“Are you here to advocate for Alora?” Margaret inquired, her annoyance palpable. “Because of her, Magnus has entangled himself with the werewolves. Don’t you think it’s your duty to speak to your younger brother and guide him back to the right path?” The Queen pressed him.
“Mother, we all understand the uniqueness of their love. Only Magnus can truly see into her eyes, and that’s what makes their bond extraordinary. You should embrace their union,” Alaric countered with a gentle smile.
“Didn’t you and Izaak feel apprehensive when Alora discarded that blindfold?” Margaret questioned, her brows furrowing in concern.
“Alora isn’t malevolent. She’s aware of the significance of her eyes. If you were to communicate with your daughter-in-law, Mother, you would discover the beautiful soul Alora possesses,” Alaric explained earnestly.
Margaret fell silent for a moment before speaking again. “Do you know what my special ability is?” she inquired.
“To foresee misfortunes, Mother,” Alaric replied.
“The greatest misfortune I foresaw was the catastrophic war between the vampire and werewolf species, resulting in the destruction of my own family,” Queen Margaret revealed solemnly.
“Did Mother see something again?” Alaric was now curious to know.
“I witnessed Magnus wailing over the loss of Alora,” Margaret asserted.
Alaric was taken aback by this revelation, momentarily ceasing to blink. “Are you implying that Alora will die? Won’t she be turned into a vampire?” he inquired, his voice tinged with concern.
“I don’t know. But what I saw was Magnus’s suffering. I wanted to spare my son from that fate, but he fails to comprehend me or his father. He perceives us as adversaries,” Margaret explained to him with a heavy heart.
“Future may change, Mother,” Alaric stated.
“I hope it does. However, if Alora doesn’t find the answers to her eyes, I have to intervene,” Queen Margaret stated.
**Flashback Ends**
“Mother saw someone’s misfortune after a long time,” said Izaak as he turned a bit serious.
“Discuss it with Magnus,” Alaric replied.
“He won’t listen. Let’s keep it concealed from him,” Izaak insisted, intrigued to see how events would unfold based on his visions.
“I agree with Brother’s suggestion,” Alaric concurred. “I noticed two carriages parked outside. What’s the occasion?” Alaric inquired.
“We will head to Shadowbrook tomorrow morning,” Izaak responded.
“And the reason?” Alaric pressed with a frown.
“Magnus and Alora seek some time away from here,” Izaak explained.
“So, it appears you all will be there for quite some time,” Alaric inferred.
“Indeed, a month,” Izaak confirmed.
“I hope Alora feels better and becomes stronger in this time,” Alaric stated with a hopeful smile.
****
Alora waved her hand in the water as she smiled. She felt lighter and with this herbal bath she felt rejuvenated. As she found the water had turned cold, she exited the bathtub and wore the bathrobe before stepping into the closet.
Selvina bowed to her and told her she would help her. As Alora sat on the chair in front of the dressing table, Selvina dried her hair using the soft towel to absorb the moisture in them. She avoided any eye contact with Alora while conversing with her.
“I packed all the useful clothes and essentials of the Princess. The trunks are already set in the carriage,” Selvina replied. “I’m glad Princess Alora decided to take a break from here. It must be difficult for her after all this time,” she muttered.
As Selvina picked up the fine-toothed comb, she heard Alora speak.
“Yes, it was. However, I finally realized I no longer need those people in my life. They will only make me feel low,” she opined.
“That’s a brave choice by Princess Alora,” Selvina remarked. “I fled from home when my father remarried after my mother’s death. My stepmother wasn’t kind to me,” she revealed.
Alora was taken aback by Selvina’s story. She also suffered in her home.
“Then what happened? How did you manage to survive on your own?” Alora inquired with curiosity.
“At the time I ran away, I was already eighteen. I used to work in a local alcohol shop, and one day a vampire attacked me. Fortunately, I didn’t die; instead, I underwent a transformation into a vampire, albeit of lower rank. I’m not as strong as others,” Selvina explained.
“So, how did you control your blood thirst? All this time, I thought you were a human,” Alora murmured.
“Their are a team of vampire guards, who catch and train newbies. I was one of them. I learned to control it over time, Your Highness,” Selvina answered.
“And after that, you were appointed here?” Alora asked.
“Yes, I consider myself fortunate. I found greater happiness after leaving my home. Princess Alora, it’s challenging to let go of the feelings we have towards our families, but once we do, we find peace, especially when our families aren’t good to us,” Selvina counseled Alora, offering her comfort.
“I’ve to learn the same to be happy,” Alora asserted as she praised Selvina for being so strong.
Learning about Selvina and her past gave Alora more insight into why she needed to find her own way of happiness instead of finding it in the people. She always considered her parents, her grandmother, and siblings as her people. However, except for her mother, nobody cared for her.
“Thank you, Selvina. I really appreciate that you shared something so sensitive with me,” Alora expressed her gratefulness.
“Princess Alora is a beautiful soul with a compassionate heart. However, such traits make people take advantage of you,” Selvina stated as she further advised Alora to learn to answer back since she was in a position to do so.
“Hmm. I have realized that,” Alora murmured.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.