As Seraphina made her way inside the building through the shadowy entrance of the castle, her heart pounded with a rhythm that echoed off the ancient stone walls. The darkness seemed to swallow her whole, her breath catching in her throat with every step she took.
"Hello?" Her voice trembled as it echoed through the vast, empty hall. The silence that followed was unnerving.
The urge to turn around and return to the Council of Afterlife was getting powerful with eaching passing second, and it took every little ounce of her self-control to keep herself moving forward.
Suddenly, a flicker of light appeared in the distance, growing brighter as it approached. A tall, imposing figure emerged from the darkness, carrying a candelabrum. His face was obscured by a hood, but his eyes glowed with an eerie light.
"Welcome, Lady Seraphina," the figure said, his voice smooth and chilling. "I am Mortimer, the castle steward. I have been expecting your arrival."
Seraphina swallowed hard, trying to steady her voice. "Mortimer, where are my... future husbands?"
"They await you in the grand hall," Mortimer replied, extending one of his hands. "Allow me to escort you."
Seraphina hesitated but realized she had no choice. She took his hand, and despite the layers of clothes between their skins, she was able to feel the cold that sent a shiver down her spine. Mortimer led her through the dimly lit corridors, the candles casting long, ominous shadows on the walls.
As they walked, Seraphina tried to gather her thoughts. "What kind of place is this? Why is it so... desolate?"
Mortimer glanced at her, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "This castle exists between worlds, my lady. It is a place of transition, where the living meet the dead, where the past intertwines with the future."
Seraphina's grip tightened on her bouquet of black roses. "And my husbands? Who are they?"
"You will meet them soon enough," Mortimer replied enigmatically. "They are men who had ruled these lands for centuries. They will be to your liking, I must say."
They arrived at a pair of massive doors, intricately carved with the patterns of ivy. Mortimer pushed them open with surprising ease, revealing the grand hall beyond.
Unlike the rest of the Shadow City and the castle, the hall was illuminated by dozens of candles, their flames dancing in the cool, drafty air. At the far end of the room stood four men, each distinct and commanding in his own way.
Seraphina took her time to study each one of them as she followed Mortimer inside and toward her awaiting husbands-to-be.
The first one was the tallest among the four, about 6'2" or 6'3". The long midnight blue cloak he wore, hid his body quite well, yet, Seraphina was able to tell that he had some really nice muscles under all those layers of fabric. The hood of his cloak was down, which allowed her eyes a full access to his face. He had sharp features and piercing deep blue eyes. His long silver hair flowed over his shoulders like softest silk. Interestingly, she noticed that the tips of his ears were slightly pointed.
"This is Lord Lucian. The eldest among the four Lords." Mortimer introduced once they arrived in front of the four men.
Lord Lucian gave a bow of his head to greet Seraphina who was ready to offer her hand for a handshake. Fortunately, she stopped her hand from moving before she could have embarrassed herself. With a little smile, she tried to do a curtesy to greet him in return.
"This one here is Lord Raven. The second eldest." Mortimer continued the introduction.
Seraphina's gaze shifted to the second man and she was once again left starstruck at the beauty these men possessed. This one had dark black eyes and sharp facial features that made him look colder. His shoulder length dark hair was a beautiful mess of wet curls as if he just took a shower. He too was wearing a black cloak that did little to hide his bulky body. He was merely an inch or so shorter from Lucian.
This man didn't spare her much of a glance as he too bowed his head slightly to acknowledge her presence.
"This one here... is Lord Arwan."
Seraphina's attention shifted to the third man. He too had a cloak on and it appeared to be the darkest shade of green she had ever seen. Despite him wearing the hood, she got a glimpse of his long blonde hair that seemed to be styled with braids. He looked ethereal with a serene expression and an aura of tranquility. His eyes were piercing green that matched his looks and personality well. He was the shortest among the four, around 5'11" or 6 feet tall.
This one was also the politest so far as he gave her a small smile and a respectful bow which Seraphina did her best to return without making it seem awkward. The more she was doing this courtesy thing, the more she preferred handshakes over this awkward royal greetings.
"And last, but definitely not the least, here we have-"
"I'm Kethan. The youngest among the four of us. It's nice to meet you..." The fourth one stepped forward to introduce himself with a smile on his lips. He took hold of Seraphina's free hand and placed a kiss on the back of her hand before adding, "... soon-to-be wife."
Seraphina felt shivers running all over her body this time, and she was unable to understand the real reason behind it. Was it the kiss, his voice, or the words he spoke?
As Kethan stepped back in line, she took her time to study him. He had small ash black hair that was combed back to show his forehead. His smooth skin was one to be envious of. His amber eyes shone brightly as he watched her studying him. Unlike the other three, he chose to wear an official black suit that was hugging his frame in all the right places.
The tight trousers made him appear even taller. There was no shirt under the suit jacket and quite a lot of his collarbone was on display. A long silver earring was dangling from one of his ears while his fingers were covered in rings. The man knew how to dress up.
Seraphina was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard Mortimer's voice - "My Lady, My Lords, it's time for the wedding ceremony."