Starrlings 1: House of Fire

chapter 60

L U M I

Katja was glaring at Lumi.

The winter princess was sitting at the piano, but she'd stopped playing. She was wearing a fine blue dress that complimented her ashy blonde hair and her deep blue eyes. It was the first time Lumi had ever seen Katja dressed up, and she could see that she truly looked like a princess this evening. Her family was sitting on the ornate sofa by the window.

Queen Lisbet looked as regal as Katja; the picture of a queen. The words elegance and grace sprang to mind at the sight of the Queen, who had a hand placed gently on top of Katja's shoulder. She wore a dark blue gown and her hair was the same ashy blonde as her daughter's.

"Now, you girls must be well acquainted from the college," Queen Lisbet said lightly. Her accent was lyrical, musical. Lumi instantly liked the way she spoke. She had noticed the sweet accent subtly from Katja and Sanna, but in Queen Lisbet it was more pronounced.

"Yes, we're acquainted," Katja said coldly.

"And Raphael, dear, how are you?" Queen Lisbet asked, her eyes shining as her gaze moved to the prince. "When was it we last saw you, love? I suppose it must have been when you were in Norrlund over the summer to visit Katja? We all loved having you at the Norrlish palace, and you know that you're welcome back at any time." With this, her gaze returned to Lumi, and she displayed a slight frown, before again turning to Raphael and beaming.

Raphael stiffened and said, "Yes, thank you."

Lumi felt intensely awkward. Katja and Raphael had been dating, and it seemed that Queen Lisbet was making a jab at her because Lumi was now betrothed to Raphael.

A man rang a small silver bell and announced dinner, and so the entire room moved from the sitting room into a formal dining room that was laid out perfectly for dinner.

Lumi was seated next to Raphael.

The table was laid with a pure white tablecloth, and decorated with autumnal foliage and candles displayed in a magnificent centrepiece. There were three empty white plates stacked in front of Lumi, and several pairs of silver cutlery.

She had never dined like this before, and she realised immediately that she was completely out of her comfort zone. She would have no idea what to do with the numerous pieces of silver. She followed Raphael's lead and placed an elegant white cloth in her lap.

She glanced across the table, to Sanna and Katja, who were sitting in silence. Sanna was playing with her hair and watching Queen Lisbet, while Katja was staring intensely at her lap, and looked almost as if she was about to cry. Lumi felt a pang of sympathy for the ice princess.

Once everyone was seated, servants went around the table pouring more wine, which they exclaimed loudly was antique, from Vastien wineries. After the wine, there was a rush of servants as every guest was simultaneously served the first course of the meal.

Lumi stared down at the watery broth in front of her. She made sure to follow Sanna and Katja's lead across from her - she took the large spoon and took measured sips of the soup, which was bland. Lumi couldn't identify what she was eating, and she asked Raphael what it was.

"I'd say it's fish soup," Raphael said, with a small laugh at her confusion.

"Fish," Lumi said, and as she said it her spoon clattered into her bowl, splashing soup into her lap. Luckily, the white cloth spared her dress from being stained. She felt her cheeks redden as everyone at the table glanced at her, startled. She took a heavy breath and tried to regain control of her spoon, but she felt ill.

Fish. There were magnificent orange, black and white fish in ponds in the gardens of the volcano palace outside of Singtsu. When they'd moved into the palace, after the war, Lumi had been fascinated with the fish, because there had been none in the mountains. She would sit with her toes in the water and watch them swim in circles around her ankles.