Chapter 16
Flora POV
I'm so heartbroken after hearing about the engagement between the princess and Nick. It isn't my fault I'm not from a leading pack, but my father is still an alpha of a major pack. I'm not as privileged as her to begin with, I couldn't help but sulk in my room.
A knock resounded on my door. It is my nanny, she is like the mother I never had, always supporting me through everything. I poured out my heart to her, concerning how I felt about Nicolas' engagement.
She hugged me silently, something I never knew I needed. I returned the hug bursting into tears. She consoled me and gently whispered in my ears.
"Lady Flora...? I think you have feelings for the young master" She Said, I paused as I listened to her.
"I don't mean to hurt my lady, but my lady shouldn't be rash, It's just a normal crush, at a point you'll outgrow it" She paused studying my expression.
"What if I don't outgrow it?" I ask
"Oh...that won't be good, My lady is stronger than this, don't let such things bother you... you have to take your afternoon nap" She said and tried to tuck me in.
"Does he want to be with the princess, would he still visit me?" I asked my nanny who was about to leave. She stopped and kissed my forehead, telling me to go to sleep.
Few hours later
After I woke up, I suddenly began feeling thirsty. My nanny was nowhere to be seen, so I tried to wake up and get it myself. But, a glass of water was suddenly before my eyes.
"Take it, you must be thirsty after sleeping for so long?" I heard a familiar voice after staring at the glass for a while.
I was startled but kept my cool,
"What are you doing here?" I asked, as I could see the puzzled expression on his face.
"You invited me" He said, as I suddenly remember doing so, before I heard about his engagement with the princess.
"Wait...!" I subconsciously yelled as he was about to leave
"I did invite you...but" I confessed as a relief expression appeared on his face.
"Is it about the impending engagement?" He asked and I remained silent, affirming his question.
"Flora...you'll always be my friend," he said.
"We're Friends?" I subconsciously asked, They word friend hurts more than it should. I felt like I experienced this heartbreak before, though it's too big of a word for a ten year old to use.
"Yea...we're friends" I emphasized on the word, that I also could feel his discomfort.
"I'm sorry, I mean, Since I knew you, I'm...I'm just worried you'll change and forget me, after being with the princess" I apologized while staring at the ground, worried to see his disgusted expression at my jealousy.
'Yes I was jealous of the Levites princess, she had everything, and I had nothing but she wanted to take the only person that I cared so dearly for, I hate her' I admitted my dislike for princess Viona, who's name has reached packs across the world.
This is the first time I felt such a strong negative emotion towards someone.
"My chest hurts..." I clenched my chest and almost fell to the ground. I was expecting pain, but it didn't come, when I opened my eyes. Nicolas was before me, and only then did I realize that I was on my bed.
"Are you alright?" I could sense the concern in his voice and I didn't want to lose it. Just then, my nanny ran in with my inhaler. Upon hearing the commotion, She brought it close and I inhaled till my condition stabilized.
"What's wrong with her?" Nick asked
"Young lady Flora is asthmatic. She must have been stressed. Please, I'd like to ask the young master to leave" She said.
"No...!" I yelled but no one listened to me and Nicolas just walked out.
"My lady, you can't be this worked up over someone, you're only ten" She tried to reason with me, but I didn't want to listen and also dismissed her for the day.
I cried myself to sleep.
When I opened my eyes, it was evening, my dad was back from work, he was in his study, I knocked on his door, after getting his permission I entered the office.
"Dad..." I called for his attention. I ran to his side and he picked me up to his thighs.
"Daddy...why do you always go out with Nicolas' father?" I asked. He dropped the paper in his hand and looked at me.
"Why do you ask?" He asked and I shook my head saying it was nothing and I just wanted to know.
"No...it's just that daddy doesn't spend much time with me anymore, and Nicolas is to be engaged very soon, no one would play with me anymore" I complained.
"Don't worry honey...Dad is working with Uncle Jones, so our pack could merge, then you would have a lot of people to play with" He replied.
"Why do we have to merge?" I asked and didn't think it was necessary.
"Well honey as you know, our oil business is not doing well, and so is our position, we rose to the top because we have the resources and finance to stabilize us, if our source of income depletes and we have no more resources, we'll go bankrupt and our pack would my to the bottom again. Did you forget what happened to the Morning pack, in just a few months after an office accident, they lost their business and their rank, now they are no different than humans, anyone can trample on them. But if we merge with the Royals, we can secure our pack rank and also ensure their backing in business, coupled with the fact The Royals next Alpha and The Levites young princess are getting engaged, it would yield huge profits for us, and stabilize our packs strength" He explained excitedly not even noticing how my mood was down.
"Daddy..." I called.
"Are humans bad?" I asked
"No sweetie most of them are just naive, and the ones who are well informed are selfish and ambitious doing everything for their own gain" He said in disgust.
"Why Father?" I asked, watching his expression twist from disgust to anger.
"The naive humans believe our kind don't exist and are ignorant of the fact that we live amongst them, that is why we cannot shape-shift in front of a human..." He paused.
"And the well informed are the most dangerous, they use their naive kind to traffick both werewolves and vampires for their own gain, selling their organs, or using them for witchcraft to work with the witches, trying to eliminate other kinds. They were successful with the fairies..."
"There were fairies...?" I asked curiously, interrupting him.
"Shhh....!" He hushed me playfully.
He then whispered "Yes but there are now myths, but still it's believed that there in the wind and listen to everything"
"Oh well, I'm going back to work" He resumed his paperwork and I went back to my room. My mind was taken off from Nicolas for the meantime at least as I pondered my conversation with my dad.
I tried to imagine how they would look, and it was nothing short of beautiful. People often compared Viona to a fairy, though she is beautiful, I'm just as pretty. After taking my bath, I felt more refreshed and lit. I felt guilty for the way I spoke to my nanny earlier, and I was going to apologize tomorrow. She is right, I'm just ten and shouldn't be worried about someone. He is five years older than me, and we are just friends.
"Friends" I mumbled, "but why does the word still hurt?"
It was late at night, I went to my window glazing at the bright moon, as I closed my hands together,
"I wish to meet a fairy one day" I whispered.