While Liliana had not been present for the actual murder, she felt Gavriel's death the moment it happened.
She was sitting on the edge of her bed, flipping through a book when she doubled over in agony. Her ribs and heart were on fire, as though someone reached deep into her chest and had taken out something vital. A tremor racked her body and something like a cramp tore at her stomach. There was an emptiness that had never been there before and a lightness, as though the chains weighing her down had suddenly disappeared.
Liliana enjoyed living in luxury and excess and wasn't embarrassed in the slightest to admit it. She adored expensive food and priceless jewelry.
It had been easy enough to practically guarantee a lifetime's worth of comfort by the newly crowned Empress of Elantine.
She had truly outdone herself with Scarlett Dragrna's coronation gown. It took an entire week to perfect the stunning artwork - entirely fitted save for in the back, where a train flowed behind her, whiter than untouched snow and decorated with silk red roses. It matched the cape Poison had sent as inspiration, which was covered entirely in flower petals. It was glorious and extravagant and made her look like a true empress.
They had become friends over the past month and Tella, Scarlett's younger sister, invited her over quite a lot.
That led to now, with Liliana sitting in the Royal Hummingbird Court with the two sisters, sipping tea as they gossiped, all of them wearing her newest pieces.
Princess Donatella - although she was only called by the title when one wanted to annoy her - was wearing a beautiful rose-colored dress with a fitted corset top and a bottom that flowed as if it was truly made of rose petals. Small, decadent flowers littered the corset top; soft pops of pastel red and pink. Tella's curls were decorated with ribbons of the same colors.
As if the two sisters were truly the same, Scarlett was adorned in ruby red. Her dark hair with a striking gray steak running along the colors was left down and flowed down her back in loose waves. Scarlett's dress was an off-the-shoulder gown, accented with lace gloves that she insisted changed based on her mood.
Liliana wore a viridian green dress made of the finest silk that contrasted wonderfully against her red hair, and a high slit up her left leg traveling all the way up to her mid-thigh. She had a white shawl around her bare shoulders and was wearing white heels as well. Her hair was piled onto her head in a loose and rather messy bun and she was wearing her usual red lip stain.
The court itself was a sprawling palace of delicate opulence, adorned with shimmering hues of iridescent blue and green. The architecture was a harmonious blend of ethereal, nature-inspired designs and intricate, gilded details. Vines adorned with exotic, jewel-toned flowers twined their way up the palace's walls, creating living tapestries that seemed to bloom and wilt with each passing moment.
"It's too bad you couldn't help us with Gavriel," Tella commented.
"Yes, well, I might not have had many positive feelings toward him but I had no desire to watch my father die."
"Father?" Scarlett's words were a strangled cry and she immediately had to correct her statement.
"In the loosest sense of the word. He raised me but I am not his biological child."
"Oh!" Scarlett exclaimed, right as she bit into a jelly-filled donut and had to grab a few tissues to avoid spilling on herself. "I almost forgot, we invited Evangeline Fox to join us."
"Evangeline Fox?" The name sounded familiar. "Was she the girl who sacrificed herself to save her sister's wedding?"
Tella nodded, "The heir to the throne of the North is looking for a bride before being crowned King and is hosting-"
"Nocte Neverending," Her voice was just above a whisper. She had been invited to one, a lifetime ago. The memories were forever imprinted on her soul.
"Yes. We were going to ask her to go." Scarlett handed over an invitation, a square of cream paper covered in copper print. The metallic ink shimmered as if it were still wet - or touched with Northern magic.
" In Honor of
his Highness Crown Prince Apollo Titus Acadian
You Have Been Summoned to the Magnificent North
to Attend Nocte Neverending Festivities Begin on the First Winter's Day
and They Will Not End Until Prince Apollo Has
Found His Bride "
"I want to come with." The words were out of her mouth before she had much of a chance to think them through. "Not to take part, but simply to watch. I've been to the festivities before and I want to watch it again."
Scarlett nodded, "That can be arranged. You'd be going as a part of Evangeline's party, though."
"That's quite alright. She fascinates me." It was true. Stories of her heroic act were everywhere. Not to mention, Evangeline Fox seemed to be the very key to breaking her curse. "Ooh, I wonder if I have enough time to make all the dresses I need."
"You do realize that you don't have to create every article of clothing you wear, right?" Tella asked, through an open mouth full of a cream biscuit.
"I do. But the day I do will be the day after I die."
They all laughed at that but were interrupted when a servant cleared his throat and bowed. "Your Majesty, Miss Evangeline Fox has arrived."
He stepped aside, welcoming a woman into the garden full of fairy-green trees dripping coral, pink, and peach-colored flowers. Evangeline Fox, a woman with rose-gold colored hair stepped into the room looking like some sort of angel, wearing a cream-colored capelet. Soft, delicate eyes set in the color of a stormy gray scanned the room around her in wonder. She was one of the most beautiful people Liliana had ever seen.
"Welcome!"
"It's so lovely to finally meet you, Evangeline!"
"Your hair really is divine!"
Scarlett and Tella, spoke at once as hummingbirds zipped above their heads.
"Hello. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Evangeline," She gave a soft smile, "I'm Liliana."
The girl's eyes slid to her and there was a slight hitch in her breathing which only made Liliana smile wider.
"We weren't sure what you liked, so we ordered a bit of everything," announced the latter. That explained the vast selection of food available. "We have blackberry creams, harvest terrines, pumpkin pudding, walnut tarts, and every type of tea." She waved a hand toward a tiered tower of colorful teapots piping pretty pink steam.
Evangeline finally removed her capelet and took a seat at the table, across from Liliana."This is wonderful. Thank you for inviting me."
"We're so pleased you could join us," Scarlett smiled."We've wished to meet you ever since hearing about your heroism during the Week of Terror."
"But we also want to ask for a favor," Tella chimed in. Scarlett eyed her sister, who was apparently going off a script they had rehearsed. "What? I'm sure she's dying with curiosity. I'm just trying to save her life."
The princess reached across her sister's plate and picked up the invitation she had seen earlier.
"The North has different customs from ours, ones that Liliana knows well," the empress said softly. "The crown prince can't fully ascend to the throne until he's wed, and hosting a ball to choose a bride is one of their oldest traditions."
Secret ballrooms were built for Nocte Neverending in forests where fallen stars had once landed, leaving everything laced with bits of enchantment. Every night during it, the current crown prince would watch from a hidden location until he picked five ladies to dance with. Night after night, he'd follow the same routine, watching and then asking ladies to dance until he found the perfect bride.
Liliana had been the bride once upon a time.
"I'd always hoped Nocte Neverending was real," Evangeline said. "But I was never quite sure."
"Well, it is, and we want you to go." The empress took a sip of tea as a hummingbird dropped peach flower petals into her cup. "We would attend, but I don't believe it's wise to leave the empire so soon after being crowned and-"
"There's someone in the North that I'm avoiding," inserted the princess. Liliana wanted to ask who but she got distracted.
"Tella," the empress scolded.
"What? It's the truth." Tella turned back toEvangeline. "I love balls and parties that have a high probability of ending dramatically. But I could cause an international incident - possibly a war - if I attend this celebration."
The empress's forehead creased with mortified lines."We can't ignore the invitation," she went on more diplomatically. "And I'd rather not begin my reign by neglecting one of the North's most treasured celebrations. So my counsel and I have given a great deal of thought as to who should represent the Meridian Empire." Her hazel eyes met Evangeline's. "What you did during the Week of Terror was brave and selfless, and it made us think you're exactly the type of person whom we'd like as an ambassador."
Liliana eyed Evangeline as she shoved a blackberry cream in her mouth. "I'd be with you the entire time and I know pretty much everything there is to know about the north."
Although granted, her knowledge was centuries old.
"If you're worried about that nasty rumor, we've already had it fixed," said Scarlett.
"Oh yes, that was so fun!" Tella held out her hand, and a pair of spirited hummingbirds delivered a sheet of black-and-white newsprint to the girl across from her. Her brows raised while reading the article, but nothing else in her expression changed.
"It just went out. By tonight, no one will think you're cursed anymore," confirmed Scarlett. "Though I think most people should know by now they can't believe everything they read. You should have seen some of the things said about me after the Week of Terror."
"I might have read a few of them," Evangeline admitted."The bookshop where I work keeps all the old papers."
"And what did you think?" Tella pressed, appearing excited rather than embarrassed as she plopped a small tart into her heart-shaped mouth.
Evangeline snickered and even Liliana laughed. Tella was always rather entertaining. "I think Mr. Knightlinger got it all wrong. You're far fiercer in person than the gossip sheets made you out to be."
"I told you she'd be perfect." Tella clapped. "Tell us you're going to say yes! You don't have to do anything but go."
The sisters gave Evangeline a pair of matching grins as flower petals rained down and more hummingbirds buzzed around.
Evangeline returned everyone's smiles. "If I said yes, would it be possible for me to take my stepsister?"
"That's a lovely idea," said the empress.
"I should have thought of that," muttered her sister. "But don't worry, we've thought of everything else. You might have noticed the North's seasons are different from ours. Their first day of winter is only three weeks from now, so we might have already started preparations."
There was a great deal of talk after that about lodging, then dresses. Liliana adored the different sorts of fashion in the North. Gentlemen wore doublets and lots of leather. Ladies wore gowns with double skirts and ornamental belts.
And then she was oohing and aahing about jewels and pearls with Tella, and Evangeline joined in, all giddy and excited.
Finally, she asked the last question it seemed she had been sitting on for a while. "Do either of you know anything about the prince?"
"Yes!" both sisters answered enthusiastically.
"He's-" Princess Donatella's eyes went foggy. "Actually, I can't remember what I've heard."
"I've-" The empress broke off in a similar manner as she tried to recall what she had heard as well.
"Information about the prince is cursed in the same way that many Northern tales are," Liliana explained to all of them who suddenly looked quite unnerved.
Gods, she couldn't wait to start designing outfits for the trip.