Chapter Two: Dinner

Adrian enjoyed ruffling Jayna's feathers. She was a prickly, proud thing, who looked damn amazing in black.

He had all but forced Jayna to come with him. In all fairness, he knew that she didn't mean to wish Eliza away. Jayna, however, was gifted with enough natural sarcasm and dry wit to say such things.

Adrian was sure he would be the brunt of that icy tongue for a very long while.

Smirking slightly, Adrian ran a long hand through the coppery tresses falling heavily on Jayna's shoulders. She looked up at him, the feel of her silky hair was payment enough for the wrath he was about to incur.

"Adrian, I am here, and I will remain here until I solve your riddles, but that does not give you the right to ever touch me. If you touch me again, I'll unman you, and then feed you the roasted flesh."

A smirk graced his sinister lips. "Really, Jayna. You think you could do all that? Besides, I said you would be tempted. This, darling, is only part of the temptation."

Jayna scowled, furrowing her slightly freckled nose into a little ball. "I've had enough of this. Are we nearly there?"

Adrian inclined his head slightly, motioning toward the gate before them. "We've been here, darling. You simply haven't noticed. Come, you are to freshen up, and then join me for dinner."

Jayna offered him a look of disgust as she walked through the foreboding gates into the castle, her arm entwined with Adrian's. "What if I wish to merely go to bed? I am quite tired."

Adrian smiled a bit, studying her quietly before speaking in a soft voice. "Disobedience earns you nothing toward your, or Eliza's freedom. I suggest you make this easier on yourself. Join me, talk to me, and perhaps you'll even meet my parents. Just do as I say, and you might find you like it here."

Disappearing in a cloud of smoke, Adrian left Jayna standing before a large stone door. Reaching out cautiously, Jayna opened it, revealing an opulent bedchamber. Warily, Jayna walked into the chamber, her booted feet making soft, uncertain thuds on the thick carpets. Her eyes were momentarily drawn to them, taking the beauty of the teal and gold decorum.

Her eyes then fell on the large, oak wood bed inlaid with shining gold. Tapestries and silks made of bright teal material hung over the bed. Lush pillows adorned the headboard.

Jayna's heart froze in her chest. This wasn't the room of a prisoner, or even a guest.

This was the room of a princess. This was the room Adrian would give his queen.

Her emerald eyes then found the wardrobe. With one swift motion of her hand, she swung the door open, revealing a wardrobe as opulent as the room that contained it. Jayna's hand touched rich jewel toned silks and soft, hearty velvets with amazed fingertips. There were slippers in the wardrobe, as well as jewels and pearls. Jayna cautiously touched a gown of pale peach silk, pulling it toward her body as her fingers lavished the fabric. The color, even the cut, with a low bosom and high waist, looked to have been specifically tailored to fit Jayna's lush form. She furrowed a brow in confusion and placed the dress back in its place.

Next, she began the mandatory search for something in her signature color-black. Jayna always felt safer in black, somber and unreachable.

"You won't find any black gowns, dear," Adrian spoke from behind her, approaching her with a cattish ease, an enviable confidence.

"Really, why not? Black is all I wear. If you went through all this trouble, you should at least include something I will wear."

Adrian smirked, staring at her with quiet concern, "Jayna, why don't you wear color? Do you not wish to be seen? Does it make it easier to forget your life if you look like a shadow? Why not wear the peach gown you were looking at? The color is lovely."

Jayna furrowed her brow, "So, the ever-confident king must resort to spying on his prisoner. Where did you learn to have such class, Adrian?"

"The same place you learned to dress, darling."

A low growl rose in Jayna's throat. His quiet confidence infuriated her; she wanted to see it shatter like glass, break in a million shards of agony. "If you didn't have Eliza."

"Then you wouldn't be here, would you Jayna?" Adrian interrupted smoothly, his eyes locked with hers in a silent battle of the wills. "You wouldn't consider loving a man like me. I highly doubt you would consider anything but working and caring for your sister. What a life you have, Jayna. So empty. I'll see you at dinner."

He was gone again, leaving a flushing Jayna holding a lovely peach gown in her grasp. Infuriating, that man was absolutely infuriating. Who did this Goblin King think he was, ordering her about like a servant?

Without a word, though her checks flushed in anger, Jayna threw off her black velvet, her high boots and thick black socks, replacing them with the peach gown Adrian had recommended. Taking in a long, deep breath, Jayna reminded herself that she was not here to argue with Adrian. She was here to save Eliza.

Jayna turned to the mirror, sitting prettily in a gold frame next to the wardrobe, and gasped softly. The ravishing red-haired woman standing there could not be her.

The woman wore the peach gown, falling lavishly over curves, gathering in a Grecian style at the neck and falling into a straight skirt down to her feet. The eyes that met her in the mirror were effervescent green, glowing under soot-black lashes. Brows arched softly, and strands of coppery hair fell about her shoulders.

The gown was, Jayna decided, at least satisfactory. She reached for a pair of dainty peach silk slippers.

It was time to join her host for dinner. Moving slowly toward the door, Jayna wondered down the long, seemingly endless hallway. Doors seemed to lead to nowhere, and everywhere at the same time. It was all too confusing. Finally, one of the doors opened into a long hallway, lit by chandeliers, and ended in a large, open room lit by candles.

Jayna had arrived in the grand dining room. Adrian, his black hair shining like obsidian in the low light, eyes like sapphires, sat at the head of the table. He smiled in greeting to Jayna, motioning to the seat at his right hand.

Jayna reached to pull the heavy oak chair from beneath the table. Adrian stopped her, rising quickly, pulling out her chair, and then pushing it back beneath the table.

"My mother always told me to be a gentleman, king or not," Adrian quipped as he returned to his place. Jayna nodded slightly.

"Your mother must be an intelligent woman, Adrian," Jayna quipped, smiling in spite of her own recrimations.

"She is," Adrian, said, a casual tone to his voice. "You will meet she and my father after we dine. They wished to join us for dancing, though they extend their apologizes for not being here this evening."

Jayna nodded, looking down at her plate. "Really, you don't have to go to all this trouble, Adrian. I'm leaving as soon as I solve the three riddles."

"We'll see, Jayna. Now it's time to eat. I hope you enjoy roast beef."

Looking down at her plate, Jayna realized her food was already before her. She smiled, looking at the china. It was lovely, emblazoned with a royal seal. Elegant wine goblets flanked the platter.

"It's almost too lovely to eat. I really hate to ruin this pretty sight."

"It is far from the loveliest here tonight, Jayna. Please, feel free to eat. I am assuming you do not eat like this very often Aboveground?" Adrian's tone was conversational, light and easy. He was actually making an attempt to be friendly, Jayna reasoned as she stuffed a slice of tender meat into her mouth.

Jayna would be friendly in return, she decided. "Not hardly. It's just Eliza and me now. We usually eat pizza or take-out. Sometimes sandwiches. It's nothing fancy."

Adrian nodded with interest as he continued dining on his meal. "How exactly did a girl your age end up with sole custody of a child?"

Looking down at her plate, Jayna began pushing a few peas around idly before answering. She hoped the agony in her mind did not show in her voice. "When I was seventeen, I moved out to start college. I wanted to study directing, and I managed to get a full academic scholarship. My life was wonderful during that year. I moved away. Mom and Eliza stayed at home, and I visited often."

Jayna paused, taking in a shuddering breath. "I went home for my eighteenth birthday at the request of my mother. She said she was going to give me a party and that Eliza wanted to see me. I went, for Eliza, and when I arrived my mother was gone. She left a note, as well as a will, granting me full custody of Eliza. Because of our trust fund, I had money to move home, go to community college, and take care of Eliza."

Taking a long breath, Jayna raised haunted eyes to Adrian. " I don't think my mother is dead, though."

Swallowing softly and drawing in a deep ragged breath, Jayna averted her eyes and promptly ate a bite of beef. Then, she drained her glass of wine. Adrian sat in silence, watching her carefully.

Finally, he spoke. "You are an amazing young woman, Jayna. I knew it from the moment I happened upon you, one day while watching the Aboveground in my crystal. I wanted so many times to save you from your pain. However, I waited. Until now."

Jayna raised questioning eyes to Adrian, who merely drank down a long sip of wine.