Chapter 29: Dignity

Laurel couldn't help herself from rolling her eyes at Basil and Delia, but she didn't expect Basil o Adolph to notice. After Basil and Delia walked away Adolph leaned towards her.
“Do you hate Basil?”
She wanted to tell the truth, but it wasn’t polite to speak ill of the son in front of a father, let alone at the son’s wedding.
“I'm sorry, Your Majesty. Did I behave rudely?”
“For a girl participating in a noble banquet for the first time, you behaved very well. I thought you were just rejecting me because you didn't want to be my partner, but now it seems there's also a dislike for my son.”
Laurel swallowed and tried to keep calm. He didn’t know she was Laura. She’d done nothing to make him think so. He’d never even met Laura, yet she had to think of something to keep his probing eyes away from the truth.
“… They tried to take my dress,” she said. “And ruined it.”
Adolph was silent for a moment.
“Do you feel that I am responsible for his arrogance and insolence? I have been away for a long time, leaving him alone without anyone to seek counsel with.”
“You’re a king. You have to put your kingdom first.”
Adolph shrugged, “Be that as it may. From what I have heard, his late wife, Laura, was very nice with a good head on her shoulders... but he didn't cherish her, and the poor girl died before I could meet her.”
Her heart clenched at the admission, but Adolph didn't look happy and everyone was watching them, so Laurel hurriedly changed their topic to something more upbeat.
“About the mating ceremony… Thank you, Your Majesty. I didn't expect you to invite everyone to the celebration with this method. I'm sure many wolves will find their mates through this opportunity.”
“It's nothing, I just suggested it. Chasel did most of the work.”
Laurel hummed and wondered if that’s what the argument between Chasel and Basil had been about. She couldn't help but smile when it turned out that Chasel was just bringing up the king's name to scare Basil!
Basil and Delia exchanged vows quickly. Basil kissed Delia, and everyone cheered. Adolph applauded, but Laurel did not. She couldn’t on principle. She didn't want to wish Basil and Delia well at all. A twinge of envy went through her.
Delia and Basil’s wedding had been extravagant, filled with congratulations and merriment. Everyone seemed happy to see them together.
Laura’s, by comparison, felt like little more than a formality. There had been no one to applaud, no happiness to be had. Even her joy at the time seemed to have fizzled out so quickly in the atmosphere. She looked back at it and it only made her angry.
Basil had found his mate, and they would live happily ever after. But what about her? Her mate was a man who is even nobler, more royal, and more unattainable than Basil. King Adolph, the Vampire Destroyer, the Invincible, the Goddess-Blessed King was a man who stood above all others.
There would be no freedom to be at his side. She would always be struggling to perform at the level that was expected of her.
The reception began and Laurel did her best to pretend to be participating in the festive mood, but it was hard. The nobles were whispering, casting suspicious and curious glances in her direction. Young, unmarried noblewomen were sneering and glaring at her with jealousy burning in their eyes.
They had probably intended to get closer to Adolph and seduce him. Maybe the men of their family urged them to try to at least become his mistress if they could not manage to become his wife, yet no one approached them.
As Adolph expected, their matching outfits and Laurel’s beauty kept them at bay. No one could compare to the young woman who had stolen the attention of the entire congregation, including his son, just by entering the room.
“Who is she?” several of them whispered, passing the question back and forth hoping that someone had an inkling.
Adolph was sure that they would get through the event without being approached, but Laurel knew better.
Then, Minister Mirabelle began making his way over to them. Laurel wanted to run in the opposite direction, but she kept her head up and stayed at Adolph’s side. He was likely the leader of the push to get Adolph to either marry someone they could control or give up some of his power to Basil.
“Greetings, Your Majesty,” Gavin greeted then gasped in mock shock as he looked at Laurel. “Who is this beautiful girl? I've never seen her at any nobleman's banquet before!”
Laurel curtsied, “My name is Laurel Miller of the Sapphire Lake pack.”
Gavin hummed, “Sapphire Lake... I've never heard of this wolf pack. Does it really exist?”
A few nobles made jeering sounds. Others snickered. Laurel was angry, but she forced herself to remain calm. Gavin could never be as cruel to her now as he had been in her past life, not with Adolph standing there, so she smiled. His eyes widened a bit in true surprise.
“You have never heard of Sapphire Lake? Truly? I thought a minister of your standing and excellence would work carefully and remember the name of every wolf pack in the kingdom.”
Gavin’s eyes bulged and Adolph barely refrained from laughing, but it was hard. He’d never seen Gavin so upset, and to have Laurel call him out for not doing his job was priceless.
Gavin sneered, “Where did such a vulgar girl come from? To speak to a minister like that… Your Majesty, such a person does not deserve to be by your side!”
Adolph laughed partially amused, but that amusement quickly turned cold and furious like the heart of a blizzard as his wolf growled. Gavin and the nobles nearby paled.
“Not worthy? Then, are you worthy?” He glared at Gavin. “Your negligence and ineptitude allowed vampires to poison our food, and Jack Miller, her father, died in battle to protect me.”
Gavin flinched, “Y-Your Majesty—“
“She lost the only family she had because of your stupidity, and now you have the audacity to try to humiliate her?”
“Y-Your Majesty, my deepest and most sincere apologize—“
“You should not apologize to me, nor ask for my forgiveness,” he gestured to Laurel. “It is her you should bow your head to.”
Gavin clenched his jaw and though his gaze was averted, Adolph saw the defiance in his eyes. He was a proud man, arrogant, and assured of his position in the kingdom as he always had been. He would never suffer the humiliation of having to bow his head and apologize to a soldier’s daughter in private, let alone in front of all of the kingdom’s nobility.
Adolph lifted his head and looked down at Gavin, “She’s *waiting*.”
People murmured. Basil pushed through the crowd and hurried over to them.
“What happened?”
“Dearest prince,” Gavin began, “It isn’t a matter to worry about. Just a minor issue.” Gavin straightened his tie. “I inadvertently offended this young common girl, and His Majesty asked me to apologize to her.”
Basil frowned. How could his grandfather apologize to a common girl? Why didn’t she have the sense to leave his grandfather alone, let alone at his wedding? He grit his teeth. It was almost a slap to his face.
“Father, how inappropriate to have a nobleman apologize to a commoner! It must be that she doesn't know the etiquette of nobility. This is my wedding, and I don't want grandfather and father to be upset by it, so please—“
“Enough,” Laurel hissed, low and cold. Basil looked at her.
She had known that Basil would defend his grandfather. The veil had long been lifted from her eyes regarding his flaws. She looked at Basil and Gavin with as much disgust as she could muster.
“It is for the best you do not apologize. You wouldn’t mean it and I will never forgive you.” Gavin sputtered and she glared at him. “Never would I forgive anyone responsible for my father’s death.”
She looked at Adolph, “I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Your Majesty, but I really shouldn't have come to this wedding, so please allow me to leave.”
Adolph met her gaze. He knew that bringing Laurel to the wedding would cause some issues, but he didn't expect it to lead to her itching to get away from him as if he were just one of the many nobles in attendance.
He sighed and nodded, “Of course, Laurel.”
She curtsied to him politely, turned, and walked with her head held high, her back straight, and all the grace of a luna. He watched her go with regret.
“… What? Who was responsible?”
No one spoke, and Adolph turned to look at his son with a deep disappointment.
His expression made Basil wince, but he was still confused and wished he had been able to ask her what she meant. He watched her leave and swore that he wasn’t watching the young girl her father brought to his wedding, but someone else.
But, who?