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Chapter 7 (Cora)

It took a little bit of time to freshen up the princess, skipping the formalities of a bath first and only putting on light makeup for how late in the night it was. We took less than an hour to get ready. Elanora's hands shook as we walked towards the awaiting carriage that had just arrived from the main palace.

I was tired from the day I had, running around helping with the preparations, and my body seemed to scream at me as I stepped up into the carriage. All I wanted was to go see my mother and go to bed. Instead, I took my seat, knowing I was going to be in for a long night.

Like the last time, I sat across from Elanora in the carriage. Her leg was bouncing from anxiety, her eyes darting back and forth at the passing landscape. This time though, she gripped the skirt of her dress, her knuckles white from how hard she held on.

Elanora had every right to be anxious the last time we went before the King. He had given her devastating news. God only knew what he wanted this time from her. I prayed he had changed his mind that he would host the King of Andal or the King's visit had been canceled altogether. I prayed not only for Elanora but all those back at the annex awaiting our return with bated breath.

The trip over to the main building seemed much longer this time. Not knowing what to do with my hands as my anxiety built, I unconsciously began to pick at a loose thread on my dress. The silence in the carriage was almost too much to bear, but breaking it would have been worse.

As we pulled up, we were greeted by the King's personal butler, this time. Bowing his head as Princess Elanora stepped off the carriage, taking her hand so she wouldn't trip as she got down. He escorted us to the King's room. As we passed the throne room, we headed up a marble staircase and down a long, carpeted hallway. It was the first time we had ever been past the throne room and led toward the King's personal chambers.

Portraits and statues of the royal family lined this hallway. Their faces seemed almost smug, and to look down at the person looking at them. The eyes of the portraits seemed to follow us, taunting us as we walked by. This hallway may have been a reminder of the nation's founding family. Still, it was a reminder that our princess was not good enough, that we were not good enough to walk these hallways.

We could hear a group's harsh whispering as we turned a corner. We came up on the advisors we had seen the other day. This time even those whose eyes were filled with contempt the other day looked upon Elanora with pity. Their whispering stopped as we passed them and continued turning down another hallway.

The butler stopped in front of two huge oak doors intricately carved with an image of a knight slaying a monster. I had seen this scene before. It was a scene of the first king of Befriel who had slain the King of monsters to take this land and make it the kingdom that we know today. It was imported here from the old palace when Befriel took the kingdom of Salaria and made this domain their new capital. All of it seemed too grand, too intimidating. Besides the throne room, I had never seen such grandeur before.

The butler knocked with two curt knocks; we were greeted with a rough come-in in response. We were quickly ushered into the room by the butler. Taking a moment to glance around before bowing my head, I could see we were in a room substantially bigger than one entire wing of the annex. The King sat in a wingback chair in front of a vast marble fireplace with two elegant stags carved into each side of it. His face looked like it had aged ten years since we saw him last a couple of days ago.

Quietly I bowed my head staying behind Elanora, as she stepped into the middle of the room a few feet away from his Highness to greet him properly.

"Greetings, your Highness, Keeper of the Brefiel throne, may the sun set upon you." Elanora curtsied and bowed her head. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed her greeting as Elanora picked her head up.

"Child, how are the preparations coming along for the King of Andal's arrival?" his voice was monotone, like he could care less if things were coming along or not.

"Coming along smoothly, your Highness, we were left with no budget to help us prepare, but we are doing everything we can." Elanora's voice shook. I could only imagine how much courage it took her to talk back to her father like that.

He seemed to ponder this for a moment before nodding his head. We sat silently as the King seemed to mull over his next thought. Getting up from his chair, he came towards Elanora. He seemed to exude power with every step he took toward her. Gently placing one of his meaty hands on Elanora's slim shoulder, it seemed to engulf her. I could tell by how rigid her back became that she was trying not to flinch at the sudden contact. This was the first time in Elanora's twenty-two years of life that the King had ever touched her.

"The king of Andal will be arriving a little later than previously announced, but word has come from his messenger that they are prepared to invade our borders due to a breakdown in our negotiations over a peace treaty he wishes us to sign."

Putting his other hand on Elanora's other shoulder, he seemed to be holding her in place. She had no room to move as if he was trying to stop her from running before he continued with what he had to say.

"Elanora, my child, our people are starving from the recent droughts plaguing the land. We can not meet his demands monetarily, but we may be able to give him something else to show our good faith in this treaty. A bride." His words seemed to pierce Elanora like a knife. She crumbled to the floor, tears streaming from her eyes. Her screams seemed to bubble out of her as her body began to shake uncontrollably.

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