"Your Grace… we are not sure yet what is inside the cave. I have a feeling it is not just a bear. The sound makes it seem like the creature is more massive than a typical bear in this forest—""You worry too much, Eodelle. If it is not a bear, we will find out what it is then," He answered me back while glaring at the cave where the guttural groaning sound came from, "Good thing I am in the right mood to deal with such things right now."It made me frown and my heart started to feel nervous at the same time. I don't feel good in this part of the forest at all. I can feel the danger that is surrounding us. Even my inner wolf warns me about it and I know Alpha Aster can feel it too. I just don’t understand why he wanted to stay and wait for the thing that lingers inside the cave.Since I cannot convince him to turn back, I just prepared myself for whatever might happen. I kept my body upright, my back a little stiff so I had to let out a breath to relax my body a little bit and kept my
“Your Grace!”One of the Lord Merchants ran towards us, the worry etched on his face as he checked on the Emperor, “We have been looking for both of you for over an hour!”It was already dark when we came back to the camp and everyone surrounded me and the Emperor the moment they recognized both of us. They quickly gave Aster and me some warm cloaks because we are both a little drenched from the soft drizzle in the forest.“Your Grace,” King Laurent approached us, his eyes going to Aster and down at me. I saw him sigh as if he got relieved when he found out that I was not hurt and was finally safe, “We apologize for the lack of action we had. We just didn’t know which part of the forest you went to together with lady Eodelle. Some of the rangers are still in the forest looking for you though. I am glad you finally came back unscathed and unharmed.”Aster laughed shortly and then walked alongside King Laurent, leaving me standing in front of the three Lord Merchants. Laurent gave me a
It’s just hard to evade the look in King Laurent’s eyes.The morning sky is beautiful and the wind is a bit cold but the soft warmth of the sun makes my spirit happy while all of us enjoy the breakfast prepared by one of the finest cooks in Talaphatia castle. Fresh fish, fruits, eggs, and slices of bacon are my favorite to eat every morning. Alpha Aster, on the other hand, looks a little grumpy. I can tell his head must be killing him right now so I made sure to serve him cold water to ease the aftereffect and his headache.What bothers me most is that King Laurent keeps staring at me from the other end of the rainbow. I can tell he is not pleased that I didn’t show up last night when he called me. But then I thought I didn’t come here to please anyone. I am here because Alpha Aster wanted me to, and I can do nothing since he has me on my neck.The other Lord Merchants are busy talking about their recent good trades from other Kingdoms and how much profit they got from poor farmers a
"I didn't mean it like that, your Grace. If it was about last night—""No. I'm sorry. It was actually a mistake that I tried to call you in your tent at that kind of hour. I was just worried about what happened to you after our guards saw you by the river. It's just—they reported to me they have seen someone on the other side of the riverbank. I was scared you got hurt or something." I was a little surprised when King Laurent suddenly changed his mood and smiled at me. I smiled in relief though. His serious, cold face made me a little intimidated and scared that he must have expected something from me and that I did something which he misunderstood."Do you enjoy this kind of setup though? being the concubine of the Emperor? How is your relationship with the other concubines? I heard he has four more back in the Headow Stronghold."I pursued my lips. Should I tell him what really happened to me in that Palace after Aster conquered the Empire? Should I tell him that he once threw me i
"EODELLE!"I feel like my whole body is burning. My inner self screams, claws, shrieking in torment as my insides feel like someone is incinerating them. But my physical body remained still, burning hot while the King carried me in his arms. I looked up at the clear blue sky and watched a bird flying above us. Am I dying? Lady Eodelle of the Wycliffe Empire died of snake bite in the forest of Talaphatia?The clouds moved slowly, being blown by the soft wind in the early morning. But I can't feel the cool breeze I am expecting because I feel like my whole body is being blazed by an invisible fire that is spreading fast starting from the tips of my fingers down to my toes. I know it will be my end once the poison reaches my heart and brain."Eodelle!" King Laurent kept on calling my name to prevent me from falling asleep. Yes… if I sleep there will be no chance for me to wake up again. But I guess that is fine for me. I am exhausted with all of this anyway. Maybe this is the chance t
“How are you feeling now, your Grace?” I turned to look at Nina’s worried eyes while she watch me curl my hands into a fist several times making sure that I have complete control of my hands after I woke up several hours ago. Helena’s presence when she entered my room made me a bit alarmed, scared that she might show up there and kill me in my sleep. The hatred and the anger in her eyes were so clear that Alpha Aster sent her back to her room after she went here wearing a funeral dress.My strength hasn’t been back yet but I am grateful that I can finally move several parts of my body and my eyes have already adjusted to the light outside, making me able to see things clearly inside my room. The poison clearly did bad damage to my nervous system that I wasn’t able to feel anything for so many days as if I was in a total coma. “I think I am getting better,” I answered Nina with a small smile. I am so happy that I am finally able to see her every day. I didn’t realize I missed her thi
I can't believe he just asked me to stay by myself tonight. But unfortunately, he was called for a vital council meeting tonight. If he stayed tonight, what would I do? I have no idea what to say to him. Should I apologize for causing him so much trouble after what happened to me? I stared into the darkness while leaning my back against the headboard of my bed. I couldn't sleep after so many days of sleeping for almost the whole day. I just spent hours trying to stare at nowhere with a blank mind. Deep inside, it made me wish that somehow, I had the chance to hunt down a game before that tragic thing happened. The vacation was so short I wish we never had to leave immediately or maybe we could just go back if it would be ok with Aster.But of course, it won't be okay with Helena and the other concubines with her.I got a little bored after an hour of sitting in the same spot, so I pulled down my legs and felt the cold floor under my bare feet. I grimaced a bit when I felt the pierci
I am not really sure what I am doing but I feel like I need to do something tonight because I just couldn't sleep knowing that Helena is trying to ruin me and spread nasty rumors about me while I stay in bed and get rest.I don't need rest, actually. I need peace of mind. I never want Helena to destroy me when I already have a bad reputation around because of being a former princess and the daughter of the former Emperor Wycliffe who made the whole Empire drown in so much poverty that led Aster and his army to conquer and overtake the land. The people don't believe in the Wycliffes anymore after my father tainted the glorious name of my ancestors. But I am still here. Maybe I can do something. I can still make a difference for the people of this Empire by helping Aster how to bring the land back to prosperity. And to start all of it, I have to gain the trust of everyone here in Headow Stronghold, especially the concubines and the council to make them hear all my plans and suggestions
“Aster no…”But I couldn’t stop him anymore.As fast as he could, I saw how he killed the palace soldiers one by one inside the Emperor’s Hall and saved Nina. But to his shock, he stopped in front of Lady Marian’s body which was lying on the marble floor, cold and unmoving. He stared at her for a bit with a solemn face like she was some kind of a sister for him and lifted her, and carried her towards me and Nina where she covered her lifeless body with a curtain he took from one of the walls with the insignia of the North Kingdom as one of the allied Kingdoms of the Empire.As soon as he came back to me and our baby, He held me tight once again and looked at the small child in my arms with his gentle eyes despite the agony he must be feeling all over his body. And then he glanced back at Lady Marian's body which made me sob as my heart broke into pieces for losing a great friend.“She is a good person, Eodelle… She helped me through a lot about you and Laurent. She never deserved thi
"MARIAN!!!"My whole body froze as I watched her kneel in front of the red guard who stabbed her. Her face turned dark before she fell to the ground, her body not moving anymore. My nose was filled with the scent of her blood as it wafted all over the place, giving me shudders all over my body. The hall turned silent as we all watched Lady Marian dead on the floor. I feel like my heart and soul were shattered into millions of pieces and it horrified me more when I could no longer hear my child's cry. He also turned silent as fear crawled all over me. "See what you have done, Eodelle... I told you not to fight me anymore. I may be a liar sometimes but you know what I can do when someone upsets me," Emyr sneered while I stood frozen, still in denial that Marian was already gone just like that.Tears fell from my eyes, "What do you want me to do then, Emyr? What do you want from me?!" I tried to contain the anger inside me as my throat ached while I sobbed. My whole body was trembling
It is a call of desperation.I glared at Emyr. He knew from the start that he and Helena won't win this war. That is why he is trying to make some bargain to spare his and Helena's life. But there is no way I could let these two escape after what they did to my son...to Aster. I don't exactly know if he will do his side of the bargain though. But I am getting more desperate to see Aster once again and have my baby in my arms. I know I shouldn't trust Emyr with his poisonous words. I shouldn't let myself be deceived by his lies. But my child's life is more important to me."Show them to me first, Emyr! And then I'll decide!" I yelled at him with confidence in my voice. It is me he is pleading to and not the other way around. I should be the one who must ask for demands. "Sure! Just follow me!" He answered with a grin on his face which made me more suspicious. I know I should be more careful but knowing that I am finally going to have my son back takes all the fear in my head and jus
I immediately went to the officers who were leading a horse for her to use and then thanked them shortly after I put on some new set of clothes and before I hopped on the animal and galloped towards the Imperial City in a route not too familiar for me. I had to take it as per Lady Marian's advice so that no Red soldier wouldn't recognize me on that path where few people take it because it was a little farther than the main road.With gritted teeth, I made the horse run to its full speed. But I have other plans. I know Lady Marian is already waiting for me at the downtown alley where four Talaphatian soldiers are with her. I know she will surely get mad once she finds out I didn't go just as we planned. I have to go alone and never wanted to put my best friend's life in danger just like what I promised King Laurent. She will be safe with her guards.Through the woods, all I think about is Aster and our son. I will go to Headow Stronghold alone and face whatever will be waiting for me t
This is the day.I feel like my heart is in my throat. My heartbeat pains my ears as the throbbing goes harder, faster, making my hands tremble in fear as we all march towards the wide plain at the border of Northern Kingdom and the Imperial city.King Laurent didn’t allow Lady Marian to march with us. She is waiting for me at one of the darkest downtown alleys for the mission to save Aster, and my child. I can’t wait until this battle march is over. I can’t wait to see Aster again and our son. I pray Helena didn’t do anything to him. I pray he is safe inside the Headow Stronghold and being watched by my ancestors, keeping him safe.The sky is clear and the sun is gentle on my skin as I rode with the three Kings on my side. The North, West and Talaphatian King swore their loyalty to me and the future that I promised to them. The future that we all are seeking is free from greed, violence and self-interest that the Imperial council portrays just to make themselves more powerful and t
The council meeting with the Northern Kingdom and the Western Kingdom was not good. There was tension between the two Kings and I can feel that even Laurent felt a little frustrated about it. King Anthony never liked the arrogance of the King of the West who was Katrina’s father. His grumpy face reminded me of my father and I can’t deny that each time he looks at me with his mouth curved downward and his eyes judging, piercing eyes penetrating through the stoic facade I have been practicing because I never wanted them to think I am scared of them.We are all in a place—a carved cave the northern men use as the council chamber. In the middle is the wide wooden table with the map of the continent carved into it with wooden pieces representing each Kingdom and the Headow Stronghold. King Lauren and Lady Marian never left my side even when we entered the chamber. King Anthony never wanted his little sister to join the war meeting with me but she insisted because she is also part of what
I have to make him believe I have the ability to rule the Kingdom just like a true Wycliffe does. I can feel the blood of my ancestors running through me as my inner wolf convinces me that I am not the same Eodelle who used to fear a lot of things. King Laurent and Lady Marian looked at me with their brows angled upward, worried that I might fail to convince the Northern King to join the alliance. King Laurent cannot guarantee that he can beat the Headow Stronghold after the Southern Kingdom already pledged its alliance with Helena and the Western side was still indecisive about it.“Eodelle, you don’t have to. We all know…” Laurent whispered to me as he stood on my left and Lady Marian on my right. They still have no idea that I have finally had my wolf. But to be honest, I am scared I won’t be able to control myself once I unleash and shift into my werewolf form. It will be my very first time and I am aware I will have to endure a hell of pain once the process of physical change ha
[ASTER’s Point-of-View]Now I understand how terrifying it must be for Eodelle when I threw her into this very dungeon. Dark, cold, stinking… I am a monster for making her suffer the first night we met. What a tragic first meeting we had. I totally hate myself just thinking of it.I promised Eodelle I will bring our child back. But I failed. I underestimated Helena and I was overconfident that I could still have her trust. I never thought that while I was gone, she had lost our child. I should feel bad about it but what she did to Eodelle is beyond forgiveness.I heard someone sniffing not too far from my cell in the middle of my mooring. The voice was familiar to me as I listened to it carefully.“Nina?”The sniffing stopped.“Your Grace? Is that you? Why are you here?” she asked in shock. I don’t know what cell she was in but her voice was clear. She is careful enough not to make it echo inside the dungeon.“Long Story. But can you tell me what happened?”Nina was very detailed when
For two days I have been trying to stand up on my own feet, wishing the effect of the poison that was given to me by that healer would finally be gone. Despite my anger and my demand not to see her again, the healer still comes into my tent to give me an antidote from the poison for my fast recovery. She had been asking for forgiveness for what she did to me and what happened to me and my baby but I refused to talk to her, letting her guilt eat her inch by inch. Without my baby in my hands, I can’t find any sympathy to give her. My heart is just filled with revenge and a huge desire to have my child and Aster back. To save Nina and make Helena pay for everything she did to me and to the people important to me.I have been suffering from a high fever and with the level of dizziness I feel, I could barely get up from my bed. My body feels like I am inside an oven, slowly being cooked into ashes. I am sweating so badly that the maidservants in the camp had to replace my bedsheet thrice