king is on his throne, his wife seated next to him. A guard next to both of them.
"Thank you for returning." The true alpha speaks.
Stiles swallows nervously. What has he decided.
"You may have noticed there is no one in the castle other then my own pack. When word came that the Hale kingdom had fallen, I sent everyone away. I wasn't going to risk my own pack meeting the same fate. I admit I was harsh earlier, but you must understand why I am cautious. Especially when we are in the presence of a species known for its ability to deceive."
Stiles heart speeds up as she seeks Malia's hand, gripping her fingers tightly. Her eyes never leave the king. She doesn't miss how the king notices her movements. His lips quirk up ever so slightly.
"But, as my wife has reminded me, her kind too has been seen as deceivers. She wasn't what most would have wanted as their queen, but she has proven herself worthy of the title." The alpha gazed lovingly at the kitsune before turning back to the two women. "So I am going to give you both a chance. You have sanctuary here until more news from the state of your kingdom arrives."
Stiles could weep at the king's feet. He is truly going to allow them to stay.
"Stiles, you will be placed in the kitchen. Malia, you will be in the stables. Tomorrow the servants and guards will return to the castle. That is when you will start work. For now, though, I would like to know what happened." The king leans forward slightly, ready to listen.
Stiles glances at Malia, she nods. Facing the king she is the first to speak. "I was in the stables when the first hint of something off hit me. It was a scent. Something dark and earthy. It was as if someone had dug up all the decaying corpses and left them in the hot sun. I started to make my way to the castle when I saw the first creature. It was a man or it use to be. The beast was seven feet tall and built like an ox. Its body dressed in the bones of an animal. I tried to fight it, but I was no match. The thing would have killed me if the castle had not erupted into flames. It left me and I ran back to the stables. Taking a horse to see if I could find anyone outside. I found Stiles and we fled."
Stiles watches as the king nods slowly. His guards glancing at one another. They shift on their feet nervously.
"Do you know what the beasts are?" Malia questions.
The king nods. "They come from the waste lands. They are known as Berserkers."
The waste lands? The never ending desert that takes anyone that enters its lands. Being banished there is worse then death. Stiles begins to shake. These beasts were able to survive the waste lands, they were born there, how on earth are they to be defeated? How could anyone stand a chance against them? Derek...
"I would like to here your side of the story now, Stiles." The king speaks softly.
Stiles' mind begins to race from the memories.
Derek nuzzles her flat stomach causing Stiles to giggle. The wolf looks up with a grin. "Do you think it will be a wolf?"
Stiles rolls her eyes. "We just discovered I am carrying a pup and you are already concerned with its species." She mocks.
Derek crawls farther onto the bed, kissing Stiles' check. "It could be anything and I would love it. Human or wolf, it will be loved. Not just by me, but by the whole family."
Stiles hums in satisfaction. It is true. When Peter had brought home his daughter, a coyote of all things, no one had batted an eye. She was family. Though she would never be allowed to rule in the eyes of the court, she was royal blood. Even when Derek had married Stiles, making her his wife before presenting her to the family as his mate, she was welcomed into the family. Her human status or peasant blood not even a problem.
"When do you think we should tell the family?" She muses.
"Soon. Before you start to smell. I want to be able to surprise them." The wolf cuddles into his wife even more.
Derek stops all of a sudden and sits up, head titling to the side as if he is listening. A growl rumbles from his chest.
"What is is?" Stiles asks, worry coursing through her chest.
"We have to go." The wolf jumps out of bed, turning only to scoop Stiles up into his arms.
He doesn't bother to put a shirt on and Stiles is grateful that she had decided to keep her dress on. Kicking open their bedroom door, Derek fleas down the hall. Shouts and roars start to fill the air along with the stench of smoke. Stiles clings to her husband as he carries her.
They reach the main hall and Stiles has to hold back a screech. Blood coats the floors and walls. Bodies of their servants and guards littered everywhere. Flames lick the ceiling at the end of the hall as smoke rolls around them. Derek turns wildly before bolting towards a servants stairway. He slips and they both land in a puddle of blood. Stiles begins to shake as she crawls onto her feet. The smoke around them filling her lungs and causing her to cough. Derek scoops her back up into his arms and makes his way down the stairs.
A sob rakes Stiles body. What is happening.
"Shh, I know." Derek mumbles.
He sprints through the servant corridors. Stiles knows these halls like the back of her hand, seeing as she lived here for three years. She knows that Derek is heading to the door that leads out the back of the castle. Though seeing no sign of life among the rooms and halls worries her.
Once out in the crisp night air, Derek puts plenty of distance between them and the castle before setting Stiles down.
"You have to run."
"Stiles." Malia whispers, shaking the woman slightly.
Stiles blinks. She is no longer outside her burning castle. Instead she is staring at the true alpha. He frowns at her.
Tears threaten to spill. "I was in the castle. I was... cleaning the prince's room when h-he started to behave oddly. The next thing I know he is dragging me down the hall saying we have to leave. W-we turned a corner and." Stiles gulps. "There was so much blood. The servants and the guards... they were all dead. Smoke was everywhere. The prince... he saved me. Once he got me out he headed back in to try to save others."
Malia pulls Stiles into her arms. Squeezing her gently. Stiles clings to her. She hates the thought that Malia might truly be the only family she has left.
The king clears his throat, bringing the two's attention back to him. "Thank you for sharing your story with me. I also understand that you are pregnant?"
Stiles nods, a hand instinctively going to her stomach.
"Is the father still in the Hale Kingdom?"
Stiles heart fills like its shattering as she shakes her head. "I believe... he's dead." She chokes out. Malia's hold on her tightens.
The king nods. "I am sorry for your loss. The only news is that the burning has finally stopped. No one is allowed to leave the kingdom other then messengers. I will give you more information as it arrives." He sighs sitting back into his seat. "You may return to your rooms. Isaac. Liam. Escort them please."
The two guards by the thrones walk forward. Stiles and Malia allow the guards to take them back to their rooms.
Once the doors are closed, Stiles collapses on the bed.
"Malia, if none of them got out. If they are all dead, you know what that means." Stiles whispers.
Malia sits on the corner of the bed, staring at the wall. "My eyes won't turn. My coyote blood means I will never be able to rule."
"You may not become alpha, but the pup... it will be born with red eyes." Stiles rubs circles over her belly.
In the southern kingdoms the royal blood line will always produce an alpha. The first born of the king will be the one to inherit the title, the alpha passing on the color of their eyes to their child. Laura was born with the blazing red shine, making her the pride of the kingdom. If anything happened to her, Derek's eyes would change to the alpha red. In Stiles' situation, her pup is the last of the blood line, meaning its eyes will be alpha red.
"We will cross that bridge when we get there." Malia says with a sigh.
Stiles nods. Thinking that far ahead at the moment is not going to help them. For now they just must be positive.
A/N: Next chapter is up! If you have any questions just let me know! Thanks for reading! YOLO. Until Next Time.