Chapter 4 No.4

"What has happened?"

"My king!" Edom bowed on his knee, his features pale. King Nord recognized the fear in his voice and he dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Not waiting for the healer to rise, Nord settled next to his daughter's bed, his hand on her forehead.

Her mask was laid on the bedside table, the jade reflecting the setting sun. Nord hissed in pain when his hand made contact with her wrist, frowning when he noticed that she was actually glowing.

"Why is she glowing? Did something wrong happened with the potions?"

Edom bit his lip, "The potion did not take effect as it usually did." Edom shakes his head and massaged his brow, "I fear that the princess has already met her mate, though unknowingly, thus it results to this."

Nord reeled back, his eyes wide. "Met her mate? But who?" He rested his fingers on his cheek and stated, "The men invited at the ball are all from the local tribes. I shall ask them to stay longer and have her meet with them again, one by one if she must."

Edom pursed his lips. Nord inclined his head to look at him as he noticed Edom's silence.

"You don't agree?"

"Er, it's not that I do not agree, your majesty, but I think, doing that will reduce the chance of her meeting her mate." Edom takes something from his robes and held it out to the king, a slightly wrinkled paper that contain his diagnostics. "Your majesty, the crown princess' skin is glowing because of the bond that is established. If we try to meet her up with the other unmated wolves, it is likely that she would suffer more."

"Then, what do you suggest that we do?"

Edom takes a deep breath and whispered in a low voice, "Allow her to leave the kingdom and find her mate on her own. Only then will we be able to help her."

Nord was speechless. He lightly touched Arryn's cheek and takes the mask from her bedside table. He puts it next to her, choosing not to place it to cover her beautiful face. Edom observed the king with keen eyes, aware that the king is weighing his options.

"If I allowed her outside, how can I be so sure that she will return in one piece?"

"If you allow her to stay here, what is your assurance, your majesty, that she will live through her twenty eight birthday?"

The question that he asked made the king turn a bright shade of red. Edom didn't want to be rude but he needed to do so. For the sake of the kingdom, he shall be brave enough to say things that might make him disrespectful and land him in execution.

"My king," Edom bowed in front of Nord and said in a solemn voice, "The princess' life is at stake. I am afraid that if we delay this for a couple months more, she would waste away like autumn leaves."

Nord tucked her hair and sigh, still undecided. He doesn't want to listen to Edom for he never wanted his children separated from him. Though as a royalty, there are things that even them cannot get away from.

" You could see the golden glow on her, your majesty. Her wolf is longing for her mate. As the days passed, it will get even worse." Edom bit his lip. He knows that he is trying his luck with speaking so blatantly but he couldn't help it.

His patient is at stake.

"I do not want to make her suffer," King Nord whispered, kissing each finger of his daughter.

"Then don't." Edom puts his hand over the king's shoulder and continued. "In this world, we exist to survive what life has given us. Don't let the princess die just because you think that she is already dying. "

Nord nodded in appreciation as he digested what the healer said. With his mind made up, he rises from the bed and turns to announce back at the hall.

*

"Nord, what has happened? Why did you disappear so suddenly without informing me?" Nord lets out a sigh as he takes Queen Hali's hand on his. He guided her on a chair and they sat, both with worried faces.

"Something happened that even I couldn't avoid it."

"What do you mean?" Hali huffed in frustration as she massaged her forehead, "Stop being cryptic, Nord. I want answers!"

Nord scratched his neck and pat Hali's hand. He rises from his seat and headed at the head of the hall, "My friends," A couple of men stopped from drinking their mead, sobering up to hear the announcement he was about to make. "I believe that we would have to cancel the banquet for the coming days. A couple of rouges were captured and they are under query. There's a possibility that they know what happened at the east river."

The women gasped while the men remain stoic. Caius raised his eyes to look at the king but Nord simply nodded at him. He frowned.

"Why do you look so forlorn, my love? We'll meet again in a week, I promise." Catherine pulled Caius down for a kiss but he is unresponsive.

He is thinking hard. Why are they cancelling the banquet just because of a few rogues? The east river incident has been closed, why did the king introduced it now when it is clear that it isn't the reason behind the cancellation.

Caius pursed his lips but he held Catherine close. She smiled in appreciation, resting her head on his chest. Caius stiffened when she did that for he is not used to being touched.

One by one, they start to leave until the royal guards, the king and queen and Caius with Catherine was left inside the room. Nord raised an eyebrow at the young Alpha, "Why are you still here, Lykos?"

Caius shrugged, his eyebrows meeting in the middle. Catherine smiled at the king and bowed, "Oh! We are having a moment of our own that we fail to notice that the others have left. If you may excuse us?"

The king nodded at Catherine and turned to fetch his wife at the seats. Catherine tugged at Caius wrist but he stayed where he stood.

Catherine frowned, "Caius. Come on, Love."

She tugged at his wrist again and this time she succeeded. They made their way down the halls; Catherine swaying her hips enticingly but Caius fail to notice it, too distracted of his thoughts.

"Those rogues are a real problem. It is only right that the king is paying them mind," Catherine takes his hand and intertwined their fingers together, "Do you think I should go and visit you next week? Our wedding will happen in less than two full moons. I would love to spend some-"

"You may ask Hilt to fetch you at the borders. I will make sure that they will prepare your favorites."

"Really?" Caius stared down and smiled at her, but it did not reach his eyes. He tucked her hair and nodded.

His ride, a handsome brown stallion, was waiting at the gates and Catherine kissed both of his cheeks, watching him go. As she turns to go back inside the castle, Caius halted his horse and raised his eyes at the balcony.

He could sense something but he isn't sure what it was. Shaking his head, Caius clicked his boots on the stallion's stomach and ride away.