Royal Outcast

Chapter 12

Seri’s POV

“Are you ready now, Ms. Sera? His highness is waiting for you” Mr. Dillon asked with a slightly surprised look.

I nodded and we went out together after I thanked the helpers.

For some unknown reason, Mr. Dillon seemed tensed as we walked through the hallway together. My head tilted to the side curiously. He was nothing like this before when I was around him.

“Mr. Dillon?” I called out carefully and he glanced at me only for a second before looking ahead again.

“Yes?” he replied with a hint of… nervousness?

“Is everything alright? I cannot help but notice that you seem a bit tensed. Is there any problem? Or is there something I should know about before meeting his highness?” I asked worried.

Mr. Dillon stopped for a moment and he sighed but he didn’t look at me.

“It’s nothing like that, Seri. It’s just…” he paused and glanced at me again.

“Nothing’s wrong. If anything, Lucas would be delighted to see you, I’m sure’ he said and I was surprised and confused at what he said.

After that, we continued walking through the hallway quietly.

We reached a door that was on the end of the hallway and Mr. Dillon stopped just in front of it and so did I.

“His highness is inside. You guys will talk first and afterward, I believe I will be escorting you both to the dining hall after your talk” Mr. Dillon explained.

“Will you come in with me?” I asked

“I shouldn’t. I think it’s a good opportunity for you guys to talk to each other alone” he explained.

“Do not worry about Lucas’ temper though. He’s calmed down a bit. Additionally, his wolf’s emotions are a lot more… regulated here since her majesty is around. At most, he will get annoyed with a frown and a glare but that’s it. He is able to control his temper when he’s in the palace” he assured me.

“Oh” was all that came out from my mouth and Mr. Dillon chuckled before opening the door for me. I took a deep breath before entering the room.

I slowly walked into the room and as I looked around, I realized that it was an office rather than just a bedroom or random room.

“Well, you sure took your time” his highness’ voice slightly echoed in the room, and I looked at him slightly surprised as I got distracted from looking around at the office.

“I’m sorry, your highness” I immediately apologized as I turned around to face him.

I watched as his highness’ expression changed from annoyed to surprised. His highness just stared at me for a moment before he let out a sigh of disbelief before looking away.

“Are your maids treating you well?” he suddenly asked.

“My helpers?” I replied and he looked at me again. This time, with a seemingly amused expression?

“Yes. Your helpers. Are they good to you?” he asked again, and I nodded softly.

“Yes, they are. They are very nice, and they treat me with utmost care” I said. His highness nodded.

Then, there was silence.

“Uhm… your highness?” I said and he looked at me with a questioning look.

“Is that all you had to ask me and tell me?” I asked politely.

His highness coughed and then looked at me again as he turned a bit red. I was surprised with this reaction of his, but I didn’t show it.

“No” he said, and I looked at him waiting for him to continue talking and tell me whatever it is he needed to tell me.

“We will be having dinner with my mother, her majesty in a bit. I’m sure she will be asking questions. A lot of them so this is me giving you a heads-up” he told me.

So, I was meeting her majesty so soon.

“My other family members will not be present. My brother is on official business and my sister along with my father is still on their way back from visiting another shelter from the North. It will just be you, my mother and I” he added.

Oh. I gulped.

Then, I heard a chuckle, and I looked at his highness in surprise, but he immediately looked away and coughed.

I just stared at him feeling surprised, confused, and amused.

“We should head out to the dining hall. It’s better for us to be there first rather than my mother being the one waiting for us” he said. I nodded in agreement.

His highness made his way to the door, and I followed him but he stopped just in front of it so I halted behind him. I heard him heave a deep sigh before turning back to me and I was caught off guard a bit and leaned back a little.

I saw his highness’ jaw clenched and he massaged nose bridge before looking straight into my eyes.

“Come on” he said, and he suddenly extended his hand to me. I stared at it for a moment and then I glanced at him confused.

“Are you really going to keep me waiting?” his highness said with raised brow. I shook my head and carefully reached for his hand.

As soon as our hands touched, I felt that tingling sensation and his highness must have felt it too because I saw his jaw tighten before he lightly gave my hand a squeeze and he looked away then opened the door in front of us.

We walked out and saw Mr. Dillon just by the door. As soon as he saw us, his eyes shifted to our hands, and he pursed his lips before looking away. The amusement and delight on his face could not be more obvious.

“Shut your mouth if you don’t have anything important to say, Dillon” his highness said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“I wasn’t going to say anything. Geez. Chill, your highness” Mr. Dillon chuckled. His highness just shook his head in disbelief before we started walking through the hallway.

The prince just held my hand as we walked, and I could not help but look around as we walked.

The palace was enormous. I fear I would get lost if left alone. Although I highly doubt that I’ll be allowed to be by myself considering how protect ‘my mate’ is at the moment.

“We’re almost there” his highness suddenly spoke, and he glanced at me for a moment.

“You won’t faint in front of my mom, won’t you?” he said with furrowed brows, and I immediately flushed red.

“Pfft…” Mr. Dillon reacted in front of us.

“Dude. Not cool” Mr. Dillon chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.

“What?” his highness replied cluelessly.

Mr. Dillon just shook his head and glanced at me.

“Don’t mind that, Seri. That’s his intrusive thoughts talking” Mr. Dillon joked and that me chuckle a bit. His highness just stared at me which made me clear my throat.

Mr. Dillon then opened the door for us, and we were greeted by the smell of food along with a huge dining hall. It was one that was a whole lot bigger than our dining hall in the orphanage.

There was a really long table in the middle of the room which was decorated pretty well.

I felt the prince slightly pull on my hand and I looked at him. He wasn’t looking at me, but he gently pulled me closer to him and he placed my hand on his bicep before glancing at me.

“My mom is coming any moment” he told me. I gulped nervously but nodded in understanding.

His highness stared at me for a moment and then he suddenly held my hand on his bicep and slightly brushed his fingers on my hand before looking away and clearing his throat.

Just then, the doors opened in the right side of the dining hall.

It was her majesty, Queen Liviana in the flesh.

It felt as though there was a shift in the atmosphere as soon as her majesty entered.

She glanced in our direction and our eyes immediately met. Only this time, I didn’t look away.

No, I couldn't look away.

Her majesty stared straight into my eyes as if he could see through my soul.

And then… she smiled.

“Seri” she called out my name with a small but warm smile on her face.

“Finally, I can put a face to your name” she added before motioning for me.

The prince brought me back to reality when he slightly pulled me to walk closer to her majesty.

My heart raced inside of my chest as we came closer and closer to her.

“It is an honor to meet you in person, your majesty” I said politely.

We stopped right in front of her and her highness extended her hand to shake mine so I bowed my head before shaking it. Her majesty even held my hand for a while and when I raised my head to look at her, I saw her expression had changed.

Suddenly, she seemed… concerned?

“Mom? What is it?” the prince suddenly spoke. Her majesty clasped my hand with both her hands before looking into my eyes with a smile of reassurance.

“Nothing. I’m glad you’re here, darling” she said before giving me a gentle pat on the hand and letting me go.

“Shall we sit?” she said and she ushered us to sit down.

Her majesty glanced at Mr. Dillon and she motioned for him to sit as well.

“Eat with us, Dillon” her majesty said.

“I’m fine, your majesty” Mr. Dillon replied. Her majesty raised her brow at him.

“I’m not so sit and eat with us” she said and Mr. Dillon chuckled before nodding and heading to a sit.

The prince guided me to sit on her majesty’s left side. He pulled a chair for me which was yet another surprising gesture.

I guess Mr. Dillon was not lying about his highness being different when he is within the comfort of the palace and/or when his mother is present because the personality that his highness has been showing since earlier has been completely different from his whole persona when we first met.

“Thank you, your highness” I said shyly.

I glanced at the queen as I sat down and noticed her watching us with an expression I couldn’t quite read. Once I had sat down, the prince then proceeded to the seat in front of mine which was on her majesty’s right side.

“Before anything else, Seri” her majesty spoke as she turned to me.

“Yes, your majesty?” I replied attentively.

“I would like to apologize for not having the rest of the royal family present to welcome you. Your arrival was quite…” her majesty paused as she glanced at her son with a sharp look making the prince clench his jaw as he looked away before her majesty looked at me again with a soft smile.

“It was a bit unexpected, dear so I do apologize. I’m sure everyone else would have been very enthusiastic to welcome you but given the circumstances which I’d like to assume that either Lucas or Dillon has already told you about, it was inevitable” she apologized. I immediately shook my hands in front of me as I shook my head along.

“Oh no, your majesty. If anything, I should be the one to apologize for being a bother. I am well aware of the royal family’s current agenda and I’m sorry that I’m being a distraction” I said and pursed my lips.

The queen reached for my hand and clasped it with both her hands.

“I am well aware of how and why you’re here with my son, Seri. You are not at fault and you are not a bother. I wish we could have met with better circumstances but I know that some things can’t be helped so I do promise to at least give you a good experience while staying with us starting today” her majesty said softly and I honestly almost teared up.

“So if there is anything. Anything at all that you need or even want, please let me know” she said and I pursed my lips as I carefully nodded.

“As for my son, best believe that I’ll deal with him” the queen’s voice echoed in my head which surprised me but I also nodded at that as she stared at me with an assuring smile.

“I understand. Thank you, your majesty” I replied as my voice slightly cracked feeling overwhelmed. Her majesty nodded and gave me a gentle pat on the back of my hand before letting me go.

Food was then served and a helper even helped me with my food which I was very thankful for. Though it was also a bit uncomfortable because it was a male helper and the prince literally stared at the both of us with a sharp look but he wasn’t saying anything because as he watched us, her majesty was watching him.

“Thank you very much” I shyly thanked the helper as he finished fixing me a plate.

“You’re welcome, young miss” the helper replied with a bow the he turned to her majesty and his highness and bowed to them as well before quickly walking away.

The prince followed the helper with a look and the queen cleared her throat to get her son’s attention which seemed to work.

The prince frowned and then glanced at me so I instinctively gave him a nervous smile making him lose his frown. He sighed and just started eating his food.

I unconsciously smiled a bit as I tried not to chuckle. It was quite amusing seeing him this way. It almost seemed unusual.

Maybe because my first impression on him wasn’t necessarily a good one?

Still, no matter how much I tried to think positively of the situation, my mind wandered off to how the people in the orphanage was doing.

I glanced at what I’d consider a grand set of meal on the dining table, and I stared at my food on my plate as I grabbed the utensils. I had never eaten such a grand meal since ending up in the orphanage.

‘The pups would love these’ was what crossed my mind, and I immediately teared up so I lowered my head before scooping out a portion of food to start eating.

A tear escaped my eye as I had my first bite, and I tried my best to hide that as I tightened my grip on my spoon. I shouldn’t be crying. Not here at least. It’s not very respectful or even appropriate.

How am I going to get used to this when everything I do here makes me think of everyone back in the orphanage?

It might be because I had left so unexpectedly without being able to properly say goodbye? Or maybe it’s because this is such a new environment? Or maybe…

It’s simply because I don’t want to be here.