139 Postponement
“And not to mention my smell! It’s going to be harder to break in, isn’t it?” Everard put the cup down on the table and got up on his feet.
He brought his wrist close to his nose and sniffed. He didn’t find his natural body smell to be disgusting. But he recalled Hamilton’s comments about his smell.
‘That vampire was constantly saying that I smelled like a wet dog. And he would instantly turn his head and locate me when I tried to secretly follow him and Alexander. If I don’t do anything about my smell, then I think those vampires will find me before I find Anna.’
‘Right!’ He clapped his hands in delight when he recalled that Ruby didn’t have that body odor. ‘Should I take Ruby along with me? I can be the distraction while she goes and gets Anna.’
However, he dropped that idea when he recalled how painful his first transformation was and how he wasn’t in the right state of his mind. ‘She will end up hurting Anna for sure. That’s a really bad ide-‘
“Wait!” he mumbled when he suddenly realized something. “Ruby scaled the wall when she wasn’t in her werewolf form... She said she climbed the wall, didn’t she?”
Everard grabbed his black hair tightly and groaned. Then he cursed himself for being so thick-skulled. “Why did I make myself believe that I could only climb over that wall when I was in my werewolf form? Ugh! Why was I so single-minded?”
He recalled how Ruby was able to extend her fangs and claws. He had never done it before, but he looked at his palms and thought of extending his claws.
And as if by magic, sharp claws protruded from all his fingers.
.....
“Whoa!” He giggled like a baby who just found out how his new toy worked.
He then examined his claws and did some slashing hand movements. After a while of moving his fingers, waving his hand, and slashing a few books that were in the room, he went to stand in front of the wall of his room.
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“Let’s see what else you’ve got.” He stretched his hands and neck and then dug his claws into the wall. He then tried to pull himself up with the pure strength of his arms.
“The hell!” he exclaimed when he climbed the wall as if he was built for it.
He felt like laughing at himself when he found out that he could have climbed the wall with ease all this time.
And he grumpily mumbled, “Why didn’t I think of this before? I can go and rescue Anna whenever I want! It doesn’t have to be the full moon!”
He jumped down and spiraled into deep thoughts.
Everard was looking out of his window when he spotted Ruby on the road. And he thought to himself again, ‘It doesn’t have to be the full moon...’
He waited for Ruby to come knocking at the door and peeking in with a wide smile on her face. It had become like a ritual by now.
And soon enough, he heard the soft knock on the door. He didn’t realize it, but he was smiling when he asked her to come in.
But rather than coming inside, Ruby opened the door just a little and peeked in with a smile on her face. “Good morning, Your Highness.”
Everard’s smile widened further. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, of course. How could I not when the bed here is really soft?” Ruby said with a smile even though she missed her bed back at home.
She cleared her throat and asked Everard, “And what about you, Your Highness? Did you sleep well?” She looked around the room that was in shambles and speculated, “It looks like you were up early. Not a typical morning, was it?”
Everard also darted his eyes around the mess that he had made and nodded his head. “Yes, I had a lot of things in my mind and couldn’t really get enough sleep. But it’s okay. I got enough sleep to get by with the day without getting cranky... I hope that I won’t get cranky.”
Ruby gave a sad smile and kept on standing at the door. She wanted to ask what was bothering him so much. But the words would always get stuck in her throat when she would remember that she was someone who was way beneath the level of the Crown Prince.
Everard quickly grabbed a pouch from his drawer and then put it in his pocket. He looked in the mirror and quickly combed his hair. And he walked towards the door.
He pulled the door fully open and then said to Ruby, “Okay, let’s head to the market and see if we can find the chains that are stronger than you.”
Ruby gave a nod and stepped aside.
After Everard locked the door, they both started to walk down the corridor.
Ruby was walking behind the Crown Prince, thinking that he wouldn’t like to be seen with her.
But Everard turned to see her and asked, “Why are you walking behind me? It will be hard to talk with you. Walk beside me.”
Ruby’s heart fluttered a little when she saw Everard holding out his hand for her. She smiled and gently touched his palm with the tip of her fingers.
Everard grabbed her palm and then pulled her close to him. And when she began walking side by side, he left his grip on her hand and said, “Hey, I have been thinking...”
Ruby lifted her head and gazed at the beautiful ebony eyes of the Crown Prince.
He also looked into her light brown eyes and said, “I have been thinking that maybe I should postpone my travel by a few days... I think I should travel a few days after the full moon.”
Ruby’s heart skipped a beat when she heard him. And she asked, “That means you will stay by my side during the full moon?” A sense of relief was reflected in her voice when she asked that.
Everard gave a soft smile to her and playfully said, “I think it would be nice if I had someone screaming louder than me when I turn.”
Ruby looked down at the floor and smiled ear to ear. She was so happy that she felt like she would pass out. She felt that just the mere presence of Everard would make her first transformation go smoothly and painlessly.
She gazed at Everard again and softly whispered, “Thank you for being so considerate, Your Highness.”