*Ana* It doesn’t take long for a maid to usher me to the correct table in the banquet hall. I watch the blond maid smile as she sets out my table. I can’t tell if it’s an act or she generally cares about her job, but I find myself unable to look away. Our servants are never so cheery in Nochten. I find myself having to compare. Is this just how Dawny is? I can’t help but wonder. She reminds me of Maddie. I think as the maid finishes laying out my napkin. “There you are, your majesty,” Doxy speaks affectionately. “It’s so good to have you back with us.” “Oh, ah, yes,” I mutter, surprised. I have a vague feeling I have met this maid prior. Was it the last time I was here? I can’t be sure. It wasn’t like I had that long to get familiar with anyone. I remember I only spent one day. But perhaps we did meet? I wonder if Maddie could remember if I asked. I partially wonder if this is worth bothering her. Or if Maddie might even remember? “Tea, your majesty?” Doxy, meanwhile, grabs m
*Ana* What did he mean he needed many things? I blink after Mykhol’s strange comment. Was Mykhol lacking in something? I think as I look over. Mykhol is dressed as nicely as ever today in his Nocthen gown. Maybe it’s something I can’t see? I ponder. Or perhaps it is just him repeating strange things? But even as I considered it, I felt my lips pull up to a grin. “Cousin,” I laugh softly and shake my head. “I think you are still drunk.” “If only I were,” Mykhol sighs with a touch of his head. “My head is killing me right now.” “Oh no,” I can’t help but grow concerned. “I’m sorry, where does it hurt?” I lean over to touch his head. “Is it here? Or the other side?” I look up to see his answer. “I- both,” Mykhol says with a surprised look. “Both sides hurt.” “Perhaps you should go back and sleep it off?” I lower my hands, but Mykhol gathers them back up. “No, keep them there.” Mykhol goes and holds my hands to his head. “It feels better.” Mykhol makes a small smile. “You must h
Chapter 62 I Spy With My Little Eye (Edited & reviewed 12.25.23) *Ana* “Your Majesties,” I speak clearly, giving a respectful curtsy to the table. Midbow, I twirl my toes to find something peculiar. My feet were cold before, but now they are freezing. Odd? I can’t help but think maybe something is wrong with the shoes. Is there a hole? There shouldn’t be. The shoes should be new. Perhaps the socks are too thin? But I quickly dismiss it as nothing serious. It will be something for Maddie to handle. Right now, I have more important things to worry about. I stand up and find Father is the first to catch my eye. “Empress Anastasia,” Father greets with the warmest tone. It instantly makes me want to relax, but I won’t. I can’t. Not when Stepmother is sitting but a few feet from me. "Empress." Queen Belinda lifts her eyes over me to investigate my dress. She presses her lips slightly as if looking for something. She resorts to smiling lightly before turning her head. “Anyway, as I
*Queen Belinda* “But I am wearing-” Queen Belinda watched the girl try to refute her by lifting her skirt. But this only proved a fool’s errand. Because not only did it prove Belinda right, but now everyone else at the table could see the unmistakable sight of bare feet on cold stone. “That’s-” Besides her, Alexander sat in his chair. That carefree and joyful manner was long gone as a look of concern grew on his face. “Belinda,” Alexander quietly looked at Belinda. But it was already too late. He could do nothing now. The scene was drawing attention from the rest of the room. “What’s going on?” Belinda could hear the whispers begin as more eyes turned to them. Even the servants have stopped to watch. Belinda noted, sweeping her eyes over the room. Again, it was too late to stop it. It was taking on a life of its own. The only thing to do was watch it unfold. And Belinda planned to as she sat back in her chair. Let them tear her apart, now. Belinda wouldn’t need to lift another
Chapter 64 Sour Peaches *Queen Belinda* That turned out better than I expected. Queen Belinda secretly relished the sight of the girl walking away. Ana walked with her head cast down, full of shame. But, of course, she would be. It was a public display of embarrassment. And it was all under the guise of Motherly concern. Queen Belinda couldn’t have put on a better act. She couldn’t be any happier with herself than right now. Not only do I make her leave, I have the full support of all the other mothers. Queen Belinda smiled secretly to herself. On a whim, she looked over the room to see if it was still valid. It was. The mothers and ladies were still smiling and nodding amongst themselves. “It’s a shame it had to happen so publicly,” A wife told her husband. “Queen Belinda is truly a kind heart,” said an older woman to her daughter. Just listen to everyone again. Belinda felt her smile widen. They were eating out of the palm of her hand. And she barely had to lift a finger.
*Mykhol* Poor thing. Mykhol couldn’t help but find the sight pitiful. But that only fueled his spite. You spent all that time remembering names. Mykhol shook his head with a slight laugh. But for what? It made it all the more grander to see Ana fall. You, too, can make such childish mistakes. Mykhol couldn’t help but gloat. Ana would undoubtedly be wary the next time. Mykhol sat straighter as he felt the room tone soften again. It was tense momentarily, but everyone was coming around, thanks to the King cracking jokes and the Prince’s comments. Mykhol didn’t bother to pay attention to all as it didn’t matter. What did matter was how quickly Ana’s public display dropped from their attention. They only regarded it as a minor incident now. People returned to their food and conversations once more. “She’s just a child, after all.” Mykhol could hear Nobles go on. “It happens.” “Poor Queen Belinda,” A woman went to another. “But she had to do it.” “Yes, you must be stern with chil
*Mykhol* Though Nochten was a prosperous empire, Mykhol could see Dawny was doing well. Mykhol could find the shadow of wealth amongst the King’s study: silk curtains, fur rugs, gold trim. The human kingdom was starting to lean into its new wealth. But it’s a far cry from Nochten’s level. Mykhol scuffed with reassurance. Even with their finery, Dawny was steps behind Nochten. Dawny would never be comparable. Our very traditions and tastes are just too refined. Mykhol looked over the room with a critical eye. From our dress to the way we run things. Mykhol would always see Nochten as superior. Thus, Mykhol was not intimidated by his study if that was on purpose. Nor was he uncomfortable with the bald servant who brought him here to wait. Mykhol only minded his time. But eventually, Mykhol grew annoyed the longer he waited. “Had I known it would take so long, I’d have just declined.” Mykhol tsked. He could already think of a million other things to do right now. Or better, other
*Ana* The entire time, Maddie tries her best to stay cheerful. She smiles. Maddie jokes. She even goes so far as to squeeze my fingers and rub my back, but it goes nowhere. It doesn’t shift me from my mood. “And there we are." Maddie smiles again as she finishes the last button. I am standing in a new dress to match the latest shoes- we had to redress because my other shoes to match are not here. So, we had to start from scratch. I now stand in a large grey gown with blue embroidery. The color is appropriate. I feel like the color grey. My tongue and throat are grey. If I open my mouth, grey dust will fall over the room. It makes speaking difficult, and I must swallow it back down. "All done." Maddie squeezes my shoulders before standing to turn me around to face the mirror. “What do you think?” “It’s,” I open my mouth to taste the ash and struggle back a swallow. My eyes burn, but I won’t cry anymore. It won’t help anything. I end up just nodding with approval. The dress, like
“Hidi?” But before I can have a chance to ask any further, Hidi only taps my arm, her fingertips pressing just a fraction too firmly against my sleeve."But we will talk later, as for now—" Her green eyes immediately shift to Nicoli and brighten, like lamps suddenly lit from within. The strange expression suddenly disappeared again, replaced with a mask, so perfectly that I wondered if I had seen anything at all. Her smile is bright and full, with blunt white teeth again, but something about it feels rehearsed, a performance she's put on countless times. Her attention was solely on him, her body angling toward his like a flower turning to the sun."Nicoli, did you see that? Look how helpful I am to our dear Ana." She beams, as if nothing were wrong at all, stepping slightly closer to him than necessary, her arm brushing against his in a casual gesture that somehow feels deliberate. "Our dear Ana" sits strangely in my ears, as if I'm a shared possession rather than a friend. Her voice
Ana*“Please, everyone, if you would just-” But it's clear no one is listening. My voice is swallowed up by the cacophony of string instruments and the colliding conversations surging around us like crashing waves. The air thickens with perfumes and colognes—spiced amber, midnight jasmine, and something metallic that clings to the back of my throat. If I ever felt overwhelmed before a court of nobles shouting over each other after some new decree, it's nothing compared to the suffocating pressure closing in now. Actually, I think I'd prefer that over this.I don't even think my coronation was this bad. I recall that, being just a bit more orderly, the crowd maintained a respectful distance that allowed my lungs to fill properly. But then again, Mykhol was pushing them along so I could eat, right? It's a delayed shock of wisdom to realize that it was indeed helpful. I feel ashamed now that I ever thought he was being haughty at the time. He wasn't. His curt dismissals created a buffe
Naska stared at the cup instead of taking it, more shocked than surprised at the motion. Someone poured her drink? It was indeed a first. No one had ever done anything for her. She was so used to doing everything for herself. And glancing up, the sight of who did, only made her more confused.It was one of the veiled women—a Bulgeon, a human. Her eyes lined in that inky black shadow seemed to regard her in silence just as she did. Her hand lifted the cup, steady, as if she were still waiting. Naska, not knowing what else to do, took the cup. But her eyes remained glued to the woman. Because of the veil, she couldn’t know what expression the woman was making. Was it friendly? Bitter? What did her face even look like under the cloth?Watching her, the mysterious woman moved with grace. She poured another ladle of blood, not wine, to steam against the glass. Her thin fingers peeked out of her sleeve to swipe a slice of meat to dip in, and she moved to eat under the cloth. Naska raised
*Naska*“What a joke of a party,” Naska muttered, baring her fangs as she leaned against the wall. ”Mine will be so much better.” Her pale red eyes flickered over blue and gold streamers hanging from the center of the high ceiling with a sneer. Ugly colors, she immediately found it stupid. But not as stupid as having to sniffle every other minute. Her nose was irritated and starting to run from all the damn pine scent in the room. Each breath was like choking on a bottle of soap. From the platform near the far wall, the gentle strains of stringed instruments played a song too delicate and indistinct for her to recognize. It filled the air like perfume—pleasant to some, she supposed, but meaningless to her. Light laughter floated between the nobles, punctuated now and then by the sharp clink of crystal goblets. Beneath the noise, however, the pressure in the room was thick. Everyone waited for Her Empress to return. The tension curled under the music like smoke, unseen but unmistakab
*Johan*As he entered the banquet hall, Johan quickly noticed quite a few things. The first was that King Alexander was nowhere to be seen, though Johan expected that. He must have still been talking with Queen Bratha.What surprised him, though, was that others were missing—two, to be exact. The handsome brunette prince was not in the banquet hall as he thought he would be, considering he did not see him in the lobby or even the line. He was gone, and neither was Ana. Who he did see was just Hidi.The giant queen stood out among the partygoers- not just because of her size. Her very presence seemed to overpower anyone who dared draw near. Those who attempted to pass her either darted their eyes down or weakly bowed before hightailing it inside. Johan could see that even that old coot kept a safe distance if anyone wanted to try to talk to her, like the ever-eager Sir Celbest.The blonde was not pleased about something, and Johan could easily see it. The girl had never been one to hi
*Nicoli*Nicoli held onto Ana like a man gripping the edge of a cliff—tight, unyielding, unwilling to let go for even a second. The very idea of releasing her, even to their father, was absurd. No. Absolutely not.He had waited too long, ached too much, spent years longing for this moment. And now that she was finally by his side again, he refused to let anything—anyone—take her away. Not tonight. Not ever. So be it if he had to fight off the entire court to keep her close. Vampire, noble, or king, he didn’t care. He’d take them all on.She was his Anastasia. And now that they were together, everything felt right again.A rare, genuine grin tugged at his lips—one that wasn’t for show, unlike the practiced smiles he wore in Dawny. This was different. This was real.But as they moved through the white halls, his excitement warred with Ana’s slow, deliberate steps. Too slow. She still walked like an old lady.Nicoli’s muscles twitched with pent-up energy, his entire body screaming to mo
*Ana*My body freezes, every muscle locked in place as Nicoli leans in closer. His face is inches from mine, and I feel my breath catch, a whirlwind of confusion and anticipation racing through my mind. What is he doing? Is…he going to kiss me?But we can’t—we shouldn’t. We aren’t children anymore.As children, it was innocent. Nicoli used to kiss me on the lips, but it was always affectionate—nothing more, just like when he would hold my hand or offer a playful hug. It was natural to him, something that didn’t feel strange, something I expected from him without question. But that was then.Now, we’re adults. And that changes everything.We can’t– I try to tell myself that, but something in me hesitates, unsure whether I want him to stop or... not. I’m paralyzed, my heart beating so loudly I can hear it in my ears. As his face nears mine, I feel the world shrinks, the air around us thick with tension. A strange eagerness stirs in my chest—a warmth I don’t understand. It coils through
*Ana*“Nicoli–” He’s going the wrong way again. I shake my head, the soft chime of my gold chains punctuating my amusement. But he insists on leading, judging by the stubborn set of his shoulders. He’s determined to get somewhere despite having absolutely no idea where that is.For the past twenty minutes, Nicoli has forged ahead with all the confidence in the world, only to crumble in confusion when we inevitably hit another dead end or loop back to the same hall. Left, then right, then left again. Each turn is taken with steadfast determination — and each time, I have to stifle a new laugh as we encounter yet another wall.“Nicoli, just let me show you–” I try, though I’m already bracing for him to ignore me. It would be far easier if he let me lead, though. This is my palace, after all. I know the twists and turns, the subtle variations in the endless white corridors. But he seems lost in his resolve. As if doing this out of spite at the challenge and not wanting it to get the bett
*Hidi*“But, what about me–” For once in Hidi’s life, her voice was too soft to hear—lost, swallowed under the sound of laughter. Their laughter. Hidi froze, her breath caught in her chest, her words useless in the space they left behind. Her eyes only widened as she stared after them, watching–watching, but not moving in disbelief.The two of them were running, laughing, hands clasped like children lost in their own world. And she was still standing here.She blinked. Did they really just… leave me?The air seemed too still while everything else moved too fast. Nicoli had been right there. Right there. She could have reached out, close enough to brush her fingers against his sleeve. But he hadn’t even looked at her. Didn’t even voice a hello.Not once.His sapphire-blue eyes had locked onto Ana, and nothing else had mattered.For the second time.A cool flick of irritation ran beneath her ribs, lodging itself somewhere deep inside her. She knew this was their grand reunion, knew th