The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon (Celine and Bastian) novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Little by little, the barn begins to fill with people.

Men and women with their boots covered in mud and dirt enter while removing wool hats damp from the cold Women carrying boxes, tools, or small children settle near the walls while watching everything with obvious distrust

Some whisper among themselves while looking at my clothes. Others openly watch Alaric and Bastian’s warriors as if expecting everything to go wrong at any moment.

The air inside the place grows warmer with so many people gathered together, and the smell of old wood, animals, damp hay, and wood smoke begins to mingle around us.

No one smiles or seems impressed by my presence.

And honestly… I prefer that.

“Alright.” I finally break the silence, raising my voice slightly so everyone can hear me. “Now that we’re comfortable. I’d like to tell you why I’m here.”

Several gazes focus on me again.

The old man takes a seat across from the table without taking his eyes off my face, and the hen decides to settle beside the freshly laid egg as if she also wants to participate in the conversation.

“Prince Bastian and my friends told me about the situation in this place,” I continue. “But first I’d like to ask you something. Why don’t you allow people to help you? Doesn’t the kingdom provide money to improve the village?”

Alaric smiles slightly from my right and Aymara also seems a little amused, probably because both of them already know exactly what the answer will be before anyone even opens their mouth.

And then a female voice echoes from outside.

“You can’t come in here! There’s no room for exploiters here!”

The entire barn erupts into murmurs and several people begin laughing quietly.

I suppose the court ladies have finally arrived.

We hear them complaining outside in offended voices while several village women begin answering them with absolutely no kindness, and I have to lower my head for a second to hide the smile threatening to appear on my face.

But the argument does not last long.

Because the sharp sound of the enormous sliding door being slammed shut echoes through the barn, and the silence that follows is almost glorious.

Aymara clears her throat, trying to hide her laughter.

Alaric outright turns away.

And I… well. I think I’m beginning to understand why Bastian enjoys annoying nobles so much.

“We never rejected help from the prince or his Beta. The king has come many times, but we never forgave him for allowing Amelie, our late queen, to be forgotten, and because of that we never accepted anything from him. I don’t know if you knew this, Princess, but she was born here. In a poor village like this one.”

I nod politely without interrupting him to correct him that I am not a princess.

The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon

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The way they speak about Amelie makes something inside me tighten slightly. It does not sound as though they are talking about a queen.

They speak of her as if she had been one of them.

Like family

“Then… if I wanted to help you, would you reject me too?”

The old man does not get the chance to answer.

A male voice interrupts him from the back of the barn.

“We don’t want to be used for any political campaign.”

People move aside slightly when a tall man steps forward through the crowd. He has the same graying hair and the same hard eyes as the old man, although his body still retains enough strength to look intimidating. His mud-covered boots strike the old wooden floor as he slowly approaches the table.

Alaric leans slightly toward me.

“William,” he whispers quietly.

The man looks directly at me.

“We accept Prince Bastian because we know he has a good heart. You seem to have one too, Princess, but we don’t know you, and we know perfectly well how nobles work.”

The child in my arms yawns softly and settles against my chest as if completely unaware of the tension in the room.

I, on the other hand, can feel every gaze fixed on me.

Waiting.

Measuring me.

I slowly rise to my feet so everyone can see me more clearly and adjust the little boy on my shoulder while gently rocking him to help him fall asleep. The barn falls silent once again.

“I am not promoting any kind of campaign, Mr. William,” I reply, looking him straight in the eye. “And I am not a princess, nor am I part of the nobility.”

Several people frown in confusion.

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I take a breath before continuing.

“As I told you before, my name is Celine Miller. I come from, the Blood Moon Pack and I was raised inside the pack house as

a servant. I know how to clean, wash clothes, cook, and do hard labor that I’m sure the women outside wouldn’t be able to do for a single day without complaining.”

Several quiet laughs begin to spread around the barn.

Aymara tries to hide a smile.

Even Alaric lowers his head slightly to conceal his amusement.

“You are humble, hardworking people.” I continue. “Just like me. Even if I am technically an Alpha’s daughter.”

This time the murmurs fill the entire barn.

The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon

“An Alpha’s daughter worked as a servant?”

“Is that true?”

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