For me …
The conversation shifted to more mundane topics, but the tension in the room remained palpable. I continued to stand nearby, ready to assist with anything that might be needed. My mind, however, was racing. What could this “other matter” be? And why did it seem to hold such significance?
As the meal drew to a close, King Bryan turned to me once more. “You’ll be accompanying me to the grounds,” he stated, not bothering to frame it as a request. “There are a few things I’d like to see for myself.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” I replied immediately, though inwardly I was surprised. Why would he want me to accompany him personally? Was this some kind of test?
As the maids cleared the table and the rest of the household went back to their duties, I found myself walking beside King Bryan as he made his way to the estate’s expansive gardens. The morning air was crisp, and the scent of blooming flowers filled the air, but I could hardly enjoy it. My thoughts were consumed with trying to decipher the motives behind this unexpected turn of events.
“I’m sure you’ve heard many things about me,” King Bryan said suddenly, breaking the silence. His tone was casual, but there was a glint in his eye that suggested he was testing me.
“I’ve heard that you are a man of great wisdom and experience,” I replied carefully, unsure of what he was fishing for.
He chuckled, a low sound that held no real amusement. “Wisdom, perhaps. Experience, certainly. But what you need to understand is that in this world, respect is not given lightly. It is earned, often at a great cost.”
I nodded, unsure of how to respond. His words seemed to carry a hidden meaning, something I wasn’t yet able to grasp.
“You will learn, in time,” he continued, his gaze now fixed on the distant treeline. “There are many things at play here, things that you might not fully understand yet. But remember this: loyalty and competence are valued above all else. Prove that you have both, and you will find your place here.”
His words hung in the air, and I realized this was no ordinary conversation. It was a warning, or perhaps an invitation-an invitation to step deeper into the complex web of power and intrigue that surrounded the mansion and its inhabitants.
“I will do my best, Your Highness,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
“I trust you will,” King Bryan replied, giving me a final, measuring look before turning back towards the mansion. “Now, let us return. There is still much to be done.”
As we walked back, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my life in this mansion was about to become much more complicated. And somehow, King Bryan had just set it all in motion.
Could I say much about it? Probably not, as King Bryan kept speaking in parables. However, I decided to take his word for it and wait for the events to unfold, holding on to the hope that things would change for the better as time moved on.
We went into the mansion, and King Bryan was kind enough to give me a few gold accessories just for being an exceptional host-his words, not mine. At first, I kept trying to refuse the gift, given the fact that I was completely taken by surprise. Not to mention the fact that I couldn’t make sense of how I was supposedly an exceptional host, especially when I didn’t prepare the meals or even know of his visit until just minutes before his arrival.
“Oh, please don’t be modest, Ashley. I am specially giving you this gift so you just can’t refuse me, right?” he said as he turned to face Simon and Lucas, who were standing right beside him. I looked over at them for assistance in helping King Bryan understand why I was refusing the gift he had offered, but they both surprisingly urged me to accept it. At this point, having both Simon and Lucas give me the go-ahead to accept the gift King Bryan was offering, I had no other option than to take it. Since it was more than one gold piece, everything was well packaged in a very beautiful light pink box with a very elegant bow neatly placed on it.
“Good, now that’s more like it! You know, you really shouldn’t refuse the gift of a visitor, especially on their first visit. If they are offering you a gift, it’s from the heart, okay?”
“Okay, Your Highness. Thank you very much. I really do appreciate this lovely gift you have given me today.”
“You are welcome,” he said, turning to face Simon and Lucas, who were ready to escort him out for his departure. While this was happening, I could see the obvious distaste clearly written all over Veronica’s face.
Although she had been carrying out the instructions given to her by either Simon or Lucas-I honestly didn’t know. Most likely, she was doing it to get their validation and somehow get them on her side again. However, it was unfortunate for her that things didn’t go her way. It was even worse given how everything backfired right in front of her. At the end of the day, she ended up becoming a stepping stone as well as a helpful factor that led to me receiving the gift of real gold while she was forgotten entirely.
I walked closer to where she stood with so much fury burning inside of her, humming a beautiful song to myself just to spite her even more.
“The goddess we serve is so wonderful! Making a slave more qualified than a princess, hmmm.” I continued humming, walking a bit slower when I got to where she stood just to make her listen even more and get angrier from it.
“When a princess becomes foolish, a slave must take control!” I continued singing, and this was probably the straw that broke the camel’s back-she was completely annoyed.
“Hey! You better watch that tongue of yours, or else…”
“Or else what? Huh?? What are you possibly going to do to me, princess? In fact, why are you so pissed? I don’t remember calling any names, or did I?”
“Oh, you sneaky little rat! I see you have grown wings now. Listen up, you dirty d-”
“No, you listen up, you spoiled, annoying, and mannerless princess. I do not care what you have to say, nor am I afraid of what you are going to do-that is really your problem. First of all, I didn’t mention any names, so if the shoe fits, then wear it. Also, my name is Ashley, so if you are not smart enough to quickly pick up such little information, then I guess your little princess school did little to nothing in making you smart. All it did was make you the snobby brat you are today, and that’s it!” She fumed silently as she listened to everything I was saying. I had managed to push her buttons to a good extent, but I knew it would be very unwise for me to push it way beyond what I should. I ended things by blowing a kiss, flaunting my gold pieces, and then doing an intentional hair flip as I walked towards the stairs, leaving her to fume as much as she liked.
As soon as I got to the bedroom, I took a deep sigh as I carefully placed the box on my dressing table. I laid flat on the bed and reflected on everything that had happened. Honestly, it was still hard for me to believe that everything that happened today had actually unfolded-it honestly felt like a dream.
Even though I didn’t feel like I did enough in hosting the King, I still felt like I managed to hold my own overall. The room was quiet, and my windows were open, so the cool breeze that entered wasn’t really a surprise when I looked out to see the open windows. From the bed where I was lying flat, I could hear the birds chirping outside. It almost seemed like they were singing a song as they rhythmically chirped along, serenading the very peaceful atmosphere with their melody. I felt so alive, wanting to connect more with nature, but a knock soon came on the door.
“Please come in,” I responded, looking up to see who was entering.
“Simon-my bad! Your Highness, please, how may I help you?” I said, sitting up to face him as he walked in further.
“Call me again, I love the sound of that,” he said, walking closer and closer to me. The closer he came, the more I kept backing up until my legs finally hit the wooden frame of the bed. I gulped as he got so close that there was literally no way for me to move anymore. He held onto my chin and then raised my face to meet his gaze.
“Call me one more time!”
Confusion was an understatement for me at this point. I just couldn’t tell what was going on in his mind, and this made things even harder for me as someone who didn’t want to annoy him in any way.
“Your Highness?” I said, trembling, and he shook his head at me.
“No, no, that is not what I asked you to say. I need you to call me by my name-I love the way you say it.” I bit my lip at this, and he dragged me closer, wrapping his hand tightly around my waist.
“S…s… Simon!” I said with much difficulty, and we soon maintained intentional eye contact.
“Say it one more time!!”
“S… Simon!”
“One more time!!!”
“Simon!” I finally said with confidence, and he smiled deeply. I tried to understand what that smile was about, but there was something about him that made it hard for people to read him.
Before I could think further, he immediately landed a passionate kiss on my lips, and for a brief moment, I felt like I was in a completely different world. He was gentle yet extremely domineering, and this made me long even more for us to continue. As we continued kissing, he moved his hand higher until it reached the clip of my bra. I gasped as I felt his cold yet manly hands on my back, instantly feeling weak in the knees. This, however, was suddenly cut short as he let go, separating our lips. My wolf growled in anger as she had obviously started becoming very excited for what was to come next, but someone just had to end things on such a note!
He carefully sat me down on the bed to help clear my head and get my mind back to an active state again. I watched as he turned his back to leave the room. As soon as he grabbed the doorknob to open it, I sighed deeply as I watched him go.
“Come see me in my room once the moon is out,” he said, walking out without waiting to hear a response from me on whether I would be able to make it or not. I decided not to say anything since I definitely wasn’t going to turn down any offer to spend more time with Simon. It didn’t matter how badly he might have treated me in the past and would probably still do in the future, but that didn’t change the fact that my body completely craved him. I needed him so much for myself.
The hours passed slowly as I anxiously awaited the moonrise. My thoughts were consumed with the memory of Simon’s touch, his kiss, and the way he looked at me as if I were the only person who mattered. It was confusing and exhilarating all at once. I knew that my feelings for him were complicated, entangled in a mix of fear, admiration, and something deeper that I was not ready to name. But regardless of my emotions, the thought of being near him again was irresistible.
As the night deepened, the silver glow of the moon began to filter through the curtains, casting a soft, ethereal light across the room. I stood by the window for a moment, letting the cool night air calm my racing heart. Then, with a deep breath, I made my way to Simon’s room.