With a collective nod, they spoke, starting with the one farthest to the right.
A man stood with flawless dark, black skin. His buff arms behind his back. He wore a simple loose black shirt with matching olive green cargo pants, and thick boots. A sheath sat at his waist and other bulges under the otherwise smooth surface of his clothes indicated other hidden weapons. His face was beautiful beyond reason which Acelius took quite personally. His features were perfectly proportional in a way that was usually only associated with the Stealers. Thick eyebrows with a sharp jawline and a straight nose. Each curve and carve of skin held magic and allure in it. His eyes perhaps were the most enchanting of all, their orbs bright like the blue of the carpet they stood on. As if dipped in liquid sky. They bore into Acelius, sizing him up. His hair was beaded close to his scalp with varying jems of lavender amethyst and glistening emerald, shining brightly in an attempt to match with the gleam of their wearer. With a small smile, he bowed slightly and said, "Chrise is my name."
The next one was as light as Chrise was dark. His skin seemed layered in molten alabaster, threatening to fall apart under a slightly brighter ray of sunlight. He wore the same clothes as Chrise, with black sheaths at either side of his waist. Red hair was parted neatly, hugging each side of his face. His mundane brown eyes shone as he bowed and introduced himself, "I am Nico."
The other two resembled each other exactly. Identical twins. Both girls stood ready with their feet fully planted, prepared for a fight. Their brown hair was braided back from their face in two tight, neat braids, pulling back their skin that brought their sharp features in perfect clarity. They both wore the same black top and cargo pants as the others with long pistols slung across their backs. Slant noses, and arched eyebrows with high cheekbones and chiseled jaws. Their almond eyes were the color of chestnuts and rusted fire which were glued onto Hera and her twin who watched back with the same intensity.
They bowed in unison.
"Clara," said the one to the far left.
"Daphne at your service," said the one next to her.
The Master looked onto them, his features slightly puzzled. The performers looked on, with the same duress quickly trying to configure the point of this acquaintance.
"What do we do with them?" asked Noelle, in a whisper that stood out in the quiet throne room.
Christoph replied in a sigh, "Whatever you want."
Acelius rolled his eyes.
"Even with Chrise?" she asked, all too innocently.
Chrise, in question, furrowed his brows in concern.
"What is wrong with you?" asked Christoph in genuine question.
Noelle mumbled something unintelligible.
The Queen heaved a breath, her lips twisting from side to side in amusement. "The Solis performers are needed to be circling and moving around my child, the Crown Prince Aurean, the whole night of niskcev. Glorify his already glorious limelight. Weave a story and make him the star, the whole night. Ah," she caught herself. "I hardly suspect any of you need me to tell you how to do your job." Her hand arced wide to indicate the four standing on the steps, "These are Coronacs. Apertum is a ball as friendly as it is deadly. Asmian spies will be everywhere testing our safety and limits and so we must plant our own. They," she said, gesturing to the four in question, "Will be circling with you, disguised as performers but true to their duty."
She looked down to the back of their heads, "Protect Prince Aurean."
They nodded their heads.
Shifting her gaze to the Master, she commanded, "Train them. Disguise them."
The Master nodded, taking on a new task of planting grace and hidden pockets of glitter to the four Coronam.
✵ ✵ ✵
The Queen stared at the boy as she flicked her fingers to dismiss them. The boy bowed with the performers and began walking back to the door they had earlier walked through. He could no longer see her face, but he felt her eyes bore into his back with an intensity that made him expect a searing hole in his chest any moment now.
"Vale, mi fili," she said in a low whisper that seemed to only reach his ears as everyone walked, unfazed.
The boy turned around a last time to observe her, not for savoring the sight of the Queen of Caraca that few were fortunate enough to see, but to find some trace of reason behind her dubious gaze. Her blue-green eyes stared into his, as her lips twisted into the smallest of smiles.
He turned back around, more disturbed than he would have liked to admit, and left the room.
His back achingly felt like a marked target. The bullseye right behind his heart.
✵ ✵ ✵
Author's Note: The next part will be very spicy but also sad :() but please do come back for it!! Thank you for reading!! Vote and Comment as you should. And yes, i've used the same header picture again. fight me. again.
Love,
Cora. ✮
YOU ARE READING
unraveled
Fantasy"I've seen rats with better attention spans than you," she said onto his face. And then the boy was there pulling her onto her feet and off of him. "But have you seen them with such beautiful faces?" he asked, standing up, brushing off th...
