Chapter Three

“Well, thank gods, ye snapped out o’ it, yer highness. What was all that about?” Rita said, giving me a stern, matronly look. Although she seemed friendly enough, she scared me a little.

Thankfully, she didn’t give me time to answer as she bustled forward and fussed with my hair and clothes, all the while murmuring disapprovingly about how filthy I was.

She snapped her head backwards and ordered: “Well, don’ just stan’ der starin’ like that, Conny. Go an’ tell de gals to bring in de bath.”

Conny, who had still been staring at me open-mouthed, snapped out of it and bobbed her head so hard that I thought it would fall off. “Aye, Rita,” she said and raced out of the room as quick as lightning.

In a matter of minutes, a large wooden bath was dragged into the room by Conny and three other girls. They hurried out, made two trips and each returned with a large metal pail.

One by one, they filled the bath with water. I stared at them, mesmerized by all the effort that had been made just so that I could have a bath.

So, this was how royalty were fussed about in an age where the ideas of sophisticated water systems had not even been conceived. Interesting.

Soon, the sweet smell of almonds and roses filled the room as one of the girls poured something into the water. She beat the water several times and it began to foam. I made a mental note to scour all the stores in Brooklyn for this particular scented body wash when I woke up. I doubted I’d find it, but still. It wouldn’t hurt to try.

Immediately, Conny and Rita helped me out of my dress and tossed it aside. Then they proceeded to loosen the braid I didn’t even know I had, out of my hair. It fell down my back in waves. I had always liked to wear my platinum blonde hair, long and reaching my bottom. It was nice to see that this also reflected in this dream.

Then, off came my chemise. I shivered from the cold. I suddenly felt self conscious, standing naked in front of all these people. But they looked at me with a certain indifference that told me that they were used to this. After all, royalties had maids who tended to their every whim—including the mundane task of disrobing and having a bath. I felt a slight pang of guilt then I reminded myself that it was just a dream.

Still, I smiled at them and said, “Thank you, ladies.” Rita frowned, while the rest of them stared at me strangely.

Okay.

Rita clapped her hands and the other girls exited the room. Conny stayed behind. I found it strangely comforting that they were here.

Stepping into the bath, I sighed as the sweet scent hit my nostrils. The water was thankfully hot; the heat soothed my skin. I waddled deeper into the water and scooped some of it to pour over my neck. Conny stepped forward and reached out to take my feet. Apparently, I had to have my feet washed for me too.

But I couldn’t complain because whatever she was doing to them, it felt wonderful. Her fingers worked deftly and expertly as she kneaded my ankles and heels. Rita poured some sweet smelling shampoo-like stuff on my hair and began to softly massage my skull. I sighed and closed my eyes, enjoying being bathed by other people.

This was the life. I wasn’t sure I wanted to wake up from this dream anytime soon.

“Varul and The Pack will be here soon,” Rita said.

Still in a daze, I forced my eyes to open to slits. “What?” I slurred like a drunkard.

“Varul. Your betrothed. He’ll be here with The Pack for the wedding soon,” Rita repeated. For the first time, I heard the cautious note in her voice.

Right. I still had that ‘betrothed’ thing to worry about. Then my brain zoned in on something she’d said.

“Wait what do you mean, ‘The Pack’? What’s that?” I asked suspiciously. I didn’t miss the way Conny’s eyes at my feet flashed in alarm to Rita’s behind me.

Rita chuckled nervously. “Yer highness, ye know yer betrothed is de Alpha. He never goes anywhere without his pack.”

No. I definitely didn’t know that. “His pack of what?” I asked warily.

To be honest, this Rita person was beginning to annoy me, what with the way she was speaking with uncompleted sentences and all.

My question was met with silence. Conny narrowed her eyes and stared at me in confusion. From behind me, Rita cleared her throat as if something large and stubborn was lodged in it.

Why were they both acting this way?

Oh my God.

Maybe my “betrothed” was one of those irritating men who thought they were “alphas” that must be lusted after by all women and therefore liked to move about with a pack of contraceptives.

Maybe that was what Conny and Rita were too embarrassed to tell me.

Great.

“Yer highness, Varul is the alpha wolf. He is the leader of The Pack. Ye know this,” Conny said forcefully.

Whoa, whoa. Whoa. Wait a minute. Alpha Wolf?