Chapter 40 - Gorgeous Guest

"What the hell happened to you, Martha?" the Alpha King moaned. He rose up from his throne like he was going to rush and meet those coming towards him.

That was a voice of concern. Queen Teresa knew the Alpha King would only use that voice in situations that were more affecting.

She looked to the front, following the footsteps that seemed to be becoming more louder and deafening as they came closer.

There was Martha, the Princess of Harvey. Harvey was an ally of Darnley Kingdom and their Alpha King was a friend of Henry, an intimate one.

But here was Martha walking towards them with bruises all over her. The dress she had was plain pure white but someone could argue that it was dual colour right now. Her blood had made red patterns on it.

"King Henry" she sobbed and rushed to his feet. She knelt and held his foot like she was apologizing for doing something wrong.

"I was going to Crester from Harvey when I was attacked. All my guards and maids were killed. One of my guards brought me here before he was killed. I am so afraid, My Lord" she wept holding his foot tight to her body.

"You were attacked. Don't they know the daughter of who you are?" the Alpha King asked rhetorically. He lifted her on her feet.

"They definitely knew and that was why I got attacked. They were trying to get back to my father" she panicked.

"Don't be afraid. You are in a safe place now" the Alpha King assured her.

Queen Teresa held her hand and drew her closer. She hugged him.

"And we will take you back home" the Alpha King added.

"No" Martha objected. "I don't want to be taken back home" she wept continuously.

"And why wouldn't you want to go back home?" Queen Teresa asked her in the closest to motherly voice she could produce.

"I want my father to come for me. I will like it if you can send words to him" she requested from the Alpha King.

"That is no problem. But do you know that will take close to seven days. Harvey is three days away from here" the Alpha King explained.

"Seven days? I believe I can spend that comfortably here" she groaned.

"Of course. You are very welcome to the palace of Darnley Kingdom. There is a reason why it is called a palace. I hope you will agree with us after spending some time with us" the Alpha King said with a smile. He was trying to make her feel at home.

"Thanks My Lord. I will forever be in your debt" she bowed slightly.

"Get someone to prepare a chamber for our guest. Martha, where do you want your chamber. The East, West or the topmost?" the Alpha King seemed to be flaunting to her.

"No. I wish you could indulge me in this. I need a place where I will be assured of my safety and I have found one" she looked around.

"You are allowed to go into anywhere you point your finger" he guaranteed.

"I want Michael's chamber" she said quickly.

Queen Teresa and the Alpha King exchanged glances in surprise.

"Actually" the Alpha King cleared his throat. "When I was talking about anywhere, I mean that is not yet occupied" he explained to her.

"I want Michael's chamber" she repeated. "I am not asking you to send him out. I am going to share it with him because he is the only man that I felt can protect me right now" she clarified

"In that case,I will need to brief Michael about this" the Alpha King said reluctantly. "He is the lord and master of his chamber.

" If it is the same Michael that we spent a lot of time together running around in your garden those years back. I am sure he will welcome me with both hands" Martha seemed to have something that was convincing her.

"Okay, I understand" it took the Alpha King some time to say that.

"Let me go to him right away" Martha walked away from the Alpha King and Queen Teresa.

"I think you need to clean up first" Queen Teresa shouted to call her back.

The Alpha King turned to Queen Teresa. He was breathing heavily. He definitely had something on his mind and was unsure how to put that forward.

If he had anything on his mind right now. It was definitely about Martha. She seemed strange and different from the one they knew.

"Do not worry, they will be safe" Queen Teresa consoled the Alpha King.

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It seemed Martha had lost her way. James couldn't think of any reason why she should be in his chamber.

And the last time he heard about her. He learnt she made a funny request of staying with Micheal to be assured of safety.

He waited for her to walk closer to him. She continued walking slowly towards him with confidence. She was making him feel like he was the stranger in his own chamber.

She stopped in front of him and stared into his eyes like he had done something wrong to her.

"My Lady, the palace is a very complex building. I think you have missed your way" James said with a smile trying to be friendly and polite.

"Your palace is big, no doubt about that. But why do I feel like you are belittling the Kingdom of Harvey?" she challenged.

"Belittle?" James was almost in rage but he controlled his anger. "There is nothing like that, you have misunderstood me" he smiled.

"Another insult on my personality" Martha fumed with her tiny voice becoming disturbing to the ear.

"I am sorry, if that sounds insulting to your personality" James apologized. He was very confused.

"You first insulted Harvey of having a simple palace and then that I am too stupid to know my way around here and midunderstanding what you are saying. Tell me how all these are not insults?" she was still angry.

"And I tender apologies for all. You must have come to me for an important issue" he pointed to a seat for her.

"Yes it is important. And you must have been expecting me" she asserted.

"No" James quickly replied. He had nothing to do with her. "All I heard is you were staying with Michael" he uttered.

"Have you become jealous by that?" she tightened the skin around her eyes. She was obviously teasing him.

"I will like it if we proceed to the important issue that brought you here" James had had enough of her impoliteness.

"Give me what you took from me" she said.

"What I took from you?" James asked. He traveled back into memory of when they met last.

There was nothing between them. He didn't take anything from her. There was no reason why he would.

"You are mistaking, my Lady" he told her. "I took nothing from you" he grunted.

"Yes you took something from me. I gave it to you" she insisted.

"I didn't take anything from you. You gave me nothing. Read my lips. You, gave, me, nothing" he said emphatically. He was finally in anger

"You, gave, me, nothing" she mimicked him and laughed. "Give me what you took from me" she said again.

James was clueless about how to handle her case. It was getting beyond what he can handle. He wondered what she wanted out of this.

Maybe she wanted to incite a war between the two kingdoms or she wanted to manipulate him into misbehavior.

"Did Michael send you? Did he send you to provoke me?" he asked furiously.

"Keep it down, James. You are scaring me" she whimpered.

"Say something now. I have a way to deal with you. Say it now and I will spare you. Did Michael send you?" he threatened her.

"My question is, why are you so afraid of Michael like this? You shiver and become restless at the slight meantion of his name" she ignored his threats. "This Michael must be a god" she muttered.

James breathed heavily. She was right. The mentioning of Michael's made him nervous.

"Can you breathe?" she teased him again. She walked into his inner chamber.

James couldn't say anything. He was just staring at her. Martha came back to him with a small mirror. She stood beside him and showed the mirror to both their faces.

"No, not possible" James vibrated. He kept looking at Martha's face and the mirror. The person shown in the mirror was Quentin instead of Martha that was standing beside him.

"Don't be surprised. Beauty and the Bad. All in one" she chuckled.

James was amazed. Quentin must be a very powerful sorcerer to pull off an enchantment like this.

"Now that you have seen and believed. Could you please give me what I gave you?" Martha laughed loudly.

James rushed away and fetched the box Quentin gave to him. He brought it back to Martha.

Martha took it from him. She placed her ear on the box to listen to the creature. She nodded and walked out.