WINIFRED
"I swear you spout some bullsh*t every two seconds."
"Perhaps you're right. But you shouldn't be hung up on just one book. We have limited time in this vault. Unfortunately, finding the second part of this record would be close to impossible. It would be hard to find this dimensional crack again if my powers continue dwindling."
He looked serious. Even though it frustrated me, I put the book back on the shelves and picked up the next one. Reading the next one made me aware of one thing. The history of the first Queen of Light was basically erased. There was no first Queen but a first king. I could only imagine what happened but it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"Have you found anything else?"
He towered over me, peering into the book I was reading. He was so close, I could feel his touch so I turned around to glare at him. He never ceases to take the opportunity to act like a pervert.
"Nothing. Now get away from me."
"So unfair."
Nathan, the grown man who keeps acting like a prepubescent child, is a powerful entity feared by even the gods. Even though he's not in his prime, there was still a form of apprehension in their eyes that followed us around. Even though he strut around like a peacock, it was hard having all those eyes on me.
I snapped the book in my hands shut and shoved it into the shelf, sighing. It's tiring and annoying to keep doing something like this. I didn't want to learn about the glorious seeds of another great king or I might just burn this vault. Who boasts like that about their own sp*rm?
"Nathan, I was unaware kings of ancients liked to boast about their big phalluses."
"Oh, yes. A man is only as great as his fertility. Quite often, they would subdue great warriors, ergo other men and make them their concubines to show how great they were. Those were truly dark times."
"Is that how you gained your lover? You won a battle and gained him as your concubine?"
"Actually...it's quite the opposite."
"You lost?!"
"I had explicit instructions not to hurt him. I usually maim all my targets and my skills are not exactly for duels. I was trained to kill him. I couldn't control my strength or bloodlust so he won."
"Well, isn't that just iconic?"
Nathan laughed, his voice reverberating in the vault. Only one man was positively more annoying than all the supposed great kings showing off their phalluses.
"Our love story was quite the ordeal. After he won, he had the option of taking me back as a concubine. At the behest of his goddess, he did. They did it to humiliate me but as you know me best, I have no shame whatsoever."
"I wish I didn't know you."
"How cruel, my lady yet, so lovely."
I rolled my eyes and walked over to his side of the shelves. Unlike me, he didn't have to read the books because he had memorized the contents already. He was just searching for clues.
"What happened after he took you as his concubine?"
"He despised me at first. I was the dishonourable, foul-mouthed, tyrannical knight he'd ever seen. He wasn't even willing to touch me to dominate me. I found it quite hilarious and a little insulting. He really thought he had control over me. The little golden knight playing dress up didn't even know we were planning a large scale attack on his kingdom. It was really cute to see him reject my presence and try to pretend I wasn't there when I let myself out of my assigned room and roamed the palace. Then one day, I decided. I was going to interrupt the sleep of the little golden knight. It was the first time we ever consummated our union," Nathan laughed dryly. "It hurt like hell though. That man didn't even know how to be gentle."
"I did not need to know that, Nathan."
"Of course you don't. But you were curious, weren't you? It was my first time too, with a man. It was so awkward and quiet, I could hear the heartbeat of the servants in proximity. But he threw me out the next morning and sent me back to my own kingdom. What a rough man."
"I never thought I'd hear you lament."
"You know, my people were curious too. They wondered why the golden knight was still alive, given my disposition for getting rid of things that annoyed me and if the rumors of us consummating our union were true. They were quite rude too. Alas, I couldn't bring myself to punish them. I was the one who made a fool of myself first."
"I didn't know you were capable of recognizing your mistakes. I may have evaluated you a little too low."
"No, you're just mean. Come on, story time is over. We have to leave this place. It's not here."
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The classical music that played so softly in the hall and the gaudy, flashy gowns made Darryl realize he was in the wrong place. Freya didn't look out of place but she didn't wear a flashy gown like the others. Circe stood behind them and even though she was clearly a woman, many women flashed her their handkerchiefs.
"You look magnificent as always, Dame Circe!" Darryl praised. He knew he wasn't going to get such attention in his life and he was frankly glad that all of it was on the women he walked with.
"There were days, young lord, that I wanted to be a man. These days, I'd do anything to not see another woman's body accidentally."
Freya giggled, hiding her face behind her fan whilst Circe rolled her eyes. The chamberlain in front finally called their name and they could enter the house with their invitation.
"Even without his Highness, we draw so much attention," Freya commented quietly.
"Well, that black dress looks ravishing on you, Freya dear," A robust but familiar voice echoed into the crowd. Freya flinched, hoping she wasn't heard by the plump lady approaching them. The Queen's sister, Lady Tiara.
"Well, you look gorgeous, my lady," Freya greeted with the most fake smile she could muster, kissing the cheeks of the overly powdered woman. Darryl heard Circe chuckle under her breath.
"I'm so glad you made it. Whilst it is a pity that his Highness and the lady couldn't make it, it's an excellent social party for a second debut. Don't you think so, Freya dear?"
The meaning in her words were grasped immediately. Even though she was clearly insulted, Freya's smile widened.
"Your grace has always been so kind. I thank you for your gracious invitation. We'll gladly enjoy your party."
"Awesome! Maybe you'll even find a man who'll be kind enough to make you his concubine. Enjoy the party my dears!"
Watching the plump woman sashay away, the three were left more annoyed than when they first entered the premises of the party. It was rude to just leave when they just arrived. Still, everyone avoided the odd group of three, especially since they had two social stains amongst them. Some ladies expressed very loudly how they wished Freya would stop being such a stickler and leave Circe's side.
"What would be the usefulness of successfully flirting with you, Dame Circe?" Darryl asked out of curiosity whilst they busied themselves at the buffet table. The couches around it were empty as it was also rude to stand by the buffet table during a social event. It proved a nice hiding place for the three as they waited for an acceptable time to leave.
"I am very close to the prince. Perhaps they think I would introduce them to him."
"Well, would you?"
"Absolutely not. I'm not confident enough to walk out of that situation unscathed. I'd rather he just hurried up and picked his own consort."
"What about you, Dame Circe? Why hasn't he picked you?" Freya asks in a soft voice, fiddling with her wine glass. Circe stared at her and just sighed wistfully.
"I'll admit there was a time I dreamt of being chosen by his highness. But that dream came true. I became his servant and loyal guard. Now that my dream came true, I can just do my job and retire when the time is right."
"So you would be fine with just any woman taking that place?"
"His highness won't choose wrongly. As our future king, he is capable of making good choices."
"You believe in him that much, don't you?"
"I do."
Circe's features were soft for a moment and turned impassive almost immediately. So much so, that the two felt as if they had imagined her smiling. They decided to ignore it and keep munching on whatever their hands could find, watching the party go on. As it progressed, there were several people who passed by them, blocking their view of the party. The people moved soon enough so it didn't cause a problem.
However, there happened to be one that blocked their view of the party and just...stood there. It was a tall man with a hat as long as his legs. Annoyed, Circe asked him to move. But he ignored Circe and faced Freya, putting out an inviting hand.
"Please do me the honor of dancing with me, Lady Freya."