One by one, each carriage stopped in front of the great black metal castle, its walls were wet from snow, it gleamed and reflected each carriage as it passed, faintly seeing the dull red reflection of her hair. As they inched closer, she saw the grand doors open and close for the passengers, each wearing wonderfully tailored gowns flowing past their feet, gowns that Moira wished she had. The Representative in a high collared black gown,another carriage stopped and revealed a beautiful brunette with a pale lilac dress, with a man in a silvery lilac suit. Each was announced as they entered the great hall. "Lady of the Golden Keep, Representative of Odiovitae, The Queen Mother Olvina Athaaric."
"Lady Calerie and Jarl Theorn of the Plasma Fields."
And then a rise of something hurtful pained in her heart when they drew near: a tall, slender, blonde woman with magnificent blue diamond eyes that pierced through the night, and a jawline that could kill, wearing a dark blue dress that literally sparkled with stars, a train of what looked like shooting stars flowed behind her. She was the perfect woman, jealousy grew in Moira's eyes as she watched the woman pass inside.
"Lady Veronica Vystarath of the Silver Plateau."
Moira looked down at her own body and frowned, she was not overdressed, nor under dressed, just too much all together; her hips over flowed onto her thighs, as did her stomach. In her mind, Moira was fat like her uncle, round and ugly, forcing a man she has never met to be 'okay' with a body like hers. Moira is not as big as she thinks, having a stomach that hangs slightly over and bigger arms makes her self-conscious. Meeting many rude merchants in Rotunda Walk, she knew where her embellishments lie, certainly not her in small, handful sized breasts, but her hips and buttocks, both of which she hated. She even got the nickname 'Muffin' from a pack of very mean daughters of visiting lords. Moira sighed and looked out the window once more before she pulled her himation over and around her shoulders, trying to hide the body she was much ashamed of, and smiled a fake smile at herself.
Vyvian seemed more stressed out than Jalla. Using magic, Vyvian occasionally whispered words Moira could not understand, making all the necklaces fly back and forth in front of her as she chose which ones matched. Closer and closer edging to the door, Vyvian groaned loudly.
"I am surprised you chose traditional clothes, thank the Gods' you won't be outside long." Vyvian said, holding up a gaudy ruby necklace and a simple emerald necklace to Moira's clothes.
"Traditionally speaking, I want the King to see me as who I am, in Domeland clothes."
"How sentimental, might cost you momentary frozen toes, but understandable." Vyvian mumbled worriedly as Jalla stepped out of the cabin, hair slicked back, in a black simple dress, matching Vyvian. "And thats not how you wear that collar-" pointing to Jallas neck. "...the ribbon tie is in the front-" she trails off, magically hooking the surprisingly heavy emerald necklace on her neck and quickly rushes to fix the ribbon as they pull in front of the grand door. Moira steps around the two, glancing quickly at her reflection, pulling her hair over her shoulder and stepped in front of the door as Vyvian pulls Jalla behind Moira, both on either side of her, staring out at the snow flurrying past, as two guards approach the carriage.
"Firstly, Lady Moira, when you enter the Great Hall, do not bow, you are the guest of honor, let them bow to you first, then go forward until you see the Representative or the King, then give your bow. The Representative will announce you to the King and the court and then the King will introduce himself, you know the rest of that, and then you will have a small walk with the King and the Representative and then dinner." Vyvian explained, Jalla looked stiff and gave a small smile.
"What do I say to him, how should I-" Moira began, her voice sounding pitchy.
Vyvian gripped her by the shoulders from behind. "I have no doubt you will be loved by the court, just be you. You show compassion and that will get you far in court."
Jalla placed a tender hand on her shoulder as well, and began to speak as the door was opened, sending stinging cold air throughout the carriage. Moira and Jalla gasped audibly, her stola jerking up from the wind as she quickly fixes it before the heavy metal doors creak open, the melodic music was faintly heard over the wind and the warm air hitting the cold made a thick fog. Moira stepped down from the carriage with the help of a guard, stepping in cold snow, the white, wet mass touching her feet as she carefully stepped forward. Jalla and Vyvian followed closely behind as Moira walked a bit and then stopped, looking at the black sky, the moon barely visible, the cold snow felt like needles piercing her face, but it felt most freeing. Finally, Moira walks ahead, forcing the himation down past her shoulders, trying to look fearless and elegant as she entered the castle.
The room shifted as she walked in, all eyes pointed in her direction as the announcer hailed their attention. Looking over at the announcer, he was a squat man with a grey beard and brown straight hair with a wide, button nose, his voice boomed and echoed through the great hall.
"Lords and Ladies. Princes and Princesses. My King... I present to you our newest court members, and a future princess of Odiovitae, Lady Moira Fasi of the Domes accompanied by her handmaiden Jallamina Themeuron and Second Vyvian Caphacci."
Drowned by applause, Moira looked at the line of a hundred guests ahead of her, all staring at her with wide interested eyes. Though still in the cold of the doorway, she felt hot and embarrassed to be the guest of honor. Finally moving forward from being nudged by Vyvian, she walks down the long strip of dark green carpet to the giant grey stone archway with banners on either side. While the ceiling was exceedingly high, it made up for it with a magnificent gold chandelier holding hundreds of candles. The room was entirely symmetrical, the half circle stairs mirrored by the stairs on the other side. There were no windows, though white and dark green drapes lined the dark grey walls with gold gilding lining the doors and where windows would sit.
It stunk of tobacco and perfume, groups of men and women smoking and drinking everywhere you look. Many tables held glass mechanisms that were filled with a dark red liquid that she could only assume was blood; the thought of where this amount of blood came from sickened her.
At the top of the stairs was a very handsome, rugged man with a short black beard covering his face, and long black hair draping down a single shoulder in a loose ponytail, topped with a very old looking black iron crown adorned with the brightest shining diamonds, Moira recognized these as the same diamonds that fall in the Domelands. This man had to be the king, she thought, and she was right.
The King had a square jaw with pointed almond eyes. He descended the stairs, followed by a younger version of himself, with a silver haired lady following him. Though, Moira knew very little of royalty, she understood that this was the pique of wealth: fabulous colors of greens and yellows, with a heavy cape that flowed off his shoulders that was plated to look like dragon scales, just as his guards' armor, his shoes shined in the light as he stepped forward, rings decorated every finger as he braced the banister. He was positively the most handsome man in this room.
The Representative strode beside Moira as the King reached the base of the stairs, taking Moira's hand in his and kissed it diligently, then turned to Jalla and did the same making her face turn a blazing red.
"Lady Moira, may I introduce you to my grandson, King of Odiovitae and Lord of Vampires, King Caenus Soren, and the crown prince, Oris Athaaric," gesturing to the look-a-like behind him. "and my beloved great-granddaughter, Princess Melony, next lady of the Golden Keep." The two bowed; the fresh faced, look-a-like had a focused look about him, eyes like his fathers, piercing and intent, whereas the princess looked nothing like the prince or The King, but an exact double of Olvina, except shorter and very youthful. Moira curtsied back and smiled, only the Princess smiled back.
The King spoke with a strong, brutish voice but was soft and kind, not eccentric like Olvina's, "Let me be the first to say how honored I was to hear that we were finally getting our lady that was promised. We have been expecting you for a very long time, a very long time indeed. King Rejan truly is a horrid man. But, never mind all that and the wait for it, for I now understand King Rejan's reluctance, sending the Domes brightest flame across the country to a foreign land, how lucky we are to be blessed by your presence. But now you must forgive me, the Bastard Prince was supposed to be here, he has not been seen for days, and I beg for your patience with my son."
Moira furrowed her eyebrows a bit and then gave a smile. "I'm sure he can make it up to me, when the time comes, your grace."