Pretty Red Eyes (previously "KING, AGAIN")

16| biannual gathering

16; biannual gathering

A petite girl raced across the room and hurriedly drew the curtains open, allowing the bright daylight to shine through the massive ceiling-to-floor window in the guest room. Her thick and long blonde hair, styled into a loose braid, swung violently behind her as she ran around the room tidying everything up at lightning speed.

Meanwhile, Chelsea watched in confusion. Behind her, they had left the door of the room open and the other maids were rushing about too. Everyone seemed to be in a panic today.

At some point, the petite girl must have remembered that she was partnered with a new girl as she turned around to explain the hectic situation.

"Right," she suddenly stopped moving and turned around, her braid whipped around and came over her shoulder in a swift motion. Her braid was so long, that Chelsea couldn't help but take notice of it. "The biannual gathering for the alphas of all packs has been pushed forward to today. So we have to hurry now. All the guestrooms must be ready by noon!"

"biannual gathering?"

Chelsea grabbed the sheets on the bed and busied herself with straightening them. The petite girl hummed in confirmation of Chelsea's question before explaining further.

"We hold them in the palace. It is usually the worst time for the servants here. It's just way too rushed and too busy." As she spoke, she rushed across the room again, picking up the vacuum and cleaning the carpet.

Chelsea frowned at the girl's words, she wasn't quite understanding the works of the palace yet so she asked again. "you said everyone is only informed today about the biannual gathering happenings? Shouldn't more time be given for us to prepare?"

The petite girl slowed down her vacuuming and sighed deeply. And then she shrugged her shoulders helplessly and replied, "It has always been like that."

Chelsea stayed silent as she moved on to dust the bedhead and the nightstand. With the vacuum growling in her hands, the petite girl stole a few looks at Chelsea whose back was facing her before deciding to speak again.

"To be honest, I doubt the King is even aware how much work we servants have to do," she whispered as if she was afraid someone else would hear it.

Chelsea turned around at her words and merely lifted an eyebrow in question. Surely, this statement is not solely just a complaint because of the gathering preparations.

The girl switched off the vacuum and stepped closer. She wiped her hands on her skirt before holding it out to Chelsea, "Leona."

Chelsea offered her name and shook Leona's hand firmly.

Leona smiled warmly at the response she had received. "I feel like I can tell you anything, which is weird considering we just met."

Leona shook her head like she was embarrassed by her little confession. "You have a powerful aura around you. How did you come to be here?" her words dripped with curiosity as she innocently asked.

Chelsea was fully aware of what she was asking even if she had tried her best to phrase herself gently. For the effort, Chelsea had appreciated but it was no touchy topic.

How did you come to be here? To be a servant in the Palace, under the King's service, when you are obviously not an omega?

Chelsea wanted to laugh for bitter humor's sake. But she knew she would have to explain herself afterward.

But how could she ever with the king and her hating each other's guts? She couldn't go around announcing that she's the queen when she was not planning to stay at all. How could she risk having more people know she has been defeated by her own mate and held prisoner by him? That's humiliating enough just to think of.

Leona waited expectantly but Chelsea couldn't tell her the truth. The dungeon guards knew why she was kept here and that was too many people already.

Not knowing what to do exactly, Chelsea shrugged her shoulders and quickly went back to dust the area, silently praying her cleaning partner would change the topic already.

And change the topic she did.

"Do you think the King will find his mate anytime soon?" she suddenly asked.

Chelsea stiffened as her wolf was suddenly awakened with excitement. She frowned but did not turn around.

Despite the lack of response, Leona continued anyway. "I hope it will be soon. The Palace is way too cold and masculine."

Leona bent over to collect the vacuum off the ground as they both finished up tidying the room for the guest arriving later in the day. Chelsea's wolf purred at the idea of accepting its mate, the thought was so sweet, that a part of Chelsea felt like caving. But how could she ever? She could not risk it. She could not risk at all.

Just then, a servant came rushing by and she popped her head into the room. Breathlessly, she strung out her words. "what are you two doing? The alphas have arrived. Hurry now!"

Wide eyes and alarmed, Leona and Chelsea shared a quick look before they both rushed out of the guest room to welcome the alphas with the others.

.    .    .

a/n

NOT gonna lie but this chapter is a lot more lacking in action compared to the rest but we got to meet a new character!
Meet Leona!
Leona with the beautiful long blonde hair that was twisted into a loose braid.
I hope you guys like this chapter because next chapter is GONNA GET WAY MORE EXCITING!!!
I'm so excited and you should be too!
Okayokay, I'm off to finish up the next chapter now, see you soon.

Planning something juicy,
v. reign