- Franklin -"Good morning, Father," Xavier entered my room grumpily."What's with you, young man?" I asked him with a raised brow. "You've had this long face since last night at the table when you retired to bed and this morning too?"I was beginning to wonder if he had seen me with Giselle."Yesterday at the table, you tried to make an impression before Giselle's father and everyone there that you cared about the princess and is more responsible than me," he complained. "If you had noticed that she was not feeling well, the best you could do for me was come get me to help her.""Really," I narrowed my eyes thoughtfully."I have been trying so hard with the princess, but she keeps pushing me away. Especially when these noblemen come around. I need them to know that I am with the princess so they can accord me some respect too but every time I am being kept at a side.""So this is what it is now," I stated. "You want to do this not because you care about the princess but because you w
- Giselle -The guards looked at me in uncertainty when I stood in front of Franklin's door."Princess, I am so sorry, but the Alpha is in meditation, and he has strongly ordered that no one be let in," One of the guards told me politely."Oh, that's fine. I will just come back later or..."Franklin called the guard from inside and he ran in. He returned shortly after."You can go in now," the guard told me and I smiled.Franklin was looking towards the door, and his face lit up immediately. I walked through it."Good morning Princess," he greeted as I walked towards him."Good morning," I couldn't help but smile back at him."I hope you are feeling much better now?" He asked and held out his hand to me."Yes, I am," I replied as I took his hand, and he squeezed it gently. I remembered."What happened to me last night?" I asked and he grinned at me."You was drunk," he told me and I narrowed my eyes."Drunk?" Then it seemed to dawn on me more now and my eyes widened. "Drunk?" I asked
- Giselle -Everyone was looking at me with accusations in their eyes. I did not even know where to start explaining. I had no idea how the emerald got into my room. I looked at Franklin, wondering what was going on through his mind."Father, you know I wouldn't do this, right?" I looked at my father for support but even if he would, he was held back by what the people would think."I'm so sorry everyone," Franklin finally spoke. "I just remember now that I had gifted this Emerald to the Princess the first day we arrived here.""If you did, how come both of you cannot remember the same jewellery?" Xavier threw in."I gave her so many gifts. It's not her fault that she cannot remember," Franklin said to my defence again."Well," Father sighed wearily. "Next time, please try to be sure because these kinds of things can be very delicate. I almost had a heart attack because this sort has never happened here before.""I apologise for this misunderstanding and for the inconveniences this mu
- Xavier -I could not get over what Kira told me. Giselle had a secret lover? That cannot be. I have not seen her with any man nor heard her speak about anyone, so why this?And that is why it is called a secret lover, my subconsciousness reminded me and I hissed with annoyance.If this is true then it cannot be good. What will happen to all my plans? I couldn't help but wonder who the princess was seeing as well.What did he have better than me that she chose him instead? Was that the reason why she acted as if she could not stand me?No, I cannot take this. This is an insult to my person. What will people say? Not after when her father had made me make moves towards our relationship. I would like to know if he knows about this too and I cannot allow itNow that Kira had given me the information, I wanted to find out more. I would be restless until I was sure the princess was doing otherwise.I decided to confront her and she had better have a reasonable explanation.- Giselle -My
- Giselle -The darkness that enveloped me was not as real as the feeling I got when I looked down and saw myself in the familiar tattered and faded gown I wore very often as I maid. I could not find any of those long flowing royal gowns anywhere."Don't stand there looking," someone called to me. "We have a lot of work to do. A large portion of the palace has not been cleaned."I don't understand...What's happening? Did I return to being a maid again? I remember this so well. My heart raced with fear.Just a while ago, I was a princess, and now this?"What's with you?" One of the maids shook me off my thoughts. "What are you thinking about.""I'm a maid?" I asked, unable to understand what had happened. The other maid looked at me quizzically."You have always been a maid," she replied. "Where is this question coming from?'I still did not understand. It can't be. Just now I was the Princess."When you finish mopping that, Princess Kira wants to see you. So make sure you are done on
- Giselle -"Princess," Kira bowed as she addressed me."Yes?" I raised a brow."The Alpha King would like to have a word with you," She told me, and I stopped what I was doing to look at her the moment she mentioned Franklin, and her eyes twitched suspiciously."Alpha Franklin?" I repeated before I could stop myself."Yes, Princess.""Oh..." I braced myself. "Tell him I will be on my way.""Alright."She replied and walked out of the room. I sighed, wondering what he wanted to have sent for me in the day. It should have waited till night when we usually meet.I walked to his room and my heart beat raced with expectation, not because I wanted to know what he would say, but because I wanted to see him.I tightened my hand to hold myself when he finally was standing before me."You sent for me," I said with my voice a little bit higher than usual because I was afraid it would break."Yes, pretty," he replied casually and I tried to hold the blush."We agreed to meet at night when people
- Franklin -I took a deep breath after Giselle walked out and paced back to my stool. I couldn't understand why she did not want me like I wanted her.I was on edge because I did not know what to think. I did say I wouldn't force anything on her and I will keep to my word.In as much as I loved her dearly, if she wants us to stay away, I have no choice but to respect her decision.I was serious about her giving me an heir. I wanted it to happen soon and fast so I wouldn't have to present Xavier to the Lords.I have meditated about him and I am most certain that he could not control the things I would have left in his hands.People only hold him in great accord because of me and not like he had done anything by himself. He will have to prove to me beyond reasonable doubt that he has substance and he has a very short time to do that.In the meantime, I have to prepare for a meeting with one of the princesses whom I had a business schedule with.I had asked her to meet me here instead w
- Giselle -I stretched on the bed tiredly and opened my eyes when the door creaked open and a maid walked in. I frowned at the disturbance and she lowered her gaze apologetically.I'd instructed them not to come in for a few hours because I wanted to take a rest."I'm so sorry my princess, but the King sent me to you. There's an important visitor in the palace and he wants you to be there to welcome-""No please," I cut in. There's no way I'm leaving my nap to welcome anyone. I feel so tired I can't even lift a limb. "Tell my father that I beg to pass now. I am so tired. I will see the visitors before they leave.""Alright, princess."She was about to leave when I had a second thought and out of curiosity, asked her."Who are the visitors?""It's actually the crowned princess of Moondream pack, my princess," she told me and my eyes popped open.That's one of the great packs around the region. I've only heard about the princess too from stories and of how great she is."Why will Fathe
- Jason -I instinctively placed a hand on my stomach, waiting to feel any slight pain."Did you poison me?" I asked him. The seriousness dropped off his face, and he laughed. Morgan laughed long and hard, doubling over. He hit his fist on the table while he laughed, and I watched him, dumbfounded.He finally struggled to control the laughter with a wheezing sound, tears in his eyes."Gosh, you need to see the look on your face," he said. "I did not poison you, silly."I let out a deep breath I had not realized that I was holding."Now, why will I want to kill you and choose to do it by poisoning your food?" He asked, taking a cup of water from the table. He gulped it down and shook his head at me. "You looked so shaken. Are you that scared of death? For someone like you, poisoning is a disgraceful way to die, for even if I wanted to kill you, not that way."He laughed again."Morgan, that was not funny," I had to say."You think? You looked like a wrung chicken. You looked like your
- Jason -I had just finished speaking with Alpha Sheka about very important matters of the pack and was about to leave when he called me back."That reminds me," he said. "I need to invite you to a banquet tonight. I was going to tell you earlier but I skipped. Also because of the matters at hand you know.""I understand alpha," I replied empathetically. "Where'd we get the invitation from now?""Oh it's not far," he said with a suspicious movement of his lips that could pass for a smile. "It's from my son.""Oh, that's interest...what!?" I was saying before my brain registered what I heard."Yes, my son, Morgan. He arranged the banquet specially made for me and you," he repeated and I still could not believe my ears."Did he say he wanted me at the banquet?" I still asked because I could not make sense out of it yet."He made a special request for you to be there. You are surprised, aren't you? Well, I am too. I hope you don't mind the banquet. I've always thought you two were...uh,
- Jason -It took me a few seconds after I returned to my room, to notice someone was there. I turned around with a displeased frown on my face."What are you doing here, Morgan?" I asked him."It's Prince Morgan but yeah, I think I can let that slide since it's you and also seeing that you'd always stress me with having to correct you all the time," he said with a grimace."What are you doing in my room?" I sighed."I'm here to talk," he replied with a shrug. "Can't I talk to you?""What are we talking about and why in my room? Official meetings are not held in the bedroom.""That's it," he snapped his fingers. "Because this is not an official business.""I cannot tell when we began to have an unofficial relationship," I stated and he laughed."Maybe if you were paying attention more, you'd remember that I did mention it.""I don't want to be acquainted with you, Morgan," I said to his face. "I am fine the way we are.""Come on Jason, don't make this hard," he said, relaxing his back
- Cleopatra -I eyed the greedy man and scoffed."What do you mean by this is not enough? Do you want four generations' wealth before you're okay?" I scowled at him."My lady, you know what it caused us to be able to cover up for you. And I have other people to settle and keep their mouths shut. You will have to remit more."I sighed tiredly."Okay fine. I am going to give you some more but that will be it. You must not complain nor ask me for anything after that. And you must not try to contact me because we can never be seen together. Do you understand?""Clearly," he replied."Good."I was able to handle him without anyone finding out about it, and I hoped it remained that way. Anna has promised to keep her mouth shut and only say what was agreed on if Giselle finds her, but I couldn't trust her.How could I hold her to her words? I looked into her eyes and saw the fear. Such a person can be easily l
- Giselle -I was very eager for the reports, but I was disappointed."There were no prints," the experts told me. "The old lady poisoned herself to death.""You're trying to tell me she took her own life?" I asked for clarity even though I heard them. I felt like asking them why, but knew they wouldn't have an answer to that.The midwife was well, according to the reports given to me hours before I went to see her, and then she poisoned herself?This doesn't make any sense to me."There has to be a reason why this happened," I said thoughtfully as I paced around the room. "Why did she take her life? What made her do it?"I lifted my head, and Franklin was barely paying any attention to me."What do you think about this?" I asked, and he looked at me."I don't know," he said with a shrug."You don't think she'd take her life for no reason, right? What must have made her do it? Did someone threa
- Giselle -"What?" I asked, my eyes following the direction of his hand. There was something at the edge of the bed, and I walked towards it.An old woman, obviously the midwife, was lying dead on the ground in the corner."Oh gracious heavens," I muttered, placing a hand on my chest. One of the guards moved close and picked up a bottle lying beside her."Looks like a poison," he said, lifting the bottle to his face and observing it. She had foam all over her mouth, and her body looked fresh like she could have died just a few minutes before we arrived.How did we not even notice all this while? And I looked all over the room. There were no signs of death anywhere.Gosh, I was this close to getting her, I lamented."Looks like murder," Another commented, what was going through my mind."What do we do now?" They asked me after moments of staring at the cold body beneath.
- Kira -"Well?" Mother asked as soon as I got into the room. "Have you been able to find out something?""Nothing yet," I told her with a sigh. "And there are no signs to show me exactly what is happening.""I am sure that lady is up to something," Mother said thoughtfully with a finger on her lip. "I can tell it. She came to me and asked some questions, and that's typical of someone who wants to go looking for answers."I turned to look at her properly with some suspicion."You are not sure what she is up to? I think you should know since she discussed something with you. You think it's related to that," I pointed out."She said she just wanted to know a few things about her mother and asked me because I was Meredith's maid. At a point, I thought she was just asking because she wanted to know what her mother was like, but now I think something else is triggering her.""So? Is that something that should worry you? Do yo
- Kira -I pushed his hands slowly off my body."There is no man but you, Xavier," I said quietly. "And yes, maybe I have a couple of male admirers, and I look at a few men, you've been the only one in my heart and the man I want to spend my life with. If only you had made moves to make me yours legally, maybe we wouldn't be here. Maybe I wouldn't even be looking at another man and admire him because I already have you.""Kira," he called softly, calming down. "Gosh, how can I be so insensitive? I'm so sorry, honey. I'm so sorry. I did not mean to make you feel this way.""Xavier, I have been asking you what you intend in this relationship. I have been the only one pushing, and it's not fair that you make me go through this, then think I am seeing someone.""You are right," he said. "I shouldn't have said that. I was just overwhelmed because you didn't sound trusting anymore, and most women sound like this when they have a man loving them somewhere, so I was worried. Look, I love you
- Cleopatra -"What do you mean?" Anna looked at me questioningly."You know me well, my dear. I always keep to my word unless it's almost a matter of life and death, and in this case it is," I said, and she leaned back on the chair, her eyes not leaving mine."If that's the case, I don't think I have so much to worry about. I'm already on the end road of life.""This doesn't concern you alone," I said with a frown, slightly annoyed with what she just said. "I am involved in this too, and if you're too excited for the journey of the afterlife, then I am not, and this is not the way I want to go.""Too bad for you then, and why are you telling me? What can I do for you?" She threw at me, and I took a deep breath, holding in my anger."If it had nothing to do with you, I wouldn't be here," I said. "Now, will you shut your mouth for a moment so I can speak? You don't even know what I am here for.""It's almost not hard to tell, but anyway, you can go ahead.""After all these years, Frank