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Morning.
Royal Main Hall
Wyfkeep Castle,
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Her skin was fine now and she knew so she didn't have to fear being taken care of by the maids today.
Salviana woke up alone in the bed, the early light filtering through the heavy curtains, casting a soft glow on the room. She stretched her limbs, the remnants of last night's conversation with Alaric distant, like a fading dream.
Despite the unease that lurked in the corners of her mind, she had slept peacefully—far more peacefully than she ever imagined possible in this vast, ominous castle. She had expected sleepless nights, tossing and turning in fear, waiting for the moment Alaric would finally drain her blood. But here she was, her body sinking into the soft, welcoming mattress, feeling free and oddly safe.
'How long would this last?' she wondered.
Was he simply savoring her, like a hunter playing with his prey before the final strike?
Or could she afford to relax, to enjoy the life she had left for however long it might be?
He had asked her to trust him, but trust him with what?
Her life? Her soul? She wished he had been more specific.
Last night, he had come home late, but as he had promised, he 'did' come back. That was something.
She didn't bother talking about what had taken her to bed early because she doesn't think he'd care but she'd desperately wanted to ask him why he didn't come back for dinner.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft shuffle of feet. The maids were already in the chambers, tending to their duties. "Good morning, Princess Salviana," they greeted her in unison, their voices soft and polite.
"Good morning," she replied. They helped her get ready for the morning and she thought before Alaric would come back she would do something, she stood up quickly addressing the one maid who seemed more approachable—Sarah. "I need your help."
Sarah glanced around nervously, as if she didn't want anyone overhearing. "Help?" she whispered, her eyes darting to the door as if expecting someone to walk in any moment.
"Yes," Salviana began, lowering her voice. "I need you to—"
But before she could finish, a loud voice bellowed from outside the chambers, cutting her off. "The third prince and his bride, the third princess, have been summoned to the main hall for questioning!"
'Questioning?' Salviana's mind raced. What could this be about?
Panic surged through her as she rushed out of the bedroom in search of her husband. The maids, Sarah, Emma, and Priscilla, followed, though Sarah seemed more concerned about properly dressing her than with Salviana's sudden urgency. "Where's Alaric?" Salviana demanded, her voice rising with each word.
Emma and Priscilla exchanged confused glances, their expressions blank, as if she were speaking in a language they didn't understand. Their lack of response only increased her agitation.
But then she remembered, they don't call him by his name and might not even know it.
"Where is my husband?" she wailed, desperation creeping into her voice. "The third prince!"
'Husband.' The word echoed through the halls and reached Alaric, who was in his office, brooding over matters far darker than his wife's concern. He didn't need distractions, but the moment he heard her call out for him—'my husband'—something stirred within him. It was a strange feeling, almost foreign, but it pulled him from his chair and into the corridor.
As he stepped into the parlour, he nodded and the door swung open, and there stood two tall guards, rigid and stone-faced. One of them spoke in a booming voice, "The king has ordered your presence in the main hall."
Alaric's eyes immediately found Salviana's. She was standing there, her fiery red hair tumbling in disarray around her shoulders, her green eyes wide with confusion and fear. He felt a strange protectiveness swell in his chest, mingled with the dark possessiveness that had been building ever since the moment he'd laid eyes on her.
He didn't want her to fret about those people.
She was his wife and too beautiful for that.
He couldn't help but fantasize, even briefly, as he took in her flushed face and the way her delicate nightgown clung to her form. She was a contradiction—a fragile human in a den of wolves, yet defiant and proud in her stance, even now. He remembered how vulnerable and welcoming she had been last night
Maybe she was slowly relaxing but then he wasn't sure he wanted her to relax. His jaw tightened.
He was still a predator and he didn't at all fancy the idea of hurting her. And seeing her last night, comfortable in his bed made him hunger to be normal in a way that a vampire can never be. Maybe he shouldn't have asked for her trust.
Now, standing before her, that same possessiveness reared its head again, darker and more primal. She was his. And if anyone dared lay a hand on her again, there would be no stopping him.
"We will be there," Alaric said, his voice calm but edged with something dangerous, his gaze never leaving his wife's.
The guard, however, wasn't satisfied. His lips curled in disdain as he growled, "Immediately."
Salviana felt a shiver of fear shoot down her spine at the guard's tone. She could feel the tension emanating from Alaric—his gaze had darkened, his jaw clenched. She quickly stepped forward, attempting to diffuse the situation. "Of course," she said, her voice a little too eager, trying to appease both the guards and her husband.
Alaric's eyes flicked to her briefly, and for a moment, she thought she saw something softer there, a flicker of something unspoken. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by the cold, unreadable mask he always wore.
She threw on a cloak that the maids handed her and was ready to leave.
As they made their way down the corridors toward the main hall, Salviana could feel the weight of the castle's dark secrets pressing in on her. The walls seemed to close in, every shadow hiding something she couldn't quite see. She had no idea what awaited them in the main hall, but the uneasy feeling in her gut told her it wasn't good.
She glanced up at Alaric, who walked beside her with long, purposeful strides, his face emotionless. She wondered what he was thinking, what plans he had.
Whatever it was, she could only hope that in the darkness, he would continue to protect her like he had on that bridge.