The Lonely Warrior Queen

{Chapter 66}

Arista's POV:

"I hope there were no setbacks in your journey, Lord Draykar,"

I did not care for any conversation and eyed the food placed in front of me with hungry eyes.

I felt a hand tightening at my left thigh and found that it was my mother's. She gave me a stern look, urging me to behave properly.

I sat up straight and looked at the tall man, diagonally of us. The long table was arranged with many sorts of delicious-looking food- I mean, on the side were all the men, except Martin, and my mother and I sat together. I found it very helpful as she could cover any form of impoliteness I caused.

My father sat close to the King, who introduced himself as Elest Simion. It was such a funny-sounding name but I kept it to myself.

"I suppose you have known General Antony over there?" the King said, pointing at the unknown man.

He sat silently and did not move his head when he was mentioned. He sat at the last of the men's row, beside Daryn. Drue sat in between my father and him.

"I suppose I have an idea of him," My father said in a cheery voice. "My apologies but Warlords are not much close unless we made a pact,"

At that, the man simply shifted in his seat. I returned my attention to the food in front of me. Why was no one eating? There were pretty glasses of wine that were placed in front of everyone except me. I suppose they found me too young to consume it.

"I am glad you chose to wed your daughter to Martin,"

My eyes darted up, toward the King. To my shock, his gaze was solely on me and I found it frightening. Ever since I met him, I found his gaze strangely startling.

His pale blue eyes were as cold as the winter. And his slightly whitening but otherwise lustrous brown hair was brushed neatly aside from his head. I smiled in response, hoping that was not incorrect.

"I am more pleased to have her as my wife, Your Majesty," My husband said, holding my hand under the table.

"I can see that you are," the King replied and took the glass of wine in his hands.

And there was silence. It was so deathly that I looked at every face in the large room. The most uncomfortable was my second brother. I knew he did not do so great at such sorts of gatherings. Well, we have never been to such sort of gatherings.

Drue was strangely very calm and quiet. I could see that he was lost in deep thought. I wondered what he was thinking before I looked at General Antony. His hands were interlaced and placed on the table.

"I wonder how many other lords you have chosen for your war," my father's voice made me turn my head.

The King simply smiled and took a sip from his glass quietly. I found my feet moving a little as I waited for everyone to start eating.

I gently squeezed my husband's hand but he ignored me. I found his gaze on his King. That made me almost yell at him at that very moment. I squeezed his hand again, wrying for his attention.

"You should know that I only choose the strongest," the King replied to my father's question.

At that, my father laughed and I smiled a little. Was I doing it right? I looked at my mother for approval whose gaze was on her sons. She had been looking at them for quite a while.

"We know nothing of your war yet," my father said, drinking his wine. He could never stop when the wine is present.

"Well, the details are rather too gruesome for the women to hear," the King replied, glancing at our side.