Liar

Dress

Iris

I all but collapse down on the bed. It's just as soft as the one I had back home, maybe even softer, but under no circumstances would I call it comfortable. In order to be comfortable, it would have to be at least two cities away from this godforsaken country.

And it's king, the voice in my head reminds me.

Instead, his room is right across from mine, his presence haunting me even though I slammed the door shut about five minutes ago.

I shudder as I realize I forgot to lock it.

Such a magnificent palace, and the future-queen has to lock doors herself, the voice says dryly.

I should be more rattled by the way the Samos family greeted me, but I can't bring myself to give two shits about the drama at the Nortan court right now.

Maybe tomorrow, I decide as my eyelids start growing heavy. The edges of my vision blur and I bury my face into the nearest pillow I can reach, giving in to my tiredness.

I sleep restlessly, dreamlessly, and apparently very lightly. The faint sound of the door opening wakes me, though I'm too lazy to get up and greet a servant, however nice they might turn out to be, after all the infuriating, bloodsucking nobles.

"Mind being quieter next time?" I mumble, my words muffled by the pillow. A headache is already starting to creep up. I have a feeling I'll be extremely cranky tomorrow.

"In my own palace? I'm afraid I do."

In my own...? Fuck.

I jolt up to a sitting position, eyes wide at the sight of Maven sitting in front of me. A moment later, black spots cloud my vision as I realize I sat up too quickly. Silently, I curse myself for dozing off. For not locking the door before I dozed off.

When my vision clears, I truly look at him.

Gone is the cape he wore in the morning, as is the crown of flames he's so insistent on wearing. Instead, he wears a simple black button down shirt, folded at the cuffs, baring his forearms. His hair is tousled, as though he's been running his hands through it all day. He looks completely at ease, something I can't say about myself. In the warm glow of the bedside lamp, the coldness of his eyes seems to soften, if only slightly.

And a corner of his mouth curves upwards in amusement.

Though I hate to admit it, even to myself, the action makes him look even prettier than he usually does.

It only fuels my annoyance.

My jaw clenches. "What are you doing here, Maven?" I demand. It brings me a little satisfaction to see him start when I say his name. "Don't you have a kingdom to run?" I sit up straighter, holding my head high.

He recovers neatly, smirking at my defiant glare. "I think it can take my absence for fifteen minutes."

"Amusing," I deadpan.

He sighs, giving me a withering look, before his features settle into a more serious expression. "We're going on a royal visit tomorrow."

"We... as in?"

"You and me," he says plainly, though I see traces of humor in his eyes.

Just as I feared.

"How wonderful."

I have nothing against royal visits. Knowing what the people in your country are going through is what helps you become a just ruler. I always asked my father if I could tag along whenever he and Mother used to go on one. But now, I can't imagine myself in their position. Especially not with Maven.

He tilts his head, looking at me as if I'm a puzzle he's trying to figure out.

"What?"

"Nothing." The tiny smile on his face doesn't falter. "You know, most people would be a little happy if they were so close to being a queen."

"Trust me, it's not the 'queen' part I'm worried about," I say, darkly.

"And here I thought we were on the same team." He gives me a look of mock-disapproval, before getting up to leave. He pauses while opening the door, and looks back at me. "By the way... your dress will be here in a few minutes."

And with that, the King of Norta is gone.

Sure enough, the dress arrives in five minutes, perched on a mannequin, covered with a simple white cloth. The Red woman who brought it looks relieved to finally have delivered it.

"Can I see it?" In the Lakelands, it's considered bad luck to look at a new dress if you don't plan on wearing it the same day.

"Yes, Your Highness." She bows, and bows deep. I give her a nod, feeling a little self conscious at the obeisance.

My gaze then shifts to the dress. It must be floor-length, because the white covering is longer. Slowly, carefully, I pull it off.

Gods.

A gasp escapes me. The dress...

It's beautiful.

Disgustingly beautiful.

I can't help but run my fingers over it, admiring the craftsmanship, the artistry woven into every seam and stitch. The azure winks at me, deep as the ocean. The fabric drapes elegantly, cascading like tidal waves. But the hem is what catches my eye. There, swirling and dancing along the edges, are intricate patterns of flame. I would have thought that blue and red wouldn't go well together, that they'd clash horribly, but they don't. The piece of work in front of me makes the two colors seem like they were always meant to be together.

My delight must be showing, because the woman erupts into jubilant chattering. "The King had it custom-made. Said he wanted a flames-and-waves kinda design."

Waves and flames. 

Blue and red.

The Lakelands and Norta.

House Cygnet and Calore.

Me and...

"I think that's enough for today," I dismiss the Red woman, perhaps a little too harshly.