After hearing what Abrum told him, about where was he today!!
The old master said, "you shouldn't have gone into that castle, they're your rivals!"
A sudden unease crossed the old master's face, as if he realized too late that he had spoken out of turn.
Abrum asked him perplexedly, "What rivals? But how and why?"
The old master said while covering the slip of his tongue, "No! I mean humans!! you know they have always been your foes"
A calm smile hit his lips and he said, "Yes i know very well about my foes but no one in that castle saw me, except one!!".
The old master's calm features were tightened with sudden unease and he asked Abrum,
"except one!! and who's that one human?"
Abrum answered with a steady face, "The princess!!! She saw me and we even talked!!"
As he spoke of Alara, his words drifted away, and he seemed utterly lost in the maze of her memory.
The old master said, "you seem so lost, I see you're already so kindled by her!! Now come on have dinner, you probably haven't chewed a bite!!".
At Dinner: Abrum told the old master about everything that happened to him!!! and the old master said, "Anyways!! you will not go there anymore!!!" He spoke gravely.
Abrum uttered in dissent, "But why? I just told you, I promised alara that I'll come back again soon!"
The old master's tone burned with a stern reproach, he said, "You ought to know the danger that comes with meeting humans."
Abrum's tone reassured the old master, softening his expression. He said, "And you should know, I'm the peril itself!!".
~~~~~
Alara was lost deeply in her thoughts of Abrum, for her he's a hope that'll help her escape this gilded cage!! but Though the world saw him differently, she thought of him simply as a friend. A friend she could trust.
With the break of dawn!!
After breakfast, she walked inside the grand hall and lowered herself onto the couch, her gaze fixed on the door, waiting for the king.
After some time, the king arrived and saw her sitting on the couch, he approached her and said, "Daughter!! my apologies for making you wait this long!!".
She was sitting there drowning in the depths of her thoughts, when the king called her, she looked at him with a pleasant smile and said,
"Good afternoon Father!! no no I'm alright! I just got here after having breakfast!!".
The king replied back with a pleasant smile and said, "Good afternoon daughter!! How are you?"
"I'm good! And how have you been? Father I've been meaning to ask you about the masquerade ball!!". She said with a fainted smile.
"I'm also doing good!! and about the masquerade ball!! I was just gonna ask you but as you know!! I've been very busy with its work lately so I forgot to ask you" The king replied with a serious face.
"Yes I know!! accept my apology for being impatient!!" she addressed with a fainting smile.
"That's alright!! So about the masquerade ball!! It's gonna be held in our castle after one week, so I would appreciate it!! if you will look after the preparations and this time, The masquerade ball is gonna be a little more special for you!! My daughter!!". He said with a pleasant smile.
But alara seems so disturbed by the way, the king said about the ball!!
Her eyes flickered with bewilderment as she heard his words, and she said, "Special? what is it?" .
"It's a surprise for you my dear daughter!! I will tell you but be patient!!" The king addressed almost in a smirky smile.As he rose from his royal couch and departed the hall with his sentinels, a chilling silence followed, leaving Alara adrift in worry and bewilderment
Later in the evening, alara was standing before the balcony of her room. Looking outside, she was drowned in her thoughts, so many questions were roaming around her mind, about what the king told her, about the masquerade ball's unknown surprise and what will it be?.
Lost in her thoughts, Alara suddenly heard her name being called. She glanced around the room, but no one was there, until she looked down and found Abrum, waiting beneath her balcony. Her heart skipped as she rushed to open the window by the balcony and whispered for him to come up. With his sharp claws, he scaled the stone wall effortlessly, leaving her stunned at the sight. When he finally stepped into her chamber, joy lit both their faces.
They greeted one another with a warmth that felt like the world had paused just for them.and alara said, "I'm glad you came, you kept your promise!!".
Abrum reply, "Of course, I had to!! I'm a man of my word!! by the way, when I was near the castle, I saw you were standing in that balcony so lost in your thoughts and you seem a bit out of world!! What happened ??".
"Yes! I was thinking about something; it's been roaming my mind since I heard it. I was so zoned out I didn't even notice you coming, otherwise I would have opened the window myself. But listen: it's far too dangerous for you to call my name from outside like that. You'll get into trouble if someone sees you or hears you. Don't do it again!".
"Alara, I have an idea. I'll place a single black rose in the crack beneath your window at the same hour each night. When you find it, you'll know it's me, open the window, and I'll climb up." Abrum spoke softly, his voice calm yet endearingly sweet .
Alara replies with a pleasant smile, "oh yess this is a very good idea! this way no one will ever caught you". with a nod, abrum wore a smile that was cold, yet touched with his warmth.
They shared awkward silence for a minute
and then alara broke it by saying, "So! will you help me escape from here?".
"Yes, I will," Abrum replied softly, "but when?".
"She said on the night of the masquerade ball."
"As they talked, Alara's gaze fell upon a pendant resting against Abrum's chest. When
she leaned closer, the word carved into it froze her breath—'LYCAN'S.'"