The Bastard Princess

52.

-HER-

I went home earlier today because I was feeling tired. He wasn't home yet so I enjoyed the privacy and took a soothing bath. I was upstairs combing my hair when I finally heard him outside.

I peeked out of the small window for confirmation and I was right. He was back but he looked extremely dirty and muddy. I wondered what did he do to get that dirty. No one would believe that he was the crown prince to the werewolf kingdom. I truly had seen him in his best and his worse... or so what it appeared to me.

I minded my own business while he bathed outside.

"I am back," He announced as usual as he entered the house. I rolled my eyes as a part of the routine reaction to his words, even though I knew he couldn't see me. I heard him hum lowly along with some shuffling.

"Arsinoe," He called out after some time, "I am going to the market," He announced. I came out of my safe space to look down before he asked, "Do you want to come?"

As I have decided earlier, I answered, "Yes," After several moments I was downstairs, ready to go out. He scanned me from head to toe before giving me an approving nod. I gave him a judgmental look before walking out of the house. He followed.

It was already dark when we finally set off. He guided the way. I knew he could see in the dark. His glowing eyes told me so. I followed him closely but was careful to not get too close to him. He'd glance at me often as if to make sure that I was following him.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked on the way.

"Better than yesterday," I answered nonchalantly but I still had a question in my mind.

I contemplated before I said, "Er... Ares," His glowing eyes were already on me, "What happened to me?" I asked awkwardly. He looked at me for a moment longer before he looked ahead.

"You went into heat," He answered after a momentary silence.

"What's that?" The question rolled out of my mouth instantly. I felt him take a deep breath before he answered, "She-wolves go into heat when they are around their mates," As soon as the reason behind the process dawned upon me, blood rushed to my face.

"But I am not a she-wolf," I countered to hide my embarrassment. At this, he shrugged and commented, "My wolf doesn't seem to care. His primal urges are too strong to care if you're of my kind or not," His words were sending me back into heat. I was grateful that it was dark and he was looking ahead.

Soon, we reached another village on the other edge of the woods.

"I work in the mines there," He informed me pointing to some distant peaks. It instantly made sense why he was so dirty when he got back from work. It made me stare at him for some moments longer than necessary.

I was again finding it hard to believe his words despite being the crown prince of a powerful kingdom. He had said about working in the mine nonchalantly as if it didn't really matter to him at all. I wondered if he felt out of place or humiliated to do such a job.

I felt my shoulders grow heavy when I realized that he was there for me. He was facing the consequences of my actions.

"What?" He asked when he found me staring at him.

"Nothing," I grumbled and looked around. The village was new to me. It was different than the one closer to our house in the woods. I had come to this place for the first time.

As usual, people kept staring at me for my red hair. I was used to the looks but what I wasn't used to was being touched in the small of my back. He had instantly stepped closer and placed his hand there while he looked ahead with a straight and stern face. It was subtle yet very impactful move.

People parted to make way for us in the busy market. Some men stared at me longer but they looked away as soon as his threatening gaze fell on them. I saw how people were easily scared if him. I thought that it had something to do with his taller and wider build than any other human present there.

He was also a wolf of the higher rank, so I guessed that that would also have an effect on the mere mortals. He walked as if he owned the place. Even though his clothes weren't anything different than what everyone was wearing but there was still this regal air about him that made people submit to him unconsciously.

It reminded me so much of Arles. The physical similarity between them was unmistakable as well. A shiver ran down my spine thinking about that tyrant king. He didn't hesitate to send his son to exile. This was enough to prove that he was capable of many dark things.

"I think we should buy pots from here," He said as we reached a small shop decorated with all kinds of pots and promising the same as well. I nodded weakly, still deep in my thoughts.

A young boy seemed to be in charge of the shop. He looked at us curiously, like a shopkeeper would look at its customers. Ares talked to him while I was busy staring at the pots.

"That one is good for turkeys and that one..." The boy continued as he spoke about different kind of the pots, "That one is the all-rounder. You can cook everything in that!" Ares nodded at it before the boy handed him the pot to examine.

"This seems alright," I commented when he showed it to me. He nodded before asking the price.

"Five shells," After the pot, we looked at a pan and some plates. Spoons, spatula, bowls and glasses followed soon.

"I reckon we don't need to buy a knife tonight. You have one already," Ares commented with his eyes set on me. I shuffled on my feet at the confrontation, "Yeah, you took it from me," I mumbled and look away.

After that, we ended up buying oil, vegetables and other things to cook. While on our way back, he carried most of the things without much effort. I was only allowed to carry the bag of eggs.

"Do you feel like cooking tonight?" He asked lazily. This made me look at him sharply. I placed a hand on my hip before asking him pointedly "What do you mean by that? Do you expect me to cook?"

"I don't know how to cook, Arsinoe. I have never been to the kitchen," He admitted. I couldn't help but grunt at that obvious fact. He was royalty. Expecting him to cook was similar to asking the barber to sew clothes for the bride.

The kitchen had been repaired and cleaned by him. Chopped wood was already waiting in the hearth to be lit while he helped me put the things away.

"I reckon we'd have to have fruits for dinner," I told him and he ended up agreeing. I was tired and my feet were aching. To top that off, I was bleeding and having cramps.

I went upstairs to bring my fruit basket. He looked at it curiously before asking, "Do you have pineapples?" The name of the fruit was enough for my nose to wrinkle. I hated it the most.

"Why?" I asked him with utmost horror.

"I like pineapples," He told me with a pretentious grin. It was enough for me to see his sharp canines.

"Your tastes are disgusting," I couldn't help but comment. He frowned at me before he continued to look through the variety of fruits in the basket.

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