บท 12: Meeting His Majesty

Laina looked down at the dress she wore, then back at the clothing that had been set on the table for her. Though she was still uncertain of the intentions of the host who had placed her here, she still decided to change out of her evening dress.

Much to her surprise, the clothing prepared fit her perfectly. She came out from behind the folded screen and admired her new outfit in the full-length mirror.

-How does this person know my tastes so well?- she wondered to herself while glancing back at the decor of the room.

Everything was to her liking. If this person had made all the choices based on lucky guesses, the lady of luck must be shining down on them. Laina walked back to the dressing table to find the cat laying on the countertop lazily.

It turned belly up, inviting her to scratch its belly. She did not hesitate to do so. As the cat purred comfortably, Laina suddenly heard barking in the distance. She jolted out of her seat and looked all around.

Could it have been just her imagination?

But the cat seemed to have heard the barking as well, as it got back up on its four legs and looked intently towards the room door. Laina pet the cat on the top of its head.

"You heard it too? Then it must be real," she whispered to the cat.

Just then, Laina heard the barking again. It was louder too. The barking had gotten nearer. Something about it made Laina jump into action. The cat leaped off the dressing table and quickly made its way towards the room door.

It began to meow and claw at the door, as if asking Laina to open it. Though she was hesitant to do so at first, the distant barking spurred her into action. The door creaked open and the cat immediately slipped out of the room.

"Hey wait!" Laina called out.

In that moment, she had forgotten all of her worries. She left the confines of the room to follow the cat. Walking down the empty hallway, Laina was solely focused on following the cat.

"Are you taking me to the source of the barking?" she asked the cat.

The cat meowed at her.

-I hope that's a yes.- she said to herself.

Laina heard the barking again. They were getting nearer. The louder she heard it, the more wanted to run and find its source. Laina broke into a run, even leaving the cat behind. She had never been in this place before, but she was able to navigate through its halls with ease.

Finally, she came into a garden. She was amazed by the number of flowers in bloom that she was surrounded by. But this was not what she was looking for. Laina looked all around, looking for the source of the barking.

In her mind, she saw flashes of a huge dog. But she could not get a clear image in her mind of how it looked like. Moments later, she heard the sharp bark again.

"Titan! Where are you?" Laina called out.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Laina covered her mouth in shock. How did she know the name of the creature she was looking for? In the memories she had in her mind, she never owned any pets, let alone the name of any pet.

"How did I know?" she muttered to herself.

Before she could delve further into her thoughts, Laina heard that familiar bark once more. This time, the dog appeared before her. It was a huge dog, standing at almost a meter in height. It had a mane, just like a lion's.

Laina had no time to react as the dog leaped onto her, pushing her onto the ground. The dog began to lick her face enthusiastically while wagging its tail. Laina burst out laughing.

"Stop it, Titan! You're suffocating me!" she laughed.

Finally, the dog relented and took a few steps back, allowing Laina to seat back up. She gently pets the dog as it barked at her. It was as if the dog was calling out to her. But one thing still remained on her mind.

Why was she so certain she knew this dog? And why was she certain the dog's name was Titan. Just then, Laina noticed that she was being watched. When she looked up, she noticed the outline of a tall man standing before her.

It did not take long for her to realize who it was. Laina quickly stood back up and curtsied. She might not know what was going on, but she certainly had not forgotten her manners.

"Your Majesty," she greeted him politely.

She stole a glance as she looked up at King Dante. Their eyes met. Laina blushed beet red and quickly looked back down. Her heart was pounding in her ears and her cheeks felt hot to the touch.

"I'm glad to see you're awake, Princess Laina. I hope the room and clothing were to your liking?" his smooth voice was intoxicating.

-Keep it together Laina.- she said to herself.

Laina cleared her throat before replying, "Indeed. Everything, ah, was well. Sorry, what I meant to say is that I liked everything. Thank you, your majesty, for accommodating me last night."

She did not give him a chance to say anything, she continued speaking.

"You have been most gracious with your hospitality. But I believe I have overstayed my welcome. I am quite certain that Margaret.. I mean my handmaiden would be worried sick looking for me. I think it would be best if I-" Laina was about to turn and leave but she felt a hand grasp onto her wrist.

When she turned back around, she was surprised to see how close Dante had gotten to her. They were barely inches apart. She could smell the sweet scent emanating from his body. Laina looked up at Dante.

The cheeky King was grinning evilly! Laina gulped, had she fallen into the claws of a wolf?

"I'm sorry, princess. But I cannot let you leave."