Heart Over Sword-Chapter 229: [Bonus - ]King & Queen of Lyvaria

The light blue icy walls in these halls, leading to what they presumed to be the great hall, were luminous. The luminous white orbs formed the shapes of beasts Osian could not name. One though stood out the most, and one he could name, a dragon. Its wings were far and wide as it ’flew’ across the ice before disappearing at the ceiling and coming back down on another wall.

Osian marvelled at it a while longer before he felt Selvin’s pat on his shoulder, his attention still ahead.

"Osh," Selvin admonished. Osian let his gaze settle before him again, noting the intricate details of light blue silver embroidered across the tall white doors meeting the high ceiling.

The guards opened the door, remaining beside them as Selvin and Osian entered the great hall. Both prince’s breath caught at the hall full of nobility and, at the far end, the King and Queen of Lyvaria. The hall’s floor was white like the first layer of frost, flattened and showing sharp, prickly edges of snowflakes, frozen to perfection, reflecting back like sparkling stars.

Everything else, the columns, the walls and the arched ceilings, were like clear ice. They did not need windows in the hall; they could see the great height the palace sat inside the mountain. The clouds drifted by slowly above their heads, the darkness of early evening infused with the bright orange and yellows of the sun setting on the horizon, colouring the hall in the same hues. Though crystal or possibly iced chandeliers were atop their heads, with soft glowing balls of light ready for when darkness fell completely.

Ice sculptures of the King and Queen, almost as tall as the high ceilings, stood behind the thrones, and beside them, banners had been carved into the walls with the Lyvarian emblem of the snowdrop flower cut near the bottom.

Selvin and Osian stepped through the hall, eyes ahead where the King stood beside the Queen on her icy throne atop a large dais overlooking the rest of the hall. The princes stopped and bowed. Selvin made that elven gesture again that seemed to make those around them murmur.

Osian should have asked him about it and if he should have done the same, but he was not the one who needed to impress anyone. All he needed to do was remain respectful and not get him, or Selvin killed.

"Your majesties, it is an honour to meet you," Selvin spoke, his voice clear.

The hall remained silent as the prince’s kept their heads bowed. Osian glanced up after a few minutes had passed. Some of the nobility had started to whisper among them. What they said, he did not know, but it was apparent the Queen wished for them to keep their heads down to humiliate them. From what he remembered of Selvin’s brief lesson, Queen Iolena ruled Lyvaria, and her husband, King Nuvian, was her consort.

Though that didn’t mean he looked any less intimidating, heartless, threatening or of an overpowering energy that commanded the room’s attention. The Queen’s hazel eyes were just as sharp, emotionless, and quite scary. He would have called her stunning if she did not sit there as still as a statue.

But even thinking she was stunning made his heart freeze over, and his balls shrivel up like she might detach them at any moment.

"Welcome," Queen Iolena finally spoke. Her voice was quiet, smooth and hard. "Princes of Dunhurst. Raise your heads."

The King chuckled darkly, turning their attention to him as he analysed them with a cruel smile. A shiver ran through them, along with a prickling sensation that warned them of his threatening presence. But his looks was beyond even Thalinal’s handsomeness.

With the golden light of the sun shining on his skin, beyond the golden ink of some type of tribal tattoos with thorns running down one side of his face, his emerald green eyes were startlingly cold. Behind him, there looked to be two sheer golden drapes sparkling almost too blindingly for Osian to keep looking at.

What was that?

King Nuvien spoke to the Queen in Muranthian, his words clipped like how Loraven and other Lyvarians spoke. Or was it another elven language? At his words, the hall erupted in laughter, making the pair realise it was at their expense. Osian’s hands balled into fists, but one glance at his brother diffused his anger.

If Selvin could remain composed, so could he. He was there for him, and he would not ruin anything. Not for him or their kingdom.

"Ah, here she is," the King commented, his eyes looking past the princes.

"You are late," the Queen snarled, eyes flashing darkly to the latecomer.

"I abide by my own time," came a clipped answer from a familiar, smooth feminine voice.

Osian spun around, etiquette thrown out the window as he stared wide-eyed, mouth dropping. As though his brother had expected her already, Selvin turned around slowly, his eyes softening at the she-elf. Loraven. She looked riveting, engrossing those around her with her beauty.

Unlike the Queen, whose torso was covered in fur suited to Osian’s expectations of the snow elves initially, Loraven was in a thin, almost sheer, light blue dress. It flowed down to her bare feet. Bare feet!? Osian glanced at the King and Queen and noted they, too, did not wear shoes.

That didn’t hold the princes’ attention, though. The elven fashion was so different to that of the human realm. But he would not complain about what he saw.

The neckline of Loraven’s dress delved down past the breastbone, revealing her smooth, soft skin and the curves of her breasts. Light beige leather belts kept the piece together at her waist, and a singular thin beige strap across the top of her chest held the sleeves to her shoulders. Those sleeves fell down to the floor in waves of the same sheer blue material, none of it clinging to her, making her flow gracefully past them.

Her hair was pinned back, half of it falling down her shoulders, the ends of her pointed ears gilded in gold, adding a sharper edge to her ears, with sapphires and more golden vine type earrings like artwork went across her ears. Unlike their first meeting, she was not sweaty, covered in blood and ice. Her skin was clear, her cheeks full with the lightest shade of pink to go with her full lips.

Those hazel eyes, which were cold and almost malicious, were warmer as she met each of their gazes, almost luring them in with those melted caramels and brown hues and the lightest tint of green. She was a sight to behold, her stunning appearance outshining the Queen’s, but only because the Queen had a sharpness about her, her hazel eyes that might slice a man in half.

Hazel eyes.. frёeweɓηovel_coɱ

Osian glanced between the Queen and Loraven. Their looks were somewhat similar, and their auras were similar. But before he could place his thoughts together, his brother spoke.

"It is a pleasure to see you again," Selvin turned to Loraven, who had been rounding the pair, greeting the she-elf that had silenced everyone.

His brother held his hand out for Loraven, to which she placed hers in his ever so delicately. Selvin lightly pecked her knuckle as she curtsied.

Osian was almost awed because the woman he had seen earlier did not seem like she would act in such a way. She had been graceful and skilful in her kills, but he never thought much further on it. Never again would he judge so quickly.

"Pfft, Loraven, you do not need to curtsy like that." The King rolled his eyes, like what she did was wrong. Maybe they did not greet ladies in such a manner.

Loraven ignored him, shocking Osian more. She ignored the King! It was then he noted the similarity between Loraven and King Nuvien, minus his golden locks, their bone structure and almost blinding beauty was the same.

"Princess," Queen Iolena shunned crisply.

"Princess.." Osian murmured, watching Loraven. She and Selvin seemed to be in a world of their own, staring at each other. It made Osian feel like a third wheel, someone not of importance and should not be standing so close to his brother.

PRINCESS?!

"Princess Loraven," The Queen’s harshness snapped them out of it. Loraven snatched her hand back as the Queen spoke to her in Muranthian. Loraven’s eyes hardened, a face of indifference slipping back onto her features as she turned and walked to the Queen’s side next to the King.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺