I considered stealing the map. Technically, it would not be stealing if I took it as it was mine to begin with. But where was the map? I had no idea where to start looking for it.
“The library,” Raven suggested.
She could be right but the problem with the library was that I had no access to it. Diane had told me that only Alpha Dagen and Lady Nydia could access the library in the palace but what if that was not exactly the case? I made up my mind to check the place out. If I were discovered I would simply lie that I had lost my way. After all, it was not like I had been given a formal tour of the palace with a guide of where to go and where not to.
Thus the library would be my starting point.
Once Madam Margaret was done with me for the day, I proceeded to carry out my plan. But first I had to get rid of Diane as I could not feign being lost with my maid by my side.
“I did not want to complain but my neck stings a lot,” I moaned to Diane and she only blushed at me.
“Would you mind getting a ball from the physician?” I asked with doe eyes.
“There is one in your room, my lady. I shall apply it on you when we get there,” came her response and I sighed my disappointment.
“Ah! I have always wanted to eat in the garden. Do you think you can take my food…”
“Alpha Dagen has made it clear that you should not go near the garden or field after it was suspected that you had a poisonous reaction during your time in the field,” came Diane's response.
“Then? What about the stables?” I asked.
“The stables?” she quipped, “you want to have your meal at the stable?” I realized now that that made no sense.
“No, I mean. I have missed horseback riding. Perhaps you could tell Pete to…”
“Due to your trying for conception, Alpha Dagen does not deem it a safe sport for…”
“I see. Then could you tell Ruth to run my bath while I take a stroll enjoying the evening breeze?” I asked. I had run out of ideas.
“Are you trying to get rid of me, my lady?” the question startled me and I stood transfixed.
“That's ridiculous,” I laughed it off but she did not seem convinced so I let her lead me to my room like a lamb. Once she had ensured I was settled in for the night, she left my room.
A few minutes after that, I crawled out of bed. Perhaps it was better to do this at night. I could just feign that I was sleepwalking if I was caught.
I tiptoed my way downstairs. I knew the way to the library pretty well, I had passed by it many times before but I had never been inside of it. It could be that if I did not find my map, I could find another map I could borrow.
When I had reached the front of the library I saw that the door was left ajar but I could not decipher if I had struck luck that it was not locked or if it meant that the Alpha was in the library.
I put on my best sloppy face and turned my head a little to the side. I wanted to look as disoriented as possible. Carefully, I peered into the library and the coolness of the room was what hit me as I entered. It was cold but the coolness of the air felt like a deep massage.
“Wow!” I covered my mouth with my hand the moment the word slipped from my mouth but it was too late, the word echoed back softly at me. I looked around and there was no one. I sighed in relief and my eyes were drawn at once to the big map that was spread across the wall. It had to be the biggest map I had ever seen.
I practically pranced towards the wall and studied the map. It was nothing like the sketch Camille had drawn for me in a hurry but I did see something familiar on it. I moved closer to the image and saw a part of the wide map that was very similar to what I had seen on my map. I studied it closely, tracing the lines of the map with my finger.
I closed my eyes and tried to visualize it so that I could reproduce it earlier. When I was confident I had memorized enough details to reproduce what I needed I opened my eyes. My mission had been somewhat successful, I could return to my room now.
A surprise awaited me however when I turned, Alpha Dagen was standing behind me.
I was beyond shocked. I had not heard him come in at all. What was he? A cat?
“What are you so fixated on that you did not notice me?” he demanded.
“I… nothing, I was… oh! Diane, please don't leave yet. You need to…” I started mumbling nonsense as I remembered that my plan was to sleepwalk.
“You don't fool me, Regina. What are you doing here at this time of the night?” he asked, looking straight into my eye. I was divided between continuing my act or coming up with a reasonable excuse for…
“Mmmm,” I moaned as Alpha Dagen kissed my breast through my thin clothes.
“You're awake, aren't you?” he said and I blinked. He had just manipulated me into admitting my awakeness.
“I couldn't sleep so I wandered about,” came my response.
“You couldn't sleep? And you decided to wander into the library in almost nothing?” he asked, he sounded angry. I crossed my hands across my breast. It was not like I was naked but my sleepwear was so transparent and light it felt like I had nothing on.