"Edwina?" I gripped the door to my room tighter, "What do you want?"
"Your father sent me to make sure you and your sister are..." Her lips curled up in a sneer, "Presentable when the princes arrive today."
"Oh," I opened the door wider, "I'm so sorry Edwina I should have realized that the best person to tell me how to dress was a whore."
She let out an indignant huff, crossing her arms and pushing up her breasts even farther, "You've been through more males than I have, princess."
"Out." I growled leaning forward into her space, "My brother has killed for me before. I doubt he would mind doing it again."
Edwina laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder, "You always have to send a man in to fight your battles."
"Says the female hiding behind my fathers crown."
Her face hardened, "You have no idea what I had to do to get here girl. Shut your mouth and play your role like the rest of us."
Heavy fabric swished behind her. Leaving me standing in my room, watching her walk away. Edwina had come into my life a few years ago, and my siblings and I had kept our distance. Whenever we were around her she would have some barbed comments to make. Taking a step back into my room I quickly shut the door.
"She is in fine spirits today," Fia muttered, flipping the page of the book she was reading.
"Isn't she always?" I forced out a laugh, dropping onto the bed with a sigh.
Her angry words repeated in my mind. What did she have to do to be with the king? What made her so desperate?
"Don't think too much about it, Maeve." Fia glanced up from her page, "That female has been after you since she first showed up here."
"She went after all of us." I rolled over facing my sister.
"No," Fia frowned, "She has been trying to get rid of you the most. One of my maids told me she overheard her telling one of the ladies of the court how you should be sent up north."
"I wouldn't mind that," I said, sitting up, "It would be nice to spend more time with Az and Aslin."
"I mean way up north." Fia clarified, "To the tribes."
"Why didn't you say anything?" I glared at the door, envisioning that smug face of hers.
"I didn't think anything would come of it and..." She gritted her teeth, eyes narrowing, "It was while you were still recovering."
"That-" I stopped, taking a moment to calm myself before continuing, "That does not surprise me. It does surprise me that Rasten didn't attempt to arrange something with them as soon as I recovered enough to travel."
"Even he is not so horrid as to have you married off to the tribesmen." Fia gave an exaggerated shudder that had laughter bubbling out of my lips, "Remember the bedtime stories our nursemaid would tell us about them? How they would eat their young during harsh winters and that was why we should be grateful to live how we do?"
I grimaced, "I had quite a few nightmares from that story."
"Definitely not my favorite one that she told..." My sister agreed, placing down her book.
"Though it was better than the seamstress that cut off your thumbs if you sucked them." I grinned, "I remember you sitting on your hands all the time to protect them from seamstresses. When you got a dress fitting after that story you cried."
"You'd cry too, if you kept being poked by those pins." Fia rolled her eyes, the room growing colder when her smile fell, "I heard you last night. Are you sure you want to go through with this? I could-"
"Fia," I went to her, crouching down in front of her and placing my hands on her knees, "This is what we were raised for. The only thing our position will let us do. Think of what this treaty could do for our people, opening trade between our countries. A way to add color to this land again. I need to do this. No matter what it might mean for me."
"Maeve," Tears began to well in her eyes, "What if you don't come back? What if they do something to you and no one is there to help you."
"I will be fine." I forced a smile to my lips, "What female wouldn't want to be with one of those males? Did you see the drawing?"
"Yes," She rolled her eyes, "I know it probably fueled the nightmares you've been having the last two nights."
Fia wasn't wrong with that one. I had been dreaming about red eyes lurking in the darkness. The dradan would then come out from the darkness and his form would slowly turn into Rae. His brown eyes dim and his neck twisted at an odd angle.
"This is my duty." I finally snapped, pushing myself away from her, "Do not insult me by assuming I am unable to fulfill it."
"That is not what I meant," My sister frowned up at me, "Why do you insist on forcing yourself into this?"
"Because this is my only chance!" My chest heaved with ragged breaths, "I cannot be trapped here forever, Fia. At least if I leave I won't have to deal with the whispers, or the males constantly leering at me."
"Alright," My sister agreed, standing, "I'll go ask for someone to help us get ready."
She swept out of the room gracefully, leaving me in the quiet room. All of my falsified confidence left with her. I felt drained, sinking into the chair she had just left and cradled my head in my hands. She was right, red eyes had filled my dreams last night, but it wasn't the male from the drawing.
Rae had crawled out of the darkness, red turning to icy blue. His mouth hung open, rotting flesh hanging off of his body. Large hands reached for me, tugging at my clothes while I sat on the library's couch, unable to move or call for help. Trapped just like I had been that day.
The dream had twisted then, taking me back to the garden where I had foolishly gone alone to calm my racing thoughts. Avery's skin was torn and broken, blood staining his clothes, but his wounds did nothing to take away his strength. Rae was grinning, empty eyes watching as the other male choked me. Brown eyes held mine captive, the sinister smile widening when my eyelids began to droop.
"Give in to the dark, Maeve." Their voices joined together, attempting to lure me into the hell that they resided in, "We're waiting for you."
Fire flashed and the pain that still scarred my body lit me up once again. It was only then that I woke, after the glass from the lantern had broken across my back, and the fire caught on my dress.
"She needs to be eye-catching." My sister's voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I quickly rose from the chair, pulling back my shoulders and straightening my spine.
"Of course, your majesty," The older female she brought agreed quickly, gesturing to the young brunette behind her to start setting up their supplies beside the mirror. "It won't be a difficult task considering how beautiful you both are."
"That's very kind of you, Asa." My sister gave her a charming smile, the perfect opposite of my severe frown.
"Here are your dresses my ladies." The younger female laid out the shimmering dresses on the bed before continuing to unpack her supplies.
"We were thinking of putting your hair up-" Asa began.
"I don't care." I cut her off, striding towards where the other was getting her supplies ready, "Just finish it quickly."
My sister bit her lips, but didn't comment on my rudeness. I had placed my mask back on, once again the icy, unbothered princess that I was supposed to be. Fia chattered with the others while I sat still in the chair. Watching them work on my sister and I.
The young female crouched down in front of me, lips pursed together as she focused on painting my face. A curl escaped from the bun that held most of her hair back. Soft brown eyes narrowed at the small smattering of freckles that covered my nose and cheeks. What looked adorable on my sister looked out of place on me.
"Such high cheekbones..." I gritted my teeth together, fighting the urge to snap my teeth at her feather light touch. Soft fingers trailed along my cheeks, "You are very lucky to be so beautiful, your majesty. Though no one would expect anything less from a princess."
"No need to speak to me, girl." I growled, "You are here to make me look good, nothing more, nothing less."
"Of course," Her lips pursed together, color splashing across her cheeks, "I did not mean-"
"Pay her no mind," Fia cut in, "You're doing a great job, Lena."
"Thank you." Lena blinked rapidly, taking a deep breath before continuing to brush a silver color across my eye-lids.
I wanted to apologize to her. To do something to rid myself of the guilt I felt at upsetting her. This was the role I had made for myself though. Hardening myself so their barbed words and flinching movements would no longer affect me.
Finally after an hour of sitting in that damn chair, clenching my jaw so hard I thought my teeth might crack, we were finally allowed to get dressed. I stepped into the glittering dark silver dress. Too over the top for my taste, too exposed with the low neckline. Sheer fabric covered my arms, the part of the dress that made my sister squeal in excitement and force me into purchasing it.
Lena tightened to corset till I struggled to breath, getting out a bit of her anger perhaps. A gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it, the female giving me an apologetic grimace before stepping away. Fia smiled brightly at her reflection, the light gray almost a cream, but she had insisted she didn't want to wear anything too dark. Not like me.
"You both look lovely," A blonde head poked into the room, already beaming at us.
"Aslin!" Fia matched her brightness, running over to the younger female and wrapping her up in a tight hug, "How have you been? You look wonderful! Where is Az? How was your trip?"
"Give her a minute to breathe, Fia," Though I wasn't able to breathe at all in this dress, "You are all done please see yourselves out."
"Of course, your highness," Asa replied politely, her clenched jaw and narrowed eyes contrasting with her words.
"Thank you both," Fia said graciously, her cheeks dimpling when she turned her smile onto the servants.
They scampered out of the room quickly, their shoulders drawn up tight in discomfort. Aslin crossed her arms, smiling with amusement.
"To answer your questions," Aslin laughed, turning back to Fia, "I've been well, the trip was uneventful, and Killian dragged Az off as soon as we walked inside the gates. Is everything alright? I know the Dradan princes are visiting..."
"Not just visiting," I huffed, "Rasten wants to marry me off to one of them."