Olivia stepped through the large doors, followed closely behind by Draig. Instinctively, she clasped her hands together in front of her and looked around the large throne room. The carpet beneath her was black, matching the color of the large banners that were hung in the middle of each pillar that led her way to the king. Each of the banners had a red dragon embroidery sewn into it, and Olivia figured that this must've represented something about the King. As she neared the middle of the throne room, she noticed on either side were two larger doors. She wondered briefly where they led, before turning to look up at the throne.
The stairs leading up to the throne were all an ivory tone, heavily contrasting against the stone gray of the floor beneath Olivia's feet. However, the throne was a straight black color, and behind was a large, mounted dragon skull. It looked like it could engulf in it's mouth everyone who stood at the throne. On either side of the skull were the banners, much larger in size now, and beneath them two circular braziers. Olivia's eyes moved to the people standing above her, looking down at her as she stopped in front of the stairs.
The king looked bored and indifferent with her, almost impatient. His hair was long, and white, his face clean and shaved. He was a ghostly pale, and his eyes looked grey, but Olivia couldn't really make it out from where she was standing. Draig cleared his throat behind her, and Olivia jumped, remembering that she was standing in front of royalty. She did her best curtsy, but from the chuckle in front of her, realized it probably wasn't the most elegant. She straightened up, heat rushing into her cheeks from embarrassment. She noted that the king had completely ignored her lack of proper manners, and that it was instead the boy next to him that had been laughing. He had white hair as well, though it was cut much shorter than King Daniel's hair was, though his face was just as lacking of any facial hair.
"Don't be insensitive, Harry." The woman next to him said, elbowing him in the side. Olivia's eyes darted to her, noting her white hair, which was twisted into a ponytail. Her eyes were definitely more noticeable than that of the king's and Harry's. One was yellow, and the other blue. Olivia connected the dots then, and realized that she must've been the queen, and Harry her son, which would make him the prince. Harry had stopped laughing, and was giving Olivia an expectant look. She realized she'd been just ogling the three and hadn't really said anything. Then again, what was she supposed to say?
"Have you not only lost your memory but your will to speak as well, girl?" King Daniel spoke. Olivia cleared her throat, her mouth now dry.
"No, of course not, your Highness." Olivia replied quickly. He hummed, and leaned back in his throne, resting his chin in his hand.
"Unfortunately, my steward has refused to share your family name," He gave a pointed look to Lord Diego, who fiddled anxiously with his sleeves, "but he insists it will be quite a shock to me." Olivia wasn't sure what that entailed about her past, or where she came from, and she was a little anxious to find out.
"Why would it be shocking?" Olivia asked. Lord Diego looked ready to burst at her question, and Olivia realized it was probably rude of her to speak out of turn. King Daniel shrugged.
"I've a few ideas." He replied, and waving his hand impatiently, added, "Well, let's hear it."
"My name is Olivia Patterson, your majesty." She said. The change in the King's expression was immediate. Although it wasn't shock, as Lord Diego had predicted, it was definitely fascination and sudden interest.
"Patterson?" The King said, looking over to Lord Diego who had a smug smile plastered on his face. Olivia nodded.
"Yes, your majesty." The King looked back at her, staring her up and down. He stood from his throne and made his way down those ivory stairs. Olivia backed away a few steps.
"You were right Diego," King Daniel said, now standing in front of Olivia, "this is shocking." Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but Draig beat her to the punch.
"How would it be shocking?" He asked. The King looked from Olivia and to the knight behind her.
"Ah, I forget your nobility really only comes from your knighthood, not your bloodline." King Daniel said, "You wouldn't be aware of the history of any founding noble bloodlines."
"Founding bloodlines?" Draig asked, "I've never even heard of the Patterson family." Neither had Olivia, if she was honest. Though she hadn't heard of any of this until she was helped out of that coffin back at the cathedral.
"Of course you haven't," The King said, running his fingers through Olivia's red hair. She flinched back, pulling her hair from his threading fingers.
"What do you mean?" Olivia asked.
"Well, your family history is very short," King Daniel replied, returning his gaze to hers, "albeit, a little grim."
"Grim?" King Daniel nodded.
"Oh yes," He said, "A lot of death there. So much death, in fact, I find it quite improbable for you to even exist. And yet, here you are, existing."
"What? How is it impossible?" Olivia questioned. King Daniel let out a heavy sigh, and then began to explain,
"Remember the death? Well, that plays a very large part in the improbability of your existence. Centuries ago, back when Kim was alive, the demon prince Asmodeus not only killed the Patterson family, he wiped them out. It was the first move from evil against Kim, as she had a lover in that family and Asmodeus didn't approve. He warned the family to kill their son, or he'd kill them all. Family meant a lot to the Pattersons, and they refused the death of one of their own in favor of their own lives. It was a nice sentiment, though a little foolish." Several questions ran through Olivia's head, and she blubbered out the first she managed to get a grip on.
"Why would Asmodeus care so much?"
"Oh, he was Kim's father." The King replied, "It's like royalty, he wanted her to marry a demon, not some dragon blooded human. Anyways, you're overlooking a more pressing question." Olivia thought for a moment.
"How do I exist?" Olivia asked a few moments later, and added, "Am I even a Patterson?" The King hummed, and reached out for her hair again. He ran his fingers through it.
"Oh, you're definitely a Patterson." He confirmed, "As for your existence, I'm not sure. It's fascinating, isn't it?" Olivia opened and closed her mouth, trying to find something to say. What could she really say? That the possibility that she was supposed to be dead was simply enthralling? It may not even be that she was supposed to be dead, maybe she wasn't supposed to be here at all. The solidity of her being a Patterson brought a small bit of comfort to her though. Still, there was a burning need to figure out who she was, or how she even came to be here. It had just become even more pressing than when she'd first awoke in that stone crypt in the cathedral.
"Is there any way to find out who I am?" Olivia asked, "Maybe even where I come from?" The King dropped his hand, letting out another hum. He turned back towards his throne, walking away from her and up the stairs to sit back down. He thought a few minutes, and then smiled.
"We could contact your kin." Olivia raised an eyebrow.
"I thought they were all dead." The King laughed.
"Yes, the human ones I suppose." He replied, "But the Patterson family were related in blood to dragons."
"How could a person be related to a dragon?"
"Oh, I guess it's more in spirit." The King corrected, "It was originally a curse set on the Pattersons by a witch, as many thought dragons were beasts that lacked will. The witch thought they would turn and slaughter each other. She was surprised to find that when they changed to dragons, they retained a lot of their human qualities in mind. Feeling offended, the Horned God killed her personally, and removed their ability to change. Although, the kinship to dragons remained, which in turn created a lasting alliance with the creatures." Olivia's eyes gazed up at the dragon skull behind the throne. The King followed her gaze, and smiled.
"You can imagine the dragon's anger when the Pattersons were wiped out." The King said, "They blamed humans for it, started a war, and then disappeared for years until the head of Asmodeus was dropped at their doorstep. The skull is more symbolic of history and my family."
"Your family?" The king nodded and then sighed tiredly,
"Yes, but it's a long story and I'm growing tired of this history lesson. I'm sure you're tired as well, so we'll talk more some other time. Lord Diego, please show Lady Olivia to the spare room and assign her a handmaiden. I don't care who."
"Yes, your highness." Lord Diego said, bowing before walking down the ivory steps and past Olivia. She turned around and followed quickly after him. Exiting the throne room felt a lot quicker then entering it, and it wasn't long before they were turning down a hall and then a door was being opened in front of her.
"I will send Elena in so you may return her dress." Lord Diego said, stepping aside to allow Olivia to head inside the room. Olivia thanked him, waving goodbye to him before shutting the door. The room was quite large, but the roof definitely was not as high reaching as the throne room and entryway. From where Olivia was standing in the middle of the room there was a large queen sized bed to her right, a golden canopy draping white curtains around it. On her left, closer to the entrance was a small dining table, and in front of it a chair and fireplace. A room divider was further in the room, and if Olivia looked around it she could see a clawfoot bathtub behind it. At the end of the bed was a window, a desk sat in front of it with a hand mirror and a brush laid out on it. Next to the window was a door. Olivia walked up to the door curiously, and opened it. Inside was another bedroom, though much smaller and less decorated. It had a small bed, dresser, and a much smaller desk and chair. Olivia closed the door and walked back over to her own bed, and laid across it, a heavy sigh escaping her.
The bed was, as expected, incredibly comfortable. She'd learned so much new information today, when not long ago, she had known none. It was exhausting, and Olivia felt her eyes falling shut. She allowed herself to be taken by sleep.