Unexpected

Chapter Four

A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short...*hides behind tree*. ATTENTION KAIDER FANS! Don't worry, Casper here isn't gonna do any harm to Kaider-I think.

CINDER

"Oh, Your Highness! Such a pleasure to meet you." The woman said, eyeing Cinder as she spoke. "I am Rosaline Thompson. I was at your briefing last week? At Artemisia's courts?"

Cinder scanned the ID of the Lunar woman from her retinal records. Rosaline Thompson, age twenty-two, Lunar, attended Artemisia's courts, was seen with Levana multiple times, certainly rich..."Yes," she said, snapping back to the woman. "Of course. Honored to meet you too."

Rosaline cocked her head curiously. "How are your conferences going, Your Majesty? Are you fitting well into the throne?"

"Well enough," Cinder replied. She was careful not to be too open with this woman, this woman who had been around Levana long enough to be snobby.

Rosaline's gaze flashed past Cinder's shoulder and she rose her eyebrows. "Isn't it Casper Laramort. Well, Casper, nice to see you here as well," the woman inclined her head, dark ringlets falling past her shoulders. Cinder glanced back as well. Casper's light blue eyes were fixed on Rosaline, and Cinder saw a hint of a scowl on his chiseled face.

Casper took Rosaline's hand and pressed his lips softly to her skin, and Cinder turned back just in time to catch the shimmer of delight pass Rosaline's brown eyes.

"I suppose you are showing Her Majesty the formalities?" Rosaline inquired, smiling pleasantly at them both. Cinder sniffed, immediately disliking this woman. Cinder flexed her metal fingers, itching to leave. Rosaline's eyes snapped to Cinder's cyborg hand and Rosaline's calm mask cracked for a second just to reveal her disgust.

Cinder curled her fingers into her palm, staring steadily at Rosaline. Casper noticed the tension uprising between them and folded his gloved hands behind his back.

"Rosaline, we really must get going now. And yes, I am. Her Majesty is not too used to this." Casper interrupted.

"Well I do hope you have fun," Rosaline murmured, an edge to her voice as she regarded her queen. "I don't suppose she'll be a proper queen like Levana." those last words were muttered under her breath and Rosaline sauntered away, her velvet gown trailing after her. Casper's attention switched back to Cinder.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?"

"The royal families of Artemisia still don't like me, do they?" Cinder asked, watching Rosaline milling around other guests. She obviously heard Rosaline's quip.

"No," Casper admitted. "But that's just one person. Come on, I'll introduce you to some nicer people."

Cinder frowned for half a second at the floor. This may just be harder than she'd thought. Sure, she hadn't expected everyone to accept her as the new queen, but...she'd at least hoped they'd be open-minded. Casper strolled casually towards the food, and a servant appeared out of nowhere to hand them pristine white plates.

"Your Majesty," One servant whispered, bowing low and almost kneeling as Cinder hesitantly took the plate outstretched from him.

"Um, thank you." Cinder said, watching the servant scurry away.

Two middle-aged men in pressed suits stood conversing quietly near an enormous array of meat. Cinder's stomach growled at the sight of the mouth-watering delicacies. Casper plucked two slender wine glasses from a passing servant and turned to Cinder, a small smirk engraved on his lips. Cinder curled her human fingers around the glass, not trusting her cyborg hand with the delicate mold.