Adolphus was seated on the chair, third to the left of the chief chair, on which his father, King Xavier, was seated. The Queen, Lucia, was seated on the left side of King Xavier.

Adolphus' uncles, the two brothers of King Xavier, were on his right side while their wives were seated on the left beside his mother. His cousins: Radulf, Sebastian, and Edon were on his left.

"What is this human doing here, Butler Anthony?" Lucia asked, as she glanced at Iris, who had the bowl in her hand. She was ready to serve the Crown Prince after the other servants would serve the King and Queen.

"I have appointed her as my handmaiden," Adolphus answered.

"A human among us isn't allowed to serve royalty," Lucia asserted and shifted her gaze at Adolphus.

"But we acknowledge humans as a part of our society. I found no problem in appointing a human," Adolphus stated and glanced at Iris, who had lowered her head. "Serve the food to me," he ordered her.

The other chief servants also started to serve the other royals.

Iris gradually moved ahead and picked up the bowl. She served the food to Adolphus and stepped back. He picked up the knife and fork. Cutting the small slices, he started eating.

The lunch went in silence with a few discussions over the Kingdom's matters. Adolphus rose to his feet and turned to Iris. "Follow me," he said, and they left the dinette hall.

Earlier, Adolphus had asked Joshua to give him the medicine to cure the wounds quickly. He had seen Iris' feet being badly wounded. They reached the chamber, where he asked her to sit on the recliner.

"Pardon me, Your Royal Highness? I am not supposed to sit," Iris stated and refused politely to take a seat on the recliner. She wondered why they were in the chamber. Adolphus was supposed to be outside. He had told her that he would return in the evening when she had to brew tea for him.

Adolphus took steps towards her and put his palms on her shoulders. He lifted her in his arms in a swift motion.

"Your Royal Highness?" She exclaimed in surprise. Adolphus took her to the recliner and made her sit on it.

He got on his knees and asked her to remove her shoes.

"Why?" She asked him, forgetting to use the formal title.

Adolphus peered into her eyes. "You should ask fewer questions," he said, and again asked her to remove the shoes. Iris removed her torn shoes when Adolphus pushed her gown up. Iris immediately pulled it down and asked him what he was doing.

Adolphus chuckled. "Don't worry. I won't take you to bed," he stated. Iris gulped upon hearing his statement. "Your feet are wounded. I want them to heal soon. You need to walk a lot with me," he stated, and grasped her right foot gently.

He again pushed her gown up and her milky white leg was visible to him.

"They will heal on their own. His Royal Highness shall not trouble himself," she opined, "I will be punished if anyone finds out that I let the Crown Prince do such a thing," she clarified to him.

"Only I can punish you, Iris. Who has the dare to punish the person of this Alpha?" His brow cocked up in amusement. If there were another woman in her place, she would have felt blessed to be touched by the Alpha, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom.

Iris tried to pull her foot away from his grip, but he didn't let it go. "You didn't take care of your body well," he remarked and let it go. Taking out the small round metallic box, he opened it. The white gel-like ointment was visible to them. He took it in his fingers and applied it over her right foot, followed by the sole of her foot.

"Where did you enter the forbidden forest that night?" Adolphus asked her.

"I didn't know that I took the route of the forbidden forest, Your Royal Highness," Iris replied.

"I asked the reason." His eyes again met hers. Those green pupils were so attractive and also calming. She quickly downcast her eyelids.

"I ran away from my house," she said in a low voice.

"Why?" Adolphus asked. "Luckily, you met me. Else, you would have been in some brothel house, serving all sorts of customers," he affirmed.

His words intimidated her. She had not imagined that way while running away from her home.

"Don't tell me that you never noticed how beautiful you are!"

His compliment made her eyes widen and she clutched her dress tightly. Had she ever been complimented by someone?

Never!

Adolphus applied the ointment to her left foot. "So, why did you run away?" He asked her again.

"Because I wasn't happy, Your Royal Highness." Iris didn't go into details.

"Call me Master Adolphus. That is a better title," Adolphus instructed her.

"What's your full name? Why were you not happy?" Adolphus asked.

"It is Iris Vinsant, Master Adolphus. My step-mother and step-siblings abused me for many years. That's why, after getting a good opportunity, I decided to run away," Iris answered.

Adolphus closed the box and wiped his fingers with the handkerchief. Putting it aside, he stood up. "Don't put your feet on the floor," he advised her.

"But I need to go, Master Adolphus. I need to work," Iris said, and found him walking away. She wondered where he was heading to.

"Do you love to eat grapes?" Adolphus asked her.

"Grapes," she murmured and recalled how she had them when her mother was alive. After she passed away, getting two meals became a struggle for her. Fruits did not even exist in her meals.

"I suppose you like them," Adolphus said, and picked the bowl, full of fruit, for her. He settled beside her and she promptly moved away.

"Did Master Adolphus save me? I could have been sold to the brothel owner if he had not sent someone from the palace. I wonder, how did Master Adolphus find out about me?" Iris asked with curiosity.

"Hmm. Didn't our eyes meet? No one ever looked at me with that gaze," Adolphus said, and took a grape in front of her mouth.