Striding through the door quietly, the guards stationed at the entrance gawked at Princess Elianna, dropping their stone solidarity position.
As their eyes scoped her every inch, she just rolled her eyes, squeezing her body to act correctly, like a princess should.
They followed a respectable distance behind her, still piercing her with their suggestive gazes, while she gracefully walked along the marble floor and walls reflecting the suns glow.
She blocked out all attention, all of them; from a noble passing to a servant, all became flustered and had to stare for at least a second.
It was a short walk from her chambers to the dining hall, but it felt like forever.
With each step she would be closer to the most powerful people in the contentant. Her wretched father being one of them. Always locking her in her vast, empty chambers, like a fragile artefact stored to stay out of the hands of unwanted folk. That's how she felt towards him. No love or compassion, no real family, except for her mother.
Elianna's heart burned, as a deep flame within her arose. She stopped. And breathed. Closing her eyes, to then re-open them, only to bare witness to her father loitering at the entrance of the grand hall.
Got there quicker than she had hoped...
Her guards behind her peeled their attention of Elianna to the king and bowed. She copied.
"Your late!" He growled and grabbed her by the arm, jolting her shoulder as he tightened his grip covertly.
With his own guards around, it was free real estate.
She shrugged him off as he faced her. A nasty piece of work should never be king.
His hands were rough on her delicate skin, and strong too. The king's pale, wise face filled with resentment at the sight of her. No. Jealously. Of his own daughter. His nose crinkled in disgust, she returned the compliment.
A hand shoved her back 'accidentally' as she stumbled into the hall. There, thousands of eyes met hers like a glitter ball, all staring, admiring her body. No. Her eyes. Her crimson, rich red eyes.
They glinted with the suns reflection as she approached the high table situated at the centre. Scoping the room, she saw no sign of the Prince. Thank God.
Her heart was racing, pumping blood so fast she felt faint. As the gazes followed her, she shut them out, only feeling the hard marble flooring, hearing only her fathers' heavy footsteps behind her. The air was dense and breathing became a struggle.
Her seat was next to her father's. Of course. He would never let anyone near her whom he didn't trust. No. She was too precious for that.
The chairs were wooden, carved with excellent care, decripting battles of the past. The grand table was oak wood, matching the numerous chairs seated around it. None as elegant as the royals, though.
She gulped while taking her seat, nerves prickling at her skin.
The room was filled with fire filled torches near sheer white veils, a curtain draped across the ceiling in decoration. All tables were parallel with the high table, each filled with hundreds of nobles. To anyone other than Elianna, they would have relished in the fine decor, but she didn't.
She hated fancy occasions.
Next to her father, on his other side was her soon to be step-mother; mousy brown hair reaching her shoulders, beautiful features, younger than expected, yet appeared to be matured much earlier than any young person. Especially having a son at only 19.
The hairs on the back of her neck began to stand as she peered across to see the chair next to the Queens empty. A void left in the Prince's absence. Tough. Better for her anyway, if she didn't have to see him then there could be no awkwardness.
"Don't you dare disappoint me, Elianna!" her father growled under his breath.
She merely stared back, blank as an empty book.
"We may not be in the North, but that certainly will not stop me from proceeding with usual punishment"
He said it quietly, so no one else could hear the truth behind closed doors.
He slapped her too. Of course discretely, appearing as a gentle caress from a loving father.
Her head rolled of his brisk hand as a pang of pain was sent spiralling from her cheeks; becoming rosy red. Elianna lifted her hand to cover it.
No one saw.
No one ever did.
Too busy mingling with other vein bastards, the powerful paid no attention to the truth, only living off lies if it ment they gained wealth...
She tried to hide her anger, but his dead stare consumed with power and darkness dug into the back of her mind.
She faced away, ripping his image from her retina. He isn't worth it. Not here. Control it. You'll be discovered.
"My dear, I would like to introduce you to my stunning daughter" her father sat, "Elianna"
She swivelled her head at the calling of her name to meet the Queen's cold stare that soon melted to be quite inviting, "Humbled to meet you, Elianna".
She bit her lip; her nerves were raising. Her rage grew for her father, who could act innocent very well.
But then.. So could she.
"As I am you, your majesty"
"No need for formalities child, we are soon to be family, I will soon be your step-mother"
As if punched to the chest, Elianna coughed deeply, scratching her throat raw. Mother. She would never call this woman her mother, she had a mother, and she was dead. Her eyes began to betray her as hot tears began to well in the corners of her eyes at the memory of her childhood.
She tried desperately to bite them back, but no use. She turned her head, hiding her shame as her father's deep voice rang in her ears, "Ignore her, she's just being irritating as usual with her emotions". He shot her a threatening glare.
"Emotions are to be expressed, don't be so rude" the Queen interjected, a motherly passion laced in each word.
How ironic.
Elianna's tears became screams in her mind as the burning deep within roared through her, she was like wild fire, and he, a forest. A dry, dry forest. One more insult, and she would let rip.
Sizzling in her fury, she averted her attention from him, to her meal, hiding her face. The bitter and sweet, hot and cold palate stung on her tongue. Each harder to swallow. Her mind was being overrun.
Each sensation was amplified. The stares. The food. The words... She had to get out. Now!
Without a care in the world, she abruptly stood, scraping her chair across the gleaming floor. A few heads spun, including her father's horrible face, but she was gone, left without murmuring a word. Fists clenching.
The corridor's breeze cooled her burning, agitated body as she struggled to remain upright through the marble maze to the garden. There, she hustled deeply into the garden, aiming for towering rose bushes situated near the edge of the castle's boundaries. Her dress, stained with mud, trapesed through the sludge while the howling wind flowed through her windswept hair.
The sun was blinding bright, yet she could see only darkness.
It was getting more and more reactive, more and more out of control than she had hoped.
As soon as Elianna was hidden from sight, tucked behind the shrubbery, she screamed.
She screamed as her palms set aflame; dancing through her fingertips as steam... no crimson mist controlled each ember.
Her eyes began to glow brighter and brighter, as if a crimson crystal. The flame was not the ordinary colour. Oh no, it was blood red. Saturated through and through.
The ice-cold wind parted for her flames to grow. She cried disturbingly as the surge of power flooded her body. It pinched every inch, tingling heat sensations burning her from the inside, it was excruciating.
Like her mind was not becoming her own.
She was being invaded.
Calling upon her will power, (any she had left) Elianna took a deep breath, extinguishing the fire by choking it of life.
The glow dissipated along with her palms, the stinging settling down until she was left, slumped on the wild grass, shaking in exhaustion.
The heat had vanished, all that was left was a scar slicing down her palm. Strikingly noticeable. It throbbed, as did her head.
Alyosia hadn't broken for a long time. Its just her fathers voice, his abuse put her on edge. Every time it happened, it was if the devil was knocking at her door, calling for her, while her fire grew hungrier, more ravenous for it to never be appeased.
Was she dying?
Shuddering with the weight of her breath, she cursed. Her head was indecisive, fighting a battle in her mind, one that she could never understand, or even begin comprehending.
The wind howled at her, and before she knew it, her legs, covered by silk were frozen. Even with the suns ray's it was too cold.
"Just... control" She muttered to herself, voice unsteady before placing her mask of professionalism, a barrier to all emotions, back onto her pale face.
Her eyes were cloudy on her way back, but the exhaustion was no match for her stamina, so with a heavy heart, she approached her chambers and never spoke of it again.