King Philip Blackwell turned to look at Elestria, his voice commanding attention as he cleared his throat. "Elestria," he began, his words causing Elestria to straighten with alertness.
"I'm sorry for the pain you went through. The loss of your mother and the abduction you experienced weigh heavily on my conscience," the king stated, his lips set in a thin line.
Elestria's eyes dropped to her lap at the mention of her mother, her hands fidgeting together. Her silver hair, which was left open, fell on the side of her face, restricting her view of the king. Her eyes widened when she felt Belladonna's hand on her lap. "Don't be sad," Bella whispered, while her little hand squeezed Elestria's hand.
Gathering some courage, Elestria bowed her head in respect, offering a small smile. What was she supposed to say in response to such generosity?
She was still pondering her possibilities when the king stated, "To compensate for your loss, we have decided to have you stay in the palace for the time being, until we feel it's safe for you to leave." His voice held authority, conveying that he wouldn't accept a refusal from her.
Elestria turned to look at the other royal family members, trying to gauge their intentions. She was confused about why they would care about her to the extent of offering her residence in the palace. Clearing her throat slightly, she began, "Your Highness," her voice steady yet tinged with nervousness.
"I appreciate your kindness, but I feel like it's time for me to return to my house. The place where my mother and I used to live," Elestria stated, pausing for a moment to gauge the reactions of everyone in the room. Seeing everyone waiting for her to speak, she continued, "Your Highness, if you are concerned about my safety, then you can assign a few guards for a while."
The king nodded his head in understanding, then turned to his wife, addressing her, "What do you think, my queen?"
"If she wants to go home, then so be it," the queen, Juniper, replied, her lips set in a soft smile. making Elestria shudder on the chair.
The politeness and kindness this family was showing Elestria felt almost unreal, especially considering the rumours she had heard about the cruelty of the vampire royal family. They were known to use humans for their own purposes. But here they were, treating her with such care and respect, as if she were to marry one of their sons. Marry? Oh no, that's not what she had in mind at all. Her eyes widened at the sudden realisation of her own thoughts.
Marcellus, whose red eyes were fixed on her, smiled slyly and taunted her, "That would be the last thing we'll be planning for, Miss Elestria?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.
Everyone's faces turned to look in Elestria's direction, confusion marring their features. Elestria covered half of her face when she heard his words. 'Am I too obvious with what I'm thinking?' she questioned herself silently, her eyes flickering with embarrassment.
From the moment she had laid eyes on this particular prince, it seemed he was playing some sort of game with her reactions. Her face turned red with a mix of embarrassment and unease.
Seeing her reaction, a throaty chuckle escaped Prince Marcellus's lips.
Belladonna's eyes snapped towards Prince Marcellus, her gaze filled with curiosity. "What happened, brother?" she asked.
"Nothing, sister. Finish your meal. The seamstress might be on the way to get your measurements," Prince Marcellus remarked, causing Belladonna to giggle in happiness.
Elestria smiled a little at the young vampiress's reaction.
The queen, who had been silent for the whole while, asked Elestria, "So, when are you planning to leave?" Her voice held authority.
Bowing her head, Elestria replied, "After we are done with the morning meal?" Her response sounded more like a question than an answer to what the queen had asked.
Nodding her head, the queen picked up her glass and sipped the red liquor. Turning her head towards the butler, she ordered, "Prepare a carriage for her."
Bowing his head, the butler excused himself.
Once everyone was done eating, they left the dining hall, leaving Elestria and Prince Marcellus alone.
Butler, Walter, walked in and informed, "Carriage is ready for departure." Prince Marcellus dismissed him, saying, "Send Matilda. I'm sure before leaving, Miss Elestria would like to see her, isn't it?" He tilted his head towards Elestria with a smile.
Once Butler left the room, Prince Marcellus stood up from his seat and walked towards where she was sitting. He raised his hand for her to hold, saying, "Miss Sinclair." His voice was polite, but Elestria couldn't help but wonder about his intentions. She placed her hand in his palm and stood up, her curiosity evident in her expression.
He smiled faintly and kissed the back of her hand. "Let me take you to the carriage, shall we?" He questioned, his tone sounding like a mix between a question and an order. Elestria nodded in response, withdrawing her hand to her side.
Prince Marcellus smiled slyly as he walked past her, gesturing for her to follow. As they walked, Elestria couldn't help but feel small in comparison to him. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, eventually landing on the picture of the woman who looked just like her mother. Her feet stopped involuntarily at the sight.
Elestria felt as if the picture was indicating something, but she couldn't understand what. Her body was startled when Prince Marcellus's deep voice reached her ears. "What happened, Miss Sinclair?" His eyes narrowed as he observed her body language.
Following her gaze he noticed the picture she was staring at. Turning his attention to her, he fixed his eyes on her, noticing how her eyes flickered with a golden hue. His eyebrows furrowed as he whispered to himself, 'she isn't a human. Does that mean brother knew? Is that why he was close to Agatha?'
Elestria tore her gaze from the picture, shifting her attention towards the prince, whose eyebrows were set in a thin line. "Prince, I'm fine. Let's go," she said, her voice slightly shaky.