Shadows in the Trees: Book 1

Chapter 3

The smell was the first thing Damon noticed when he opened the door. Despite himself, he gagged as the stench of vomit, alcohol, smoke, and sweat flooded his nostrils. He picked his way through his brother's chamber, finally reaching the double doors that led to the bedroom. The bedroom was no sweeter. Damon walked to the east wall and heaved the curtains open, releasing the unrelenting sunshine onto the assortment of men and women piled into Julian's palatial bed.

"Out!" Damon replied to the chorus of moans and yells. "Everyone out! Party is over! Out you go! Shoo!"

Julian sat up and rubbed his face, watching the parade trudge out of his room. "What did you do that for?"

"Do you know what today is?"

"Yes, yes, I know what today is."

"Are you sure? Because it's possibly one of the most important days of your life. And you're lying in bed with various fluids all over you with what I presume is a hangover."

"Who cares? Father has already picked my bride anyway. I don't have to do anything except sit there and wait for him to tell me who it is."

Damon moved as close to the bed as he dared and faced his brother. "Julian, you are going to be king. Today, you meet your queen, your partner, your consort. Together you will lead Elohine to a brighter future."

"You sound just like Father," Julian scoffed. He reached for a bottle on his nightstand and shook it slightly. When no liquid sloshed, he scowled and threw it to the floor.

"Julian! You are going to lead all of Elohine. Does that mean nothing to you?"

After waiting a few moments for an answer, Damon sighed and rang the bell on the wall, perhaps a little too hard. Servants arrived quickly, their faces impassive despite the chaos.

"Please prepare Prince Julian for his betrothal ceremony. Give him a bath if you have time, if not just run cold water over his curls and use ample perfume. The King has requested he wear blue, you'll find plenty of choices in his wardrobe. Oh, and make sure he eats something."

The servants closed in on Julian and Damon strode out, off to inform his father that Julian was prepared and excited for his important day.

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Julian looked out over the sea of pastel dresses and dark suits swarming the floor of the throne room. They wove in and out of the ornately carved columns, marveling at the crystal chandeliers and the priceless portraits of his ancestors that adorned the walls. Their voices echoed off of the white, marble floors and golden sunlight filtered through the tall windows. Neither helped Julian's headache. 

"How many more women are there?" Julian sighed, leaning back into the unforgiving wood of his throne. He looked like a different person from how his brother had found him this morning, with his curls combed and his breeches clean and pressed. "Honestly, is all of Elohine noble?"

Damon laughed. "Consider yourself lucky. Few men get to see even two women fight over them."

Julian rolled his eyes. "This is pointless. The battle is already over, there's no fighting to be done."

"So now we get to celebrate," Damon said. "Your favorite pastime."

Julian looked to the highest level of the dais, where his father sat with perfect posture in his intricately carved throne. His mother's throne was perched beside his, empty. The king hadn't looked at it since the beginning of the ceremony, so Julian could only see his stern profile. Always stoic, his father was even harder to read when he could only see half of his face.