The Legend of the Dragon Princess

Tenth Part

 Lyretta and Maid Mia went around to many places in the palace, but the palace was so huge they did not get to see it all before they had to return for dinner.

Lyretta did not find her aunt but simply though she had missed her. Now she was looking forward to dinner where her aunt would certainly be, and so would her half-sister.

Lyretta hurried back to the palace dining room, maid Mia showing her the way.

"My Lady, may I straighten out your hair and clothes?" Mia was very hesitant about asking the miss for such a permission, but she had genuinely grown to like the miss and did not want her to see the King with a disheveled appearance.

Lyretta looked down at herself and then looked back at Mia. She smiled a little embarrassed and nodded. She had been running around so much that some strands of hair had fallen loose, and her dress had become a little skewed.

Once Lyretta arrived at the dining room she breathed in deeply, put on a gentle smile on her face, and enter the dining area.

Immediately upon seeing her King Roin was left speechless. He was very used to looking at beautiful women, it was a working hazard, even his own daughter was a beauty beyond compare; however, this other daughter of his, well, he could not even put into words just how beautiful he was.

King Roin walked toward Lyretta to welcome her, his chest slightly more puffed out then usual as he felt proud of himself for fathering two such beautiful ladies.

"Welcome Lady Lyretta. Thank you for joining me tonight."

Lyretta smiled a little more brightly and took a deep bow, once more following the rules of the palace. King Roin then raised a hand out to her so he could escort her to her seat. Lyretta placed her hand in his and began to walk back with him.

At that moment Princess Esmeralda arrived. She looked on as her father took the hand of the bastard and her blood boiled.

"What are you doing Royal Father?" King Roin startled and quickly withdrew his hand from Lyretta's. Lyretta's hand fell as she turned around to look at her half-sister. She was stunned at first and then she smiled radiantly at her sister.

Princess Esmeralda did not return the smile. Instead she took out her hand and pointed a shaking finger at Lyretta.

"You, how dare you take my Royal Father's hand?" Princess Esmeralda released these words with barely restrained rage. If there were not other nobles already in the dining area she would say much more than this.

Lyretta was so happy that she did not even notice that her half-sister was very angry at seeing her. She foolishly turned her sisters anger into shyness within her mind. She then ran forward until she was right in front of her sister.

She stared at her sister and then stared some more. The worship she felt for her sister quickly revealed itself and corrected the reality to what she wished to see.

She first looked at her sister's face which had an angry (shy) disgusted (astonished) expression on it. Then she looked at her half-sister's outfit. Her lovely sister was wearing a long dress that came out of the latest fashion. It was puffed like the one she wore and had two layers. It was made from purple satin, the color of royalty, and embroidered with gold threaded roses. In her hair, her sister wore yellow roses. She couldn't help but think that her sister truly was a beauty that could topple kingdoms. 

Lyretta could not hold back, she reached out her arms to hug her sister.

Princess Esmeralda seeing the bastard's actions lifted her hand to slap her, but before she could she was interrupted.

"Lyretta, do not be rude." Marchioness Alitia entered behind Princess Esmeralda and noticing how angry the Princess was immediately warned her little treasure.