Chapter Eight: Elysia

                                                                 𝕰𝖑𝖞𝖘𝖎𝖆

The dark-haired girl sat at the long oak table and only gulped seeing the plates being brought in and put in front of her by women that never looked up. Her stomach growled in hunger but she couldn't bring herself to reach forward and grab anything, she wasn't sure what the respectable way was and no one else had sat at the table yet.

Elysia silently judged the way a young handmaiden placed the plate down beside her, it was full of berries but they rolled around from her clumsiness. She must have been young and new, it would be fixed quickly by the den mother in a not-so-nice way most likely. That thought made her feel guilty. She knew what it was like on their side but now she was seated while workers served her. It was odd but she couldn't help but enjoy it for some reason.

The food was diverse and plenty, one thing she saw differently was the amount of fish, the royals of course did eat some of it back at Westile but poorer workers feasted mainly on breads and potatoes. Subconsciously she licked her lips as the empty plates were put down. One in front of her and one on each end of the table.

"You seem overwhelmed by the options my lady." Nible, the queen's handmaiden said. She opened a napkin and put it over the girl's legs leaving Elysia tense in return.

"The blessings are plentiful." She replied in almost a whisper as footsteps were heard, they came from the young prince who let his blonde curls bounce from his quick walk. He came to the girl seated and kissed her hand softly before sitting in his chair that was pulled out.

He took the napkin and made a popping sound with it before he hung it on his leg and started filling his plate. "How are you this morning my dear Antonella?" He didn't wait long for the response as he took a long sip of dark ale. "When I awoke this morning I didn't even stop to see the sunrise. It couldn't even compare to the beauty you portray." His mouth was now full of meats but he smiled anyway.

Elysia didn't know how to take the compliment so she only gave a tiny smile and turned her attention back to Nible putting food on her plate for her. Before she could tell her thank you however everyone stopped working and bowed seeing the Queen come in, her hands behind her back and her face as still as the atmosphere. The girl only looked down at her plate as a chair was pulled out and pushed back in, the creeks loud enough to cover Prince Nikolai's chewing for only a second.

"I have amazing news mother, Antonella." He wiped his mouth and took a large sip before continuing. "I have a hunting trip planned for the day."

"Hunting?" Queen Alura raised an eyebrow as if she was surprised. "What about your promise to show Antonella around the castle?"

Nikolai paused for a moment knowing he made a mistake but Elysia quickly jumped in to stop any trouble being caused by her. "I don't mind, I am still very tired from my trip." She watched Nible's older hands cut up the food with a knife and fork. Her stomach still growling as Nikolai apologized.

The Queen watched the girl for a moment and only let her lip curl as Elysia leaned forward and whispered in Nible's ear.

The older woman seemed confused by what the Marquees asked but she nodded kindly, "Yes you can eat my lady."

Nikolai didn't seem to be watching as something else popped into his mind, "The festivity, when do they start Mother?"

Alura let her blue eyes look up at him for a moment before smiling at her son. "Within a few days." She could feel the girl looking at her so she turned her attention back to her even though she only took a few seconds before looking elsewhere. "There will be music, dancing, feasts, and cake."

For the first time since she had arrived at the new place, she felt her heart tighten, not only was she eating breakfast with the family everyone knew and loved but she was staring into the eyes of a God-made Queen. Blue eyes, the kind that looked like ice and made you shiver as if it was such. It made her feel self-conscious about herself, but she did feel a little better that the dress she wore was from the Queen herself. A note had been left with the breathable fabrics.

"A welcoming gift into the family."

It truly felt better than whatever the Maddox dressed her in, it was light and full of life. Mimicking the colors and crest of the LeVane family. Her trickery must have been working if the Queen let her wear the sacred colors gold and white. It matched the thicker dress she wore, it complimented one another but it also flowed with Nikolai's loose shirt and golden crested boots.

"We have to gather at the stables." He stood up with his ale in hand and chugged it with an audible "ahh." At the end. It made his mother give him a disapproving look but he ignored it as he bowed. "The gods have blessed me with two wonderful women. I will see you both tonight."

Elysia waited for his boots to disappear down the dining hall before she took another slow bite of bread. The fact that the Queen still watched her had left her mind until she saw the raised eyebrow judging the way her mouth had filled with carbs. She tried to chew faster and swallow but it only made her cough slightly and hold her hand over her mouth.

"The food will be here as long as you need it." Alura let out a faint chuckle and put a berry in her mouth. "No need to rush little bird."

The smile that slapped Elysia across the face was better than any of the portraits hanging in the Maddox castle, she wondered why more pictures of the Queen weren't drawn with that curled red lip. "Thank you, your Majesty." The girl took a small sip of the wine and coughed once more at the sour taste, that was definitely not a taste she was used to.

"I apologize for my son. He is not the most thoughtful at times."

"He is wonderful." Elysia patted her lips with the napkin in her lap and smiled kindly at the older woman. "We both have a lot of learning to do I suppose."

"Quite," Alura said softly. Her long nails tapped the table before she decided to speak again. "They are starting to decorate my garden for spring and I have been looking forward to seeing what they do." Her eyes looked up to the girl. "Would you like to accompany me?"

"Of course my Queen." Elysia bit her tongue feeling like she was overly excited as they both scooted their chairs back to stand, she looked down at the plates and started stacking them unconsciously.

"What are you doing Antonella?"

Realizing her mistake Elysia gulped. "Making it easier for the help my Queen." She thought the older women might scold her for doing things that were not meant for royal hands but instead, the blonde looked down at her plates and began to stack them.

Nible was just as surprised as she waited for her to finish before she handed the Queen her now full wine glass. Her old eyes looked to the future Princess confused but got nothing back from her as she held her breath as they started walking out of the room only to be stopped by a thin pale man with long curly hair and dark circled eyes.

"Ah my Queen, so glad I could catch you." He looked over at the girl and bowed once more. "Princess Antonella how lovely it is to make your acquaintance. I am Marath Lancher, the spymaster. You may have heard my other name -"

"Pest."

Elysia widened her eyes at the Queen's words but he only laughed. It was a scratchy laugh that made her feel uneasy, maybe Alura felt the same as she only narrowed her eyes and forced a fake laugh herself as she kept walking making him have to follow at a quick pace.

"I don't mean to bother your morning breakfast my Queen but we had amazing news! The runaway was caught."

"Was his punishment carried out?"

"Hung this morning with the others." He turned back slightly and caught the girl's eyes making her gulp down the aftertaste of the wine from before. She did not like his eyes on her just like she did not like the eyes of any men from her old village, it made sense if he was from Stonevale as well. His pale skin and dark hair resembled hers in a way that reminded her of her true status.

The Queen apparently liked his eyes on her even less as she stopped abruptly making him give his attention back to her. "Anything else Lord Lancher?"

He gave a toothy grin before shaking his head and bowing one last time before going the opposite way. Her blue eyes watched him until he was completely gone before continuing down to the hall. Elysia wondered if she would say some words about how she disliked him like Caroline Maddox would do so often about those who bothered her but the Queen never did as the doors opened and the warm air greeted them.

"Oh, I love what you have done Nible!" The Queen's face lit up as she let her hands graze the top of the newly planted white and yellow flowers. "Always outdoing yourself."

"The LeVane colors. Just in time for the new addition." Nible put a kind hand on the girl's arm making her feel more comfortable, for some reason she didn't feel as intimidated by the Queen and her famous handmaiden as she did before when the Prince accompanied them. She actually felt included and respected as Nible pointed to a broken flower leaning on its side.

Snapping it off to end its suffering the Princess examined the full bloom before looking up at the Queen who walked down to where the butterflies rested. For a moment she actually felt sad she was unable to marry the Queen instead of her son. An odd thought that she never imagined herself to think of. that felt a silly thing to ponder however as she walked over to the older women and looked off of the side of the castle, she could see the Prince down below getting his horse and bows ready. She smiled softly before feeling a soft hand grab hers. Breaking her out of her intrusive peculiar thoughts.

"Be still Antonella." Queen Alura said guiding a blue butterfly that sat peacefully on her long finger over to Elysia's paler hand. It crawled forward making the girl scrunch her nose for the few seconds it rested on both of their hands, but quickly it flew off leaving only their hands connected. They watched it twirl around in circles before the girl looked down at her other hand that still held the flower. She let it rise slowly as she contemplated tapping the Queen to get her attention. She took a deep breath and did so, the blue eyes smiled as she took the flower softly from the girl. "Thank you little bird." Her nose went close to smell its floral fragrance before she walked away to speak with Nible.

This gave Elysia time to breathe again as she looked back down to the stables where Prince Nikolai somehow spotted her. He waved as hard as he could and she only raised her hand slightly to reciprocate.

"Come along Antonella."

Hearing the Queen's voice speak to her, she only waved once more at her future husband before leaving his sight to follow his mother. He thought of it as his bride being shy and letting his boots run the horse out of the city's gates, grinning as he did so like the prince he felt he finally was.

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