The Princess And Her Alpha Bodyguard

39~ A MONTH THAT FELT LIKE A YEAR

I didn't get my answer that night. At least, not directly. When I asked Edward how he felt after knowing I was Valdemir's mate, he simply looked at me with another half-hearted smile. He only gave me vague answers. It was as if he didn't want to talk about it. I knew better than to prompt him.

And that was the last time we talked.

For a month, he never showed himself before me. Not that I was surprised, though. He already gave me a heads-up. I knew he'd already promised not to leave my side and that he would protect me even if it was at the cost of his life. Still, he asked this of me. And I'd already given my permission. It broke my heart to say yes to that request. But I had no choice. I knew he wouldn't get over it if I refused.

If a temporary separation this time could heal his heart in the long term, then I had to bear with it. It was for the sake of his, as well as mine.

"You're up early again, Miss," said Lumina as she opened the door to see me sitting up on the bed. She was carrying a basin of hot water that still had steamed rising from it.

"Well, I've been feeling better. So, sleep doesn't find me anymore." I looked at her and joked.

"I'm glad to hear. Still, I hope you can rest more." She closed the door behind her and headed toward the bed.

"Lumina, I've been doing nothing but rest for an entire month. You and Dila refused to let me do anything. I almost become a pig from eating and sleeping all day."

"You're not gaining any weight, Miss. You're still as beautiful as you've always been." She gave me her signature cheerful smile that was contagious to those around her. And that included me.

"You and your sweet words." I shook my head and smiled.

"Here you go, Miss." She handed me the basin of hot water to wash my face. Then she drew the curtain and opened the window, letting the morning air in. Michelia scent filled an entire room in less than a second—a smell that had become my favorite.

"Would you like your breakfast now?" She returned to my side and took back the basin.

"Yes." I nodded.

"On it. This morning, the chef prepared Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup for you. He says it's good for your recovery. Broth can help to keep you hydrated, while lemon is detoxifying."

"Sounds good." My mouth salivated at the sound of lemon. I didn't know why, but I'd been craving something sour lately. It was as if I was pregnant.

What did you just say, Lae? Pregnant? An inner voice scolded me. Or rather, it made fun of me. You're a virgin.

"I know. I didn't mean it. It just popped up." I said aloud without knowing, earning a bewildered look from Lumina.

"What is it, Miss?" She blinked in confusion.

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just talking to myself." An awkward chuckle escaped my lips as my face heated in discomfiture.

"Are you having a fever again, Miss?" Your face is red." She asked in a worried tone.

My face must have turned red like the early sunrise. It'd be weird if she didn't notice it. I couldn't believe I was embarrassing myself so early in the morning like this. "No. The water just a little hot," I said, hoping she would buy this excuse.

"It was my mistake. I'm sorry. I'll put on more cold water next time."

"It's okay. It isn't your fault. I didn't test it properly. Don't blame yourself." I gave her an assuring smile. "Anyway, can you go to get my breakfast now? I'm hungry." I used this as an excuse to drop the topic.

"Yes, Miss."

And with that, Lumina took away the basin and left the room. Being alone, I couldn't help but think of that night again. It wasn't the first time since it happened almost every day. Every time I was alone, my mind always rewound to that exact moment.

I knew it wasn't long. But to me, every second felt like minutes. Every minute felt like hours. Hours and days seemed to move slower than usual, making a month look like a year.

All because he was not here with me.

*Flashback*

"Are you sure that you're happy?" I asked Edward.

"What are you talking about, Lae?" Of course, I am." He let out a pearl of laughter as if to conceal the sadness in his voice.

But I caught it.

"Be honest, Edward." I fixated my eyes on him.

He stopped laughing and stared back at me. We did nothing but lock eyes on each other. It was as if we tried to read the minds.

"Lae," he said, breaking the silence first. "Why do you want to know about how I feel?"

"Because I care about you." I blurted out.

"Thank you. I'm satisfied by just hearing this. Still, you don't have to."

"Why? I heard from the girls that you cared for me these past seven days. So why can't I care about you in return?"

"Because you're my master. You're King Valdemir's mate. The future queen of Ascian. And I'm your bodyguard. It's typical for a servant to care about the safety of his master. But a master shouldn't concern herself with a mere servant like me," he said in a firm voice.

His words stung my heart. I blinked, trying to hold back the tears. Taking a deep breath, I controlled my voice and asked, "Are you sure that is the only reason you sacrifice your sleep to take care of me? Is it solely because I'm your master? Is there nothing else?"

He looked taken aback by my questions, but it didn't take long for him to regain his composure. "I didn't know if you'd heard of something you shouldn't. But if you did, I asked you to forget about it. Please remember that your place is by King Valdemir's side. You're his mate. I hoped you wouldn't let his dedication crumble into dust. It wasn't easy waiting for the right one for two decades. And it was even harder to lose the precious one after being found. I'd been there, so I knew how painful it was. I hoped my king wouldn't have to experience what I'd gone through."

At that time, I was dying to know what he meant by what he'd gone through. Sadly, Dila and Lumina chose that exact moment to come inside. Our conversation was cut short just like that. When the girls were changing the bedsheet, Edward carried me gently to the table, where he sat down and placed me on his lap. Even though he held me close in his arm, I felt that there was an unreachable distance between us.

*End of flashback*

"Miss, your breakfast is here," said Lumina as she opened the door. This time, she was carrying a tray of food in her hand. "Do you want to eat on the bed or at the table?"

"Put it on the table," I said, peeling the blanket off my lower body and turning to the side.

"Hold on, Miss. Let me put this down first, and I'll help you," Lumina said in an alarmed voice when she saw I was about to get off the bed.

"Come on. I can do this on my own. Have you forgotten that I'd practiced walking around this room for a week? I even went to the garden yesterday. I'm no longer a patient. Don't spoil me too much." I reached out to my shoes only to get them snatched by Lumina.

"I remember. But I still don't like it when you push yourself like that. Dila already said that we should take things slow." She knelt and helped me with putting my shoes on.

"Then I'll have to disappoint you even more today."

"What do you mean?"

"I wanted to go to the training camp. And I won't stop no matter what you say. Either you help me there, or I'll go alone."

*******

The weather was perfect for a walk today. It was as if it was welcoming me to come out. It seemed I made the right decision to come out today. The sun in the sky shone brightly enough to illuminate the path but not burn the skin. The wind was light, bringing along the floral scents as it brushed against my body and producing natural music to the ears as the leaves rustled against each other.

"Miss, are you sure you want to go there? It's a long walk. Don't you think we should go back? Your wound just healed. I don't want you to push yourself too much," said Lumina for the tenth time since we left the castle.

"I'm not pushing myself. See how we walked like sloths? I'm already taking things easy. Besides, the weather is so nice today. It'd be a waste to stay indoors. Fresh air is also good for recovery. Don't you think so?" I patted the hand that she held onto my arm to prevent me from walking too fast.

"If it's fresh air you need, the garden is fine, Miss. Why do you have to come all the way here?"

What Lumina said was correct. The problem was that I wasn't honest with her. The reason I came here wasn't for fresh air. Still, I couldn't tell her. At least not the whole thing.

“I miss Mez and Gerold. They kept paying me a visit when I was bedridden. Now that I feel better, I should go to them to express my gratitude."

I didn't lie. It was true that I wanted to see Mez and Gerold. But I also had another purpose.

"I don't think Miss Mez and Sir Gerold needed it," Lumina murmured.

"Come on. Stop talking. We're already slow. If we keep talking, we won't make it on time for the lunch break," I said, wanting Lumina to stop probing about it.

Thankfully, it worked.

When we arrived at the training camp, Lumina went in with me this time. Although not everyone could enter this place, she said she had a perfect reason to. It was to take care of me. And so, we both went in.

"Why does it look deserted?" asked Lumina.

"It's lunch break. Everyone had already gathered at the lunch tent."

"Oh. So that's why."

"Come. Let's go there. Mez and Gerold must be inside."

I was about to head in that direction when a familiar voice echoed behind my back, halting my step.

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©️StellaKMary | The Princess And Her Alpha Bodyguard

A/N: If you're wondering why Edward is not with Lae again, please be patient. I'll explain in the next chapter. I'm still not feeling well because of the cold. This is all I can write for today.