77. Here to Stay.

"Are you out of your darn mind? Do you by any chance have a case of madness? What on earth do you mean by asking me to be your queen? Is this some sort of mockery? Are you feeling on top of the world having kidnapped me from my family, again? Where the hell is my son? Where is my husband?" Winifred yelled.

"You have to be calm, Winifred, else you won't get any answers to your questions! You must be hungry and tired. Come and eat.” Xavier said to her in the most calm yet frightening tone that Winifred didn't like at all. They conducted her to a small dining room and she followed reluctantly. Suddenly, she forget the circumstances of her capture, and the fear of what was going to happen to her. She forgot everything. Even her own name, because she was looking at more food than I seen since she got into this world. The table groaned with the weight of oranges, bananas, some things she didn’t even know what they were... and then there were the meats, the cheeses... she didn't bother to ask any more questions.

She threw herself at the food spread, devouring it like a wild creature. It had been days since she had eaten anything, and now she couldn't slow down. Xavier watched with a smile on his face, cautioning her to take it easy before making herself sick.

Winifred ignored his words as if she hadn't heard them and instead quickened her pace. She wondered if they would try to take the food away from her. She had to eat it all before they had a chance to do so.

Xavier was usually polite enough not to stare at women in such a way, but this woman in front of him, emanating grace in every move, had captivated him. Even while eating like a glutton, she remained mesmerizing. The afternoon sun's faint glow caressed her fair skin and shimmered in her deep, oceanic eyes. And when those eyes finally acknowledged his presence, a surge of understanding mixed with further fascination overwhelmed him. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew she had to be his, whether she liked it or not.

Her hair cascaded like waves of gold, catching the sun's light and dancing freely in the gentle breeze. It complemented her serene stillness. Her eyes resembled tranquil river waters, glistening with serenity, as her aura blended with the summer air. In that moment, in that fleeting fraction of time, her smile embodied all the divine features, and Xavier felt a sense of belonging.

So captivating were her eyes that he found himself falling into them, embraced by a comforting warmth. He had never seen eyes of this color on any other being. To call them green would be an understatement, like saying the sky is merely colorful at sunset. It would not do justice to their unique allure. At first glance, their beauty was evident, but as one gazed into them, everything changed. Emerald was just the surface, as intricate swirls of black and gold intertwined around the edges of her iris. The colors mingled together, creating a mesmerizing array of shades within her gaze. One look into those eyes and he was lost, forever condemned because no other pair of eyes could ever compare.

This human possessed a voice that resembled music carried on a summer breeze, almost lost amid the surrounding noises. Yet, it took hold of Xavier, making him want to listen all the more.

Winifred attempted to rise from her seat, but Xavier gently pushed her back down by her shoulder. Suddenly, he began feeding her like a baby, spoonful by spoonful, forcefully slipping it into her mouth. "You've had enough," Xavier said, placing the spoon down far too soon. Winifred disagreed. She reached for a handful of fruit and shoved it into her face. Most of it smeared around her lips, but as long as she managed to get some in, that was all that mattered.

"That's enough," Xavier intervened, grabbing her from behind and lifting her away from the food. She didn't want to be taken away; she wanted more. "Settle down," he said, carrying her out of the room as she flailed and cried.

"You are a wild little thing," Xavier remarked with a smile, and somehow, his words snapped Winifred back to her senses.

"I did as you asked so where is my son and my husband?" She immediately asked, going back to her default settings.

"Way to ruin the mood, Winifred. But isn't it rather funny to refer to Arthur as your husband already? You guys aren't even married." He said and Winifred scoffed, "yet... we aren't married yet. We are to be married in a matter of days."

"You think? I think you would be a bride but not his own." Xavier disagreed.

Winifred threw him a glare but to Xavier, he found it funny and smiled as her once fiery eyes looked like it was doused in ice water, unnervingly making the emerald green more pale. It was like she'd drifted into a shell, so tough to reach. Just to move her heavy eyes was an effort. "Get faraway from me!" She snapped as she slapped his hands off hers.

Xavier's skin tingled where she touched him and his heart beat erratically in his chest so hard that he thought it might fly out. There were butterflies - no, lions - in his chest, but it felt good. He finally admitted to myself what he knew all along, but was too afraid to admit it: he liked her. A lot. And he wanted to be with her. But Winifred had other plans, so as soon as Xavier reassured her that they never took her husband nor child, her powers got to work and she managed to get everyone to freeze and then she ran.

She attempted to open the doors, only to discover they were locked, and the keys were nowhere to be found. Determined to proceed, she decided to go through the windows, despite the risk of getting injured. She tightly gripped the corroded window frame, her palms sore and burning. Her nails dug deep into the worn-out wood, providing her with a better grip, offering a glimmer of hope that she might succeed. A tear rolled down her cheek, but she brushed it aside, needing to stay focused.

With a leap of faith, she landed safely outside, grateful that her magic freezing had ceased. She didn't waste a moment waiting to confirm it. Her feet slid on the damp autumn leaves as she turned the corner, the cold evening air shocking her throat and lungs as she breathed in deeply and rapidly. Each step sent a jarring pain from her ankles to her knees. Perhaps jumping over that wall onto the stairs wasn't the smartest move. Her heart raced, knowing it was all or nothing. If she failed, her entire body would pay the price. If she ran, the damage would be limited mostly to her shins and knees.

"Shouldn't we go after her? We can easily catch her," Elijah suggested to his king, who smiled while observing Winifred's desperate attempt to escape. "It's amusing to watch her struggle. I will capture her myself. Her unyielding spirit is admirable. Let's give her a head start to make her believe she actually has a chance," the king replied, continuing to observe.

Winifred wiped the sweat from her forehead, feeling exhausted. Her long legs gave way beneath her, and she collapsed onto the nearest log. It didn't take long before she caught a whiff of him—the stench of his cheap cologne mingled with the scent of blood. Her heart raced, and she knew she had to keep going. Branches seemed to attack her constantly, leaves crunched under her feet, and large brown logs appeared as if out of thin air, trying to impede her progress. But she could still smell him. She had to push through, despite the toll it was taking on her body.

She wheezed, her burning lungs gasping for air. Her legs felt numb and unsteady, throbbing with pain. Her throat was unbearably dry. Her clothes clung to her body, drenched as if she had run through a rainstorm. Unable to continue, she stopped running, desperately gasping for air. Not a single citizen was in sight in this desolate place. She heard the rustling of leaves and started running again, but deep down, she knew her time was up. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a sharp, menacing figure approaching. She tried to dodge, but it was too late. She screamed, inadvertently revealing her position.

"Nice try, Winifred, but you're here to stay, and this time, it's forever. I am about to carry out the plan my father neglected, the one that should have been executed long ago, so we can become the rulers of them all. The Lycan Kingdom will soon face my attack, leaving them in utter shock as they never see it coming. I will make sure to eliminate every single one of their kind."