Everything felt like a blur for Xandria and soon it was evening.
Anaya came back to get her ready for the dinner.
Xandria felt nervous and scared. Anaya told her that the ministers and officials will be present at the dinner to congratulate the king for finding his bride. All these events happening in just one day. All she wanted right now was to lay down and sleep.
She sat in front of the vanity mirror. It was so much bigger than the one she had at home. Different bottles of perfumes and essential oils lined up in neat rows on the vanity table. There was a little box filled with different hair ornaments and accessories.
Inside the drawer was filled with a lot of jeweleries, ranging from earrings to necklaces. There were a lot of makeup products. It was the product she loved using the most.
Anaya stood behind her helping her with her hair.
Xandria sat in silence before the vanity mirror, the dim golden light catching the edges of her features. Her hair was a lighter shade than her sister's Elara. Her hair spilled over her shoulder, slightly tousled, framing a face that bore both strength and softness. High cheekbones, a subtle arch to the brows, and eyes that held stories behind the calms. Eyes that lingered on her own reflection, as if trying to recognize the woman staring back. There was a quiet weariness in her expression, a flicker of something unspoken. But her lips, slightly parted and painted in a muted shade, held their shape -resolute, poised.
Her fingertips hovered near her jawline, not quite touching, as though even she wasn't sure if the image in the mirror belonged to her or someone she used to be.
At that point she looked away, snapping out of her thoughts. She was not going to loose herself. She needed a reminder of who she really is. Alexandria Greystone.
Anaya stood behind her in front of the vanity mirror doing her hair.
Her hands moved with practiced ease, her fingers gentle, yet sure as she stood behind Xandria.
She began parting the thick, light strands with a carved ivory comb, whispering through the silken waves. The brush followed, smooth and rhythmic, untangling knots with the tenderness of someone who had done it a hundreds time before.
She twisted sections into elegant coils, securing them with delicate pins that glinted like tiny stars. A few soft curls were left to fall by her ears framing her face. Anaya didn't speak, but her eyes occasionally flickered to the mirror, watching Xandria grow quieter, stiller, as each locks of hair found its place.
When it was done, she placed a silver comb, adorned with sapphire just above the braids, which goes well with the blue gown adorned with pearls that Xandria was going to wear for the dinner.
The silver comb crowned her head.with a finishing touch, making her look simple, elegant and breathtakingly beautiful.
She was finally ready for the dinner. Her hands felt clammy as she stepped out of the room and headed for the main dinning room downstairs.
The doors opened with a low, echoing creak, and she stepped in. Her breath catching the moment her eyes met the grandeur of the palace main dining hall.
It was nothing like the halls she had ever known. The ceiling arched high above, painted with celestial murals that shimmered faintly in the candlelight, as though the stars themselves had descended to witness this evening. Rows of golden chandeliers hung like constellations, their crystals catching the light and scattering it across the polished marble floors in fleeting rainbows.
The long dinning table stretched farther than she expected, carved from dark, ancient wood and set with gleaming silverware and goblets of glass, so fine they looked like captured moonlight.
Velvet runners in royal blue and deep crimson flowed down the table, embroidered with the sigil of the kingdom- the crowned stag surrounded by flames.
Some say the sigil was a prophesy of a king adoned with the magic of fire, but no one knows if it's true.
High backed chairs, each with intricate designs of beast and blooms, lined the sides, but only a few were occupied -for now.
The ministers, dressed in rich robes of office, sat in silence, their eyes flickering towards her with a mixture of curiosity and calculations.
At the far end of the table, standing tall in his dark attire, was the king. His presence commanding. Yet his expression softened the moment he saw her. He did not wear a crown, but in that moment, with the firelight casting shadows across his sharp features, he hardly needed one.
The air in the hall was warm, scented faintly with roasted spices and fresh blossoms. Luxury and power mingling with every breath.
And she stood still. Every inch of her wrapped in the awe and dread. Knowing this wasn't just a meal. It was a declaration. A beginning.
She was no longer just the court official's daughter. Tonight, before the ministers eyes, she was being introduced as the queen.
She was escorted to her seat which was right beside Maltherion's. She curtsied in front of the king, trying to maintain a humble appearance. If it was just the both of them she would not have bothered with him. She glanced up at him and saw the smirk that was etched on his face, it was as if he knew fully well why she had curtsied.
All the ministers waited for Maltherion to sit down on his seat, followed by Xandria before they all sat down.
Xandria thought it was going to take a little time before she will be introduced to the ministers, so she has enough time to calm her nerves, but the next thing she heard was Maltherion clinging his glass with his spoon, drawing everyone's attention.
"I'm not going to beat around the bush. I've found my wife, your queen." He announced, receiving a round of cheers from the ministers. Xandria sat still with her hands curled to her side trying to suppress her anger and nerves. She never opted for this. In a span of one day her whole life has changed into something she can't even fathom.
"She is the daughter of one of the officials in my court, her name is Alexandria Greystone. And from today onwards, she is the future queen of Alderyn."
All the ministers congratulated them once again and turned towards Xandria's father who was sitting in one of the seats on the table.
"As it is known, the Queen's father cannot be a mere official in the court, so from today onwards I'm promoting Gideon Graystone from being a court official to being the duke of Viremont."
The dinning hall was filled with cheers and excitment as they all congratulated Xandria's father.
Maltherion sat back down on his chair taking a sip of his red wine.
He stared at Xandria with a smirk hidden in his eyes. She stared back at him with unmasked hatred. She understood what he did. Viremont was a region in Ardelyn, that is far from the other regions. It was close to the mountains and the borders of Alderyn.
Yes it was a good position, it also meant that her family will be moving away from the capital of Alderyn and moving to Viremont.
It made visiting her family even more difficult.
She held the tears that were about o drop from her eyes and took a sip of her wine, trying to mask her sadness.
For the rest of the dinner, she sat quietly in her seat, only speaking when someone came to speak to her. When the dinner was over, she quietly left the dinning room and returned back to her room.
Tho only place in this palace where she could freely express herself.