Ashelia's eyes widened beyond belief as her gaze fixed on the raised platform where the Emperor stood with a broad smile, a glass of red wine in his outstretched hand.

  'Wedding…?' she echoed in her head in a daze. 'Why…? Why now? I… I don't want to!'

  She had the urge to reach for her hair and pull at it but her hands only clenched into fists at her sides as she trembled lightly.

  Her eyes were almost tearing up… but she bit her tongue to stop herself from crying.

  She began to bleed…

  This was her fault… she had agreed to get engaged to Raegan, after all. To marry him.

  And now she Was regretting her choice, even when her mother was still lying sick in bed…

  ‘I'm horribly selfish…’

  *~*~*~*~*~*

  "Urgh, I'm tired…" A plump woman lamented quietly as she hurried through the long halls. "Where on earth did she go this time?!"

  Her hair was a dark shade of brown, and her eyes were bright hazel. Her face was chubby and motherly.

  Her eyes darted around in search of Ashelia as she held up her skirt and continued to move as quickly as her stubby legs would allow.

  How long had she been walking? Minutes? Hours? She couldn't tell. It could very well have been a couple of days…

  The woman sighed… ‘When will she end this bad habit?’

  Always, the young miss would often spend her free time locked up in her chambers or outside in the garden. She didn't like staying with too many people.

  So she would normally be found behind a flower patch with her pet, either sleeping or reading a book, or she would be somewhere in the estate's training grounds, practicing her archery.

  But today, she was in neither of those places. The woman huffed angrily.

  'What other hiding place has she found now?!'

  A few moments later, she reached a quiet place in the manor grounds, where large apple trees were grown—the orchard.

  She spotted a lovely young woman in a sleek white dress; her lush auburn hair fell to her back in rich waves, and her pale skin glistened softly like porcelain under the gentle rays of light filtering through the leaves and branches.

  Ashelia sat comfortably at the foot of a large tree, taking advantage of its shade. She was completely engrossed in the book.

  A bow and quiver full of arrows lay beside her, and on her outstretched lap rested the head of a large dog...

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  'A wolf…' the woman reminded herself.

  ***

  Ashelia leaned back against the tree, consumed by her book. She had heard shuffling from a distance earlier, but she was so engrossed in the book's pages that she hardly noticed someone had discovered her new hiding place.

  A few seconds later, she felt aware of the person's presence and stiffened. Then she peeked at the visitor from behind her large book and saw that it was exactly the person she was afraid it would be—her maid.

  Her nose twitched slightly at the sight of her, and she quickly pulled her face back behind her book.

  "I saw that!" The woman called breathlessly as she approached. "I've spent almost the whole day searching the entire manor for you!"

  Ashelia laughed softly from behind her oversized book. "Goodness, Saya, is that why you're so out of breath?" She teased. "You wouldn't be breathing so hard if you just exercised more."

  Saya halted just inches from her, offended. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath. "I'm tired because I am only human, My Lady. The work I have in managing you is more than enough exercise for me, thank you very much."

  Ashelia put her book aside and looked up at her maid with bright emerald green eyes and a slight smile. "What do you mean by that? Surely, I’m not so difficult to handle."

  "You cannot say that of yourself, My Lady," Saya told her. "Only someone who has watched and known you can do that." She huffed and shook her head. "Hah… the stress I had to go through to find you today…"

  "Now, Saya, don't be so sour," Ashelia smiled at her as she stroked the head of the canine on her lap. "You've found me, haven't you?"

  "After searching the entire manor? Yes…" Saya said grudgingly.

  Ashelia laughed. "It couldn't have been the 'entire' manor," she said. "But all that matters is that you've found me. What would you have done if you had searched the whole manor to no avail? I could have been out, you know."

  Saya wrinkled her nose at the way she emphasized that one word, prompting a stifled laugh from the young miss.

  "...You're right," she responded apathetically. "I suppose I should be satisfied enough that all my time and energy did not go to waste."

  "Indeed, you should," the young lady agreed with a nod.

  "Why, you—" Saya started, but decided against it. It was always a waste to argue with her. The girl always had something to say.

  “Hah..” She sighed. "This silly argument is not why I searched the whole manor for you."

  "I suppose it's not," Ashelia agreed. "Then why? Did Father call for me?"

  "No," the woman responded and rummaged through the large pockets of her dress. After a little while, she pulled out a small scroll.

  "A message addressed to you was delivered earlier. It's from the palace."

  "From the palace?" Ashelia thought aloud. "What could it possibly be about? It isn't time for the seasonal ball yet…"

  She gently took the scroll from Saya's grasp and unrolled it.

  Ashelia's lips pursed, and her expression grew heavier with every second she spent examining the letter. A few moments later, she handed the parchment back to Saya.

  Saya took it and read through it as well, her face lit up.

  "A banquet?" Saya asked herself as she read on. Then, slowly, a wide smile curved her lips. "This is wonderful, My Lady!" She exclaimed in excitement. "Prince Reagan has personally invited you to his banquet! Who would have thought the Emperor would ever host one for him?!"

  Ashelia remained silent for a while. "...I don't want to go," she stated flatly.

  Her maid's face fell at the immediate refusal. "But, My Lady," she started, "it would be discourteous of you not to attend! He has personally invited you!"

  "That doesn't make a difference to me. I will handle it like I have handled every other invitation from the palace," Ashelia told her.

  "He’s your fiancé!"

  "I've made up my mind, and nothing you say will change it, Saya."

  Ashelia furrowed her brows. It was never a good sign when he sent her letters personally; he was clearly not 'asking' her, he was 'telling' her to attend the banquet.

  This was the second time he was sending her a message like this…

  'I hate this,' she thought as she rubbed her forehead. 'Why do I have to go? What will he ask of me this time...'

  Saya apparently did not notice her young lady's silent dilemma and proceeded with her initial argument. "My Lady, please reconsider—"

  "How many times must I say it for you to understand?" Ashelia interrupted coolly, her green eyes taking on a dangerous sheen. "I don't want to go, and that's final."

  Her maid pursed her lips. "My Lady..." she tried.

  The wolf slumbering on Ashelia's lap jerked its head up, fully awake, as if sensing its owner's discomfort. It nuzzled her cheek affectionately, and she ruffled its fur in response. She turned her attention to the plump woman.

  "I would like to be alone for now," she told her maid. "We can discuss this later."

  Saya gave her a small curtsy. "Yes, My Lady," she responded and promptly took her leave.