96.

-HER-

I woke up the next day feeling a bit tired. The very first thing that I noticed was his absence beside me on the bed.

It was the first time when I got to look around the room properly. It was a big enough room which was very well furnished with very less decoration. Just some paintings here and there.

A big window sat at the other end of the room from where the frozen woods could be seen properly. It was currently snowing outside. As far as I knew it snowed a lot there.

I looked around but he was nowhere to be seen. It made me wonder where he might have gone. I wanted to go looking after him but I decided to wait. I decided to take a bath instead and oddly found some clothes that fit me.

He still wasn’t back when I had stepped out of the bathroom. I dried my hair and combed it properly after so many days. I was very much impressed by the luxury that the place had. It was very different than what I had seen in Alexandria.

I lived a decent life in Alexandria but I knew about all the luxuries of the royals since I spent a lot of time with them, especially Cleopatra and Tryphaena. There almost all the things owned by the royals were made of priceless materials.

The same seemed to be the case here but the signs were very subtle. While I was busy looking through so many different designs of cloaks and their mind-blowing functions in the wardrobe, I heard the door open and close outside followed by footsteps.

Soon, I felt his presence in the wardrobe. I didn’t need to look over my shoulder to confirm it was him. He silently stood behind me, his hot breath fanning my neck while I ran my fingers over the emblem of one of the cloaks which belonged to him.

“What are you doing?” He asked very huskily, teasing my skin and setting a trail of fain sparks on my neck by lightly brushing the tip of his nose.

“Where were you gone?” I asked him instead of answering his question. It was very obvious. A brief silence followed before he answered in a very cold tone, “I was out for a run,”

“So early?” I looked over my shoulder at him. His silver eyes looked very bright and lively as they looked down at me fervently.

“It’s a norm here,” He shrugged, leaning in a bit and holding the cloak that I had been examining before. “Do you like it?” He asked.

“I was looking through some stuff. The royals here seem a bit different here than Alexandria,” I told him. This made him raise an eyebrow at me before asking, “How?”

“Back there they were more lavish,” I shrugged.

“Then we will be more lavish, my pharaoh,” He purred, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me flush against him while resting his forehead against mine.

“That’s not what I mea-“ Before I could finish, my lips were being claimed by him.

After we were done kissing and having our moment, he told me to get dressed because we were supposed to be presented in front of the court that day. Some major decisions were going to be made that day.

He seemed a bit tensed while we were talking about it. I felt his anxiousness through the bond. It was making me anxious as well but I did my best to not show it on my face. I was soon able to distract myself by the dresses that had come for me.

They were very much different than anything in Alexandria. There we wore dresses made of very light material, usually linen. Here, people wore dresses made of very heavy material and the dresses covered almost all the body parts- the part which I hated the most. It made me a bit uncomfortable but I understood that they were necessary because of the harsh weather of Zaeris.

I tried to not to stare too much when Ares put on his royal clothes. They made him look very different. There was no hint of the man I had been ‘playing’ house just a few weeks ago in him now. He looked like a real prince who was ready now ready to take over the kingdom.

It only reminded me of how I had almost ruined so many things here just by my act of foolishness. I couldn’t help but feel strong guilt. It made me even anxious to go to court today.

After we were dressed, we set out for the day. I was trying my best t keep my calm.

“Are you alright?” Ares asked me. I knew he could feel everything but I just didn’t want the acknowledge those bad feelings.

“Yeah,” I tried my best to sound cheerful. His eyes lingered on me for a second longer. I knew he didn’t believe me then but he chose not to say anything. Outside the courtroom Celeste, Regulus and Augustus (Ares told me their names) were already waiting outside of us.

I didn’t miss how the three of them gave me a lingering look before they acted completely unbothered. When I walked into the courtroom with the four of them, I felt everyone’s eyes on me. I did my best to keep my face blank as I took a seat with them.

After a couple of moments, the royal couple walked in. Everyone instantly stood up before they bowed to them. I decided to go with the crowd. When I raised my head, I found the royal couple’s eyes trained on me before they looked away and exchanged a look among themselves.

After we settled, the day’s session started. I was very attentive all the while because of the way they functioned interested me. It was again similar and different to what happened in Alexandria in many ways.

After looking at some matters, Arles finally addressed us.

“As you all know, we have a guest among us,” Spoke the king as he looked down at me with his piercing silver eyes. The courtroom was suddenly very tense.

“We have already met her, of course,” continued the king, “She is the mate of the prince next in line. She also made an attempt at the assassin-“

“That detail wouldn’t be necessary,” Nefret cut the king, waving her hand and rolling her eyes. For some reason, it slightly tugged the corner of my lips up. “The sole thing is that we have got Arsinoe back. We now need to figure out what to do with her,” She was quick to add. Her words instantly knocked the slight smile off my lips.

“Arsinoe, present yourself in front of the royal couple!” Spoke the attendant. I gulped.

“Only, Arsinoe,” The king grumbled when Ares was coming after me. I motioned him to leave me alone as I walked in front of the court, feeling completely vulnerable from inside but absolutely unbothered from outside.

“I assume that you do know why the exile has been lifted,” The king spoke.

“Yes, it was because of me,” I answered, looking him in the eyes.

“And the damages that had been caused to my kingdom by your atrocities,”

“I do,” I nodded.

“And that you still have a lot to do to compensate,”

“Yes,”

“So how shall we make her compensate?” Asked the king to his ministers. I felt anger flooding my chest. I knew that it was from Ares’ side. He was very mad. As the minsters broke off into a murmur, the queen spoke up again.

“Enough of this!” Her voice boomed in the courtroom. “She attempted my assassination on the order of Cleopatra, who is one of our arch-enemies. She wasn’t acting on her will!” The queen defended me. It deeply surprised me as she continued next, “Even though she tried to assassinate me, she saved me once too. I had forgiven her a long time ago but she was sent on exile with my son on this court’s order. I have been very much unhappy with it but that also doesn’t mean that I have accepted Arsinoe. It’s just that I am more open to giving her a chance to prove her loyalty to Zaeris,”

Silence followed her words before she directly asked me, “Arsinoe, do you pledge your loyalty to Zaeris?” She demanded.

“Yes,” I answered.

“Bring the Goblet!”