Mother and Father

Xenia's mother sauntered into the room with one of her latest victims, Xenia likes to call them, who was drooling behind her. She wore a black and red low-cut dress with a corset revealing her bare breasts like a prized meal. She wore a jeweled ruby necklace that complimented the dress, hanging low on her chest to help 'direct attention,' her mother would say.   

From the texture, Xenia could tell the dress was made from expensive silk, which was easy for her mother to get these days. After all, she was a highly respectable and much sought-after courtesan. 

"I can't believe you met a man and didn't tell me," she glared at me. "I prayed to the gods to send you someone better than Cristo-bore." 

Xenia rolled her eyes. First, her best friend and now her mother are against Cristobal. The guy was a literal angel…well, as much of an angel as anyone could be nowadays.  

"Mother, you're here early. I thought I was meeting you in two days," Xenia said, casually looking at the man behind her.  

This wasn't a strange occurrence. When her mother entered this 'business,' Xenia didn't truly understand what she was doing. She even made the mistake of trying to memorize the men's names to be polite, but it became a bit much. They all started to blend together into one. 

"I know, I know. I just wanted to see you and show off. I was telling Sir Rodrick-he's a royal guard-that you are the best baker in all of Asteria, and he had to try some of those adorable chocolate balls you make," she smiled, batting her long eyelashes. 

"You didn't say you had a daughter, Lady Delilah," the man said, looking at Xenia as if she were the dessert her mother was discussing. He took her hand and planted a kiss on the back. "She is just as pretty as you. Maybe I'll double the price for bo-" 

With quickness, Delilah's innocent face twisted up with anger, and her hands grabbed what Xenia guessed was the man's balls by the way his face contorted. The words from her mother's mouth were as smooth as velvet but still held a hint of menace. 

"Do you know how easy it would be for me to rip your balls from your body, chop them up and feed them to you?" Delilah squeezed tighter as the man struggled to keep from passing out. "Very easy. So, think about that, Sir Rodrick, before you ever consider her daughter that way." 

Delilah let go of the man as quickly as she grabbed him and returned to her pleasant self as if nothing happened. The man hoisted himself up. 

"My apologies, Lady Delilah." 

"Oh, it's fine, Sir Rodrick," her mother said sweetly. "How about you make it up to me? You know what to do." She pulled handcuffs from her purse and handed them to him. 

Sir Rodrick, who was obviously still in pain, couldn't hide his smile. Trying to hold on to whatever pride he had left, he took the handcuffs and walked out the door. Xenia looked at Lottie with an amused look as Lottie forced a laugh back. This wasn't the first, second, or third time Xenia had seen her mother protect her from suitors and degenerates. Each time being more dramatic than the last. 

"So, about those chocolates," Delilah continued as she browsed the counter of treats. Xenia smiled at her mother as she bagged a few chocolate treats.  

Ever since her father's death when Xenia was only thirteen years old, it's just been the two of them. Xenia still remembers that day like it was yesterday. Humans and werewolves were still at each other's throats even though the Century War had been over for quite some time. Her mother said everyone needed time to heal after a long war which included werewolf attacks or people seeking to steal land. 

Her father was a great warrior and trained most of the townspeople who wanted to learn. Whenever the town was attacked, everyone helped, and because of her father, their town was safe. People would say he was a 'tall, gentle giant' with a black-as-coal scruffy beard and matching dark, kind eyes. He was sociable, and his laughter could fill an entire tavern. When he spoke, no matter what they were doing, people stopped and listened. No matter what he was doing, he always carried his battle axe like a third arm.

He gifted her with her own axe when she turned twelve. It was a smaller replica of his with her name carved into the wood. He taught her the proper way to hold and use it in battle and the best way to sharpen it. That axe became her best friend, of course, after Lottie. 

One day while hunting, they were attacked by werewolves. She could tell by the red glow of their eyes they were rogues, deserters from their packs, her father called them. They were too far from the town to yell for help, and there was no way her father could fight three on his own. He told her to run while he kept them at bay. Of course, Xenia refused and stood her ground, not realizing her mistake. 

While her father fought off two of them, the third cornered her into a tree. All she had left was her axe and a few small knives, and she was prepared to give that werewolf hell. The werewolf jumped at her, and she swung, catching the werewolf in the jaw. The werewolf shook the axe off and lunged at her again.  

Xenia pulled out a dagger and charged, screaming like hell until she ran into a wall. When she opened her eyes, the werewolf was latched onto her father's shoulder. He looked at her as if it was nothing to him, saying it would be okay. Without hesitation, Xenia drove the dagger into the werewolf's head.  

Her father stood in front of her, bleeding but refusing to give up. He blocked Xenia from the other two werewolves approaching them. They snapped their jaws, and Xenia was calm for the first time. She figured this was it. This was how she would die, and she was okay with it. The two werewolves came at them, and at the same time, another werewolf joined the battle out of nowhere. 

This one was huge, at least three times bigger than the others, with velvety black fur and a white fur patch over one eye in the shape of a half-moon. Xenia felt relief when it attacked the other wolves, giving her time to focus on her father, who was holding himself up by his axe. She took a cloth and tried to apply it to his wound, but it was too big. She could tell he was in pain, but his face never showed it. Instead, he smiled at her. 

"You are the bravest and most stubborn little lady I know, Xeni, and I couldn't be prouder."  

The black werewolf killed the other two with ease before turning towards them. Still doubtful of its intentions, Xenia held the dagger as the black werewolf got closer. She had never seen one like this one before, especially one so huge. Two more brown wolves came to its side as they moved towards them. She was scared shit-less, but she held her ground. If she was going to die, she was going out swinging.