The Cruel Prince of Wolves

6

Val glared at her.

"You ran away from your guards!" Bellowing once they were in the privacy of their rooms. Lucian had her escorted back whispering for her to calm down. That nothing would come out of her trying to stab her husband. He'd more likely add more punishment to her crimes. And she doesn't really want him to get mad and he loves her and he's merely protecting her. By the time they reached her rooms. She'd told Lucian to shut up.

Val was angry, he shouldn't have left her with guardsmen, he should have put more guards by the door, and surrounded her with security details. He should have locked her in the rooms to ensure her safety. Next time he will not make that mistake. He will lock her and he will surround the door with guards. He had not expected a twilight to come for her on her first day back at the palace. "You're lucky I was there to save you! You could have been severely hurt."

She fumed. "No one asked you to save me!" She didn't need saving, she knew could have taken care of it herself. "Besides, how did a twilight like that get inside the palace?"

"You know they could slip through the cracks."

"That was a large twilight, Val. How can something that big slip through the cracks?"

Val pressed his lips in a thin line. "Why don't you just sit yourself tight. The palace security is not for you to worry about. Lucian is on it."

She gasped and was offended by the way Val spoke to her. She trembled slightly, clenching her fists tightly.

He straightened and it reminded Ramona how'd his posture would snap when his mood would switch or when he'd made up his mind.

Val decided he would not waste another breath as he pivoted from his heels and stalked his way out. He shut the doors, clicking sounds were heard from the other side. He was locking her inside the rooms. It wasn't the first time, he had done this many times before. It's like being released from a trap and walking right into another one. She turned her attention to the large window framed in stained glass designed with artfully drawn hyacinth and framed by two panels of burgundy velvet curtains. It really is pretty and she would hate to shatter it since the only way out of the room is to jump off the window.

She awoke late the next day. Val was nowhere to be seen. She had not heard or felt him join her in which was a welcome relief. Though she had heard his footsteps from outside the doors from time to time pacing the halls up and down. He had guarded her while she slept. A knock on the door stirred her from her dreaming. A maid servant announced herself from the other side.

"Enter."

The maid servant came in and curtsied as soon as she entered the rooms.

"Good morning, princess."

She waved too tired for formal greetings and pleasantries.

"The prince sent me and other ladies in waiting to tend to your needs."

She yawned. "Oh, he did, did he?" Ramona rose, her thin nightgown slipped down her lean body. "Well, tell him I don't need any help." She'd been doing everything herself for the past three years. There's nothing she couldn't do on her own. "Besides, he shouldn't give any of his prisoners special treatment."

The servant kneeled and pressed her forehead on the floor. This immediately made Ramona uncomfortable. "Please, princess. Let us tend to you or the prince would not be happy." She doesn't blame her, well aware of his explosive wrath, Ramona can understand how the poor servant could be so frightened.

"Fine." She said reluctantly "If you beg like that, how can I say no?" A stream of maid servants came inside the room. They wasted no time tending to Ramona like a flock of seagulls on a crab. One readied the bath, the other carried a tray full of breakfast and another one came in carrying a gown in her arms.