King Alvar is a shapeshifter, those where the words constantly running through her head. As she walked down the halls with a romantic novel in her hand for Mallory, she couldn't help but glance at the servants going about their every day work far longer than she usually would.
Anyone of them could be the King. There was a chance she was being closely watched by the King himself. Is that why King Alvar asked her about her true reasons for being here? Because he was already aware of her plans?
But if he did, why hadn't he done anything to stop her plans? Was he waiting for her to try something first? Was he laying out a trap for her? Should she give up her quest and truly become a concubine?
'Never!' She thought. 'My destiny is to fight against the Shadow Realm, not submit to it and cower in fear!'
She stopped by a window which over looked the lake behind the castle from above and sighed. Was she really in for a suicide mission? All odds seemed to be against her, not only was King Alvar stronger than her, he could also shapeshift! Why would Father Ambrose send her on a quest which was futile and possibly end in Victoria being put to death?
Mallory rushed out of Victoria's chambers and almost bumped into her as she ran in a frantic manner. Victoria held her by the shoulders to steady the girl before they tumbled to the ground. "Here you are!"
"Woah! Are you okay, Mallory?" Victoria asked. "What's the matter?"
"The…the Queen!" Mallory exclaimed, her brown eyes as wide as saucers "The Queen wants to have tea with you in private in an hour!"
Victoria dropped the book she was holding when she felt her body go weak. "What? Why?!"
Mallory checked the empty hallway for any eavesdroppers before grabbing Victoria by the hand and pulling her into the large and luxurious green themed room. "I don't know, but…"
She shut the door then whispered, "I feel it might have something to do with last night."
"The dance I had with King Alvar." Victoria muttered, in realization not even registering the fact that Mallory was taking off her cloak and was pushing her to the dresser to sit on.
"Maybe the King has taken an interest in you and she wants to see the lady he likes for herself!" Mallory said with excitement. "You must look phenomenal, Victoria! Better than you've ever looked in this life!"
"The King taking an interest in me…" Victoria couldn't help but snort to her reflection, "what a joke."
Whatever was the Queen's intentions, Victoria would try to use that to her advantage.
"Is something wrong, Lady Victoria?" Mallory questioned as she raided Victoria's wardrobe.
"Nothing, just nervous." Victoria replied, Mallory gave a look that screamed 'i don't believe you!' but turned away, she always seemed to be doing that recently.
In less than an hour, Victoria had changed into a simple yet good looking purple gown and a silver silk scarf draped around her shoulders. Her dark hair was brushed and allowed to fall down her back in curled waves, Mallory had also given her face a touch of makeup as a cherry on top.
"This is bound to get the Queen's approval…right, Lady Victoria?"
"You know I'm not interested in being the new Queen, Mallory."
Mallory snapped the makeup box shut loudly, "I'm going to pretend that you are." She said, "since I'm still not aware of your true plans."
Victoria stared at herself in the mirror, she looked somehow tired. She hoped the Queen wouldn't notice how dull she looked.
Mallory and Victoria stepped out of the room when a Alcazarian servant knocked on the bedroom door.
"My Lady." The servant bowed, trying to hide her irritation from speaking to an Elverian. "The Queen awaits your arrival at the gardens."
"Lead the way." Victoria requested, watching as Mallory grabbed the novel Victoria had borrowed to read. She would be waiting for Victoria to come and tell her what transpired. She couldn't help but wonder if this woman was somehow the King himself in disguise.
Victoria walked behind the servant with her hands clasped front of her, she was in the middle of taking a shaky breath when surprise, surprise Freya was standing in front of her with a couple of her own personal handmaidens.
She looked as regal as ever, if you minused the smile she wore when she caught sight to Victoria. "Hello, Lady Victoria." She greeted in her usual demeaning tone. "I saw what happened last night, didn't I tell you to watch your dress? Quite a pity for that to happen in front of so many people, don't you think?"
Victoria glared at her whilst trying to keep her flaming temper in check. She desperately tried to remind herself that her goals were not to exchange words with Freya or fight. She had no business with the entitled brat whatsoever. "It was, Lady Freya." Victoria replied, decided to get underneath her skin even if it was just for a little bit and scare her off.
"Although don't you think for it to be strange how the servant never did bump into me and yet the wine flew out of the goblets and into my dress almost immediately after you warned me? I must say…it can't be a coincidence."
Freya only chuckled, "you're not suspecting me, are you?" Again with the mocking tone, Freya was having fun with her.
"Who else would I suspect? You're the only one who can control water and you're the only one who's an insecure brat." Victoria countered, Freya's red gaze darkened. "I'm not the only one who thinks so, I have two witnesses. I can easily report you to the Queen who I'm about to speak to."
Freya gritted her teeth once she heard that Victoria was about to speak with the Queen, last night Victoria had the first dance with the King, now she was speaking to his mother?! 'What was happening?!'
"Tell me, Lady Freya." Victoria stepped closer to the girl who trembled not with fear but with anger. "Do you think she would want a petty brat like you to become Queen especially aftwr your actions last night?"
"Call me a brat again…" Freya began with clenched fists. "And I'll freeze ever last drop of blood in your body until you become nothing but a lump of ice."
"You do realize you're speaking to someone with fire powers, don't you?" Victoria questioned, her face was inches close to Freya's at this point. "I'll blast you to bits before you even try to raise a finger. You think you embarrassed me yesterday? Newsflash, I'm not like Lady Gwen or Lady Katherine, I won't hesitate to end you."
Freya let out a bitter smile, "I'd like to see you try, Elverian. You may think you're special or whatever, but I'll show you just how much of a pest you really are."
"I–"
Victoria was cut off by the servant who was to accompany her to the gardens, "My Lady. The Queen is waiting, we mustn't keep her idle."
That's right, she had something else to do. Victoria nodded and with that, Victoria and the servant walked away leaving a fuming Freya standing in the lengthy hallway with her maidens who tried to calm her down.
"Don't touch me!" She snapped when one of them tried to place her hand on Freya's arm to get her to relax. "That Victoria girl has to leave! I'll make sure of it, no matter what it takes!"