Chapter 10 : Preparing for the Big Night

Where was the prince?!

It had been over a day since I'd seen him around the palace and I was unsettled by the time that was wasted in his absence. I approached his room and noticed Dylan in the hallway. He was the perfect person to ask.

"Dylan, how are you?" I questioned and his eyes lit up at my presence.

"I couldn't be better, Your Highness." He offered a small smile before he added, "And you?"

"Actually, that's what I came up here for. Do you know where the prince is?" I asked, the nerves building in my stomach.

"Oh, Alpha, he's going to be gone for about a week or so on a military expedition down here. He's scouting the territories offered in the peace treaty."

Gone for a week or so! Not even an exact return date! That was at least seven days less I had to win him over. "But…will he at least be coming back?" Sweat started pooling around my forehead as the thought of not seeing the prince meant not making any progress.

"He informed me of his intention to do so. But, you never really know with him, as you can see!" Dylan released a small laugh clearly not realizing the anxiety this was bringing upon me.

"Very well, then," I answered quietly. I continued with a mutter, "It's best for me to head back now. I have some matters to attend to."

Dylan's face was soft and kind as he assured, "No problem, your Highness. I'll be seeing you around."

I turned my back quickly to Dylan and my eyes must have shot open in fear as I walked back to my bedroom. This was the worst possible news and almost certainly sealed my fate. If I counted correctly, there would maybe be a day or two left IF, and that was a very uncertain IF, the prince returned before the two weeks ran out.

I would have maybe a day to make Prince Leonardo take me as his bride. The only thing I could do right now was sit, wait, and worry.

***

And finally, I just got word that the prince had returned. It was indeed the or so' that Dylan had mentioned and there were less than twenty-four hours left to win the prince over.

I thought back to a week ago to the queen's words and remembered the gist of her orders: 'Slip this into his drink, put that skimpy little outfit on, and give our guest a night he'll never forget.' This was one hundred percent against my morals, regardless if the prince was a heartless beast or not, but, for Lily's sake, I had no choice.

I was in the princess' bedroom when the door swung open and the queen's attendant stormed in unannounced.

"Tonight, you'll bring the prince some tea. Put the drug in it that the queen gave you, and then create an excuse to why he needs to drink it." The same attendant as usual plopped the tea set down onto the vanity and then continued with more logistics.

"The drug is a stimulant. It will take one hour to reach his bloodstream and fully intoxicate him."

How could they be sure that any normal human drug would work on the prince? He wasn't the typical human....What if he could resist the effects?

You have one hour in between to come back here, change into the lingerie, and return to seduce him." Her face was level and her eyes straight as if this was a routine operation.

I mustered the courage to speak since this could be my last opportunity to. "What if the drug doesn't affect him? How will I know?"

"You won't," the attendant curtly replied as she exited swiftly out the door as if she was a shadow in the night.

How much of the drug was too much? Could he die from an overdose? How little of the drug wasn't enough? How would his body react to me while intoxicated? All questions that wouldn't be answered that I would have to figure out for myself.

With the tea on its platter, I successfully snuck out of the living quarters undetected by any maids. I didn't need to sneak, but I felt so dirty doing something so dishonest and out of character that I didn't want anyone, even the maids to see.

I hastily made my way across the palace gardens, deciding to hold my head up straight, my eyes forward, because naively I thought if I didn't look around I wouldn't be caught.

My dread of seducing the prince was simultaneously infecting my brain as I worried about drugging him. Would this nightmare ever end?

The evening sky was darker than usual and the moon had a slight glint but not a full shine. It was unsettling but also helped me sneak over to the prince's room, unbothered.

Making my way up the marble staircase to his door, I paused.

Was this really something I was about to do? Of course, if everything magically worked out, I'd seduce this man and he'd accept the engagement. Yes, I, a twenty-year-old virgin, seducing the most bloodthirsty prince in the whole continent, held all the cards. I was powerful and powerless at the exact same time.

The more likely scenario was that all went wrong: either he wouldn't drink the tea, he noticed drugs in the tea before swallowing, or he was drugged and still wouldn't make a move on me. In which case, my time would run out.

Lily and I would be dead.

"Hey, Princess, here for a late-night tea time? I wouldn't suppose I was invited, huh?" I jumped and nearly dropped the tea onto the floor as Dylan snuck up on me. I wanted to throw the tray of tea at him for startling me like that. This was the last thing I needed right now!

I composed myself, careful to not look annoyed or suspicious, and replied, "Actually, I didn't intend on staying. But, I had a special tea brewed for the prince, one that specializes in muscle recovery and stress reduction. It might help him since he's a warrior and all."

I wasn't sure if my words were convincing in the least, but Dylan's face seemed a bit rigid, unusual for him.

"You wouldn't mind if I had a cup too, I mean I am a warrior as well." He narrowed one eye as he scanned my face as if he had a lie detector in his pupils.

I maintained my straight face and replied, "Now that I know you'd be interested, I'll bring an extra pot next time for you." An anxious smile formed on my face.

"Well, shouldn't I at least try to know if it's safe for the prince to drink?" he posed, taking a step inward about to take hold of the teacup.

"No!" I gasped, unable to cover my mouth with my preoccupied hands. I had to think of an excuse and think fast! "Surely the Prince wouldn't want germs in his tea!"

"So, you're saying my mouth is dirty, huh?" Dylan's eyes for the first time began shifting from their ordinary hazel cover to a much darker, serious tone.

I stammered, "I-I-I didn't mean it like that just, you know, the prince seems very strict on–"

Before I could finish my pathetic reasoning Dylan's face broke its bluff and he let out a long, exaggerated laugh. His eyes softened and his face was back to its usual light-heartedness.

"I'm completely joking, Your Highness! I hope I didn't scare you too badly." He kept laughing as I nervously released a few unsettling giggles to pretend I wasn't affected.

My heart which was nearly beating out of my chest, now, had reduced to a tamer pace, although still, the biggest challenge had yet to come. How would the prince react to me after how rocky our last encounters were?

"So, is the prince inside?" I asked Dylan, who was now calm and relaxed.

"Yes, but I wouldn't bother him right now if I'm honest. He's a bit, how should I say this, testy? Short-tempered?" Dylan remarked.

Wasn't that how he always was? I couldn't say that to his Beta, but then it dawned on me....The picnic!

There's no way he actually went. He must have been upset over something else. Something much more important.

"Well, then, I'll just go in quickly and leave it. I'll only be a minute," I assured Dylan.

To which he grabbed the tray from my hands and declared, "No, Your Highness. Don't worry. I'll bring it to the prince. I wouldn't want you to encounter one of his fits of rage."

"But, I!" I tried interjecting, but Dylan shook his head and his eyes looked sullen as if he was serious about something for the first time.

"I know the prince. He isn't in the mood for visitors. But, I'll leave it for him. I promise." Dylan nodded his head, and before I could protest he entered the Prince's room. As he opened the door I tried to sneak a peek inside to see the prince, hoping I could get a sense of his mood before coming in an hour later.

However, Dylan quickly nudged the door closed with his elbow and I was alone in the empty cavern of the hallway with one hour to get dressed with no assurance that the prince actually drank the tea.

My heart pounded vigorously on the way back to my room at the thought of my first time being taken by a heartless, unfeeling man. Not just that, but a heartless, unfeeling man on a drug that could untame him and spark his sexual desires.

I heard from the other maids that their first time was painful, and sometimes when the men got carried away it could hurt. Some of them even talked about bleeding.

Prince Leonardo was a big, strong, callous man—not only that but he was a shifter mercenary who literally killed people for his job. Thinking about that kind of man taking my body was terrifying. My intestines knotted, making me nauseous.

I wasn't ready to make this kind of sacrifice, not with him. Not with anyone. I didn't want to do it at all.

But if I had to do this to guarantee my sister's safety, then I would. However, I had no doubt that it would scar me in ways I didn't even know.

When I arrived at my bedroom, the skimpy lingerie, a thin red sheer lace bralette and thong were laid out on the bed waiting for me. Presumably, it was a not-so-subtle reminder from the queen herself. Clearly, the queen was anticipating this moment as much as I dreaded it.

When I set my eyes upon the lingerie, my stomach constricted and bile bubbled up in my throat.

I ran to the trash can to throw up, heaving dry, hot breaths. The acid burned my throat and nose and made my eyes water. I cried at the thought of losing my innocence in such a hopeless, gruesome way.

After brushing my teeth and washing the vomit taste from my mouth for a solid three minutes, I pulled on the lingerie. Nothing about this felt royal, and I felt dirty pulling the straps over my shoulders and around my hips.

Walking over to the mirror I winced. I noticed how the thong accentuated my thighs and highlighted my natural curves, my body a nice hourglass shape. It was empowering to see my natural beauty, I just didn't want to have to give it away this soon.

Since the piece was practically see-through, every inch of me was on display: my belly button, my nipples, even the gap between my thighs.

Maybe I looked sultry, sexy, and irresistible, but I didn't feel that way. I felt ridiculous, embarrassed, terrified.

I felt… wrong… like things weren't supposed to be this way. Like it couldn't possibly be me in this situation when just two weeks ago I was living a simple maid's life and my sister was prospering outside the palace walls.

But this unfathomable, nightmarish moment was the last opportunity I had to restore the sense of plain normalcy I longed for again.

The time on the clock grabbed my attention as it was one hour after the time I had brought the tea over. It was now or never if I wanted the chance to live past tomorrow.

That was, if I could survive the night.