"There you are."
"Here I am."
I've been here for two weeks now, and Vylad and I have only had a handful of conversations. I can now begin to count on my other hand our number of interactions.
"You've had a search party looking for you," he says, closing the library door and walking towards me. It's dimly lit inside, but there's enough light to comfortably be able to read every word on each page.
"My goodness," I panic, standing from the chair and placing the book on the table beside it. "I didn't mean to make anyone worry. I must've been in here longer than I thought. There's no clock in here."
He nods his head and holds his arm out for me to grab onto. Guests have been arriving constantly within the past few days. By late evening last night, the final far distance family arrived. I've been nervous ever since, so I've been trying to find other means to distract myself from my nerves.
"I wouldn't panic. It was a rather secret search party consisting of your ladies. I stumbled across their conversation and insisted they return and finish preparing for when I brought you back. I assumed you'd be in here. The others are still getting ready."
Relief washed over me from his news. While it doesn't make the nerves disappear completely, a great deal has begun to numb. I don't want to start today off wrong and have this be the appearance of my future.
I reach for his arm as an escort. It's unnecessary, but it's the thought that counts. I glance back at the book before taking one last look around the room.
"We should invest in a clock."
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°
We decided on something blue. Zianna said Garroth took a liking to it, and he looked rather fetching in the color, but I enjoyed the fabric hue too much to pass by. I wasn't influenced by his tastes or interests but rather my own.
I can feel the back of my dress being adjusted. It isn't a tightening of my bodice but rather a fluffing of my skirt. The top is a corset like structure, tied tightly in the back for support. My dress has thin straps. The rest is made out of layers of the light blue tulle, falling all around. My bodice is covered in white floral lace, gems sewn alongside as it cascades down parts of my dress like vines of flowers. My shoes find it hard to peek through the fabric.
My ladies have pinned my hair back in a rather mystical style. Curls fall down my back while some are pinned on the back of my head, contributing to the cascading curls.
I've rarely been gawked at while I stand present, but my ladies surprise me as they give me various compliments regarding my attire. I feel bashful and unsure what to say. This happens until there's a knock at my door. It opens, slowly.
Garroth walks in, wearing both black but hints of the blue I'm adorning. He holds a box in his hand, walking towards me and my vanity.
"I see we've picked out the best jewels for tonight."
He places the box down on the wooden surface and motions for me to open it. My fingers flick open the clasp to reveal a three piece set.
"Oh, I couldn't," I gasp, placing my hand against my chest. "Would it be too much? It's already too much. You shouldn't have."
He laughs, reaching inside the velvety box for an earring. Garroth is delicate when he hangs it on my ear, repeating this on the other ear.
"Nonsense. You'll look silly being the only one without any," he says. I can feel his breath against my ear as he lays the necklace against my neck, the coldness touching my collarbone. "Besides, you'll be the one O'Khasis turns to. It's hard to find a set that can compare to your beauty."
He's placing the jewels on me himself while I stand here like a fool. A blushing fool who finds interests in his charm.
Garroth wasn't lying when he said the jewels matched my attire. Because he was unaware of what my dress would look like, I can tell Zianna helped him choose the set. It's made of silver and diamonds. The diamonds rest like vines of flowers and leaves. The crown resembles the necklace very much, but it isn't as dainty.
"I don't know what to say," I admit, speechless.
"You don't have to say anything," he tells me. reaching towards the crown. "This is only the beginning."
I look up at him in astonishment. We've seen each other everyday for two weeks now, and he somehow knows exactly what to say and when to say it. He knows how to be a king.
