CHAPTER 24 - PRINCESS TANIA

Helena laughed softly. "You're charmed. But sorry, I am your master's woman."

Triton took his eyes away from Helena. "I am not. Your beauty is truly mesmerizing, but I won't fall for it."

She chuckled. "I don't want you to fall for me, either. I'd rather be your friend."

He turned to her, making eye contact to see if she was telling the truth. But again, there was a different feeling looking at Helena's eyes. Elias was right. It was like looking into a mirror, seeing your soul.

"Your eyes. There's something—"

He was about to touch her face when someone grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

"Triton, don't. She's the Crown Prince's woman."

A woman beautifully dressed in a blue gown came to Triton's rescue. Jolene didn't tell her about the woman so Helena had no idea who she was.

"Princess Tania!" Triton exclaimed.

'Princess?' She thought. The woman looked like a living doll. She had a small face, long straight blonde hair, with a pair of blue eyes, pink luscious lips, and a tiny pointed nose.

In her eyes, the woman was much prettier than her current self. And if she was still Amelia, she definitely had no match to her.

"Triton, you know very well that touching the King or even the Crown Prince's woman is considered treason."

Triton bowed to the woman called Tania. "I humbly apologize, Princess. I have no excuse with my actions, please punish me."

The woman didn't respond to Triton, but instead turned to Helena. She looked at her face as if she was memorizing it. Then she smiled.

"I'm Tania. The Crown Prince's sister." The woman introduced herself.

Helena bowed to her as courtesy. "Princess, my apologies. I didn't know the Crown Prince had a sister. My name is Helena, a servant in the palace."

Tania giggled. "You're quite humble. Other women like you already claimed and acted like they are part of the royal family just because they were chosen as the Queen and Luna candidate. But you still introduce yourself as a servant. I like you more than the others."

Helena, her head still bowed, smiled. "Thank you for your compliment, Princess. But I was just telling the truth."

"Oh, stop with that bowing you two!" The Princess exclaimed.

Triton and Helena slowly straightened up and glanced at the Princess.

"Triton, I'll let it slide for now. I just came back. Everyone should be happy to welcome me, am I right?"

Triton nodded. "Yes, Princess. But you didn't tell anyone about your return, even the King."

"I know. He didn't care about me anyway."

Helena felt a sadness from the Princess' voice, indicating that there's a conflict between the father and the daughter.

"How about your brother? Did you greet him?" Triton asked.

The princess shook her head. "No. Because I know he'll get mad at me. I came here to see this girl first." She said, pointing at Helena.

"Me? Do you need something from me, Princess?" Helena asked, confused.

Tania grabbed her hands. "Can you accompany me to my brother?"

Helena was a bit shocked, but she was more confused as to why the princess wanted her company.

"Princess Tania, you have a lot of companions, why do you want Helena?" Triton asked, also confused.

"Because I heard a rumor that my brother already set his eyes on a woman. I found out that she's not someone chosen by the elders. And that my brother chose her himself."

"You still didn't answer my question. Why do you want her to accompany you?" Triton asked again.

The princess pouted, looking at Triton. But she didn't let go of Helena's hands.

"If she's with me, I won't get scolded."

"But you know the rules, you can only be with your companions." Triton's voice was starting to sound annoyed.

"Then I'll make her my companion."

"P–Princess!" Triton exclaimed.

Helena's heart pounded. Being one the Princess' companions only meant that her rank would be higher than a servant. She won't need to wash dishes or serve food. Her task would be to assist the princess, making sure that she would do her duty everyday.

Tania stared at Helena's eyes, pleading. "Helena, come with me!"

It happened so fast. The next thing Helena knew, she was already a Princess' companion. She remembered what Emma said, 'gain favors from the royals.'

"Helena, you have to change clothes before meeting my brother." Tania smiled.

"But I don't have another dress."

She got three dresses. The one she wore when she's outside to meet with Jolene, a green simple dress with a belt on the waist. The dress given by Jolene which she wore during the banquet. And the one she's wearing now was a plain pink sheer dress given also by Jolene.

"It's fine. I'll give you some of my dresses." Tania excitedly said.

"No. I can't accept that."

"You have to. You're my companion now. And I require my companions to be dressed nicely."

Helena wasn't sure why she immediately accepted the dresses. But when Tania said that she had to, it felt like an order and not just a statement.

She took a deep breath and stared at the gowns in different colors. Tania asked her to change and meet with her in the garden entrance in the afternoon.

"Is it an afternoon tea in the garden?" She wondered.

The weather was so nice and perfect for an afternoon snack so she decided to wear something refreshing and pleasing to the eye.

The dress was adorned in a graceful, flowing yellow gown, draping around her feet which exuded a sense of comfort and radiance. The top was embellished with tiny pearls, and the skirt was embroidered with small flowers. Her long, wavy, black hair cascaded down her back, with a flower ornament on the right side, adding a glowing splash of color against the softer tones of her attire.

"Will this do?" She sighed.

She was happy to be a companion rather than a servant. But thinking that she had to accompany the princess whenever she called her was already making her exhausted. She already felt like Tania was someone who wouldn't take no for an answer.

Walking in the long hallway of the castle from the East Wing felt so endless. Jolene said that the candidates were placed in that area because it was the farthest tower from the King and the Crown Prince's chambers. The royal guards were also in the area ,making rounds to check their movements.

"I guess they have to make sure that we don't have other intentions."

The Princess' chamber was at the North Wing, and Helena was thankful that it wasn't at the top floor, so she had to go there every time Tania called.

"So the top floor belongs to the King." She whispered, and she wondered what the current Alpha looked like.

"I don't have time to think about that. I have to go to the garden first."