Chapter 265: Inside The Ship
Once Seren was calm, Drayce let go of her from his hold and asked, "My Queen, are you feeling good now?"
Seren nodded and looked up at him, "What was that butterfly?"
The way that butterfly disappeared, Seren was sure it was not just a butterfly but something else was behind it.
"It's nothing much. In Megaris sometimes you might come across unusual things. But my Queen, you don't need to worry. I am always there to take care of you," Drayce replied, gently caressing her head and fixing the loose hair strands which were moving along the cold breeze.
"Was it here to harm us?" Seren asked, worriedly.
"No one can harm us even if they want to. It was just a curious thing which wanted to know you, My Queen."
"Me?" Seren asked, feeling surprised.
"You are new here and many of such unusual things will get attracted to you, willing to know you. But make sure to stay away from them and call for me if you find something suspicious," Drayce instructed.
Seren agreed, "I will, Your Majesty."
Drayce gave an appreciative smile, "Good!"
Drayce didn't wish to hide anything from her that concerned her security. Instead of hiding, it was better to make her aware of any danger that will help her. Drayce knew his wife was one smart woman and she would understand everything better.
"My Queen, would you like to see the inside of the ship?"
"Inside? Is there something?" Seren asked looking around the deck and wondering from where one can get inside part of the ship.
"There is much more to see. Allow me to show you," Drayce said and held her hand as he walked towards the one side of the Ship where it had one door to the elevated structure which had stairs to climb upon it.
Drayce opened the door using his power and entered inside while holding Seren's hand, "We have a staircase to go down from here," Drayce informed and helped Seren climb down that circular set of the staircase which wound its way towards the chamber meant for Drayce.
The stairs ended up in the small corridor which had one more door. Though they were inside the ship, there was enough sunlight coming inside from the glass windows in the ship and even had ventilation holes to get fresh air inside the corridor and rest parts of the ship.
The door opened on its own as usual and Drayce walked inside the chamber first while still holding Seren's hand as she continued to follow his leads. The moment Seren entered that Royal-looking chamber inside the ship, her eyes left wide open as to think why one would have such a chamber in the ship as it was not the one's residence. But then realized this ship belonged to the King of Megaris so this all arrangement was for him.
"When I travel somewhere on a ship, I stay here," Drayce answered the unspoken questions from his wife.
"Oh!" was what she said and continued to look around the chamber.
"My Queen, feel free to look around as this also belongs to you now," Drayce informed.
She looked at him in surprise but then recalled what Drayce always said to her that this entire kingdom belongs to her as well as she was the Queen."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said and walked around that huge chamber inside the ship.
The first thing that came into her sight was the study area which had glass windows next to it to brighten up the place. There was a cushioned couch, tea table and lots of drawer chests with a few antiques kept here and there. The entire floor had a carpet over it. It looked more like a chamber in the palace. Seren went towards the windows and looked outside only to see a vast sea ahead and could closely feel those waves hitting the boat and making it move.
"Did you like it, my Queen?" Drayce asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty," she replied and then looked at the staircase next to the study table which moved above it and ended up high, "What is there?"
"Why don't you go and check it?" Drayce suggested.
Seren immediately agreed and walked towards the staircase as she heard Drayce, "Be careful."
Seren stopped and Drayce held her hand to help her climb the staircase as her long dress made it a little difficult for her. When they reached upstairs, she saw a huge bed in the center of the wooden floor and had a slanting glass ceiling above which allowed one to see the clear sky while lying on the bed.
She walked towards the bed and looked up at the ceiling as she saw the clear blue sky and the birds flying up high.
"This is beautiful," she mumbled but the next moment she was lifted up in the pair of strong arms which startled her. In reflex, she held onto him, "Y-Your Majesty."
Drayce put her in the bed and informed, "It looks better when you see it while lying on the bed," and he lay beside her.
Seren could say nothing and looked at the sky while lying quietly on the bed. She had never experienced this as all she had was the tower's closed chamber which had only a few windows that allowed her to see outside. Even if she had stepped out of the palace once in a while, she never got the chance to look at the sky like this in a peaceful way.
"It's…." she felt at a loss for words to describe what she was feeling. Though she was lying in the bed, it gave her an illusion as if she was floating in the air high up closer to the blue sky.
Drayce, who was lying next to her, while holding her hand with their fingers entangled, turned his head to look at her. It never failed to surprise him how happy Seren felt whenever she got to see something new and Drayce had decided to give her everything that she had never even imagined.
"It looks even better at night. The starry sky is even mesmerizing from here?" Drayce added.
Seren also turned her face to look at him, "Really?"
Drayce nodded, "Hmm! If my Queen wishes to see it, we can come here at night also."
"I would like to watch it," she said, not knowing what the red-eyed King was thinking.
"Sure! Whatever my Queen wished for," Drayce replied as a light pleasant smile painted on his lips while still staring into her eyes which were looking at him without blinking even once.
Drayce too didn't stop looking at her as they both lay there calmly looking into each other's eyes as if they were searching for their world inside them. The hand holding each other had their fingers entangled while Drayce moved his thumb to caress it gently. Seren felt a shiver across her body only with this much touch from him but she didn't pull out her hand.
Just as the air around them seem to be heating up, there was a loud sound of a bell ringing again and again which disturbed them. Seren immediately looked away and asked, "What is this sound?"
"My Queen, you must have seen a huge bell hung in this ship," Drayce asked.
"Yes."
"Every ship had such bells. Before leaving the dock, the ships ring their bells to let others know they are leaving," Drayce explained.
"Understood, Your Majesty," Seren replied and sat up, "I think we should leave."
Drayce sat next to her and agreed to leave. He didn't wish to keep her outside of the palace for long after what they came across today. They reached the palace and Drayce left Seren in her chamber, "You must be tired, My Queen. Make sure to rest well."
Seren nodded. Making her comfortable in the bed, Drayce left. Reaching his study, he ordered his personal attendant, "Orion, ask Tyra to be here."
"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied and left.
Soon after Lady Tyra arrived at the King's study, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Drayce instructed Lady Tyra to have a seat as she sat on the couch opposite to Drayce's high backrest chair.
Lady Tyra was sure if Drayce had called for her, then there must be something really important and from his gravely serious expressions, she was sure about it.
"Your Majesty, is there something that is troubling you?" Lady Tyra asked.
Drayce nodded, "Today I came across someone with strong powers. He was after the Queen," Drayce replied.
It shocked Lady Tyra. "Did that someone enter the palace? I didn't sense anyone crossing our shield around the palace."
"It was when I took her to the ship," Drayce replied. "I am sure he didn't dare cross that shield and waited for her to come out of the palace."
"Did you catch him, Your Majesty?"
"Yes!"
"Can I see him?"
"He must be buried under the snow somewhere far away," Drayce replied as his sight passed across the faraway mountain peaks which were visible from his study.
"Did you let him go, Your Majesty?" Lady Tyra asked in surprise.
"He didn't seem that dangerous and I don't wish to keep anyone around who eyed for my Queen. Moreover, there was no need to kill him."
"Is he among those people who are searching for her Majesty?"
"Doesn't seem like it. He just sensed her powers and followed us from the forest outside of the Abetha," Drayce informed.
"Did you get who exactly he was?" Lady Tyra asked.
"That's why I have called you here. He is the kind to tame the wild beast which surrendered in front of the Queen when she came across them in the forest. The energy emitting from him is stronger too though it didn't seem the threatening kind. I wonder what kind of creature he must be?"
"Must be a high elf," Lady Tyra informed confidently. "But which kind of high elf, that I can tell only after knowing more about him."
"I had the same doubt but as I never came across such elf, I was not sure. But from what I know about them, he must be a moon elf," Drayce added.
"Then we should be more careful. Moon elves are known to be curious about knowing whatever catches their attention. They seem friendly but are very bold. I will recommend your Majesty to avoid taking her Majesty out of the palace for a while," Lady Tyra suggested.
"That can not happen," Drayce said coldly as he didn't like the thought of keeping Seren devoid of seeing the world outside. "She will go wherever she wants to. That elf or whoever it is, I will take care of it."
Lady Tyra had nothing to counter the King's words. "I believe in Your Majesty's ability to protect her Majesty."
Drayce said nothing while Lady Tyra spoke, "The day after tomorrow it's a wedding. Almost all the arrangements have been done."
Drayce nodded as the two discussed a few more things related to the wedding.
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At the night, Drayce arrived at the Queen's chamber to accompany his wife. Drayce's sight noticed the slender figure covered with the blanket. As he stepped ahead, he noticed the red stone bracelet kept on the bedside table.
Drayce smiled lightly, realizing how obedient his wife was. He smirked playfully, 'I believe she will like getting warmth from her husband more than that lifeless stone.'
Drayce climbed the bed and slid under the blanket that Seren was covering. He was sure she was not asleep yet and the moment he got into the bed, he could already hear her loud heartbeats.
After what they did the previous night, he was sure she would be distant to him in the night and he didn't mind it. After all, everything was so new to her and such reaction was obvious from her. He decided he should give her more time to adjust to these new things.
Drayce moved closer to her and back hugged her cold body to take her in his embrace but the next moment he felt her body tense.
"My Queen, the next two days would be tiring for you as you would be busy with the wedding preparations. Relax and sleep. We are not doing anything tonight."
Seren who was acting as if she was already sleeping, finally gave out a sigh of relief and relaxed her tensed body.
Drayce inhaled her scent at the crook of her neck and said, "Good Night, My Queen."
"Good Night, Your Majesty," Seren replied as she closed her eyes.