The palace had definitely been designed to become part of nature, and seemed to welcome being swallowed up by it.
When we landed, we had to do so one at a time due to the lack of space with all the water and trees in the way, so Calix landed first, and I waited to follow suit. I quickly shifted upon touching the ground and brushed out my dress. Since this was my first introduction as the future ruler of Day Kingdom, I had conceded to wear a dress that was purple, gold, and silver.
The bodice had purple metalwork on the front, with gold around the sides and back. It, of course, had my favorite neckline, the sweetheart cut accentuating my cleavage. The sleeves were also created with my love of dramatic bell sleeves in mind, but were made to look like dragon wings. They started out purple but shifted into silver at the bottom, and gold lined the edges while gold dust dotted all over the sleeves. The skirt was layered with purple and silver fabric, and gold designs were added over them. Including both gold trimming on the edges and right down the front, starting where the metalwork on the bodice ended and extending to the floor, where dragon scale designs were mixed in with swirling patterns.
It was a little heavy for the hot and muggy weather, but I was told repeatedly that first impressions were important. As beautiful as the dress was, I wanted to rip a few layers off the damn skirt before I melted into literal stardust.
“Ready for this, my réalta?” Calix asked with a slight smirk, taking my hand. I looked up at him nervously.
“I have to be.” I shrugged my shoulder, and he chuckled, leaning down to kiss the top of my head. I closed my eyes, wishing we had the time to just explore being together. Exploring the bond between us, or even getting to finally test out that sex swing together.
Ugh, what I wouldn’t give for that right now.
I couldn’t help feeling like I had wasted too much time stuck in my own head. But only slightly. I knew that time had been necessary. Just as I knew that I could have usedmore.
But war waits for no one.
And I wasn’t going to spend another moment without Calix, my own fears and insecurities be damned.
I straightened as guards in bronze armor opened the main doors, and a woman in a flowing dress began walking down the stairs toward us. The dress was a style I’d seen many of the Fae who visited the vineyard in Sonmathion wear; the breezy, flowy fabric was cut up high on each thigh, and the neckline dipped low, making me insanely jealous as I sweltered in the heat. Her dress was a bright teal color with bright yellow embroidery on the bottom of the sleeves and around the skirt, and yellow jewels dotted across the neckline and waist.
Her long, black hair fell to her waist in a pin straight line that I was wholly jealous of as well. I needed her secret to fighting frizz in the humidity.
“King Calix, as I live and breathe!” The woman laughed as she approached, her light brown skin shimmering in the light. “You’re alive!”
Calix rumbled a laugh. “You knew that very well.”
She shrugged her shoulder casually. “In theory, but that gorgeous face has been missing for too many years. What else am I supposed to look at during functions?”
“You could try your husband?” he replied, a smirk lifting his lips as she finally crested the bottom of the stairs.
She scoffed, waving a hand back and forth. “Boring! Now, is this the lovely creature I’ve heard so much about?”
Calix raised a brow. “If you mean my mate and the heir of Day Kingdom, then yes. Allow me to introduce Princess Asteria Faelynn Earendel.”
I took a deep breath; the name and title were still so fucking bizarre.
“That would be her!” The woman smiled widely. “I’ve heard so many things, but to know a woman has actually done it.” She sighed happily and grabbed my hands in hers, surprising me.
“I can’t tell you if my husband will support you or not.” She looked me straight in the eyes, and I was taken aback by how straightforward she seemed. She played the flirt with Calix, but the mask dropped as she observed me with a serious expression. Whatever façade she wore for court, she was letting me see past it for some reason.
“But I want you to know,Iam rooting for you.” She smiled widely, and it lit up her brown eyes, the yellow ring around them reminding me of the sun. “A woman has never been chosen, until you. It must be for a reason. One I hope will change the tides, so mothers like me don’t need to watch our daughters be looked over for less worthy men.”
My brows flew skyward, and she winked.
“This is Queen Idalia.” Calix smiled as he stole me back from her. “She’s much more reasonable than her husband.”
Idalia laughed, “Isn’t that the truth! Now, come along, you two. I’ll show you to your rooms.”
I looked at Calix in confusion, and he leaned in as Idalia led us up the stairs, his hand bracing on my lower back. “Idalia and Gravadain don’t see eye-to-eye on much. They were a political match.”
Which didn’t answer why thequeenwas leading us like a slave or servant normally would in this situation.
But Nox, were there any Fae royals who actually loved one another? I knew Calix’s parents had, and from what my mother had said, there had been some affection between her and Aelius once upon a time. But Astraeus and Stelara, along with Tariq and Oriana, certainly didn’t give a shit about one another. It seemed like ninety percent of these royal marriages were political. It was only when a soulmark appeared that things went differently.
Walking inside the palace, the interior reminded me a bit of Sunset Kingdom’s, with arches and fanciful decorations, but there were definitely differences. The windows were all made of colored glass, with geometric shapes etched into them that created patterns on the floor as the sun shone through. The floors themselves were elaborately colored tiles, and even the ceiling had been painted teal and adorned with gold.
And it wasn’t just their house colors; every color of the rainbow could be foundsomewhere. From the floor and the ceilings to the columns in between that were decorated with all sorts of colored crystals.
