The Cursed Prince's Strange Bride

Unedited.

At Harold's question, Alvin looked to the side awkwardly. Did Harold really expect him to spell it out to him?

When Harold said nothing and just kept staring at him like he was waiting for a response, Alvin cleared his throat, "Perhaps physical mating?" Alvin suggested tentatively.

To his surprise, Harold looked like he was actually contemplating the idea. Some time ago, before Alicia set feet in the moon kingdom, Harold would never have harbored such a thought.

Seeing that Harold was actually contemplating it, Alvin decided to continue, "Hopefully, if you do it with her and the curse is fully broken, then you can marry one of our kind and get a..." Alvin stopped in confusion when Harold looked at him with disgust.

What did he say that was disgusting? He had expected Harold to react that way when he suggested he mate with a human, not when he suggested he marry a werewolf.

"Is there anything else you need to report?" Harold asked, not wanting to continue with that line of conversation.

"News has spread all over the palace that you and your wife are expecting a baby soon," Alvin said, and Harold snorted.

They only spent a night together. What kind of exaggeration was that?

"Is that all?" Harold asked, and Alvin shook his head before he said in a quieter voice, "The kitchen servants are going to the market place today."

He didn't have to relay the entire information for Harold to know what he was talking about. He had to follow and make sure to keep his eyes on that particular girl.

"Can I trust that she wouldn't catch you spying on her?" He asked in reference to what had happened between Susan and Alvin, making Alvin frown.

"That would not happen."

"Good."

"Since we are done with training for the morning, are you going to take a trip into town?" Alvin asked curiously.

Usually, Harold took a trip once in a while away from the palace. But ever since he got married, the only time he had gone out was when he went out with his wife. He wasn't actively making any plans concerning the queen and Ivan either, neither had he been focused on finding out who had attacked him during his wedding trip and also when they were returning from the market place.

"I won't be going out for a while." Harold said causally before adding, "I need to take her to Hellion everyday and also... instruct her."

"Instruct her?" Alvin asked in confusion.

"Beth and Princess Luciana has been doing a bad job. It is only right for me to teach her."

Alvin blinked at him, surprised by this. "You... are going to be her instructor?" He asked in disbelief.

Harold was also embarrassed to admit it so he simply shrugged like it was not a big deal even though he was yelling at himself for making such decision impulsively.

Alvin didn't know what to say or how to start. How was he to remind Harold about his goals? With her presence, he seemed to have forgotten about it all. Was this a good thing or bad thing?

"If there is nothing else, you should go get prepared to leave with them." Harold said to Alvin who nodded and took his leave.

Once Alvin left, Harold prepared to leave for breakfast. As he dressed up, he thought about how to go about Alicia's training. Why had he offered to be her tutor? That had been very impulsive of him, and he was surprised that she hadn't even rejected the suggestion.

As he walked into the dining hall, his eyes fell on Alicia, who was already seated. When he noticed she was still wearing the dress he had selected for her this morning, his lips were about to curl up in a smile until he remembered it was one of the things he was supposed lecture her about. Ladies had special dresses for every occasion and what she was wearing was not an okay dress for breakfast. But it seemed like the entire royal family were tired of pointing these things out to her.

Meanwhile, Alicia's eyes lit up when she saw him and her lips curved in a smile, "Good morning," she greeted as he took the seat beside her.

"Good morning," Harold greeted back.

"Where did you go to?" Alicia whispered to him, wanting to know where he had run off to so early in the morning.

Harold turned to her wanting to ask her to shut up and not say anything about their night together since no matter how much she whispered, everyone seated at the table was going to hear her, but before he could say anything, the king and the queen walked in, and they all stood up.

They all ate in silence for a while until the Queen cleared her throat and spoke up, "I heard that you are both expecting a baby soon. Is that true?" She asked Alicia with a kind smile.

Alicia, who hadn't expected that question, choked on her food and coughed a couple of times. What did she mean by they were having a baby soon? Where did that come from?

She opened her mouth to explain the situation, but before she could say anything, Harold spoke, "When the time comes, you won't need to hear it first from the servants," he said bluntly, making everyone turn to look at him, especially Alicia.

When the time comes? What did he mean by that? He was not probably expecting them to....

"What?" She asked Harold in a whisper while her eyes said, "What the hell are you saying?"

Harold gave her a pointed look before looking ahead, ignoring her.

The queen looked at him with a stiff smile as she said, "I'm glad to hear that," From her tone, it was obvious to everyone, including Alicia, that she wasn't.

The queen however, tried to keep the smile on her face. She didn't have a problem with Harold getting along with his wife. In fact, she hoped for that. She was also certain that if they had a baby, no one would consider Harold to rule because his child was not a pureblood and she doubted their baby was going to be one of their kind and not take after his mother.

The only reason she was angry was because he seemed to be doing well with his bride. And if they had a baby before Ivan, it would be a big shame to them.

The queen turned to Alicia and asked, "How is your training coming? We will have to change your tutor once again. Prince Ivan has complained that the training is taking his wife's attention from him," the Queen said with her smile in place, and Alicia glanced at Luciana, who looked surprised to hear that.

Luciana turned to look at her husband who avoided her gaze and sipped his wine like he didn't have anything to do with this. Her fists balled beside her as she tried to keep her emotion under control. This was how they wanted it, right? Fine.

"There won't be any need to get her a new tutor. I will train her myself," Harold spoke once again, surprising everyone on the table, including the king, who had been quiet the entire time.

"You will train your wife yourself?" The King asked while Ivan exchanged a look with the Queen.

"Yes, I will. So you don't have to worry about her," Harold said, and the King nodded before turning to Alicia, who was unusually silent.

It was one thing for Harold to say he wanted to take up the duty of training her, it was another for the queen to dismiss Luciana off her duty like that. And it was all because of her selfish husband, whom she was glaring at right now.

"You can meet me in the royal garden by noon for our lunch," the king said to Alicia before standing up to leave, and the queen followed suit.

Once the King and Queen left, Ivan stood up to leave, and he turned to Luciana when she didn't stand up to follow him, "Let's leave," he ordered.

"I will join you when I'm done eating. I'm not done yet," Luciana said with a calm smile as she focused her attention on her food, trying to conceal the anger she felt.

Ivan looked like he was going to argue with her, but since the others were still seated at the table, he didn't want to push it, so he walked away angrily.

Susan exchanged a look with Tyra, both wondering why Luciana, who always seemed to be at her husband's beck and call, was suddenly acting out of character.

"Brother... are you really going to be her tutor?" Tyra asked curiously, and Harold gave her a nod.

"Meet me at the pavilion when you are done eating," Harold said to Alicia as he stood up and walked away from there.