Awkward. Uncomfortable.
That was the only way I could explain morning breakfast. No one said a word. Chelsea sat near Rowan, who fed her off of his plate. She seemed happy to eat from his fingers, as for me...I was more hesitant.
Sirus kept on bringing fruit up to my lips. I told him I despised grapes and I suppose he got offended. So now here I am, him feeding me spoonfuls of porridge. I was full...but his threatening stare was making me a bit nervous.
The only noise you could hear was Fiona. She sat at the end of the table. Clanking her utensils around loudly, as she ate. She was as silent as a mouse. Sirus kept throwing his intense gazes at her, most likely coaxing her to quiets her loud eating down.
It was odd for Rowan and Sirus not to be on speaking terms. Usually they filled the dining hall with loud conversations and laughter. So, Chelsea attempted to speak. Breaking the splitting silence.
"Where is Eddie and Sarah?"
I let lose a laugh, thinking about the two. "They are in the kitchen. Bothering the cooks." Before everyone had arrived for breakfast, I walked into the kitchen to get Eddie a cup of water, that turned into him questioning the cook. Then little Sarah appeared from out of thin air and they both began bombarding the poor old cooks. When I tried to pull them away they begged the cooks If they could stay, and surprisingly they agreed. I just hope they were not actually cooking food.
"That is adorable. Those two are just the sweetest things," Chelsea said while I heard Fiona make a noise. It sounded like a scoff. Chelsea was visibly clenching her fork. "Is there a problem, Princess?"
Fiona shook her head. "No. I agree. The human and a halfbreed are adorable," she said deadpan like, as she moved her seat back and looked at Sirus. "Brother, may I be excused?"
"Yes," Sirus said sharply. She quickly got up and left, just as a maid bought in tea.
"Here your majesty," the woman said while setting the tea down. I thanked her while taking the cup in hand.
"Rowan, have you reached out to the Dragon Kingdom's army general?" Sirus asked, as his fingers kneaded into my back. It was oddly soothing.
"No," Rowan said shortly as he just stared at me. I felt awkward and looked away as I sipped at the warm tea.
"Well," Sirus grumbled. "I need you to do that as soon as possible. The King and his Queen will be here within the week. We should be preparing for war. We should have a plan."
"Esme!" A loud voice shouted. I set the tea down, and watched as Eddie ran over to me. Flour covering his pants, shirt and in his hair. He jumped in my lap and proceeded to get flour all over me as he hugged me.
"Hi Eddie," I smiled as Sirus just glared down at us. Probably annoyed that Eddie had managed to get this dress that he had complimented me on earlier dirty with flour. The only reason why he liked it was because my chests were out.
"Esme, I am tired! I cannot work in the kitchen. It makes me sweat and Sarah is bossing me around!" He exclaimed as I wiped at his forehead. "I am thirsty," he announced as he went to grab my tea cup.
"No, Edwin," Sirus snapped, quickly grabbing the tea from his hands. In which made Eddie...growl. I glared down at him, as Sirus just smirked. "Drink this. It's cold. That tea is hot," he said while handing him over his glass of water. I was still in amazement that Eddie had growled.
"Where did you learn to do that?" I questioned him as Eddie just laughed before hopping from my lap and running out of the room. I glared at Sirus. "He is human."
"I know what he is," was his reply. "Finish your tea," he ordered. He sounded like my father. Never one to waste anything. I rolled my eyes as I finished off the oddly spiced tea. It was good...but maybe they added extra honey and not sugar?
"I cannot do this," Rowan announced as he suddenly got up and stormed out of the room. I watched Chelsea give me an apologetic look, before getting up and bowing. Then she ran after Rowan.
"What is wrong with him?" I questioned Sirus as he stared at the door that his cousin had left from. Seemingly wanting to demolish it with one stare.
"He does not understand," was his reply.
"Does not understand what?" I questioned, as he just sighed loudly.
"Nothing...and I will start training Edwin. He is six years. I started training when I was five," he announced to me as I almost threw the small tea cup at him. Was he mad? Did he eat something spoiled?
"Training him for what!" I screeched out watching him flinch at how high pitched my voice became. I did not care if it harmed his sensitive beastly ears!
He looked at me as if I was mad. He certainly will not become King, that title is reserved for our offspring but he will be the Beta Prince."
What he was saying was just to much. Eddie was young. He deserves to have fun. Be a child. After all that has happened to him. "What will you teach him, Sirus?" Eddie had etiquette classes at the castle...but they were short and not to in depth. He is a child after all.
" To fight, Esmerelda. He is a human prince in a lycanthrope world. He needs to know how to defend himself incase someone attacks him. I will teach him to use silver, wolfsbane. Everything that is lethal to wolves. Silver, what is lethal to Vampyr. I will not teach him all of this now, but in due time. You do not have a say in this, I am just stating what I am going to do. He needs to learn these things."
Eddie. Killing. He would never. Could never. I could not even bare the thought...plus there was something else eating away at me. "Eddie is the heir to my parents kingdom. I am the oldest but I am tied to you so why not train him to be a King," I emphasized. Not liking. Not self defense...but a King. "Then give him the kingdom when he is of age? Plus, when Chelsea and Rowan do have a child he will become Beta Prince and take Rowan's place," I explained as he just sat in thought. It was true. Eddie could lead. He would be a strong King when the time comes. I had no idea what Sirus was planning to do with my kingdom, but this was a solid plan in my head.
"No."
"No? Sirus I am giving Eddie to you to train. You will shape and mold him into a King. It will be like another councilman of yours taking over a small kingdom. My bloodline must continue. It would be my parents only wish if they were alive today," I explained to him as he seem to deflate once I mentioned them.
"We will see. I will train him up until he is eighteen and if he meets my requirements on what a king should be, I will give him the kingdom."
The joy thy spread through me was almost noticeable. That meant in...twelve years I could go to my kingdom and not have to be followed by Sirus. I would simply be visiting my brother. Not be given broken promises of actually seeing my kingdom from Sirus. It gave me deep comfort.
"I know he can do it," I told him as I felt an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach. I cleared my throat as I suddenly stood up.
"Are you okay?" He questioned, looking at me warily.
I faked a smile. "Of course. I think I'll find Eddie and change his clothing. He's covered in flour. Probably along with Sarah too."
******
"Rowan?"
I had followed him outside. After his angry outburst at the table. He was stripping down. My eyes quickly left his body, as he unraveled his clothes, revealing skin.
"Chelsea, I wish to run. Not speak," was his short reply. He and Sirus had not spoken a lick to each other and it was odd. I knew something was bothering him...but I was in no place to come between King and Beta Prince. I was still attempting to figure out my role here.
"Okay..." I said while he was suddenly in front of me. Naked. My eyes darted up to his face, trying to avoid looking below his hips. If I did, I would get bad thoughts. Sinfully bad ones.
"Come run with me, Chelsea."
I shook my head. "Me shifting...it will take a while, Rowan. Probably thirty minutes," I announced shamefully.
There was a chuckle from his lips. "I think I have thirty minutes to spend on my mate," he told me as I still shook my head.
It was not a pretty sight. "N-no. Maybe next time. I will walk with your wolf, though," I told him watching him shake his head.
"Chelsea your wolf is beautiful. At the the mating ceremony, she was carefree and happy. You need to feel that more often." My wolf was small compared to his large wolf.
"No...Rowan I'm just not ready for all of that. I-I am sorry." If I were a purebred wolf I would shift in less than five minutes. But my genes are tainted.
He sighed but dropped the conversation which i was glad about, but I still wanted to know something before he shifted. "Rowan, what is the issue between King Sirus and you?" I asked him as the anger that was with him in the dining hall quickly returned.
"I cannot tell you specifics, but King Sirus has made some decisions without ruling out the consequences and if those decisions come to the light, may the goddess be with him."
In that split second I had realized two very important things.
One, I was nervous about Esmerelda's well being...
And two, Rowan was still very much naked.
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\(0.0)/ Hi guys, sorry for not following through with my promise I'm so sick it's actually disgusting.
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