"Your Royal Highness? Your Royal Highness, you have to get up."
Lyana buried her face in her pillow. One would think that as a prisoner you would have no obligations and could sleep in. But Ice King prisoners were probably the exception. Next time she should really watch out by whom she let herself be kidnapped.
Sighing, she turned her head and looked tiredly at Alisen. "Is there a reason for me to get up
already?"
"Breakfast will be served soon. Besides ..." The maid paused.
"Besides?" Encouraged Lyana her and straightened up. Alisen played nervously with her fingers and
looked at the floor. "King Ulric wants you to come to his study afterwards."
Lyana felt the color drain from her face. Had he discovered her last night after all? Did he want to
punish her now? She got a queasy feeling in the stomach area. "Alisen, find me the dress with the
strongest color." She shouldn't show her weak side now. If she had discovered anything in the short
time she was here, then that King Ulric was not a man who would be impressed by the maiden in
distress. He was someone who preferred a strong character. So she would keep trying to keep her
weaknesses and fears to herself.
Her maid took a dark red dress from the closet. It was made of velvet and had a long train. The
neckline was a little more daring than the blue dress from the day before, but she didn't care. It was
perfect for her plan.
Alisen put Lyanas hair in no time into a beautiful updo together and again she was struck by her
dexterity. Of course, her white fur cape could not be missing this time either.
"You look like a real queen," her maid called enthusiastically and she was right. Lyana actually
looked more grown-up and thus automatically gained a formidable demeanor and charisma. This is exactly what a woman looked like who refused to be intimidated. Even if her legs were shaking like crazy.
Since the king wanted to see her later in his study, she did not expect to have breakfast with him and
she was proven right. However, that was more than okay for her. After the disaster last night, she
preferred to enjoy her breakfast in peace.
She tried to stay calm, but she was so scared of the meeting that she purposely took more time to
eat. But at some point she could no longer postpone the inevitable. Her companion was yesterday's
servant again. All of a sudden he appeared next to her and gave a short bow. "I hope you had a pleasant breakfast, Your Royal Highness."
"It was wonderful." Especially because the king hadn't attended.
"That's nice to hear. If you would follow me now, please? King Ulric is already waiting for you."
Lyana nodded dignified and left the room with him.
He took her into a corridor that she had almost
certainly not yet entered and then stopped in front of a white door. Her heart was beating loudly. So now the time had come.
The servant knocked on the door and waited a moment. Although the princess couldn't hear
anything, he finally opened the door. "Your Royal Highness, Princess Lyana is here now, Your
Majesty."
Lyana entered the room cautiously. It could not be overlooked that it was his study. It was big and
just like the rest of the castle without much decoration. A sofa and an armchair, a chest of drawers and of course the large desk behind which the king was sitting. "You can go Baridi," he ordered his subject without looking up from the papers in front of him.
Her companion made a slight bow and then left the room. The princess decided to remember his
name, apparently he was directly subordinate to the king, probably as a valet, and could still be of
great use to her.
It was uncomfortably quiet in the room. King Ulric still did not look up from his papers. She didn't know what was expected of her. Should she sit down? Should she stay where she was? She decided on the latter for the time being and quietly waited for the king to say something first.
For a while nothing happened and Lyana even thought he had forgotten her. Suddenly he put the
pen aside and looked at her. She winced slightly because she hadn't expected it and indicated a
slight curtsy. "You wanted to speak to me, Your Majesty?", she tried to get the conversation going.
"You are wearing red today?"
Lyana blinked several times in surprise. Had she just heard right? He wanted to see her and then talked to her about fashion? "I ... wanted a stronger color today," she answered his question.
The king propped his head on his hands. His face looked somewhat dissatisfied. "I assume you are
not cold today?"
Another question that unsettled Lyana until she noticed where the king's gaze had wandered.
Immediately she blushed and suppressed the urge to close the front of the cape. "Since it was hanging in my closet, I assumed it would be entirely to your liking," she snapped back, feeling slightly humiliated.