Twisted Beauty (A Sleeping Beauty Tale)

Chapter Seventeen

Drake and I spent the rest of the evening on the balcony together, slowly dancing to the music that drifted out through the doors. It was magical and romantic – no one saw us, and no one came for us, which made it so much better. When the evening finally came to a close, Drake led me back to my room and kissed me long and slow before leaving. For a few minutes, all I could do was stare after him, before exhaustion tugged at my eyes and I slipped into my room.

Sleep was swift and thorough, and I was sure I fell asleep before my head even hit the feather-soft pillow.

***

That morning, I ate in my bedroom, being served food by a few giggling maids as Katherine finished dressing me. Even the breakfasts were different, consisting of fruits, berries and yoghurt, which was a contrast to the cooked breakfasts I had grown up with. But I enjoyed it nonetheless – the fruits somehow seemed fresher here, and it occurred to me that perhaps some of the fruits in Eshon were imported from Kallis.

I knew Drake would be busy with his training for a few hours, so I decided to find my way to the library, which I had been shown on my tour the day prior. It took a few minutes to find it, which I did mostly by identifying paintings, and I soon found myself standing outside a set of large oak doors. The two guards standing on guard bowed to me, and I thanked them as they pulled the doors open – I would never be able to open them on my own.

I almost gasped at the library's interior. It was thrice the size of the one at home, having four storeys of bookshelves with wooden railings, dozens of desks and couches for reading, and the ceiling . . . The ceiling was a dome of different coloured panes of glass that glittered and sent waves of rainbow light into the room.

It took me a few moments to step in further, and when I did, I all but ran to the shelves nearest to me, scanning the titles of the gold and leather-bound books. I saw books with history, philosophy, art, romance, adventure – everything. Never in a hundred lifetimes would I be able to get through them all.

I recognised very few titles as I browsed the shelves, but that didn't stop me from piling books in my arms. I had barely finished the front few shelves before I could carry no more. But, satisfied with what I found, I headed towards the exit and began to walk back to my room. It took me a bit longer to find the way, but I was soon setting the pile of books on my desk and nibbling my lip as I decided what to read.

Soon enough, I found myself nestled between the cushions of a large armchair, a book on my lap and a cup of tea in my hands. The window next to me was open, bringing a gentle breeze that whispered of winter and snow. I had never seen snow before – Eshon's winters weren't cold enough. Did it snow in Kallis? And would I be able to see it one day?

The sound of snickering snapped me out of my thoughts, and a glance out of the window showed me the source. Jasmine and two other girls were roaming the gardens below, all three in equally scandalous dresses. It occurred to me that they didn't know I was there, so I ducked my head and listened quietly – eavesdropping was frowned upon, but curiosity got the better of me.

"You should've seen her," Jasmine sniffed. "All dressed up in that gown – who wears grey to a ball? And acting as if she loves Prince Drake. We all know he's only marrying her for the ties between kingdoms." The girls laughed in response and I felt my cheeks burn.

"And acting as if she's better than us," added another. "Just because she covers herself doesn't mean she can act superior." I had spoken only to Jasmine, no other women. How could they say such things when I had done nothing at all like what they were saying?

"Just wait," Jasmine said. "Once she has given the prince a few children, he will likely leave her for a Kallis woman. She does not belong here, and we do not need an Eshon woman as a queen. Our prince deserves a proper woman, and I should hope someone tells him before he takes that woman and – "

I almost dropped my cup of tea at the words she spoke next. Such horrible, vile words that no woman should know. I was grateful when they soon became too far away for me to hear. My throat was tight as I tried to process what they had said about me.

Since my arrival, I had tried to be friendly. I couldn't understand how the other women thought I had been acting in such a way, when I had only spoken to Jasmine – and I had tried to become her friend. Of course, I understood the issues with me being an Eshon woman. The ties between our kingdoms had been strained, and I was a foreigner to them.

But what hurt most of all was their jab about Drake. Somewhere, deep in my mind, I knew there was always the chance that Drake only wanted to marry me to form ties between the kingdoms. I knew it couldn't be true, but that didn't stop my eyes from stinging as tears dripped down my cheeks. It was childish, but my heart was aching.

The book on my lap suddenly felt unappealing, so I set it on the desk with a thud. Taking a deep breath, I wiped away my tears and went to splash my face with water. Thankfully my cheeks weren't red and my eyes weren't puffy. After just a few minutes, I was able to smile at my reflection and convince even myself that I was alright. And just in time – moments later, I heard a knock on the door.

Drake was leaning against the doorway, giving me a smile as I opened the door. His hair was damp, as if he had just washed it, and his scent was intoxicating.

"Good morning," he said cheerily, leaning down to kiss my cheek. I gave him a bright smile as I greeted him, afraid that the tears would rush back. But no sadness showed and he gave me a gentle look as he held me in his arms. "Would you like to see the city today? They have a market on."

"Sounds wonderful," I smiled, fetching my shoes. He seemed eager for us to go, so we didn't linger before he led me down to the castle gates, where he had arranged a carriage to take us to the city. It was too far to walk on foot, he had said, and his father had taken the rest of the horses to bring some nobles on a hunt. I didn't mind at all, and the sight of the carriage amazed me.

The carriage was made from a blue polished material with silver linings, which gleamed in the sun, and the doors bore the royal sigil. It was stunning – never before had I seen such an ornate carriage.

Drake opened the door and climbed in, offering me a hand which I gladly took. Once the doors were closed, the carriage set off, jolting the structure and throwing me forward. Drake chuckled as he caught me in his arms and I fought my burning cheeks.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Though I knew he was talking about me being jolted, my chest panged. But I nodded with a smile and settled myself next to him, leaning against him to inhale his scent. "Did you enjoy the ball last night?" he asked, slipping an arm around my shoulders and tucking me close to him.

"I loved it," I murmured. Despite the revealing clothing, it was really enjoyable. "What's the city like?"

He hummed, running a hand through my hair as he thought of an answer. "Usually it's quiet, but there's a market on today, so I expect there will be quite a few people. Perhaps some performers or wandering traders. The markets here are quite different to those in Eshon, so I'm curious to see what you think." He didn't elaborate and I didn't ask for him to clarify – though I was curious, I was eager for it to be a surprise.

It took only ten minutes or so for the carriage to reach the city, and it didn't travel much further than the entrance – the roads were blocked for the market. Drake stepped out first, holding my hand to steady me as I followed him. All at once, the scent of baked bread, cider and sweets hit me, and I was surrounded by bright colours. Somewhere in the distance, I could hear several people playing instruments that filled the streets with lively music.

It was as if all my fears and troubles were gone. My body felt light and all I could do was gape at the market before me. Drake chuckled and slipped an arm around my waist.

"Welcome to Kallis," he whispered in my ear.