28 bride to be

The loud cry from the Dayton sent a wave of mixed reaction through Ashford. Some were happy it wasn't their household that was to carry the burden of being the town's saviour and marry the werewolf prince, a few were sad because the Dayton family were truly one of the nicest people and their only daughter was now faced with a fate that they felt was not what they deserved. But in the end, they made peace with the fact that it has to be someone, and that someone has been chosen.

The team departed from Ashford making sure to let the chosen house know they were ready to do the rites of the marriage right for their sake and was also ready to collect whatever the price of the dowries was going to be ahead of the wedding.

"Make sure to be ready, this is the first of its kind in over five hundred years, it truly is an honour for your family to have a daughter that could sit beside the future king of Tahu," Hawthorne had reminded them before leaving. He gave the family the rest of the gold they had come with. Prince Zaccai had chosen to be generous in an attempt to make up for what may be lost for good. The life of their daughter.

Crown got a glimpse of them for the Dayton home was the house across from her parents. Honey was right, they looked beautiful and otherworldly but the only image that lived in her mind of their kind was the one of the werewolf that had almost killed her some nine years ago. There were days where she had pondered on why it didn't kill her, had it felt remorse? Pity? Care? Had it been the witch? The thought had always left her drowning in a sea of questions that could never be answered, so she refused to think of it.

She shivered as she walked away from the window to get on with her day. . . The day was bright and beautiful, and she had work to get to.

— TAHU —

"The team you sent out on an assignment is back," a servant came to announce to Zaccai in his bed chamber.

"Tell them to gather in my library. I'd be down soon." Zaccai replied over his shoulder. He was getting ready to go to Arom. He had told Lady Ma he was going to come, and with the team back so soon, he was happy to let her know the results as he believed she had more insight than anyone else on the matter in the entire city.

It took him half an hour to finally come down.

"Hawthorne! What do you have for me?" He asked once he stepped into the room.

"Your highness." They all rose to greet him.

"Be at ease. What do you have for me?" he asked almost impatiently.

"Well sir—" Hawthorne told him all that had happened and he made the prince know it had truly being far more easier than they had hoped for.

"So, who's my bride to be?"

"Her name is—" Hawthorne paused to pull out the paper he had neatly folded in his robe. "Miss Dara Dayton, your highness." He handed the paper that contained all details to him.

"Okay. Her name has a nice ring to it. Tell me, Hawthorne, what does her family require?"

Hawthorne told him then of the rites the groom had to partake in to make it all official.

"You have to formally go introduce yourself to her family as soon as you see fit. They call it "knock on the door," he explained.

Zaccai nodded as he stared into the fire that burned low at the fire place. He felt strange at the news. Was he expecting by some power of coincidence that the team would have ended up picking Crown? Had he not decided it was best it wasn't her, why then was he not truly happy with this news?

"Tell me Hawthorne, is she pretty?" Zaccai half smiled as he asked.

"Yes your highness. The matter of her beauty cannot be questioned." He replied.

"I will take your word for it then," he said as he headed to the door. "Thank you all for doing this. Expect the reward for your service in the morning. Although you will be leaving again in three days time to perform the rites like you said." He informed them.

"Sir, we are not the ones to—" Lucia started to say.

"You will be. You do not expect the king or queen to go to Ashford do you?"

"No your highness."

"Good. All plans will be communicated soon. Be ready to leave when it's time." He said at last before taking his leave.

___

Zaccai stepped into Arom and got the reaction he was now used to. People always stared at him for different reasons, some best known to them. But tonight he could see the emotions that danced in their eyes. Lust.

He wasn't here to indulge in any of that.

"Where is your mistress?" He asked one of the ladies that was behind one of the bars.

"She's not free right now, your highness, but she's asked us to welcome you properly and take you to the room we have arranged for you."

He nodded with a frown. "Tell her I need her now!" He commanded quite softly.

The girl nodded as a hint of fear showed on her face.

Another had come to usher him to the room and he followed her. He passed through a section of the parlour and walked into Bani Ai.

"Oh wow, look who decides to grace us with his royal presence. What happened to Wave?"

Zaccai ignored and kept walking. He only stopped when Bani came to stand in front of him.

"You certainly lack self respect." Zaccai said coldly.

"Always thinking you're better than everyone else." Bani said angrily.

"I don't, you do. And I love that you do." It was then he looked around the room. He saw Grizelda and her brother Varion, he also saw Lain and gave a little bow to him. This has to be the VIP section and frankly he didn't care to stay in it. He came here for something and he wasn't leaving until he got it.

Grizelda gave him a knowing look which he ignored.

"How's the wedding plans going?" Bani asked to clearly take a shot at him.

"Great, that's all you need to know on the matter. Excuse me." He walked past him, half bumping into him on his way up the stairs.

"I can't wait to meet the cursed lady that has to marry you, she's getting a predator for a husband, poor thing." Bani said loudly as Zaccai matched up the stairs.

Zaccai felt tempted to go back down and deliver a punch to Bani but held back. Bani Ai had never been worth the trouble, and definitely wasn't right now.