Princess of the Wolves

Chapter Three:

-Picture of Dimitri (Aka Gaspard Ulliel) above!-

I knew today wasn't going to be a good day; the breakfast was hearty oatmeal, which Dimitri hated. He groaned in disgust before running his hands through his hair, a bad habit of his. Unlike most days, I would actually see him during the day. I usually never did because usually he was too busy or I was doing something else under the careful eye of the Queen. First thing after breakfast, I had a lesson with the Queen of the Wolves, Lady Lauren, who quite frankly, unnerved me quite a bit. Two maids shuffled in to help me get dressed; one was Anne, who was my personal maid. The other one, I didn't know, but she had a severe, sharp face and tight brunette bun. They had me sit down on the ottoman that was in front of the bed and politely instructed me to stay still because I had a bad habit of squirming around away from hot curling irons and plucking tweezers. By now, I was used to having someone do my morning routine for me, but I longed for the day when I could do my own hair and makeup again. My face was slathered with creams, patted with powders, and had been covered all over. I actually had really bad acne, so the maids, although never saying it, had to painstakingly try and cover up most of it. My hair was tied tight into a bun, leaving two tendrils in front of it. Before getting on my dress, I asked to use the bathroom, so I hurriedly pranced in.
I didn't have to go, but I wanted to look at my reflection. I hardly recognized myself anymore; my flaws, birthmarks, and skin had been hidden away. My hair, which I normally wore loose around my face, was much more tamed than usual.

I stared at my reflection though the shattered bathroom mirror, which was broken by Dimitri a month or two ago. After taking off makeup that night, I muttered something  like, "Wow, I'm so terrible looking." I never had a good self image, which resonated from childhood. My sister would always say, "Don't you wish you were pretty like me? Don't you wish boys liked you like they liked me? What's wrong with you?" I would run to my mother and cry, but even as she smoothed my hair, which infuriated me to no end, she never disputed anything Claire said. I loved the day Claire got married and left.

Dimitri had heard me, and after I exited the bathroom, he went in. After shutting the door, I heard the sound of cracking glass, and when he came out, his fist, which was still clenched, was bleeding. He shrugged and said, "Mirrors are stupid." I never spend much time in front of mirror, but after that I tried to not dwell in case the mirror would be permanently removed.

Upon coming out, I was tied into a pale blue corseted dress the Queen herself had picked out. If I came in anything else but a proper dress, I would be immediately scolded, Dimitri would be yelled at, and I would have to change for being inappropriate. I wore a shoe with as  little of a heel as possible, because like Dimitri hated oatmeal, I hated heels.

I knocked on the Library door three times before entering and curtsied to the Queen, saying "Good morning, my Queen." My lessons with the Queen were usually and particularly boring, like how to properly curtsy, what to wear to certain occasions, which fork to use, or what to address someone as, which would all be important if the lesson wasn't always mostly used on the Queen's repetitive responsibility speech. I could quote the speech by memory, so I spent most of my time daydreaming or doodling when I was "taking notes."

"Good morning," she motioned for me to be seated in one of the stiff backed, wooden chairs. She was always elegant and smartly dressed, and today was no exception. "Now Alicia," she said in her grand and operatic voice, "I must talk to you about duty, your duty to your country, the throne, and my son." Here it goes..."you are an important an key role in the kingdom..." After five minutes, we were interrupted by a tall and lanky maid who had her black as midnight hair pulled harshly into the usual maid bun.

She rang a little golden hand bell, and she meekly said, "Sorry to interrupt, but the King requests your presence at the Military Luncheon." I was actually saved by the bell. The Military Luncheon occurred monthly, but this was the first time the Queen and I were in attendance since I was married.

"Time to put your lessons into good use," she said into my ear. "Let's see if that boy of mine has truly prepared as he ought," she added, shooting me a look.

I walked behind her to avoid anymore conversation. The dining room was set up with the grand table in the very center. It was long enough to seat thirty people, and all but two seats were filled: mine and the queen's. The king had a loud and booming voice that echoed through the whole room. He jubilantly said, "It's a pleasure you two could join us!" This happiness was forced however, because the king was a stern, sturdy, strong man, who hardly ever cracked a smile. A waiter pulled out my chair, which was directly across from Dimitri. He looked up at me and half smiled, but quickly returned his gaze to the notes in front of him. The king went on, "Welcome all to the Military Luncheon." I then noticed a familiar face, my father's. He must be representing Moon Bella, our city and pack. My father had always wanted to be the representative, but never got the chance. He didn't look at me, but instead, he was fixated on the king like he was the only person on the earth.The king went on to say the blessing before announcing, "Let us feast!" The private conversations erupted throughout the table. Waiters, pushing carts with covered plates came around.

The royal family was served first. The Queen said in a hushed voice yet sternly, "It is rude to read during the blessing, Dimitri."

He looked sheepishly at her, "I wasn't."

She rolled her eyes, as he fixated his gaze again on the scribblings in front of him. Dinner was uncovered and appeared to be duck, blood pudding, and fingerling potatoes.  I swear I could see Dimitri turn a pale shadow of green. 

The king drew attention to his son by shouting, "Let's eat! Are you deaf, boy?" He stomached his way through most of it, but didn't touch most of the duck. It did look gross, I agreed. The meal was spent in silence on our end of the table with the king carefully examining his son and the queen watching me. When the king was finished, but Dimitri still had most of the bird left on his plate. The king called him out again, "Oh right! I forgot you are a picky eater."

Every eye shifted on him, and Dimitri gritted his teeth and growled in a low voice, "I'm not picky; I'm particular. There is a difference."

The Queen, breaking her silence, stated in a motherly tone, "This is probably why you are small, dear. You don't eat anything!"

He responded again so only our side of the table could hear, "I'm not small. I do eat. Please stop." He tried to remain harsh in his tone, but some desperation could be heard. By the human's standard he was average or a little taller and more muscular than most of them, but by wolf standards (although he was much taller than me), he was less muscular and shorter than most men like his father.

"My! Quite the temper we have!" one of the generals retorted, laughing.
"No wonder he broke the bathroom mirror!" his father laughed back.

His head snapped to look at me; with anger in his eyes, he snarled, "You told him!"

"I didn't tell him anything! I don't even talk to him!" I responded. Dimitri was shaking, as he did before shifting. "Breathe," I instructed quietly, "don't this! Not here." He took a deep breath, and I kept going, "Don't let them win."

The king stopped laughing and shot me a look. Then, Dimitri, who was a blur because he was in between the process of shifting, ran out of the room. 

Someone gasped out loud, "Goodness! He can control his shifting!"

The king retorted something, but I didn't hear anything because I ran after Dimitri, spilling red wine on the Queen's dress as I fled. I knew it wasn't going to be a good day.