A Throne of Death & Dreams

Chapter 6

The anticipation had been building, and I could hear the distant rumble of people making their way through the entryway of the castle and into the grand ballroom.

Edan and Luna had taken great care to dress me for the occasion. I wore a stunning black corset dress that hugged my figure and lifted my breasts, held in place by delicate shoulder straps. A black crown adorned with a small ruby sat atop my head, and a necklace made of shimmering rubies in varying shades of black and red completed the outfit. As I looked at myself in the mirror, a smirk tugged at my lips. Perhaps Luna was right; maybe I should start dressing in brighter colors to reflect a more joyous mood.

I made my way down the hall towards the closed ballroom doors, able to hear my sisters' names being announced as they arrived while knowing that I would not be presented until 7 o'clock. Glancing at my pocket watch, I saw that it was currently 6:59. Taking a deep breath, I stood behind the closed doors with only Edan and Luna by my side as Violet had already taken her place in the ballroom.

At last, it was time. With a nod of my head, the men stationed by the doors swung them open with a flourish, introducing me with loud fanfare as "the Queen of Endeavour - Iris." My chin lifted proudly as I strode through the ballroom, flanked by my sisters who were lined up evenly beside me. All around us, I could feel eyes upon me - some admiring, others envious or perhaps even malicious. I hoped that those who gazed upon me were looking at my face, although with the daring cut of my dress exposing more of my cleavage than I was comfortable with, I couldn't help but wonder if they were only fixated on my exposed skin. Luna had insisted on showing off my curves, but it seemed she had gone a bit too far.

With a regal stride, I made my way down the long hall towards the giant throne at the end. My subjects all bowed in respect as I passed by, their eyes following me with reverence. Reaching the throne, I turned to face my people, not yet taking a seat. To my left and right were my sisters, each sitting upon their own thrones.

"I would like to extend a warm welcome to our honored guests," I announced in a confident voice. "It is not often that we have visitors from other kingdoms, so please make our guests, the King of Terrors, feel welcomed."

The room erupted in applause and everyone bowed towards the intimidating figure standing before my throne. He stood on the ground below, surrounded by the beautiful marble tile that adorned the palace. I couldn't help but feel drawn to him, my eyes unable to look away. It was unlike me to be so captivated by a man; in fact, it had been over 1a few hundred years since I had even taken an interest in one. Of course, I had always had men vying for my attention and lusting after me, but none had ever caught my eye like this guest from another kingdom.

With a deep, husky voice that echoed through the room, he spoke his gratitude to the Empire of Endeavour for the invite. His words were met with cheers and applause from the welcoming crowd. I caught a glimpse of a sly smile on his face as he turned to look at me.

Before I could even think about sitting down for the rest of the ball, he locked eyes with me and asked, "Can I have the honor of the first dance, Queen Iris?"

I was caught off guard and before I could respond, Celeste stepped in. With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she said, "Of course you can, King Theo. Our sister would be delighted to accept your invitation." Her words were emphasized with a dramatic drawl on the letter 't' and a subtle wink in my direction.

I knew Celeste had taken control because she saw how intently this man was looking at me. It was like he couldn't take his eyes off of me, like I was some sort of delectable treat.

But despite my mind telling me otherwise, I couldn't help but watch him as well. Every movement he made was graceful yet powerful, his muscles rippling with each step. Oh how I longed to feel his strong arms around me, his skin against mine, his lips pressed against mine... My thoughts trailed off as I quickly blushed, embarrassed by my own fleeting desires.