I turned around to look at the man stepping slowly inside my room like a predator hunting its prey. I knew right away it was Aster with his gray eyes glinting from the dim light of the lampshades all over the room.“I thought you won’t come,” I asked sarcastically, failing to hide the nervousness in my tone. I swallowed a lump in my throat because I found out he is only wearing a white, satin robe and it is untied, exposing his naked upper body. Good thing he is wearing loose trousers and just like the same in the banquet, he is barefooted. It seems he’s fond of not wearing shoes and just feeling the floor under his feet.“Oh, I never thought you were expecting me. I was expecting you to run away from me though. It seems you are getting used to me, Eodelle…” his voice was hoarse, growling at me hungrily, his steps are heavy and threatening, “Or are you just so excited about the punishment I am going to give you that you cannot sleep?”I frowned, “Don’t be too full of yourself, your Gr
“Was Aster still here when you entered the room, Nina?”Nina was busy ensuring that every strand of my hair was in the right place and that my purple dress looked perfect before I went out and had breakfast with the other concubines. She was instructed to prepare me for this morning. I have no idea what they mean by the word prepare when I am just going to actually eat breakfast. Maybe they meant about me, preparing myself for the tension against the other concubines since I am the newest one and obviously, the one that Aster favors the most. But that is not what I see. I can tell how Helena desperately takes his attention away from me. The funny thing is, I am not even trying to seduce the Emperor. I never want to.“No, your Grace. You were alone on the bed when I came in,” she uttered softly in deep focus as she looked at my face like I am some canvas of her art.I tried my best not to look bothered by what he said. The last time I remember, I fell asleep in the far corner of the r
I feel like my heart is in my throat already. I tried to focus on the book I am reading. Emperor Aster told me the lesson shouldn’t have to start this and when I asked him if I can just go and enjoy my afternoon tea alone, he refused with a deep frown on his face, his gray eyes looking a little disappointed that it is too obvious I am avoiding him as much as I can.He is sitting on one of the long tables in the huge library of the palace, the oldest one on this continent. There are hundreds of thousands of books here and records of history that the meisters are taking so carefully because they always believed that it is proof that this civilization existed as times pass and the generations of werekind get more modernized and technology is becoming more popular in most of the continent. This Empire still believes in old ways and we are people of faith that the Moon Goddess and the spirits all over this kingdom are still guiding us toward prosperity and peace. But my father, Oswald Wy
Nina tried to stop me but her grip slipped from my arm as I run towards the corridor where Emperor Aster went. My whole chest is flooding with emotions that aren’t even mine and it torments me to feel how awful it is. That the pain striking my heart is because of something I caused him. There is a part of me that thinks he deserves it though. That he should be tortured by the memories I woke inside his head that he must have buried a long time before. Aster had done more terrible things to me and I survived it all. And now he is being b*tthurt, do I really have to go and apologize for what I did? Am I being too ridiculous right now? Why am I even so worried about him?! I should be feeling better that I hurt him after what he did to me. But why am I feeling the opposite? Why is this guilt inside me making things complicated inside my head?! Before I could even get through the right wing of the palace, Helena suddenly appeared from behind the column of the corridor with a stern, arrog
“I can’t believe she did that to you…” Nina hissed at me, not wanting the others to hear our conversation because we both knew where the loyalty of these servants lay. One wrong word and move will surely mean death to me.I grimaced as she put a warm cloth on my belly where Helena kicked me. Good thing there are no bruises, which means there is no internal bleeding, and Nina put bandages in it to lessen the pain. She made me drink something warm and soothing and it made me sleepy.“Get some rest, your Grace. Beta Emyr made sure Helena can’t get inside your room. That’s what he promised.”“Y-You told him?” I grabbed the sleeve of her dress because I am starting to feel dizzy. My brows raised, scared of what was happening. But I know I shouldn’t be afraid because I trust Nina and she is the only person I can rely on in this palace.“You never have to worry about anything, your Grace,” she whispered with a smile and brushed the cheeks of my face with the back of her fingers, so feathery
“I can’t go there without you, Nina!” I complained to her, her face looking as anxious as mine while she straightened the small crumple on my skirt. I keep on biting my lower lip because I never thought that only one maidservant and a Eunuch can be with me during the visit to one of Alpha Aster’s friends who he didn’t mention his name to me. I have a feeling it will be a long journey because Nina packed clothes for two weeks' worth and that is a very long stay. Just thinking about it makes me already terrified to think about Helena’s reaction to this. She is supposed to be the one who has to accompany the Alpha when he has to travel this long. I am the newest of the concubines and yet I already get too much of the Emperor’s time more than the rest of the ladies. Nina was already told that it would be Cecil who would accompany me as my handmaiden throughout the trip and that made us both stressed because I am never used to being that far from Nina. Since I was a child she has always
I can’t find any words to break this awkward silence.We are sitting face to face together inside the carriage, the sound of the creaking of the woods, the wheels on the roads when it hits a rock, and the shaking inside made it hard for me to concentrate on writing in my small journal I kept with me. The carriage shook violently and my pen slipped, making a huge ugly line across the paper of my small booklet which made me so frustrated.The Emperor, Alpha Aster focused himself on watching the forest outside with his hand propped on the side of his face, his lips in a straight line. The stoic expression on his face made me feel more uncomfortable now that we are the only people inside this beautiful carriage. Is he starting to regret that I am the person he chose to be with him in this important meeting with his friend?Alpha Aster must have noticed my heavy sigh and spoke, “You can’t write in here, Eodelle,” he looked at me through the corner of his eyes, looking as bored as I am, “Ma
The dining room is one-quarter the size of the dining hall in the palace. The structure is humbly made of wood just like the rest parts of the building and the windows are tall and wide and made of glass so we are all able to see the beauty of the forest outside through the thin, sheer, white curtain hanging down from it.The table was set plain but the food made it so special. There is pork with potato stews and roasted chicken which are my favorite! My stomach rumbled when Elsie placed the strawberry cake in the middle of the table. I feel like my eyes glimmered. I got annoyed when Aster spoke, “Dessert after dinner, Eodelle. Sit down so we could have a rest early tonight. We will leave before the sun appears tomorrow.”I just gave him an annoyed look and he squinted his eyes at me as if giving me a warning to watch over my attitude toward him in front of everyone. But I don’t care. Since Helena is not here to threaten me with her deadly glares, it is time for me to be myself and ev
“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