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

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 15: 𝕮𝖑𝖆𝖘𝖍 𝖔𝖋 𝕮𝖚𝖑𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊𝖘

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.

"What have I done to displease you, Your Majesty?" asked Nia timidly, her heart hammering in her chest. The king continued to pace back and forth across the chamber, his expression a mixture of anger and frustration.

"What's wrong with you?" he snapped. "As my queen, grow some backbone and stand up for yourself!"

" I am sorry, but I do not understand what I have done to upset you," said Nia softly, tears welling in her eyes.

"You are always apologizing!" Kiyoshi shouted. "You let them walk all over you, and for what? Because you are a guest in their home? This is not how a queen acts!" He stopped in front of her, his eyes blazing. "You are my queen, Nia. My partner. My equal. I chose you because I saw the fire in you, the determination. But you have been playing the part of a helpless little thing since I met you, and I am sick of it!"

"I-I-" Nia stammered, tears streaming down her face. She felt as if she could not catch her breath. With a frustrated sigh, he stormed out of the room, leaving her alone to wipe away her tears.

She sat there for a long time, trying to process what the king had said. It was true, she was the oldest and had a duty to set an example for her younger siblings. But somehow, she had always felt that being the queen meant being subservient, taking care of everyone else's feelings. She had not realized that she was expected to stand up for herself as well.

As she sat there, lost in thought, she could not help but wonder how much of her behavior was shaped by her upbringing. Her mother had died when she was young, and she had helped her father raise her younger siblings. It was her duty to be strong, to be the one who could be counted on.

Nia sat at the vanity brushing her afro, lost in thought. The king's harsh words kept replaying in her mind. She glanced over at Kiyoshi as he silently prepared for bed, his broad shoulders heaving with each deep breath. She could not help but feel a pang of guilt for upsetting him.

The awkward tension hung thick in the air between them. Nia finished brushing her hair and slipped into bed, staying close to the edge of the bed. Kiyoshi joined her a few moments later, keeping a careful distance.

They lay there stiffly side by side, the weight of their earlier argument hanging heavily in the air. Nia wanted nothing more than to apologize, to make things right between them. She could not help but feel as if she had let the king down somehow.

Kiyoshi blew out the candle on his bedside table, casting the room into darkness. Nia could feel the warmth of his body through their shared bedding, but there was an unspoken barrier between them that seemed to grow with every passing moment. Neither spoke a word, but the silence screamed louder than any argument could. Their wounded pride and frustration formed an impenetrable wall.

𝕬𝖘 𝕹𝖎𝖆 𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖞 𝖉𝖗𝖎𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖔𝖋𝖋 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖑𝖊𝖊𝖕, 𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖉𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒𝖘 𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖍𝖆𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖇𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌'𝖘 𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖘𝖍 𝖜𝖔𝖗𝖉𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖒𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖞 𝖔𝖋 𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖜𝖓 𝖋𝖆𝖎𝖑𝖚𝖗𝖊𝖘.