"I heard of your arrival so I thought I would come to visit,” she flicked her long hair back and sat on the couch with seductive grace. The King nodded at her briefly in acknowledgment, before rising to his feet and fixing his appearance. He then stepped aside, striding past her to pour himself something.
Sayon followed him to the counter, flaunting her figure in her see-through dress. The King turned his eyes to her and furrowed his brows, "You came here like this?"
What she called a dress was a halter neck with almost a see-through pattern. It fell past her knees and no woman would even wear it in her bedroom as it offered no resistance against the cruel cold. You could see her lingerie from anywhere. He can only guess how it was in natural light.
“Yes, I did." She stood up in front of the mirror and giggled coyly as she swirled in it. "Don't I look like the most beautiful creature you have ever beheld?"
Scoffing, the King chugged down the bitter nectar, and turned back to the counter: "Next time you enter my palace dressed in these rags, I'll personally take time to skin you alive."
Sayon stilled on her place and her smile soured at his brutal indifference, "I received word not too long ago about the human who survived your lycan.” she recalled. The king, who was heading back to his desk, abruptly stopped in his tracks and turned to the exotic beauty, prompting her to continue. “Her father is the King of Ehan but her mother is suspicious. The circumstances surrounding her death are a mystery and I couldn't confirm her mother's maternal ancestry. Her Grandmother was most likely a slave or courtesan.”
Ambrose narrowed his eyes at her nonsense and taunted. "You are quite prejudiced for someone who has a list of candidates for a father. What does it matter to me whose blood she carries?" He took a sip and shook his head to get rid of the spitting headache. "Tell me who else was there that night?"
Sayon frowned at his flippant attitude but continued. "I wouldn't know even if I was there. When I went back there to assess the scene, your demon shadow had sucked every life force out of every particle."
Flopping down on his divan, the King threw his head back. He had healed the foreign princess with his mark, taking the life forces around him as a medium. That could have been the reason she survived and the building collapsed.
His Lycan went far and beyond to care for his chosen mate, who he didn't know shit about. He rubbed his face in frustration.
Sayon pursed her lips in annoyance at his behavior and pushed her agenda forward. "What I'm trying to say is, if you are a slave or a courtesan, you don't need to specify origins or blood. If her Grandmother was a beast, witch, or demon, the Princess could be a halfling. She could be what subdued you that night!"
He scrunched his eyes and tried to piece together the scenarios. "It wasn't her." He finally shook his head decisively. His mate was too fragile to do anything like that. He remembered her soft hands trying to fight him off and shook his head. "It wouldn't make sense for her to be this powerful. She's a human, I have checked."
Sayon clenched her gritted jaw: "Her family believed she was a cursed woman from the Foretold! They say she killed her mother! That's the reason they sent her here to die." She frantically proceeded to convince him, despite his lukewarm response. "You 'let' her live against her will and you now can't kill her, isn't that the perfect sign? She can't stay here. She's destined to ruin you!"
That was when Ambrose really looked at her for the first time that night.
'...Can't kill her? That is true. He really can't bring himself to kill his chosen mate. But... since when did his lycan go around marking people in madness?' There's something about her.'
She came closer and leaned on his divan string right in his eyes, she spoke with determination, "I'm the only one who understands what you have gone through and that woman will only bring misfortune upon you."
She cupped the side of his face as she stared into his deep stormy eyes.
"Sayon."
"Hmm?" She blinked at him with a smile.
"Get out of here before I drag you, kicking and screaming."
......
“So how do you find this place?” Princess Laylin asked as she sat across from her attendant, smiling brightly as she looked around. Her suite was luxurious, it had all her stuff from her previous room but it felt cold and unfamiliar. “If we were back in my room in Ehan, we could see birds chirping around,” she recalled gleefully.
Princess Scarlet kept her word and really sent her servants the next day. They didn't look like they were treated badly. She heard from them that they were given minimal work in an abandoned Greenhouse.
“Once you get used to the weather, you will find things you like here.” The Governess supplied, looking absolutely stiff in her seat as she looked around mechanically.
Laylin's smile was stripped away too. How could she forget her happy youthful days when she had every dream in her reach? She was dragged away from it and eventually renounced. She turned her gaze down, hoping to avoid another breakdown in front of them.
"I'll report the evening's menu to the kitchen." Melissa was quick to catch the shift in the air and excused herself.
At the very least, Princess Scarlet hadn’t been lying when she said Melissa's work and ethics were unparalleled. Aside from a few random errands, the work she did was mostly minor but her familiarity with other servants made things easy. She was a glorified companion and a lively company.
“It feels as though it was just yesterday when I was sitting in my room and watching spring pass by, but then I see the isolated cold garden and realize just how much time passed for me.” Laylin sighed with an air of regret. The Governess didn't know how to contribute to the conversation.
“You can’t keep hiding forever.” Eloise, who couldn’t help her heartbreak, pointed out. "You are laying low while all the ladies are quick on their feet to catch the King's eye!"
The Governess sighed, clutching the spoiled slave's shoulder, Eloise flinched, "Mind your manner, people here have no patience for us so you need to tread carefully. Catching the King's eye is no child's play and do you want our Princess to present herself in front of that savage beast?"
Laylin furrowed at her tone but kept her mouth shut.
“I’m well aware of that but this isn't fair. Just look at our Princess! She's confined here and King doesn't even check on her.” she looked out of the balcony, breathing deeply as she stared at the desolate lake out of the window. “Whenever I see that Sayon, my heart aches for our Princess!.” she admitted and the Princess appeared dumbfounded.
"Have you seen Sayon? Do you know who she is?"
Governess's eyes widened and she indicated Eloise to cut it off here, but Eloise was too immersed in gossip. "Who here hasn't? She visits the King almost every day, and barely dressed at that! She comes bearing refreshments and stays coped inside his office for hours! Even the guards shut their eyes when she passes by. God, she's so shameless!" The Governess gave up and clicked her tongue at the young witch's stupidity.
Laylin, after thinking about it, looked up at Eloise. "Next time you see her pass by, let me know." She wanted to see with her own eyes how this proclaimed beauty charmed men, left and right
The Governess was shocked, "Princess! Why would you-"
Eloise cut her off passionately and nodded. “Yes, Princess! You need to teach that woman a lesson on who holds the rank here. I promise I won't get caught and report to you at once!”
“Much appreciated,” Laylin thanked with a smile, and nodded at the young girl's innocence. In any case, she needed to meet the lover of her fiance and set clear boundaries. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this but you can't, in no situation, react first. Instead, just report to me what you see and hear.”
As they left the Princess alone for the evening, the Governess cornered Eloise. "How many times have I told you to watch what you say?"
Eloise was spooked and stuttered. "Wha-What did I do?"
Scoffing, the Governess rolled her eyes. "Have you forgotten the kind of days you had recently? We are not in Ehan, we are in a nation where we would have been grilled alive if we weren't accompanying the Princess!" She asserted their situation clearly, and Eloise stared at her quizzically unable to understand where the conversation was headed. "We can't let the Princess do something this rash! If we live quietly and manage her well, we can be fed and paid. The Princess will be happy in a life like this too!"
Eloise pursed her lips, "...You want me to keep her in the dark so we can keep a lofty lifestyle?"
"Lofty?" The governess shook her head, "No, I want you to leave the matter of the court to me. I'll deal with it as I always have. Don't feed her ridiculous ideas anymore! We can't let her create a scene in a foreign court! Instead, I will help her build her position here 'slowly' so she can be revered as a kind and tolerant woman. If the Princess causes a scene people will only look at her like she was troublesome!"
"Is that so...?" Eloise looked confused at her suggestion but due to her immaturity didn't have anything to refute.
The Governess, Agatha nodded holding both her hands. "Yes! All I want is the best for the Princess. You know that, don't you?"
Eloise furrowed her brows at her changed demeanor but nodded anyway.
Agatha sighed in relief.
Eloise was downcast. "I didn't realize I was harming the Princess's reputation like this..."
“Hey, it’s alright, I know you’re only looking out for Princess Laylin. From now on remember to always report everything to me before telling the Princess.” the Governess assured her, before noting the bruises on her neck. With wide eyes, she pulled away her collar. Eloise was quick to hold her hand. "What the hell is this?"
Eloise bit her lip while facing the floor: "It's nothing. I'll deal with it."
It was the witch's withdrawal symptoms. In the worst case, the witches lost control and aura burst out of their bodies.
“How long has this been forming? You can't leave it alone, it must be troubling you greatly. The forest behind Princess Scarlet Palace is usually empty, so go there when you can't hold your aura anymore.” she smiled sadly at the poor slave, as she understood how he felt.
Witches had a hard time living in hiding because of this. The weaker the witch, the more she will yearn for control on the aura. If you don't let it out, the skin becomes itchy and prickly. Eloise had little witch blood, so she must have scratched her skin to calm her nerves.
Soon she and Laylin will too be depraved and desperate. They needed to be well-settled before they could use a safe place as their own.
....
'WHAAM! BAAAM!'
In the late evening, there was a loud racket out of Laylin’s room, knocking off several art pieces. The attendants in her room had mixed reactions. Some had broken off decorum to take a look out of the window, others opted to stay slumped in their seats, shocked.
After a second, though, there was horrifying chaos everywhere.
"Princess, stay inside till I check what it is." Panicked, Melissa told her and she just nodded. She didn't really care enough to check though she was curious if the construction at the King's palace had given out with the force of her curses.
Unknown to her, what she will later hear about, will change her life forever.
"Argh...! Where the fuck did she even come from?" She loved to think she knew King Ambrose better than anyone in Rakhbar. After all, she was the one responsible for bringing up that tormented child. She watched Ambrose change with a purpose in life. It was him, who gave her a purpose in this world. The moment he became her savior, her fate was sealed to him. In frustration, she sat down, untying the bundle of another set of letters. With her one hand, she flipped the table, clattering everything in the room. She breathed hard, trying to reign in her rage. Scoffing, she picked the letters from the floor and threw them against the wall. All the intel was mundane and nothing that would faze King Ambrose. Though she had just laid the foretold as an excuse, there was something amiss about the foreign Princess. She was sure there was a secret this Ehanian Princess carried. It just wasn't possible for her to survive a mad lycan as strong as the King. Maybe if she’d see the Princess hers
“Laylin!” She looked around at the chaotic scene, before seeing her frantic Governess. She in tears, holding onto her hands as though she was holding on to dear life. Laylin was instantly alarmed by the uncalled frankness. “Agatha, what is it? What’s wrong?” she quickly inquired, feeling her heart sink. “Why did I just see armed Knights? Is it perhaps because of the commotion we heard earlier in the day?” she frantically looked around out of the window, before spotting a trail. Laylin couldn’t help but feel her heart constrict in her chest when she realized they were all heading in the direction of the forest beside the West Tower. “No! It can’t be!” Laylin exclaimed in disbelief, turning back to ask the Governess, “Isn't that where Eloise said she was going to subdue her aura? Is she back? Summon her at once!” “Oh, she isn't back!” Wailing Agatha cried out with tears streaming down her face, “I heard them say, an assassin witch caused the explosion!” Laylin gasped in alarm, cover
Laylin had just managed to arrive inside the corridor but was immediately stopped at the reception hall. "This is the King's Office District. You don't have a permit to enter. Princess, please return." A middle-aged man raised an arm, stopping her from proceeding any further. When the Princess only craned her neck stubbornly, he clicked his tongue. This wasn't going to end well. The King was already irked by her servant who turned out to be a witch and now this woman... Laylin clenched her jaw and spoke with her most daring voice, "I'm here to see my husband. What makes you think you are authorized to get in my way?" Martin scoffed with a smile, "Husband? Last time I checked, you didn't have a ceremony-" Laylin sneered, getting in his face, "I had, in Ehan, with the seal of the King's agreement. I was his bride the moment I stepped in the carriage headed to Rakhbar!" The man's brows climbed up. It was what the law was, though it wasn't how weddings worked but he had nothing to ref
“You keep forgetting a charge of treason and attempted murder also falls upon you. My Mistress almost lost her life!” The King began cruelly, “Millions have flushed down the drain at the construction site because of you.” He listed off all of the cases against her, making Laylin face the harsh truth. With every accusation, he took one step closer to her, looking all the more imposing. He only stopped when he was only a step away from her quivering form. His sweet scent confronted him. “And you want me to show mercy to a witch and be a laughingstock?” he finished, looking down at her, “Tell me why I would do that?” She gulped, feeling the tremors of fear and nerves from his proximity run through her veins, “...I have never seen Lady Sayon. I have no reason to hold resentment for a person I don't even know of-” “Didn't you do it because you were jealous of her? Isn't it because I didn't visit your chambers?” he accused her, caressing Laylin's thin waist with the firm tips of his fing
“I’m worried for you, Dear Princess,” Agatha voiced out, “You look worn out from this ordeal. Eloise would not like for you to ignore your well-being for her sake. I have written a letter to appeal Ehan's court for an official apology. I'll need your seal here.” She immediately brought over the letter she had set aside earlier. "No," she was quick to shake her head, pushing the letter away. "It will just serve as amusement for them. You will be a fool to believe my father is unaware of this." Laylin could only watch as her governess got busy with some food. She forced a solemn smile at the missus. The Princess was most likely dragging them to their graves, Agatha thought. Laylin sighed in frustration. It was impossible for her father to not be aware. His ambassadors have informed him. They were quiet because this was her father's instruction. He hadn't replied to her previous two letters, so she didn't think another would prompt a reply. For a while, she had considered the Govern
"Eloise must be in a lot of pain...." Laylin admonished her selfishness as she recalled the hollow face Eloise sported when she'd seen her unconscious. Seeing her like that was like a knife to her heart. On the table in front of her was the summons from the court for the hearing tomorrow. The charges were of attempted murder and trespassing in the Palace, both if proven, were punishable by death. All the current evidence and instances point to Laylin and her servant as criminals by law. If she went to court and the trial took place, a death sentence was confirmed. Considering her royal lineage, they might reduce it to a lifetime of house arrest but all her servants would be slaughtered. It didn’t matter how much she tried to veer away from making a deal with him, she always ended up with the same answer. And that was to accept the King’s offer. Her jaw clenched at the thought, remembering the way the King gazed at her with rampant lust, making her feel so appalled and ashamed of e
The King sat back on the sofa across from her. He was ridiculously relaxed for someone who was suffocating her while pretending he was willing to give her space. She was forced into a corner, he wasn't allowing her more time to gather her thoughts much less come up with an alternative. Fidgeting with her fingers, she sighed before finally breaking the ice. “An abandoned Princess of an insignificant Kingdom was never a threat to your authority, my King.” she began softly, head held up as she avoided his gaze. Ambrose snorted at how conceited she was to assume otherwise. She wasn't a threat to him. She was his weakness. A human mate. To humor her, he tilted his head at her inquiringly. “I'm surprised you realized just now.” “You are a beast-born and I'm a mere human. I was thrown in that room to be mauled by you and I barely escaped within an inch of my life.” she boldly pointed out, “If you were to risk that all for a slight fancy with a lesser woman, your reputation would be de
"Sire, please!" She begged the devil who smirked at her misery. The devil who had seduced her. Her fiance. Desperate tears welled up in her ocean eyes. "Please, I don't want to die... Help me!" "Laylin." He breathily called her name, thumping her heart. She saw his sculpted face through the smoke of his cigar. The huskiness in his voice flustered her. He beckoned her closer with his two fingers. It was humiliating but she was a fool who swallowed her pride and took tentative steps closer whenever he beckoned her. 'I hate myself for loving you.' She shut her eyes in self-loathing but it was him. He observed her with lazy golden eyes that had been bewitched at first sight. Then took another swig of his cigar with disinterest. Her heart clenched in pain. 'Why? Why must he look at me like that? Why couldn't he look at her like he looked at her?' The complaints were at the tip of her tongue but she held it in. Clenching her fist, she stepped forward to stand beside the divan he was se