She felt blessed, like the Stars themselves had granted her this. There was no limit, no rules or constraints. She was boundless; she was home, safe and secure in his unbreakable embrace.
~
Shackled in an abrupt and demanding upbringing, Althera is...
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The coat of arms hanging on the back wall was the first thing Althera saw when she entered the room. A pair of swords crossed together between, in the very center of two giant wings of a falcon that stretched from either side of the seal, expanding from one end of the room to the other, black feathers sleek and tightly woven together. The eyes of the large bird stared down at Althera maliciously, a sly look in those black, bottomless depths that staggered Althera for a second.
Althera's hands shook beneath the layers of her skirts as she stepped into the great meeting room, which turned out to be of a similar design to the dining room - a rectangular table kneeling on the floor, candelabras set on the shelves and wooden platforms surroundings the room, and a mountainous chandelier hooked to the ceiling, twinkling crystals scattering the reflected light. The only difference was, and Althera took notice of it right away, was the row of guards standing with straight backs at the back of the room, dressed in immaculate uniforms of silver and carrying swords that could effortlessly tear out her throat.
She moved past it and made to sit down in the only other empty chair around the table, which was on the king's very left. The seats were much more comfortable than she'd remembered, and the soft cushion sank with her weight. Althera was still too stricken to speak to anyone. She hadn't predicted Valentine would actually agree to Rhaye's suggestion. Rhaye had been surprised too, but he masked it over well and took up his position opposite her. She warned herself that the king was playing and teasing with not only his cousin, but her as well, and the thought made her distaste - no, her loathing - for him deepen even more. She didn't know why, but his presence drove something wild inside of her.
The generals and dukes all around the table gazed after her in awe, obviously wondering why a girl like her would be attending a meeting with such a prestigious group of men. She would've scoffed at the seemingly discreet glances and looks of wonder they shot her way if it hadn't been for the nerves that churned her stomach. She'd never felt so worried before, and the eyes of every single person present in the room made it worse. It would be easy for them to read the fear and anxiety on her face.
But Althera didn't know why she was so scared of having all the attention directed to her. If they were acting so shocked at her appearance, they must've not known about her existence in the palace. She restrained the urge to roll her eyes. To think she had planned on escaping from the castle a day ago. If anyone knew, she'd be shamed. Not only did she not manage to run away, she'd also bumped into something that wasn't of this world. They'd think she had become delusional.
Her loud thoughts were interrupted by the scraping of chair legs against the white tiled floor. All around her, the generals and dukes had risen and were bowing just as Valentine, in all his ruthless glory, settled upon the decorated high-backed chair - which looked more like a throne - sitting atop the dais at the end of the table.
If only he wore a crown at that moment, Althera thought to herself distractedly. Authority rolled off of him in waves, the dark tunic embedded with studs of gold and his silver-white hair enough of a warning to the people surrounding him, letting them know that he was in charge, and that if any of them made one wrong move, he could command the skies to collapse upon them. She rose along with them and dipped her head mechanically.
