Algernon Black

(Chapter 86) Murder for Glory

Jared took one look at the lavish exterior of the castle of Lorencia and sighed.

"Care to tell me what has you so bothered?" Devane asked, though it was barely even audible the advisor missed nothing.

"Castles," Jared said, "They can be kind of a hit or miss thing for me."

Devane eyed the young man sideways. "Well I haven't met a castle I don't like." He replied, taking in the grandiose exterior of veinless grey and white marble that checkered the floor leading up to the semi-dome entrance of tampered gold. Behind the entrance stood the notorious four onion-shaped dome pillars where a monument was erected to each of the gods. The only thing sullying the view was the monarchs at the steps to greet them. "Or a king I do."

Jared lifted his brows in agreement as they finally came within talking distance to Lorencia's current ruling family of Zars.

"Welcome," Zar Druard, the head of his family, announced in a voice resonating with power, "Honored guests of Etilia." He bowed to Devane and Jared where they could see his pure white hair peppering at the roots with dark grey.

"Thank you for having us," Devane replied, bowing his head respectively. Jared mimicked the same but didn't speak for fear they might correctly assume he was from Emora, or worse, Attwood.

"And my wife, Zuzar Ovania," The beautiful queen curtsied her pure white dress with exposed gold boning. Her hair was also the pure white of her husband, and Devane knew, like was Lorencia's custom of marriage, her lineage was of immediate familial relation to her husband.

"Allow me to introduce my children." The Zar spoke as his three young offspring stepped forward. "My son, Si'Zar Amais." The prince, who was around the same age as Loy, but much younger looking, bowed to the two men. Devane nodded back. Unlike Loy, the Si'Zar must have been kept out of any kind of physical activity because his thin and tall frame was as pale white as his hair held back by a bejeweled headband that served as an intermediate crown until the time came to take his fathers. Though Amais held himself well enough with a gracious smile that sat well on a still feminine face.

"My eldest daughter Sol'Zar Lorissa." The next of the king's lineage stepped forward. Like her older brother, she had the same girly features of a small nose and almond-shaped eyes. And by the way, she held herself and styled the pearl pins in her hair, Devane could already tell she spent a lot of time appearing as the perfect princess. He nodded back at her perfect curtsy. "And my youngest daughter, Sol'Zar Omry."

The king made his last introduction like he was proudest of his final child, and by appearance alone, Devane could see why. The youngest princess was far more beautiful than her sister or brother. Even with relatively the same features, hers were perfectly placed onto flawless pale white skin and framed by pure white hair that naturally fluffed in gorgeous long waves down to her small waist. Even the brown of Omry's eyes was more red than brown and stood out as another testimony to her near-impossible beauty.

Devane nodded to her as well, even though she had made no attempt to bow or form any sort of greeting. Jared stared at the youngest a bit longer, as most men and women did upon meeting the princess for the first time. When Devane took a look back at the other siblings, Lorissa didn't seem at all entertained by her sister's presence, while her brother looked like he was as proud as his father for having such a beautiful sister.

The only one who seemed to have no obvious opinion on the girl's beauty was Omry herself, who dryly eyed everything with overt apathy.

"The gods really blessed me with such outstanding children." Zar Druard boosted, placing a hand on his son's shoulder and looking at his youngest. It didn't go lost on the middle child, who looked at her sister scornfully before Lorissa regained control of the emotion her face portrayed. The youngest tried to ignore the look of her sister, but Jared noticed a slight drop in Omry's shoulders, the only sign of life the girl had shown thus far.