I got up from the cold floor, the presence of something missing. The man. His visit felt like a fever dream, a hallucination. But the touch of him against my body was missing. I could still feel his steady, calloused hands stroking his lower back, my hands running through his loose, platinum hair. No. Andri was my fiance, no matter if I didn't love him. I still loved him though, didn't I? I thought of his rough blows to my body, leaving bruises deep enough to last weeks, instead of the man's gentle, consistent caresses- I needed to stop thinking about him. I was over it. I walked to the bath, already drawn by Willa. It held warm water and yarrow extract, by the scent of it, for calming. I sighed. Willa always knew what was right. I sat in the water, it's embrace like the feeling of the man's smooth teeth against my tongue. I rolled out my knotted muscles with grey agate, so deeply grey like his eyes. I looked at my hair floating in the water, a tone or two lighter than his. My gaze fixed on a bundle of blossom in a crystal vase, the dimmed pink so close to his delightful lips. I shook my head once again. I just couldn't stop thinking about him. I stepped out of the tub, on to the frigid marble tiles.
"Willa, I'm ready," I called, knowing she was waiting just in my wardrobe, picking out my dress. I heard her nimble feet scurry across the floorboards to the door.
"Coming, Miss Viviane. Oh! I just have the most wonderful news. You've been invited to have brunch with the High Lord of the Winter this morning! The High Lord!" Willa squealed, her cheeks flushing a deep pink. She held a purple dress in her long arms. "We'll get you dried off and then you'll look like a queen! I also chose the perfect set of jewels to match the gown!" I smiled at her infectious happiness as she scrunched my damp hair into a soft, white towel. She dragged me in front of the mirror and shook out the bunched up dress. It was Burmese lily root silk, light and sleek. The color of mulberries, the bodice was form fitted and clung to my body. A deep vee neckline dropped down to the intricate gold-threaded waistband, leading to a flared, paneled skirt. Willa handed me a pair of gold and aquino amethyst earrings, and a matching necklace, slightly resembling a crown. She gave me no time to admire the stunning gown, and immediately started on my hair. Unknotting my towel, my hair bounced down in an untamed mess. But in no time, she had perfected an elegant braided knot at the base of head. Amethyst pins held it in place, shining in the morning light. A long lock of hair, curled, framed the side of my face, brushing my exposed collarbone. Willa had also applied a light pink glossy rouge to my lips and a creamy, ever so slightly shimmering blush. As I looked at Willa's magnificent work in the mirror, she ran over with a pair of heels.
"We must hurry, Miss Viviane, you are expected at his personal quarters in ten minutes, and the escort arrives in five!" Willa practically threw the heels at me, rushing to open the door at the same time. "Miss Viviane will be ready in a second," she demurely said, composure regained. I pulled on the black kitten heels and gracefully floated towards the door. The escort, a guard, looked at Willa.
"She will arrive back in an hour, at noon." She nodded, and opened the door. I took the guard's arm, and he started to lead me to the High Lord's quarters.
YOU ARE READING
One Warm Winter
FanficOne glance. One blink. One unbreakable bond. It's perfect, isn't it? Viviane and Kallias have never seen each other. But now, each other is all that matters. They follow each other through a twisted path of joy, misery, and understanding, to the goa...
