The queen's birthday party was in full swing, a grand event that took place in the royal gardens.
Members of her court were in attendance, all radiant and smiling, while I fought to keep the sadness away from my face. Though I'd turned down a life with him, my heart couldn't stop squeezing each time a thought of him came up.
I searched my father through the sea of nobles and calmed a bit when I saw his leathered face. A boisterous laugh tore from his chest and I felt a small smile form on my lips, reminded of my reason to stay. I had lost one parent. I couldn't lose the other.
A courtier announced it was time for the gift giving.
One by one, nobles from far and wide stepped up to her throne.
"I bring one of Ganh Dou's finest geldings," one announced.
"I come bearing Siria's gold," another said.
It finally got to my turn. The queen's frosty stare fell on me. I tried a smile.
"I bring you flowers. One of the rarest." I presented it.
She retrieved it. Once she took a look at the banquet, she screamed, dropping it.
One of the courtiers picked it up. She locked steely gazes with me. "Are you mad, child?"
Panic tightened my chest. "What?"
"You dare gift the queen black crusades?"
A murmur rose up in the crowd. I spied my father starting to approach, noticing the discourse.
I stumbled out, "I w-was told the queen was an avid collecter of flowers."
The queen's face reddened in anger. "A what?! I'd sooner collect an invitation to Absalon."
The other woman snapped, "Don't you know black crusades are a symbol of death?!"
"But I was told--"
"Told what?" The queen cut in. "And told what by who?"
My eyes flitted around. All eyes had lasered to me.
The king was here. "What's the matter?" he asked. "Why the scowls on day like this?"
The queen turned to him sharply. "You daughter," she hissed. "Gifted me with black crusades."
He stilled.
"I can explain!" I said frantically. "Your spy, Ysmay--"
The gathering gasped.
The queen slowly turned to me. "My what?"
"Your spy," I said quietly. "Ysmay." I gave a description.
The queen stood. "I don't know anyone by the name... Ysmay. And if I had a spy, trust it wouldn't be a female!"
"But she was here on my introduction to court!"
The queen inhaled, turning redder by the second.
Mildred stared at me. I turned to her. "Didn't you see her? The girl who sat on the king's throne on my court introduction."
YOU ARE READING
MASTER SEBASTIAN
Vampire#Dark #Forbidden #Vampire His eyes darkened. Voice rough with desire, he warned, "Don't tempt me, mortal." Before, his angered state would've served to draw me to line, but today I found it only aroused me. Voice breathy, I said, "Or else what, ma...
