The King’s Tainted Mate
Chapter 66

The palace had descended into utter chaos. Thanks to me. It still felt surreal that I had been the one to cause such a stir in the usually calm hallways and palace grounds. In a matter of hours, the usually serene castle was no different from the hustle and bustle of the capital of Xatis. Following the king's pronouncement everyone had been as soldiers that had been given an order to charge at the enemy. Everyone had gone to arms, except their weapons were not swords and daggers or canines and claws. Theirs were kitchen and butcher knives, spoons and pans, large pots that I was sure could fit a couple of grown men all at once. Maids scurried left and right, carrying linen. Both clean and that which had just been changed. Other's dusted, while still others scrubbed the floors so furiously one would think it had not been scrubbed for a century. Others polished as though they wished to see their very faces in the stone floor.

Out in the palace grounds, barrels and barrels of wine were being rolled out of the wine cellars by muscled guards.Too many to count it made me wonder if the strong drink was meant to be drunk by the guests or to be drowned in. Fresh farm produce was being delivered by a long line of carts that I was sure spilled out of the palace gates. Maids, farmers and cooks alike stood and inspected the produce, picking out only the best to be served at the banquet. Protesting animals were dragged to the s*******r and I could have sworn I saw a maidservant carrying a crate of wild rabbits too.

Long drapes of colourful cloth had been hang everywhere I looked. Both inside and outside, bringing out the atmosphere one expected when they attended a banquet.

It was already sunset. Night was fast approaching and yet everyone and everything surrounding me was as at the break of dawn. Men worked as though they had just left their beds only a moment ago. Breaking a sweat as though they had not being doing so since dawn. I was tempted to offer my apologies. As my mate led me back to my chambers, I was tempted to whisper my apologies to those we encountered for my part in what had plunged them into breaking their backs when they should have been preparing to retire to their beds. But despite how bad I felt, none stared at me with that expected annoyance or blame for what had befallen them. No. Only smiles. Delightful and beautiful smiles had graced each face I had come across with many maidens whispering happily amongst themselves once we'd passed by. Many times I had shamelessly eavesdropped on that chatter, just because I had thought to catch them speaking of how they truly felt. I had been disappointed each time as everyone simply gushed about the upcoming event. Not even one had alluded to the odd situation of having the queen and the king's mate expecting heirs. In the end I had merely concluded that everyone I'd encountered was perhaps allied to the king and would never dare speak against him. "From our trip to the capital, I do know that you do not despise crowds, so then what is this frown about?" My mate spoke at my side drawing my attention. Without realizing, I had stopped in front of one of the palace windows and had been staring at the multitudes below as they went about the business of the banquet. And had he been observing me while we went up and about in the capital? The expression on his face as he held my gaze said so. The realization stirred my insides and before I drowned in the familiar gold that as always began pulling me in, I broke the eye contact.

"I did not realize that so many would be forced into doing so much." I mumbled unhappily. "Just look at all these people, wouldn't they have been happier sitting around their own families hearth, telling stories instead of breaking their backs for me?" The longer I thought of that the more I disliked the very idea. Was their no other way to celebrate my child than getting the whole of Xatis on their toes?

"Forced is a strong word, Shyla." Warm hands cupped my cheeks and shifted my focus back to my mate. Not that I disliked it, but something had shifted in the manner he interacted with me. The kiss he'd lavished on me in front of the throne room aside, he'd barely been a few feet away from me since then and made contact every opportunity he got, leaving me so very aware of his manly presence than usual. It was only thanks to the abundant distractions I had thought nothing more of his touch.

His intense gaze captured mine effortlessly. "Love is the more appropriate word." He pushed back a few stray locks of my hair with more delicacy than required and my heart lurched at the action. "Love for their kingdom, their king, this child..." His hands rested on my belly and I could have sworn I felt a tiny movement there. If only that hand had not shifted to more parts of me that had nothing to do with the child in my belly, awakening them. "Love for you..."

"They barely know me." With the way the gold in his eyes shimmered, I wondered if we were still speaking of the kingdom folk he claimed loved me. "Even then-"

"Forgive me, your majesty, but my lady here should have been in her chambers getting ready already." Astryn cleared her throat from somewhere behind us, breaking whatever it was that had been brewing between us. "Lady Liira insists." She added when my mate turned to her.

"Of course." He nodded without protest, surprisingly. "Inform grandmother that we are on our way." He held out his hand in which I slipped mine. We where not so far from my chambers, but I realized that my feet were unwilling to head in that direction all of a sudden.

"Wouldn't your chambers do instead?" I blurted out the words catching him off guard. The truth, I realized was that I was not ready to part from him, to be surrounded by countless maids and be subjected to some princessly pampering.

Eyes stared at me curiously before nodding. "If that is what you wish for, I will let grandmother know to have everything done in my chambers." Cancelling everything until the banquet would have been more acceptable to me, but I knew it was simply impossible. I settled for what I could get and let my mate lead us back to his chambers.

Stepping back into his grand bedroom, I didn't miss the way my belly and heart fluttered at the memories shared there. And neither did he apparently as I caught him staring.

Clearing his throat, he pointed to a door that led out of the room. "You could rest here while everything is prepared." Before I could answer someone knocked on the chamber's doors, making me groan. "I promise you'll hear nothing of what is going on in here until you have to."

I nodded and followed, ignoring my wolf's excitement at the privacy promised. "Oh, this is absolutely beautiful." I marvelled at the view that met me once I stepped outside. Unlike my chambers, out here I could see so much more of the palace and the calm of the forest for miles on end. The view of the sunset was to die for.

"I will gladly share it with you." He patted a space next to him on a lone chair. The comfort of the seat and the relief of getting off my feet was a welcome change, but perhaps it did not beat the caring way my mate drew me in and held me in his warm embrace as we both stared quietly at the golden sunset. It was a simple luxury that I chose to indulge in while I awaited tomorrow's storm. Being wrapped up in the scent of my mate made it even more peaceful.

"My lady?" I had not realized how peaceful it was until I was being shaken out of my slumber. "It is time." I was about to protest when the sight of an old woman smiling down at me drew my attention. The priestess meant to aid me on tomorrow's journey I assumed. "Good evening, my lady. You have been asleep for a while now." It was by no means meant to embarass, but my cheeks heated up anyway.

"His majesty?"

"He will be here." A hand extended to me and I took it, feeling more fatigued now that I was awake. "Do not worry, you'll be as good as new in no time." That I believed without a doubt. Most of what Liira had said to expect was centered on ensuring exactly that. Inside, the most amazing blend of floral scents and bath oils greeted me and as much as I had despised being attended to earlier, the inviting scents had me smiling at the maids that greeted me. Clothes were discarded and replaced by a light silky gown as I was led to the bath.

The woman from earlier sat legs crossed on a mat besides the tub and the moment I slipped into the water, her voice broke out in song, bringing down the most amazing sound that seeped right into my soul, leaving me strangely relaxed. But just then a chorus of menacing howls seemed to engulf everything around the palace making me jump. "Are we under attack?" Panic ate up all the calm I had just experienced and yet the old lady did not even flinch. She kept humming with a smile, making me gape at her. "There is no need to be afraid child. It is just his majesty leading the warriors back from a hunt."

"A hunt?" A lone familiar howl ripped through the darkness outside and drew a growl from my lips. "I'm sorry." My hands flew to my mouth. "It seems my wolf gets a mind of its own too many times." "Answering your mate's call is nothing to be ashamed of."

"His call?" I flinched when something prickly pierced the skin on my forearm. How in god's name did that happen? I stared at a print of two dark wolves now resting on my skin and facing each other.

"It is a symbol of that ancient old bond shared by mates....true mates." I did not know if that spoke of the magical tattoo or the bond shared with my mate.

"Normally, your chamber maids are charged with this part, but his highness would not hear of it. He would not have another lay their eyes on you." Seemingly done with her charge, I watched as the woman retreated, leaving me wondering what exactly that charge was. "Welcome back, your majesty." The woman bowed before disappearing from the doorway, making way for a familiar figure.

"You are here." I breathed out, but for the first time today he was distracted. By the very wolves I still had no idea how they ended up on my skin.