Twisted Beauty (A Sleeping Beauty Tale)

Chapter Fifteen

I was delighted Father allowed me to go to Kallis with Drake. Diane was furious and I watched her drag Father aside and hiss at him – that is, until Mother ushered Drake and me out of the room. Though she smiled at us, I saw how upset she was. But something told me it was deeper than my trip to Kallis.

The rest of the day was filled with arranging everything and packing our bags for the trip – Katherine would be travelling a few hours ahead of me, bringing my belongings so she could set them up in my room. She seemed just as excited as me when she found out we were able to go and her smile never left her face.

The next day, I met with Drake by the Gate, smiling at him and his father. I hadn't seen my parents or aunt since the day prior – some important meeting had come up, so it was only the three of us at dinner that night. But they didn't seem to mind and neither did I – though it was admittedly a bit disappointing that I didn't get to say goodbye to my parents.

"Are you ready?" Drake asked, leaning down to kiss me. I blushed at the action, grateful his father was busy preparing the Gate and wasn't facing us. Upon seeing my expression, Drake gave me a wicked grin.

"I believe so," I replied, though I glanced nervously at the Gate. Being afraid of magic wasn't such a good thing when the method of transport was a magical gateway, but I trusted Drake. If he thought it was safe then I would follow him through it. "Will you be very busy in your kingdom?"

"Not at all," he assured, tucking a lock of my hair behind an ear. "Father wants me to resume my training in the early mornings, but I have made arrangements to ensure that my duties are limited. My top priority is spending time with you." I smiled up at him, surprised at the relief I felt. I wanted to see everything – the city, the beaches Mother had described, Drake's favourite places. All of it.

The king seemed to have finished whatever he was doing to the Gate, and the black stones pulsed with energy. I let out a shuddering breath, watching as he walked through the Gate and simply vanished.

"Are you alright?" Drake asked. I couldn't reply – I was frozen with fear. All of my senses seemed to urge me to run. Strong, warm hands cupped my cheeks and Drake leaned his forehead against mine. "This is perfectly safe. You have nothing to fear, my love." His presence was comforting, but the pulsing of the magic was getting faster and stronger; a constant reminder of what I feared. "Look at me, Belle."

I forced myself to stare into his eyes and after a moment, he slid his arms down to my waist and pulled me against him. Slowly, he edged us towards the Gate, all the while murmuring comforting things to me. As we crossed the threshold of the Gate, we were suddenly falling. Out of instinct, I clutched the lapels of Drake's jacket and leaned my forehead against his chest. He responded by tightening his grip around me.

After a few short moments, I felt solid ground form under my feet and the wind stopped tugging at my hair. Slowly, I pulled away from Drake and took in our surroundings. We were in a garden, much like the one that surrounded the Gate in Eshon, except this one was surrounded by a flowing moat of water. Something told me it was man-made, despite how natural it looked.

Just a dozen metres away was the castle. It was massive compared to my home – the walls were made of blue-grey stones that glinted under the morning sun and the windows had coloured planes of glass, forming beautiful mosaics. For a few moments, all I could do was stare in wonder. It was stunning.

"What do you think?" Drake asked, his hand moving from my waist to my cheek.

"It's beautiful," I breathed. He chucked, leaning down to kiss me before gently tugging at me waist so he could lead me towards the castle. His father was already near the entrance, having gotten a head start after I froze in fear. Being afraid of the Gate seemed so silly now – though it was magic, it couldn't hurt me.

As we reached the entrance, we found ourselves in an empty ballroom, decorated in silver and blue. Against the far wall, set upon a dais, sat two crystal thrones. A man was sitting on the bottom step of the dais, a bored expression on his face. When he saw us entering, his eyes lit up and he grinned. He seemed to be a similar age to Drake – which I then realised I didn't actually know. His blonde hair was neatly combed and his brown eyes were filled with warmth. From the uniform he wore, I could tell he was a noble of some sort – and one from a prestigious family.

"It's good to see you again, Daniel," Drake greeted, using his free hand to grip his shoulder. The man – Daniel – looked as if he was about to reply, but paused as he recognised me. "This is Princess Belleza of Eshon – my betrothed. Belle, this is Daniel. A . . . friend."

"Engaged already?" Daniel whistled; his eyes wide. "That's fast, even for our standards." He tilted his head to the side as he examined me, his eyes glinting. With a sweeping bow, he took my hand and kissed it; an action that made me stiffen in surprise. "It is an honour to meet you, Your Highness."

"Just Belleza is fine," I smiled, trying to hide my discomfort. Of course, I knew Kallis had very different rules, and Drake had acted the same towards me. But it still came as a shock to me, especially while being in the arms of my betrothed. Drake hadn't even flinched. As if understanding my thoughts, Drake squeezed my waist just a little tighter – an apology, of sorts.

"Shall we all have luncheon?" Drake suggested. Daniel seemed to be excited at the sound of food, and I had to admit that I was hungry as well.

As we walked through the halls, I admired the dozens of paintings of past royals, though I was surprised that there were none of Drake or his father. It wasn't uncommon for family portraits to be presented in the halls of Eshon's castle, though perhaps the traditions were different.

Soon enough, we reached an airy parlour that overlooked the Gate in the garden. It had couches, a low wooden table and a fireplace. The glowing embers warmed the room pleasantly and was balanced by a cool breeze from the open windows. Daniel pulled a rope that hung by the door and a maid arrived a few minutes later. He muttered a few things into her ear before she left us with a bow. I could only assume it was to get the food.

"So, Your Highness," Daniel said as we sat on the couches, "tell me about yourself." He seemed genuinely curious, which surprised me.

"There is little to tell," I replied after a few moments. I could think of nothing more to say. His eyes seemed to glimmer at my response.

"Well, from the look Drake is giving me, I somehow doubt that," he chuckled. Cocking his head to the side, he asked, "Do I intimidate you?"

I blinked, not expecting such a question. "Perhaps a little," I admitted, glancing at Drake. His golden-flecked eyes seemed to glow with amusement, though he squeezed my hand encouragingly.

I was grateful when the food finally arrived, and I could've sworn my jaw hit the ground at the sight of the platter. There were the normal luncheon foods, such as sandwiches and pastries, but there were also jewel-coloured balls and small dishes of . . . cotton? Both of the men seemed amused at my reaction.

"What are those?" I asked, finally finding my voice.

"You've never had fairy floss?" Drake asked with slightly wide eyes.

I just stared at him blankly. "Fairy?" Fairies did not exist – I was fairly certain of that. Drake chuckled and passed me one of the small dishes. I stared at it blankly, only daring to try it once Daniel had eaten his own portion of it. I still hesitated as I picked it up with my fingers, confused at its light but sticky texture. As soon as I set it in my mouth, it melted and I had to close my eyes at the sudden sweetness.

"Do you like it?" Drake asked. I nodded eagerly, earning a chuckle. "Fairy floss is something only found in this kingdom – it's sort of like . . . stringed sugar." I decided I enjoyed it very much.

It turned out that the jewel-coloured balls were pieces of fruit covered in a hard shell of sugar – something similar to the sugared strawberries I enjoyed so much, but with a richer flavour. As we ate, I found myself becoming a lot more relaxed and talkative. I answered Daniel's questions about Eshon and heard more about their kingdom. Drake promised he would take me to some of their finest cafes – ones that were famous in Kallis for their food.

I found myself smiling quite a lot. The three of us spent the rest of the day together, mostly chatting over tea and giving me a tour of the castle. All throughout it, Drake held my hand tightly, occasionally leaning down to kiss me when Daniel was facing the other way. I realised how happy I was; how easy it was to let my fears slip away. It was a wonderful feeling.