The Royal Mark-Chapter 111: The Formidable Group
The discussion Elsa had with Chris and the alphas remained on her mind until she woke up the following morning. None of them believed her assertion that the witch queen might be up to something, dismissing the idea that the queen’s age, possibly surpassing that of some vampires, accounted for her knowledge of the sleeping mages.
Elsa swiftly prepared for breakfast, as she had forgotten to inform Chris the previous night that her family desired an expedited wedding and did not want to wait for the next full moon. Exiting the bath chamber, she found Constance, female servants, and other people waiting in her room.
"Good morning, Princess. I didn’t realize you were up so early. If I had known, we would have arrived earlier," Constance remarked.
"That’s perfectly fine, Constance. I can handle getting ready on my own. Do you happen to know if Chris is already awake?" Elsa inquired.
"Yes, Princess Elsa. He was on his way out as we were on our way in. Before you have breakfast, allow me to introduce my daughter, Arla. She has been chosen as one of your lady-in-waiting," Constance explained, prompting Arla to curtsy before Elsa.
Elsa returned the smile before Constance continued, "Arla is an earth battle mage trained for protection. She will be responsible for safeguarding you here in Zemaria and, once you are wed and go to your husband’s kingdom."
"That’s wonderful news. I also notice you’ve brought a new group of individuals with you, not the usual servants who attend to me here," Elsa remarked.
This time, Arla took the initiative to introduce her companions, saying, "Your Highness, allow me to present the chosen battle mages dedicated to protecting and serving you. Formerly under Princess Hera’s command, we now extend our loyalty to you."
The five of them bowed before Arla continued, turning to a man and woman standing on the side who appeared to be a couple. "Meet Kaizer Leon and his wife Rylie Leon—fire and water mages, respectively. Rylie is also a healer. Next is Dasher Leon, Kaizer’s brother, an air mage. Lastly, there’s my brother, Baahu Velusi. Like me, he employs earth magic but an offensive kind."
Elsa’s eyes sparkled as she beheld the formidable group of mages assigned to her. "Oh my, you all look incredibly powerful. What have I done in life to be blessed with this service?" she exclaimed.
"You’ve saved people’s lives, Princess; that’s what you’ve done," everyone directed their attention to Chris, who stood by the door, leaning casually against its side, before making his way over to Elsa.
"Good morning, Chris," Elsa greeted shyly, offering a soft smile.
Chris gently pressed his lips against her cheek and said, "Good morning, Princess. Why do you look so beautiful so early today?" The people in the room, including Elsa, blushed at Chris’ simple gesture.
"I was going to look for you. I forgot to tell you last night about my family’s wishes for the wedding," Elsa mentioned.
"No need to worry. I’ve already spoken to the king, and our wedding is set for the day after tomorrow. Because of that, I thought you might need some werewolf support on your side," he said, turning towards the doorway. "Come in, ladies."
Elsa frowned upon seeing Laura and Alexandra enter, both greeting her with wide smiles.
"What’s going on?" Elsa quickly asked Chris, but it was Alexandra who responded.
"We want to serve our future Queen, our future Luna. Please accept us not only as your lady-in-waiting but also as your protectors. We might not look strong but believe me, we are trained to fight since we were kids," Alexandra stated, taking Elsa’s hands. "I would also like to apologize for the rocky start we had. Prince Christopher and I have already talked, and I accept my place."
Elsa’s frown deepened, and her expression soured completely. It seemed impossible that this woman could change her mind or feelings overnight.
"Sorry, Lady Alexandra, but I cannot accept you as one of my ladies-in-waiting because I don’t trust you, so–" 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Her words were cut off as Alexandra swiftly pulled her closer and whispered, "I have found my mate!" She then glanced at Baahu and back at Elsa with a shy smile.
"Oh!" Elsa exclaimed as she glanced between the enamored Alexandra with hearts in her eyes and the tall, proud Baahu, who seemed oblivious to the situation. "A-Alright then, I think we should give it a try, I guess."
Alexandra squealed with utter happiness and excitement, tightly hugging Elsa. "Thank you, thank you! You will not regret this, Your Highness. I promise to offer my loyalty only to you. And please, call me Lexi."
Elsa smiled, shaking her head. Lexi’s young heart was indeed an exciting addition to the team, bringing a breath of fresh air to the otherwise serious atmosphere.
"Perhaps you could do the same for me?" Laura said, approaching Elsa.
"While we may not have had a great start, I am loyal to Prince Christopher, and that loyalty extends to our future Luna. Will you forgive my reckless words and thoughts and accept me as one of your own?"
"I accept, Laura. Let’s restart," Elsa replied, feeling overwhelmed by the support she was receiving so early in the morning, tears welling up in her eyes.
"One favor, call me Laureen. They call me Laura, which is my mom’s second name because I copy everything she does, but my real name is Laureen."
"Welcome to my team, Laureen," Elsa said, hugging her, and Lexi immediately joined in. Elsa gestured for Arla and Rylie to join the group hug, winking at Chris, Baahu, Kaizer, and Dasher.
Elsa couldn’t wait to see what her group can do as a team. They all seem powerful and will do a good job in protecting her given Arcanis’ situation. She knows that in one way or another, she will somehow end up in the battlefield knowing that being a Luna requires her to protect Chris’ people, their people.
