Arrival
1681 Words
Chapter 3:
.
LILA’s POV
Commander in chief of the King’s Army. Alpha Arden Alaric.
He is going to be my fiancé and I know nothing about this man.
A knock sounded on the door bringing me out of my thoughts.
Who’s kindhearted enough to knock on my door?
The door pushed open and she came in.
Marie, my only friend among the maids. She was the only one who didn’t treat me with disdain or looked down upon me. The nicest of them all.
I gave her a weak smile. “Marie, hey.”
“Miss Lila.” She crouched to my level. “How’s your packing? Are you done yet?”.
I let out a small laugh. “Packing sounds luxurious. I’ll be lucky if I have more than that.” I say pointing to a small bag next to my feet.
In all of my twenty two years, I never possessed much clothing.
Not even up to Nadia’s wardrobe.
Either my dad forgot that he had another daughter or he didn’t just care about what I wore.
Marie sighed at the bag. “If you need more, I can go get from you.”
“No it’s alright.” I shake my head. “I won’t need more anyways. Apparently my future fiancé is a man who chases all of his brides within 3 days.”
I was expecting Marie to sympathize with me but she laughs at that.
I frown furrowing my eyebrows. “It’s not funny. I can’t fathom being rejected that quick.”
Actually I can. The last one didn’t even reach up to day before I was rejected. But getting rejected within the space of a week, that would be brutal.
“You said something funny.”
“What’s funny about what I said? It’s the truth.” I say to her. “I heard Alia and Nadia talking last night and the things they said about the commander, it didn’t sound so nice. My step mother said Alpha Alaric is known to be a cruel alpha and he also slain a whole pack not caring about the omegas or even the children.”
Marie sobered up hearing that. “Well that one might be true.” She says wriggling her fingers together.
“Might? Do you know anything about the commander that I don’t know?.”
“Well I know that your step mother is feeding her daughter with lies so she doesn’t feel bad. Nadia is going to be this pack’s future Luna, yes, but what’s so special about that?.”
“It’s special all right.” I mumbled.
“We have like about 20 different pack Lunas in this city and even though our pack is top 1. It still doesn’t measure up to you being the commander’s fiancée. Even better, if you get married to him.”
“Is he that important?.”
Marie shrugged. “Rumors say that he’s next in line after the king. The king doesn’t have any offspring and he has a soft spot for the commander so I guess Alpha Alaric might become the king one day.”
“If he’s that important then why didn’t Nadia mate with him? Why isn’t he married then?.” I ask confused.
“The thing about brides being there for only 3 days is correct. He has been chasing every one of his fiancées for years now.”
My soul plummeted as i sigh in defeat. “So I should get ready to be back in this rat hole after 3 days?.”
“Who knows maybe you might be different?”.
I rolled my eyes in response to that hope. I wasn’t going to delude myself in fantasies.
Marie stood up stretching a hand towards me. “Come on, get up. It’s time to go.”
I got pulled up and picked my small duffel bag.
I guess it is time to go.
I make it downstairs with Marie behind me stopping when I saw Nadia with her friends.
Brats altogether.
“Oh Lila, you are leaving already?.” One of her friends called out to me.
“She’ll be back in 3 days.” Nadia responded and they all burst into laughter.
I cut back the urge to retort and left them going outside to look for my father.
He was supposed to accompany me on this journey.
I head towards the courtyard sighting him there with my step mother. They were in the middle of a board game session.
Seeing Alia like this, she looked peaceful but she had the heart of a wicked person.
“Father. I’m ready.” I announced to him.
“Tell one of the drivers to take you there.” He waved me off. “I’m busy right now.”
What?
Confusion marked my face.
“I’m sure you can go on your own, Lila. Your father shouldn’t waste his strength accompanying you a to place that you might not stay.” My step mother said brushing me aside.
I look to my father hoping he was going to say something but nothing at all.
Was I even really his daughter?
I thought to myself as I turned around walking away from him and heading towards one of the employed drivers in our compound.
The front entrance gates opened and I could see Damien driving in through the open windows.
Our eyes crossed and he looked away immediately.
My heart ached at the reminder of what he said.
And it hurt to know that they all think the same about me.
They all think I’m worthless.
I angrily brush away a tear that threatened to roll down my eye.
I’ll show them.
I’ll show all of them.
I will make sure I never come back to this place even if it means I’ll die trying to win the commander’s affection.
•
•
THE KING’s COURT
•
•
The carriage arrives sooner than I was prepared for it to.
It comes to a stop as violent as the lurch in my heart, and my heart pounds so loudly I fear that others can hear it, as irrational as it is.
I can’t bring myself to dare glance outside, afraid that I might see my future fiancé to be among the greeting party.
I am tired - exhausted, after nearly a fortnight of sleepless nights - with bags under my eyes and my hair unkempt from nervous tugging, my clothes wrinkled from clenching my hands around them too tightly.
I dimly wonder if I appear unpresentable enough, if Alpha Alaric will deem me unfit and send me back.
Rejected, even as a discarded spare.
I cannot tell if I relish the idea, or dread it.
Then the driver opens the carriage door.
For a moment, it is all I can do to sit there, back ramrod straight, hands curled into the fabric of my outfit, white-knuckled, breathing.
My blood rushes in my ears.
Irrationally, I feel a lot like stepping out of this carriage is the step that will lead me straight into the darkness; as if I am not already fully within it, as if this carriage could somehow shield me from the horrifying reality of his situation.
Remember, Lila, you have to show them that you aren’t worthless.
The reminder alone makes me exits the carriage.
There is a small crowd of people gathered at the front doors, a respectful receiving court of attendants and key advisers.
I step out onto the gravel, chin up and proud as a daughter of the Shepherd family - though my eyes are fixed firmly on their feet rather than their faces.
I am more afraid, than I have ever been of anything.
I am afraid of glimpsing my fiancé face.
And I admit I am afraid of being rejected.
“Lila Shepherd” a voice speaks. “I, welcome you with great joy.”
I look up.
In front of me is a warm looking old woman with wide smiles on her face.
Is she happy to see me or is that what she does to other fiancées that have come here?
I bow my head in respect. “Thank you. And I apologize for the late coming.”
“Oh.”
I lift my head to see her surprise and she quickly waves it off like it’s nothing.
“No worries. Others have come in later than you.” She says before pointing. “Right this way.”
I manage a smile grabbing my small duffel bag along me as I followed behind her.
Maybe this place wouldn’t be too bad.
The woman’s kindhearted welcome was good enough to set my spirits in a good mood.
We get further more inside and I walk slowly seeing more soldiers around.
Their presence and eyes boring into me sent a chill down my spine.
I hurried to walk directly behind the woman praying we get to my room on time.
“A new bride?!!.”
Someone exclaimed and I turned to see a stern looking woman in a uniform similar to those guys.
I haven’t met many alpha women and she sure looked intimidating enough.
“The last one just ran off few days ago.” She said loudly and the people around laughed like it was a joke.
Maybe it was a joke.
The female alpha turned to me. “So when are you leaving? You are carrying a small bag, it’s good that you know you won’t be here for long.”
Words stuck in my throat, I couldn’t find a way to respond to her.
“Stop that. That’s no way to speak to Alaric’s future wife.” The old woman comes over dragging me away from her.
“Well isn’t she going to see Alaric then to know if truly he’s her future husband?.”
I stopped right in my tracks thinking about what she said.
It’s the truth.
It’s better to be rejected faster.
I turn to face her. “Take me to him.”
.
TBC
- Writer
