Before they left the Viscount Verhoven's mansion, the queen was smiling brightly at Lady Karenina Verhoven and touched her hand.
She spoke softly, "Lady Karenina, would you like to accompany us to the capital, my dear? We are very grateful that you have saved our son and we want to show our gratitude by having you in the capital and sightsee. You will be our guest of honor."
Karenina's eyes widened. She couldn't believe her luck!
No... it's not luck. Her patience and care for the crown prince all these weeks had touched the queen's heart and now she wanted to repay Karenina's good deeds to her son.
"I would be honored to… Your Majesty," Karenina said, especially when she saw her father signal her to immediately say yes. She managed a quick curtsy and then looked up to Nicholas.
There was a pounding in her heart and she wanted to swoon when she looked at the most handsome man she had ever laid her eyes on.
The people in Hauntingen were modest and among the guards or even servants, there was no one that caught Karenina's eye, except now.
Nicholas was still aloof and distant, glancing away and pretending as if he hadn't heard anything. But then his mother, the queen elbowed him in the gut and the Crown Prince was forced to nod his head.
"The honor would be ours, Lady Verhoven," he said and then forced a smile as he looked at Karenina. Everything was so wrong, but it was true that Nicholas was saved by her and nothing could change that. "After all, you have saved my life and we would like to repay our debt to you."
"Oh, thank you." Karenina blushed hard and then folded her hands together. "Then I will accompany you and even though I believe that my father will miss me while I am gone… How could I refuse the royal family?"
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"My daughter is so brave, I will be missing you terribly," Viscount Verhoven said and took out a handkerchief to dab at his eyes. It was so fake that Nicholas wanted to gouge his eyes. The viscount turned to his daughter and spoke hoarsely. "Make sure that you write me letters, dearest daughter."
"I will, father." The two members of the Verhoven family shared a hug before she was given her luggage. Even before the royal family had arrived, the Viscount had already prepared everything beforehand.
After that moment, Nicholas who was still upset about how they were taking too long found his mother looking pointedly at him.
The king had already left after a few days and returned to the palace, but the queen forced him to stay a couple of days to get to know Karenina.
Now, they were finally leaving for the palace and he was far from happy as he walked alongside Karenina in order to act like a gentleman.
"She just found me," Nicholas muttered underneath his breath. It was technically the doctors who saved his life and not Lady Karenina but the way people treated the girl, it was as if she was the one who actually healed him.
"Thank you so much for helping me out," Karenina thanked him as Nicholas helped reached out his hand to help her get on the carriage, as a gentleman would.
Karenina's face beamed in happiness when she took his hand. She stepped into the carriage and took her seat.
"You're welcome." Nicholas' voice was flat and he wouldn't have answered at all if it weren't for the presence of his mother.
"I think the two of you will get along well!" the queen added and clapped her hands.
It was an amazing thing in the eyes of the queen that Nicholas was saved by this woman who came from a good family. She thought Karenina was really beautiful.
She had long curly blond hair that framed her petite face with beautiful red lips and bright blue eyes. She was also quite tall for a woman. Physically, she was very attractive and the queen didn't see any reason why her son would not be attracted to his savior.
All this time, Nicholas kept himself away from the opposite sex, never really dated anyone because he was a lycan, and didn't want to expose his secret to anyone.
He didn't want to take the risk of transforming while he was on a date with any of those noblewomen. But now that he was cured, surely he could start thinking about marriage and having a family.
And why not start with this beautiful lady who saved his life? Lady Karenina Verhoven looked good, she also sounded so smart, meek, and what's important was, she was from a noble family.
If the woman who saved Nicholas was a peasant, no matter how beautiful, smart, or kind she was, the queen would never even think of trying to set her up with Nicholas.
No, blood and lineage mattered because Nicholas would be the next king of this kingdom.
The Verhoven House was actually small, but as long as they held noble's blood, the queen was more than happy to accommodate the young woman and was eager to matchmake her son.
It was not too long before Lady Karenina was taken to the royal palace and allowed to sojourn there in the honor of saving Nicholas. She was elevated and placed in a good position that those in politics scrambled to accommodate the new person into the picture.
Even though Nicholas kept trying to avoid Lady Karenina, the queen would create multiple scenarios where the two would meet each other and even go on events together.
Nicholas wished that his father would do something, but the man let his wife do whatever.
***
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmNicholas finally got some peace of mind by hiding in the library and it was there that the royal librarian asked him a question. "Would you like to go to the hidden part of the library again, Your Highness?"
"Huh? Hidden? Do you mean you can help me hide? Yeah, please." Nicholas quickly nodded.
He was escorted into one of the less-visited parts. It was to his surprise that the librarian would take out a book and then the bookshelf opened up to reveal a secret pathway.
The crown prince's eyes bulged and he turned around to look at the royal librarian, but the man was already gone. Not wanting to miss the chance to escape from Lady Karenina and his mother, Nicholas stepped inside.
He finally arrived at a dusty room and sat down on a wooden crate to sigh in relief as he rubbed his face. "Finally, some peace and quiet. Why are women like that? Even my mother has become obnoxious when I clearly try to avoid Lady Karenina."
Nicholas sneezed and looked around his surroundings and then idly picked up a scroll. It would contain information about Lycans and he only raised a brow idly at all of this information and he would shake his head.
"My father… he was so incredibly busy during the war and now all of these are lying in the corner of the library and accumulating dust. Seems wrong that they're just here." Nicholas muttered. When he wanted to put the scroll back, suddenly a pang of pain hit his head. "Argh."
.
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From Missrealitybites:
I bet now you can feel "The Little Mermaid' vibe from this story. XD
Remember, ALL MY STORIES HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS. Please just bear with the discomfort for a little bit.