Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Chapter 98

Ivy’s Point of View

"The strategy is entirely flawless, Father," Dominic said to his father. "The public only sees this journey as an ordinary retreat. It gives us the perfect cover to secretly treat the legs of the Prince Riven, and my own without drawing unwanted eyes."

"I agree with the brilliance of the veil, Dominic," Alpha Alaric responded, nodding his head. "But given the recent venomous attacks inside this palace, I am requesting one non-negotiable condition before you cross the borders." He said.

"What are you demanding father?" Dominic asked curiously.

"You must bring enough guards to protect Ivy and her unborn child at all times. Not a single stranger steps within ten yards of her courtyard." Alpha Alaric said.

Luna Helena stepped forward, she wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders. "Your father is right, Ivy. Take Wolf and Blade with you. We will handle the palace council, but your safety is our primary focus."

"We will pack immediately, Mother," I assured her with a warm smile.

With the Alpha and Luna’s full blessing, I and Dominic packed up our essential tools and traveling trunks, fleeing palace. On the surface, the journey was strictly for fetal care, but in fact, the extreme isolation made it incredibly convenient to secretly treat the legs of the eldest prince and Dominic at the exact same time.

When our group finally arrived at the suburban manor, the landscape was completely breathtaking. Enjoying the beautiful scenery bordered by majestic jagged mountains and crystalline rivers that sparkled under the midday sun.

"Welcome, Master Dominic, Lady Ivy!" a jovial, elderly voice called out from the archway. The manor steward had already greeted us alongside a line of neatly dressed local servants, bowing low to welcome us to our peaceful sanctuary.

"Oh, Dominic, look at the sweeping landscape!" I cheered.

I was completely overjoyed at the sight of the wide fields stretching across the manor grounds for the very first time. For days, I had been inside medicine shops and stone palace rooms, and seeing the vibrant, untamed earth felt like a healing tonic for my soul.

That exact night, the steward’s kitchen staff outdid themselves. I tasted the authentic, rich farmhouse food... fresh roasted root vegetables, wild berry preserves, and hand-churned cheeses. I was so incredibly satisfied that I fell asleep without a single worry.

The next morning, I decided to take a leisurely walk down to stretch my legs.

As I rounded a bend near an old wooden footbridge, a familiar, slender figure dressed in a simple cloak came into view. My breath hitched in surprise.

"Bella?" I called out.

She snapped her head up, her eyes widening in shock before a big smile broke across her face. "Ivy! Oh my heavens, Ivy!" Bella screamed, running to throw her arms around me in a tight embrace.

"What on earth are you doing all the way out here in the northern valleys?" I laughed, squeezing her shoulders tightly.

"It turned out that after I broke off that disastrous marriage farce with Fred, the gossips became completely unbearable," Bella explained, rolling her eyes with a dramatic sigh.

"My parents were so worried about their hurtful words that I was also sent by my family to stay temporarily in the village next to the manor to recuperate in peace until the whole period blows over." She explained.

"I am very happy to see you, Bella," I said, a deep wave of relief washed over me for my friend’s safety. "You must come back to the terrace for lunch—"

Before I could finish my sentence, a loud, echoing wolf roar violently boomed from the forest trails afar, the sound rattling the leaves on the branches. It turned out that the guards had gone deep into the mountains to hunt, and they managed to catch several massive wild boars and plump rabbits for the kitchen.

Hearing the news from the terrace, Dominic rolled his wheelchair out onto the veranda, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Excellent work, Blade," Dominic immediately ordered. "Tell the kitchen staff to set up the outdoor iron grates. Roast those wild boars and rabbits over the open flame right now! We will have a grand farmhouse feast on the lawn tonight to celebrate Lady Bella’s return."

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The savory, mouth-watering scent of sizzling wild boar fat and herb-rubbed roasted rabbits filled the entire courtyard by late afternoon, the meat turning a perfect, crackling golden brown over the wood fire. Bella and I sat on a wooden bench, laughing and chatting, while Dominic watched the guards slice the meat with a rare, peaceful smile.

Just as the old butler stepped forward to close the courtyard gates to secure our private family dinner, another powerful, thunderous wolf roar split the mountain air, followed instantly by the loud, chaotic sound of iron-rimmed wheels rattling violently against the rocky dirt road outside.

The gates were aggressively pushed open from the outside, and a massive, gold-embossed royal carriage from the capital came. The doors flew open, and a large, rowdy group of noble offspring rushed into our peaceful courtyard like a sweeping storm.

Leading the pack were several young high-ranking royals—Prince Wally, Princess Aria, and running right behind them with a wide, mischievous grin, was my friend Princess Ama.

"Ivy! Dominic!" Princess Aria cheered, waving her handkerchief as she marched straight toward our iron roasting grates.

"We were sitting in that boring capital council hall when we heard a direct rumor that the autumn scenery here in the valleys was pleasant this season. We simply couldn’t let you all stay out here in the cold all by himself, so a large group of us came to keep you company for the weekend." Princess Aria said.

"We brought our own wine, Dominic!" Prince Wally laughed, slapping a crate onto our clean table. "But my heavens, that scent is incredible! Are those fresh wild mountain boars?"

Before Dominic or I could even utter a single word of greeting, the hungry royal prince and his entourage practically swarmed the cooking station. I saw that the wild boars and the plump, roasted rabbits that the guards had just roasted were all aggressively taken away, sliced up, and piled onto plates for the loud, laughing guests.

The peaceful farmhouse sanctuary had turned into a chaotic royal banquet in a fraction of a second.

I let out a soft, defeated sigh, my shoulders slumping as I looked at the empty iron spit where our dinner used to be.

Dominic let out a low chuckle, his hand gently wrapped around mine to comfort me. He looked up at my pouting face, his dark eyes filled with a reassuring warmth.

"Do not worry, my beautiful little healer," Dominic comforted me with a wide, genuine smile, leaning close so only I could hear his voice. "Let them indulge themselves for now. The moment they settle into the guest wing, I will let the guards go back up into the mountains and catch even more of them later tonight. We will have our feast, I promise you."