The Cursed Prince's Strange Bride

Although Alicia wanted to believe that she had won the verbal fight between her and Beth, she had yet to set her eyes on Paulina.

Beth had agreed to let Paulina come see her, but on the condition that she first get ready to send off the royals while she asked Paulina to change into something better. Seeing how Beth was suddenly complying, she could sense that something was wrong. She just could not bring herself to trust that Beth girl. But for now, she pushed whatever thoughts she had about that girl behind to focus on this weird thing she was currently doing.

Apparently, there were outfits here for literally everything. She had been given different dresses for breakfast, dinner, send-off, welcome ceremony, etc.

So, as she stood there watching the members of the royal families as they mounted their horses and carriages, she felt like ripping the dress she was wearing apart. How do people breathe in these things? Why did she even have to wear something like this just to bid these people goodbye?

"It was nice meeting you. I hope you live here for a very LONG time." A female royal called to her before getting into her carriage.

Beth had told her not to speak, but to simply smile and bow politely. She decided to do so because she believed it was something Princess Amber would have done. No matter how stubborn she was, she didn't want to forget that she was possessing someone else's body. She didn't want to put Amber in a difficult position when she eventually returns to her body.

"She is in safe hands." Alicia heard the Queen say something to someone and turned to look at the older woman, a man, and two teenagers, a boy and a girl, who were standing before the queen. The King was nowhere in sight.

The queen looked in Alicia's direction and waved her to come over. With a slight frown on her face, Alicia approached them and then bowed once to them all.

The queen frowned upon this since she was supposed to bow to each of them one after the other, but the queen ignored it. At least for now.

"This is my older brother, his wife, and kids." The queen introduced the group to her with a smile and gestured towards the boy first.  "This is William. And his twin sister, Susan. They are the same age as you."

Alicia looked at the twins. Although they weren't smiling or saying anything, they didn't look like they were judging her or looking at her like they were better just like the others had been doing.

"You smell different," The girl noted this with a twitch of her nose.

Smell different? What was that supposed to mean? Alicia thought with a slightly raised brow as she looked at the brat. Was she trying to say that she had a funny smell? Alicia wondered, resisting the urge to raise her arms and sniff her underarms.

"She means you smell very nice. Am I right?" The queen asked while giving Susan a sharp look.

"Right," Susan said casually. Alicia could guess the girl wasn't happy about something, but she couldn't tell what.

"William and Susan are going to be staying here for the next few months. Susan is quite a mischievous young girl. Therefore, she would be undergoing the same lessons as you all over again as she prepares for her marriage. And her brother here will accompany her around the palace until she is done with her lessons."

Oh... now she had a partner. Cool!

"Well, I hope we get along, Susan," Alicia smirked.

"We are going to get along indeed." Susan returned her smirk, and just like that, Alicia knew that she was going to like the brat. The look in her eyes was enough to tell Alicia that the girl was a troublemaker.

"Take care of them for us. We should be on our way before the dark meet us." The twins' father said as he took his wife's hand in his.

The Queen walked away after they got into their carriage and left, leaving Alicia and the twins behind.

*****

"People may suspect soon that she is different. She doesn't react to authority like other humans do. Neither can her emotions be read." Alvin whispered behind Harold as the two looked at the carriages and horses leaving the palace.

Harold felt that way too. If only she wasn't so stubborn and could lie low. "You mean like NORMAL humans do? Because there is nothing normal about her," Harold said, wondering why she was always so talkative.

Alvin was slightly amused by that, but didn't show it, "We have to do something about it."

"We will handle that when the time comes. For now, make sure you keep getting that particular scent mask for her. And it should only be made for her and no one else."

"I understand."

"And her maid?"

"She almost got in trouble last night, sneaking out to see your bride. She was saved by Sir William before the wolf guards could find her," Alvin informed him.

"William,"

Harold muttered and looked in the direction of where his cousin stood with his twin and his bride. As usual, his bride was doing the talking. Damn talkative woman!

"Do whatever you can for Paulina. And get her a scent patch to regulate her smell. She may not be so lucky the next time. And her mistress will throw a tantrum if something happens to her here." Harold said, remembering how she had nagged him about taking the maid along. He could only imagine how she would nag him nonstop if something happened to her maid. His head was beginning to ache already as he imagined it.

He could not believe he had to worry about one not having a smell at all while the other one's smell was everywhere and could cause a wolf to devour her.

"I understand," Alvin said with a bow.

"And continue to keep an eye on the Princess. I don't think the maid likes her very much," Harold said with a sigh when he noticed how Beth, who stood some distance away, was watching Alicia.

"I will." With that, Alvin bowed again and left.