The months ticked by, each one a reminder of the silence that had fallen between Elyria and Nyxoria. It had been eight long months since the mating ceremony, and seven months since the first letter had arrived, announcing Annora's union with a merchant. But since then, nothing new had followed. The letters they sent afterwards carried no new messages, no whispers of her life beyond the borders of Elyria, no updates, no word of her whereabouts. Alpha Ardon had sent letter after letter to Nyxoria, seeking more information about Annora's life as a mated woman. But every response had been met with the same vague reply as elusive as the wind: "She has been mated to a well-traveling merchant and is on a tour around the kingdoms," their letters would say, always adding that familiar phrase, "She would come to Elyria soon." The words had become a hollow promise, a reassurance that seemed more like a platitude than a genuine commitment. But knowing Annora as he did, Alpha Ardon could not he
But Lady Ophni was quick to intervene, cutting him off as her head whippped around to face him with a sudden intensity. "No," she said, her voice firm and decisive. She didn't need a hasty report, a rushed summary of half-baked findings. She had waited a year and eight months without seeing her daughter, eight long months without hearing from her directly, without a single word from her own child.. She deserved better than a hurried update. Lady Ophni's eyes locked onto the man's, her gaze piercing and intent. "Take your time, I don't want you to rush," she said, her voice measured and deliberate. "I want you to dig deep and find out everything. Every detail, every tiny piece of information. Don't rush back with half-truths or incomplete reports. I don't care if it takes a week or a month or longer, I will wait, whether it's a week or a month. I need to know what's going on with my daughter, and I need to know everything, even up to the meal she had been served on her first day ther
Seven months had ticked by slowly since the mating ceremony, each one stretching out like an eternity for Lady Ophni and it had been exactly six months since they had received that reassuring letter from Nyxoria, informing them of Annora's well-being and her new life with her mate. Yet, despite the reassuring words, despite the passage of time, they had not laid eyes on their beloved daughter and the distance was beginning to feel like an insurmountable barrier.The lack of direct communication had taken a toll on Lady Ophni, who was more disturbed than anyone else in the family. She was consumed by a deep-seated longing to see Annora, to hold her close and feel her warmth, so she had written to Nyxoria multiple times, expressing her desire to see her daughter and receive more detailed news about her life. But the responses they received were always the same - vague and unhelpful. "Annora is well, but she is touring other kingdoms with her mate, a merchant who travels extensively," th
A month had elapsed since the mating ceremony had taken place but its memories still lingered. A month had passed since that day, and the distance between Elyria and Nyxoria seemed to stretch even further with each passing day. In the aftermath of the ceremony, Alpha Ardon had sent a letter to the royals of Nyxoria for his daughter, expressing his heartfelt desire of his love and concern for her. She had been sent to live in a foreign land and he had stated in the letter that he wished to pay her a visit with his wife as she was terribly missing her daughter whom she had not set her eyes on in a year. The letter had been dispatched two weeks after the ceremony, and it had taken another fortnight for a response to arrive. The wait for a response had been excruciating and agonizing, filled with moments of doubt and worry, but finally, after another two weeks, a letter had arrived from Nyxoria, bearing news of Annora's new life. The passage of time had been marked by anticipation and cu
Within the castle castle's stone walls, Lady Ophni had never been seen to rush, regardless of the urgency or gravity of the situation. Never, in all the years of her marriage to Alpha Ardon, had she been seen to lose her composure, not even when the kingdom's fate hung precariously in the balance, whether summoned to a meeting with the king or hurrying to a grand ball, her pace remained measured, her demeanor serene and her behavior, a marvel of composure, a testament to her noble upbringing as her feet would always glided across the floors with the softness of a summer breeze.However, on this particular day, something was amiss. With an uncharacteristic sense of urgency, like a spark that had ignited within her, Lady Ophni found herself running. She sprinted from the lower floors, her feet pounding the stairs as she ascended with haste, her heels clicking against the stairs, her long skirts swirling around her ankles like a dark vortex, a stark contrast to her usual elegant stride.
Alpha Korvin returned to his chambers with the letter in his hands. He felt tired and he knew it was not from exhaustion. His wife was in the room, sitting on the chair by the table placed infront of the door leading into the balcony. She turned her head at the sound of his footsteps but she did not smile, it was obvious she had a lot on her mind.Ever since the news of his daughter's pregnancy, the relationship between he and his wife had been strained. She had kept her distance and he had acted uninterested, and even Corrina had mostly kept to her room, although she had also changed rooms, something he did not reason to look into, she could do as she pleased, she had always done as she pleased."Fetch me the Elyrian princess," he said to the maid who had been standing by the entrance, waiting on him. The girl exchanged knowing glances with lady Kaelin briefly before she bowed and walked away.Lady Kaelin came alive and turned to her husband who was taking off his robe, preparing to