Chapter 37
Dylan POV
It had been 6 days since the king left for Australia, and only just was I able to leave the hospital. I had been given explicit instructions to come back every couple of days for my burn treatments, but there wasn't much else that could be done about my back, except no vigorous activity.
Was I still sore? Definitely. Was it manageable? Yes it was. My neck was very stiff from the lack of movement over the past week, but the palace had been so quiet without the king and so I really couldn't complain. Id had one visit from the dowager queen, and a small berating from her for being 'lazy', but overall it had been the most peaceful week I've had in months.
Lewis had been acting strange, some days he had been quite distant and others, like today he had been very prominent. It's been nice having him here to be honest, it's almost as if he understands what I was going through. I know he couldn't, I know no one could understand to the full extent. Not even Nick, but having a friend helps keep my head on straight.
"Now, are you sure you're ok to leave? If you think you need an extra night then..." Lewis asked me yet again as I struggled to get a button up shirt-dress on over my mangled back.
"I'm fine, I need to get up and out of here or I might never." I sighed and huffed as I attempted to fasten the buttons.
"I can help you you know, you need only ask." He was always so eager to help. I shook my head and smiled as I completed them all, before slowly slipping my feet into a pair of black ballet flats.
I was supposed to be wearing nothing but constricting ballgowns and heels higher than the palace itself. However, there was no way I could get my body into one of them without causing more damage. So I had to compromise with the wicked wolf of the west, my dress designer Greta, and this was the compromise.
"I know..." I took a quick look at myself in the mirror and sighed again. I really was just stick and bone. I was unhealthily thin, my cheeks were so sunken in that my cheekbones had an almost skeletal look about them.
"Believe it or not, you do look a lot better than you did last week. You've got more color in your face." Lewis walked up behind me slightly with a small bottle of water and handed it to me. "Another week and all your injuries will feel a lot better too."
I nodded my head and turned to smile at him. He was right, no matter how bad I looked today, nothing compares to my appearance before the king left.
"Yeah, and just when I do start to feel better his grace will come back and introduce me to a whole new pain." I sighed as I watched the betas face drop at my words. Perhaps I was being a little blunt, technically Lewis had t done anything to me. He just stood by and watched King Josh do what he does, although there wasn't much else he could do. "You are right though, I am feeling and looking much better."
He nodded before I finally made my way out of the room I'd been in for days and back through the castle. It had been almost a week since I was able to stand on my own to feet, and even just walking out of the hospital wing was a feat I didn't think would be possible a few days ago, unfortunately though, every single room I come across or corridor I see, caused flashes of the Kings defilement or torment to cloud my mind.
I took a deep breath before walking through the palace and to the dining area where I was to meet the dowager queen for lunch. It was required of me to be taught by her, in the ways of royalty, not that I was planning on actually listening to her. Lewis looked at me with pity completely taking over his face.
“It’s just lunch, Dylan. It’s probably not much of a comfort, but I’ll be out here the entire time, and when your both finished, we can go wherever you want to.” He was right, that wasn’t much of a comfort, however I couldn’t help the small smile that played on my lips at Lewis trying to make me more at ease. I looked him in the eye and nodded my head slightly.
“Thank you, Lewis.” He smiled at me again, and gently tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear, then cleared his throat and took a step back away from me.
“I’ll see you in a bit.” I took a deep breath in before opening the door to the dining area and entering. Immediately my gaze met that of the dowager queen as I stepped carefully towards the table.
"You are late!" The old queen spoke, indignation laced in her voice at my tardiness. My gaze met hers and I was instantly met with a look that screamed complete disapproval, however despite that, she truly was the poster child of perfection. Her hair looked perfect, not a single curl was out of place, her athletic figure was subtly shown under her gown, her face had a light coat of what I can tell was finely ground makeup that would have cost me at least 2 months rent and probably a lashing. It was almost genuinely ridiculous how perfect the lady was.
"Maybe you’re early?” I tried to crack a small smile at the cheek of my statement, but was met with a face completely stoic and void of any humor, which in turn had me wincing knowing a berating was coming my way.
“A good queen would arrive early, not make jokes to cover up her insolence.” I didn’t think about my actions when my eyes rolled in my head at her words, it instantly caused outrage to breakout on the dowager queens face. “Just Sit down, we have much to discuss.” I swallowed thickly and sat down on the seat I usually ate in.
I had never been in this room without King Josh being present, he was usually sat right next to me making sure I ate all of the disgusting food I was was given, or whispering to me how good our previous round of activities were. The very fact that it was just me and her grace sat at the solid oak table was for some reason causing me some unease. At least I knew what I was getting with the King, but now that he wasn’t there I was out of my depth, I somewhat missed the man.
“As you know, once your mate bond has been established and you have accepted my sons mark, your coronation won’t be far behind. It’s important that you start to learn the ways of lycan royalty.” She elegantly explained before the waiters bought our food out. I sighed as I looked at the thousandth bowl of soup Id been given since living here. I was getting extremely fed up of soup. The queen had a lovely looking chicken lunch, complete with salad and boiled potatoes. It made my mouth salivate slightly. “You’ll be required to participate in lessons, such as lycan history, pack hierarchy, classical music and ballroom dancing.”
Huh? Ballroom dancing? Classical music? What are they trying to turn me into?
“I’m not sure dancing is a good idea, I’m not…” I was cut off by her hands slamming down on the table at my apprehensiveness, it caused my eyes to widen.
“The opinions of a human are irrelevant. Especially one like you, who has yet to hold rank. You will participate in all the compulsory lessons and you will do so to the best of your abilities. I was going to allow you longer to heal, however you will now partake in your first lesson this afternoon.” This afternoon? Does she mean after lunch? But Lewis said I could do whatever I wanted, I haven’t had freedom like that in months. I suppose it was stupid of me to think I’d ever be able to do what I wanted. “I believe you will be great at the waltz.”
The waltz?! I’m gonna end up dead, I couldn’t dance, I had no rhythm at all, so trying to learn how to officially ballroom dance was a task that was virtually impossible.
“What if I can’t do it?” I swallowed and waited for her reply, but I was met with a simple answer, one that basically meant I had to do it or else.
“You will learn!” Well, she was definitely the kings mother, there was no disputing that.
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