The next few weeks go by both in a flash and at a snail's pace. Maybe it's because Elsie has been counting the days until her death. Well, it doesn't matter how many times anyone has told her that she in fact was not going to die, Elsie cannot seem to bring herself to believe that lie.
Father didn't write to Lievca to call off the marriage. Elsie had told him not to. And now sitting in front of the mirror as maids go on and about to get her ready for a marriage she can truly never be ready for, Elsie almost feels numb, not really knowing what to feel.
"Don't dread too much, my baby. Nothing's ever going to be wrong." She watches as Misae comes closer through the reflection in the mirror. Mise runs a reassuring hand through her styled hair, gentle enough to not disturb it.
Elsie forces her lips to stretch into a smile, but her lips won't really cooperate. "I hope so." That's a lie. There's no hint of hope left in her. At this point Elsie doesn't even want to know what is going to happen to her.
By the time they are done with her, satisfied in their creation, Elsie's all draped in flowing sheer silk, and loads of ornaments. Golds and pearls and gems. They all shimmers in the sunlight as she steps outside the castle. Unlike all these days, where sunlight barely pierced through the thick gloomy clouds looming over the castle, today is entirely different. The heat of the rays are warm and pleasant where it touches Elsie through her sheer garments.
Thick snow still shrouds the ground, trees still draped in frost, but they're all breaking away, melting away like how this white princess's heart is melting away into nothing from all this agony.
The journey to the temple of The Whispering Sanctum for the mating ceremony doesn't take long as the temple stays close to the castle. The first thing Elsie sees when she gets out of the carriage is joy painting the faces of the Lievcian's, they all look so happy. So happy for what? Seeing their King waste away another omega's life by mating her forcedly?
For what reason, Elsie doesn't know but her traitorous eyes are already searching for the mysterious monarch of the North. What is wrong with her?
"Elsie, come on, take my hand now." Elsie jerks away from her thoughts hearing her father's voice.
"Huh?" She asks dumbly, eyes rounding.
"Take my hand." Father says again, putting out his hand for her.
"Oh, yes." Elsie hurriedly places her hand over her father's open palm.
Once they get into the temple, everyone greets them with enthusiasm, all smiles and joy as if they are too overjoyed to get her as their new Queen. Elsie cannot even believe she's going to be a Queen. But that's only if she lives for that. All her doubts vanish the moment her eyes latch onto her betrothed, she never knew her omega was dying to get a glimpse of him until she finally sees him. Heart beats out of her chest by just watching the man watch her. Elsie really wants someone to talk some sense to her.
Ace is looking so majestic, draped in a golden glittery robe, tall and broad. Now that man seems larger than Elsie's life itself. He looks so much better than he did at the imperial garden back in the castle, he looks powerful, divine. His honey brown eyes look through her, invade her and make her feel things she never has ever felt in these twenty years of her lifetime.
And this is bad.
"Aren't you cold?" It's the first thing that comes out Ace's pretty pink mouth, now that they stand closer to each other in front of the priest.
"Shouldn't I ask you the same thing, my King?" Elsie murmurs back, the bite in her voice cannot have been helped.
"You know Alphas can tolerate harsh weather better— oh- I'm sorry if that comes out as arrogant. I was just worried." A smile blooms on Elsie's lips as she watches the big bad wolf almost sweating from his own impulse words.
"Do not apologise."
They doesn't say anything after that, watching the priest chants before them. When all his chantings comes to an end, he look them in the eyes and hold out a tiny golden platter in front of the King of Lievca.
The priest doesn't even utter a word but Ace reaches for the platter and takes the gold glittery powder from it. For Elsie's utter surprise, the King smears the colour onto the highs of her cheekbones without any say then on the dip of her chin. He drags his fingers down her throat and between her collarbones, stopping just above the valley of her breasts.
Blood rushes to her cheeks like a crashing wave to the shore in a whoosh, painting it scarlet underneath all the glitter. There's warmth on the tips of her ears too.
Ace's eyes are wide when he asks, "What?"
"Huh?"
"What got you all bothered?" Ace whispers, wide eyed. Now that she looks at him, she can see the rose tinting the apple of his cheeks. What is he blushing for? And bothered? Why would Elsie be bothered?
Oh—
The feeling of slick dripping down to Elsie's thighs, warm and sticky, gets her completely off guard. It's as if someone has dumbed ice cold water over her head. The smell of her arousal is so thick in the air that it makes her blood run cold.
Elsie wants to die. Right. Now.
What has she ever done for the moon goddess to despise her this much?
Why does Elsie have to get her heat right this moment? It's not due in the next two weeks!
Ace's warm hand wraps around her elbow, his worried eyes searching her face for an answer and Elsie cannot look into those eyes anymore, she feels too ashamed to do that.
"Are you alright?" He asks and his voice is also tinged with worry.
"Let go of me." Voice barely comes out of her mouth, and tiredness is already seeping into her bones.
Why Moon? Why now?