Serena awoke the next morning to find Ivar was gone from their bed so she bathed herself and dressed with the help of her maids before making her way downstairs to the dining hall. Walking slowly through the castle , with Inga and Kara following close behind, she took her time to admire the paintings and antiques that were scattered throughout the castle's interior. Although massive in size, inside the castle was warm and welcoming, nothing like she would have expected of a vampire's home. Even the King, seemed far removed from his reputation and her own expectations.
Being so lost in thought, Serena did not realize that they had reached the doors to the dining room until Inga interrupted her reverie.
"Your Majesty, we must take our leave here. His Majesty awaits your presence inside" , Inga informed her as she pushed open the doors.
Serena thanked her and entered the dining hall, her eyes moving nervously around the room.
The dining hall was large with a long table and a huge fireplace that was alight, the warmth emanating throughout the room. Serena saw Ivar sitting at the head of the table but no one else except the butler and two maids who stood silently at the walls, waiting to serve them. Following Victor's eyes she moved to sit beside the King, who had said nothing but sat calmly watching her with a strange look in his eyes.
"Your Majesty", Serena bowed her head before taking her seat.
"My Queen. Did you sleep well?", his deep voice was low enough for only her ears.
"As well as can be expected. Did His Majesty sleep well?", she said softly.
"I would have slept better had you better aided me to do so"
Serena shot him a glance only to find him looking at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes and a smirk on his lips. She flushed and quickly looked down at her plate, avoiding his gaze. Just then the servants brought the food and they ate in silence for a while before Ivar spoke again.
"I have been informed that My Queen does not wish for her maids to bathe her"
"I am fine with performing such tasks myself"
"I am sure you are but if you don't wish them to perform their duties then perhaps you would prefer that I attend to you in their stead? I am more than willing to oblige"
Dropping her fork with a loud clatter, Serena stared wide-eyed at Ivar, who continued to eat while calmly feigning ignorance to her discomfort. Lowering her eyes, as she once again felt the heat spread across her cheeks, Serena steadied her voice before she answered.
"I am certain that His Majesty is busy attending to the affairs of the kingdom and I dare not impose on his time with such a trivial matter. I may have overestimated myself and after reconsidering, I think that I may require the maids to attend to me after all"
"Such a pity! I would have made the time to perform this duty for my Queen no matter how busy I am. My offer will remain open, should you change your mind", Ivar smiled sweetly at her, obviously reveling in the effect his words were having on her.
They finished the rest of the meal in silence with Serena determined to avoid engaging in further conversation with Ivar. As the servants cleared the table, Ivar stood and offered Serena his arm. She hesitated, glancing warily at him before accepting. Together they left the dining hall and walked through the castle, pausing every so often as Ivar pointed out the different rooms of the castle. Forgetting their earlier exchange in the dining hall, Serena felt herself relax and began to enjoy the tour as well as the sound of Ivar's voice as he explained the history of the castle. Eventually they reached the glass doors that opened out onto a terrace towards the back of the castle, overlooking the garden where they were married last night. Under the sun's rays, the garden was even more beautiful and Serena thought of the gardens back home and her family. She suddenly missed them terribly and a small sigh escaped her lips before she could help it.
Ivar turned to her, his brow creasing with a frown, "You miss your family". It was more a statement than a question. Serena looked away, feeling that she had upset him somehow but not knowing why. Ivar studied her for a moment before he took her hand and led her to a table nestled in a corner of the terrace and pulled out a chair for her. Once she was seated, he took a chair beside her and looking into her eyes, he spoke.
"It pleases me that you are fond of the cold. Vampires don't feel the cold so we can survive in extreme cold without discomfort and I am glad that you are comfortable with it more than your kind"
"I was born in the north, I am accustomed to such", Serena replied. She paused before continuing, "Last night you said that you are over 1000 years old.....that is...a very long time"
"Does it disturb you to be married to someone so old?", he chuckled.
She shook her head, "I was just thinking that you would have lived through so much, seen so much...."
"I have seen the rise and fall of empires, kings and queens ascend and descend thrones, riches beyond compare and beauty indescribable....and I have watched them all crumble to dust in my hands", his eyes had changed color becoming like dark,angry clouds just before the storm. He seemed to have forgotten she was there, his eyes focused on some long forgotten memory that only he could see.
"But I have never seen anything like you Serena ", his voice was soft like snow falling gently in the darkness.