288 Chapter 288 : Hunting

After six hours of waiting, Maxim got to his feet as the princess walked through the doors of the library. As he walked towards her, so as to meet her halfway, he had to chant to himself not to fall for her, because the gods knew how incredibly breathtaking she was.

Maxim bowed respectfully before standing up straight and smiling of the red haired princess, it was then he notice she had violet eyes, a perfect contrast with her red hair and fair skin.

Eira looked around the library before looking at the elven man in front of her. “Are you the only one here?”

“Yes your grace, I am the last suitor of the day,” Maxim responded in a calm baritone voice.

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“Alright then..”

Maxim sensed some relief in the tone of Eira’s angelic voice, it was apparent she was exhausted from meeting different men for the last few weeks, and she was glad it was finally over. But she didn’t communicate her relief to Maxim, most likely not to demoralize him, that was a sign that she was an empathetic person. why exactly did Ronda hate this young woman? Maybe Maxim had to get to know her a little more to find out.

“Well, I suppose I should ask you what you have planned for the hour,” Eira spoke.

“I actually have nothing planned princess,” Maxim responded with a polite smile that made his eyes squint in the most adorable way.

Eira raised her eyebrows in surprise, “you have nothing planned? Weren’t you told that you will have one hour with me?”

.....

“I was...”

“And still you prepared nothing to try and woo me in that hour?”

“I did not,” Maxim responded still smiling.

“well then what are we to do?” Eira asked, “just stand here and stare at each other for an hour?”

Maxim opened his hooded green eyes and looked into Eira’s purple orbs. The princess blushed slightly under his intense gaze, didn’t he have no shame staring at royalty like that?

“I was hoping that we could do something that you want, rather than something that I want,” Maxim responded. “I’d love it if you enjoy this hour with me, rather than endure it. So please, be my guest and choose whatever activity you would like to do. If you want, we could just sit in this library and talk.”

Eira was staggered by the man’s response. For the entirety of this suitor meeting activity, Eira had just been letting the men take her places and make her do activities that they thought might impress her, of which none did. But this man, he was actually asking her what she wanted to do, how strange.

“What is your name?”

“Maxim,” the handsome elf responded with a friendly smile.

“Alright, well Maxim, since you asked, it has been a long time since I’ve held a weapon,” Eira mumbled nervously. “I’m afraid I might be losing my touch.”

Maxim nodded in understanding. “I see, well then, you better change into something a little more appropriate princess, because you and I are going hunting.”

“Hunting?!” Eira had never gone hunting before. The only time she held a bow and arrow was when she training with her cousins or uncle. She was never allowed in the forest so she had never gotten the chance to use her archery skills to catch game.

“Well, you better get going princess,” Maxim spoke and gently turned her towards the door. “Time is ticking. I will be in the courtyard organizing our horses, meet me there.”

Eira nodded slowly and walked towards the exit, she turned back to look at Maxim who was waving and smiling at her. Why was this man being so kind to her, it was strange, noblemen were always nothing but arrogant pricks.

*

Elric and his two guards had been riding for two days straight, only stopping to water the horses for a few minutes and also to eat. Rest was a luxury the lycan prince had decided he would enjoy after he had Eira within this reach, safe and sound.

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“We will be in the first shire of Gavaria soon your grace!” One of his men called to Elric. “Are we heading straight for the capital?!”

“Yes!” Elric responded, “I don’t have time to-”

But before he could fully respond, the silver haired lycan spotted a group of men standing ahead of them in a line formation. There were about four or five soldiers, and all of them were wearing Gavarian armor.

As they approached the men, they all drew their swords and pointed them towards the lycan and his men, making Elric slow down.

“Hault prince Elric of the snowlands!”

The lycan stopped his steed and glared at the men, so they were indeed waiting for him. He didn’t know why he was so surprised, Gareth and Melissa had made it clear they did not want him near their daughter, and if he ever tried to defy him, they would have his head.

“We are members of the queen’s private guard!” The man who was presumably their leader spoke in a firm voice.

So it was Melissa who had sent them. This only proved to Elric that she was aware of the bond that existed between him and her daughter, and wanted none of it to see the light of day.

“We have been ordered to not let you pass! Turn back or we shall be pushed to use force!”

Elric slipped off his horse and took a step forward, making the men lift their swords.

“This is your last warning Elric! Turn back now, or you will die where you stand!”

Unfortunately for the men, Elric could not allow himself to die until he reached Eira, he also could not turn back. Judging from their stance, the lycan knew these were very skilled men, probably appointed by Gareth himself to protect his beloved wife. But sadly, they were not skilled enough.

A wave of dark aura proliferated from the silver haired man and filled the air. The aura, dark and deadly, was almost choking. Some of the guards took a step back, fearing what was to come. What exactly was this man? And why did he reek of ‘alpha male dominance’. It felt like his presence alone was a threat, what kind of lycan had the queen pinned them against.

“I do not have time to deal with the likes of you,” Elric spoke calmly as he took off his fur coat and placed it atop his horse. “So I will give you a minute to clear the path and let me pass..” he then slipped off his gloves and tossed them to the ground before giving the men a stare that tingled each of their spines. “But if you persist, I cannot promise that you will walk away unharmed.”

The men glanced at each other before gathering the courage they had left and repositioned their swords in front of them.

The silver haired lycan twisted his neck slightly from side to side, before cracking his knuckles. “I see..” he spoke with a sigh, “I suppose we have to do this then. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

It had been a while since Elric had gone wolf, and the last time he had, he was bigger and more agile than ever. His days in the forest, hunting and scavenging, had proved to grow the beast within him, so much so that he feared his wolf. It was like it had a mind of its own sometimes, dominated by nothing but feral instincts.

Before the men could get the chance to charge, a silver blur knocked two of them backwards in a split of a second, rendering them both unconscious.

“What the-”

Before long, the leader of the small group of men was standing alone, holding his sword with shaky hands, turning his head from side to side trying to see where the silver wolf had disappeared to. All he could see were the bloody unconscious bodies of his mean littered around him.. how was an animal that big able to hide? The shrubs around them were too small and scarce to conceal him.

Just then, the man gulped when he felt a puff of hot breath on his neck. How did he get behind him? How was he able to move without making any sound?

Before another thought could cross his mind, everything went black, the last words he heard Elric speak as he transformed back to his human form was. “No one will stand in the way of me getting to my mate...”

Even though losing consciousness, the man was shocked by Elric’s words. His mate? Is that who he was pursuing? The queen didn’t mention anything about a mate.. if only he had known.. he would have let the man pass. Being a lycan himself, even though not a pure blood, knew and honored the law of mates.

Elric walked back to his horse, picked up his gloves and pulled down his jacket. After putting them on he turned to his men who were staring at him with both fear and awe.

Elric hopped onto his horse, “are you going to stand there and stare, or are you going to come with me.”

“Yes your grace!”

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