Bewitching The Alpha King

Chapter 19

"Why are you crying actually?" The King asked her, pulling away just enough to look at her tear-streaked face, his heart clenching against his chest, unable to see her in sadness. Arthur raised his hand and stroked the length of her hair, affectionately.

"I don't know" Elise shook her head before her eyes widened, "I am sorry your highness, it must be awkward. I was too lost in my grief" She stepped away from him immediately, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

Despite the fact that she knows it was wrong, Elise could help but crave his assurance. She hated to admit that she needed him to hold her when she is falling into pieces. She hated to admit that she is starting to develop feelings for him.

And sadly, she couldn't be with him. He has a mate out there and Elise was sure this was just an infatuation. Those feelings will fade away soon after she leaves this place, she was sure of that.

Arthur watched her squirm uncomfortably under his gaze, "I can ask him to stay" He said, taking a step towards the door, fully intended to stop her brother from going. Perhaps a few more days wouldn't hurt.

"No!" Elise grabbed his arm quickly, preventing him from taking another step, "That would be too selfish, your highness. Let him go" She said when the king looked at her in confusion, his eyebrows knitted together.

He didn't understand her. Why would she stop him from giving her what she wanted? "Why?" Arthur asked.

Elise sighed when the King tilted his head to the side expectantly, waiting for her to elaborate, "He has responsibilities there and I don't want to-" She started, struggling to find the right words, "I don't want to-" She repeated, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Arthur's gaze softened, "You don't want to burden him" He finally concluded.

Elise bit her lower lip and nodded her head, "Yes, that's what I am trying to say" She said with a sad smile, "This will hurt me for a day or two but eventually I will start getting used to it. Just like how I got used to not being with my parents now" She continued, her eyes going to her hand that was still clutching his arm, "Forgive me, your highness!" She screeched, yanking her hand away from the king.

But the king didn't seem to mind about that. "Okay," Arthur said, his eyes never leaving hers, "What can I do to make your day better?" He asked her, trying not to sound too desperate in front of her. He would do anything to see that smile on her face. He would do anything for her.

Elise chuckled softly, "I am afraid nothing will make me feel better now," She said, shaking her head, "Please excuse me, your highness. I would like to go back to my room" Elise said, avoiding his blue eyes that were starting to make her feel uncomfortable. She just wanted to go back to her room and throw herself on the bed and cry into it.

But of course, Arthur wouldn't let her go that easily, "Actually, hold that thought" He said, grabbing her wrist, earning a surprised gasp from her. "Come with me, I have to show you something," He said, pulling her behind him as he dashed out of the living area.

Elise's eyes widened in surprise. She didn't expect that at all. The king has always excused her whenever she asked him. The King was pulling her towards the area that she hasn't ventured yet and she followed behind him, half-curious and half-embarrassed, "Where are we going, your highness?" She asked him as she keeps up with his pace.

Arthur didn't say anything. He just knew that he needed to do something that will somehow distract her from her brother's departure. He would be restless if he knows she is moping in her room in sadness. He won't be able to focus on anything but her, "Someone, well- Something is waiting to meet you for quite a long time now" Arthur said, correcting himself in the mid-sentence after a few seconds of silence.

This would be the perfect time to introduce Deja to her. Of course, Deja wouldn't fill in Ezra's place but Deja would be a great friend to her. Most importantly, Deja would protect her fiercely. He doesn't think that mystical creature will be patient any longer as well.

It has been cawing constantly to be let out so it can see her.

Elise's eyes furrowed in confusion. She couldn't understand what the king had said. She thought she had already met everyone, including the maids and the butlers at the castle. She didn't ask any questions after that as she literally jogged behind him, passing a few hallways on the way.

Arthur stopped in front of a door. This is where he was keeping Deja. He made sure that Deja's room was far away from Elise's room so she wouldn't hear it caw all the time despite the soundproofing system.

The king slowly spun around to face her again, "You have to be really open-minded now" He said, looking at Elise's bewildered eyes, "Deja is quite friendly actually" He smiled sheepishly at her, remembering all those time it cawed at him in a warning and scratched his skin with its sharp claws.

"Deja?" Elise repeated, looking up at the King.

"Yeah, Deja" The king confirmed, and at the same time, a loud caw could be heard from the room making him suck in a sharp breath. Perfect timing Deja, he thought.

Of course, Elise heard that as well, "What was that?" She gasped, pointing at the room, "You heard that too right?" She asked, her eyes shooting up to meet his blue ones again, "I have been hearing a cry once a few days" She continued, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked at the door in uncertainty.

"Yes, I can hear it as well," Arthur said, "Come on, it's time to go in" Arthur pushed the door open with his free hand and stepped into the room with her close behind him. Once Elise had fully stepped into the room, he quickly pulled the door shut again.

Elise looked at him suspiciously, "Why did you close the door, your highness?" She asked him, her eyes were hard.

"You'll know" Was all he said and at the same time, Deja released another caw making Elise jump, startled. This time, the intensity of that caw was higher than it was when they were standing outside of the room. "It's okay, nothing can hurt you when I am here so please, relax," Arthur said, tightening his grip around her wrist when Elise looked around the room frantically.

And then Elise's eyes fell on the mystical bird, "Wha- what is that-" Elise stammered, her voice dying in her throat when she realized that the creature was looking straight at her. It was sitting on the armrest of a chair, not that far away from the two of them.

"It is a Pheonix" Arthur answered her unfinished question, "Don't worry, Deja is friendly even though it looks like it is not," Arthur said, feeling her unease and anxiety, "Isn't that right, Deja?" He asked the Phoenix but it didn't even spare a glance his way.

It was looking at her.

A second later, Deja recognizes who just had entered the room. At first, Deja couldn't recognize the scent. Elise almost smelt like Eliza but Eliza was a she-wolf and Elise is a fox, there was a slight difference in their scent but Deja could see that they looked exactly the same.

Deja released another happy caw and spread its strong wing in the air before fluttering them, to levitate in the air before going straight at them.

Elise gasped and staggered a step behind, truly afraid of what the creature might do to them. Of course, Elise could kill in less than a second if the creature harmed her but it didn't look like that would be appreciated by the king. And that made her worry grow tenfold.

"Relax, it is not going to hurt you," Arthur said to her, "Deja is really friendly" Arthur repeated again.

Elise gulped and shook her head. It doesn't look friendly to her. "It looks like a freaking dragon who spits fire, your highness. How can I be calm?" Elise asked the King as the creature landed on the floor in front of them, tilting its head to the side to look at Elise.

"It is too small to be a dragon" Arthur joked, trying to lighten the tension in the air.

Elise whipped her head sharply to look at the king, "I am sorry your highness, I didn't know we are getting literal" She snapped, making the smile on Arthur's lips broaden, "Oh now you think it is funny?" She asked in disbelief as the King chuckled.

Arthur shook his head, unable to hide his smile, "Go on, touch Deja" He said, looking down at Deja. It was still looking up at Elise in wonder. Deja could sense that Elise was afraid of her and it didn't want to make the situation any worse by throwing itself on to Elise.

"Like hell I am" Elise shook her head, trying to step away from there, "You go on, I don't mind if you're going to pet it, your highness" She added, trying to look calm and collected.

Arthur sighed. He knew he had to force her to touch Deja, "Come on, you're hurting its feelings," Arthur said, "One touch wouldn't hurt" He added, looking up at Elise.

Elise gasped, "It can understand us?" She asked Arthur in disbelief, her eyes straying towards the creature and found it looking up at her longingly. Elise immediately felt guilty, knowing she might have hurt its feelings.

Arthur nodded his head, "It can understand us. Deja is an intelligent bird" Arthur smiled down at Deja before pulling Elise's hand which was still in his grasp towards Deja.

"I don't think-" Elise tried to yank her hand away from his grasp but of course, he was a lot stronger than her so she had no choice to bend with him towards the menacing creature.

The both of them were bending towards Deja now. Despite Elise's resistance, Arthur softly let Elise's fingers ran across the Phoenix's soft yet strong feathers, "There, wasn't so hard, was it?" He asked Elise, pulling his hand away from her hand, straightening his back to look at the two of them, a small smile curving at the corners of his lips.

Elise continued to run her fingers over Deja's feathers, earning a purr from the Pheonix, "It's so warm" She noted, the beauty of the creature, captivated her. It felt like she could connect with the bird. She could feel the bird's emotions. She could feel the longing.

A gasp left her lips when she realized a tear has escaped from her right eye. She doesn't know why she was feeling so emotional right now, "I don't know how or why...but I can feel as if the bird wouldn't hurt me," Elise said out loud, caressing the Phoenix softly.

She might not be able to remember her friendship with the Phoenix but she could feel the love the bird has to offer for her.

"That's what I have been telling you all this while" Arthur smiled at the pair, strangely feeling like he has achieved something great in his life. Deja had waited for her just as much as him.

It was nice to see both of them together in one place just like the old times.

Elise didn't even look his way. She just shook her head while looking at the bird, "Hi Deja, I am Elise" She introduced herself to the bird with a smile on her face, "Something tells me you and I are going to be great friends" She grinned at the bird, touching Deja's face.

Deja's eyes fluttered close and it leaned its head onto Elise's palm, finally feeling home after a very long time.

"Thank you, your highness" Elise suddenly said, looking up at the King, "You made my day better" She smiled at him, making his heart tug inside of him.

And after a long time, he felt like he was home as well.