She's Mine

Chapter 18

I spent the night talking to Emily, asking her questions about the land and the people, about the king and queen themselves, before bidding her goodnight and falling asleep under the stars. 

The sun had just stained the sky with its golden light, casting away the darkness, when I woke up the next day, shock splintering through me when I didn't recognise where I was when I couldn't hear Rowan's muttering. 

A hint of regret washed through me as I remembered Rowan; I should have said a proper goodbye, instead of ending it the way I had. 

I walked into the ensuite bathroom on the bottom floor to get ready for the day. 

As I walked out, I was greeted by Emily's nervous but unafraid eyes. 

"Good morning, Princess," She curtsied 

"Please call me Lua and don't curtsy, it makes me uncomfortable," I said, walking towards the vanity table. 

I heard her mumble 'okay', her quiet footsteps trailing behind me. 

"Please, let me do your hair," Emily cut in when I reached for a hairbrush to untangle my mess of hair. 

I nodded, sitting down on the little stool near the vanity and handed her the brush. She quickly began her little simple hairstyle when she finished brushing my brown locks, going for a crown braid, with loose tendrils falling around my face near the front. 

Her fingers were quick with my hair, and it didn't hurt at all; she was clearly used to these sort of things. 

"Thank you," I said, regarding her final product, "It looks really nice," 

She smiled, her face glowing at the compliment. "We should go," she then said, "The king and queen are expecting you at the dining table for breakfast," 

This was going to be interesting, I thought to myself as I followed after her, towards this dining table and the expecting rulers. 

She lead me back down the grand stairs and into two other enormous double doors and right into the dining room.

There was an unnecessarily long dining table set in the centre of the huge room and four lengthy and big windows on two walls that faced opposite of each other. Black velvet curtains draped lavishly around each frame and there were bits of white and black and moonstone bits along the edges of the walls that just curled and swirled into nothing. There was a grand fireplace on the far side of the room, with another painting of the just the king and queen. There was a black regal-looking piano on the near corner of the room and lastly, I noticed the two extravagant black diamond-accented chandeliers.

Pretty.

The queen and king were already seated in the dining room, and I noticed how the king was seated on the end of the table, and his wife was seated next to him and not on the other end. 

Their heads turned up, as I entered the room, the queen's eyes running down my attire, a distinct look of distaste flashing in them. 

It was only an hour into my day and the familiar feeling of rage already began roiling in my guts as I glared at her with the same look of disgust and distaste in my eyes. 

It was as if I was staring into my own eyes, as they dilated at the look I was reciprocating. 

I walked towards the table and pulled the chair directly in front of the king's, the seat on the other end of the table and I sat, bathing in satisfaction at their outraged faces. 

"I don't believe that is your seat," The king said, a growl in his voice. 

"I don't believe I care," I replied, not breaking eye contact with him, as he continued to glare at me.