Battle of the Kingdoms: Moon Born 2

Chapter 4

"There is a problem," King Orsand said.

I looked up, wiping my eyes. "What?"

"How do we convince the other packs that something is going to happen?"

I furrowed my brow and stared at the old man.

"I'm calling an all-pack council meeting for a battle that hasn't happened yet and there is no evidence of it happening. How do we explain this to everyone?"

"Oh. Oh!"

"Yes. Oh."

"I don't know," I said softly.

"We can think of something," Edmond added.

"We have to. I'm putting the call out in five minutes. You have until tomorrow to figure it out."

I nodded and left his office with Edmond close behind.

"Do you have a plan?" he asked.

I shook my head as we walked through the hall, turning a corner I ran right into Phil and his pup.

"Sweet baby, Goddess!" he yelled out. 

"Phil! I am so sorry! Are you okay?"

"Your majesties!" He bent at the waist, gripping the giggling toddler in one arm, in a hilarious bow.

"Please! Phil. The baby!"

"The boy must learn! We bow to the prince and princess!" Phil tickled the small pup as he let out a belly roaring laugh.

The small boy reached his arms out to me while trying to wiggle away from his father.

"I swear to Goddess. Nicholas. Princesses do not hold messy, smelly little pups! They hold little boys who don't roll in the nasty mud outside."

The boy smiled. Dirt smudged his pudgy cheeks and mud was caked in his hair.

"Maybe not all princesses, but this princess does!" I reached for the boy who squealed and wiggled even more. "If you're okay with it."

"I don't think I have a choice. The child has made his choice. He prefers everyone besides his dad."

Edmond clapped the man on the back as he handed over the pup. "Don't take it personally. All the kids tend to gravitate to El. She's a natural with them."

"I don't. I mean he even prefers that crank in the kitchen, Norris, over me most days." Phil shook his head.

"If you have things to do I can keep him until I run into Morgan."

"Oh, Olympus no! I don't want to burden you with my spawn."

"Phil, this adorable little pup is the furthest thing from a burden. Your spawn or not."

He bent into a very low and elaborate bow. "I thank your majesty so much. You have saved me the time it takes to track down my wife. I need to put a bell around that woman's neck because I can never keep track of her."

I laughed as he walked away in his extremely proper, straight-back butler walk that he always does. At least, what he does when he's not trying to hunt down his wife while corraling a small child.

"Are you using Phil's kid as a distraction?" Edmond asked.

Sighing heavily, I hugged the dirty boy tight. "Maybe."

"You can't use adorable kids to get out of trying to figure out how to deal with tomorrow."

"Yeah, I know. Nicky is a happy distraction though. Plus, who knows, maybe the distraction while we look for Morgan will spring on reasoning."