Xenia and I stand in the drawing-room of the castle towards the wide window that lets in tons of sunlight. I can see Xenia's eyes brighten from it.
After Luna Accalia kissed her husband goodbye, and told her son to behave, if you know what I mean, she directed us towards the drawing-room. Not only us but some of her ladies of the court.
There were a total of 53 people belonging in the court of Nygaard. They are the richest and most noble of blood.
The elite.
Out of all 53, only six are close to Luna Accalia, they are known as the ladies in waiting. Their job is to follow the Luna around, be her companion, and tend to her needs. Most of the ladies in waiting consist of young women, around my age up to 25 years old.
When balls are held, or state dinners, tons of young men around the world come with their fathers. Being a lady in waiting to the Luna can land you a rich husband with so much money it's comedic. As the six ladies in waiting file in the room, Xenia introduces me to them one by one.
The first one to walk in was one I already knew, Countess Knesia. The countess is married to the Count Dmitri of Hyde, they have two children together. Komtesse Milana Makarova and Dmitri Makarova the second. A count is an administrative official to the King, helping out with affairs of the state. Once the current count dies, his son will take over.
Turns out, the whole family, and court, knows of Milana's dalliances with the future king of Nygaard, and they don't care. The father sees it as an opportunity, if Milana marries Prince Jai'lon, then he'll have his hand in politics, more than he already has. The big thing is that Milana is not Jai'lon's mate, but the king has the power to elect them mates, even if the moon goddess didn't sanction it. Just like how Yount declared Sasha his one and the true heir of Insofar.
Xenia believes that Milana doesn't truly love Jai'lon, but instead is infatuated by his good looks and wealth of lands and money. Countess Knesia and Milana sit at a maple wood table with two glasses of Brandy, untouched, talking to each other over a game of cards. Milana looks to be beating her mother, who's not impressed. Unlike her daughter, who has brown hair and pale skin, the countess has reddish hair and green eyes. I'm assuming she gets her characteristics from the count instead.
Next to walk in the room is Duchess Anna Maria of Montclair. She's an 18-year-old heiress of Montclair. Her father died in the War of Sons, while his wife decided to run off when she found out about his death. With Anna Maria being the only living heir of Montclair, she became the head of the family. Xenia said Anna Maria used to be a quiet, shy girl who would hide behind the skirt of her mother's dress when she saw the King. Now, she's tougher, maybe because she has to be.
The male parts of her family have been trying to marry her off, believing a woman doesn't have enough willpower to run a duchy, but Anna Maria has proven them wrong. Some believe that she prefers the same sex, rather than what is deemed normal around here. She's a tall girl, tan skin, a mole on her upper lip, a strong nose, and piercing black eyes. She looks like a young Mila Kunis from That 70's show.
Luna Accalia's next two ladies in waiting are twins. Ladies Vera and Olga of Chalifoux. They are the fifth and sixth children of the Marquees and Marchioness of Chalifoux, who together produced 8 children. Six strapping sons who are all well over 6ft tall, dark hair and skin. All six sons serve in the King's army, either as general or officer. The daughter's job is to marry, or hopefully, have a mate who's high ranking to benefit the family. They both are beautiful, chocolate milk skin, hazel eyes with light red hair that's long down their backs. They move like robots, turning heads and bodies at the same time. Currently, they loom over the countess and her daughter playing cards, while occasionally sipping on their brandy.
The last lady in waiting is Princess May, she is the sibling of the late king's wife, Suna. Princess May is almost 90 years old and was a lady waiting for her sister when she became Luna of Nygaard. May never married, her life was dedicated to her sister. May sits in the corner of the room, staring out the window at the snowy mountains. Xenia said they are supposed to change the ladies in waiting when there is a new Luna, but May refused to leave. Also, she has proved to be an asset to Luna Accalia, helping her with the duties of a Luna Queen and with the early years when Jai'lon was born.
All the women in the room, mingling or walking around, stop once the main woman walked into the room.
Luna Accalia.
She decided to head back to her rooms and change. What she was wearing before wasn't proper for the evening. Her dress trailed on the marble floors, it was a dark red dress with a black sheer lining on it that has beads on the edges of it. Her long locks were pinned back with silver butterfly pins that reflected off the walls. Everyone, including me, bowed to her.
"Luna, it was dreadful without you here." Countess Knesia is the first one to say to the Luna.
The Luna smiles, "Oh, how I have missed you Knesia. There was no humor in Batkai, not like yours." The countess laughs, covering her mouth as to not sound like a cackling cow. Milana comes up next to her mother.
She turns her attention to all the other women in the room, "You have all been missed by me. Milana, Anna Maria, Vera, Olga, and May. I wished I could have brought you all, but I see you all have been doing just fine. I'm not aware if you all know, but we have a new guest staying here at the castle. A Zastitnik." On instinct, all the women, who didn't pay me any attention when I came in, turned to me. Eyes zero in on my presence, wondering about me. "Her name is Quinneth Worthingshire, the mate of Alpha Xanders's son, Alexander Germani of the Golden Summit Pack."
Whispers fill the drawing-room.
"That's the Zastitnik!" says Olga, her eyes bugging out.
"She's the one who resurrected those ghastly witches." Vera chimes in.
"I thought she would be prettier." I don't know who said that one, but they better watch their backs.
The only one to walk up to me is Duchess Anna Maria. She reaches out a white-gloved hand, waiting for me to shake it. Hesitantly, I shake it, her grip is firm, all the ladies look at her with shock. "It's nice to meet you Quinneth Worthingshire, mate to Alexander Germani. My name is Duchess Anna Maria of Montclair, but you may call me Anna." She smiles, it stretches from ear to ear.
"Nice to meet you, Anna," I say back. All the other women just stare at me, like I'm the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris.
She leans into me, whispering in my ear. "I know what it's like to be treated differently, you'll do fine here. All the women here are boring and tiring, but you, are the fire to ignite us all." When she comes into view, her smile is now lopsided, a gleam in her eyes.
I just nod at her.
Coming up behind Anna are the Ladies Olga and Vera. They both wait to see which ones are going to greet me first, it's Olga.
"Hi! I'm Lady Olga of Chalifoux, your hair is amazing, might I add. Also, I heard the reason you woke up The First Power was to save your mate, is that true? Oh god, isn't that romantic Vera." She looks to her sister with blushed cheeks.
"Why yes, it is! To know that you risked your life for him, it's so noble and beautiful. I wish I had a mate that would do that for me. Don't you Anna Maria?"
Her lips curl, "I suppose." She plops in an oak chair that's at a large table in the middle of the room.
"Alexander is so handsome you're a lucky one!" Olga gushes.
"Olga, she's right there!" She looks at her sister like she grew two heads. "You wouldn't want another woman saying that to your mate, would you?"
She shrugs, "I would, what's the point of being with someone attractive if you can't brag about it?" I think this was a genuine question.
"I honestly thought he would marry Princess Zeta of Almeeria." Coming around the girls is Milana Makarova. "She was a beautiful girl, but when she went and married the prince of Ixelles, everyone was shocked. They were truly in love." I bite the inside of my cheek. She doesn't know me, but yet is trying to make me jealous. I don't know why, though.
"Well, I'm grateful he didn't marry her, then. He would have never found me." I say sweetly to her.
"Look what happened when he did, he's in a coma, fighting for his life. So, who won?" She smirks. It takes every ounce of me to not punch her square in the jaw, or shoot fire at her, lighting her up like a bonfire. Instead, I nod and grind my teeth.
She's got the nerve to run her mouth, she fucking a guy who will probably never78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOho2m2B0T
marry her bitter ass.
"It was dangerous what you did, girl." sneers the countess. "You have put thousands in danger, and if-
"So, I have been told." The daughter, now the mother.
"Leave her alone Countess. If you don't mind, Quinneth, I'd like a private audience with you." I follow her out of the room, saying goodbye to the girls. Xenia trails behind me, farther this time. All the while, the countess and Milana shoot daggers at me.
We walk out into the hall; it curves around a bend that leads us to a huge room with two thrones in it. Xenia stands in the hallway, giving me a warm smile, I return it.
We both stand in the middle of the room, soaking up the place. The room was grand, crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the floors were light gold, and the walls were sapped in gold and silver. Unlighted candles hung on the wall, the large, rectangle windows letting in light. It was something you would see in Anastasia: the movie.
"What is this place?" I asked in awe.
"The throne room, its where my husband and I meet foreign ambassadors, Alphas, and sometimes our people." She points to the large seat that's bathed in red stain, with gold trimming. "That is where my son will sit, becoming Adalwolf the 9th of Nygaard. His wife will sit right next to him, I hope it's not that Milana Makarova. She's a beautiful girl, but doesn't love him." I knew she had no shot with him, eat that Milana.
"I know that werewolves are supposed to find their mate by 21, why hasn't he?" I asked curiously.
She walks further into the room, her eyes never leaving the chair. "I wonder that all the time, he doesn't care about finding a mate, just wants to fuck women and drink ale. Having a mate is the best thing that could happen." She turns to me. "When I found my Etho, I was young and lost, but with him, I found purpose. I want that for my Jai. But that won't happen if The First Power roams around." Her voice gets darkened.
"I-
"No!" Her voice booms. "Yount has been after his brother for years, ever since his father took him out of the succession for marrying Stella, he thinks the throne belongs to him. The King and I know that he's been looking for a way to claim the throne, at any cost, I see. That's where he finds you, a Zastitnik. We knew that he had another girl, but she was killed because it didn't work." She stops talking but resumes up again. "I know you didn't have a choice in the matter, but you have caused a war. A war that I attend on winning, and the outcome? Seeing my son on that throne."
"I know that you traveled here with my niece and nephew for the cure to save Alexander. Do you think you deserve that cure, Ms. Worthingshire?"
I look her dead in the eyes, which I know you're not supposed to do with a monarch, but I don't care, and she seems too not either. "I don't deserve it, Alexander does. He wasn't meant to be there; he was a casualty amongst the chaos."
"Would you do whatever you had to do for the cure?" She asked, chin high.
"I would."
"Even sacrificing your life?"
"Yes." No stutter or distrust in my voice.
"Glad you said that, on the night of the ball, when the clock strikes 12, you will disappear from the party and meet the King and me in this very room. We still draw up an agreement, if you comply, the cure will be yours."
"And if I don't?" I question, already knowing the answer.
"Then your beau will die, which I'm sure you don't want. I'd advise you to take the offer. Now, come on, I'm hungry."
ns 18.68.41.140da2
