Queen Athena

09. Royal Estate

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Athena Bloodhound

The Infirmary

In The Blackwood Territory

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Another restless night passes by as I lay on this bed, uncomfortable and foreign. Forcing myself to sleep in several occasions, I find myself awaken again after just sleeping under two hours.

If I ever do find myself asleep, it's because of exhaustion.

After two days of practically being forced to stay here because of my condition, I grew bored and restless every day that passes by.

Overwhelmed with what happened for the past few days I just couldn't find myself comfortable enough to actually take some rest.

Shying away from every single offering of the pack servants bringing me food and such, only eating a few bites.

The King himself was able to visit me, checking up on me from time to time. But every conversation he tried to initiate with me, I would reply with short messages, unwilling to strengthen the bond that was slowly tightening.

It was inevitable really, now that I am in his territory. It would be easier to deny the bond if I was miles from him, but him being the Alpha and the King, he could be a couple doors down away from me but it would feel like he's only a few feet close to me.

The only company that I have for the past days was a little boy who constantly knocks on my door and speaks to me with it closed. He apparently wasn't allowed in the infirmary, but he was a sweetheart and was always talking to me, even if there was a oak door blocking him.

The door quietly slid open and the doctor entered the room. A metal tray in hand and my chart on the other. He smiled when he noticed me awake.

"Luna, it is time for lunch" he says, placing the tray on my lap even before I could refuse it. Looking at it, it was the same as always. Fancy and delicious, only my appetite was not having it.

"Doctor, I can't eat this I don't have the appetite" I say. He shook his head in response. "Nonsense my Queen, it was the Alpha's orders to have you to eat and finish this meal"

"No, I don't care of what he thinks. If I do eat this I feel as though I would just vomit it out" I explain, frowning at me as his response. "Also, I told you that you can just call me Athena"

"That I cannot do your majesty, as you see it is a form of respect to your title. And surely the current Queen will have my head if she heard me call you by your name." He states and arranges the tray in front of me.

"Well Luna, you will be discharged today" he told me and I nodded, I didn't know how to respond at this point. "Once you are done with your breakfast, the Estate Steward will escort you to your room" he informed me with a smile. I fiddled with my food and silently said "Alright".

Finishing this meal was no easy fit with the burden of me knowing that there is a possibility that I will never get out of this pack, especially seeing as this is a royal pack, the security in this territory is much more strict and elite.

My mind was searching for a possible way of escape from this pack but so far, everything that I come up with leads to either me getting spotted or the King himself trapping me.

With a last bite I nodded to the doctor and he smiled triumphantly. "You are all set Luna, let us inform the Alpha first before I let you go" he starts to leave the room with my tray in hand. I stopped him. "Dr.? if you could please not inform him that I would be discharged today, I just want to be left on my own first." I requested him and he gazed at me with uncertainty.

"Luna, the Alpha must know that you are well and are able to move to another room"

A knock on the door stopped him. A man in what looked liked in his fifties opened the door, dressed in a black tuxedo with gold embellishments, a sword, dangling from the side of his belt unsheathed.

"Dr. Jonathan, I will take it from here" he politely says to the doctor, who I only know today was named Jonathan. Dr. Jonathan unprehensibly nodded and left the room, giving the tray that he was holding to a maid waiting outside.

"Luna, I am the Estate Steward, you can call me Johnson if you'd like." he introduces himself to me, bowing his head as do everyone that comes in here. "You shouldn't bow to me Mr. Johnson, I am of no royal status" I silently, more so- pleaded to him. I wasn't used to this kind of respect, one I know I'm not qulified for in the first place.

"Your majesty, you are mated to the King of all werewolves, you are of high importance to the royal hierarchy"he arches his brows, declaring the fact that I am mated to the King.Rubbing my shoulders I inhaled deeply.

He then motions for me to stand and follow him outside. I slowly got out of bed and into my feet. A pair of flat shoes were already by the foot of the bed, waiting for me.

Following him outside I was greeted with a very well-decorated hallway. One I always saw in one of my mother's magazines.

The decor and lavish decor I was accustomed to. My mother being obsessed with royalty and the way they live, owns a lot of magazines and memorabilia about the royals, and their estate.

The floor was made of grey marble, a red carpet lined the hallway as countless paintings hung on each wall. He led me to the end of a hallway to what looks like the grand hall.

The halls were empty, no servants or maids, even soldiers were in sight. Making me more comfortable about my eyes.

The hall was exactly how it looks like in the photos, the circular room was lined with marble pillars as floor to ceiling windows covered with dark purple curtains. The Royal crest displayed at the very center of the floor, while a gorgeous crystal chandelier hang above it.

I followed him to a set of doors. Two grand staircases greeted us upon our entry, quickly noticing the large victorian door that probably leads outside I stopped in my tracks. There two royal soldiers, guarding the door. I would be impossible to escape through the front door.

"Luna?" I heard Mr. Johnson calling to me. Snapping me out of my senses I followed him up the stairs into the second floor. To a hallway which looked like the quarters of the royals, if I remember correctly that is.

The beige walls were lined with intricate carvings, the floors were still the same marble as downstairs, but it felt somewhat informal in this section of the estate.

"The Alpha specifically ordered for your room to be in his side of the west wing." Mr. Johnson said leading me to the end of the hallway. He then opens the second to the last door and waits for me to enter first.

I stood there in awe as I scanned to, what I assume was to be my room. The room is so fancy I'm afraid to touch anything, much less sleep in it.

The dark oak floors was covered with a large round rug, while the whitewalls were covered with this beautiful lace detail. The lavish bed, covered with white silk pushed against the center of the right wall. There was a large canopy hanging from the ceiling, while two dressers lined the wall, decorated with antique vases and sculptures.

There is a door which I assume leads to the bathroom, and a balcony that looks over the forest. Everything was breath taking, but is very overwhelming for me.

"Luna your lady in waiting will arrive in a moment, excuse me your highness I must attend to other matters but I do hope you have a wonderful day" he bows again and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

Standing in the middle of the room I could hardly move. All this wealth was unbelievable, I did grow up in a very fortunate way. My father and mother were from a Alpha family, and they do gain a large amount of money. But compared to the life of the royalty, I just couldn't see myself living in this sort of way.

I just want a simple life, but of course, the fates have other plans.

Cautiously walking around, afraid to break any of those antiques that is probably as old as this house and cost an arm and a leg, I made my way to the balcony.

Slowly sliding the doors open I was greeted with a fresh gust of wind coming from the forest outside. From where the room was I had a great view of the Blackwood forest.

Their pack name surely stands for their large dense forests, covered with dark oak. But as a wolf, it speaks to me, calling me to explore its grounds and get lost in it. Surely now that I am mated to the King, I have to abide to stricter rules than what I did before at home.

I could see my life right now in this pack, as the Queen of all werewolves. It is a great responsibility, one I still don't know how I am able to fulfill,I don't even know how to address to a pack, what more if it was to the whole population of the werewolves.

All I ever wanted was to be free, to be able to roam on my own and do what ever I want without anyone to stop me. I was enclosed to my pack for so long, being alone was just normal for me, being lonely was normal for me.

And with this title that I have to face, I just didn't know what to do. Everything that has happened so far flew by too fast for me to cope with it. And now I'm here at the Blackwood Territory, inside the Royal Estate, to be expected to be the next Queen.

I honestly don't know how to deal with this.

A knock on my door made me look behind me. A woman dressed in a black dress entered the room. Her smile was warm and gazed at me like Poppy's mother would.

"Oh my, Luna its so delightful to finally meet you. I am Lady {NAME} Garcia, the head housekeeper of the Blackwood Estate" she introduces herself, [curtsiyng] while she does so. I entered the room to greet her as well.

She took one look at me and gasped in surprise. "I'm sorry your majesty, but your eyes." she tells me, something that I gotten used to ever since I was a child. "The King said your eyes were very peculiar, but I never expected this" she said and I unconsciously raised my eyebrow at what she told me, peculiar really?

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked and she shook her head immediately. "No of course not Luna, but they are a sight to see, very beautiful in fact" she compliments me which caught me by surprise. No one aside from my family and Liam would appreciate the way my eyes changes color, usually wolves who find out I have this ability label me as a freak, or a curse of nature or something like that.

Coming from a stranger, this was very new to me.

"Thank you" I thanked her and she gave me another warm smile, which was highly contagious as I smiled back at her.

She then clapped her hand and pulled me gently with her. "Now we must prepare you for the day" she says leading me to the bathroom.

"Your lady in waiting will be who you want her to be, but as of this moment I will help you get dressed." she then opens the door into the bathroom.

And of course it would be as lavish as everything that is inside this mansion.

The walls were covered with wallpaper, the red roses complimented the white marble very well. There was a bathtub in the middle of the room, two doors that lead to god knows where, a sink covered with the same gold detailing as the one in the bathtub. At this point, overwhelmed was an understatement.

She opened one of the doors and it lead to a large walk in closet, filled with gowns and dresses that could supply me for a lifetime honestly." What do you want to wear Luna?" she asks as she wanders inside, looking through a rack with day dresses.

"Mrs. Garcia, I am very well able to dress myself. I do know the protocol for royalty, but I would be much more comfortable if I do it by myself" I mentioned to her, she exhales a small laugh and nods.

"If that is what you wish my Queen" she excused herself, leaving me alone in this massive closet.I never thought it would be this difficult to pick a dress.

Choosing a simple one, a peach colored halter top that I assume that reach to my knees.

Wary of everything inside this room and the previous one, I even thought twice if I should use the bathroom or not. I should probably take a bath, seeing as I haven't taken one for the past two day.

Quickly doing so and getting dressed, using the undergarments that Mrs.Garcia laid out for me, I done it quickly, and very carefully might I add.

Leaving the room, Mrs.Garcia was patiently waiting for me, seated on the bed. Pleased with my attire she gave me a smile with a nod and directly me outside.

"The Queen Mother wants instructed me help you today, she is excited to meet you your highness" she tells me which made me stop in my tracks. Meeting the Queen personally, this day just worsen and worsen as the hour passes.

Afraid to decline, seeing as it was the reigning Queen that asked to see me. I swallowed my anxiety and followed Mrs. Garcia to the first floor.

Which she proceeded to go through another set of doors, to another hallway. Even if I was keeping track of where we were going, I for am sure that I won't be able to remember which room was which. The estate has too many doors and hallways it will be easy to get lost in its halls.

She opens a big set of doors, into what looks like the main dining hall. A long oak table sat in the center of the room, while maids lined up and awaited for their command. Seeing Mrs. Garcia enter the room with me in suit, they stood rigid and looked at their feet.

"Everyone, meet her royal highness, our soon to be Queen, Luna Athena" hearing a few gasp at her introduction of me, they caught glances at me, which further made me uncomfortable.

Everyone in the room bowed their heads, curtsied and kneeled, like what I seen them do in those documentaries my mother loved to watch when we were children.

"Please, you don't have to do that" I pleaded to them, they then lifted their heads, giving me a very shocked face.

"Luna, is there a problem with your health?" One concerned maid asked which earned her an elbow to her shoulder from the another maid next to her.

"Ladies, the Luna is fine. Her eyes are a natural born gift from the moon goddess" Mrs. Garcia answered for me. Everyone then nodded out of respect and excused themselves to the kitchen.

"You must forgive them your majesty, they are only concerned for your well-being" Mrs. Garcia then pushed me to a seat on the left, three seats down from the head of the table.

"You must be famished my lady, I will get some fruits for you to eat" she starts to go but I shook my head no. "I'm still full Mrs. Garcia but thank you" I politely declined her offer.

She looked t me for a second longer and nodded. "Tea will be served soon, the Queen will accompany you for the rest of the afternoon" she informed me. Shocked I pondered deeply on what I would do upon meeting her.

Sure, my mother did raise us from the example of the royals, but I never thought I would us that in a real life situation.

A tug on my sleeve made me jump on my seat. Looking nest to me I finally notice a fairly young boy looking at me curiously.

"Excuse me, but were you the lady that slept in the infirmary?" he politely asks to which my fast beating heart calmed down. Meeting the Queen made me agitated.

"Yes I am, if you mind me asking but who are you" I asked him, he then stood straighter, puffed out his chest and spoke in a monotone voice. "My name is Nathaniel Arthur Blackwood"

Looking at him wide eyed, last time I saw him, he was just a baby.

"He went to the infirmary yesterday, for the cut on his knee, he saw you sleeping but he didn't want to bother you" Mrs. Garcia told me, smiling at th little boy who still held his position next to me.

Giving him chuckle I patted the seat next to me. "Why don't you sit down prince Nathaniel?" I offered him, which he took, slowly climbing to the seat.

"Are you hungry your highness?" Mrs. Garcia asked him to which his grey eyes lit up to. "Yes I am"

Mrs. Garcia nodded and excused herself. The prince then turned his attention to me.

"It isn't often that we get a visitor staying here" he said, giving me a curious look. I couldn't help but smile. In our pack, I would always volunteer to help out in the schools, seeing as I wasn't allowed to go to it.

"Really?" I was genuinely curious, surely they get more visitors.

Mrs. Garcia then returned with two plates on her hand, placing it in front of us.

"The estate specialty, courtesy of the chef" it was a pie

Prince Nathan immediately dug in, I was still quesy, ven though the little Prince helped me with my nerves just a tiny bit.

We then heard the door open, Mrs. Garcia then bowed her head and Nathan stopped eating. I stood up and bowed my head as well.

"Mrs. Garcia I do hope you've been treating our new guest well." I heard her eve so posh voice. Not daring to look at her, I noticed the gorgeous embroidered skirt of her dress.

"Good afternoon everyone" she greeted us, which everyone replied curtly, my voice barely audible.

No amount of practice has really prepared me for this.

"Athena, it is so nice to finally meet you darling"