Chapter 19 - Royal Dinner
Chapter 19 – Royal Dinner
Prince Harold looked out the window in his chamber. The city was dark except for a few lights here and there from torches and lanterns.
A lot was running through his mind as he could not stop thinking about the attack against him that night.
He knew well that those people had deliberately planned to attack him. They weren't mere hunters. He had his suspicions that it was either the queen or his half-brother Ivan, or that the two of them had joined forces together and planned to have him killed, which wouldn't be surprising at all. The most mysterious thing he couldn't stop thinking about was his wolf's voice that came to life on that night.
He had suddenly heard a voice warning him to run, and it had startled him, wondering where the voice was coming from until he realized it was in his head. He had forgotten what it felt like since he was still a boy when the voice went mute. That was when he realized there was danger lurking around the forest where he had wandered off to.
He kept thinking about how to address the issue because he could not report it. He wouldn't even dare. There were still scars and wounds from that night. Usually, it was very easy for their wounds to heal, especially as an alpha wolf. But he had not only been hurt with silver; the silver arrows had been coated with wolfsbane. The wolfsbane had gone directly into his bloodstream, making it difficult for him to heal faster despite shifting a couple more times.
"Prince Harold."
The door opened and his personal bodyguard, Alvin, walked in.
Alvin was 20 years old and well built for a Beta. They had both trained together since they were 6, so he was closer to Alvin than anyone else in the palace, even his half-sister, Tyra.
"Your bride is ready to meet the royals," Alvin informed him.
"Did you do what I asked you to do?" Harold asked him.
"I did just as you told me."
Harold's back was still turned to him. He looked out into the city, tapping his fingers on the block.
"I have ordered medicine for you. No one knows about it. I will bring it to your chambers tonight. It will help you heal faster."
Harold nodded and finally turned around to look at him, "Anything else?"
"Miss Beth was assigned to take care of your bride."
"Who is that?" Harold asked.
"Daughter of Rager. She is 20 years old and works directly under the queen. Plus… she fancies you." Alvin said the last piece reluctantly, "They must have sent her to bully your bride."
"Or monitor us," Harold said, smirking.
"Shouldn't you do something about it?" Alvin asked with a hint of concern in his voice, and Harold shook his head. Showing concern would put her in danger and also send the wrong message to the royals that he cared about his new bride, which was incorrect.
"She can take care of herself," He said as he approached the mirror to check his appearance. "Discreetly keep an eye on her. She may try to escape."
"Escape?" Alvin asked in surprise, but Harold was already heading for the door.
Maybe he couldn't exactly read his bride or smell her and her emotions, but he could see her eyes and the intent that lay behind them. Seeing how he had met her in the middle of the woods the first time he set eyes on her and how she had kept looking out the carriage and kept making excuses for a stop during their trip, especially at night, he could easily tell that she wanted to run off. She was stupid enough to make it very obvious for him to notice. Too bad she wouldn't be able to do that, because she was soon going to realize that although the kingdom had no walls around it, and it looked unprotected, there were eyes everywhere, and stepping outside of the palace was going to be an impossible feat for her.
When he got to the room where they were all supposed to meet, he stood in front of the door which the guards opened to let him in. As soon as he stepped foot inside the room, all eyes turned to look at him, and all communication ceased. The people playing the flutes to entertain them also stopped playing.
The king and queen weren't in the room, but the first prince, Prince Ivan, and his wife were present. His younger sister was also present; she was seated there timidly. There were a few other members of the family who didn't live in the palace, like some cousins, aunts, and uncles. They all took a spot on the gigantic table that seemed to have no end. There was a variety of dishes from the start of the table until the end.
"Here comes the newest groom!" Prince Ivan said, standing up with a big smile on his face while clapping, but no one joined him in the applause.
Suspect number one: Prince Ivan. The first offspring of King Eli, Beta, 24 years old, married, no kids.
Harold didn't bother to answer as usual. He took gentle strides inside the room and sat on the seat reserved for him on the left side of where the King would be sitting.
"I don't see your bride anywhere," Ivan said as he looked around.
"If you are so curious, you should go and find her then," Harold answered jerking his head towards the door for Ivan to use it.
Ivan burst into laughter like Harold had just said something extremely funny, "You never cease to be hilarious, little brother," he said with a broad smile directed at Harold before taking his seat.
At the same time, the King and Queen's presence was announced, and every one of them stood up. The pair stepped inside, looking nothing short of royalty. The air in the room suddenly changed as a result of the King's presence. He was an Alpha, after all.
They were completely dressed in their royal robes, with crowns and jewelry to complete them. The queen had a smile on her face as she looked at all the guests.
Suspect number two: Queen Arya. Beta, 42 years old. Mother of Prince Ivan and Princess Tyra. Head of the inner court.
The two got to their seats, each taking the single seat at the head of the table across from each other, and after sitting, the princes followed before the others did the same."
Where is your bride? And why are you dressed so… casually?" The queen asked Harold, with an unimpressed smile, "Weren't you supposed to come in together?"
Harold looked like he was disgusted by that and said, "I didn't want to walk side by side with a mere human." He answered flatly, as he knew that some of the people on the table would be satisfied with that answer, and he was correct.
As long as he didn't like her or have a child with her, who would eventually turn out to be an Alpha, everything would be fine.. That was the best he could do to protect her.