171 Chapter 171 : You’ve been warned

Julia almost laughed when she saw Melissa repositioning herself in the chair so as to better listen to the juicy details of her story, even Maria and Vivian pulled out some chairs and quieted down in anticipation of the details.

“I don’t know where to start honestly,” Julia mumbled in embarrassment.

“Fist things first,” Melissa spoke, “do you have feelings for Clovis?”

Julia looked to the floor and blushed, “well I can’t say that I don’t,” she mumbled while twirling a loc of her hair with her finger, “I mean it’s a little recent so I’m still trying to figure out what all these feelings are. Recently I had given up on love, so all this is a little overwhelming.”

“I don’t think falling for a man who clearly wants someone else qualifies as being in love, you were merely just infatuated with Gareth” Vivian spoke before feeling Melissa’s elbow in her stomach. “What?!”

“Don’t mind her Julia go on,” Melissa encouraged the green eyed woman, “so you thought of giving up on love and then changed your mind right?”

“I guess you can say that..” Julia stated.

“Because of Clovis? What is it he did that made you rethink your decision?”

Julia looked up at Melissa’s excited blue eyes and felt even more nervous about putting her love life out in the open like that, “well.. he was very forthcoming about his feelings, I have a feeling he’s the kind of man who wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

.....

“Guess it runs in the family,” Melissa chuckled.

“I suppose it does,” Julia responded with a smile. Surprisingly she was enjoying this conversation, could it be that her and Melissa were actually fostering a friendship? Having a friend and someone to talk to would be nice, especially in moments like these when Clovis wasn’t around to keep her company.

*

“I swear to you my brother saw him with his own eyes! It’s going to happen again.”

“Oh come on Ruth didn’t you attend the coronation? Princess Melissa chose the king, if what you say is true and your brother did in fact see the Gavarian prince, it’s probably for another reason.”

“My brother says he was traveling with an army of over five.. no a thousand warriors, what would he need an army for?”

“Wait, if Melissa chose the king, does that mean prince Adam is single..?”

“Don’t wet your breeches Mary the odds of him picking you for a bride are close to none.”

“But I’m telling you, the fiasco that happened at the royal wedding, it’s definitely going to happen again. The prince is here to steal princess Melissa away again I can feel it... it’s forbidden love, how romantic.”

“Look, it’s a lycan general, hush up or you’ll get us all in trouble.”

William and Bahram watched the three women who had been gossiping walk away and then turned to look at each other with wary expressions.

The Morrell brothers had been foraging the capital’s market getting some supplies on behalf of their mother when they overheard the conversation about Melissa’s little elven boyfriend.

Bahram eyed his brother skeptically, “why are you smiling like that?”

“Oh come on Bahram you and I both know that Elric is in no way a good match for our sister,” William responded, “I mean you’re constantly talking about how you’d love to punch him in the nose.”

“That is not true,” Bahram responded as he threw his satchel over his shoulder, “I’m always talking about how I’d love to punch him in the mouth, there’s a difference.”

The two men began walking towards their horses. William walked slightly ahead of his older brother and turned to face him, “either way Melissa isn’t happy with him, he practically baited her into this marriage.”

“Will you stop walking backwards you’re making me uneasy,”

“Stop trying to change the topic,” William chided his brother, “look, hear me out. All I’m saying is if Adam.. I mean Gareth.. is really on his way to free her from Elric’s clutches then this could be our shot to get out of this place.”

Bahram mounted his horse and so did William. “Come on Bahram,” William spoke as he caught up with his brother, “don’t you miss Astrid? Don’t you want to go back home to her and raise your son in a hate and oppression free environment?”

William stopped his horse in front of his brother, “because that’s the kind of society we live in now because of Elric, a hate and oppression filled one. You and I are humans, the only reason why we haven’t been thrown in the fields to labor is because our sister is married to the king.”

“And you think this elven prince will be any different?” Bahram asked his brother, “he isn’t human either so what makes you think he’ll want equality?”

“I don’t know prince Gareth,” William admitted, “heck I’ve never even met the guy. But if he is anything like how Melissa describes him to be, then he’s our best bet to leading normal lives. Plus she loves him Bahram, you know their story.”

“I don’t like stories that involve my baby sister canoodling with men,” Bahram responded with a frown.

“That isn’t the point..”

“Okay master strategist William Morrell, what exactly do you suggest we do?” Bahram questioned his brother as he circled around him and continued down the path to the palace.

“I suggest we help the elven prince, I’m not sure how yet,” William responded with a confident smile, “but we are on his side now, got that.”

“Yeah whatever,” Bahram responded while trying hard to conceal a smile. He was actually glad William had said what he had said, because honestly that was exactly what he had in mind. Being kept prisoner by Elric just so that Melissa couldn’t defy him only made Bahram despise the king more, they needed to knock him down to size a little, he had been a thorn in their sides for too long.

*

Renly whipped his head from left to right trying to figure out where in the word he was, but all he saw was darkness. ‘Hello!’ He jumped back when he heard footsteps crossing the darkness in front of him, ‘whose there! Show yourself!’

Another pair of footsteps crossed the darkness behind him making him move forward. ‘Stop lurking in the shadows you coward!’

Suddenly a hooded figure appeared in front of him, it looked like a man but he couldn’t see any of the man’s features except his tall masculine silhouette.

‘Who are you?!’ Renly yelled. He was trying hard not to sound afraid but his voice was failing him. There was something about this man that was very intimidating.

‘Bring any harm to Melissa and the child she carries, and you will know the true meaning of fear Renly...’

‘How did you know my name?’ This time the man didn’t even bother masking the fear in his voice, he was terrified. Who was this and how did they know of his plan.

‘You have been warned,’ the man replied before disappearing into the shadows.

Renly jolted awake drenched in his own sweat, he frantically scanned his surroundings and realized he was back in the forest, in his sleeping furs where he had nodded off. Wait a minute, was that all just a dream? But it felt so real, so terrifyingly real.

The man reached for his water canteen on the side of his fur but stopped his hand mid air when he saw the footprint on the ground right next to him. Gods, that wasn’t a dream at all, someone had been here. Renly covered his fur over his head and shuddered, the thought of someone watching him as he slept sent shivers down his spine. The man had warned him not to harm Melissa right? Could it be the elven prince who was doing this? Did have the sort of magic that could allow him to infiltrate people’s dreams? If that was the case, Renly really didn’t want to stay here and find out what else he could do, the information he had gotten so far would have to be enough, he needed to make his way back to the master.

*

Aiden sighed as he sat down, he ran his hand through his red locs and threw his head back in frustration.

“Are you alright?” Theodora asked the man who was sitting in front of her.

With his gorgeous blue eyes still shut, he shook his head and sighed a second time, “whoever is out there creeping around is going to cost me my peace.” The handsome man sat up straight and looked up at the woman who had just told him about the conversation between Finwe and Gareth. “We have to find whoever they are and get rid of them.”

“Of course Aiden,” Theodora responded, “I will begin investigations immediately.”

“Also I need you to write a letter for me to the king of Cenia,” Aiden instructed the woman, “in order to gain more of Gareth’s trust I may have to make a contribution to his cause. So ask the king to send me a hundred soldiers immediately.”

“How will explain having control over the Cenia army to the elven prince?”

“Leave the nitty gritty to me,” Aiden responded.

“Of course, I’ll get right to it.”

As Theodora turned to leave Aiden called her back, “and Theodora..”

“Yes?”

historical

His icy blue eyes trailed the women from the top of her head to her feet, “please stop coming to see me practically naked, I have my in laws here and they’re starting to think something is going on between us.”

Theodora pouted and turned towards the door, “Ronia Cresus is a free continent, I’ll dress as I please.”