The Crown's Entrapment

At Ryder Manor, Midnight Pack Territory

Panting and gasping for breath, Clara took one look out the window and realize that she had woken up a bit late than usual. She had experienced a few nightmares... ones that entailed Deni haunting her and her parents in her sleep.

Closing her eyes, she recalled how Gilas stayed by her side, comforting her in his arms while telling her that it would all soon pass and that it was all nothing more but a bad dream.

He had stayed with her till she fell asleep... Was he still there with her? Trying to clear her head, she took a deep breath before she opened her eyes again. Unfortunately, she saw that her room was empty.

It was then that the door swung open.

Clara quickly turned to the woman that just entered her room. "Did Gilas leave already?" she asked her chamberlain, who was quick to arrive and assist her together with the rest of her attendants as soon as she woke up.

"Yes, milady," the chamberlain, Martha, replied with a hit of admiration in her tone. "He had left to prepare you meals after making sure that you were alright…"

"He didn't have to do that," Clara whispered to herself as she got up from her bed.

She was conflicted. The more that Gilas showed her kindness, the more she felt bothered and confused with her feelings. Maybe it was because she was feeling guilty?

[Or maybe it's just that you're starting to like him,] Sheba teased.

"He's even humming to himself while preparing meals for you, milady," Martha remarked as she went on with her duties. "He knows how to make everything you like… Also, would you like to eat in your chamber? I can reheat the meals and have them served in your room should you want it."

"Yes, please do that," Clara weakly murmured. She wasn't in the mood to go out of her bedchamber just yet. She wanted some time alone, and holing herself up in her room was the best way to get that time.

Standing up, she let her attendants do their work. Letting them do their thing, she made her way to her balcony and sat on the nearest chair, staring at the gloomy weather outside.

Clara sighed. Today, there was yet another batch of fights to determine three more contenders to enter the final twelve. It won't be till another two days before she would have to once again step inside that arena. A frustrated sigh slipped past her mouth… She might have to fight for her life again….

A bit of time had passed before Martha once more entered her room with a trolley full of her chosen meals. Seeing her selection, Clara shook her head and asked, "Gilas prepared all of this?"

"Indeed, milady," Martha keenly replied. "I'm honestly surprised that Lord Gilas knows almost everything about you, including the fact that you have an allergy to any food that contains peanuts as an ingredient."

Clara couldn't help but stare as Martha prepared the table for her, her mind still processing what exactly she just heard.

[Isn't it touching? Really, I feel bad for him now. We treated him like trash before, but if you would look back to everything he did, you'd realize that it was probably just his way of interacting with you, especially knowing how you always looked at him as an enemy,] Sheba morosely noted, almost sounding like she was fake-weeping. [He's been helping you in the shadows even despite knowing of your goals of getting Darius. What a martyr...]

Clara remained quiet despite her wolf's words. Again, Sheba was at it with her usual antics. She would've tried countering her wolf's constant needling, but she currently had no energy to debate against her inner wolf.

Instead, she simply grabbed her spoon and started feeding herself, hoping that eating something would make her feel lively or normal somehow. She really felt so tired at the moment, and she just wanted a sense of being normal...

Taking a sip, Clara smacked her lips and paused for a while before having another spoonful.

"He's really a good cook," Clara unknowingly murmured. Gilas was left alone since he lost the Battle of the Throne. And according to him, he did a lot of things on his own including cooking. It was no wonder then that he became good at it.

Sheba chuckled and teased, [Even better than you…]

Well, she wasn't really good at doing chores for a lady. She grew up being more involved with men in the training grounds than possibly playing dress-up and being a little girl.

"Your warm bath is ready now, milady," Martha informed her just as she was finished eating.

Looking up, Clara smiled at her chamberlain and gratefully nodded. "Thank you. You and the rest can leave now, Martha. I'll tend to myself."

The chamberlain gave her a curt bow before she quietly left her bedroom together with the rest of the servants. Looking back down at her plate, Clara had thought that she was finished eating, only for her to take her time in having more of her meals as her spoon kept on grabbing more of it. In the end, she was surprised upon realizing just how much she ate.

"I should thank him for his generosity," Clara murmured as she stood up to prepare for her bath. "How about we go out and visit his Mother instead, Sheba? I think staying here like this for too long wouldn't help much with this bad feeling I'm having right now…"

[That's a good idea. Go and prepare yourself. You will have to travel in your wolf form though, so how about taking a bath in the Keen Mannor instead?] Sheba suggested. "I'm sure Gilas's mother will be glad to accommodate you. Let's just stay there for a while too. You can send word to Gilas that you'll be staying there with them…]

Clara couldn't help but chuckle at her wolf's emotions. She was being way too excited, and she could already tell that her wolf was planning something.

[No, I'm not cooking up anything right now. I'm just saying that it would be best if you'd stay with a bit of company,] her wolf insisted.

[See, last night, Gilas was with you and made things feel less lonely, right? If we visited Lady Shila, we'll also bring a bit of joy to the poor woman's heart. Besides, I'm sure she's also worried about you. She must've probably heard the news of how you've been hurt by now. I'm guessing she wants to visit you, but she's unable to do so because Nasser is restricting her movements.]

Clara took in a breath before she murmured, [Fine… Let's do as you say then. Stop convincing me already with your nonstop reasonings…]