The coach man opened the door and gave a deep bow.
Penny stepped down, making sure she didn't trip over her dress.
She gaze at the mighty palace that stood before her, the palace was at least three times bigger than her castle.
"Your highness", The messenger called out for her attention, she snapped out of her trance.
"His Majesty is currently busy in court, He wants you to settle in and talk over dinner", The messenger spoke with a straight face.
"Hilda would show you to your room", He snapped his fingers and a maid came rushing by.
"Your highness", She bowed.
"I'll leave her highness in your care Hilda", He said before walking out with a poker face.
"This way your highness", Hilda gestured for Penny to follow her.
Upon entering the huge hall, Penny was astonished, There were paintings on the ceilings and a huge chandelier hanging, the hall was decorated with silver lining accessories.
Penelope was in a daze when She saw canvas of paintings hanging on the walls leading to a never ending trance, Paintings were hung down the passages also.
She heard Hilda chuckled beside her, "Everyone had the same look on their face when they first came to palace", She had a warm smile on her face.
"It's a beautiful palace", She acknowledged.
"It is", Hilda admitted. She stopped at a door and twisted the knob open, they both walked in.
It was a huge bedroom with a large bed, the bed was beautifully decorated with colorful sheets. The Emperor did make sure her room was well decorated and comfortable.
"Can I help you with anything your highness ?", Hilda voice rang after the moment of silence.
Penny shook her head, she glanced at the wall clock, Hilda followed her gaze and looked at the clock "Dinner would be serve by Six, you have three hours to rest", Hilda informed her. She bowed again before walking out, giving the princess some privacy.
Penny fell on the bed as soon as the door closed, She moaned, it has been long since She had comfort from a soft mattress unlike the hard beds available at the inns, She had been so unlucky that the only available room had a hard bed.
Not so hard to others tho but being raised as a princess she was used to soft and warm beds.
She wiggled into the blankets to have a quick nap.
***
The sound of someone knocking on the door woke Penelope from her slumber.
She stalked lazily to the door only to find Hilda smiling with a huge box in her arms, She opened the door wide allowing her to walk in.
Hilda placed the box the bed.
"What's in the box". Penny closed the door behind her.
"A dress from His Majesty, don't tell me your highness has forgotten about dinner with the Emperor", Hilda furrowed her eyebrows.
"A dress ?", She tilted her head in question.
"I have a lot of dresses, there's no need for that and by the way where's my maids?", Penny with thin lips.
"Uhm about that your highness, His Majesty is not always welcoming to visitors especially their escorts, so he assigns the maid here to look after his visitors", She explained.
If I have to win the Emperor's favor I have to obey his rules even if it's absurd. Penny consoled herself. Hilda opened the box revealing a light blue dress embroidered with glittering gems and had lace as the sleeves.
"It's so pretty", Hilda cooed pulling the dress out, She seems like the only one happy to dress up the princess.
"I'll run a quick bath for you", She dropped the dress carefully in the box and walked to the washroom, the sound of water running was heard in a while.
Penny picked the dress from the box and she saw a smaller box inside.
She placed the dress on the bed and reached out of the box, it was a jewelry box, she noted.
She opened the box, a simple silver chain with a blue pendant laid in the box.
"It's pretty", She subconsciously breathed out.
"Your highness, should I assist you in bathing ?", Hilda's voice jerked Penny from her daze.
"Yes I wouldn't mind that", Penny placed the jewelry box close to the dress.
***
"Is it too tight your highness?", Hilda asked pulling the laces of the corset.
Penny shook her head as she held onto the bed frame.
"Brace yourself", Hilda whispered and pulled the strings with much force.
"That's enough,it's enough", She stabilize her breathing as Hilda quickly tied the corset.
"It's always so hard to breathe while wearing corsets", Penny whined.
"It's only for an hour or two, you would be fine your highness", Hilda replied helping her wear the blue dress.
Penny walked to the mirror. "It's pretty", Hilda smiled, "Now your hair", She gestured to Penny to seat, picking up a hair brush "You have a beautiful hair", the brush ran through her long silver hair.
Penny stared at her reflection as Hilda used a silver hairpin to decorate her hair.
"All done", Hilda said with a satisfactory smile.
Glancing at the wall clock, "Your highness, you have ten minutes left before dinner would be served, His Majesty hates tardiness", Hilda panicked.
"I'll be blamed if you don't come early", Murmured silently.
Hilda was the first free minded maid Penny had ever seen, most maids like to keep things to themselves.
Amused, Penny said "Instead of wailing while we still have time, why don't you lead me to the dining hall", Hilda bowed "I am sorry your highness, I got carried away, I'll lead you there".
Lanterns were lit on both sides of the passage, Hilda led Penny down the hallways. They came across maids which bowed on seeing the princess, after all the whole palace knew about the Guest.
The maids were curious to know what business the Emperor have with the foreign princess.
After a few turns Hilda stopped at a huge double door. "His Majesty awaits you", She bowed and walked away leaving Penelope behind without sparing her a glance.
The door suddenly creaked open. She walked in, there was a long rectangular table at the middle of the room, the light from huge chandelier on the ceiling that made her glitter in colors.
"To what do I own this pleasant visit, Princess Penelope", a musky voice sounded.
She turned in the direction of the voice, a man about 6'2 stood at the other end of the room, broad shoulders, raven black hair and dark red eyes that almost looked black, a smirk on his face flashing his white fangs.
Penny felt she have seen this person before but can't exactly pinpoint where.
"Your Majesty", Penny curtsy. "Rise", was the brief answer.
Penny slowly raised her head, her golden eyes met his crimson red ones. "Still not afraid of night creatures", He murmured to himself.
"Let's have dinner", He changed topic swiftly. He sat at the end of the table.
Penny was not sure of where exactly to sit, the messenger came out of nowhere, he pulled out a chair from the right side of where the Emperor sat, He gestured her to sit.
Penny made herself comfortable under the watchful eyes of the Emperor, He watched every single movement she made. Immediately the maids entered pulling food carts containing different dishes. Under the messenger's supervisions the dishes were placed on the table. "Matt, go to the wine cellar, bring the new imported wine", The Emperor instructed.
It dawned on Penny that the man referred to as Matt was the palace butler and not a messenger, She finally took notice of his butler uniform. She was relieved she didn't end up calling him a messenger, He might be upset, She glanced at him sideways as he bowed to the Emperor's command still having a poker face.
Feeling someone stare at him, Matt turned to her, she quickly stuffed her mouth with veggies trying to hide the fact that she was peeping.
The door closed.
"I heard your kingdom is now a primary target for the black mages", The Emperor smiled knowingly.
"Yes your Majesty, I'm rather surprised that His Majesty was well...", "Call me Theo when we are alone", He interrupted her.
Penny was dumbfounded for a second, of course that didn't escape Theo's watchful eyes. "I-I don't think that's it appropriate to address you by your name", "I insist Penelope". Penny snapped out of her daze.
"Yes Theo, as I was saying I was hoping to have some assistance from the Emperor to eradicate the black mages", Penny stated her reason for visiting.
Theo chuckled "That should be easy", He said "However the price is grave", He smirked.
Penny knew she was about to make a deal with the devil but her anxiety and curiosity got the best part of her "I would do anything in my power to save my people, state your price", She said looking straight at Theo who stared back without batting an eye.
He replied "Your kingdom and of course you as my mistress", He offered.
The fork she held slipped off her fingers and fell on the floor with a tattering sound.
"Mistress!?", Penny rose her right eyebrow. She was furious but can't say the wrong word that would make the Emperor declare war on her nation. Her kingdom is an ant compared to the Emperor's empire.
Theo smirked, he knew exactly what was going on on her little brain.
A knock sounded at the door before the butler walked in with a bottle of red wine.
"There should be another thing His Majesty might want apart from my kingdom and I being your mistress", She tried to reason out.
"I have everything I want Penny", He replied using her nickname. "Wealth, power, time, youth?... I don't grow old, women, everything", He paused. "Except you". He smirked.
Penny instantly lost her appetite, the butler uncorked the bottle and poured some quantity into the Emperor's glass first before moving on to the Guest's glass. He completely ignored the tension in the room and walked out since he got no further instructions.
Penny stood up making the chair creaked. "Coming here was a waste of time", her lips thinned annoyed at the smirk on his face.
"I'll be heading back to my kingdom at daybreak since His Majesty has no help to offer", She said through gritted teeth, she turned and made way towards the door, his voice stopped her when she was about to pull the door open, "In case you change your mind, the offer still stands". Theo said making her stop in her tracks.
Glaring at him sideways she replied "I am not accepting your absurd offer". She muttered before slamming the door the door behind her.
A laugh escaped his throat.
***
It has been two weeks since Penelope's arrival in her kingdom. The killings and massacre increased. "Some people were reported missing your highness", a council man said with a worried expression on his face.
"Just yesterday I got attacked by a mage, I was able to survive because the mage was alone. If it was to be a black mage I would have been dead by now", Another complained.
"My little girl was kidnapped right in my mansion Your highness, I'm afraid no where is safe for us, what would now happen to my daughter". A councilwoman cried out with tears streaming down her eyes.
"Those damn creatures", Another spat out in disgust.
Penny gritted her teeth, the black mages are now scaring her people. If they all end up dead or run away, there would be no guarantee for the kingdom's survival.
"To make matters worst the neighboring kingdoms stopped trading with us, we have to act fast, if this continues to the season of fall this kingdom would turn to a ghost town", A councilman cried out.
"Penelope, we have no other choice, you have to accept His Majesty proposal for the sake of your people", The Great prophet drew a conclusion.