"Where is my father?" Kaden asked the shaking enunch, Isaiah who was half asleep on a chair.
"He's in his chambers, sir. " Isaiah responded as he jumped to his feet.
Kaden casted a look at the enunch who looked as if he would fall to the ground anytime and he shook his head while watching him sway his head. He ventured into his father's chambers and he walked inside, watching his father position a couple of grapes Into his mouth.
"Aros is now a Prince, were you aware of that, Father?" Kaden asked as he crouched low and crossed his legs.
"You know why he is made a Prince. You have to understand the circumstances surrounding it and not complain." He heard his father say and he clicked his tongue, someone must have told him about how his meeting with the elders went.
"Why was he chosen? He's not like us. He's a mere human who is weaker than us. We are simply distorting our traditions and he doesn't have any royal blood in him. First he took my position and what next, is he going to compete for my birthright?" Kaden asked as a frown was evident on his face.
He heard his father groan aloudas he shifted and washed his hands in a silver basin.
"There are some things you do not know, my son. Humans are werewolves have found it hard to live with each other in Rivera. They are always at each other's throat and it became even worse when I heard that one of us and a certain human was involved in a bloody fight in the market. And I have watched Aros grow into a loyal fine man. "
"Humans are greedy, Father. You know what they're capable of. He can start a rebellion to destroy your legacy. He can turn everything around, " Kaden rebuffed as he raised a finger, "I do not trust Aros and I will never see him as my brother."
"You have never trusted him and you need to get along with him. He's the key to ensuring that you secure your rightful place on the throne. " His father countered back, "And we need to show a unified front to the people and prove them wrong about their doubts. We need to put their worries and doubts at bay."
"But we will be never be alike. We will always be more dominant than them. I don't need Aros and certainly, it's for your own benefit, Father. He stole my fleet away from me and now he's my brother? What next? Is he going to bear my heir?"
"You are being too irrational about this Kaden. You don't know what is at stake. " His father mouthed and Kaden simply stared.
"Ever since I have awoken, everything has changed and it seems like I'm the only one who can't accept that." Kaden countered back.
He observed as his father edged closer to him and stroked him by the cheek.
"My son, sorcerers from all around Rivera would come soon and they will lift that curse off your hands. You need to let go of your hate regarding Aros. He has done nothing wrong but help Rivera. The people love and adore him. " His father continued and Kaden stiffened for a while as his breathing became shallow.
"I refuse, Father," Kaden positioned his clenched fists on the ground and lifted his head, "I refuse to accept a mere mortal as my brother. "
Lily sat behind a small rock as she began to think about the Prince's request. She looked at the servants who were still carrying several logs of wood. This was her final trip and her eyes darted to the wood laying lazily by her side and she was beginning to feel tired. She had found her dagger earlier in the day and she was relieved that the only memory she had of her parents remained intact.
Lily picked up a small stone and threw it towards a small body of water as she began to think of her plan.
She could say yes to his request and kill him on the night they spend together. Lily thought hard as she turned her head to the side. He didn't know what she was about to do to him the last time but if she made him drunk of wine, she could kill him in a whim.
"It's too easy. He needs to suffer. " Lily gripped a handful of sand in her palm as she turned her head to the side. She sighted Varick, the head servant approaching with his long whip and she immediately rose to her feet while carrying the log of wood in her arms.
She began to walk swiftly until she heard Varick scream, "Theo!"
Lily gritted her teeth and remained rooted on the spot as she heard his feet slowly approach her.
"Follow me. " she heard him mutter and from then on, she followed him whenever he took her but she walked with caution. She wondered where he was taking her but as they walked, he kept complaining and talking to himself;
"Why do they never clean properly. The wall is still dirty." Varick stomped his feet slowly and he continued complaining about everything, touching every object he could feel and see while promising to lash at every servant.
Lily was engrossed in her mind that she almost didn't hear Varick yell out her name.
"You will go down there and clean that room. Clean it with your best or you will go to your bed, hungry and I will punish you. " she heard him say while stroking his black beard and he walked away. Lily at first wondered why he was giving her more work to do since she would most likely not eat until it was darkness of the night but the she understood.
New slaves like her would be given more work and since the head servant thought she was a man, he did as he wished at any time. As Lily continued walking, she knew that she couldn't continue like this. She always had to hide and look. It was hard to sleep because anything could happen. She had no companion aside herself because she couldn't trust anyone.
Lily looked at her left hand covered in blisters and she began to underwear why her father's servants were often mute to her when she tried to play or joke with them.
Lily walked faster and found herself in front of large steel door. She pushed the door slowly and looked at how rich the room looked. It wasn't as good as the crowned Prince of Rivera but it was beautiful. The room was carefully lit with torches of fire and the walls were made of pure stones. Lily shut the door and looked at the ground, It didn't look like anything needed to be cleaned. She was still in her thoughts when she heard someone clear his throat.
Filled with surprise, Lily tilted her body to the side as her eyes landed on the man who helped her three nights ago. He wore nothing on his upper body and his torso was completely exposed to her eyes. Lily was completely memorized by his eyes which were a dazzle with wonder over a friendly smile etching on his lips. He had well defined cheekbones, a concrete jaw and a manly scent swirled around him.
Lily bowed slowly as she kneeled and was about to begin cleaning when she heard him say;
"You don't have to do anything. I have cleaned it myself, " Lily heard him say as he watched his feet move toward his bed, "But I remember you. I remember saving you from that crazed man called Ristos."
"Thank you for saving me. " Lily whispered slowly as she rose to her feet.
"Why are you wearing a cloak? Do you feel you might die if you take it off?" she heard him say.
"It was the gift my father gave me before he passed away and half of my face hot burnt in a fire. I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable with my appearance." Lily muttered slowly as she tried to speak in the most manly way she could.
"From what I know, people who wear cloaks are merely hiding something or hiding what they are. " she heard him say as he sat on the bed.
Lily gulped as she moved closer to the wall and began to clean it with the rag she was holding in her right hand.
"I don't feel like a Prince. I may have the power but I still do not feel like one. Isn't it odd?" he spoke again and Lily sighed. If he was looking for a slave to converse with, she was the wrong one. She wasn't interested in a conversation with the brother of the man she was about to kill and certainly, she wasn't going to give in, just because he saved her life.
Why would she care about his feelings and what he cared or did not care about?
He kept talking to himself and Lily continued to clean even when he told her not to. She feigned pretense and acted like she was dumb while occasionally nodding to his words. Eventually, her limbs got tired and she opened her mouth, a sudden yawn escaping her lips.
She continued cleaning though her ears picked up his movements as she knew he had risen from his bed. She was still cleaning when she saw him thrust a bowl that had a roasted lamb meat in it. Lily hesitated on taking it for a while as she wondered why he would give his meal to her.
She eventually accepted it and thanked him.
"I am grateful, my Prince. " Lily muttered and she sighted a smile on his face.
"You should leave and eat that instead of wasting your time around here." She heard him suggest as he walked over to pick up his sword.
Lily bowed her head once more and walked out the room with a smile over her lips.