The King's Possession ✔️

ELEVEN

Word Count: 1493

I wander up the stairs, defeated, and thankfully not being escorted by anyone.

That did not go as I expected. Here I was hoping I would be going back to my family, leaving this mess behind me. But now I'm walking to what will be my room for an undetermined amount of time. I refuse to allow it to be awhile, though. Whatever it might take, I'm going to escape this place.

Suddenly a figure appears from around the corner. Pausing, I watch them approach, head down as they stare into a book, oblivious to each step they take before them. A girl, close to my age no doubt.

She's pretty, with deep, coffee coloured brunette hair that hangs dead straight over her shoulders and past her breasts. Although dressed casually, she drips with wealth, from the jewellery strapped around her wrist, to what glitters brilliantly around her neck.

We both stop in our step.

Her eyes find mine for a moment, the brightest green shade I've ever seen. I thought Taius's eyes were green, but his are a much darker, forest like colour, whereas hers are verdant, lighter than meadow grass.

And slowly, inch by inch, her gaze finds its way across the dress I'm wearing, lips forming a grim line. I can practically see the disgust dripping off her once pretty features, which have contorted to what might be anger.

"Is that my gown?" she says slowly.

"I just came from dinner with the King. This was offered to me," I say absently, pawing the pale material of my dress. I feel as though I've been caught stealing, rifling through a girl's closet who is far wealthier than me.

"And who are you?" she growls, her tone frightfully accusatory.

I blink. "A prisoner, I suppose."

Whoever this girl is, she holds a title far more important than mine, yet at the mention of being a prisoner, she doesn't startle. With her chin jutted out, rouge painted lips, she regards me with unnerving precision, as if I'm simply a manakin showing off a beautiful outfit.

"Oh, you're her. I thought the servants gossiping was a bit outlandish. I suppose not," she mutters, bored and unintimidated, twisting a silver ring adorned with scarlet jewels on her index finger.

I rub the back of my neck anxiously. "Words travels quick around here. I'm Akara."

"Vaia. Taius's sister. And yes, I'm a princess," she mutter tiredly. At least she didn't expect me to know he who she was, although clearly being a princess is her most defining feature. Still, I'm fascinated.

Both Taius and Vaia are so common as siblings, yet so different, and I've only just met both of them. They are bred for royalty, manicured for the position, and are clearly entitled for the position. Vaia is evidently uncaring for me, and perhaps anyone below her; which I suppose Taius could be viewed that way also, but it seems ostensible to me, like there's more to him than is being let on.

"I'm sorry about your gown. I didn't know it belonged to anyone," I comment, ready to tear it off my skin. It made me feel confident and powerful in the moment, but now that I'm comparing it to Vaia, I feel meek and demure.

"Whatever, keep it. I've realised from this angle that I suddenly don't like it," Vaia remarks, tucking her book under the arm. She must have endless hours of time to spend reading.

"Oh..."

"But clearly my brother did, for whatever reason," she frowns, tilting her head, the dark cinnamon colour of her hair shimmering under the light above us. I shudder, remembering the way Taius looked at me, like how Marek mentioned. Like he would eat me alive.