A Throne of Death & Dreams

Chapter 5

For what felt like ages, I had been unable to sleep through the night without being plagued by night terrors. But last night, my dreams were different. A man appeared in them, tall and dark with a hint of danger in his eyes. His wavy black hair fell just below his perfectly chiseled jawline, complementing the sharp angles of his face. Black feathered wings were tucked behind him, adding to his otherworldly presence.

He stood before me with a hand casually resting in his pocket, dressed in a way that seemed both modern and ancient. As sinful thoughts of him filled my mind, I couldn't help but wonder if he truly existed or if he was simply a figment of my imagination.

But my thoughts were interrupted by the cheerful voice of my friend Eden at my door. "Come on Iris, it's time to get up! It's the day of the ball," she exclaimed with contagious excitement. I smiled weakly at her, knowing better than to let her into my room when I was not properly dressed.

As I rose from my bed, I wrapped myself in a luxurious gray satin robe that flowed down to the ground. I quickly pulled my unruly hair into a bun and made my way into the dressing room where Eden awaited me with an even bigger smile on her face.

"Something exciting is bound to happen at tonight's ball," she said, practically jumping with joy. And for a moment, I allowed myself to forget about the strange man in my dreams and focus on the anticipation of what the night would bring.

The mere mention of it by Violet the day before had piqued my curiosity. And this morning, as she mentioned it again, I sensed something extravagant was in store for us. For Violet, nothing was too grand or too outlandish - she reveled in planning fireworks shows, bird shows, and any other unique experience we hadn't yet tried. Perhaps that's what she was talking about.

"We need to get you dressed," she replied with a sense of urgency in her tone. "The king is coming."

I had completely forgotten that we were giving a tour to Violet's brothers today. With a sigh, I let Eden, my handmaiden, dress me in a simple grey gown and curl my hair, leaving it cascading down my back. She placed my original silver crown on top of my head, adding the finishing touch to my appearance just as Violet walked into the room.

Our eyes met in the mirror and she announced, "They're here. Waiting in the crown room."

As we made our way towards the crown room, I couldn't help but take note of the familiar scent filling the air - lemons and fresh pine. It was an odd choice, especially with the ball happening tonight. I wondered who had chosen it for the castle.

The door to the crown room opened to reveal a magnificent golden chamber adorned with intricate golden accents and beautiful flooring. This was our designated reception room for guests to wait while I made my grand entrance.

"I'm ready when you two are," I said nervously as we descended the stairs towards our visitors.

But even as I spoke those words, a sense of unease settled over me. The smell of lemons and pine wasn't right - something was off. But I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on putting on a confident front for our important guests. After all, as queen, it was my duty to uphold appearances and make a good impression. Little did I know, this would be the start of a series of unexpected events that would change everything for us.

I turned to Eden, wrinkling my nose at the odd combination of lemon and pine scent that permeated the air. She seemed just as puzzled as I was, but before either of us could voice our confusion, we stepped into the grand crown room. Three imposing figures stood in the center, towering over us with their dark feathers and wings spread wide on either side. It was clear they wanted to make an impression.