Draconess

Chapter 17

It's a morning reception for the King's welcome and Zarcar has left early to help with preparations. He had departed in his black robe and hood, telling me to wear something simple and not too eye-grabbing. The underlying emotion he portrayed while stating that, left me smiling.

Holden was now escorting me to the official and public welcome. I was wearing a gold dress, a gold moon necklace and gold ribbons along my arms. The dress is long enough to disguise my bare feet. My hair is pulled back with clips to keep it somewhat neat in presentation.

"When it's requested you will approach and do what Zarcar taught you last night," Holden repeats this for the thousandth time this morning as we navigate the city streets to Swendula's Red Castle and its famous Red Courtyard. The courtyard was probably bigger than the castle itself. The main royal residence for the reigning politicians – or in this case, now a King – was the Red Castle. It was far, far away on the other side of the city. Holden and I had taken a carriage until we realised it would be quicker to get there on foot since the crowd making their way there was massive and too dense.

"I am very well aware of what to do, Holden," I keep my hand in the crook of his elbow as he leads me along the last paved street lining the beautiful rose bushes which marked the perimeter of the huge Red Courtyard.

Beyond the thick rose bushes we could hear the formal welcome of the King being well received. Mostly by his culture, no doubt.

Holden takes me through the crowded garden entrance, shoving past all sorts of civilians, rich and poor that had gathered in the huge space.

In the courtyard of perfectly manicured red roses, there were two large columns where rows upon rows of chairs were set and filled. A walkway down the middle, led to the simple throne seating the Immortal King Rey. To his right is Zarcar, dressed in that intimidating black robe. Rey is dressed in a black suit with white ruffles at this collar. It's fancy but it suits his clean cut face. Aside from the black curls and those piercing silver eyes that stabbed anything he looked upon... he was well presented, like a human. Except I knew he wasn't such if he drank the blood of mortals. I also notice Rey has no crown adorning his perfectly jet black hair.

Holden finally sighs in relief when he finds the place to escort me to, on the edge of the crowd at the back in a corner of the Red Courtyard. I see army soldiers dressed in formal black and purple uniforms, standing around a well dressed, very thin, Lixar. The small clothes were still too loose on him, and his crazy hazel eyes and patchy bald head didn't exactly fit in well with the formal look. Lixar's eyes run over me with vague interest and confusion at what I'm wearing. Next to him, is a woman I almost don't recognise.

Red glowing eyes set in a pretty made up face, with her dusty brown hair neatly braided. Andoll looked like a demonic doll, in a too tight grey-blue dress. It had a corset attached and she looked just as angry in it as Lixar did in his own suit.

Holden releases me near these two while Andoll watches me like she might just try and eat me alive. Lixar pretends to be disinterested now that I'm close by.

"Walk up," Holden whispers to all of us, "Kneel. Submit. Rise. Easy, right?"

"You would know. Those words are sweet, sweet music spilling out the mouth of a fallen, disgraced prince," Lixar huskily growls out the response with a little bit of a smirk.

I turn to Holden to see him blushing bright red.

"Sh-shut it, Lix," Holden hisses quietly while nervously pushing his hair back.

I catch Holden's cute skittering gaze, so I kiss my hand and press it to his cheek, shocking him enough into stillness.

"Another curse?" Holden asks me, embarrassed by Lixar's reveal of his secret identity.