The Dragon's Flame Queen ✔

✔Chapter VIII - Dining with the dragons

"Now, listen carefully." Celia said firmly, "At the dining table, everyone will be observing you. Under no circumstances, you are to eat until the head of the family starts eating, in this case it is the First prince. You have to wait till he starts eating and only then you're allowed to eat."

"What if he doesn't eat?"

"Then don't touch the food." The wizard gave her a mortified look.

"Second, don't. Just don't start eating like you've never had food in ages. You'll have to follow the strict dining etiquette, don't take a lot of food in your plate. Don't take big bites and don't open your mouth too much, and don't chew with your mouth open." She instructed, the wizard girl's mortified look just intensified and Celia started worrying.

"Listen, just please don't mess up. I'll be standing right behind you and I'll give you a signal whenever you'd be doing anything wrong." She said and the wizard girl looked slightly relieved.

"I have one request." She said and Celia nodded.

"What is it?"

"Am I allowed to eat later here?"

Celia's eyebrows twitched, "Fine."

"Ome more thing." She said and Celia frowned in annoyance. Why did she have so many questions?

"What is it?"

"What's your name?"

Celia blinked, she hadn't given her name yet, "Celia." She simply said and heard the wizard repeating it.

Celia managed to get her dressed and then led her outside, her stance was awkward as she walked ahead, Celia was praying from behind that she wouldn't just go and fall right in front of the Princes. Her prayers seemed to have been heard as they reached the dining hall without her falling and she lowered down in the chair.

The dining hall of the dragons was just as the castle, made of dark stone walls with the wallsized windows pouring in the light. The chandeliers hung from above and the dragon carvings etched over the pillars holding the massive ceiling.

"Straight!" Celia whispered-hissed.

With a jolt, Seraphina straightened her back and wondered how could one eat peacefully while maintaining the stiff posture as if they had a rod in their back. Besides the food was far from her plates and it was difficult to reach her plate as well. Her stomach was suffering from the aroma of the meals in front of her. They certainly prepared a feast for her.

However, she could not endlessly eat everything as both of the princes and the future queen sat across her looking at her with their hawk eyes. Celia stood behind her. Wasn't she going to join them?

Now that they sat, she noticed the people standing behind them. They must be attendants. However, all of their eyes were at her as well and she felt nervousness crawling on her skin.

After a few moments, the first Prince said, "Enjoy your meal Princess. You must be very tired."

Seraphina nodded stiffly while her eyes darted between the first Prince and her betrothed. They weren't eating.

While they weren't eating and since he wasn't looking Seraphina took the liberty to study her would-be husband. Apart from his cold and emotionless electric blue eyes, his face was quite exquisite. The slightly boyish roundness hadn't left his cheeks but somehow, Seraphina knew that once he grew he'd have the sharp cheekbones and jaw. She almost started picturing him as a grown up as she continued staring at him. The ebony strands fell over his forehead, his straight nose which seemed to always have anger sitting a top of it, those cupid bow shaped lips which always seemed to have a frown. She wondered if he ever smiled, how would he look if he smiled? Whenever he blinked those thick dark eyelashes just seemed to accentuate the electric blue sparks of his eyes. Those sparks which sent the chills down her spine, she felt those chills running up and down her spine now, the hair on her flesh stood right up as she noticed that he had turned and locked his eyes with hers. The heat slowly climbed over her face and Seraphina's cheeks turned as red as her hair, she quickly looked down. Waiting and feeling famished. It was strange to have these feelings for a child... What were these feelings anyways? Putting aside the strangeness her stomach made its discomfort known.

Celia had told her some dining manners as in never to take food unless the head of the family began. What the hell? Did they want to tease her or something? Because they weren't even touching anything.

Besides, Celia would kill her if she started to eat now.

But given in the situation, where the first Prince and his wife scrutinized her every movement with their emotionless faces she wondered whether they had already found out that she wasn't the princess.

Her future husband didn't look at her after once they'd locked eyes, he remained as cold and stiff as before looking everywhere but her. Did they always eat in such silence? It was hard to imagine her guild in silence while eating or doing anything in silence for that matter.

"Serve." As the first Prince commanded, a few servants came and placed food on their plates and now, Seraphina was resisting the saliva from dripping off her mouth. Her stomach engaged in a battle and she wanted to devour every damn thing on the table.

As the first prince put a piece in his mouth, the others started as well. Celia pinched. A bit hard. Seraphina almost squeaked but managed to hide it and turned to Celia to send a glare.

But the girl stood there emotionless as if she was nothing but a loyal, motionless statue..

Seraphina took a piece and was about to relax her shoulders when another pinch came from Celia and she jolted straight.

"Is the food not of your liking?" Zenith asked.

"No! It's good..." She didn't know what to reply. She looked at the Dragons before her and hoped they didn't see anything unusual but froze as she found her future husband's cold gaze on her. His fine brows lowered a little and her heart thumped.

He didn't see Celia pinching her, right?

***

The bride was acting strange as she took small pieces of her meal but in an urgency. Was she that hungry?

Earlier Demian had noticed her gaze on him, somehow he knew she was staring. He didn't know if it annoyed him or just made him self-conscious because when he turned to see if he was wrong or not. He found her jade green gaze on him, those eyes which made him feel as if he was close to the warmth of the sun. There was something strange about this girl, she lacked the grace of a maiden and the way she was looking so disoriented, he found it rather unsettling as even though she was a human in the dragon's land she seemed just, misplaced in the entirety.

Demian's eyes bore into her as she looked at him with her widened eyes, the healthy color rose till her cheeks. He was seeing her face for the first time as she was behind a veil. Her red curly hair was tucked behind with accessories but a few curls managed to squeeze out of them and hung on her face rather in disoriented ways. Just as she got caught staring she looked down and Demian took his time to look at her, she wasn't all that bad looking but not quite extraordinarily beautiful as well.

"Well, the marriage ceremony is day after tomorrow. While we have enough time, why don't you two talk and get to know about each other?" The first prince said and Demian looked at him, thinking he would be jesting. Billard turned and looked down at Demian with a smile and steel in his eyes, "Demian, why don't you take her to see our lotus garden after lunch?" His brother asked and he looked at him with a shocking glance. He didn't want to go near her or get to know anything about her.

He looked at the human princess and her body went stiff as she looked between both of the Princes. She must be scared.

He grinned in his head. It would be a perfect chance to let her know her place.

"Why not?" He went back to eat his meal in silence however, his eyes could not stop glancing at her. He was amused the way she reacted like a small jittery animal whenever she felt his eyes on her. She indeed was scared and he would make sure it would stay that way.

25th Feb, 2021