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13. In Laws

13

In Laws

The King and the Queen resided in their own ecosystem in one wing of the palace. Sileas hardly needed to be cautious of where she littered about to fear stumbling into the renowned King and Queen. But she was summoned.

It was her duty to show up in front of them whenever she’s asked to, and she knows not to decline. She could never decline them. Not because it was a rule, but her grandmother drilled those etiquette into her. Without knowing whether she was right or not, she followed them obediently.

“Do you want a calming tea before we go, your highness?” Feina nervously looked at her.

She shook her head. “No, I’m quite alright. Let’s just get this over with.”

There were no replies from the prince. She doubts that he would tell his parents about her proposal. He stopped any kind of communication with them ever since… he was sent to the frontlines. An event that she couldn’t truly understand. There were so many versions of what happened, and no clear article without bias.

They say the king forced him to the frontlines, and there are those that said the prince ran away to the frontlines, and his parents tried to bury it, there were more speculations, but none of them mattered to her. The only reason she wondered about it now as she walked towards the Palace wing owned by his parents was because she wanted to be prepared.

She never met the King and Queen other than her wedding. She doesn’t truly know them, and they often surrounded themselves with familiar people. The Queen doesn’t like socializing that much, and the King seemed to protect her from the political strife’s from the crown.

The Princess consort didn’t have much to do in royal affairs, but with the Crown Prince often in the front lines, she took most of his job. Lotir is already an Archduchess, before her only brother could ascend to the crown. Openly showing her support for her brother to be king.

“We’re here” Feina motioned to the large double doors with ornate design of silver on white birch door, silver leaves arched towards the visitor. The light bounced off its surface and she could see her reflection.

Sileas breathed in deeply. Her heart hasn’t calmed down ever since she was forced to get some rest, and now, the Queen wanted to spend time with her for tea.

“Alright” She nodded towards Feina.

Her Draconi servant easily opened the heavy doors. But she knows that it was heavy by the way it whined by its weight and the 10 hinges on each door glinting in the morning light.

“Welcome”

Her voice made her look away from the door’s hinges. Beyond her is the receiving room of the Queen and King’s palace. Compared to the other wings it was simpler and modest. The door was the only thing that dripped in grandeur.

The Queen Ragna was taller than her. Dressed in what looks like an expensive slip of a dress. Her hair swept down to cover one side of her face and shoulder, where her burn marred her flesh. A burn that even Sileas doesn’t know came from.

Who could burn the hybrid queen? She had the most powerful flames, and not even dragon flame could burn her. Many tongues wagged, but just like the Crown Prince’s participation on the front lines, no story sounded like the truth.

“forgive me for dressing so plainly. I was excited to meet you, and I didn’t think I could wait any longer.”

Sileas bowed deeply. “I’m flattered your highness. I’m just a normal person, and please call me Sileas.” She smiled as elegantly as possible. “I heard that you arrived a day ago. I’m sorry for not being able to receive you.”

Ragna smiled. The burned edges of one lip struggled to move. “It’s alright. Eitr wouldn’t want to dragged into formalities. And I don’t either. Come, follow me”

Ragna eased something in Sileas. Despite being compared to the queen all her life, she didn’t have any ill will towards the only person that was the same as her. Half human and half Draconi. She knows she couldn’t compare, but all of the queen’s portraits reminded her of her own mother.

Human and incredibly soft.

She followed the lithe and quick queen down a hall. Filled with portraits, photos, paintings and many more of her family. The King and Queen with their children in various ages. Though, she noticed that the most recent photos of Eitr were when he was a preteen.

Eitr had the same features, but slightly roundish and softer. And his expressions haven’t changed. Not in any one of them. Photos and portraits of him are serious and devoid of any childish brevity. He didn’t even smirk, which he often did to her. He was often amused with her. Not that she had any idea why.

Ragna led her towards the garden, the king was nowhere to be seen, but there were enough human servants around them that it made her even more comfortable. Feina is the only Draconi servant in the vicinity.

It reminded her of home. The villa was filled with humans. No Draconi, at that time, would want to serve a human. A being that they think so lowly of. Even if her mother was a fated mate, and her father was a high born. It doesn’t cancel out what she was, and what the daughter of the union is.

“Sit” she urged.

Sileas nodded, as a human butler pulled her chair back with a soft smile. “I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to meet you prior to this.”

“No need for apologies. We truly did go to the nomad lands as fast as we can after the wedding.”

She had to bite her tongue from prying. A noble should never pry. They boast and you flatter, but never pry.

“I heard. I do hope you are feeling better. Lotir often mentioned you have been ill.”

“I’m well enough.”

An instinct her grandmother instilled in her was still high on alert. But it mellowed and softened at the faces in front of her, the friendly and laxed faces. She knows about what the queen has gone through before her marriage, but what came after it became a mystery. Privacy that only the ruling family could afford.

But her instinct refuses to completely die down despite the familiar feeling, the human faces, or a person like her.

“Forgive me, but why did you summon me? I mean no offense, but this could have waited. Your royal highness and the king just arrived a few hours ago in the palace.”

The softness in her face didn’t fade. If it was possible, it was even softer and filled with so much warmth and concern. An expression she hasn’t encountered in the longest while.

The queen fiddled with her teacup, but now she became still. She looked ashamed when she looked down, but her small smile remained. “I… underestimated you at your wedding.”

Ah, here it goes. Her instinct was right. Even the queen won’t let the chance slip to remind her about her place.

Something broke in her.

“Ah” was all she could say.

“No, no, not in that way.” Ragna smiled. “My… son isn’t the most gentle of men. I…we left like cowards with the full knowledge that you wouldn’t have been able to survive the night.”

Whatever broke and whatever pain was replaced with an emotion she couldn’t quite place.

“I knew he had full intention to kill you in your wedding night.”

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