"I need some valets around me to do my stuff, I can't walk around in the city so I should send someone out on my behalf."
Oliver gazed around, there were many people here he could choose from.
"Pick one! Your highness!"
"I saw three men outside they seemed to be simple villagers, I want them."
Oliver pouted, this boy wanted some uneducated people around him, like the lower way Lord James had raised him.
"Fine, your grace! Please show me who they are!"
Looking back over his shoulder, he added, "your mother is ready to see you."
Ryan winced but tried not to show it as it was his weakness. It was two days since he came here and she didn't come out of her chamber. At first, he thought she might be ill but it didn't last long when he realized the reason. In fact, she couldn't encounter Ryan.
Turning to the door, the butler opened it and stepped outside. He pointed to the men who were carrying boxes.
"Those three," he uttered, William kept those men close to him and the young one was so familiar! Wasn't he the young magician boy?
"I'll negotiate with them!"
"What do you mean? Should I ask you for what I can have beside me?"
Oliver quickly shook his head, he did not want to be rude and mess with Livia's son, especially, if he had inherited the grudge terms from his mother.
"Please do what you wish, I am not interfering with it." He withdrew it from himself and walked away, did not even bother to look at the men with the messy features.
"You three, come here."
William didn't like that commanding tone but washed it down, he wouldn't stay here forever so he would make sure to repay this treat.
"Yes, your highness," Frank stated, he liked this new game.
"From now on you work for me," his head averted to another valet, "give them new clothes and a place to wash up."
The valet bowed and led them to another door that belonged to those who worked for the merchant's mansion.
Ryan had to go and join the merchant for dinner. He strode to the dining hall when he saw a stunning woman, he had seen her drawing but she was way better than what he saw in the royal records.
Her eyes were different and were spreading different aura that had nothing to do with the women he saw.
"Your highness," Ryan bowed his head, he thought that when he could find a chance of life to see his mother, tears would choke him and his heart would jerk out in his chest and raise for a storm but he was disappointed, that sparkle in her eyes was saying that she just earned a tool for her new game, not like a mother who saw her son after years.
She walked forward and her hand extended out, her palm rested on his face, and caressed his burned tan cheek.
"Did you spend hard days in that hell?"
"No, before my uncle dies, I used to rely on him. He died to save me."
She wore a stern face and dropped her hand, "my brother was brave, no one can deny that but he wasn't a human!"
"Am I?"
Ryan answered, raised his eyebrow. They were alone there and he didn't mind speaking bluntly in front of her to attract her attention.
"What do you mean?" She smiled bitterly!
"What if I am a werewolf, will you leave me?"
Livia shook her head, "I've never left you," grabbing two sides of his face continued, "They took you from me, they snatched you from me."
"This is not the answer," he put his hand up and her eyes followed his action, his hand changed to paws and black fur. His eyes turned golden.
"Will you leave me now? I have the blood of wolves in my vessels and there will be no cure because I crossed the first full moon of that hell," Ryan saw how freaked she was.
The terror that tinted in her face was undeniable. Her skin was pale and her hands drop on her sides.
"Who did this to you?"
"I was dying when we dropped off to the chasm and my uncle kept me alive with the blood essence of wolves I had with me. He could let me die but he didn't."
"No one must notice this!"
She uttered, a bit loud.
"I have no fear, I had earned the tattoo of Gods. Due to the gods' law people like me are safe from arbitrators."
Her eyes widened, looking at his wrist, she saw nothing.
"Mine is on my back." He studied the question on her face and changed his hand into its actual form.
"What do you want to do now? I am not a human, do you think that I don't deserve to be among you?"
Livia was speechless, she wasn't careful with her words, Ryan spent much time with Wilmore lately and trusted him.
"I am sorry, I didn't know that the gods would accept the human werewolves."
Ryan nodded, "they don't, there are exceptions, depending on souls." He gamed her again.
"Sometimes I run beyond my limits, but with you, many things will change."
Ryan smiled and walked beside her when she pointed to the table.
"Is my wife in Bolingtone?" He asked and pulled the chair for her and then sat beside her.
"Yes, we will join her soon."
She lied, that stupid Gaven thought that he could escape from death after what he did.
Ryan smiled wickedly, the nervousness was clear in her face, she quickly picked the wine glass and had a sip.
"Yes, I must send a letter to my father in Greenwood. But I am wondering why you are here and commander Dorian is in the jail, also Hashin is my Bead brother."
"Let's have dinner first, we will talk about that, however, I didn't know that man from Bead is close to you. I'll let him be out."
Ryan obeyed and said nothing during the eating but she was playing with her food and less she had.
"Why don't you eat? Shouldn't you take care of yourself a bit?"
Ryan dragged her attention to another point.
"You had become a great man, and I missed your childhood."
"I had a good childhood but the only lack was that I didn't know who my mother was."
She put the fork down and peered at him, "I won't leave you again, you are the true heir of Bolingtone, I am the first child and I gave birth to a son. Due to the laws of Velator, they are supposed to accept this."
"What if I don't like to be a courtier?" She did not call him, you are my son! Why?
"This is your destiny!"
"My father didn't raise me that way."
Livia took a deep breath, why was he resisting his natural right?
"Your uncle is dead and you must accept your duty. You must protect this land and your people, your blood brought you this responsibility."
Ryan took a sip of water and nodded, "give me time. I need to think about it. My mind is now busy with my family, my cousins, and everything I left behind and traveled into hell, unwanted."
Livia had to wait, the magician alerted her not to go too far, he believed that forcing him to do what she wished could just make this gap bigger and devastate what she had weaved through time.
After dinner, she invited him to have some conversation. She wanted to know what his favorites were but with every information he gave him about himself she clenched her fingers.
"Do you still love lady Luna?"
"I love my cousins, but never was something between us."
She just looked at him, she was going to kill her and the child in her belly. And all those who might be a menace to take his seat.
"You know that you can have many women and I respect your decision. Vanessa told me a lot about you."
Ryan cursed himself, why would he make such a mistake when he was drunk, Vanessa was ambitious and would do everything to mess up in his life for that one nightstand.
"No, I think for now I must focus on my life. As you see many things have changed, I am curious about the Parliament session that you talked about, would they vote for me? Bolingtone has two other heirs."
"Three heirs!"
Ryan tilted his head, "how come?"
"Lady Luna is pregnant with my brother's son."
She waited to read his face.
Ryan felt the spiking chill in his back. So it was the reason that he sought, the reason of the courage Wilmore was showing to earn the tattoo. His child, he remembered that he used to say that the king considered him as a beast and he wanted to clean his name so his future children would be proud of him.
"What!"
Livia grinned, she could provoke his jealousy?
"Yes, she is pregnant and now my brother is dead, do you want to have her as your wife?"
"No way!" Ryan stood up and shouted but as he found himself, closed his eyes and said, "why should I have a woman who belonged to another man?"
He lied to mislead her but he hated this disgusting conversation. Luna loved Wilmore. His mother found nothing to know about ethics and love, the main reason why his father left her. She left nothing for him to fight for their love and he discovered this late when they had a child together and he lost everything.. But he loved Ryan more than his life.