The Crown's Entrapment

Freya remained with Aurelia inside the carriage during their journey back to Capital City. The princess sat opposite her companion, and the deafening silence between them was starting to get under her skin.

[Are you sure about this?] Yal asked when her wolf sensed that she was planning to do something to break the silence.

[Definitely sure. There's no way that I'll keep my silence…] Freya snorted. [Besides, it's for her own good, so why not?]

Clearing her throat, Freya enacted her plan as she first asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm better now, Your Highness," Aurelia politely answered as she peered out of the carriage window. There, Freya saw the woman smile and nod to her mate Gideon, who was currently riding a horse just alongside their carriage.

Truly, her mate was overreacting by standing guard by the carriage door. As if her cousin Calypso would even bother to barge in on them during this journey… It was irksome seeing him like this, and she wasn't really the type who was very good at hiding her annoyances.

Looking straight at Aurelia, Freya emotionlessly stated, "You love my mate, but you love him more than as your brother. You love my mate as a man."

Aurelia's face paled. Her mouth opened in shock, she tried to speak only for her words to fail her. She had been caught, and Freya couldn't help but think about such a reaction.

'She's not good at lying, I guess,' Freya inwardly thought, wondering just how she should deliver her next words without them sounding like a threat. Aurelia seemed to be a nice lady, but still, she wanted the woman to know that she had found her out due to her not being careful enough with how she hid her feelings.

"I…" Aurelia uttered, only for her to trail off into silence.

"Look, you and I will soon become family, and I don't want to have an awkward relationship with you," Freya sighed deeply.

"I know it might sound offensive, but I want to be honest with you… I don't like how you look at Gideon. I can see how you look at him more than just a brother. I don't have anything against you, but I simply can't help but call you out on it, Aurelia. So please, you have to overcome this love of yours so that the two of us won't have anything against each other."

There was a momentary pause before Freya continued, "Or maybe you're already trying to move on. Maybe you know your boundaries, and I deeply appreciate that, but if that's the case, then you need to try harder."

Aurelia looked forlorn. With a frown, she bowed her head in deference.

"I'm sorry… Please don't worry about me or see me as a threat. My brother loves you so much, and he's waited so long for you only for me to try and muck it up," Aurelia sighed. "I'm honestly happy just seeing that he's happy with you. With how I look at him… I wasn't aware that it looked like that, but I'll refrain from doing such things if it'll ease your mind. I…"

Freya didn't know what to feel as she saw how helpless Aurelia looked in front of her. She wasn't even sure how she should deliver her words properly as she constantly held her head down to avoid looking at her.

Cautious, Freya was about to speak again when the carriage suddenly came to a halt. The door then swung open to reveal Gideon who looked at her and asked, "Can I please try to help Aurelia get settled into her assigned chamber in the castle first? I'd like to have a word with her."

"No…" Aurelia quickly stated with a frown. "I'd like to have Lord Calypso walk me to my chamber. I need to have a private word with him."

"What?!" Gideon protested. "There's no way I'll let you be alone with that womanizer, Aurelia!"

Aurelia gave him a faint smile and said, "I'm not a child anymore that needs your protection as always, Brother. I'm a grown lady now. One who can perfectly handle herself well and decide what's best for me." She firmly insisted, "Please let Lord Calypso usher me to my assigned chamber…"

Freya felt her head spin just watching these two siblings converse. She didn't know whether to feel bad or be entertained somehow.

"I'll be leaving. I need some air," she simply uttered before she immediately went out of the carriage.

"Freya…" Gideon murmured behind her, but she went and ignored him as she gave him one last look. He then furrowed his brows, having seen the frown and annoyance on her face before she left completely.

"Follow your mate, Brother. I told you I can handle things on my own," Aurelia insisted to Gideon. "So please…" Her unsaid words lingered for a beat before she decided to keep her mouth shut.

Without waiting for Gideon to answer, she then immediately went out of the carriage and walked towards Calypso's direction. "Walk with me. I need to have a word with you…"

Calypso's brows knitted at her request. He couldn't believe how she just approached him like that.

Seeing that her chaperone still hadn't walked her yet, Aurelia clicked her tongue before wordlessly pulling at Calypso's arm to make themselves scarce. Behind them, she could hear her brother curse at the situation he found himself in.

It might've looked cruel, she promptly ignored him and simply walked with long strides away from her brother. She didn't want to cause any misunderstandings between Gideon and his mate. After everything he had done for her, she would never want do that intentionally.

Still, her grip on Calypso's arm tightened as she trembled upon the memory of the Princess's words. Was she that obvious that the Princess found her out simply by how she looked at Gideon? She was so stupid! How could she be so reckless and let the Princess caught her red-handed like that?

"You're using me right now, but I don't really mind it. You can use me whenever you want, milady."

Calypso's voice snapped her out of her deep stupor as she halted in her steps. Before she even knew it, she was already at the doorstep of the chamber she often used whenever she stayed in Cordon Castle.

"We're here, milady. Are you sure you want me to go inside your bedchamber?" Calypso asked. "You do know that the rumors about us will escalate further once I do, right? Many saw you holding me tight like this while dragging me towards your bedchamber."

Aurelia frowned as she opened her door. Right… that was a thing she had to address. She had let out a sigh when an idea suddenly came into her head. Something that could put the Princess at ease while also helping her hide away her own feelings for her brother Gideon.

She turned to Calypso and seriously murmured, "You said I can use you whenever I want, right?"

Calypso's lips curled as he mischievously said, "Absolutely, but…"

Aurelia frowned at the man. Right… This man would have his conditions.

"Let's talk business inside…" Aurelia mumbled as she pulled Calypso into her bedchamber.