15. breakfast with dragons

The next day several maids helped me put on a western dress which showed more skin on shoulders and arms. considering how it was warmer than my home town it wasn't a strange thing at all. It was yellow in colour. Something Scarlet usually wouldn't even bat an eye at-she always wears darker shade of colours- however she knew her position as a guest or a hostage with little to nothing to say.

In contrary to what she had thought the light yellow dress styled with pears all around her shoulders suited her in its own new way. It was as if she had seen a new side of herself, a side which could wear designs and colours that were more suited for her age and not simply what suited a queen, a side of her which could still be a young girl.

It was extremely weird how she felt both relieved and terrified of not being a queen and having nothing to your name.

After 5 years of being the ruler of a country, without her status now she was just a 20 year old girl and an unstable mother.

Scarlet was now facing an identity crises a long with having to face her so called allay.

'Trust no one but yourself, nothing good ever comes with getting close to others. no one will ever help you for the sake of gods.'

The dining hall was decorated in a cozy way which wasn't common for royalty at all, however it didn't seem lonely and cold like her palace, but warm and full of positive family vibes that made her sick in her stomach.

unlike her expectations the king wasn't alone. Next to him sat an old couple and a young girl with same features as the king.

Even the sitting arrangements were very different, instead of a long and rectangle wooden table and chairs which usually the king and queen would sit on the both ends, it was a round marble table with cushioned sits that looked very comfortable to sit on.

The old lady was holding Daniel with one arm while playfully feeding him.

She had the loving gaze of a mother or grandmother.

'Had Daniel every been looked at with so much love...?'

I formally greet them and take my sit. My sit was next to the former king and the young girl who I assumed to be his sister and right in front of Theodore.

There were occasions which I had met the former king and we even helped each other in tough times. Had we spent more time together I could've seen him as a good comrade.

The woman who I also assume to be the former queen seemed to be very considerate, she was even worried if she had upset me by holding Daniel without my permission.

As I made eye contact with the little creature in her arms I felt rage consuming every bit of my will to look presentable, therefor I had no other choice but to look away from him and allow the queen to do as she pleases, not that I cared anyway.

The princess with short brown hair and golden eyes didn't seem to be much trouble. I could tell she didn't like me much and was even angry with a judgmental look on her face. I had seen plenty of those before even from servants who were terrified of me.

"Why doesn't the queen feed her childe? does she want him to starve to death?"

" Even if they call her the goddess of war and death she shouldn't be so cruel to her own kin."

"what kind of mother would refuse to hold their new born?"

However I liked the pride she carried herself in, I could tell from her loose and comfortable to move in pants and her handmade looking armour like top that she was at the very least fond of training or fighting in away.

I had been thought from the very young age that showing such hostility and variety of emotions will harm you more than anything, always keep a straight face or a polite smile, no matter how absurd the other party's words are.

However unlike me...the princess whose name was Madeline didn't seem to be concerned by such matters at all.

I remember the first thought I had upon getting to observe her more was:

'She is not fit to rule... an army...? maybe. but never a kingdom.'

She seemed to be quite frank and hot headed.

I was in a good mood since those were the easiest people to deal with.

The real problem was the current king.

He knew well how to hide his emotions behind a smile as well, only difference between us was that he usually wore a smile.

He didn't seem to be shocked by how friendly his father was with me. Maybe because that's just his personality?

The peaceful breakfast i had felt like a dream. A dream so nice that Scarlet thought it was sinful for a monster like her to have.

Unlike her expectations there were no talk of how she fled here or why, as if no one cared how the queen of their enemy was having breakfast with them without notice!

The reason to which didn't take long for me to find out.

Madeline slammed her palms against the table as she suddenly stood up which made a funny sound instead of attracting our attention because of its seriousness.

I heard a faint chuckle which I knew well whom it was coming from... For a second I felt bad for Madeline since she held her head down to not show her blushing face.

'Is this why they used this kind of material for their table?'

Had I not been educated for years I would have laughed out too, but her next words made the slightest good mood in me to disappear completely.

Madeline shouted still holding her head between her arms.

"Theo I can't let you marry this woman!"

Everyone went silent...

'....say what now?'