Arabella’s point of view
“… food is life!” Daphne shouted.
She threw her head back on the chair, slightly lifted her blouse and rubbed her belly -her eyes were closed as though she’s enjoying rubbing her belly.
“That was a great feast, I’d do anything to have this kind of feast again” she said, chewing her mouth to compliment her words.
She’s not even aware of our presence, I cleared my throat and she sprang up at once and looked around frantically until her eyes landed on me.
“You scared me” she said, patting her chest gently.
“I see you’ve eaten up everything” I nodded at the table.
She glanced at the table, the maids were already clearing up the table -she smiled at me.
“Yeah”
I scoffed.
“And you didn’t even think of looking for me, what if I had gotten into trouble?”
She stepped closer to me, linked our arms together and rested her head on my shoulder.
“I was gonna come look for you after eating to my satisfaction, look, I just finished eating and here you are” she’s obviously lying.
I know Daphne too well, she wouldn’t trade her food for anything. I shook my head at her lousy explanation, then shrugged her head off my shoulder.
“Well, missy I’m not gonna let this go, but let’s save that for later”
I gestured at Edward.
“This is Edward and he’s gonna show us around the palace” I told her.
She opened her mouth very wide, but I quickly covered it with my palm before she could make any sound.
“It’s ok, it’s just a tour of the palace” I told her.
She nodded and removed my hand from her mouth.
“He’s showing us around the palace?” I nodded. “You mean, I can see more of the legendary beast king’s palace?”
“Shh” I hushed her quickly.
Her eyes widened when she realized what she just said, we faced Edward and laughed awkwardly -he simply smiled and shook his head.
“It’s fine, we also call him beast King here sometimes”
“What?” Daphne and I asked at once in surprise.
“Yeah, but don’t let him hear you” Edward added.
We nodded and laughed, if only Edward was my mate and not that grumpy beast.
“Alright, let’s get this tour started” he said.
“Yay!” Daphne and I exclaimed happily.
★★★★★
Third person’s point of view.
WIZARDRY FOREST.
Arthur looked inside the forest again and groaned.
“Mom, it’s already 2:32pm and all the other girls are already out, what’s keeping them there?” he asked, frustration dripping off his words.
“Sit down and wait, I believe they’ll be out soon” his mother answered.
Arthur suddenly gasped, he focused his gaze in the woods with his mouth widely opened.
“Mom, do you think something happened to them? Do you feel like the beast King has eaten them up?” he asked with an horrified expression.
His mother threw him a scolding glare, while Dante on the other hand smacked Arthur’s head.
“Don’t curse my sister, she’s gonna come out alive” Dante said.
Arthur scoffed.
“Look around, the other families are gone with their daughters, but where are our sisters?”
Dante gaped at him as he doesn’t know how to reply him, Arthur walked towards a fallen log of trees and sat down.
“I have right to be worried about my sister and I can’t help the scary scenarios that keep playing on my mind -besides, I’m having a weird feeling about this” he said.
Dante sat next to Arthur and they both focused their gaze on the dark forest.
“I shouldn’t have let Ara go to this selection parade” he grumbled coherently, but his mother heard him perfectly clear.
Mrs Humphrey stifled a laugh as she stared at her worried son, she shook her head and cleared her throat.
“Arthur, I thought you were wishing your sister to die there, why do you look more worried than I?” she asked him tauntingly.
Arthur scoffed and quickly put on a nonchalant expression.
“Worried about who? Ara?” he scoffed. “In her dreams”
“Well, tell that to your trembling hands” she pointed at his hands as they were trembling -one look at his hands and one would know he’s extremely worried.
He wanted to say something, but his ears perked up when he heard footsteps approaching them.
He snapped his head towards the direction and saw the man who was dressed in army uniform, that led the girls away earlier -he sprang up and rushed towards me.
He grabbed the man’s collar and looked in his eyes challengingly -though the man seem stronger than him, but that didn’t scare him.
“Where’s my sister? What have you done to her? Why didn’t she come back with the other girls?” he questioned the man seriously.
“Mr Humphrey, she’s….”
“Don’t Mr Humphrey me!”
Arthur cut him off and landed a punch on his nose, the man staggered back but held himself from falling to the ground.
Mrs Humphrey quickly grabbed Arthur’s hand and sent him a scolding glare, which he ignored.
He pointed a finger at the man.
“Listen up, that’s the only sister I have in this world and I don’t joke with her, bring her back to me now or I swear I’ll fight you to death!” he growled.
The man raised his hands in surrender, he passed Mrs Humphrey a pleading look to calm Arthur down but she glared at him in return.
“Where is my daughter?!” she asked in a low growl, her canines showing slightly.
The man’s eyes scanned around, both Arthur, his mother and Dante and his parents all stood tall, as if they’re gonna fight him any minute -he gulped.
“Miss Humphrey and Miss Scott are both fine” he said.
“Then where are they?” Everyone asked at once.
The man sighed.
“I brought news from the palace, the king has found his mate….”
“What?” they all exclaimed.
“Yes and Miss Humphrey is the king’s mate, therefore she shall not return home today and Miss Scott is to stay behind to accompany her”
“What?!” they all exclaimed again.