The Crown's Entrapment

Clara couldn't help the sweet smile forming on her face while she held the roses and smelled its scent. She was watching Gilas' back as he walked away from her to go back to his duty.

[It's a pity my sense of smell is not working. I'm dying to find his Mate Pull scent…] Sheba mumbled with a heavy sigh.

Clara couldn't agree more. Just like Sheba, she was honestly very eager to know how Gilas would smell but unfortunately, her human sense of smell was not capable of detecting the scent of Mate Pull. She bet he would smell heavenly, maybe as good as how Freya described Gideon's scent.

"Aurelia is back with the Queen. Shall we visit her later and see if she's available to check on us?" Clara murmured, still smiling. She really appreciated Gilas's efforts  and patience despite knowing her weakness. Though she could not smell his scent she could still feel the pull physically but Gilas was a true gentleman who simply wouldn't take advantage of her.

[Admit it. You're disappointed that nothing happened last night aren't you?] She teased, making Clara blush very hard. But  ever since they returned to the castle, she and Gilas became so busy that just like the previous night, she slept first without Gilas and woke up again to an empty bed.

"I feel weird lately. I've been sleeping like a log," she murmured as she turned around to go back to her men. She was sure Gilas was there with her last night because she felt his familiar warmth whenever she was shivering.

[Since the remnants of the poisons are all gone, you might not  shiver tonight…] Sheba informed her. Clara nodded her head and lifted her gaze back to her men only to blush and look elsewhere after seeing the teasing smiles they were giving her.  Right, she forgot they could see her receiving the roses Gilas gave her. She tried to compose herself and carry a strict face by frowning as she approached them and said, "Get back to your training!"

Then she looked at Adah who was back to being her second in command and said, "You take over for now. I am going to see Lady Aurelia…"

"Why?! Are you pregnant now?! But why haven't I smelled your shared scent with Lord Gilas?!"

Clara pressed her lips together and turned to the person who questioned when she heard this. It was Leon who commented, popping out from nowhere.

"Leon, you should really learn to shut your mouth if you don't want me to stitch it for you," Clara threatened playfully. Leon chuckled and said, "I just missed you, Commander! I almost tripped while running to see you the moment I arrived. Welcome back, Commander!"

Clara smiled the moment she felt Leon's tight and warm hug. She had missed him and all of her men and the Moonlight Royal Knights too. Leon was the youngest  of the Knights so she was like an elder sister to him.

"Thank you for coming back! We should celebrate with the others later. What do you say? I will arrange everything and make sure everyone is present like the old days. Well, everyone except Commander Bartos as he is still at Ebodia," Leon gleefully suggested, his eyes shimmering in excitement.

"Fine… I will see you all in our usual den," Clara said with a chuckle. "For now, I'll go ahead and see Aurelia. Don't you dare spread any false rumor! I'm just going to visit her and have a simple chat as a friend."

She lied of course because no one knew about her wolf's inability to smell except for a few people now including Gilas.

Before visiting Aurelia, Clara made a pitstop to her bedroom to arrange the flowers Gilas gave her in a vase and put it on the table.

"So pretty…" she whispered, humming as she walked out of the chamber before heading to the castle's infirmary.

"Milady, I was about to see you," Aurelia said with a smile when she saw Clara.

"Aren't you busy?" Clara inquired when Aurelia gestured for her to follow her to her private quarter in the castle infirmary.

"I have a lot of time these days as our King assigned me to only look after the Queen while Lady Jayra is away. As you can see, I'm rather bored staying here and doing nothing most of the time," Aurelia commented with a smile.

"Ah, but isn't this environment better than the Capital City's Infirmary? I mean, you can treat this as a little vacation right?" Clara joked knowing how much of a workaholic Aurelia was according to the rumors.

"Ah, please, I prefer to work  so please do visit me often. Let's work on your healing process while Lady Jayra is not around. Clara noticed some potions in the area so she commented, "Are you also using some spells and magic in healing now?"

"Well, I've been studying about it. I want to heal others and be more effective like Lady Jayra. It's better to learn magic and spells rather than relying solely on science." Aurelia explained.

Aurelia prepared the required things and  soon started checking Clara. Aurelia asked many questions and checked her naked body from head to toe. Once the check up was done, Clara dressed up and felt anxious about the results.

"Am I a hopeless case?" Clara couldn't help asking, seeing how wrinkled Aurelia's forehead was while she was writing something.

"No, you're not… Clara. Lady Jayra hasn't checked you yet right?" Aurelia asked to which she simply nodded.

" It's not a permanent disability and you can definitely be healed, it's just that-"

"A notoriously rare plant is required for me to heal which is still not available. I wonder how many more years it'll take for that plant to bloom! Not to mention that plant can only be found in the Kingdom of Helion, so even if it did bloom going to get it from that territory is like going on a suicide mission," Clara murmured, feeling defeated. She heard the same exact thing from the best physicians she went to looking for a cure so she saved Aurelia the effort of repeating the same statement.

Aurelia chuckled and said, "Hmm, I can feel your disappointment from your previous physicians, Lady Clara."

"Just call me Clara, please. And is it alright if I address you as Aurelia? Let's drop the formalities…" Clara commented.

"Alright, Clara. How about letting me continue? I'm afraid what I'm about to say to you is quite different from your previous physicians. They told you one option but I have another option that you can consider if you feel like doing so," Aurelia said, making Clara's eyes rapidly blink at her.

[Did we hear her right? Is there truly another way?] her wolf Sheba asked expectantly. Clara could feel Sheba's hope spike up. Well, it was not only her wolf's hope but hers as well.

"Please do tell me what it is," Clara almost begged as she keenly stared at Aurelia, not wanting to miss any details the young physician was about to say.

"This method is quite new. It's an unorthodox method but I assure you that there are no risks in trying it although I can't guarantee the complete or full recovery of your wolf…" Aurelia started.

"I understand.Tell me the method and I will do everything required," Clara uttered.

"We'll do it in sessions and see if everything will work out. Honestly, it is also my first time trying this method but as there will be no harm or side effects in trying we can do it. If things won't work out then we still have Lady Jayra so we can go to her."

As Aurelia and Clara discussed the process and schedules, they heard a knock on the door which interrupted them.

"Lady Aurelia, the Queen is here looking for you," the servant who went inside informed.

"Oh, please let her in…" Aurelia commented and stood up. Clara also stood up from her chair and said, "I'll  see you some other time then."

Aurelia nodded and walked her to the door when it opened.

"Your Grace," Clara and Aurelia immediately greeted their Queen with a curt bow.

pAn,Da n<0,>v,e1 "Oh, it's a good thing you're here too Clara. I was about to pull Aurelia for a picnic on the rooftop garden and send my chamberlain to get you as well," Xenia commented with a smile. Only then did Clara notice the servants behind the Queen.

Before she could even find an excuse to not go, Xenia grabbed her wrist along with Aurelia's and dragged them out.

"I've been practicing flying on the rooftop and it is very lonely doing it alone so how about you two accompany me for some time? We can have some snacks and chat about important things. Oh, I am delighted to hear a lot from the two of you…" The Queen was visibly ecstatic having her and Aurelia as companions. Clara smiled as she looked at Xenia's hand on her wrist. Who would have thought that things would turn out like this after everything that had happened before? Nevertheless, she was glad and content with the outcome.

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