RETURN TO KING BRICEAUS

Eve and Elizabeth were taken to the bath for the servants and they washed up quickly. This time they didn't have to warm up the water themselves because someone else had done it. They just had to carry the water up to the room.

"The brunette will take water for the prince's right hand and the shamed princess will take water for the prince." the head maid said as if she wasn't talking to them.

They nodded and started the perilous task of taking the water up to the third floor. Elizabeth reached Crow's room and knocked. She heard nothing and thought he must be asleep so she went in. She was surprised to see that he was all tucked up under the sheets. She quietly walked to the bathroom and started filling up the tub.

In Ceaser's room, Eve had been told to come in even before she could even knock. She wanted to greet Ceaser but he told her not to make noise. His eyes looked puffy and he was frowning even though he was half asleep. She stared at him for some time and then took the water she had carried with her. She came back a lot more times until the tub was full.

"Your majesty." she called out to him once the tub was full,"Your bath is...."

Eve didn't get to finish her statement as Ceaser threw a dagger at her. It stopped right in front of her left eye. The hairs on the back of her neck stood like soldiers in alert.

"I told you not to make noise." Ceaser said in a deep gruff voice.

"Your water would be cold by the time you...."

She stopped talking when the dagger started spinning like he wanted to drill into her eyes and through her head. Eve held her breath and heard ruffling sounds from the bed and soon Ceaser came into view.

"You've annoyed me so early in the morning. Apologize." he ordered her.

"My apologies, your majesty." Eve said shivering.

"Leave before I change my mind about sparing your life."

Eve shook her head and they left from there together. In his room, Ceaser stared at the door with a blank expression. He stood there for a while longer and then walked to the bathroom where his tub was full of steamy water. He took his clothes off and got in. It wasn't as hot as it looked but he didn't mind.

Once he was done he got dressed and went down for breakfast. Crow was already there with Evirelda and Terra. They were sitting quietly like they were strangers and nothing changed when Ceaser joined the table. Soon the lycan brothers came down as well and the looks on their faces were more than enough to tell anyone that they were grieving their brothers' deaths. When Julius joined the table they all finally started eating.

One of the maids came to the dinning room with a letter in her hand and she bowed before handing it to Julius.

"A letter from King Briceaus." the maid said with her head bowed.

Julius nodded and asked her to leave. When he finished eating he opened the letter to read it's contents. He chuckled when he read it making the others at the table a little curious.

"Share the joy." Ceaser said.

"He says his oldest daughter Penelope has fallen in love with Lucan. He'll be coming back to talk to him." Julius said with a slight chuckle.

Lucan nearly spit out the food he had in his mouth and he started chocking. His brothers laughed at him and even Crow smiled.

"Congratulations." Ceaser wishes him,"It only makes sense that older people marry first, doesn't it?"

"Who said I'm going to marry her?" Lucan asked frowning then he continued coughing.

Lucan left the table and soon everyone there dispersed. Once he was in his room, Lucan sat by the window and thought about Penelope. His heart rate increases just by thinking about her and he subconsciously smiled. When he realized he was smiling he frowned and slapped himself. The next four days were restless for Lucan knowing that Penelope's arrival was drawing closer and closer with each passing moment.

It wasn't long before the day finally came when Lucan woke up to the sound of carriages.

He was not pleased because of the noise and even less pleased knowing what was happening and who those carriages were bringing. He sighed loudly to himself and lay there staring at the ceiling for a very long time. He was disturbed when someone knocked at the door and he asked for the person to come in with a gruff and heavy voice. The door opened to reveal Benjamin who had a wide smile on his face and this made Lucan even more annoyed.

He pushed himself to get to the bathroom and he bathed quickly. He got dressed in all black with a long coat that was not necessary. The coat had a thick large collar that he pulled up to his face and it covered him all the way up to his nose.

Lucan was very happy that Benjamin was gone and no one was bothering him. Once he was done he rigidly walked out of the room and made his way down to the drawing room. His brothers looked at him with small smiles and Lucan was surprised to see that even Gray was smiling.

"Here comes the bride, here comes the bride...." Benjamin sang mockingly while walking towards Lucan with a single white rose.

Lucan snarled at him and Benjamin moved back chuckling.Benjamin fell quiet when he spotted king Brieceaus heading towards them with his wife and younger daughter Virginia. The brothers bowed slightly to the three of them wanting to look respectfull for the sake of the alliance. Lucan greeted them all formally and without his notice or permission he found himself looking for his wife to be; Penelope. she was no where in sight so he looked at his future mother-in-law as if to ask after Penelope.

"She will be here in a short while. Don't be impatient." Nervanna said smiling brightly at the stale faced Lucan.

"I wasn't really curious my queen." Lucan said seriously and king Briceaus smiled. "I understand that you must be nervous about the whole marriage but you'll get used to it. Marriage is a beautiful thing when nurtured the right way." Briceaus said grabbing Lucan by the hand and making him take a seat,"I do hope the next meeting will be at our palace and I'd love if the marriage was there as well." "What is wrong with being here?" Gray asked frowning and not liking the idea of having to travel.

"You aren't important enough for royals to have to follow you." Nervanna answered chuckling and this upset them all.

Lucan wanted to get up and leave after seeing this as a chance to get rid of Penelope but his legs did not move. a minute later Ceaser walked in followed by Crow. Lucan understood from the look on C easer' face that he was the one restricting his movement and it further upset him. "Welcome King Briceaus, Queen Nervanna and princess Virginia. I'm sorry for the delay." Ceaser said in the most disrespectful tone.

Briceaus and Nervanna did not miss this but they remained quiet. Penelope came in seconds later and immediately sensed the tension in the room. She greeted Ceaser as well as all the brothers knowing that this would be her new family. She took a seat opposite Lucan and when their eyes locked she saw only anger in his eyes. She looked away immediately and asked Virginia what was happening but her sister chose to remain quiet. "Then we can have the wedding here." Briceaus said sighing,"Its always better for the man to travel to the woman's home but we can always make an exception."

Ceaser smiled brightly at Briceaus and the king returned the smile. They sat talking about nothing in particular and when refreshments started to be brought in, Briceaus noticed that one of the maids was Eve. Surprised, Briceaus said nothing but he kept on looking at her. Looking at her hair he convinced himself he was just hallucinating but he still couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Nervanna noticed that her husband's eyes were on a maid and she felt angered knowing well that Briceaus was somewhat a slave of his lower half. As Eve was handing Briceaus his teacup he took the opprtunity to touch her hand. Briceaus knew that the hands of a person who never worked would be fragile and with this he proved that it really was her. Nervanna wasn't the only one watching Briceaus and she wasn't the only one angered by the man's contact with Eve.

Ceaser clentched and unclentched his hands under the table and Crow who saw this just sighed. As Eve was moving away from Briceaus she finally had her face at an angle that the three women could see her. The three women gasped in unison and said her name at the same time in shock. Eve pretended she didn't hear them and made her way out of the room.