A Feast for a King
Before the first dish hit her table King Damon had already leaned to her and whispered in her ear that she looked magnificent. Elena held back a blush.
"Thank you, and Might I say you look dashing, yourself." Elena coyly responded. "I hope you enjoy the meal. I heard roasted duck is your favorite."
"It is. Although, I do prefer a more noble bird now. One of high stature with a long neck and piercing brown eyes. " Damon flirted.
Elena changed the subject quick because Damon was making her nervous something she never experienced before. "I trust your rooms are to your liking" She felt that this would be a safe subject.
His eyes pierced into hers. "They are magnificent." Damon responded. "Although I wouldn't mind if you inspected them to be sure they are in perfect order."
Elena fought very hard not to blush "Sir, I would appreciate if the topic stayed on less familiar ground, it being our second meeting." Elena demanded.
Damon grinned knowing that he got to her. "Yes, your majesty" he nodded his head "Would you, per chance, honor me with a dance"
He extended his hand to hers and rose from his seat before she even had a chance to respond. She glanced out at the other dancers and realized that in the time that they had been bantering most of the other courtiers had abandoned their meal and begun dancing with each other. She noticed Prince Stefan and Lady Caroline dancing together. Caroline had a huge grin on her face. The beads in her hair were sparkling in the candle light. They complimented her very well. Unfortunately, Stefan had a very serious expression on his face as he danced with Caroline.
She looked at Damon and placed a smile on her face. "Very well but, only if you promise to behave."
"On my honor as a king" Damon solemnly replied.
"We all know a king's honor only goes as far as it takes to protect their people or further their own personal cause." Elena quipped.
Damon looked genuinely surprised. This made Elena's smirk widen. She liked being on the upper ground. She delicately placed her hand in his and rose from her chair. The heat that crept from her hand surprised her. She would have to speak to Caroline about why she kept having this reaction to Damon. As Damon escorted Elena into the dance area everyone made room for them in the center of the room. She noticed that Prince Stefan still had a very serious expression on his face. "Does the Prince always have such a serious expression or is it just the pleasure of my lady maids company that causes this reaction in him?"
"Oh he is a brooding boy. Pay him no heed. He is probably trying to remember the steps to the dance."
Elena let out a hearty laugh at that. And every eye turned to her and Damon.
"Why Damon you do have an interesting since of humor. Do you not?" He twirled her around and brought her back to his side.
"That is one of my many qualities. I am also an experienced horse rider, my sweet."
"Then you will have to prove that to me at first light. I think a ride through the forest will prove to me how experienced a rider you truly are."
"Since I promised to behave I will just agree to your invitation perhaps, that will keep me in your good graces" He replied then twirled her into his arms and set his eyes upon hers. Elena's heart sped up and her throat felt very dry all of a sudden. She shot him a glare and managed to reply in a normal voice. Thank the stars.
"Yes that would keep you in my good graces. That accompanied with how well you behave on our outing."
"I can barely wait your majesty."
"Now, good King, I do believe I should dance with Prince Stefan so I may get to know him."
Damon's eyes hardened and he stepped away from her. This bemused Elena but, she paid it no heed. She saw this behavior in her father many times.
She nodded her head to Damon as a way to say thank you and fluttered her eyes the way Caroline taught her to soften his heart.
"Until I see you next" Damon said with softer eyes.
Elena looked at Stefan and he immediately approached her. Elena looked at Caroline who was chatting with him along the side of the room and shifted her eyes to Duke Matthew who correctly took that as a sign to dance with Lady Caroline. Duke Matthew was her second favorite Duke only after her cousin. Of course he and her cousin were the greatest of friends growing up. His father was not a Duke by birthright. He earned his title with hard work and dedication to the crown. This trait his passed onto his son thus, making Duke Matt a very hardworking councilman. He earned his dukedom not just by his birthright but, by sheer hard work. The idea of Caroline and Matt dancing made Elena smile; to bad Caroline expressed more of a brotherly love for Matt because, Elena would approve a match between her and Matt any day. Matt also expressed sisterly love for Caroline. This made Elena happy because to see either Matt or Caroline sad would truly make her sad. They were like family to her. She turned her attention to Prince Stefan. She would see if he would be worthy of a subject of her love like Caroline.
Stefan stepped up to Elena and placed his palm upon her palm. They twirled around once and this gave Elena a chance to examine him more closely. He seemed handsome enough. His eyes were a darker blue then Damon's eyes. Yet they still had a healthy quality to them. He wore an even more serious look as they danced though. When they twirled for a second time she deemed it time to make polite conversation. He of course would not speak first for etiquette sake.
"How are you liking your stay thus far Prince Stefan?" She inquired.
"My rooms are more than acceptable and your castle is lovely, thank you for your concern your grace." Stefan responded in turn. "Thank you for the banquette in our honor. It pleases me greatly to be treated so."
Elena smiled, For Stefan, it was necessary to make pleasantries. "Think nothing of it. How are you and my ladies maid faring." She asked. Caroline would, of course, be abashed that she was checking up on her but, it was her right as ruler and friend.
"She is lovely, your grace. She dances like a swan dances on a lake and her conversation is riveting."
"That pleases me Prince Stefan. It is the will of your King and me to go riding in the trails in the forest at first light. Would you care to accompany us?"
Stefan looked very startled for a fraction of a second then looked happy. "Nothing would please me more your grace. I shall very much look forward to it."
"Fantastic, my lady maid will be very pleased to accompany you." The grin on his face faltered for a second before he fixed it. He of course thought she was asking for herself. The song came to an end and Stefan bowed to her and kissed her hand.
"It was a pleasure to dance with you Prince Stefan. I hope that your stay will be comfortable."
"You are to gracious your majesty." Stefan released her hand and backed away.
Stefan returned to her lady maid and Elena decided to mingle a little bit. It did not take long for her Dukes to realize that she needed a new partner to dance with. Duke Matt approached her bowed and extended his hand. "It would please me very much to dance with you, your majesty"
Elena smiled and accepted his offer. She danced with every one of her Dukes multiple times. That night she did not dance with Damon or Stefan again. She knew that if she were to dance with either of the royal dignitaries more than the other the courtiers would gossip even more than they already do. Her eyes could not help but follow Damon during each dance. His eyes flirted with her the entire night. He was a very elegant dancer. She knew he understood why she danced with her dukes. Yet, she could not help but, yearn for his strong arms and banter the entire night.
When she felt that her feet were bleeding in her shoes she lifted her hand to signal the music to stop and addressed the room.
"My people, I do feel it is time we retire. We have decided that it would please us to ride through the forest at first light on the morrow. It would please us to have my courtiers accompany us." The room bowed to her and she nodded her head in acquiesce.
"Lady Caroline" She commanded and held her hand out. When she felt Caroline's hand in hers and her ladies maids were all behind her she exited the room.
"How did you like your night" She asked Caroline.
When Elena looked at her she saw her eyes twinkling. "It was magnificent your majesty"
Elena smiled "Good because I have arranged for you and Prince Stefan to ride together"
She could see that Caroline was barely suppressing her happiness at that statement. "You are to kind, your majesty"
Upon reaching the door to her apartments she spied Damon at the door of his. He bowed his head to her and she bowed hers to him. His eyes twinkled with mischief. He grinned cheekily at her and whispered "Good Sleep my sweet"
She knew she should not have allowed him to say that to her. It was too late to change her mind now.
"Good Sleep" She responded then motioned for her foot man to open the door to her chambers.
Caroline was looking at her with a knowing smile on her face. "It would please me to have you accompany us to sleep Caroline" Her ladies maids were readying her for bed and they paused for a second. It was a high honor to accompany her to sleep. One done out of necessity too. The rooms were very chilly and the fire place only gave so much warmth. "Thank you for the honor your majesty."
Elena went back to her thoughts after that. Tonight she would ask Caroline about the reactions she was having to Damon. She was sure her ladies maid would understand why this was happening to her. She had an older sister that was married.
When Elena and Caroline were safely in bed Elena turned to Caroline who had freshly bathed before entering the queen's bed. "Caroline, why do my hands sweat and my stomach flutter when I am around the King?" She finally asked in a whisper. The curtains may be drawn but, the ears of the other courtiers were still listening. They slept on the floor around her bed to keep her safe. Some queens who were in danger would let their ladies maids sleep in the bed and take their places to confuse would be attackers.
Caroline look at the queen a little startled that the queen would ask this of her.
"Well my sister told me that it is a reaction you have to someone that you have feelings for, your majesty." She whispered back.
"Feelings!" Elena was surprised. "Please you do not have to use such curtsies; you may call me Elena when we are alone." Elena pondered this morsel of information for a moment.
"Do you think I should show my affections for the king, Caroline"
"He is very handsome, you- Elena."
"Yes, and he is such a little devil to" Elena grumbled
Caroline giggled "that he is but, you need someone with the same fiery spirit as you. Or they would bore you."
"that is true, His eyes, I feel like they penetrate into my very soul, How did you like the prince?"
"He was so charming and he was very gentle with me while we danced" Elena could feel the heat from her cheek" She was quiet a moment. "After we ride I want you to tell me if you feel he would make a good husband for you. If you feel like he will make a good husband then, I will mention to the King that I feel you and him would make a good match. If all goes well we will be attending a wedding before the year is up."
"Maybe two weddings" Caroline responded
Elena was thunderstruck for a moment "I promised to never marry Caroline"
"Yes but, sometimes promises are meant to be broken. Especially when the heart is changed"
Elena fell asleep thinking about the words her wise ladies maid told her. Would she have a change of heart? That night she dreamt of ice blue eyes and raven black hair so much so that when she woke in the morning she felt that she had just fallen asleep. She was determined not to fall for the King. She would have no King and only one Queen. She would not be ruled by a man. She could only think of her father when she thought about marrying. She turned to her ladies maid and looked upon her. Even in her sleep she looked so innocent and fragile- Almost like an angel. At that moment she made another promise to herself. She would hurt anyone who hurt her friend even if it is Prince Stefan. She would watch him closely and if she saw any ounce of her father in that man she would put a stop to the budding relationship. With this thought she was ready to face the day.
Thank you for reading my story. It really made me happy to see all the adds and story alerts today. Thank you for the review I got. Please feel free to review my story and tell me what you think. I am open to constructive criticism, suggestions, and story ideas. If you want to see anything specific in the story please tell me. Furthermore, if you see any cool clothing I can incorporate into the story please PM me with a link.
