Royal Blood

III: Close Doors

"Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you."

-Unknown

*Time skip to Adelaide's recreational hours*

*Adelaide's POV*

I usually like to spend my free time reading or riding my black horse, Lamia. I did this because my younger sister, Lucia, tends to bother the living Lucifer out of me. Only, today, I was feeling rather inspired. So I grabbed my journal and a red quill pen and sat in the garden in the center of the castle. At first I was sketching drawings of the black flowers, then my horse, and then the gargoyle fountain that sat dead center in the garden, whatever came to mind. After that, I started to furiously sketch my dream. I couldn't get it out of my head; so vivid, so chaotic, so... random, above all things.

Dividing the paper horizontally into two parts with one thin ink line, I begin to draw. I drew the walls of mirrors and the ocean of blood in the first box, and then I drew the ballroom scene, with Dark and I dancing in the center. After I finally put the pen down, I observed the picture in my hands, satisfied with the relief it provided.I ripped the page from the book, folded it into a tight square, and tossed it into the water fountain. Watching it soak made me feel like the version of me that my parents wanted, not the version of me that I wanted. And while I did like Dark, why couldn't I decide to marry him under my own volition? My rather random thoughts were interrupted when Sura stepped onto the garden grounds.

"It's time for early dinner, Your Highness," She said softly.

That's when I became aware that the guards were watching my every move; Sura only calls me 'Your Highness' when we are in the presence of others.
"Thank you, I'll be in in a moment," I replied. I sighed, looking back at the fountain once more and started to head inside.

'Why does it feel like I'm being watched?' I pondered. I usually don't get this feeling, especially not one this intense. I stopped at the threshold and turned around. Letting my gaze sweep the garden, I count the number of guards. One, two, three, four, five... No six though. There's usually always six guards. I furrowed my brow in confusion and curiosity. One by one, the guards started to walk out of the garden and into a room with a dark oak door with an intricate symbol on it. I remember always trying to get into that room when I was younger, but my father would tell me no, over and over again. At the time, I didn't see what the problem was, and quite frankly I still don't understand the problem. Wasn't it just a library?

I casually walked across the garden and slipped into an alcove between the oak door and a stone wall, pressing myself as far back as I could. The guards seem to not notice me considering they marched passed swiftly; I held my breath anyway. The door opened smoothly and I managed to wedge my foot between it, allowing a narrow crack for me to see through. I looked through the gap, eager to see what really laid behind this mysterious door. I saw rows of books on shelves that seemed like they would touch the clouds if not for them being confined in this castle. Knights in glistening black armor surrounded a big wooden table and at the head of that table, King Gregory—my father—in all his fine glory.

My mother and father stopped aging around the time they were thirty, very common for demons in Vorena; other demons are so unfortunate that they must Soul-Leap from one body to another every thousand years or so, leaving a lookalike in that body's place. I could see how my mother fell in love with my father: He had almost hypnotizing golden eyes, blonde hair and a strong jaw-he was handsome. He was also infuriated, I could tell. But as to what, I haven't got a clue.

"This isn't something to disregard!" He bellowed slamming is large hands onto the tabletop, making me jump back.

The door closed with a thud, and I cursed myself for it. I Already knew from memory that the door was locked, so there was no use in trying to pry it open; but I pressed my ear to it anyway. I Could only catch pieces of the conversation inside. "...Anti...Plausible threat...Attack..." It wasn't anything I haven't heard from The King directly when he would scold Lucia and I for sneaking to the village for a handful of Mr. Coterel's famous strawberry flavored cotton candy.

"Are you mad?" He would all but yell. "Anti is unabatingly hiding in the shadows waiting for one of you-" he'd pointed at us. "-To fall into his grip." I remembered mother barging into the room, giving father a steely-eyed glare with, and making him leave. She then proceeded to tell us exactly what father just had, but in a more calming manner.' I tuned back into the conversation.

"...Princess...At risk of being...Guards at every entrance..." wait, which princess? I thought incredulously. Lucia? Me? At risk for-

"Adelaide?" I hear Sura ask from behind me, making me jump. I spun around to face the short redhead. "Oh, is something wrong?" I asked in a formal tone.

"Well, it's been around fifteen minutes so..." She looked around me at the door. "What were you doing"

"Oh, nothing. I-," I cleared my throat, "-It's nothing," I plastered on a fake smile. "So, dinner then?"