The Lycan King's Puppet-Chapter 99: A Swim At Night

"What made you jump to such a conclusion, Your Grace?"

Yeren shrugged. "You can drop the act now, Andon."

Andon smiled faintly. "I like the title. It suits you."

"But if I find out he was killed, the culprit or culprits would be hanged and their heads would be put on spikes at the gates."

Andon tapped the polished surface of the table lightly.

"You need to calm down. Let me handle the matter while you recuperate from your previous problems."

"How do you expect me to focus?"

Andon patted his back. "I don’t expect you to. You should distract yourself, do something fun, while I handle everything that’s bothering you."

"It’s not that easy."

"Nothing is easy for people like you.". Breaking into a grin, he said, "Why don’t we have dinner, then go for a swim?"

Yeren made a face. "What are you playing at? I don’t have the time to be swimming like a boy still wearing shorts, Andon. The thief won’t magically surrender himself to us."

Andon backed away, raising his hands in mock retreat.

"I’ll make sure your guest is well-fed and rested, then."

Yeren watched him leave.

He was in need of a shower as well - a very thorough one.

A swim wasn’t such a bad idea.

His guards escorted him as he went down the hall.

Had Andon assigned a guard to Miss Stenly’s chambers? He didn’t want to concern himself with such things.

As he was crossing the hallway towards the yard, Andon was descending the stairs that led to the East wing. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"My pride had been terribly wounded." Andon touched a hand to his chest as if he’d been struck.

Yeren rolled his eyes.

"Is it the first time a woman turned down your company?"

Andon ran a hand through his hair.

"She didn’t even open the door. Her response was curt and rude, if I’m to be honest."

Yeren raised a brow but kept his mouth shut. Even if he was concerned, her reasons for isolating herself was none of his business.

"You once told me that women can never be understood."

Andon nodded. "The student becomes the master."

Yeren cracked a grin. "Since when were you my master?"

"Since forever. Where are you going?"

Yeren glanced down at the towels and robe in his hands.

"A swim."

Andon made a face.

"I thought you had too many responsibilities to be-"

"Save the criticism for another day. I need a bath as well."

"Would you like me to come?"

"No. Arian has need of assistance."

"And your Cupbearer?"

"I have no current Cupbearer." With that, he walked away, leaving Andon wide-mouthed.

The trail to the beach was a long one from the yard. The servants had a much shorter route - but it was below him to use such a route.

Two of his guards insisted on following him despite his orders to be left alone.

There was no wine. Under normal circumstances, he couldn’t imagine himself going to the shore for a swim without a good load of wine.

Only if his Cupbearer wasn’t her...

The beach laid before him as he descended the steep path. Spores from plants clung to the hem of his robe.

The water crashed on the sand, splashing over his booted feet.

The last time he’d been to the beach was with Eliza and Andon - six years ago. Since then, he’d never had a reason to come here.

The guards stationed themselves far away enough to not intrude on his privacy.

He slid out of his robe and entered the water, wearing only his breeches.

The cooling effect of the water was immediate. His hair matted to his face as he rose to the surface after a satisfying dip.

When he glanced up, his eyes fell on someone watching him from one of the windows on the tower of the East wing. Yeren didn’t need to be told who it was.

She just kept staring at him. When he looked closer, she looked like she was crying.

What happened to her? Was it something he did, she did n’t strike him as the type to cry over such things.

The urge to go to her and offer some form of comfort was strong but he ignored it.

He dove back into the water, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong with her.

Darkness was falling faster than he’d anticipated, leaving him in the inky water.

The waves were even more callous as the night winds blew in from the North.

He didn’t want to go inside. He didn’t want to confront whatever happened or did not happen.

He just wanted to float in oblivion. He didn’t even want to think about her - although it was near impossible when he kept looking at her window.

It became more alarming when no form of light came from her window.

Maybe she was asleep, he told himself.

But he knew otherwise. Every night he passed the garden at the palace, no matter how late, light always came through her window - which made him come to the conclusion that she couldn’t sleep in the dark.

The thought always brought a smile to his lips, but tonight, it was the opposite.

Time became an illusion as he stared at the dark sky devoid of either stars or the ever-beautiful moon.

Perhaps it was time to go back inside, he told himself.

He walked out of the water and picked up a towel from the stack he brought and slung it around his waist.

The breeze kissed his bare skin, ridding him of the dripping water that clung to it.

A shadow moved through the servants entrance, scaling the walls towards the huge pile of rocks.

The silhouette was that of a woman, he couldn’t be mistaken.

His guards started moving towards that direction.

One of them stayed with him, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

A loud scream broke through the silence of the night.

"Please don’t hurt me!"