Chapter nine
The dining hall is bigger than my entire house. It has dark wooden floors are covered with a plush carpet.
The dress I’m wearing is even heavier and unwieldy than the one Auburn made for me.
Auburn. I can picture her excitement as she marvels at the castle’s grace. Her dark red curls springing about as she steps. I can picture James and Oliver breaking something, and then looking at me with their big brown eyes, so I can’t stay mad. I conjure an image of sweet little Elyse wondering how a place could be so big. I see Maddox wanting to explore the castle; to uncover its secrets.
I picture Alex’s rage as he discovers where all of our taxes have truly gone.
I shake my head and look back at the table. I don’t know what to do, so I stand until Prince Connor beckons me over.
“You can sit across from me, Celeste.” He smiles at me, but it looks pained.
I nod and sit down. I feel my palms becoming sweaty. Despite my instant dislike of the royalty and the castle servants; I am still nervous. On either side of me is women. One is older; one is younger.
“I’m Queen Anna Marie,” the older woman sticks out a hand. I shake it, glad I wiped my palms as I sat down. “You can call me Anna Marie though.”
“Okay,” I say, my voice quivering. “Ma’am.”
I look at the table; I study it. The wood is polished and pristine. The plates are made of an expensive looking ceramic, and lined with gold trim. The silverware is made of gold, too.
“How are you finding the castle, Celeste?” Prince Connor asks, adjusting his silverware.
“It’s…” filled with the screams of hungry children. “Exquisite.”
“Isn’t it?” the king huffs proudly.
I nod. The king is old. He has wrinkles around his eyes, and a long brown beard freckled with grey. I look at Anna Marie quickly; she’s aged, too. Her blonde hair is coming in grey, and there are crow’s feet around her welcoming green eyes.
As for Connor, I cannot get a good look at him. He’s in his early twenties, I assume. His eyes seem brown one minute, and black the next. He keeps staring at his plate. He seems scared, almost.
“Dinner is served.” A tall man says, standing in a doorway.
He approaches from the door. Ten men and women carry plates upon plates of food. How can there be so much food?
A young women sets a bowl of soup down in front of me.
“Thank you.” I tell her, she flinches at this.
“Did you just thank one of them?” the king gasps.
Uh-oh. “Yes…”
“They are servants,” the king laughs. “They are nobodies. Don’t thank them.”
I almost want to punch the king.
I take my spoon and try and remember how to hold it. My mother tried to teach me when I was younger, but I haven’t used a spoon since.
Once I get it so it looks right, I dip it in the soup. It’s thick and creamy. My mouth has never eaten such a soup. It takes me entire willpower to not shove it all in my mouth.
“You seem to enjoy it.” Prince Connor laughs, his eyes a light brown.
I nod. “You’ll have to excuse me; I’ve never had soup this good.”
“Oh, Celeste,” Anna Marie laughs. “The whole course is left; don’t fill up your stomach so soon.”
“I won’t,” I assure her. If this was only the beginning, I cannot wait for the meal. “Prince Connor, can- may I speak with you after dinner?”
Prince Connor looks panicked, almost. “I’m not-”
“What a lovely idea,” the king chuckles, sinking his spoon into the bowl. “I’m sure you could take Celeste to the garden. It’ll be too cold for her to view it in a few weeks.”
Connor nods.
Soon enough a servant takes my bowl, and sets down a delicious looking meat, a fluffy white substance, and what looks like bread, down in front of me.
I poke the white things. “What is this?’
“Mashed potatoes,” Connor tells me. “You’ve never had them?”
I shake my head.
Well, there’s first for everything.
YOU ARE READING
The Dark
Teen FictionIn the castle of Audenburg, Celeste is imprisoned. She is due to marry the prince, Connor, who has a dark side to him. Celeste must escape and find her family, before Connor kills them.There is more going on in the castle than Celeste could have i...
