"S-She’s been like this since she ca back. I’m w-worried."
"She hasn’t said anything either. Did you think sothing happened?"
"I-I don’t think so."
Talia sighed. "Then it was a disaster again."
"W-What makes you say that?"
"Every encounter with the monarch has led to one thing or the other. Sotis I wonder who is the pillar of that disaster."
"I can hear you," I mumbled from under the blankets.
"Ah...so you aren’t dead? I was beginning to think you were."
"Go away, I do not wish to be disturbed."
"Y-You haven’t had anything to eat, Your Grace. Y-You really should."
"I’m not hungry. Go away," I grumbled in reply.
"Osha, would you mind bringing her favorite pastries?"
"Of c-course."
I heard retreating footsteps, followed by the loud slam of the doors. It wasn’t up a second when Talia rudely peeled away my blanket and found lying impossibly straight with eyes to the ceiling.
"Oh my poor heart!" She exclaid, holding her chest.
I slowly turned my head to her. "I said you should leave alone."
"Why on earth are you lying like a dead body? Have you really gone mad now?"
I turned my head back to face straight, sat up, clutched the blanket, and fell back to the bed to cover myself.
"You—" Talia couldn’t finish as if withholding from cursing to no end. "My lady," she gritted.
"Go away!"
She rudely ripped the blanket away from my body and flung it to the side. "Did sothing happen with the monarch? At least, tell if you’re still in his favor and give peace."
"You’re so heartless, you only think about yourself."
"Of course, who else should I think of? You?" she huffed.
"And I love you for that."
"Excuse ?" She blinked. "Why would you love for being inconsiderate?"
"Because your actions co with gain, that is what I understand, not selfless actions with nothing or simply only one thing in return."
A tightening sensation found my chest as I thought of how alone I felt after Drevon left . My mind has been rattling for a what-if mont.
What if I hadn’t pushed him away and spent more ti with him? Or perhaps been overjoyed with his gift.
"Ah...I see where this is going. Did the monarch confess his underlying love for you?"
I snorted, unashad, cackling like a madwoman.
"Keep it down, only I know of your tantrums. If they do, they will label you mad!"
"Do I look like I care?" I snapped.
Talia nodded, eyes wide and chaotic as if her patience with had reached its limit. "So you’ve reached your breaking point. Then permit , let slap so sanity on you."
My senses picked up danger, and I hurriedly crawled out of bed as Talia scuttled at .
"Just stay right there, it will only take a mont." She flung the pillow at , and I ducked.
"How dare you try to strike your lady!"
"It’s allowed, my lady. I must keep you in place!" She climbed on the bed and ca at , and I screeched, running the other way, but she kept pursuing.
"Now you’re the madwoman!"
"You’re my benefactor!"
"Stop it, will you!"
"Not until I bring back your sanity!"
"No, no, no wait!"
"Just stay still!"
"Stay still and let you strike ? I think not. Ugh!"
"Why you—"
The door opened, and Osha stepped in with a tray. Talia’s hand was frozen mid-air with a pillow, and I was just a few feet away, holding my hand out.
Osha looked behind her, twirling, then back at us. "D-Did I perhaps lose my way?" she scratched the back of her head, shaken. "I could have sworn that I..."
"I thought you sent her to get pastries," I said through clenched teeth while trying to maintain a composed expression.
"I did. How would I know she would co back early?" Talia gritted back before clearing her throat. "One way or the other, I had to ensure my lady is alright."
"T-Then why are you two fighting?"
Talia flung the pillow sowhere. "We’re not."
"B-But..." she paused, blinking.
I shot Talia a look as she did . At this point, we were almost at each other’s throats, but I refrained from jumping at her and getting revenge.
"It’s a good thing you’re here, Osha, I was famished already," I said, taking a step forward, but everything spun, and I collapsed.
"Y-Your Grace!"
~•~
"You caused this," I said, glaring at Talia as I drank the brew she made for .
My entire body was hurting from running around earlier, and a pounding migraine followed.
"At least now you’re not sulking." Talia grabbed the cup after I had finished and placed it on the nightstand. "You feel better after you rest and let the brew take effect."
"I wasn’t sulking."
"Yes, you were, and it was a pitiful state; we cannot afford any ntal weakness."
I looked away as a feeling swamped my insides. "The monarch..." I began in a soft tone. "He gave a gift, not like the ones he’d showered with in the past weeks to get out of confinent. I think it ca from his heart."
"Huh..." Talia murmured. "That’s—"
"Scary. I couldn’t accept sothing like that."
"You’re afraid."
"Of course I am," I inferred. "There has to be so ulterior motive to his actions. There should be."
"And have you figured out what it was?"
I leaned my back against the headboard. "I don’t think there’s anything. Dare I say it’s an action of a man who wants to prove himself to ."
"Hmm...I do not know what to make of this. A Lycan is aiming for your affections, never heard of it."
I rolled my eyes. "How would you? I’m the first woman to be married to one, a dreadful fate."
"Is it?"
"When my father told about my sudden marriage, all I could ever think of was spending the rest of my life with a monster if I lived through the wedding night," I said, recalling the scene like it was yesterday.
When Father called , I felt elated in so twisted way that for the first ti in years, he’d finally acknowledged my existence. I rembered how nervous I was and inwardly happy, but that day beca the last ti I ever gazed upon my father with longing.
I was surrounded by sharks who wanted to eat every chance they got. I knew only about play...playing their gas and outwitting them to survive just one more day. Working as a handmaid for my stepsister to ensure a two-square-al a day.
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