Whispers of Desires: A Sense of Duty {Book 1}

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 8: 𝕮𝖚𝖑𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖆𝖑 𝕮𝖑𝖆𝖘𝖍: 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕶𝖎𝖓𝖌'𝖘 𝕯𝖎𝖘𝖕𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖚𝖗𝖊

The guards announced her, and she entered the dining hall, taking in the grandiose setting. The long table was covered with the finest silverware and china, the candles flickering warmly against the dark wood paneling. King Kiyoshi stood at the head of the table, dressed in formal attire that emphasized his regal bearing.

King Kiyoshi immediately strode over to her and hugged her." There you are, my darling," he said warmly. Nia's cheeks became warm, reminded again that this was all an act.

"Come, meet my family," King Kiyoshi said, leading her over to the long table. Nia smiled nervously as she was introduced to his sister, Princess Serena, an elegant woman with jet-black hair and piercing brown eyes. "And this," Kiyoshi continued, gesturing to a handsome young man with his wife at his side, "is my brother, Prince Daemon, and his wife, Lady Elspeth."

Prince Daemon had jet black hair and was pale and had brown eyes. His wife was the complete opposite of him-though she had pale skin, she had blond hair and blueish-gray eyes. Prince Daemon was wearing regal red attire whilst his wife was wearing a beautiful light blue gown.

"A pleasure to meet you all," Nia managed, dipping into a graceful curtsy. Her pulse raced as she took her seat beside King Kiyoshi. She could feel the tension in the room. The vampires seemed wary of her, and she could not help but wonder what they knew about her true identity.

As servants brought dish after dish of strange vampire delicacies, Princess Serena, seated to Nia's right, made conversation, trying to put her at ease. She spoke of the beauty of the palace gardens, the intricacies of vampire court etiquette, and the history of their kingdom. Nia found herself drawn to Serena's warmth and charm, and felt a sense of camaraderie growing between them. But Prince Daemon and Lady Elspeth eyed her warily from across the table, exchanging occasional whispers and disapproving glances.

"Tell me, are the standards for queenship quite low in your homeland?" Lady Elspeth asked snidely. "You seem rather young and inexperienced for such a role."

Nia took a deep breath, willing herself to remain poised. "I may lack the experience of other queens, Lady Elspeth, but I am eager to learn from those around me," she replied, keeping her tone respectful.

Prince Daemon gave a derisive laugh. "My brother chose you for one reason alone. No need to pretend you have anything of value to offer besides your womb." Nia felt a flash of anger at his crass words, but she maintained her composure.

Before she could respond, King Kiyoshi slammed his fist on the table. "Enough!" he thundered. "You will show respect to your queen or remove yourself from my presence at once."

Nia placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Please, it's alright-"

But King Kiyoshi cut her off. "No, it is not alright." He stood abruptly, grabbing Nia's hand and pulling her to her feet. "We shall retire" - he nodded to the guards who had already taken their positions by the doors - "and discuss matters more... privately."

Once they had left the dining hall, Princess Serena turned on her brother and sister-in-law. "How dare you speak to our new queen with such blatant disrespect, Daemon? You forget your place!" she snapped. "Queen Nia may not be one of us, but she is Kiyoshi's chosen, and she has our duty and protection. You will apologize at once!"

Prince Daemon rolled his eyes. "Oh please, spare me the lecture, sister."

Princess Serena's eyes flashed dangerously. "No, you need to hear this. That young woman has shown tremendous courage in coming here, and you have done nothing but tear her down." She stood tall, glaring at them both. "If I ever hear you insult Queen Nia again, you will regret it."

With that, she stormed from the room, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake. As King Kiyoshi pulled Nia down the hallways, Nia asked "Your majesty, have I done something wrong?" but was only met with silence. Once they arrived at their chambers, he slammed the door shut.