Chapter 103 Chapter 103

Chapter 103 Chapter 103
Aira.

"Wow..." I had whispered, feeling the flame in my cheeks burn brighter. The imagery his words created was weirdly erotic, and I subconsciously bit my lips. Bringing my attention to the discussion at hand, I continued asking more questions. "What... What does that do? The knotting, I mean?"

"It'll help your body have my scent, thereby declaring to the world that you've been claimed by me, and also make it possible for you to carry my children since you're human." He answered, his words gentle yet direct. "Oh..." I nodded slowly, letting the words settle. I did want to carry his children someday.

"That sounds like a lot," I muttered after a moment, even if a part of me was excited to do this with him. "Don't worry, you'll enjoy it," he growled, pressing his face against my neck and breathing me in. "I'll make sure of it," he murmured against my skin, licking the spot where he would most likely place a mark.

I chuckled, pulling away from him as my entire body warmed. He pulled me back, wrapping his arms around me even tighter. "How much time do I have to prepare for this then?" I asked slowly, feeling sleep creep into my system as I blinked blearily at him.

"It mostly depends on you," he answered slowly, his hands sliding up and down my back. "But I was hoping for a weekend from now. I am willing to wait till whenever, really. It doesn't change the fact that you're mine."

Mine. The word made my heart flutter once more. If he said he wanted to do the mating ritual now, I would heartily agree. But he was right; I still needed time to prepare. The last few months had been a whirlwind of events, and I still needed to recover from them.

Letting out a yawn, I burrowed deeper into his chest. "Okay, I'll let you know when I'm ready." When he thought I was deeply asleep, he muttered, "Don't make me wait too long." While I drifted to sleep, I wished that our mate bond would be restored, as Helen had told me about it. The ability to hear his thoughts and feel his emotions, while he did the same with mine, seemed too magical to pass up.

I said a little prayer to the moon goddess above, hoping she would grant me this wish. A knock came on the grand door, interrupting my thoughts, and I looked up. "Come in," I called out, stretching on the bed.

The door opened, and Helen strolled in with a basket in hand and an even bigger smile on her face. "Good morning, Your Majesty," she greeted, delivering a small bow, and I stiffened, my eyes widening. "You too? Why has everyone been addressing me as that lately?"

"Well, the king has officially announced you to the kingdom as his mate; it's only fitting that it changes," she said as she made her way to the bed. "That would take some getting used to," I muttered, wringing my fingers today. Wasn't it just a moment ago when most of them barely hid their disdain and animosity towards me? To have all now treat me with respect felt rather jarring, to say the least.

"I'm here to give you a bath and prepare you for your day. The king's orders. So, if you'll excuse me, I'll be having the maids drop off the things we would need," Helen informed as she clapped her hands, and the door opened once again. Maids hauled in buckets of water and dragged in a huge tub, while others prepared my dresses, jewelry, and skin care products.

I slipped out of bed, watching it all unfold, still filled with disbelief. Once they were all through setting up the space, Helen dismissed them until it was just the two of us. I gingerly peeled off my night dress, getting into the warm scented water that had been prepared. A soft gasp escaped my lips as the warm water rippled against my skin.

Helen dutifully lathered up a sponge and gently began to scrub my skin. It felt odd to be treated like this, but I soon relaxed into it, occasionally conversing with Helen. I told her about my discussion with the king, and by the time I had recounted all he had told me, keeping the special bits to myself, she was grinning with happiness.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's prepare you for the mating ritual!" She screamed in happiness, and I couldn't help the blush that covered me from head to toe.

"Really? Isn't it so sudden?" I asked, and she stared at me like I had grown an extra head.

"What's sudden about this? He's known you for almost a year, Aira. You think if he was in his right mind and had recognized you the moment he met you, he would waste a second? Love, he would claim you in a heartbeat."

I blushed at her words, but I couldn't deny the truth in them too. I had wanted him ever since I laid my eyes on him; it was probably the same for him as well. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Helen. I'll see if I can let him know that I'm ready soon," I said, and she nodded, smiling warmly at me.

Once Helen was through with the bath, I stepped out of the water, and she proceeded to help me dress, while the other maids cleared up the space. She placed me in front of a full-length mirror, picking up a light blue dress from the array of clothes that had been provided and urged me to wear it.

I put it on, loving how comfortable the material felt against my skin. It flowed at the ends and flattered my skin tone, making me appear more youthful. Then, she braided my hair and added fitting jewelry to it as well. By the time she was through, I could hardly recognize myself.

I beamed at her, resisting the urge to pull her into a hug. "Thank you so much, Helen. I'm obsessed!" I said, twirling the dress as I checked myself out in the mirror. "My pleasure..." She said, delivering a small bow.

Remembering something, I turned to her. "How are things with Eiran? Are they progressing well?" I asked, and her eyes sparked, a light flush staining her cheeks. "They are going well, Your Majesty. We've checked for our compatibility, and it was positive. We'll be going for our mating ritual soon," she informed me, and I clapped my hands excitedly.