The First Queen

32 - Fallcreath

"Who's just being friendly?", Remiel's voice was like a sack of bricks being thrown into my grasp and the spotlight being shone on me and I stammered under his intense gaze despite the smirk on his lips.

Xanthe brushed imaginary dust off her shoulder and straightened up, standing almost at the same height as Remiel, "Elia has a secret admirer that's stalking her and she was asking for tips on how to deal with him."

"Oh? Do you need me to deal with him, Sister?" Remiel asked me with an empathetic look in his eyes.

"All is well, Remiel. Her Royal Highness just wanted to politely decline his advances personally." Xanthe assured him, her smile as sweet as lollies but her voice as bitter and icy as cold nights during Midwinter in The Wilds.

"I see... Well, I'll let you two be then. I need to speak with Taman privately, anyway." Remiel grinned and bowed to us before saving a glance over his shoulder to Taman who was awkwardly standing in the middle of the room.

Remiel gestured for Taman to follow him and as he did so, he turned to us and mouthed 'help me'.

"Uh..." I muttered and Xanthe chuckled, shaking her head.

"Taman did that to himself. Let me take you to your chambers, I have a little surprise for you." Xanthe smirked, taking my hand in hers and leading me up the staircase and towards my chambers.

"A surprise?" I smiled and Xanthe nodded with a mischievous grin, placing a hand on my shoulder and rubbing it affectionately.

"I know you like surprises and this has been a whirlwind couple of days for you... And many others but I figured that you needed to take a break from it all... Maybe indulge a little bit." She smirked and I raised a brow with a questioning grin.

"Indulge? You sound like Dallin." I chuckled and Xanthe glanced at me over her shoulder.

"I'll take that as a compliment; Dallin is a very pretty man and knows just what to say." She nudged my shoulder and I laughed for a second.

"I agree with you there. He makes me jealous sometimes." I smirked and Xanthe nodded.

"You're not the only one." She chuckled and we stopped just outside my door, "So... Shall I see you in... A few hours?"

"Why a few hours?" I asked, opening the door but keeping my eyes trained on Xanthe.

The smirk on her lips didn't hide the impish gleam in her eye as she pressed a manicured finger to my jaw and tilted my head to gaze into my room.

My mouth ran dry and any words that I could have conjured up shattered as I spotted Athena lingering just past the doorway in her polished, ceremonial armour that caught the light and hugged her curves in such a way that left me breathless.

Xanthe leaned down to whisper in my ear and I didn't even pay attention to the closeness between myself and the intimidating woman, "Indulge."

I attempted to stammer out a response but Xanthe was already halfway down the corridor when I spluttered out an almost incoherent 'hello'.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness", the tender tone she used to speak my title made me shiver and she stepped aside, allowing me to enter the room and I felt foolish as I just stood in my place and stared, "...Would you like to come in?"

I barely forced a nod and I had to practically drag my eyes away from Athena just so I could move.

She shut the door behind me and helped me ease out of the coat around my shoulders, "Mistress Xanthe informed me that you were feeling a bit overwhelmed..."