Below the Peak (Sola)(66)
The king spoke in the elves native tongue. Nara couldn’t understand a word except for her name when he mentioned it.
“To new beginnings” Calemir echoed back with a cup of his own lifted, his skin prickling under the weight of his father’s stare. It was a custom that father and his new married son to drink first before anyone. His gaze not wavering once, he drank the strong wine in one gulp. The alcohol burned his chest, but he kept his chin high defiantly. The king did the same, the corner of eyes narrowing at him over the rim of the crystal gold goblet.
The end of the little ritual was followed by eating. They ate in almost complete silence except for the numerous voiceless questions eating the lords’ minds. The torturing need to know why he really married a human was said in side eye glances and angled body postures at him. Calemir had met the council member with his father soon after he and his wife had been summoned in the court room. King Gwainor had let them know that his marriage to the girl was a turn of a new leaf. To bring an end to years of hostility and welcoming favorable alliance between the two kingdoms. Of course, not all understood this sudden move and voiced their confusion. The king sold the council the idea of freedom of trade without the need of smuggling human goods inside the kingdom like so many elves did including the high lords themselves who used gang elves. When the king pointed that, some of the high lords chocked. The king promised all laws that hindered any relationship with their neighbor Murisa were annulled. The king hadn’t mention of Var in their new ally’s kingdom. His father was cautious of his council members. The queen must have told the king of some of the high lords wavering loyalty. Calemir reflected.
Calemir leaned, cocked his head to her ear and whispered. “Do not drink the wine.”
Nara almost jumped from her seat at his nearness. She tilted to the side, their cheeks an inch apart, her breath fanning his jaw.
Brows narrowing, Nara whispered back, “Why shouldn’t I?”
“The alcohol is too strong for humans. You will not wake up for two days if you drink.”
Nara slightly leaned back, skepticism and curiosity playing over features. Apparently, she did not trust him. And for an unknown reason, he was a little disappointed but then proud of her at the same time for not. She shouldn’t trust easily not him or anyone.
“Don’t” he murmured, placing his fingers on top of hers which was near the cup, causing her to hold her breath. Strong…warm… Nara glanced at where they touched and back at his face. “We leave at dawn, you need to be awake” his fingers retracted to his own cup.
Calemir ignored the audience and whispers their display had attracted by continuing to eat. His wife seemed unaffected to the attention they had gotten. Instead, the place between her brows scrunched, her eyes distant as if she was contemplating something serious.
Once dinner was over, the servants cleared the table to be spotless. One of the queen’s maid entered a room, carrying a crown on a velvety pillow. The servant approached where the Majesties sat and curtsied then lifted the pillow to the queen.
Queen Val rose, and every voice in the room fell. Anticipation filled the room. Watching Nara, Val spoke. “Come here, child.”
“She summons you” Calemir murmured, catching her perplexed expression. Nara swallowed. Standing, he slid her chair back so she could move more freely. Calemir smelled her fear as she walked past him and the watchful gaze of the guests. He kept his gaze on her as she walked toward the queen, her steps sure and confident.
****
Her pulse thrummed at the base of her neck as halted in front of the queen. Nara mastered and maintained her composure as the queen picked up the silver crown which looked like woven twigs from the rich people. It was a stunning headpiece.
“It is my delight to crown my new daughter as a princess of Forod” Val proclaimed. Nara watched the queen warily as she placed the crown on her head. “Welcome to our kingdom princess Nara.” The queen spoke in Nyr, lips stretching to a smile as she gazed down on her face.
At his seat, Calemir watched the whole exchange closely. His misgiving for the queen growing as the baffled crowd clapped. Shortly after, the queen and king quit the hall, leaving Calemir and his new wife to deal with the nobles, who like hungry wolves descended on them to appraise the human he married in disguise of wedding congratulations and offering of gifts. Most of the nobles scurried away after only just getting one word with him. His haughty glare warned them not to stall around him and stalk his bride like a prize in an auction. He also believed his wife’s inability to speak his common tongue contributed to the fast retirement of the hall by the high lords.
“Congratulation is in order” it was none other than lord Ivlisar, approaching them.
“We have had enough of those, not hearing one wouldn’t hurt” the prince replied, his tone curt. Nara stayed close to him. She silently prayed for this man before they would be the last one congratulating them. Nara was exhausted nodding and pretending she was happy to receive the faux felicitations. She might not know the elvish tongue and have poor social skills, but she knew when to call out bogus in people. Forod court wasn’t extremely different from her home in Vessener. Many of the bluebloods that approached her were foxes in sheep’s skin. Noting the prince’s cold stance suggested this lord wasn’t an angel either despite greeting them in a friendly tone.
The man chuckled and said something back in elvish. Her husband’s fingers twitched slightly near hers, Nara barely felt it graze her own. She was standing very close to him, she could feel the warmth of the heat radiating from his body. He held it the moment the guest started marching to them after the banquet ended. At first, irritation flared within her, her skin tightening uncomfortably at the touch but strangely the prickling sensation faded slowly into just a ghostly feeling. Cocking her head, she watched his lips curl at the corner wickedly as he leaned closer to the lord and muttered something in a low tone. The lord’s nose flared angrily. He hissed something, narrowing his eyes at her suspiciously then stormed off.