The Wolf Guardians

Chapter 4: The Diner Table

Rosella’s hair was also almost dried up. She stood up and walked towards her trunks. She opened one of them and looked for a dress to wear.

She chose a light blue colored gown with a big knot on the front. It was simple and elegant. Also, this color suited best with her complexation.

Myra helped her to wear the gown. She first thought that the gown would not be appropriate as it appeared to be too simple for her with respect to what others wear in the castle. But once Rosella was done wearing it, Myra could not take her eyes off. She looked beautiful. The gown looked like it was made only for her. Rosella noticed her gaze on her dress. She cleared her throat once to gain her attention. Myra felt embarrassed.

She sat on the wooden stool again in front of the mirror and started to comb her golden hair.

Suddenly she saw a small idol of the wolf was placed at a corner of the dressing table. The wolf was identical to the one her father gave her; the only difference was it was made of sapphire. She took the wolf in her hand to look closely. It was indeed the same.

“My apologies, my lady. How would you like to tie up your hair?”, she asked her promptly. Rosella came back to her senses and smiled. She put the idol back in its place.

“No need for that, Myra. I will do it myself.”, Rosella said softly.

Rosella started to make braids on her hair. Then she rolled them up and made a bun at her back, leaving half of her hair untied. Her mother used to do their hair like that, and she learnt that from her. Myra was watching her closely. She had never seen someone doing her own hair this skillfully. She saw how the braids turned into a beautiful golden bun that looked like a rose.

Rosella then stood up and opened another trunk of hers. She took out a small box and put up some dazzling sapphire earrings. She was wearing a beautiful halved bloom lotus pendant which matched perfectly with her attire. She looked herself into the mirror once and then put the pendant inside her cloth. A part of the wheat golden chain was only visible now around her long neckline.

“My lady, that pendant looked perfect with your attire.”, Myra said politely.

“Someone gave it to me years ago, Myra and he asked me to hide it as well.”, Rosella responded. Myra was confused by her answer. But with or without that pendant, she looked stunning.

They heard a knock at their door as soon as Rosella was ready.

“Please come inside”, Rosella said politely.

The door got opened. A charming young lady came inside the room. Her burgundy hair was tied up in an elegant bun. She was wearing a beautiful gown whose color was close to orange. Her light blue eyes along with her painted orange lips matched with her attire perfectly. Along with that, she was wearing some heavy ornaments. Rosella could see that the young lady was probably a few years older than hers. By her attire, anyone could say that she was a noble-born.

 “Please pardon my intrusion, lady Rosella! I heard from Edward that he brought a guest and could not resist my self from meeting you.”, the charming young lady said politely.

“I am Flora Crimson, daughter of the former beta of the previous alpha king,” the lady said again with a smile.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, lady Flora!”, Rosella replied softly, returning her smile.

“I see you are all prepared. Please let me take you to the diner.”, lady Flora added again. Rosella already liked that young lady. She seemed to be kind and polite in nature.

Lady Flora walked her to the diner. When Rosella reached there, she saw a huge rectangular wooden dining table was placed in the middle of the room. King Edward was sitting in the host’s seat. She recognized former alpha king and Edward’s father, Baron Augustus Jackson as well who was sitting next to him. Aaron, Edward’s beta, was also there along with lady Minerva. There were some others as well whom she did not know from before. They all were still waiting. Dinner was yet to serve.

“Lady Rosella, please come this way.”, lady Flora said politely. Rosella followed her and sat on a chair beside her. Another young lady with red hair and blue eyes was sitting on her other side. Rosella smiled at the young lady and she smiled her back.

“My King!”, Flora greeted the alpha king. Alpha king kept silent and only nodded his head. Rosella took a glance at the alpha king. His appearance was cold as usual.

“Lady Jane is sitting on your other side. She is the Beta’s sister.”, Flora whispered to Rosella again.

“Pardon me, but I was not informed that we would be hosting such a lovely young guest tonight.”, the man sitting beside alpha Baron declared.

“Lord Lucas, let me introduce you to lady Rosella from Northern lands.”, lady Flora took the initiative.

“Pleasure to meet you, Lord Lucas.”, Rosella replied politely, offering him a smile. Lord Lucas looked at Rosella with a crooked smile. But before he could say anything, alpha Baron stopped him.

“How are you doing, Rosella?” The former king asked her.

“I am doing fine. Thank you for asking, alpha Baron. Hope your health is blessed with moon goddess.” Rosella responded politely. Baron nodded with a smile. That girl had grown up, he thought.

“Pardon me, my lady. May I know how you know my brother, the former alpha king?” That man sitting next to the former alpha king asked her with a smile on his face. Rosella sensed that something was not right about that person. Still, she kept her gesture calm.

“Alpha Baron visited my home once, my lord. Years ago. I could not forget his face.” Rosella said again politely.

“I wrote to your father lately, Rosella. How is he doing? I heard there were some rogue problems.” Baron questioned her again.

“Father is doing well, alpha. Thank you for asking. About rogues, I do not know everything. Perhaps, the alpha king may enlighten you in that matter,” she added respectfully.

“Indeed. You must be wondering why she is here. Her pack is under threat. I promised her father to keep her safe and hence she is here,” King Edward spoke out loud in a cold voice.

“Nephew, pardon me, but didn’t you go towards the east to look for the arrangements for the villages? I am unsure how you ended up in Northern lands. And how come the Northern King agreed with the arrangements?”, Lucas asked Edward in a calm gesture. Rosella could see that the man was pushing to learn more about her. Why was he so curious?

“Are you implying I am being untruthful, uncle?”, the alpha king asked in his usual cold tone. His face was just like before, expressionless. There was something in his voice that made the whole room pin-drop silent for some moments.

Suddenly, Lucas let out laughter.

“I was just curious, my dear nephew. Forget about that,” he announced. Then he turned towards Rosella.

“My lady, if I may know, you are from which part of Northern lands?”, Lucas asked Rosella again.

“Near Zakiba lands, Lord Lucas,” she answered without thinking for a moment.

Lucas looked satisfied with her answer. Probably that girl really was from Northern lands. The place she named was not any place that others would know that easily. Besides, Northern Lands was not some place where anyone could go in.

“Huh! No wonder your pack was under threat,” the lady sitting opposite to lady Minerva scoffed suddenly with a crooked smile on her lips.

Rosella could not understand the meaning of her words. She looked towards her with questions in her eyes.

“Pardon me, lady Rosella. Let me introduce you to my wife, Lady Florence, the lady of the house.” Lucas said, indicating her.

“And my beloved daughter, princess Grace,” he repeated, indicating the young dolled-up girl sitting beside lady Florence. Rosella smiled towards them, but they both ignored her.

“And I presume you already know about lady Flora. Such a poor soul! She lost her parents during the war.”, Lord Lucas repeated.

Rosella did not feel comfortable with the conversation. She felt like lord Lucas tried to poke on the old wounds for lady Flora. She looked towards Flora once. Her eyes looked sad to her.

“I am sorry for your lose, Lady Flora.”, Rosella said politely.

“Please do not apologize, lady Rosella. The war caused pain for everyone. If it hasn’t been for our great alpha king, we still would have been suffering.”, Lady Flora murmured. Rosella nodded her head once with a sad smile.

“So, how long are you going to stay here, lady Rosella?” Princess Grace asked her suddenly.

“Grace, don’t be rude towards our guest. Is that what we taught you?” Lady Florence spoke.

“Years ago, I once visited Zakiba lands. I have never seen that much poverty in my entire life! Some packs were surviving on the charity of the Northern king. No wonder her pack was threatened. Let this poor soul enjoy her living here, where she does not have to think about the food at least.”, lady Florence said again.

Rosella felt dishearten hearing that. She was the lady of the house. She supposed to be gentler towards the guests.

“Don’t listen to her, lady Rosella.”, lady Flora whispered into her ears.

“Don’t think much, little one. We all have big hearts here. Look at Flora. We raised this orphan instead of throwing her out. You are also more than welcome to leave here. After all, we royals love charity,” lady Florence said again. Rosella looked at Flora. Her eyes were watery. How could someone be that cruel?

“Enough!”, Edward said in his usual cold tone.

“My dear Edward! You seemed angry! Did I say something wrong?”, lady Florence asked her in an innocent voice.

“I just pray to the moon goddess that both these poor girls may find rich mates so that their suffering ends,” lady Florence completed.

“Lady Florence, please do not compare others to yourself. Not everyone has the same destiny as yours.”, Edward pronounced expressionlessly. Rosella was a bit surprised hearing that. She looked towards the alpha king once. He was eating his food with an aloof look on his face.

“What do you mean by that?”, Florence said, trying to keep her calm gesture.

“I think you forgot about your past. Let me remind you, you were born as an omega, the lowest society of the werewolf world. You had been seen poverty in your first life. If it wasn’t for my uncle, you would have been in the same situation.”, the alpha king said in a cold voice.

“How can you insult me like that, Edward! I am your aunt in relation. You are taking the side of these lowly class little wolves instead of me who don’t even have the same status as us!”, Florence raised her voice. She was running out of patience at that time.

“I am king Edward to you. And you have never been my aunt. I am sure you are pretty much aware of lady Flora’s status; she is the daughter of our former beta who was loyal to our family until his last breath. Coming to lady Rosella, she is the daughter of an alpha. Alpha blood is running through her veins. Along with that, she is a noble-born. Your status is incomparable with hers.”, the alpha king said to Florence.

Did he just take our side? Rosella thought to herself. Though his words were rude, still Rosella could not help but to thank him in her mind.

“I don’t think I still have a place in this dinner table”, lady Florence expressed before leaving the room. Princess Grace also followed her mother with a frowned face.

“Pardon me”, Lucas also left.

“My king, please pardon lady Florence. She did not intend to offend lady Rosella or me.”, lady Flora said softly to the alpha king. But Edward did not bother to pay any attention to her words.

Rosella started to feel bad. The family dinner she thought of turned out to be something else. These people looked so different than her family.

“Don’t be worried. It is common here. You will get habituated soon.”, Jane whispered into her ears.