Chapter 91: Traitor

Laurel forced herself to breathe, her mind started to race. Eden was a vampire. Was he dangerous? Was he a spy or just taking refuge in the werewolf kingdom? Why would he be here if that were the case?
His hands began to shake as the nurse came back with more towels, breaking the silence in the room.
Laurel wrapped her hand in one of the towels and stood.
“I should get this seen to,” Laurel said, “I’ll see you later, Eden!”
He nodded, turning a kind smile on her, but the hunger in his eyes was still there. She hurried out of the backroom and snagged a bandage and rushed back to the castle.
She went to her room and closed it behind her without a word before setting to pacing.
How could Eden be a vampire? How had he managed to hide it all this time? Was he connected to the poison attempt? Was he connected to Laura's death?
She stopped and shook her head. Eden had been nothing but kind to her. There was no real reason to suspect him other than being a vampire. In the same way that there were good and bad werewolves, there had to be good and bad vampires.
Finding out which one Eden was would take more than a knee-jerk reaction.
She considered asking Adolph, but turned away from the thought. She remembered the vampire slave he killed and shuddered at the thought of him killing Eden in the same ruthless manner.
No. She couldn't go to Adolph about this until she was absolutely certain that h was there or a purpose.
She would have to observe him as much as possible and handle it carefully.
Her lips twitched, at least it would give her something to focus on besides her other worries.

Adolph stood as the attendant led her inside. Lady Helena was the finest etiquette teacher in the kingdom. She and her predecessors had been used by the royal family for years. Her fees were steep, but they were not impossible to meet and well worth the price. Her hair had a few more strands of grey running through her perfect ringlets, but otherwise, she had not changed since he was a child.
He supposed, wryly, it would suggest a lack of poise to age easily.
How Gavin thought his personal tutelage of Basil was equivalent to her years of accumulated expertise was beyond him.
"Lady Helena," Adolph greeted as she curtseyed with more grace than most. "A pleasure and a joy to have you."
She smiled at him, "The honor is mine, Your Majesty. Congratulations on your victory…"
He escorted her to the table.
"My son and the remaining ministers will arrive soon enough. Refreshments?"
"How gracious. Thank you."
The servants poured their cups of tea as she looked at Adolph with a concerned gaze. It had been years since she’d seen him in person and even longer since he had been her pupil. He’d grown up so well despite the war and maintained that regal air she and his parents had worked hard to instill in him.
The late king and queen would be proud of the man he’d become, yet his gaze seemed troubled.
"Your… letter was troubling, to say the least. I was traveling until most recently. It was shocking to me to hear that Luna Laura would need re-training. She was such a diligent young woman…"
He swallowed as his heart clenched. He had never imagined that she didn’t know Laura was dead. Curse his son and the ministers for not informing her.
Adolph took a steadying breath, "I regret to say that Luna Laura died several months ago."
She took a sharp breath. Her eyes glistened with unwashed tears and she lowered her teacup. There was a soft tremor in her hand, but nothing more gave away her emotional plight. For him, it was enough to tell him quite a bit about Laura and her relationship with Helena.
He felt terrible. He had not expected her to be unaware. She murmured a soft prayer.
"May she… know true peace in the arms of the goddess," She said before drawing a handkerchief to dab at her eyes. "And you say, His Highness has already married?"
"Yes, months ago."
She shook her head, "My apologies, Your Majesty, but I believe His Highness may be in need of etiquette lessons himself."
Adolph chuckled, "Yes. Though I will handle his re-education myself… You knew Laura well enough?"
She gave him a little smile, "Quite fond of her diligence and dedication. Her intelligence and wit were a thing to be praised given the current state of the court. She had all the makings of a fine luna… She was a fine Luna… I certainly hope your new wife will learn from the example she set."
Adolph knew that it was unlike her to speak of anyone with such fondness. He wondered if Helena would come to the same suspicions as Adolph had about Laurel.
A knock sounded on the door and the servant opened it, allowing the remaining ministers inside. They gave Helena a cursory nod of their heads as she sipped her tea and perused them.
"Lady Helena…" Gavin greeted. "How wonderful for you to visit."
"How uncivilized not to receive word that a pupil of mine has died and been replaced within a handful of months…" She cast a cold glance at him. "Do not waste your flattery."
He smiled and remembered fondly one of the first lessons she had given him.
*When you are wronged, do not seek to be petty. State your grievance, let them know they have displeased you, and move on. Never shoulder the burden of ensuring penance in social settings.*
Adolph smirked, "Sit. Lady Helena is here on such short notice as a favor to me."
Gavin sat in his usual seat, refusing to look at her. She had been a thorn in his side since before Basil was born. She could not be bought nor persuaded into his agenda. Cutting her from Basil's education plan had been a chance, now it was coming back to haunt him. He’d already started to scrounge up the money to pay back the educational fees he’d taken when Basil was younger.
"Your wife's conduct has been a disgrace to the Raymond family and the throne you stand to inherit," Adolph said. "However, from what I have heard, she has never been taught and I cannot hold her ignorance against her, nor allow her to remain so. To that end, I have hired Lady Helena and her successor to train her in the ways of the court."
Gavin flinched.
"She will handle her education from now on."
"And what of your fiance?" Gavin asked with a cunning smile. "She has shown herself to be in need of much tutelage."
"As have you," Helena said. "Though I am not opposed to taking on your luna, Your Highness. Perhaps this one may be to standard."
Adolph refrained from laughing as Basil gawked, and Gavin flushed with fury. He hadn’t known that she and Olivia had not gotten along, but he wasn’t surprised. Helena was protective of the royal children as she’d had a fair hand in raising them. Raven may not think of Helena’s lessons fondly, but she adored the woman for her cunning. Lady Helena was also a member of Raven’s pack.
"I agree with grandfather," Basil said, stiffly. "She should be educated of her position as well."
"Tell me about her," Helena said, sipping her tea and looking at Adolph then sweeping her gaze across the room. "Our luna, we shall get to the prince's wife shortly."
A minister was the first to speak, regarding how little regard she had for their positions and detailing some of her actions towards them.
"Has she said anything untoward?" Helena said, "Perhaps a bit more forward than you are accustomed, but she has been chosen by His Majesty. She has every right to tell you her thoughts without tailoring them to your delicate sensibilities."
"Delicate--?"
"Does she abuse the servants? Walk without purpose? Is she greedy and unethical? Does she carry herself in a manner unbefitting of the position she will inherit?"
"What has that to do with etiquette?" Basil asked. “She’s rude.”
Helena set her cup down without a sound and folded her hands in her lap.
"A luna and a princess are in two different positions and thus must be taught differently. I am seeking to know more of her personality so I may know how much work is to be done." She gestured blithely to the tea service, "The trappings of class and station is more muscle memory than knowledge. What of her nobility and comportment?"
"I scarcely call barging into meetings proper comportment," Gavin said through gritted teeth. “Let alone speaking out of turn.”
“You conflate your entitlement with reality,” Adolph swallowed the huff of laughter that threatened to escape him as Helena sighed, "What of your new wife, Prince Basil?"
Adolph smirked and waited, enjoying watching his son try to dance around the issues at hand. Perhaps having him admit it out loud may startle him into a realization that Delia was more than just rude.
“Your Majesty? What are your concerns?” Helena asked, turning to look into Adolph’s eyes.
A person of your court who will not meet your gaze does not simply fear you, his mother told him once. They have something to hide.
“Delia has been known to terrorize the servants and spend frivolously,” Adolph said. “If she and Basil remain married until the time I step down, I cannot see her, in her current state, serving the people as a luna should.”
“And your fiance?”
He smiled, “I want her to be comfortable moving among the courtiers. The servants adore her, as do the people. She has taken up Laura’s initiatives with grace and alacrity.”
Helena smiled warmly, “It is good to see such warmth in your eyes when you speak of her. Bodes well for the kingdom.”
Adolph chuckled, “Of course.”
“Very well,” Helena took a sip, "It would seem to me that the bulk of the work is to be with your Lady Delia, not young our young Luna. I will work out a schedule for them both that will fit around Luna Laurel's duties. Is there a chance I might meet them both today?"
Adolph grinned, "Perhaps over dinner?"
"Lovely."