Olivia was too excited. Kaizan had informed her that they would be meeting Anastasia and that today was the first day of Candlemas festival, the spring festival of Silver Vales.
He had told her that you were allowed to wear only one piece and you could choose whatever you wanted to for the festival. Children were not allowed. Though nudity wasn't an issue with the werewolves, at the Candlemas gathering there would be people who would choose not to wear anything at all.
Standing in front of her wardrobe, she was contemplating on what to wear. From the corner of her eye, she found Kaizan leaning against the door with his hands crossed across his chest, wearing only black leather pants. Olivia took out a bandeau top with a long skirt as he prowled towards her. "You can't wear more than one outfit," he reminded, staring at her towel-wrapped body.
"Who says?" she challenged him, dropping her towel.
Kaizan's mouth slackened. His mind couldn't think of anything other than what he was seeing—his wife's luscious curves and the flood of lascivious thoughts in his mind. His feet took him to her, and he pressed a kiss to her nape, while keeping his hands off her. "What was I saying?' he asked, as he pressed another kiss on her nape.
"That I can wear whatever I like for the Candlemas festival."
"Ah, yes, you can," he replied and nibbled her skin over her mark. She squirmed and forgot about the dress in her hand. All of a sudden, she saw the stringy dress in front of her and she jerked with embarrassment, which he was holding out for her.
"Hell never! I will never wear that dress!" It was strings and three red triangle patches which covered her nipples and crotch barely. "It is a nightdress and that is two outfits, not one."
An hour later, Olivia walked out of the mansion with a cloak over it. She sat in the carriage to go to the location where they were celebrating the festival. And Kaizan pulled her in his lap the moment the carriage started.
"It's going to be freezing cold. How are we going to manage just these?" she asked, shivering and inching closer to his chest. "This festival should be celebrated in the summer."
He wrapped his arms around her and covered her with his cloak too. "Candlemas is celebrated at this time of the year only. Candle marches and processions are carried out with statues of deities in Level three. However, where we are going is a very private part of the festival where only nobility and their families are invited. There might be other dignitaries too. It takes place in the mountains just outside Draoidh, the location of which is not known to anyone other than the king and the queen and of course their son. The place is secured with heavy magic, many weather influencing spells. So, it's going to be warm and cozy in the open."
She was amused and highly impressed. "That's interesting said with a gleam in eyes. The queen is a very powerful witch!"
"She is. And very affectionate. But don't take her for granted. She likes level headed people and a no-nonsense attitude."
She raised an eyebrow, cocked her head back and said, "How is she tolerating Ileus and you?"
He pursed his lips and then began tickling her. "Really? Really?" He tickled her till she was laughing with tears.
"Okay, I give up!" she said when she had doubled up in his lap, breathless.
He pulled her closer and held her tight to his body. "You will have fun, I am sure." He smoothed her hair back and kissed her lips.
"It sounds fun," she said excitedly. All of a sudden, misery crossed her eyes and her body tensed. "But I am from the Whiteclaw pack…"
He shrugged. "So? It is a part of Silver Vales now. Just forget about the enmity, Olivia and relax. It's your behavior towards others that will count and their behavior doesn't matter."
Her lips curled up. She relaxed against him. "Yes General!"
On their way to Level two, Olivia looked at people carrying out a silent procession with candles in their hands. Some people were singing in the front. Some were wearing white masks and looked at the carriage as it passed. Soft snow swirled around them. The whole scene looked surreal.
Soon they started ascending the northernmost part of Level two where a portal was waiting for them. Kaizan helped Olivia out of the carriage. He held her hand and the two stepped in the portal. And as soon as she stepped out, her eyes became wide at what she saw.
There was no celebration like the one held in front of her. It was different. Moonstone fountains filled with ruby red wine gurgled throughout the expanse of the beautiful garden where thick aspens and willows grew, the branches hanging down and swaying in the light cozy, warm wind. Golden hazel hedges were pruned to resemble the moon and stars. There were numerous rose bushes on the periphery.
Olivia was not really expecting the elegance and the finery of the nobles, but what she saw was scandalous. She hadn't witnessed such kind of stuff in her pack, ever. The sophistication of the nobility was replaced by males and females mingled in scraps of clothing or nudity.
"Kaizan!" came an excited voice.
Olivia whipped her head towards it. Surprise flitted through her when she saw a beautiful woman with golden hair and sapphire eyes with her wings spread to their full glory, approaching them in nothing but a blue string dress that she was wearing beneath her cloak. "Gods above!" That was Anastasia. Right behind her was her golden eyed husband in nothing but black leather pants. The men in this part of the world were sexy as hell. The Lore had produced the most beautiful people and then mated them. Olivia's breath hitched in the throat partially because of seeing the fae princess for the first time and partly because of the dress.
"Anastasia," Kaizan said and hugged the fae princess when she came close to him, earning an angry growl from Ileus.
Ileus waved at her with a smile.
"And this must be lovely Olivia," said Anastasia as she held Olivia's hand with tenderness. "Gods, you are beautiful!"
Olivia blushed. "But y—you look like a deity," she breathed, to which Anastasia tipped her head up and laughed.
Anastasia placed a palm over her cheek and said, "Welcome home, darling."
Whatever apprehensions she had in her mind melted as she stared in those warm eyes. The princess removed her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. The way she made her feel at ease, it was incredible. "I hope Kaizan isn't giving you any trouble," she said with a hint of tease.
She giggled. "No." The princess was beautiful inside out, and Olivia couldn't help admiring her more. Kaizan had warned her not to share food with Anastasia because she was a deity.
"Good. Then why are you wearing the cloak?" Anastasia asked. She looked at Kaizan who shrugged. Anastasia unbuttoned her cloak and when she removed it, she found her wearing the same dress as hers.. Eyes going wide, she snapped her head at her husband. "So, this is where you got the design from and hung those one dozen dresses in my wardrobe?"
