Lunaria~
Later that evening, I went for a stroll.
From what I could gather, I was in the body of Lady Lunaria, the Moon Princess of the kingdom of Valeria. Despite her parents' disapproval, she went ahead and bonded herself to the person she claimed was her one true love, Kieran, an alpha from the Grimm family.
They said more, but I lost interest and decided to go out for a stroll instead.
I sighed as I punched a tree bark. It didn't help the frustration I was feeling, the bark scraped my knuckles and the tree didn't flinch. If I was in my own body, a single pinch from me could've knocked down the tree.
Those annoying villagers. It's their fault I'm currently trapped in this body with no magic.
I growled and threw another punch into the air, because it was much easier to punch the air. I wasn't even aiming at anything anymore, I was just angry that the villagers pushed me to make an irrational decision.
"This isn't fair," I shouted at the empty garden. "I had plans! I was supposed to… UGH!"
I started punching the air more frantically this time. There was a flurry of frustrated jabs, then a wild spin, and then I threw a sharp leg kick, right through the shadows. It hit something, or rather, someone.
Or rather, it would've hit them if they hadn't caught my leg mid-air.
I froze in place, in that very awkward position.
A voice which sounded maddeningly amused broke through the darkness. "Well, what do we have here?"
He released my leg and I stumbled. When I balanced myself, I looked at him.
He was tall, had sharp features, and his silver blond hair fell across one eye.
"Forgive me," he said as he gave me the smallest smirk, "but don't you have a ball to prepare for?"
I squinted at him. "Who are you?"
His smirk faltered. "That's not funny, m'lady."
He tilted his head, clearly waiting for something else. When nothing came, he gritted his teeth.
"Wait… you really don't know who I am?"
"I'm the Moon Princess," I said with a shrug. "Commoners like you should know your place."
His eyes twitched. "Commoners like me?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"I am Rowan Duskbane, heir to the Duskbane family."
I blinked.
His face twitched. "Alpha Rowan."
I blinked again.
His jaw fell slightly. "I led the Siege of Hollow's Reach."
"What even is that?" I replied.
"I led us to victory."
"Did you now?"
"I tamed the Direwolves of Skarn."
My face lit up. "Oh, I heard of that."
"Ah ha!" he exclaimed.
"Must've been itchy."
"I personally shattered the Bloodstone Pact with my bare hands!"
I looked down at his hands and gasped. "Wow."
"Finally, a reaction," he smirked.
"That sounds so made up," I added. "You can't shatter anything with those scrawny fingers."
"Scrawny…?"
I yawned. "Well, you just ruined my mood. Excuse me, I have a ball to attend."
He followed me as I turned back to the direction of the castle.
"You're not even dressed," he said. "The ball starts in less than an hour."
I glanced at him. Why was he following me?
"Lunaria," he called out and grabbed my wrist.
In that moment, I heard rustling in the trees. Someone was following, no, watching us.
I looked at the fool in front of me, he didn't seem to notice. I was in no position to fight, I had no magic, no way of protecting myself.
I looked up at the fool who was still grabbing onto my wrist, they were probably following him, which meant that it was up to me to protect him from them.
I looked at his fingers, with how scrawny they were, he probably had no idea how to fight. I looked up at his face, he was quite handsome. It would be a waste for someone with a face like his to just die.
Two, three, no, six.
They were in the trees, we were surrounded.
"Lunaria?" the fool called out.
I yanked my wrist free and ran away, leaving him there.
"Did you seriously ditch me?" I heard him yell.
It wasn't cowardice, I ran because it was the tactical thing to do. Better to let some random person die rather than the Moon Princess. Right?
I didn't stop running till I got to my room.
"Lady Lunaria," the tall servant, Mielle, called out. "Where have you been? You need to get ready."
Mielle was already moving around the room, and so were the other two, Eira and Ayla. They had already picked out a dress, perfumes had been sprayed on it, and jewelry cases were opened for me to select from.
"Your mother will soon come for you," Eira said as she led me to the bathroom. "We must hurry."
"I have a mother?"
She ignored me and stripped off my clothes with speed and precision. I instinctively covered myself up. Alya was already at the tub, she was checking for the temperature of the water.
"This one will do," she muttered and I was led into the tub. As they were bathing me, I don't want to get into the details, Mielle showed up with a brush in her hands and she combed through my hair softly.
The three of them washed me, then scrubbed me, then drowned me in floral oils. It took all of my strength to stop me from 'accidentally' punching one of them.
"You have to keep your shoulders straight, Lady Lunaria," Eira corrected gently while she compressed my organs with a corset. "A princess does not slouch."
"A princess also needs air," I wheezed.
"But you're used to this," Ayla said.
"Like I've been trying to tell you, I lost my memory."
"Here's your shoe," Mielle said in a sing songy voice as the remaining two ignored me yet again.
By the time they were done, I looked incredible. The dress…
Ah, what do I know about fashion? I was a witch until twelve hours ago.
"You look breathtaking, my Lady," Mielle said with a smile.
"Stunning," Ayla added.
"Unrecognizable," I muttered.
The doors flung open and a woman with a big, shiny red gown waltzed in.
"My daughter," she squealed. "You look radiant, my sweet. Almost as radiant as me."
I stared at her. "And you look… like a shiny apple."
"Thank you, dear. Now let us go. We cannot keep your fiancé waiting, can we?"
"The Alpha princes?" I asked as she took my arm in hers and led me out of the room.
"No, dear. Of course not. The Alpha princes are plan B. In case one is not enough."
I raised a brow.
One of what exactly?