Astoria had finally found the same room she was held captive in, the chair and chains were still there left untouched, but Queen Lilith was sitting on the black bed reading a book with her legs crossed.
"To what do I owe her majesty's presence?" Astoria asked kindly, bowing to the Queen respectfully.
"Come, sit," the Queen said, closing her book and patting a place on the bed, next to her. Astoria obeyed.
"I'm so sorry, you got dragged into this, dear" ('Yeah no kidding,' Astoria thought) " I never knew that my husband had planned anything like this if I had known I would have tried to stop him. But we will do our best to make you feel at home," she said kindly, Queen Lilith was kind and sweet, the complete opposite of her son, Rowan who was arrogant and mean.
"Thank you," Astoria said as kindly as possible, Astoria liked the Queen but she did not know if she could trust her, or anyone in Tartarus. Only time would tell. The Queen put a calming hand on Astoria's, as she did so, the wounds on her wrist healed completely,
'Skin healer,' Immediately crossed her mind, the Queen was a skin healer.
"Thank you," she said again, but for different reasons.
"You're welcome. Now come on let me take you to your room," she said standing up enthusiastically extending a hand for Astoria to hold, and she did. She felt like a child clinging to its mother for safety, but she didn't care, she felt oddly safe. Like there was not a thing that could hurt her when she was with her. Is this what a mother's love felt like? Warm and safe.
They walked through the dimly lit castle in silence, neither of them said a word as the Queen guided her through the castle,
"This will be your room for the time being," the Queen said, as she opened the black wooden door. The room was big, bigger than her room back in the white palace. The wide room was thoughtfully filled with wondrous furniture, a wide four-poster bed against the wall in the middle, a small sitting area in front of the fireplace that had a log fire already burning brightly as the wood crackled and flickered. A wall of windows overlooked the city, and to the far snowy mountains of the north, and the dark distant sea to the west. Navy blue curtains were strung neatly to each side of the windows.
"It's beautiful," she said in awe, running her hand through the silky curtains, as fresh sage filled her nostrils.
"Glad you like it, dear," the Queen smiled, her body leaning against the door frame, but still having her perfect royal figure, tall and elegant.
"You should get some sleep," The Queen advised. "You must be very tired."
Honestly, she wasn't, but out of politeness, she did not say anything.
"And all your clothes are in your closet," she said pointing to a mini hallway just beside a door, which she assumed was the bathroom.
"Thank you, your majesty," Astoria said bowing to her, even though she did not like Tartarus or the fact that she had been kidnapped and was in her kidnapper's house, she still respected people who treated her with kindness.
"Please, call me Lilith," the Queen requested and Astoria nodded.
"Good night," said Lilith, walking away and closing the door behind her, leaving Astoria alone in the big and unfamiliar room.
She tossed and turned throughout the night, unable to sleep in the foreign bed, but once she finally fell asleep, she was up before the crack of dawn. Astoria was used to getting up early, with protocol in the morning, she did not have much time to train at all. It was like an automatic alarm set into her brain, unable to have a good night's rest, she did the one thing she could think of. Train.
YOU ARE READING
Forbidden
Fantasy"Aww, pretty prince can't stand a little cut," she cooed, making a pouty face. She knew she wasn't going to slit his throat, but he did not know that, and he did not need to know that. ---- Astoria, the forgotten princess, always overshadowed by her...
