Nobody said a word as I was led to my seat. The servant pulled out a chair and I found myself at the king’s right, beside Kate. The king’s strong mesmerizing woodsy smell hit my nose and I was reminded of last night in full force.
I was too nervous to look up at him but the aura he exuded made his presence too hard to ignore. The memories of how his mouth had tasted the night before evaded my mind, causing my cheeks to heat up.
I turned to Kate, trying to distract my mind. The smell of vanilla on her was near suffocating, with something even sharper that I had to hold back a strong sneeze. Her hair was let down, like her mother’s, and her dress was the same shade as her ginger hair. The arms were off her shoulder revealing surprisingly enticing skin. Kate and her mother weren’t ugly, no matter how much anyone wished them to be. On the contrary, they were breathtaking but their beast-like character portrayed the opposite.
On the opposite side of the table was Skye, who was seated by the king’s left. Unlike earlier, she wasn’t dressed in a riding uniform but in a form-fitting dress. It was black and it so clung to her skin exposing the long columns of her throat dripping with black beaded jewelry. I noticed she had several more piercings on her ears. Skye was known to be different from the others but her hair packed up in an elaborate updo with black flowers sticking in it said nothing of it. She looked like she fit right in.
My heart thumped in my chest at the deafening silence around me.
Was this a dinner or a funeral?
The delicacies were left untouched.
Suddenly the king picked up his gold-plated cutlery and hit them against themselves. The cadence of their metal song startled me but it was only the signal they needed to start feasting. The rest of his royal family delved into their food even though notes of tension still hovered in the room.
The room had been divided in a clear line by the food-laden table.
Skye, Teriel, and the king seemed to be in sync while Monica and her children tittered on their end of the table. Her sons displayed none of the etiquette drilled into my head as I was dressed. They wolfed down the food like beasts and made horrid slurping noises. I cringed but nobody seemed to notice them as everyone was too busy eating.
“The dishes aren’t made to your taste?”
I jumped lightly in my seat, taken aback by the question.
It was the Skye.
The concern in her soft blue eyes drilled into my head.
“N-no. I’m enjoying it.” My plate was empty.
“But you haven’t tasted anything.”
I reached out and served myself a scoop of what looked like a potato dish. I took a spoon and I almost moaned. The food melted on my tongue and left a sweet but sour taste.
I couldn’t recognize many of the dishes served but they looked good. Unfortunately, I had to stop at the potato dish. My corset didn’t let me have any more.
The only sound that could be heard was the sound of cutlery on plates. The air felt so heavy like a stormy cloud was hovering above us. I wondered how it was to live with a family you cared nothing for. I also wondered how they managed to eat their food or digest it with so much hate in their hearts.
My mind went to my siblings on the other side of the Castle. I wished I could enjoy a peaceful dinner them. It was quite difficult to eat anything when all eyes were on one. I stared at my plate. Kain was present, he had sat beside the old king. I shivered when I noticed he was staring at me. I looked up for a moment and I caught his beady eyes.
Goodness! My chest constricted.
“I’m so thrilled that we upheld this tradition. It is a good way to bring us together as a family.” The old king said, grinning widely probably already drunk on wine from the looks of it. He did seem thrilled to be at the dinner.
“Yes, your highness. Wonderful. We’re still all family no matter what tries to separate us,” Kain echoed.
I wondered how the king felt about this declaration. I risked a half glance at him but he remained unmoved, stoic even.
“Elora, how are you enjoying your stay at the Castle as the king’s mistress?” Kain asked drawing attention to me.
His smile and short hair accentuated the cheekbones framing his skinny oval face and enunciated his crooked nose.
A truly befitting face for a monster like him.
I was startled.
I imagined that I would blend in and avoid all forms of interaction.
Why did Kain want to start a conversation with me?
I looked up once again to face him.
“I said, how are you enjoying your stay as the king’s new mistress?” A small smirk danced on his lips.
“Very well, thank you.”
“I must say, son. You have an eye for beautiful women. Erika? And then this goddess. If there’s one thing you got from me, it’s that. Let’s ignore all that has happened before now. Shall we?” Old king Nathan rambled, “You look, sexceptional dear.” He winked at me and I swore that I saw his eyes sparkle and dance to the outline of my breasts.
Many times, it creeped me out how the king and his father looked very much alike. His jaw was also perfectly shaped as the gods had carved it. His sapphire eyes had depth, it was easy to get lost in his eyes. Although the king was the version who was younger, taller, and had a colder expression, one could mistake almost them for each other. The old king was dressed similarly to his son. He wore a cape with a similar gold emblem. His ginger hair shone as he must have doused a basin full of pomade on it.
My stomach churned as he continued to ramble. “Elora, do well to take care of my son. He hasn’t had his way with a woman for a while now… You may have noticed, yes, that is why he is usually cranky.”
Kate snorted again and this time, others smirked.
Why wasn’t the king saying anything?
Eating without speaking.
“… But Elora, I preferred your hair let down. You looked exquisite, enthralling. Just like me, Rome loves a woman’s hair down.” He turned to his son. “How are you enjoying your new mistress? I hope you aren’t leaving her cold at night. I have heard some rumors… Is it true you haven’t even shared a bed yet?”
The king stopped and then dropped his fork with a clang that made the whole room jump. The table went silent, watching to see where this confrontation would lead. That was the most reaction he had given since the dinner began. He looked up and glared at his Father for quite a few seconds.
The king stopped and then dropped his fork with a clang. The table went silent. That was the most reaction he had given since the dinner began. He looked up and glared at his Father for quite a few seconds. Then without another word, he picked up his fork and then continued his meal. The small talk at the table died down as Rome spoke finally: “I have important more things to attend to.”