NOVEL WEB Chapter 7: Chapter 7
The meeting with the Hawthorne couple ended, and Portia returned to her chamber as her parents returned for the time being. She also noticed the queen's anger directed towards her and the frustrated way her husband left soon after. She spent the entire night with Blue, and in the morning, the king summoned Portia and Cristiano once again.
"Greetings to the king," the couple bowed and greeted.
"Duke Hawthorne and Duchess Hawthorne have expressed their wish for the newly wedded couple to visit the temple of the Moon Goddess in their duchy," the king said.
The duchy was called Silverfall. It was located at the far end of Moon Haven, and the name Silverfall came from its extremely cold weather, as the mountains glistened with silver peaks throughout the year.
According to common knowledge, the duke and duchess were married for ten years without a child. The Duchess was said to be infertile, but it was heard through the grapevine that she made a wish in the temple of the Moon Goddess located in Silverfall, and Portia was born.
A few months later, Alpha Hawthorne was also born. Since then, the duke and duchess often visited the temple at every big or small step in their lives. Now that Portia was married to the crown prince, the couple wished for Portia and her husband to receive the blessings of the Moon Goddess.
"Father, is it truly necessary?" Cristiano asked, his voice filled with frustration. Not only was he forced to take a bride but now he had to thank the moon goddess for the same unwanted wife too. Presumptuous!
Moreover, it was no secret that the southern borders, where Silverfall was located, were dangerous at this time of year. The neighbouring kingdom of Bloomingdale often breached the borders and launched attacks on the werewolves stationed there.
The king's gaze hardened, sensing his son's unease. "I know what you are thinking, Cristiano," he said with a smile that was anything but kind, "But I have another reason for sending you there. While you are paying respects to the Moon Goddess, I want you to secure the southern borders. Not a single demonic fae shall be allowed to enter and wreak havoc."
Cristiano's brow furrowed as the king continued, his tone grave. "There has been a report of fifty casualties at the southern borders. Although Alpha Hawthorne has managed to keep the threat under control within his duchy, the same cannot be said for the areas outside his territory that share the southern borders. Your mission is clear: go and slay those demonic faes."
It all became clear to Cristiano then—his father's intentions were twofold. Under the guise of a pilgrimage to the Moon Goddess, he was being sent to protect the kingdom. As expected of his father, the kingdom comes first before anything. Even family. And just like that he was impressed and had no further frustration or concerns.
As Cristiano and Portia left the king's office, they walked together in silence through the palace corridors. Soon, an unwelcome presence disrupted Cristiano's thoughts.
The silvery-furred dog appeared, padding alongside Portia as if it were her personal guard. For reasons he couldn't quite explain, Cristiano found himself irritated by the creature. The way it glared at him with its sharp eyes, as though challenging his authority, was enough to make his jaw tighten.
Portia, however, seemed entirely unbothered by everything around her. She walked with her usual calm and indifferent demeanor but Cristiano couldn't miss the subtle way she softened when the dog was near. She even reached down to pat its head with a gentleness she never showed to anyone else.
It made his chest tighten, and he couldn't help but wonder: did the dog truly deserve her affection?
And why did it bother him so much?
He was Cristiano Lockwood, the crown prince of Moonhaven, possessing the legendary wolf that no creature could rival. And yet, here he was, annoyed by a dog.
A damned dog.
"Crown Prince!"
The desperate cry pierced the air, and Cristiano immediately recognized the voice owner and its urgency. Without a word, he vanished with lightning speed as his army trailed behind him.
Portia stood frozen, watching the place where Cristiano had disappeared. She let out a soft sigh and glanced down at Blue. "It seems we are alone again," she murmured.
Blue barked in response, almost as if to say, We are always alone.
Portia let out a faint sad smile. Her gaze lingered on the horizon where Cristiano had disappeared moments ago. "Yes," she whispered, "We are."
Lost in her thoughts, Portia barely noticed where her feet were taking her. When she finally glanced up, she found herself in front of a garden unlike any she had seen before.
It was breathtaking.
The entire garden was filled with roses. Only roses. But what stunned her most was their colour. They weren't white or red, nor were they the rare black ones she had read about. These roses were silver while shimmering as though dusted with nature's finest glitter. Their ethereal glow seemed to be filled with magic and Portia felt her breath catch in her throat as she witnessed such a scene before her eyes.
She stepped closer while her hand reached out to touch one of the flowers but her eyes caught the No Entry and Don't Touch sign nearby. Before she could process her hesitation, Blue suddenly began barking furiously.
"Blue, stop it!" Portia exclaimed, startled by the dog's strange behaviour. It barked and howled as though possessed. Frantic, Portia knelt to calm him while rubbing his belly and whispering soothing words but Blue ignored her entirely.
It had never happened before. Blue had never ignored her before.
Before she could stop him or even understand what was happening, Blue bolted into the garden, barking louder than ever.
"Blue!" she cried, her obsidian eyes widened with panic as the dog disappeared into the maze of silver roses. Without thinking, she followed him, pushing through the thick bushes and trying to navigate the maze that was this silver roses garden.
The air grew cooler with every step she took. Portia shivered as an unnatural chill swept over her while wrapping her in its icy embrace. She called out for Blue as her voice echoed faintly in the eerie silence but the dog was nowhere to be seen.
After what felt like an eternity of wandering, she stumbled upon a structure in the heart of the garden. It was made of nearly black glistening marble, polished to perfection and adorned with intricate carvings that seemed to shimmer brightly.
Portia stood frozen while staring at the structure. Something about it felt ancient, otherworldly and also familiar.
Her skin began tingling and an odd sensation coursed through her. Unbeknownst to her, the colour of her eyes shifted from obsidian to the silver of the roses around her.
And then, a voice broke the silence.
"Welcome to my humble abode, my dear beloved," it said. The voice was deep and rich while carrying an unsettling sense of familiarity.