Child of Time: The Pendragon Line

Part 8: Queen of Blood

I cringed as the loud CLICK of the brass lock filled my ears and Sir Jeffrey Gray waltzed through the door obviously wearing his very best dinner clothes.

He looked me up and down evaluating every inch of me. "Turn around" he ordered. I obeyed saying nothing but looking to Misty who had her eyes cast downwards at the stony ground.

Jeffrey snorted his approval and held out his arm to me. Reluctantly I took it, wrapping my hand around his arm.

He walked more proudly than he had before. I felt like a trophy that he was flaunting as we made our way around the castle.

I was relieved when Misty silently followed behind Jeffrey's cronies, Xavier and Lucas, her eyes still looking down and her hands respectably folded in front of her. I was positive that the two idiots were staring at her ass as they followed.

Once again men and women bowed and curtsied as we traced our steps back to the great hall.

The large oak doors were just being pushed closed by muscular guards as we made our way through the room. The light of the setting sun glowed through the cracks of the doors until they were completely sealed for the night.

We passed the old, worn door that led to the strange empty room, with the small pool of water and B-lined to the opposite end past the golden throne and into a large side room.

The room was dimly lit by candles and the walls were covered with plush red velvet.

Large tables were aligned into a horseshoe, surrounding what I could only assume was some kind of dance floor.

Behind the horse shoe was yet another table, raised higher than the others. Men and women dressed in armour and silk sat there, deep in conversation with one another.

I could hear some of the women giggle shrilly as they fawned over the men, batting their lashes and waving laced fans.

The room was packed with all kinds of people, some talked quietly while others stuffed their faces with chicken and bread.

My eyes skimmed the room, no one paid Jeffrey or I any attention as he led me through the crowd.

As we got closer and closer to the head table I noticed her. She sat in the very center in a large red stained wooden seat, her head rested lazily in her hand as she watched us approach.

She had the lightest blue eyes I had ever seen, they almost shone translucently in the dim candlelight.

Her sight never left mine as we stood in front of her. Jeffrey bowed deeply, "Your highness"; He said "I have brought you a gift."

"I can see that Sir Gray."

The intensity of her gaze unnerved me; it felt as if she was seeing into my soul. I found myself avoiding her, looking anywhere else, that's when I noticed the fear in Misty's face and I knew I was in trouble.

Turning my attention back to the woman she smiled at me.

"What is your name Child?" She asked, brushing her long black hair aside and taking a sip from a jeweled goblet before getting up to stand in front of me.

I could feel a lump rise in the back of my throat.

"Archer" I answered.

"How interesting that a woman should bear the name of a man." He raised her hand and placed it on my cheek, her long black nails made me twitch.

"I guess my parents were trying to be creative." I answered.

Her face relaxed into a smile, but in her eyes I could see nothing but fire.