[P.O.V. Jared Woods]
It has been a couple of days since the first ball of the festival. Karen was moved into her own chamber here in the castle. Ever since she has, we have done pretty much everything together. Rather it's at the festival activities or not. It's nice getting to know her, and it's also getting harder not to put my mark on her. I can't put my mark on her until after we are wedded, which won't be long since my Father and Mother are stepping down from the throne.
Mother and Father step down the same day they will be giving their crowns to the new Higher King and Higher Queen. The day before the last of the festival is the day the council will reveal what my brother and I will do for Father's crown. Thinking about it has my stomach want to tie up into knots.
Looking outside of my bedroom window, it's the start of another day. There was a knock on my door, permitting them to enter. It was Milo.
"I see that you are all ready for the day," Milo says as he enters and then stops and stands. "But before you leave for your duties or activities for the day, there is someone here that I need to introduce to you." He looks towards and signals for someone to come in.
He had dark brown hair, white skin, and these silver-colored eyes. He was dressed in a royal guard outfit. It was a black suit with a purple tie and a white shirt. On the suit, the coat had the family crest and the symbol of which kingdom they protect. In this case, the symbol was the heart of the tattoo my Father had on his chest that the gods and goddesses gave him.
"I already know who this is, Milo. This is your son Xavier." Telling him
"Yes, it is, but Xavier will be your new bodyguard once your Father and Mother step down from their crowns," Milo tells me. Nodding my head in understatement. I walked over to Xavier and shook his hand.
"It would be an honor if you were my royal bodyguard." Even though I knew who his son was, I really didn't know him very well.
"It will be an honor to serve your highness," Xavier says.
"Wonderful, if that is all shall we go do today's activities?" Milo asks. Nodding my head, we all leave my bedroom.
After leaving my bedroom, the first place I went was the dining hall. All the royals and high ranks that were staying at the castle were in here eating breakfast. Going to the table where my family sat along with Karen, I took my seat beside her and sat across from Riley. Ever since the first night of the festival, Riley has been acting real down lately. Even though he doesn't really show it as his twin, I can sense something wrong. I'm not talking about our twin bond because he has that closed upon his side. I'm talking about what I know from instincts and also from knowing him for hundreds of years. It was strange for me that his not opening up to me. We tell each other everything we have always been close.
"Hey, man, are you okay?" Asking through our twin mind link.
"Yea, I'm fine.." Riley says,
"No, your not. Tell me, what's going on?"
"It's really none of your business."
"Since when? we tell each other everything."
"Back off, Jared." I could hear the irritation in his voice. I couldn't back off. Sometimes the best way to get him to talk is to bug him about it.
"Was it something I said or did? "
"No..." He started to pick at his food with a fork, irritatedly.
"Is it something to do with Karen?"
"No..."
"It's my job as your twin and sibling to bother you about things. So tell me, what is going on?"
"I said to back the hell off!!" Riley yells as he stands up and his chair, making a huge scooting sound. Also, he bangs his hands hard onto the table. At the same time, he glares directly at me.
His eyes were not the color of his wolf nor his dragon, or even his. No his eyes were a different shade, a shade I have never seen in his eyes or mine. For his eyes to change, this color means his wolf, dragon, and himself are in tune with the same feeling. The color was an orangeish red color, and this color is the color of his hybrid eyes. It was so unexpected the way he yelled. It was a shock. He's never done that once to me or anyone as a child. Sure he's had his bad days, but nothing like this.
"Why does everything have to be about you!? Just because your the golden boy out of us two doesn't always mean everything is about you!.." Riley continued to yell. He stands up tall with his hands in a fist and takes a deep breath. Closing his eyes, he let his breath out and opened his eyes. When he did, his eyes were back to normal. "Stay the hell out of my head. And mind your own damn business." Riley seethes at me and takes his leave.
Glancing up at Mother, she gave me a look I know too well. It was the look she gives me when I need to my own business. Moving my eyes towards Father, he had a look I have never seen before. It looked like he was really thinking hard about something mixed with concern. But he wasn't looking at me. He was looking at the door where Riley left. Mother stood up and said a few words, and after few minutes, everybody continued to eat. Then she retook her seat and continued to eat. It was too hard to eat now. I felt horrible for budding into Riley's business. But I didn't let anyone see that I felt that way. And by doing that, I ate all my breakfast.
After breakfast, I thought I would go out and find Riley to apologize to him. After looking around and not finding him, there is one place that nobody knows about except him and me. It was our hiding place when we needed a break from everything. It was underneath the bridge that everybody crosses to get to the castle and back to town. Its also known as the bridge that everyone can see from the garden. Getting underneath the bridge, I stop myself before I went underneath completely. Peeking around the corner, I saw my brother with a woman. Looking a little better at her, she was no ordinary woman either she is royal.
He's yelling at her and listening to him yell. It broke my heart a little to hear it. She is his Mate, and she rejected him. That's what is eating at him. I feel like a complete jerk. The way I acted this morning, I should have respected his space. Leaving this place, I go back to the castle to give him a little privacy.
Getting back to the castle grounds, I spot Karen in the Garden. She was sitting alone at a tea table. Walking towards her, she looks at me and smiles big—the way she did makes my heart beat like crazy.
"Hey, did you find your brother?" Karen asks.
"No, I didn't. I will apologize to him a little later." Telling her a little fib. It wasn't her or my business to known what's going on with him unless he decides to tell me.
"Alright... What do you want to do?"
"Anything you would like to do."
"Well, anything besides drinking more tea. The tea party for one of the festivities just got over. And I got to say I think I drank too much tea. Another thing I really don't like tea, and now I got a bit of a bellyache." I couldn't help but smile at what she said.
"Then why did you join in?" Taking a seat next to her. Propping one leg on top of the other. Leaning my body against the table with my arm holding me up.
"Honestly, because your Mother did. I want to get to know her a little better." After hearing her say that, I couldn't help but laugh lightly. After few minutes of laughing, I calm myself down a little. Karen had a puzzled look on her face. "Was it something I said?"
"Karen darling, my Mother doesn't drink tea." Telling her.
"Yes, she does. I saw her drink in after pouring some into her cup."
"Did she put any sugar in it?"
"Yes, but it wasn't the sugar cubes off the table, though. She had some special ones that servants gave her."
"Those special sugar cubes are made from magic. My mother puts a couple in to turn her tea into apple cider. That way, nobody can tell she is not drinking tea. It's a little joke she likes to play on everyone." Karen's face turns a little red from embarrassment.
"I feel like an idiot... I only drank the tea because I thought she liked it." Her face goes even a little redder. Evening though I was laughing on the inside, I take a deep breath and let it out. Getting out of my chair, I move her chair to face me. Kneeling in front of her and looking deep into her eyes.
"You're not an idiot. My Mother has always had a child side when it comes to joking and tricking people. She has always been that way. In fact, it just shows she likes you enough to play a joke on you."
"You think so?" Her red cheeks light up a little.
"Yea, I do..."
"Well, good because I like her too." She smiles softly.
"Now that you put up with my mother's behavior and facing the consequence for it. How about we go do something that you want to do."
"Sounds great.." Standing up and helping her up. She trips on her left two feet, making her fall into my arms.
Her body felt amazing pressed up against me. It's making my beast go crazy. They want to claim her already. She looks up at me with those eyes and knots formed in my stomach. Leaning down with our lips almost touching, I kissed her for the first time.