Stolen by the Beastly Lycan King-Chapter 16: Lingering Presence

Despite the early hour, the carriages had already started coursing through the lazy Capital, picking up wealthy commoners who were too drunk or too tired to go back home on their own feet.

The Summer Solstice Festival was officially over, but there was still an echo of the fading celebration coming from the southern part of the city––it was the closing part of the festival; twelve women, dressed in long white dresses and with large rye crowns on their heads were making their way toward the lake where they would walk around it twelve times to pay their respects for the twelve months of the year and bless the kingdom to have a fruitful year ahead.

Lorelai had always wanted to watch that little closing ceremony, but regretfully, she could not do it this year either. Her own summer solstice was over too.

Right now, her top priority was to safely return to the royal palace, unnoticed.

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As the princess stepped off the small brown carriage she hired near the inn, she adjusted the hood of her cloak around her head and took a careful look around. She then gave a generous tip to the coachman, using the money she had thoughtfully taken back from the inn's nightstand, and disappeared into the shadows of the tall annex building used by the palace servants.

The servants' quarters were located behind the main palace, separated from it by a grand apple orchard and a garden––a decision made by the second queen the moment she had arrived at her new home.

Althea demanded everything to be the way she wanted; if she did not like the way something was built, she would order to rebuild it, no matter the time or the money. And even though it seemed rather frivolous to everyone else, her extravagant opinions played beautifully into Lorelai's hands.

Thanks to this intricate disguise, she could slip in and out of the palace in secret, hiding among the thick walls of trees and bushes.

The princess walked quietly through the orchard, occasionally turning her head around to make sure the gardeners were still not there to tend the trees. Once she finally reached the back door leading to the kitchen area, she slowly pushed the door, and entered the palace, tiptoeing all the way to the stairwell in the main hall.

Suddenly, a distant female chatter brought Lorelai to an abrupt halt.

Startled, she quickly hid behind one of the tall columns supporting the stairs, carefully peeking out to see what was going on.

The main door swung open by the guarding knights and a small crowd of five female beauticians entered the hall, chatting lively while swinging their big canvas purses in front of them as they marched toward the stairs.

Lorelai recognized them right away. They were the same women frequenting the palace almost every week.

Dressed in the same tailored black and blue uniform, they were the female beauticians working for Lady Chantale's beauty parlor––the most prestigious establishment in the entire Elerith where noblewomen of high standing could receive customized attention by the skilled Countess Adora Chantale, whose talents in reviving one's lost beauty were always showered with accolades.

Queen Althea was the only woman in the kingdom who had the beauticians sent directly to her home, and Lorelai had to admit that every time they visited her stepmother, she emerged from her bedroom looking absolutely stunning.

Sometimes it looked as if Althea was born again; her pale skin was glowing with healthy color, her brown eyes were shining with life, and her entire presence was filled with the vibrant aura that no other woman of Erelith seemed to be able to achieve, no matter how hard she tried.

Lorelai waited for the women to go upstairs and once they disappeared into the queen's quarters, she rushed back up as well, slamming the door behind her back as she found herself secured in the silence of her own bedroom.

Having run to her vast bed, the princess collapsed onto its soft surface, sprawling across the blanket as if preparing to make a snow angel.

Exhaustion washed over her; her body still ached, and, most importantly, she carried the unsettling scent of unfamiliarity, leaving her feeling unusually dirty.

"My guilty conscience is getting to me once again... Goodness, I really cannot rebel, huh?"

With great care, Lorelai lifted her heavy body from the bed, removing her black cloak and concealing it beneath the mattress. It was evidence of her crime against her stepmother, and now it would be Marianna's responsibility to dispose of it.

Once Althea was done with her procedures, the princess would have to have breakfast with her and Kai. That meant that she needed to start getting ready as Lorelai did not want either of them to suspect that something was amiss.

Letting out a heavy exhale, she pulled the rope next to her bed, alerting the maids that she needed their assistance.

She then hid the red dress along with the cloak and quickly slipped into her usual white nightgown, moving her blanket around the bed to create an allusion that she had indeed spent the night in bed.

The maids arrived promptly, ready to escort their princess to the bathroom.

One of them handed Lorelai her cane, and although she willingly accepted it, the princess could not help but wonder again.

'The pain is slowly coming back, but... it was not as prominent while I was with that man... I can't help but think about it.'

It was indeed an entertaining thought but Lorelai decided to brush it off entirely.

Perhaps it was simply some sort of a delirium; a rush of unfamiliar emotions that made her forget about her injury.

Whatever it was, it did not matter anymore.

Once in the bathtub, the princess battled the urge to close her eyelids then and there—the hot water finally eased the tension and pain from her body, leaving her yearning for the sleep she had been deprived of all night.

However, even when enveloped in the refreshing aroma of the flower oils, she could not help but feel the stranger's scent lingering all over her skin.

Watching as the maids continued to rub her body with soft towels, Lorelai observed their reaction as well––they did not seem to smell anything, but she was certain that his strong presence refused to let her go. Just like he refused to let go of her last night.

It was bizarre, to say the least.

When Lorelai was done with both her bath and attire, a soft knock brought her attention to her bedroom door.

"Come in," Marianna ordered as she added a finishing touch to Lorelai's hairdo.

Liana, one of Althea's ladies-in-waiting, stepped inside and greeted the ladies with a bow.

"Pardon the intrusion, Your Highness, but Her Majesty Queen Althea requested you to visit her bedroom once you are done getting dressed."