-HER-

I ended up telling Noora how I got to the festival. She and the other girls were really surprised and thrilled to know about this. I told them about Zaeris and they listened to me intently. I didn't realize when it happened but we all got comfortable with each other soon. It soon seemed like we were long time friends.

"Your hair and makeup are done but they are still preparing your dress," Noora told me, "You're taller than us so none of our clothes fit you," she explained and I nodded. I was tempted to ask what it was they were going to make me wear but Noora offered to show me around. I said yes without thinking because, in the back of my head, there was still this urge to get out of that place.

I first thought it was just a small wing to trap these women in but turned out it was actually a whole floor of the castle only dedicated to them. Everyone was female there. Although, I did spot a few men here and there but Noora told me that they were eunuchs.

The whole place was divided and dedicated to women of different ranks. The prostitutes or the women who actually slept with him had a different wing for themselves and I was surprised to find that most of the women weren't allowed there, including us. There were entirely different wings for the other women who were just involved in singing, dancing, or any other art like Noora.

Along with that, there were several other wings for children and wives of the ministers, the older women who were in charge of the newcomers and newcomers. Everyone had their own separate rooms. Apart from this, they had their huge kitchen, diner, a huge library, and several study rooms, rooms to dance, sing or do anything for their own entertainment, a huge training room- I wasn't expecting this one, beautiful gardens and other places which we didn't have the time to see.

It was a whole different world in itself. Everything was built for the women. Everything was accordingly decorated and arranged and feminized. I would have never thought that a place like this would exist in the kingdom of a man who claimed to hate women. The more she told me about the place, the more questions I had regarding Ezekiel. I was more and more bewildered.

I didn't know what to make of it first. Everything seemed fine there. In fact, everyone seemed happy there.

"Didn't you wish to ever go out?" I asked Noora.

"We go out but rarely. Everything comes here for us if we name it and the world outside it is just too dangerous for us. Every one of us here had worked hard to earn the safety and security of this place," Noora explained, "The outside world could be too violent, especially the Lycans,"

"Aren't the Lycans at the court violent?" I asked her.

"They are but if they do anything to hurt us, they get severe punishments," she explained. I parted my lips to ask her more questions but Noora was soon being called by one of the elder women.

"Your dress is ready!" She announced happily before taking me back to the dressing room. I oddly found that place empty at that moment.

"Lyra will see you now," Noora told me before pushing me past a pair of gates and shutting them behind me. I soon found the woman waiting for me in the room. She ran her eyes from my head to toe. This time there was no judgment in her eyes. Her face simply looked blank.

"Sit," she told me, nodding to the chair in front of a huge mirror. I contemplated for a moment before taking the seat. She stood behind me and our eyes locked in the reflection of the mirror.

"I have come to know who you really are," She told me grimly. Her words made me let out a shaky breath.

"He doesn't want me," I told her.

"I know," She nodded.

"Is it because he has someone else? All these women?" I asked her. She frowned before telling me, "We have nothing to do with him, Celeste. We are not here for him. We are here because of him. Most of us don't want to do anything with him in person. We are just doing our jobs and reaping the benefits. We aren't a threat to you and we never will be," Lyra told me grimly. I knew she meant each word.

"I heard he has prostitutes. How many?" I couldn't help but ask. This was bugging me so much. At this, Lyra cocked an eyebrow at me before answering, "Currently, only twenty,"

"Only?"

"He had more but he started to get rid of most of them after he came back from Zaeris. I now understand why," Lyra told me with an acknowledging nod. I didn't know whether to be pleased to know that he was getting rid of the prostitutes or be madder at him to know that he still had some of them lingering around even after finding out I was his mate.

All of this was just too much for me to take.

"I thought he hated women," I told her and she smirked.

"At the end of the day, he's still a man. He'd need one either way,"

"To treat us like objects," I added and this knocked the smirk off her lips before she leaned into me slightly and spoke in a dark tone, "If he could use us like objects, we could use him for his power to get whatever we want. Men like him are made to be used, not loved, Celeste," Her words sent a shiver down my spine. I frowned at her but before I could say anything, she told me, "You're too young to understand all of this. Grow up and come back, you'll understand more,"

"This is basically selling your bodies and respect to them," I frowned but she closed her eyes and shook her head calmly.

"I told you, Celeste. We are different. Ezekiel can buy as many prostitutes as he wants but he couldn't buy women. We are here on our will. Without us, his kingdom would collapse one way or the other because no one would be there to birth and bring their children up. Prostitutes might please him for a night but the women take the responsibility to bear the children and take care of them. It's rare to find them these days. You're from Zaeris. Remember what happened when the land was cursed to have their women and fertility taken away?"

I swallowed.

"I know," I told her.

"Great,"

"But you still don't have any power. There's no Queen at his court," I told her. She smirked again at this and told me, "Yes, we don't have a representative at the court but we indirectly control who gets to stay at a position,"

This bewildered me.

"How?" I asked her and she laughed.

"I cannot tell you everything in one day and we are getting late tonight," She told me instead, leaving me hanging. I wanted to press her with more questions but the expression that hung on her face told me that I wouldn't get any more answers for tonight.

She helped me get into the dress. It wasn't anything vulgar but it was somewhat revealing at certain places- especially my chest and long legs.

It hugged me at certain places like a second skin, accentuating my figure more.

"There you go!" She exclaimed as I looked myself in the mirror. I couldn't believe that this morning I was dressed up as a man to hide from Ezekiel but right now, I was dressed to mainly catch his attention.

"I still don't know what I am supposed to do," I told her. "And you said that everyone is here on their will but I am not. I have been brought here against my will," I told her urgently.

At this, she laughed and told me, "It's the punishment for coming into the festival dressed as a man but don't worry, I am sure he'd let you go soon. I wouldn't let him keep you for long. You're very young and away from your house and oh! You don't have to do much tonight except to look pretty and enjoy. You're our guest,"

Her words helped me calm down for a bit. So there wasn't much expected of me here. It sounded like they'd let me go after the night.

All the dancers, musicians, and instrumentalists were ready for the night by the time I stepped out of the dressing room with Lyra. They all stepped out of that place in a line and headed towards the main court. Lyra was keeping me company most of the time.

This was the first time when I was calm enough to look at my surrounding. The rest of the castle was different than the one which was only for ladies. The architecture and everything were very different here than the floor where the women lived.

We were being hurried away into the court. It was empty before we entered it. Everyone took their place. I noticed how there was only one throne unlike in Zaeirs. It was only for the king.

No place for a queen...yet.

"You can sit here," Lyra told me with a smirk as she made me sit on the throne. I didn't miss how others eyed me. I shifted uncomfortably but soon got comfortable. It took some time for them to take their positions and to do mini rehearsals.

A huge gong made everyone freeze before everyone rushed to their places. I was sinking deep into the throne by now. Completely frozen. Lyra had threatened me countless times to not move from there. I was feeling very anxious about sitting there.

As the doors to the court finally opened, I saw Ezekiel walk in. His eyes fell on me the first thing. They ran from my head to toe and darkened before he smirked - which was the opposite of what I had imagined. I thought Lyra had made me sit there to infuriate him but he looked rather playful.

It was going to be an interesting night.

_

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