The Loyal Dog charm

Luciana's eyes involuntarily widened as she got hit by the marriage proposal from Syvlon. 

Out of all the creatures, he was the least expected to throw a proposal at her. She knew he hated her, never that he would admit because how he dared to openly despise the nation's princess, but his actions spoke greater than words. 

Even before becoming the Prime Minister, Luciana recognised him as her brother. Not by blood but by bond, but that one incident which happened many years ago changed their relationship forever. 

During the initial days, they stopped communicating with each other. But a few days later, Luciana forgave him and initiated to talk, but as a sturdy and absurd personality creature, he ignored her, wholeheartedly. 

When Luciana got fed up, she too started hating him. Initially a sting started in her heart, carried by the rage of losing someone close. Later, the rage turned to the fire of hatred and that fire turned into an abyss of a broken relationship. 

So, after the proposal, she watched the deep blue eyes of Syvlon, which lingered on her for every minute without blinking them for a second. 

Luciana felt the drop in her stomach while her mind wandered into possibilities. She sharply inhaled the oxygen and the aroma of burning candles while finding the pen slipping away from her hand. 

'No!' She thought as her ears became warmer and redder with embarrassment and anger for being unable to argue with him. 

She was prepared for every situation but not this, not the proposal. 

And the most intriguing thing was, she couldn't say no directly. If she did say 'no', the court would demand as answer, and she didn't have that. 

The parliament didn't work without reasoning. If she made a decision with her emotions, the power and authority she had threaded on them would be gone. 

Luciana took her pen, which lay on the cold desk, and spoke before pushing her chair to hide herself in the shadow, from the predatory eye of Syvlon, "What benefit do you hold towards the nation, Syvlon?"

No yes, nor no. She needed to reject him with impossibilities, but there lay a loophole— Syvlon was more than perfect for the throne.

The reason he became Prime Minister at the age of 22, assisting his father, was his intelligence to resolve problems of the nation with a less than a week plan. Even now at 28, he was immovable from his position. 

Now she felt dumb to herself for asking that question. The question made an opportunity for Syvlon to justify why he was more than enough to be a ruler. It was one blunder move from Luciana and it nearly brought their game to an end.

"It seems princess is unaware of the court's record, lest you wouldn't be asking such a question." The answer to the question, which was not exactly an answer but an attack to Luciana's lack of knowledge about the court was carried with sheer arrogance and a heart full of pride. 

But he didn't know this time he made a blunder. 

"It's true that you are a remarkable member of the Wolf Court. But since my knowledge of the court is comparatively lower as being a day two member of the Court, I shall check the records before accepting or rejecting your proposal. So, the meeting is dismissed here." Luciana stood up from her seat and bowed to the member as an apology. 

Her heart sang in little victory she had at that moment. 

Like every little drop of water matters to form a river, every one of her little victories mattered to rise to the apex. 

One by one, the court members left the chamber after respectfully bowing at her. 

The last to leave the court was Syvlon. He walked slowly and sensually while approaching her, his blue eyes scanned her face, her nose, and her pink lips. 

Luciana straightened her back and looked forward while ignoring the man completely. 

She wasn't surprised at the fact that he didn't bow, what surprised her was the fact that he dangerously leaned close to her ears and spoke the words which sent a chill down her spine, "Read the records carefully, if not one but two or three. I want to see what condition you bring to reject my proposal."

The closeness brought in the perfumed he applied to her heightened sense, accompanied by his warm breath that hit the sensitive area of her skin, making the blood rush towards her neck and ears. 

Luciana immediately backed away from the sudden closeness and glared at Syvlon. Her eyes glowed with anger while spiteful words flowed out of her mouth, "Be respectful, Syvlon, whatever you may have been to me in the past, now I am the princess and you are just a mere court attendee. Mind your status. Stand away!"

"A mere court attendee who will snatch the throne from the princess?" A lousy grin appeared on his face and his voice darkened like the dark sky outside. "I will wait for that moment when you will bow before me, Luciana."

Syvlon immediately backed away from her, after landing his statement and walked away from the door, leaving Luciana fuming with anger.

But he was not wrong. If she didn't think fast enough, the throne will go to the wrong hand. 

Being left alone in the court, Luciana finally let herself lose her demeanor and held the top rail of the chair as her legs gave away to weakness. Her hair stuck to her sweaty face, annoying her already muddled head. 

'Think Luciana! Fuking think of something.' If her strategy was to prove Syvlon being unsuitable, she will fail. 

She will have to find someone better who can replace this arrogant piece of trash.

Breath in. Breath out. 

The best way to come up with a solution was to cool her troubled mind. Therefore, she left the chair and fixed her hair from sweat before leaving the chamber.

On her way, she ordered one of the guards to deliver the record booklet to her room and left them while pacing towards the balcony facing the military trainee ground. 

The cool east wind helped her to relax and wash away the filthy sweat from her face and neck.

There was a week left for the full moon, leaving rays of brightness on earth. 

Under the moonlight was a man who caught Luciana's eyes. 

His movements were vague and unprecise. A blindfold tied to his eyes and a stick in his hand to guide him.

Luciana wondered who the man was and what he was doing. Again she called a nearby guard for inquiry, who replied to her that he was a retired military member. 

"Retired?" Strange because the man looked too young to be a retired military member. He looked around, the same age as Sylon.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Then what might he be doing near the military trainee house?"

"He was a soldier who lost his eyesight while protecting His Majesty during the War of Qyll. Impressed by his loyalty and sacrifice, His Majesty allowed him to stay here despite his disability."

A click appeared to Luciana's mind as she remembered the incident. Few years back, this man became famous in Rain Palace with the title of 'The Loyal Dog'. 

"Is he Loyal Dog?"

"You are right,"

Luciana dismissed the guard and looked closely at the man and his action. He seemed to be taking a walk and enjoying the wind as she was. 

She was in a deep thought, mind wandering and calculating over the decision she had made at the instance she heard loyalty. 

Finally, when the pros stood out from the cons, she gave in to that thought and walked over to the former guard.

Hah! game over, Syvlon.

"Do you think he might be looking for a wife?" With a smile on her face, she asked the same guard, startling him and nearly making him curse at her face.