Ash and Fire

Chapter 18

Lydia stood outside the door as the guards knocked, announcing her presence. Her hands gripped the sides of her dress to calm the adrenaline that coursed through her system, a buzz of life that didn't have an outlet. She wasn't sure what made her more anxious-meeting the royal family, the epitome of dignified people, or what the meeting was about. Seconds felt like hours as they waited for permission to enter. She grasped more fabric into her grip, tightening her hold when it began to slip out of her grip.

The guards opened the door, standing to the side. Taking a deep breath, she put one foot in front of the other, repeating the steps as her gaze trained on the steps that led up to the seat where the King and Queen sat. Older men stood to her left, adorned in robes, and some held scrolls in their arms. The state of her appearance and dress went out the window when she felt like she would trip over nothing-mentally sighing when she finally reached the end of the steps, stopping a few feet from them. Lifting the sides of her dress outwards that the maids had taught her that morning, she bent forward, facing the ground in greeting.

"Rise, child."

Lydia bit the inside of her cheek to stop the snarl that threatened to appear on her face as she raised her head. She didn't expect the demeaning word to fall softly from the Queen's mouth. Raising her head, she peered up at the King and Queen. Their crowns were just as intricate as the golden-trimmed thrones they sat on. It framed their figures against the darker purple silk attire they wore. The crown prince stood by his father with his hands behind his back. He gave her a slight nod, alleviating some of the nerves that he seemed to reassure her. Another woman, slightly younger than her, stood beside the queen. Her blonde hair swept over her shoulder in a lighter purple dress than the rest. Her attention returned to the King as his voice resonated throughout the room.

"My son told me you experienced something unpleasant in my Kingdom last night. On behalf of this Kingdom, I would like to apologize to you for this misconduct formally. It will be dealt with with the highest laws in place. Is there anything that you, as our honored guest and savior, would like to say that I am unaware of?"

Whispers began from the others that stood at the side, their heads leaning toward the others. Lydia felt a smidge of sympathy for what the men who took her would go through at the hands of the laws she read about but squashed those once the image of Marcus's pouch came to mind. A shiver raked down her spine, goosebumps running down her arms. She noticed Kian's raised eyebrow, giving him a reassuring smile before she turned her attention back to the King.

"I don't believe there is anything to add to what his highness, the crown prince, has told you. Though I feel there are a few different matters to discuss, um, privately, if that is possible, your majesty."

Lydia resisted the urge to fidget where she stood. The king's gaze pierced into hers from where he sat, his posture straightening while he combed his beard with his hand. It felt like she was being assessed for something she didn't appeal to. Her gaze swept from the crown prince to who she assumed was his sister, the princess.

"Leave us," the king ordered.

Protests from the older men were quickly cut short when the king raised his hand, glowering over at them. "You too, Celeste."

"Yes, father," the princess replied, giving a courtesy to her father. Her eyes met Lydia's. A brief exchange was passed through her eyes that she couldn't decipher, and the princess exited through a door to her left.

The room was cleared, save for the King, Queen, and the crown prince. The atmosphere seemed lighter without the weight of other eyes on her that she didn't know. Taking a breath on and letting it expand her lungs, relieving the jitters as she coughed up the courage to get the words out she needed to say officially. She had it hovered over her head for too long, and they were the ones to announce the prophecy that would make or break what her life had come to. She only hoped they had more to go on than what they publicly announced.