40 Everard Crestfire
“How could you marry someone else, Anna?”
Everard gently caressed the portrait of Anastasia. Anastasia was the most beautiful woman he had ever met.
He gazed at her eyes which reminded him of the beautiful forests. Her ginger hair looked soft even in her portrait.
And her pale face looked so pure that the thought of someone defiling that innocent woman made him feel enraged from the deepest corner of his heart.
“I should have asked your hand in the marriage that very same day. But no... I had to stay quiet thinking I would do so after I became the King.” Everard clenched his teeth and felt like beating himself up for letting that sweet and beautiful woman slip through his fingers.
Everard was friends with Anastasia’s brother, Alexander. The two Kingdoms, Orsenia and Xanmar were on very good terms. And both the Kingdom had sent their Princes to study in another foreign land so that they could acquire the best of the best education.
Everard and Alexander met each other in the Kingdom of Lavinya for the first time. They both were very young when they first met.
Both of them were of the same age and both of them were under the care of the same teacher, Rupert. He taught them almost everything that a Prince needed to learn, from diplomacy to fighting.
And as both of them came from similar family backgrounds, and as their families supported their friendship, they became best buddies in no time.
.....
They would return to their Kingdom twice or thrice a year. And then they would go back to Lavinya to continue their education so that one day, they would become an adept ruler.
Last year, Alexander had invited Everard to his Kingdom so that the two of them could spend their vacation together.
And that was when Everard got to meet Anastasia, the most beautiful woman in existence.
Anastasia had come running at the gate to welcome her brother as soon as their carriage arrived at the castle of Orsenia.
Her lavender smell was the first thing that had garnered his attention towards her. And Everard’s eyes were left wide open upon seeing that beautiful lady running towards them with open arms.
He had almost opened his arms for a hug as he was caught in the trance of her beauty. Thankfully, he controlled his thoughts and didn’t embarrass himself in front of his friend and that beauty.
“Brother! I missed you so much.” Anastasia held her brother in a warm embrace.
“Anna! My lovely sister. I missed you too.” Alexander picked Anastasia off the ground and spun his dear sister.
Everard was unable to tear off his gaze from that lady who had a sweet smile plastered to her face.
Alexander then introduced his sister to his best friend, “Anna, this is my friend, Eve.”
Everard narrowed his eyes at Alexander and took charge of his own introduction. “I’m Everard Crestfire, Milady.” He held out his hand for Anastasia and added with a gentle nod, “Crown Prince of Xanmar.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness.” Anastasia curtsied and gave her hand to Everard. And she introduced herself, “I’m Princess Anastasia.”
Everard kissed Anastasia on her knuckles and said with an enchanting smile on his lips, “I’ve heard a lot about you from Alex.”
“Alright, come on. I will show you to the guest room and also show you around the castle.” Alexander pulled Everard away from his sister and dragged him inside the castle while shouting to his sister, “I will find you later, Anna.”
Everard turned his head to catch a glimpse of Anastasia again before she vanished from his sight.
Everard then turned to look at his friend and said, “You never told me that your sister was this beautiful.”
Alexander scoffed and replied nonchalantly, “Well I never told you she was beautiful because I think she looks like a scarecrow. Can’t you see how thin she is?”
Everard raised his brows and asked with all seriousness, “Are you serious right now? She is the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen. And you are calling her a scarecrow? To that sweet sister of yours?”
“Yes. I’m calling her a scarecrow because that’s exactly how she looks.”
Everard narrowed his eyes and further chastised Alexander, “I never knew you were this heartless to your sister.”
“Oh, come on! All brothers are heartless to their sisters.” Alexander left his hold on his friend and walked ahead of him while speaking in a rather grim tone, “And trust me, she looks sweet to you because you just met her. She isn’t anything like she looks.”
Everard couldn’t see the expression on Alexander’s face to know if he was just being sarcastic or was serious.
But from the way Alexander sounded right now and the way he had hugged Anastasia earlier, he could see clear discrepancies in his actions and his words.
The pair arrived at the guest room where Everard was supposed to stay at. Alexander then opened the door and rested his case about his sister, “She is a real pain in the arse once you get to know her better.”
“I don’t believe you,” Everard rolled his eyes thinking Alexander was being protective of his sister. He walked inside his room to find that all of his luggage was already inside. He jumped on the sofa and looked at his friend’s face.
Alexander looked like he was trying to avoid having eye contact.
And Everard smirked and said, “You’re deliberately saying bad things about your sister to protect her from me, right? You never said anything bad about her before today.”
Everard gave a smoldering look to Alexander and asked, “Am I that bad of a choice for your sister?”
“What? No!” Alexander sighed and turned around, “It’s quite the opposite. I think you are too good for my sister. I am just trying to protect you from her.”
“Ugh!” Everard acted as if he was going to puke and mockingly said, “I don’t need your protection, Alex. I’m not your wife! And let me be the judge of if I’m too good for her or not.”
Alexander disregarded what Everard just said and said a little sternly, “Don’t fall for that brat, I am warning you.”
Everard smirked and lay down flat on the sofa. He could tell that Alexander was acting weird because his friend didn’t want him to develop any feelings for Anastasia. And because Alexander was being so dismissive, Everard felt like actively pursuing Anastasia.
Everard clicked his tongue and said to his friend, “I cannot promise that to you, Alex. Your sister has already caught my interest. And what’s wrong with having me as your brother-in-law? I would give every happiness in the world to your sister.”
However, Alexander acted as though he didn’t hear a word his friend just said. He started to walk away while saying, “Get freshened up. We will have our lunch and I will show you around.”
Everard kept on looking out of the door until his friend disappeared.
And he whispered to himself, “Why is he acting like this? Does he somehow know that my father is a werewolf? But even if he knows that it shouldn’t be a problem. It’s not like I am one.”
His dark eyes darkened even more and he prayed, “I hope I will never be one.”
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