Chapter 3: Slaves hope
1298 Words
I was still jittery at the message when Joana and King Luther walked out arm in arm, laughing heartily to one another, as if they had already walked down the aisle.One could read all over Joana’s face that she was thankful I had left them alone to become so close, and she was also annoyed that I was back around her.She sent one of her soul rippling stares at me by the side, before turning her concentration back to King Luther. I was still waiting tentatively, for him to stare at me and give me one of his soulful gaze again. It never came.Joana led Luther cautiously down the hallway to the garden space, chatting away about some decorations she had implemented for their engagement. I was hurt, but it was only on the surface level because deep down, I still knew my place. It was engraved in my heart like an emblem, I was just a slave.I had read the content of the letter one more time before putting it away. It had read frankly and straight forward as ever:‘Just like the dandelions that grace this walkway, you are alluring and the first thing I have noticed since my arrival. I have found my mate.’I was sure it had meant something, but it most likely was not meant for me. Either way, I had dumped it into a bin, and resumed my duties behind the gleeful couple.“Joana darling, please get me some green tea. It soothes me after a worthy meal, most especially, when I am to sit among the greens of the land.” Luther’s voice was deep and captivating, as he stared into Joana's eyes.“Oh, Angela. Please get green tea...”“No, I want you to do it. Love is even more soothing than any green tea, and I am more than certain I will taste them if you make them personally for me.”He was flirting with her at the lowest level, with the cheapest words, and Joana was red from both ears down. Joyfully, she made her way to the kitchen, almost leaping as if she had ever made a green tea to taste before.Luther kept on walking towards the garden, so I just followed at a distance. He took his seat at a low bench, and offered that I sit beside him.“No, Your Highness, I would never do such a thing.” I kept my head bowed low.“I thought courtesies would have been left to sail carelessly in the wind, after receiving my letter.” He asked.“What letter, Your Highness?”“Playing dumb? I do not mean to harm Angela. I only wish to find my true mate, and show her how much I care. Truly, you do not wish for me to remain mated to Joana in an arranged marriage?” It felt like he was testing me, testing to get my threshold so he would strangle me from there.“I have no say in that matter, Your Highness.” I was not giving in “Your future is totally in your hands, why would you need consultation from a mere slave...”Luther banged the side of the bench in anger, making me shiver in fear. His face was contorted to portray the level at which he was vexed.I stared at him slowly, calculating over and over again in my head what I might have said to vex him.“I dislike the manner in which you regard yourself, Angela. A mere slave? What is that to mean?! You are just like every other wolf to me, so speak when I demand you to.”“My apologies, Your Highness.” I could only muster that to keep my voice from betraying me.“Sit!”With caution, I sat at the far end of the bench away, as possible, from him. My mind was filled with several speculations but I tried to focus on what he had to say.“Now, I want to listen to you talk. What do you think about finding your mate?”It was a tricky question, because he was definitely looking to drive at something with it, and quite frankly, it was a very silly question to indulge a slave with, at first real conversation. Despite the absurdity, I still had to answer...“As a slave, I...”“No, as a wolf, Angela. As a wolf with equal rights, and opportunities.” he corrected and it really was stupid because I had to start thinking from a viewpoint that I was not even conversant with.“I do not know exactly. I have never lived my life as a wolf with equal rights, so I do not know how I am to think in such a manner.”“Angela, whatever it is you have grown to believe, it is wrong, because fact remains that as a born wolf, you are equal to any other. Just like Joana. You are entitled to have what every other wolf has; a pack, a family, a mate and a life.”His voice was deep and laced with sweet injections, leaving me almost breathless and high in thinking.“It takes time to change one’s perspective after being forced to conform to one particular manner.” That was all I could say.“I am here to help, to help you find yourself...”“What?! What happens to Joana? The engagement? All the preparations?”“I am a king, Angela. I can turn things around, make the grass greener and most suitable for you.”“But it does not work that way, you can not leave Joana...”“I told you, you are my mate. I felt it when I set my eyes on you, the first time. And you will feel it too, if only you are ready to give it a try. You are destined for much more, and I can help you. I want to help you, if only you are ready to let me do that.” His voice was reduced to the thinnest and deepest.It created a sensual atmosphere, and sent tingles round my whole body. I felt my wolf shiver, and almost let out a growl of pleasure, but was quick to stop myself.My senses were on end, sharp and alert. Hearing what he said, I was ready for more than anything he had to offer. He was compassionate, sincere and adorable. What else could one ask for? He was born a king, so he would definitely offer me enough protection from Joana's scorching blades if I took his hand.My mind surveyed all angles of the situation, and it seemed favorable from every perspective I looked at it. I just could not see anything wrong with accepting him.“Give it some thought, please.” He did not say more.A shuffle behind me, and a snap of dry twigs had me jolting up from the bench where I was seated rather too comfortably already. Joana came in with a cup of green tea, and a wide smile on her face.She set it before Luther, and bade me away.I was still hysterical about his offer, but I had to push it aside because as expected, Joana already had a bulk of things for me to do, to make King Luther, her soon to be Alpha, feel more than comfortable.The day soon went by almost in an instant, that I had barely noticed when darkness shrouded me. My work for the day was done quickly and more intensely because it had kept me from thinking about King Luther, except more was to come that night.More which I had not expected.
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