274 Chapter 274 : First day

“There are four of them,” one of the guards spoke to the Gavarian king and queen as they walked towards the royal library. “Though if I am being honest your majesty, over ten candidates arrived today to see the princess, but we felt a number like that would overwhelm her.”

“You did well,” Gareth responded with much gratitude. “Eira didn’t even want all of this to happen to begin with, so overwhelming her is the last thing we want.”

The guard rushed on ahead and opened the door for Melissa and Gareth, and announced their arrival to the four men waiting within.

“All rise for his majesty king Gareth and his queen Melissa!”

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The four men who were amidst their own banter immediately quieted down and stood up to welcome the two people who they all hopped would be their in laws in the near future. Not only was having the most powerful Gavarian king to ever reign as a father in law a massive perk, but their daughter was enchantingly beautiful as well, no sane man would not want to wed princess Eira.

All the men bowed to the king and queen respectfully as they walked passed them.

“Please, do be seated,” Gareth asked the men who obliged and sat down on the chairs that had been provided for them. “You are guests in my home today, so please feel welcome.”

“Thank you your majesty,” they all responded in unison.

“Now I know you are all here with the hope of walking away with my daughter in hand,” Gareth continued to speak. “So I want you to keep in mind that the princess is not just a gem on my crown, but she is my only child. Hence I would advise each and every one of you to treat her as one would treat a rare delicate flower. If I notice as much as one hair on her head out of place, someone will face grave consequences.”

.....

The men in the room all gulped. The way the king was speaking, one would consider pulling out of this entire arrangement, it was clear that he was very vicious and protective when it came to his daughter. It was no wonder the princess, regardless of how greatly her beauty was praised, was still uncourted till this day. Her father probably scared away any man who as much as looked at his daughter a certain way.

“You each will have an hour with her,” Melissa spoke in a kind tone, trying to lighten the mood after seeing how tense her husband’s words had made the men. “In this time simply be yourselves and try not to fall too hopelessly in love.”

A few chuckles echoed in the library and the men felt a little more confident and just a little excited. The princess only made public appearances at royal balls, and she would always sit at the high table with her father, so no one really knew what she looked like up close.

“Alright then, we wish you luck,” Melissa concluded and pulled her husband who was staring daggers at the men.

When the king and the queen left the room, the four men all heaved a heavy breath. This was going to be more difficult than they initially thought.

Suddenlly, the door opened again making all the four men jolt upright. They were expecting the king to walk back into the library with a dagger in hand ready to threaten all of them a second time, but instead, the most beautiful woman any of them had ever laid eyes on walked into the room, escorted by a blonde man and another redheaded male.

The woman had long red hair that almost shined against her bright skin. Her eyes glimmered like amethyst and her composure was enough to break any man’s resolve.

Maybe getting stabbed wouldn’t be too bad, as long as a beauty like princess Eira would be the one to nurse the wounds.

“Good morning everyone,” Eira spoke with a curtsy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

That voice, it was like the harmonious song of a thousand angels.

“Good morning princess,” the men responded with a bow.

The red haired male, heavily built and resembling the princess a great deal, stepped forward and rolled out a parchment. It seemed both these men were related to the princess, but everyone knew that the king and queen only had one child. Meaning the two men must have been her cousins or something of that sort.

“Each of you will have an hour to spend with princess Eira,” the man announced. “In this allocated time, you may do whatever you see fit to win the princess’ favor, as long as it brings no harm to her. You will be accompanied by either I, prince Damien, or Sir Zhelimir over here, together with two members of the royal guard at all times.”

Zhelimir stepped forward and studied the men in front of him, was this was how a princess was to choose a suitor? Dealing with multiple advances by different men throughout the day like some sort of prize pony? Guess being royalty was not as lavish as it seemed to be.

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“Sir Arnold of Greenhill?” Zhelimir announced.

A tall man with short brown hair and blue eyes stepped forward and bowed. “It is I,” he spoke.

He was of lycan decent and fairly handsome, one could tell from the way he carried himself that he was a knight of high rank.

“You will be the first to spend time with princess Eira,” Zhelimir explained. “And I will be accompanying you. Are you ready?”

“I am,” the man responded. He stood up straight and walked towards Eira and bowed a second time before reaching for Eira’s hand. “I will make every minute of this hour with you count princess.”

*

“Is there something wrong?” Clovis asked his brother. “You’ve been a little twitchy today since you woke up.”

Elric shook his head and continued packing his items in his sizable leather satchel. “I don’t know, I just feel very irritable this particular morning, must be my anticipation for change. I have been here for over seventeen years, and now I have to leave it all behind.”

Jeffrey walked towards where Elric was sitting and placed a pair of baby seal leather boots in front of him. “You have quite a number of these brother, may I have a pair?”

Elric grabbed the boots and glared at his brother, “I need these for the snowlands Jeffrey, stop trying to inherit my things.”

“Testy today aren’t we?” Jeffrey teased. “I don’t blame you though, I mean today is the big day.”

Elric looked up at Jeffrey and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What do you mean today’s the big day? What’s happening today?”

“Jeffrey, don’t.” Clovis tried to stop his brother. But he knew his attempt would be futile, because Jeffrey sometimes thrived in the agony of others.

Elric shifted his eyes between his two brothers, what were they hiding from him?

“If it involves me or Eira,” the silver-haired lycan spoke firmly. “I suggest you tell me right this minute!”

Jeffrey smiled slightly at Clovis. “you see, not only does he deserve to know what’s going on, but he wants to as well.”

Clovis turned to look at his brother, Elric was not somebody who handled matters of the heart well. The Merian king had witnessed it firsthand when he was obsessed with Melissa.

“Jeffrey is only teasing you,” Clovis tried to convince his brother. “do not let him get to you, this piece of information will only frustrate you.”

“it doesn’t matter, I want him to tell me.” Elric looked back at Jeffrey and arched his eyebrow. “Well?”

“My my,” Jeffrey taunted his brother. “And here I thought you were the smartest of us. I really thought your bad mood today would give it away, but I guess I just have to tell you.”

“Stop beating around the bush Jeffrey and just get to the point already.” Elric was getting even more agitated than he already was, why was his brother like this? Always making situations seem a lot worse than they actually were.

“well, today is the day princess Eira begins to meet her suitors.” Jeffrey walked to the bed and settled down with one leg crossed over the other. “I thought you saw the Royal decree, princess Eira is to select a husband within thirty days. And on each of those days she will meet different men who consider themselves worthy of her hand. And out of that group of men, the princess will select one to whom she will be wed on the thirtieth day.”

Eric felt his heart leap and lodge up his throat. He was aware that Eira was to choose a husband in thirty days, but the thought of different men spending time with her during that course of time made his blood boil a little. He knew it was completely irrational, to become possessive over a woman he had just met, but primal instinct and the law of mates did not care about rationality.

“She will be meeting with four candidates today,” Jeffrey added on. “and each of them will spend one delectable hour with your mate brother.”

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