Page 53 of Alpha's Exiled Mate

Lilia

I stared out the window, taking a deep breath to calm myself.

It had been seven days. Seven full days had passed, and Perock still hadn’t mentioned any specifics about signing the alliance treaty, the primary purpose of my visit. Instead, every day, priceless gifts were delivered to my chambers—yesterday, it was a set of jewelry crafted from aurora gems mined in the northern ice fields; the day before, a gown woven from the legendary star-river silk; and the day before that, a rare white horse said to be tamable only by royalty.

This morning, my maid brought in an intricately carved crystal box containing a crown embedded with forty-nine rare purple amethysts from Fellinger, supposedly custom-made for a future celebratory partnership.

All of this was too much.

“Mom, it’s so pretty!” Anna exclaimed, bounding to my side, her small fingers brushing the crown’s sparkling surface with childlike awe. Her amber eyes—Perock’s eyes—were wide with wonder, her face alight with the unfiltered joy only a child could muster.

“It is beautiful,” I murmured, my voice soft but lacking her enthusiasm. These dazzling gifts, for all their splendor, felt less like tokens of goodwill and more like a calculated challenge to my resolve, a distraction designed to keep me off balance. Each delivery tightened the knot of frustration in my chest, pulling me further from my mission.

“King Perock said he’d show me his dragon bone collection!” Anna continued, her voice bubbling with excitement as she bounced on her toes. “He said they’re real bones from ancient dragons, from before the Great Wars!”

I raised an eyebrow, my tone sharpening despite my efforts to stay calm. “When did he tell you that?”

Anna’s excitement faltered, her gaze darting to the floor, a telltale sign of guilt that made my heart sink. “Yesterday… when I was playing in the garden,” she admitted, her voice small. “He was just passing by, and we talked for a little bit.”

I exhaled slowly, my fingers curling into fists at my sides as I tamped down my irritation. Perock was clearly trying to reach me through Anna, a tactic as clever as it was infuriating. His attention to her was disarming, worming its way past my defenses, but it blurred the lines I needed to maintain—lines that kept my mission clear and my heart guarded.

“Anna, sweetheart,” I said, kneeling to meet her eyes, my hands resting gently on her shoulders. “Do you remember why we’re here?”

“To sign the treaty and strengthen ties between our kingdoms,” she recited promptly, her voice confident, the words ingrained from our countless discussions on the journey here.

“Exactly,” I said, ruffling her hair with a fond smile, though my heart ached at the weight of her understanding. “We’re not here to collect fancy gifts or go on adventures. I’m going for a walk to clear my head today, so you’ll stay with Lucy and practice your etiquette, okay?”

Anna nodded, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of disappointment, a longing for the excitement she’d been promised. She followed the maid out, her small figure disappearing down the corridor, her footsteps echoing faintly in the vastness of the palace. Alone, I felt the silence settle around me, heavy with the burden of my thoughts.

I slipped into a simple, unassuming outfit and decided to take a stroll through the Royal Gardens to clear my mind. My thoughts were preoccupied with how to gently nudge Perock into starting formal negotiations without coming across as impolite or pushy. Seven days had already passed—more than enough time for both sides to establish a basic level of trust and friendliness. Any further delay would only raise questions about his sincerity, and I couldn’t afford to let that impression linger.

The Royal Gardens in spring were a sight to behold, bursting with life and color. Vibrant flowers of every shade bloomed in abundance, their sweet fragrance filling the air with a delicate perfume. Under normal circumstances, this would have been the perfect place to unwind and let go of my worries. Yet, despite the beauty surrounding me, I found myself unable to truly relax or soak in the tranquility. My mind kept circling back to the pressing matters at hand, and the serene setting only seemed to highlight the tension I couldn’t shake.

As I crossed an ornate stone bridge, its arches carved with intricate wolf motifs, I noticed a commotion in a secluded section of the garden. Hundreds of workers swarmed the area, their movements coordinated as they hauled massive slabs of marble and granite, while others planted exotic flora, their vibrant hues and unusual shapes marking them as imports from distant lands.

Curiosity drew me closer, my steps slowing as I took in the scale of the project. A foreman, recognizing me, hurried over and bowed deeply, his weathered face breaking into a respectfulsmile. “Princess Lilia of Fellinger,” he said, his voice warm with deference. “It’s an honor to see you here, Your Highness.”

“What’s all this construction?” I asked, gesturing to the bustling scene, my tone curious but tinged with suspicion.

The foreman’s chest puffed with pride, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. “This is the Fellinger Courtyard, commissioned by His Majesty in your honor, Your Highness. It spans fifty acres, designed to mirror the landscapes of your homeland down to the smallest detail. Every flower, every shrub, was airlifted from Fellinger’s valleys and forests, and the lake over there—” he pointed to a shimmering body of water in the distance— “has been infused with minerals from Fellinger’s springs to replicate its exact hue and clarity. The designers even consulted Fellinger’s royal botanists to ensure authenticity.”

I blinked, stunned into silence, my mind struggling to process the enormity of what he described. A fifty-acre courtyard styled after Fellinger, built solely for my visit? The scale was staggering, far beyond what any diplomatic gesture required, and it sent a chill of unease down my spine.

“How long will it take to complete?” I asked, my voice carefully neutral, though my hands clenched at my sides.

“His Majesty ordered us to work around the clock,” the foreman replied, his pride undimmed. “We expect to finish the first phase in five days, weather permitting. But this is just the beginning, Your Highness. After the courtyard, construction will begin on a new palace in the castle’s east wing, built entirely in Fellinger’s architectural style to serve as a ‘home away from home’ during your visits. The foundation’s already laid, and all materials—three hundred carts of Fellinger marble alone—are being magically transported from your homeland to ensure authenticity. The palace will feature Fellinger’s emblems, purple amethysts and moonstones, embedded in every wall, everydoorway, every corner. Over fifty thousand gems in total, by the architects’ count, to honor your heritage.”

My heart sank as the reality of the situation hit me. A new palace? Fifty thousand gems? What in the world was Perock thinking?

These lavish, extravagant projects were completely unnecessary for a simple diplomatic visit. If anything, they only made my position more awkward and difficult to manage. I couldn’t help but worry that this would fuel endless speculation among everyone at court. Soon, they’d all be whispering about the king’s apparent “special attention” to the Princess of Fellinger. This kind of gossip was the last thing I needed—it offered no support to my mission and, in fact, only served to undermine it. I felt a growing unease as I considered how this unwanted attention might complicate my goals and make an already delicate situation even harder to navigate.

“Thank you for explaining,” I said, my voice polite but clipped, eager to end the conversation and escape the suffocating weight of this revelation. I offered a curt nod and turned away, my steps quickening as I sought refuge in the quieter paths of the garden.

My thoughts churned, a tangle of frustration, anxiety, and growing indignation. Perock’s gestures, however well-intentioned, were not only excessive but counterproductive, drawing attention away from the treaty and toward personal motives I wanted no part of. As I rounded a bend in the path, I spotted a familiar figure—Orin, Perock’s deputy, overseeing a group of servants tending to a flowerbed. His presence here, in such a menial role, was jarring, a stark contrast to the high-ranking position I’d seen him hold at the welcome ceremony.

He looked up, surprise flickering across his rugged features, before he straightened and bowed respectfully. “Princess Lilia of Fellinger, a pleasure to meet you here,” he said, his voice warmbut tinged with a hint of weariness. “I’m Orin, His Majesty’s deputy. We met at the welcome ceremony, I hope you still remember me.”

I nodded, offering a small smile to mask my curiosity. “Orin, I didn’t expect to find you here. I thought a high-ranking official like yourself would be handling more… pressing matters.”