Princess Lyra Belle de Anemoi
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Chapter 8
They have an ordinary short breakfast during which Dylan didn't say much. He was rather intrigued about why the Princesses haven't joined them. Hubris was also missing from the gathering.
Seeing Dylan look around, Nabal explained,
"Hubris has gone to call the Princesses. They will be here shortly. Let us begin eating and they will join us later."
"I would like to wait for them."
Dylan firmly stated.
After an uncomfortable silence that felt like it was an hour long, Hubris came whistling.
Surprised to see everyone sitting without touching their food, he inquired,
"What's wrong?"
"We were waiting for you and the Princesses. Where are they?"
"Oh, they...."
Rolling his eyes and chuckling inwardly after thinking, he adds,
"I doubt they would come."
"What does that mean?"
Dylan inquired to which Hubris took his seat and replied,
"They have gone to sleep."
"Is that so? Then let us eat now."
Upon Nabal's comment, everyone dived into their food except Dylan who gazed suspiciously at Hubris. There was something odd about his behavior. He looked at Xavier, who was also allowed to join them for dinner this evening. Xavier also noted the odd behavior and decided to investigate it again.
After the dinner was over, Dylan and Xavier got up to take their leave but Medea stops them.
"Are you going into your room so early? Won't you stay for tea?"
"I already drank tea before dinner."
"Is that so? Then what about taking a walk in the garden."
At her words, Nabal nodded,
"By all means, it would be pleasant if you took a stroll to get some fresh hair."
"Karen, go escort him to the garden."
Dylan's gaze was filled with suspiciousness. At first, he was puzzled by their unusual words. But then when Karen's name was mentioned, he soon realized what was going on. Mentally striking his face, he dryly replied,
"There's no need."
"Of course there is! You are our guest. We can't have you leave unattended."
Dylan rolled his eyes. It's ironic how throughout the day they don't care about him but now here they are acting like this.
"Come on."
Karen who was already at the door was waiting for Dylan, who tiredly followed after her as Xavier followed them as well.
When they were out in the corridor, Karen turned to Xavier and spoke in a demeaning manner,
"Leave us alone."
Contrary to her words, Xavier didn't move an inch. This irks Karen who questions,
"Didn't you hear what I just said?"
Xavier replied in a monotone,
"I do not belong to you that I have to follow your orders."
This makes Dylan let out a chuckle as he marked Karen's heated face. He then politely requests Xavier,
"It's alright, Xavier. Leave us alone. You must be tired. Go and rest early tonight."
Xavier nodded and then left.
Upon his leave, Karen mumbled,
"Should have done so from the start."
At that moment, from in front, stomped Lyra. Her expression was full of fury. Dylan had never sighted her this way. Surprised, he quickly undertakes a few steps to approach her. She flinches upon noting him but her face hardens once again as she turns to Karen,
"Where is Brother Wily?"
Karen too was slightly taken aback by noting Lyra's expressions, however, she replies,
"I think he was going to go to the fountain in the eastern portion of the palace."
Without even waiting for her to finish, Lyra went ahead. Dylan turned around and followed after her. Karen surprised by Dylan's actions, follows them as well.
"Your highness? Where are you going?"
She inquires but Dylan disregards her and instead calls out to Lyra,
"Lyra! What happened?"
This was the second time he had said her name. Lyra flinches upon hearing her name and comes to a halt. However, she wasn't the only one surprised to hear Dylan call her this way. Karen who was watching bit her lips as she tried to figure out the relationship between the two.
"Did something happen? Are you alright?"
Dylan worriedly asked as he scanned her for any sort of wound and took a sigh of relief after confirming that she was unharmed.
Gulping, Lyra felt her throat parched. She then forced a smile,
"Absolutely, everything is alright. I am sorry for disturbing your walk with Karen. I just had some details regarding administration work that I wanted to go over with Brother Wily."
She answers politely. Dylan however squinted his eyes and furrowed his brows. He knew that she was lying. But he didn't want to point it out. Even if he felt hurt that she did not depend on him enough to inform him of everything even though earlier she claimed that she has nothing to withhold from him.
Before he could gather his thoughts on what to say, she briskly added,
"Then I hope you enjoy your walk. I have to go."
She swiftly left as Dylan wanted to go after her.
"Your highness let's go to the garden."
Karen added, as he then responded,
"I want to walk in the eastern garden."
"Alright!"
Karen replied cheerfully until it suddenly hit her that that is where Brother Wily is and where Lyra is going. She then ponders over how she is also baffled about what happened and what Lyra is going to say to her brother.
Dylan's whole focus was on what happened to Lyra. Therefore he doesn't even wait for Karen to lead the way and instead starts walking in the same direction where Lyra had gone before. Karen also silently tried to keep up the pace.
When they reached the entrance of the garden, they saw Lyra talking with Wily. On a relatively more thorough look, it seems Lyra was arguing while Wily, who was flustered was trying to soothe her down.
Dylan was about to move closer when Karen commented,
"How rude. I don't get why Brother Wily is so patient with her and talks so nicely with her even after what she did."
"What did she do?"
Dylan stopped in his track and for the first time, turned to look at Karen who answered,
"Allow me to forewarn you. Lyra is enormously proud and rude. She may not seem like it but be careful your highness. She used to bully and beat Brother Wily a lot a few years ago."
Dylan realized that things are not as what Karen is declaring. He knows Lyra isn't the person to do such a thing. There must be more to this story. He remarks,
"Then doesn't that mean your brother did something for him to be treated that way?"
Chuckling, Karen instantly denied it,
""Oh no! My brother is innocent. But you are right. Lyra is also being treated according to how she acted so don't pity her too much."
Her words felt like idle words with another unknown side to Dylan. Thus he decided to ask the princess later on, on what happened.
Suddenly Karen moves closer to him and states,
"Prince Dylan, I understand that you're not thinking of getting married right now. But wouldn't you like to get married to me in the future?"
"Huh?"
Dylan scowled as he glared at Karen who continued to confess,
"I like you, your highness. Let's get engaged."
Feeling disgusted, Dylan responded in a low voice. His voice was deep but held an irritated edge to it as if he couldn't stand listening to her anymore.
"Don't be delusional. Get out of your imagination."
This makes Karen flinch, her face changes from a smile to anger in seconds
"Don't you believe me?"
"It's not a matter of belief but rather the matter of me not liking you."
Dylan continued to bluntly reject her.
"What's wrong with me that you do not like?"
"What's so right in you for me to like?"
His words made Karen infuriated. She clasped her hands and pointed at him,
"You......just because you're a prince from another country you think you can talk to me like this?!"
Dylan shrugged,
"Yes"
Letting out a burst of hysterical laughter, Karen tucked her arms,
"......ha! Jerk. Who would want to wed you? You're not even of my level!"
Dylan's eyes bore into her face as he dully added,
"Of course, I'm not. My level is higher than yours."
"I'll see about this later on.....you'll regret this..."
Muttering angrily she turns around and leaves.
Dylan sighs,
'At long last, I got rid of her.'
He quickly turns toward where Lyra and Wily were and founds no one to be there. He decides to head over to the princess's palace because he knew he will not be able to sleep after noting that hurtful grim expression on Lyra's face earlier.
While there, he runs into Astrid who was taking her usual after-dinner stroll in the garden.
"Oh what a surprise to see you here at this time."
She politely greets him as he goes straight to the question,
"Did something happen to Lyra? She seemed terribly distressed earlier and I even saw her arguing with Wily."
Swaying her head, Astrid retorts,
"I have no idea about what happened. She won't tell me either. Her mood is extremely foul and she wishes to be alone right now. I have decided to respect her privacy and give her some time alone to calm down. I am planning to inquire her about the events tomorrow morning."
"Then I shall wait till tomorrow as well..."
Even though he said that Dylan gritted his teeth. He wanted to help Lyra but didn't know how. Suddenly he recalls the things Karen had told her earlier. While walking alongside Astrid in the indoor garden, he inquires in a mellow tone,
"May I ask something even though I shouldn't be asking anything behind a person's back?"
This makes Astrid laugh as she replied,
"If you know you shouldn't then why are you?"
"It is because I wish to help Lyra. I am worried about her and I cannot help her if I do not comprehend what is causing her distress."
Sparkles flicker in Astrid eyes as she observes Dylan thoroughly. Smiling to herself she inquires,
"Is that so? May I ask why you want to assist her? Why do you even worry about her?"
Gulping, Dylan tries to think of an adequate answer. After a brief pause, he ultimately decides on an appropriate response,
"Is there really a need for a reason to worry about someone? To care for someone?"
Chuckling, Astrid remarks,
"I guess it is too early for you to realize your feelings."
Confused, Dylan turns his head to the side,
"What does that indicate?"
"Nevermind. Ask away whatever you hold curiosity about. I will answer to the best of my ability."
"Can you tell me if something happened between Wily and Lyra? Lady Karen told me that Lyra used to bully Wily."
This makes Astrid once again burst into a sarcastic laugh,
"I suppose she would say that. Since that is how they exaggerate it to everyone even though the truth is the opposite. She was the one who got bullied."
"What...."
Dylan becomes astonished as Astrid continues to explain,
"After they moved into the Palace, Hubris, and Karen were mean to us from the beginning. But Wily was different. He was the only one that talked to us and it felt like he genuinely cared for us. Until that day. I was still the crown princess back then while Lyra was the princess. As you can see, none of them follows the royal code. Lyra would correct them multiple times. And this irritated Hubris one day who knocked her into the deep lake. Lyra, who doesn't know how to swim, was drowning. She scream for help from Wily who was the only person there. Wily even knew how to swim. But he stood there, with a blank expression as he observed her drown. Thankfully Nanny got there in time to save her. Since that day, Wily would always smile and it would look like he would support us. But soon, we observed how he was the one who would spread bad rumors about us. Since Lyra is the type to fight back, he exclusively targets her. At first, it was childish bullying like putting gum in her hair, hiding insects in her food, soiling her clothes, and ripping off pages from her book. We would complain to our father but our father would dismiss it as children playing and fighting with each other. He even once locked her inside the dark and cold storage basement. Lyra who is terrified of being in places like that was profoundly impacted. The next day she argued with Wily and let out all her anger. She jabbed him right where he was self-conscious about."
Dylan who was hearing all of this tightened his fist in anger.
Taking a deep breath, Astrid continued,
"Growing up, even now, Aunt Medea tells Wily that he will be the next rightful King. After they shifted to the palace, seeing how everyone treated me and Lyra with more importance. He felt this inferiority complex. And that day, Lyra's words had hit right on the mark as he then hit her. It was around when Lyra was 15 or 16, I believe. But they both fought a lot that day. Lyra got more injured as Wily used books to strike her. Upon their commotion, everyone came outside. Lyra complained about how Wily is the one who originated it but Wily denied her claims. Aunt Medea also hit Lyra and advised her to be quiet if she wants to live. Since the maids that witnessed this are loyal to Aunt Medea, rumors spread everywhere about Lyra being violent and aggressive. They all took pity on Aunt Medea and Wily who were sacrificing so much for us but Lyra was being a brat."
"....where was King Derek then....?"
"He was on a visit to your Kingdom, I believe. Since he was ill back then, we refrained from informing him anything in case his health worsened. No one believed Lyra anyways, so she stopped fighting back."
"Fuck them."
Upon hearing Dylan mutter a curse under his breath, Astrid adds,
"Dylan. Language."
"Sorry but I don't care about my language right now. I meant what I said."
Dylan felt like seeing and talking to Lyra right this moment. He wanted to assure her that everything will be alright and that if no one is there to listen and believe her words, he will always be there to do so. since she wanted to be alone right now, he decided to meet her at breakfast.
The next morning, however, Duke Nabal and Lady Medea were awake early and they invited Dylan for breakfast. Dylan tried to refuse but they just wouldn't hear a no for an answer. While chatting, Dylan intentionally brought up the topic of letters,
"Lady Medea, did you get to the bottom of what happened to those letters?"
Nabal who looked as if he was oblivious to the matter, turns to his wife,
"Letters?"
"Yes, Lady Medea mentioned that all the invitations we went to the princesses never reached her so maybe someone in between is the culprit."
Dylan nodded as Nabal narrowed his gaze at Medea,
"But I delivered them to her...."
Medea glares back in return,
"Well I didn't get them"
"It is okay, no worries. This time I am going to give an in-person invitation for my upcoming birthday."
Dylan smiled. For a moment, Medea's face brightens up until he adds,
"I'll go invite the princess after this. I really hope to see them and this time, there is no excuse such as letters being lost this time."
His words made Medea rise up with fury,
"It is not an excuse! Do you think I'm lying? Are you calling me a liar?"
"No, who called you that?"
"You just did. I know you think I'm lying but what will I get out of lying?!"
"Calm down...he didn't call you a liar. Now let us talk about what we are gathered here to do."
"I thought it was just a simple breakfast time."
Dylan shrugged, curious as to what they are referring to.
"It is but actually......I wanted to talk with King Aaron about this but before I did so, I felt it would be more appropriate to talk to you...."
Nabal looked at his wife as if she was the one pressuring him to say so. He himself didn't feel too sure of what he was saying. Dylan wondered about what this could be about and he couldn't believe what the wife blurted out,
"We want you and Karen to get engaged!"
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Prince Dylan de Helios
❗️❗️❗️NOTE: ALL THE IMAGES used in this book are taken from the internet. If I know the artist or the owner of the picture then I have given credit to him/her. But remind you that these images were taken from the internet which is why I don't have credible sources for these images. If you want some reference then please use google.❗️❗️❗️