"Ah, I see. Well, whether you desired it or not, Adelheid. You would have wedded the King."
Lady Evelyn snapped her fingers and two maids quickly rushed forward, struggling to carry the weight of multiple trunks stacked with clothes and jewelries.
Adelheid's hands balled into fists. "Father's debt is what put me in this situation and you're still purchasing more?"
Lady Evelyn merely smiled at Adelheid, before walking towards her. Then with care, she gripped Adelheid's chin, tilting her face left, then right, as if inspecting a flawed piece of porcelain.
"We shall have to refine your features if you insist on wielding such a sharp tongue." She murmured. "No one tolerates an ugly girl with an unruly mouth."
Adelheid's face dropped.
Lady Evelyn's fingers suddenly wove into her hair, yanking her head back just enough to make her wince.
"To this day, I wonder where you got such a ghastly shade of red." Lady Evelyn mused, twirling a lock between her fingers before letting it drop as though it dirtied her hand. "Everyone in this family is dark-haired." She cast Adelheid's hair one last glance, expression reforming into a disdainful one. "Such a tasteless sight."
Stepping back, she smoothed out the folds of her gown. "We depart for the palace this evening. Do not keep me waiting."
~
Beatrice hummed as she worked, her fingers fastening the last few ties on Adelheid's gown before reaching for the small jar of red pigment.
"Just a touch.." She said, dabbing the color onto Adelheid's lips carefully. When she was satisfied, she stepped back, hands on her hips and eyes twinkling. "There!"
Adelheid studied her reflection through the mirror in front of her. Her red hair was pulled up into a loose, messy bun with a few rebellious strands framing her face. The light peach gown she wore made her pale skin and hair stand out even more, accentuating her waist perfectly.
Beatrice let out a dreamy sigh. "You look so pretty, my lady!"
Adelheid's lips twitched. Well, only Beatrice thought so.
Beatrice moved forward, resting her hands lightly on the back of the chair Adelheid sat in. "I wonder what the King is like.." She mused. "I've never seen him up close."
Neither had Adelheid.
At the last ball—the first and only palace event she had ever attended—King Zamiel had sat far away on his throne—at least seven feet away from where she stood—when he had insulted her. The bright chandeliers shinned too brightly over him, making it hard to see his face properly.
"I wonder if he's gentle.. or perhaps caring.. " Beatrice continued, then hesitated, her expression dimming slightly. "Or what if he's the opposite? What if he's cruel? Vicious? Wicked? Probably one who take desire in doing evi—"
"Ahem."
Adelheid cleared her throat, meeting Beatrice's gaze through the mirror.
Beatrice straightened instantly, her eyes going wide. "Oh! I didn't mean to frighten you, my lady!" She hastily bowed her head in an apologetic gesture.
Adelheid sighed, offering a small nod. "I'm not frightened."
She was.
Everything about the King was wrapped in secrecy. Even his personality—his likes, his dislikes, the qualities that defined him—were a mystery. And Beatrice had a point. What if he indeed was cruel? What if she was walking straight into a nightmare?
No.
Not today, dread.
She shook her head slightly and stood, smoothing out her gown.
Turning to Beatrice, she smiled. "Let's go."
Together, they stepped out of the room, down the grand staircase and outside. The carriage waited at the bottom of the stone steps. Lady Evelyn was already inside.
Adelheid strode forward, climbing in without a word. Beatrice followed closely, settling beside her just as the wheels began to turn.
Through the window, Adelheid watched the manor shrink behind them—the place she had lived all her life. The walls that had witnessed her childhood, though more bitter memories than sweet ones, but still.. they were hers.
And no matter how much she told herself otherwise—it didn't mean she wanted to be traded away like a ledger entry to settle a debt.
She sighed, closing her eyes.
Either way, there was no turning back now.
~
The carriage finally reached the castle, rolling to a smooth stop in front of the towering building.
Adelheid's breath caught, staring out of the window a the sight before her. The place was even grander than she had remembered. Towers stretched high, their tips nearly touching the sky. Large windows stretched from roof to bottom and carved statues adorned with golden engravings stood proudly along the grand entrance.
In front of the castle, a long line of servants stood in perfect rows, their heads slightly bowed. Adelheid's brows furrowed. Had they been expecting them?
"My lady?" Beatrice's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Aren't you coming down?"
Adelheid blinked, realizing she had been sitting motionless. She nodded quickly. "Yes.. yes."
Taking a deep breath, she gathered her skirt and stepped down. The moment her feet touched the stone pavement, a man dressed in a crisp black tailcoat with golden buttons and a high collar approached. His gloved hands clasped behind him, his posture stiff, very stiff.
A butler—she guessed as much.
"Welcome to the palace, my lady." The butler's eyes shifted over her before he stepped aside, voice flat.
Lady Evelyn immediately frowned. "My lady? You are speaking to the future queen of this Kingdom!"
The butler's brow lifted slightly, he was silent for a while before finally bowing his head. "My apologies, future que—"
Before he could finish, Adelheid quickly shook her head. "No, no, no, please. 'My lady' is just fine."
The butler paused for a moment, then he gave her a small nod. "Very well then. Please, follow me."
As he turned and started walking, Adelheid barely took a step before her mother grabbed a hold of her wrist, yanking her back.
Lady Evelyn hissed. "Do not embarrass me with your foolish humility girl! You are going to be queen, and everyone here had better act like it—including you!"
Adelheid exhaled sharply and pulled her wrist free, her expression bland. "Mother, I am the queen of nothing. So why don't we leave this attitude for later?"
Lady Evelyn's lips pressed into a thin line, but before she could argue, Adelheid turned on her heel and walked ahead, Beatrice catching up behind her.
The butler pushed open the heavy double doors, revealing a long, grand hallway. The moment Adelheid stepped inside, she felt dwarfed by its size.
More towering statues, plated in gold lined the passage, their polished surfaces shimmering across the knights' armor across from it.
Their footsteps echoed as they followed the butler inside. Doors lined the walls, some closed, others left slightly ajar.
Finally, after what felt like an endless walk, they arrived at an entrance grander than the rest they had walked past. The butler pushed the doors open and Adelheid's breath hitched.
The dining hall was enormous—easily the size of her family's entire estate.
A long table stretched through the center, set with golden silverware with the scent of fresh bread and roasted meat in the air.
At the far end, three figures sat in elegance.
The first was a woman, her golden blonde hair swept into a regal updo. She held herself with effortless grace, her eyes sharp yet welcoming. Beside her sat a man, he too possessed golden hair, his expression stoic.
She presumed they were the King's parents.
And at the head of the table sat a figure that made Adelheid's pulse falter.
His golden hair was unlike the others, it was somewhere between silver and gold, as if kissed by moonlight. His deep blue eyes suddenly met hers.
Then, he smiled.
Her heart instantly stilled before resuming its rhythm, an unfamiliar sensation fluttering through her.
"Welcome." The woman spoke, her gaze landing on Adelheid with a warm smile. "You must be Adelheid."
Adelheid forced herself to nod as they headed towards the long dining table, willing her voice to remain steady. "Yes, your highness."
"And Lady Evelyn, I presume?" The woman continued, shifting her gaze to Lady Evelyn.
Lady Evelyn returned the look with a well practiced smile. "Indeed your highness."
The woman's attention then moved to Beatrice. "And you must be—?"
Beatrice bowed into a quick, slightly clumsy curtsy. "Beatrice, my lady. I am Lady Adelheid's companion."
"Wonderful." The woman placed a delicate hand over her chest. "You may call me Lysander."
The man beside her, his expression calm yet unreadable, inclined his head, finally speaking "And I am Aldric."
Adelheid barely registered the rest of the introductions, her focus was on the man at the head of the table—King Zamiel.
The latter suddenly stood, and alked towards her with grace—then, extended his hand.
Adelheid blinked, looking down at it, a little confused.
He chuckled and then he spoke, his voice soft yet deep at the same time.
"Your hand, my lady."
Adelheid blinked again and placed a hand in his. King Zamiel didn't let go right away. Instead, he gently led her toward the table, his touch light but firm.
When they reached the table, Zamiel pulled out the chair closest to him and Adelheid sat. Lady Evelyn sat next to her with a knowing smile and Beatrice slid into the seat beside Lady Evelyn, casting a cautious glance at the King.
Zamiel took his place again at the head of the table, his gaze still fixed on Adelheid before he finally spoke.
"I believe you may have been confused about my sudden proposal." He said, his eyes sweeping around the table before his attention settled back on her. "However," He paused. "I would prefer to discuss the matter in private."
Before anyone could respond, a soft chuckle came from Lady Lysander. "Ah, Zamiel.. we haven't even spoken to her and already, you want her all to yourself?"
"Oh no, my apologies." Zamiel spoke, chuckling lightly. "Of course, we can leave our discussion for later this evening."
Adelheid forced a polite smile. "No problem, Your Majesty."
Lady Lysander, clearly not content to let the conversation die down, leaned forward with a playful tone. "Well, now—Adelheid, tell us, what do you enjoy doing in your free time? Playing the piano, perhaps? Or are you more of a, shall we say, 'private' type of artist?" She raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
Adelheid blinked, caught off guard by the question, but quickly recovered. "Huh? Oh! Yes I do play the piano." She replied, laughing nervously. "But I'm afraid I'm just basic at it."
Lady Lysander chuckled. She leaned to the side and gently placed her hand on her husband, Aldric's hand. "Oh, please. If you think you're just a 'basic piano lady,' you should see him. He loves to listen to any tune as far it comes from a piano—even if it bleeds the ear."
She shook her head, continuing . "Whenever I try to play the violin for him, he's always quick to dismiss me, but when someone else plays the piano, he can't help but intrude."
She nudged him gently and he looked down at her with a small smile. "Ah, well, I do have a soft spot for the piano."
Lady Lysander laughed and turned her gaze back to Adelheid. "So, yes, my dear, we would all love to hear what you can do."
Huh?
Before Adelheid could respond, Lady Evelyn, who had been quiet, chimed in with a grin. "Yes yes! Adelheid is brilliant at playing the piano. She's quite the virtuoso!"
Adelheid blinked, a little caught off guard. Brilliant? She hadn't touched a piano in the last three years.
"Well, I.. I haven't really—"
"Aren't you brilliant at playing the piano, my dear?" Lady Evelyn turned to her with a smile far too wide, cutting the latter off.
Adelheid forced a smile in return, though there was a touch of awkwardness in her voice. "Yes.. of course, mother."
Lady Lysander clapped her hands together, clearly pleased. "Perfect, perfect! Then we must hear you play, and, of course–" She added, turning to her son."You would like to hear her play, wouldn't you son?"
Zamiel leaned back with a small smile. "Well, it seems we're all getting to know ourselves in the most interesting ways."
"It's settled then!"
Without warning, Lady Lysander walked over to Adelheid, her smile radiant. "Come now my dear." She said with a wink. "Let's get you to the piano."
She guided Adelheid across the room, her steps graceful. "I'm sure it'll sound just as beautiful!"
As they reached the piano in the corner of the room, Adelheid was struck by its elegance. The piano was a rich, dark mahogany, polished to perfection. The keys, were pristine white, contrasting beautifully with the dark color of the piano's frame.
Adelheid sat down on the piano bench. Her fingers grazed across the keys and then she took a deep breath.
Here goes nothing, she thought.
Her hands began to move across the keys, each note hesitant at first, but as her fingers grew accustomed to the familiar touch, she became more confident, slowly relaxing her nerves.
As the melody continued, she closed her eyes, feeling the music flow through her. Then, without thinking, her voice joined the piano, her words soft but full of emotion.
♪ Through the silence, I hear your call.. lost in the shadows, I stand so small, but your light, it calls to me, I see, even the dark cannot set me free. ♪
Meanwhile, King Zamiel leaned back in his chair, slightly tilting his head with a small smile plastered against the corner of his lips. 'She even plays as good as her.' He thought.
Adelheid continued to play and finally she reached the final lines of the song.
♪ In the quiet, I find my peace, And in your eyes, my soul's release, Though time has passed, my heart still beats, In this song, my love repeats. ♪
As she finished, she slowly fluttered her eyes open, the last notes hanging in the air. She stood, her hands resting on the edge of the piano for a moment.
Everywhere had gone silent.
From where she sat, Lady Lysander was the first to clap, her applause enthusiastic. "Brilliant! That was amazing!" She exclaimed, her eyes alight with admiration. Beatrice, who had been watching also clapped with a large smile, as did Lady Evelyn.
Aldric gave a small nod.
As the evening went, Lady Lysander began asking Adelheid more questions, her tone warm and friendly, with Lady Evelyn seconding her interest. Alderic nodded along in agreement, making occasional remarks.
Finally, as the evening wore on, King Zamiel suddenly stood from his seat. He cleared his throat softly and addressed Adelheid with a faint smile. "I'd like to speak with you in private now my lady."
Lady Evelyn nodded at once. "Of course your majesty! Adelheid dear, go on."
Adelheid sighed and finally followed the King. From behind, Zamiel's stature was imposing—broad, well defined and rather tall, standing at least two heads above her.
His posture was confident with his hands clasped behind his back as they walked in silence.
They finally reached the balcony—she believed where he had wanted to take her.
Zamiel leaned across the bars of the balcony, gazing up at the evening sky with an unreadable expression. Silence regined between them and Adelheid shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Zamiel turned to face her. He tilted his head slightly.
"My lady." He began. "Is your name truly Adelheid?"