chapter three
1087 Words
The morning sun hesitantly illuminates the grand chamber, its warmth unable to penetrate the entire room. My eyes blinked open as I stretched, holding on tightly to the sheets as the events of last night played in my head. I turned then and was surprised to find that I was the only person in bed. Lance was not there.
Almost immediately, the door creaks open, and a maid, her movements slow and deliberate, enters.
"Good mornin', Milady." She bowed, walking towards the bed and seemingly unfazed that I lie naked beneath it.
"Where's…the Alpha?" I asked, hoping she'd know.
"Alpha Lance? he's off for his official duties. You'll be havin' breakfast on your own," she states, her eyes avoiding mine.
My gaze lingers on her as I struggle to find words, "Wh–what…are you doing here?"
The maid's eyes flicker with a momentary hesitation before she replies, "To dress and tend to you, Luna."
As she bows and heads to the bathroom, probably to give me time to change and heat up my bath, a heavy silence envelops the room. "Official duties," I mutter to myself, tracing the pattern of the bedspread with my fingertips.
The grand tapestries hanging on the walls, once vibrant, now seem to sag under the weight of my disappointment. "A lonely breakfast, then," I sigh, as if saying the words out loud makes them more real.
It didn't take long to be dressed and escorted down to the dinning chamber.
Approaching the dining chamber, the maid's earlier words replay in my mind. The table is set for one, and the chair, a stark reminder of my solitude, feels cold against my touch. "Lonely breakfast indeed," I murmur, the words hanging in the air.
As I take a seat, the maid reappears, her eyes catching mine for a brief moment. "Anything else, Milady?"
I shake my head, my voice tinged with the weight of unspoken sadness. "No, thank you."
The clink of utensils on porcelain becomes a lonely symphony, each bite a reminder of the shared intimacy now lost. "Did he have to leave so soon?" I find myself whispering to the empty room, the question lingering unanswered in the air. It was as if what happened yesterday meant nothing to him.
I was a confusion of emotions right now. I never wanted to marry Alpha Lance, I didn't know a thing about him but still, we got married and yesterday we…
I stabbed a piece of bacon and put it in my mouth. This morning he suddenly left?
"Pfft. What was I expecting anyway?" I murmured to myself.
Soon, I barely managed to finish my breakfast and stepped out of the chambers, the apple green satin dress clinging softly to my form. The fabric, draping elegantly around me. The delicate embroidery on the hem adds a touch of subtle charm, complementing the simplicity of my ginger hair, pulled back into an unassuming bun. Normally, I'd be thrilled and had felt beautiful to be fortunate enough to wear something as expensive but…not this morning, which is funny because it has just been a day.
As I navigate the castle corridors, guards stand at attention, seemingly watching my every move. They seem to be everywhere!
Curiosity leads me to a breathtaking garden adorned with vibrant tulips in a myriad of colors. I suddenly began to smile as I made my way through them.
In the heart of the garden was a gazebo, white and tall with more flowers decorating it. As I sat in it, I felt the peace and tranquility enveloping me. Looking up, I saw someone approaching me and realizes it was the maid from earlier.
"Luna." She bowed, "I've come to see if you need anything, I've been assigned as your personal handmaid."
I looked at her, she was probably no older than 18 and I wasn't much older than her then. Braided dark hair and dark blue eyes, pretty.
"What's your name?" I asked, not wanting to sound too formal. I've only been here for a day and yesterday morning I was regarded as being as common as her.
"Mia, Milady."
"Mia, fancy some company?" I call out, a smile playing on my lips. "I really am bored and quite lonely."
Mia hesitated for a moment before her face lit up with a shy grin, "Sure thing, Milady."
I make her sit in front of me as we began to talk, starting up on a random topic. As we conversed, the topic of love emerged and Mia's cheeks flush with a hint of embarrassment as she replied to a question of mine,
"Well, there's this gardener," she admits, stealing glances at a figure passing by.
He bows respectfully to me, and I tease her softly, "Oh, him? The one with the charming bow?"
Her laughter is infectious, and the gazebo seems to echo with it, "Yes, him. I've always thought he was…handsome."
"Oh, my." I continued to tease, winking at her and watching as she shyly looked away. "Love in the garden, huh?"
We were still laughing when I looked to my side to see someone else approaching us. A lady, her blonde hair tied elegantly about her head and her blue silk dress wafting slowly in the wind.
Immediately Mia turned to see her, she stands up and bows.
I was confused.
When she reached the gazebo, she threw a glance at Mia before turning to me and with a subtle bow, she greets me, "Milady, a pleasure to finally meet you." Her words carry a hint of sarcasm, and I feel a discomfort settling in.
"The pleasure is all mine…uh…"
"Benita. My name is Benita." She said, preparing to take a seat, "And I just came to welcome you since I missed the wedding yesterday."
"Oh.." I said, watching her.
"Might I ask your name, Milady?" She asked with a smile of a sort, "Y'know rumors are going about so I can't be sure…what you're called."
My brows furrowed but I responded, "Aurora. Luna Aurora." I wasn't one to brag but there really was something unsettling about this woman.
As Benita takes a seat in the gazebo, her blonde hair catching the sunlight, a smug smirk plays on her lips. "Aurora, such a quaint name." She said, ignoring the title, "How's the royal life treating you?" she asks, her tone dripping with something that was definitely not concerned. "I mean, it's only been a day. It must be big change from your former life as a commoner."
- Writer
