THE ALPHA’S ADDICTION

Emma bobbed her head, obviously pleased with the set of clothes she was wearing.

“Now, you are talking…” She muttered, smoothening invisible creases on the dark green polo that accentuated with the color of her eyes.

The polo and jeans fitted her properly, even though the trousers were a bit tight. She could manage. She thought. Until she got home. At least it was better than wearing the princess gown all around the place. Apart from the fact that she always chose comfortability over the whole classic stuff , she felt that she was devaluing the beautiful gown by wearing it all over the place.

“You okay with it?” Lily asked, standing up from the sofa.

“Yeah, It’s preferable.” Emma replied, glancing at her.

“Where did you get it?” She asked, noting that the clothes she was wearing would be too big for a twelve-year-old.

“I got it from Cossy. She is my brother’s girlfriend. It took a while convincing her though. With luck and time on our side today, we might go shopping today. I don’t want to be put in that situation again. She is quite stingy with her things.” Lily replied, with a shrug.

Emma nodded, not finding it necessary to tell the girl what she had told Prescott; she was going back today.

“Let’s go then. Queen Zipfarah must be waiting.” Lily opined, already turning to walk away when Emma called her back.

“We are going there directly? What about my breakfast? Don’t tell me I would be discussing with Zipfarah on an empty stomach.” Emma queried, shaking her head. She had to eat first. She didn’t trust her negotiating skills on an empty stomach.

That’s why she wasn’t moved or annoyed, when she caught the little girl rolling her eyes at her. It was okay, as far as the girl would bring her food. She couldn’t possibly start a fight with her only hope of eating.

“Okay ma’am. We would be stopping by the kitchen on our way.” Lily said.

“Good. Thanks a lot.” Emma responded, before walking behind the girl as they left her room.

**

“It seems there is a meeting going on…” Emma stated, glancing at Lily.

They had been seating on one of the chairs in the outer court for an hour now.

“Yes.” Lily replied with a frown on her face.

“Why are you frowning?” Emma asked, having noticed the odd look.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Well, this sort of meeting usually takes time. It is actually a continuation of the meeting from yesterday.” Lily stated, and Emma sighed, knowing what the girl was insinuating. They were going to stay here for a long time.

“But what is the meeting about?” She asked, curious to know what the fuss was about, and why Zipfarah hadn’t been able to settle it since yesterday.

“It’s about a lot of issues though.” Lily replied, taking a second to glance at Emma, as if to ascertain whether it was okay to trust her with some details of her community.

“I’m not a loud mouth.” Emma said in defense as she understood the reason for Lily’s gaze.

“Well, as I said earlier. There are a lot of issues. For one is the increase in the attacks on the town near the boundary…” Lily was saying when Emma interrupted her.

“What boundary? Attacks from who?” She asked, obviously drawn into the gist now.

Lily soughed and shook her head.

“You’re quite impatient. You should have allowed me to be done with the topic, before asking your questions.” She said.

“Oh, I’m sorry about that. I had thought that you wanted to list out another issue. So, I wedged you so that you could explain the first before moving to the next.” Emma said, giving her reason for interrupting the former’s explanations.

“So, continue. I’m sorry.” She said, clasping her hands together as she bent a bit, so that her head was at the same level with Lily’s.

“For a week plus, we have been receiving attacks from some unknown people. We share a boundary with the elfs.” Lily said, after acknowledging Emma’s apology with a nod.

“I see…” Emma said, knowing that the elves and the witches here seem to have a good relationship. She had seen one yesterday.

“So, are there any leads on who might be behind the attacks?” Emma asked.

“So far, nothing. But personally, I think that the perpetrator of this wicked act is her daughter.” Lily muttered.

“Her daughter?” Emma queried, obviously surprised. This was getting twisted. She thought.

How did a daughter and mother become at loggerheads with each other?

“Yes, the woman who had tried to deceive you by appearing like our queen was Leonarya, her youngest daughter.” Lily stated, and Emma breathed in deeply. What an evil web? She thought.

“How?… Why? What happened? What caused a breach between them?” Emma asked, stuttering at some point, as she was trying to come to terms that the phanthom that had almost captured her if not Melvina’s interference had been sent by Zipfara’s daughter.

“I’m not really sure. But it is a long story. It has been a long conflict too, that had started when I had been four.” Lily replied in a sad voice. The topic was obviously a sour subject.

“She had been my favorite aunt.” She mumbled, though Emma was able to hear it.

Aunt?

That could only mean that the little girl was Leonarya’s niece. Which then connotes that Zipfara had other children, and one must have been the mother of the little girl. The little girl was Zipfarah’s granddaughter.

How old was the queen then?

Emma could remember that the woman didn’t look older than thirty years old. She actually in fact looked younger.

“I think we should go for a stroll. I could show you around the mansion and outside too. I feel the meeting going on, in the inner courts still has a long way to go.” Lily said, interrupting Emma’s thoughts.

“Yeah, I would love that.” Emma said, standing up.