Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
CYPRIEN
The bath was better than anything my wildest dreams could have conjured.
The steady flow of hot water relaxed me completely, and the lady servants cleaned me thoroughly but gently.
I just closed my eyes and let them work their magic on my overworked muscles and tight skin.
By the time they were finished, I felt loose and floaty, more relaxed than I’d ever been.
“Are you ready for your towel my lord?” One of the servants asked after rinsing out my hair. I didn’t respond, thinking she’d been talking to someone else “My lord, your towel?”
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you were speaking to me. Yes, I am ready,” came my awkward reply.
She grabbed a fluffy white towel from a nearby shelf then rounded the tub to stand between me and our other guests.
Eyes averted, she held the towel out for me and the other ladies helped me stand and climb out of the tub.
Once out of the tub, the towel wrapped around me and a second servant scrubbed at my hair.
A third stood holding a plush robe in her hands.
As soon as I was dry, she slipped it over my shoulders and tied it at the front.
They then stepped away and the prince approached, a strange mixture of expressions on his face.
Lust, adoration, and fury battled for dominance.
I instantly froze up and averted my gaze, fearful of the anger I sensed in him.
It was exactly how my stepbrothers looked at me before they fucked or beat me.
He stopped a couple of feet away, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths.
When he reopened them, his jaw had unclenched and his expression softened.
“I’m so sorry,” he said softly, hand cupping my cheek and gently turning my attention to him. “I should have known you’d react to the anger in me. It was not directed at you, but at the people who should have protected you. Who failed you. I will not fail you, this I swear.”
I kissed the palm of his hand and spoke softly. “I believe you, my prince. In my heart, I truly do. It just may take some time for my mind to fully catch up. It is apparent to me now that my stepfamily’s treatment of me has caused me more damage than I had thought.”
“Take all the time you need. I’ll be here.” He smiled slightly before continuing. “And for River’s sake, call me Alaric. You will never be anyone’s inferior ever again, least of all mine.”
A brief knock at the door rang out in the quiet room, and the queen and princess swept in with armfuls of clothing. “Here we are, darling. We didn’t know what would fit or what he would like so we brought several options.”
They dumped their treasures on a chaise lounge in the corner and I crossed the room to marvel at the luxurious fabrics.
I touched everything, never before had I been offered something so fine.
Even my stepfather’s clothes couldn’t compare.
Tears sprung to my eyes and I tried to hurriedly wipe them away.
“These are for me?” I gestured at the pile.
“I get to choose something from these exquisite clothes?”
The queen gave me a gentle smile and nodded. “Anything and everything you’d like. And soon we will have the tailor bring in some fabrics and get your measurements so he can craft you a custom wardrobe of your own.”
Had I not been barely clinging to my robe–and dignity–I would have hugged her.
I hadn’t felt such kindness since my mother passed away and it touched me deeply.
“Thank you so very much.” My eyes scanned the clothing again.
“I have no idea how to put together the appropriate attire to meet his Majesty, and I have no desire to make a fool of myself.”
“Don’t you worry about that,” the princess spoke up. “We will happily help you.”
She got to work digging through the pile, tossing things into her mother’s arms. With a quickness that almost frightened me, she had picked out several options.
After some deliberation, we chose a black shirt and black pants with a black and royal purple brocade jacket.
A black belt and supple black boots completed the ensemble.
The fit wasn’t perfect, but it was better than anything I had worn in ages–that didn’t require the use of magic.
I glanced in the mirror, only to break my neck to get a better look.
“Is… is that really me?” I gently touched my soft curls and brushed my hands down the front of the jacket.
My eyes sparkled like a jeweled forest beneath the moon, and my normally messy hair was groomed into submission.
Gone was the farmboy and servant. Before me stood a royal, someone worthy of the prince’s attention.
Tears threatened again and I was barely holding them off when Prince Alaric whispered in my ear. “Just know, your worth does not hinge upon how well you are dressed or where you came from, but you do clean up quite nicely.”
The tears fell freely then. I was both amazed and ashamed that he could read me so well.
We may have been soulmates, but we barely knew each other.
I had no doubt that we would remedy the situation after the meeting with the king, but it was all very overwhelming.
The princess approached my other side and winked at me in the mirror.
With an arm around my shoulders, she led me away from the stranger who was reflected in the glass.
She handed me over to Travis with a look I couldn’t read and turned to look at the rest of the room.
“Everyone out! Travis and I must speak to my future brother in private.” She gestured toward the door and everyone else filed out slowly, albeit with curious looks on their faces.
One of the maids stayed behind, stating that she couldn’t in good conscience leave the princess alone in a room with two unwed males. The princess agreed that she had a point but insisted that she stay on the opposite side of the room so as not to overhear.
ALARIC
I stood guard outside the door, pacing to and fro, my mind stewing over what my sister could possibly have to say privately to Cyprien.
There was nothing she couldn’t say in front of me–it was maddening!
After an indeterminate amount of time that appeared to be just short of an eternity, the door opened and they stepped out–right as I was contemplating bursting into the room.
Lydia and Cyprien approached arm in arm, and she handed him off to me with a wink and a smile.
He seemed much more at ease, even a bit confident.
The suit jacket made his eyes shine. That combined with the gentle curl of his hair made him look innocent and sweet, but those full lips were made for sinful acts.
I was so gobsmacked again by his beauty that I had to take a moment to stare.
“Come now, son. It’s time to speak with your father,” my mother interrupted, bringing me back to the matter at hand. “Save those looks for behind closed doors.”
“Right. Sorry, Mother. I will strive to behave more appropriately.” I chuckled softly and followed her down the hall, gently guiding Cyprien alongside me, his arm hooked into mine.
The rest of our entourage followed close behind as we made our way through the castle to the library, a more neutral location selected by my mother to make everyone more comfortable.
It was also closer to my quarters than the king’s office or study.
Had Cyprien not been in awe at everything around him, we would have gotten to the library in less than five minutes, but I couldn’t deprive him of his first real look at his new home.
He stopped every few feet to marvel at a piece of artwork, be it a painting, a tapestry, or a sculpture.
My mother would smile indulgently at us, always the patient one.
After a few moments, Cyprien would allow me to lead him away from whatever masterpiece had caught his attention, only to be ensnared by another one moments later.
He kept apologizing for getting distracted, but I just kissed the back of his hand and gently pulled him along.
His appreciation of a home that I had taken for granted for years was refreshing.
It was fortunate that it was such a short distance to the library, otherwise we might not have made it before nightfall.
My father was a particular man and refused to hold important meetings after sundown–he thought it was bad luck.
I’m sure there was a story behind it, but I didn’t know it, nor did I care to.
We climbed a grand staircase, coming to a stop in front of a large set of double doors.
Cyprien gasped when he saw the mural that was painted across them.
It was an homage to the River Maiden and her kingdom–our kingdom.
I had never stopped to take in its beauty, but I did then, with Cyprien by my side.
My lips moved in silent prayer and gratitude to the one who had given me my soulmate.
My mother turned and broke the spell. “Okay, is everyone ready? Cyprien, dear, are you prepared to meet your future father-in-law?”
He blanched, but recovered quickly. “Yes, your Majesty. As ready as one can be.”
The queen scrunched her nose up and chuckled. “Don’t waste your honorifics on me, young man. I intend to treat you as one of my own, and my own children do not refer to me as ‘your Majesty.’”
Lydia leaned in, murmuring, “Unless we’re in trouble.”
That seemed to break the tension, and we moved on.
My mother nodded to the guards, and they opened the doors wide for us. We all filed into the room, a deep echo bouncing off the walls as they were shut behind us. Cyprien flinched, then nearly fell prostrate when he laid his eyes upon my father.
“So, this is the man that the River Maiden chose for my son?” the king questioned loudly. I held my mate steady, and all eyes fell on Cyprien.