Nova’s POV
As the sunlight streamed through the window, I gradually opened my eyes, squinting against the glare. To my surprise, I found myself staring into a pair of piercing blue eyes. A wave of relief washed over me as I realized it was Shayna, her face hovering above mine.
“Shayna?” I rasped, my voice thick with sleep. I yawned tiredly, pushing the blanket aside and swung my legs over the side of the bed, my feet hitting the floor with a thud. As my eyes adjusted to the ray of light emerging from the parted curtains, I could see Shayna’s face more clearly.
She was sitting on a chair beside the bed, her brow furrowed with concern. I could tell she’d been watching me for some time, and I felt a pang of guilt for whatever she was worrying about.
“Good morning to you too, my Queen!” Shayna said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She rose from the chair and made her way to the table, picking up a mug and holding it out towards me. Her expression was stern, and I could tell she was not so pleased with me, judging by her referring to me as ‘my Queen’ and that was the first time she would be calling me that.
“What? I whined, stretching my hand for the mug in her hand. I could feel the warmth radiating from it, but I had no idea what it was. Shayna just rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed with something that I had no idea of.
“Princess?” Shayna called, holding the mug out of my reach. I grabbed it, but she pulled it back at the last moment, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
I raised my brows at her, wondering why she chose to mess with me on a fine morning. “What?” I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest.
“The lady Everest asked me to check on you last night, when I got here, you were fast asleep. your knees were injured and you were crying even in your sleep. Care to tell me what happened?” she took my hand and carefully placed the mug of hot chocolate tea in my palm before taking the space beside me on the bed.
“Hmm, nothing,” I mumbled, taking a sip of my hot chocolate tea. My chest burned as I gulped down the hot tea.
“Nothing you say?” she groaned, taking the mug back from me after I had gulped down the little I could take.
“Yes, nothing. It’s nothing to worry about.” I muttered, standing up from the bed.
Shayna didn’t say anything, she just sat there, glaring at my back as I strode towards the window. The window has already been opened by Shayna, I guessed. Staring down from the window, watching the bustling activities of the maids trooping in and out of the buildings.
“I guess it’s already past breakfast time, right?” I yelled out to Shayna from the window, she didn’t say anything so I had to turn around to have a look at her face.
“Isn’t it obvious?” she snorted, rolling her eyes. “It’s already 10 am! Who in their right mind would wait this long to have breakfast, except for you, of course! You’re just waking up so I understand it’s natural for you to ask.” She shook her head, getting up from the bed and gripped tight at the mug in her hand. Obviously sending her anger to her grip on the mug.
Poor mug! I chuckled inwardly, walking away from the window.
“I don’t know if you’re behaving like this because of what you said you saw, but it was nothing. I promise.” I sighed, stretching my arms as I made my way towards the closet to grab a towel. I should have my bath, I reek of sweat.
“I don’t really care, you know?” Shayna snickered, her tone was a bit high. I chuckled out loud, taking out a purple towel from the closet and I arched my brow, not wanting to believe that the closet was filled with purple towels.
“Tell that to yourself.” I laughed, stripping out of the red gown before wrapping the towel around my chest. “I’m sorry if I made you worry about me.” I cleared my throat before walking towards the bathroom.
“We are over that discussion. Just make sure you watch out for yourself and don’t get hurt.” I could hear her growl out those words as I entered the bathroom.
“Yes, sister,” I yelled back at her before shutting the door.
Shayna knew better than I love to have my privacy when it comes to bathing, hence, she would have offered to help me out in the bathroom.
After spending quality time in the bathroom I walked out to see Shayna standing before the closet, taken out a blue gown from the set.
I groaned, glaring at the dress in her hand. “Gown again? I just got out of one. Can’t I just have my pretty long legs in a pair of jeans or something?” I whined, walking up to her to grab the dress away from her.
“Sorry, Princess!” she shook her head, moving the dress away from my reach. “You’re going to supervise the court maiden while they set the arena,” she smirked, shutting the closer.
“Me? Supervise? Court Maiden? Arena?” I groaned, resting my hands on both sides of my waist. “What message are you trying to pass? Make it make sense.” I blurted, striding towards the dresser and plunging into the seat.
“Yeah, blame yourself for not being around last night when I received your schedule for today from the madam.” she grinned, walking up to my back and taking off the towel on my head.
“What exactly am I supposed to do today other than getting my pretty ass seated on the office desk?” I glared at her through the mirror.
I watched Shayna shake her head while grinning like an idiot. “Absolutely not! I heard there is going to be an activity here in the Villa in a couple of days. The arena is to be set in anticipating for the big day, and your Highness is expected to be there when the court maiden puts things to order.” she uttered, her cheeks curved in a beautiful smile. Shayna has always loved the thought activities so I didn’t blame her.
“Understood! But what about the office?” I asked as if she was the one that assigned the task to me.
“Office? Do you really give a fuck about that darned office?” she laughed, drying out my hair with the hand dryer.
I wanted to shake my head but I remembered she was working on my head, so as not to earn a smack from her, I said, “I don’t give two fuck about the office. I’m just asking.” I chuckled, the thought of escaping the hellhole office for a whole day brought a smile to my face.
“Exactly what I want to hear.” Shayna grinned, turning off the hand dryer before dumping it in the drawer.
“Let’s just go to that arena and act like you know what you’re doing there. Simple!” Shayna suggested and we both burst into an ear blasting laughter. We had always been like that back then at the pack when I was given a task, we would both bluff our way out and the thought of doing it again at the Villa was so hilarious to us.
“What about His Majesty, would he be working in his office today, or would he join in the supervising?” I asked amidst my laughter.
Shayna cleared her throat before saying, “I heard his Majesty was always away during this period. I don’t really know much about it, but I heard he isn’t in the Villa.” she announced, moving away from my back, giving me chance to slide into my undies.
Hearing that His Majesty was away made me knit my brows in confusion. When did he leave the Villa? Was it truly not him I saw last night, at the pub?
“When did he leave?” I asked, hoping Shayna would have an idea of when His Majesty was last seen at the Villa.
“I have no idea when. But I heard he’s currently not at the villa.” she let out, I nodded my head, sliding the dress on my head.
“Olay,” I mumbled, turning around for Shayna to help with the zipper.
If it wasn’t Prescott who I saw at the pub, does that mean I had made a fool of myself and cried myself to bed for no reason?
I bit my lip, my cheeks curved up as I made sense of the possibility that it might not be him. I didn’t know I had been blushing to my embarrassing thought until I felt Shayna’s finger, pressing gently on my cheek.
“Look at you Princess, blushing so hard at the mention of your dear husband.” she teased, smiling at her finger on my cheeks.
I gasped, gripping my cheeks in my palm before turning away from her.
“Shut up it is not about him! it’s really not him!” I cried out, running towards the bathroom.