Three

A QUEEN

I grew up with my dreams centered around a dark castle, black walls coated in the blood of Drayan's enemies, sounds of fear stricken screams echoing from the dungeons that would have been situated beneath the grounds, high castles attached to wings that appeared like towers drowning in black clouds. And I dreamed of this every night after my mother’s passing. 

I was afraid but who wouldn't be?

My whole life, I had listened to stories of the immortal men that were never as realistic as they seemed.

They moved through the shadows, they were the shadows, they could break you with a stare.

But I was a child and I didn't have any prior knowledge. I was afraid of them even after I was told that when I was a baby, I had been brought to Drayan's Kingdom before and I had enjoyed it. 

Yet I stood then, in a castle that was nothing close to my dreams, in a land that was even more beautiful than the land of the humans, under warm lighting from glass roofing, with absolutely no sound of screaming captives. 

I was immensely confused but I accepted it because it was better than what I had imagined.

I had been left alone in a wing of the house, one half the size of my castle in my homeland, that was to be my own. I was told I would be moved to a bigger wing once I was made queen.

And I wondered what one person would need all the space for. Nobody was allowed to enter my wing unless I called for them and I wasn't allowed to exit my wing unless Drayan called for me. 

I had everything I needed, though. 

Kitchenets and bedrooms, a dining hall and a ballroom, a library larger than the grounds outside, a private garden and rose greenhouse that separated my backyard with Drayan’s and a view of the bare lands behind the castle that had once been populated by the humans that the immortal men destroyed. 

I was finally dressed in a dress I could breathe in, a new red silk slip that I had found in one of my many closets, and I decided to spend my time wandering through the cream and golden hallways of my wing. 

The rest of my days were going to be spent learning of creatures that had gotten me into the situation, studying the history of their lands, trying to understand their politics and religions. 

I was going to become the perfect queen and the thought of how was what I feared the most.

My closet was full of classic dresses that were worn by immortal women.

They were all beautiful, although they were made of thin material and smooth silk, but we're too revealing compared to the dresses I had grown up wearing.

I moved my hands over the colorful fabric and my fingers tingled from the touch of soft clothing. 

The lose women who worked in brothels wore such designs in my homeland and if my father was aware that this was what they called normal dressing here, he would have fainted. 

My closet was huge and cold but it felt more welcoming than the larger room outside the door that held a bed big enough to fit my household. 

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair as my reality began to overwhelm me. 

What was going to become of me if I wasn't the right queen for a man who could not die? 

I was more concerned about disappointing Drayan than I was my own people and even though it disgusted me it was essential that I cared about my treatment towards him.

A being without empathy, without emotions, a being who had demanded to wed a child for god sake-what could I possibly do to please him?

A knock sounded against my door and I jerked from the sound. Startled, it took me a while to realize that I was supposed to allow the unknown to enter. 

"Come in," I called into the third knock. 

I could hear the door opening from where I sat in my closet. 

I peeked through the doorway of the closet to see who had entered. A maid servant was standing near my gigantic bed, holding a pile of material in her hands, staring around the room wide eyed. 

"In here," I called. 

I stood up quickly and smoothed my silk dress with my hand.

She walked into the room and peered at me through golden eyes. She was young, almost my age, and orange skinned. She had curly black hair that was longer than my own and her golden eyes were almost as striking as her beauty. 

I gaped at her like a fool. 

"Pardon me, my Lady," she bowed low but I was in too much shock to return the act, "I am here to prepare you for dinner."

It was her last sentence that shocked me. 

I blinked rapidly at her. 

"Pardon?"

She hesitated.

"I am here to-,"

I cut her off with a hand in the air, as dismissive as my mood, and shook my head. 

"I'm already prepared for dinner," I laughed. "What more do you want me to do?"

I was wearing shoes; my hair was in a lose braid and I was clothed- somehow- what else did I need on?

She ran her golden eyes from my head to my toes and couldn't even disguise her distaste in my 'dinner' attire. 

"Are you sure?"

I understood that it was unladylike but I shrugged. 

"Yes."

She hesitated and placed the material in her hand on a nearby puff chair behind my back. 

I turned with her and watched her move with narrowed eyes.

"Why?"

"Our Lord prefers dark colors."

Well, your Lord could kiss my royal ass. 

"And I prefer younger men," I grumbled. 

My eyes widened when the words left my lips. 

The silence in the room was murderous but it was loud enough to let me know that she had heard what I had just daringly said. I watched her back move, I watched her turn around, the fear in my heart was going to kill me before her Lord did.

Yet I was thankful.

Then I was confused when she began to laugh. 

It was a beautiful sight. 

Her head was titled backwards, her eyes were shut in utter glee. I had always thought that they were not capable of humor. Apparently, I was thinking wrong. 

"I'm sorry," I stuttered, "I didn't mean to say that."

But she couldn't hear me because she was laughing. Her eyes teared and she had to sit on the puff chair to allow herself to breathe. 

I stood by her, hands fidgeting, awaiting the verdict with a worried facial expression. 

"Forgive me," she finally said, "but I've never heard anybody mock him before."

I sighed in relief and when she smiled at me I was still in too much shock to return it. 

"It was a mistake."

"To be honest, he is an old man," she smiled, "but he is the youngest of all the immortal Kings. Which is possibly why he is the people's favorite."

I frowned. 

"Why?" I asked. "My people adore the older leaders. They are wiser and worry less about things plus they always know what to do."

"Our Lord is different from your people," she stood up, "and sometimes different from ours."

She pointed towards the clothes she lay down and I stared at them in disgust. 

"Wear them tonight because it is his first impression."

I would have told her his first impression was me fidgeting and biting my lip with my face open to the eyes of other men- everything they told me would be the worst first impression. 

I shook my head, "He has already seen me."

She shook her head, "This is his Manantra."

I frowned, "Ma-what?"

"Manantra," she smiled. "The first time he will spend time with you alone before you become his queen."

I suddenly didn't feel like being in his company any longer. The whole ordeal would be awkward because of how we met and because of how young I was in his eyes. 

I slumped down onto the carpet and tugged lightly at my hair. 

"Curse me," I grumbled. 

"No," she grabbed the clothing from the puff chair and held it in her arms. "No need to. When you wear this he will appreciate your effort."

It wasn't even my effort and where is the effort in putting dull colored clothing on for a man who hadn't even wanted you in the beginning of the day? 

I refused to roll my eyes at the situation, instead I stood up and nodded my head at the girl. 

She smiled at me and I began to worry less because at least I had somehow managed to befriend a servant. 

I wasn't that useless after all.