Page 22 of Raven Rebel (Sablewood #1)
Brenna
F our tables spanned the length of the room, with the middle left open for revelry. They were made of massive logs, hewn down and joined together with deep grooves between them. The make was rough compared to the fine furniture she had grown accustomed to in the fae court.
Nestled between her sister and Tayen, Brenna felt safe enough to study the humans around them. It was easy to spot the visitors from Liosliath from the native nobles of Dornadan. They wore reds and browns to honor their queen and sat mostly on the far side, closer to her side of the dais.
King Eldric looked over the seated crowd, a proud gleam in his dark eyes.
The high table stretched the width of the platform, drawing every guest’s attention to the ruling families.
King Eldric sat in the center. Deep grooves marked his tan face, his eyes shaded by thick black brows threaded with the same silver that streaked his braids and long beard.
Beside him, Princess Elysia looked frail with pale skin and auburn hair coiffed into a loose chignon that left curls tumbling down her back. Her petal pink lips pursed as she gave the king a demure smile.
Brenna couldn’t help her gaze straying to the royals of Liosliath. She had never seen them in the flesh and the portraits hung throughout the queendom bore little resemblance to the figures before them.
Barrach, Queen Malacia’s newest king consort and king in his own right, wore his long, black hair tied back, revealing weathered olive skin over high cheekbones.
Beside him, Malacia sat primly with a wicked twist to her smile.
Her chocolate hair was styled into an elaborate updo with her diamond crown glittering from within.
Her signature blood red lips sent a shiver through Brenna.
This woman wouldn’t hesitate to order her death if she was aware of their story.
King Eldric pushed his chair back with a scraping sound.
He raised a hand, and a seething silence settled over the room.
His crackling voice boomed over the crowd.
“My people, thank you for joining us for this monumental occasion. Isn’t my bride beautiful?
” Princess Elysia raised a gloved hand to cover her mouth, hiding her expression.
“Together, we will turn rivals into allies and open up a new era of trade and collaboration.”
The crowd’s whispers built until murmurs of cheers trickled across the room. Eldric smiled with a regal sweep of his hand. “So enjoy my wine and feast. This is the beginning, and we shall come together again on Yuletide to seal this union. Huzzah! ”
The room surged, hundreds of voices echoing his exclamation. Brenna’s lips traced the word, her voice silent.
Eldric’s three sons raised their glasses and drank to their father’s betrothed, their faces pleasantly bland. Brenna wondered how they really felt about Elysia’s age and citizenship.
The crown prince, Emeric, sat stoically. He was a broad man with rune tattoos running up his neck to skim his square jaw. She would have thought him devastatingly handsome if it was not for her time among the faeries.
The younger prince, Eladin, had finer features and a mirthful glitter to his dark eyes.
His skin appeared bare until he turned to face his adopted brother, and Brenna spied runes along the sides of his scalp.
Beside him, Rydan replied to whatever Eladin said with a frown.
His skin was darker, as was his hair, styled into locs, and his tattoos ran down his inner arms and across his hands.
A bronze circlet sat atop his head, simple compared to the bejeweled crowns on Emeric and Eladin’s heads.
Dozens of servants in matching gray tunics placed a myriad of platters and serving bowls in the center of the table. Glistening ham, rack of lamb in a well of mint jam, steamed mussels and clams on a bed of cabbage leaves, and pale, round loaves of bread.
A few weeks ago, she would have drooled while loading up her plate and then ate until her stomach hurt, but after living in the faerie court, Brenna found the food unappealing.
She struggled to fill her plate. Meara’s plate was similarly sparse, her face tense and her eyes on the line of Liosliath guards along the far wall.
“Relax. We are guests,” Brenna murmured, gratified when Meara’s shoulders loosened.
Yet again, Brenna was grateful to Tayen as he led the conversation with the humans around them.
She tried to smile and nod along, answering the questions and comments directed at her.
Eventually, the humans around them stopped trying to address Brenna and spoke with Tayen only.
She listened with her best approximation of a courtly smile plastered across her face.
It was a relief when the plates were cleared away and small dishes of custard tartlet were placed before them as a final course.
She would give anything to be back at Roven, enjoying a meal with the Autumn Court.
Sucking in her cheeks, she scooped a bite of the dessert and tasted it.
Despite her improved faerie senses, it tasted dull.
The tables went silent a second time, and Brenna cringed, her eyes slowly roaming the length of the room to the dais. Queen Malacia stood alongside her consort. Barrach held her hand up and kissed it, watching his wife with obvious adoration as she addressed the crowd.
“What a lovely occasion. We thank you for hosting us and celebrating this marriage, and we look forward to many years together, knitted into a single family caring for our people with generosity and wisdom. Now, let us enjoy dancing.”
No sooner had Queen Malacia spoken, the crowd rose. Attendees shuffled aside, gathering in small groups to talk. Brenna clung to Meara as they followed the Autumn faeries to the side of the room.
Servants efficiently moved the tables aside and arranged the chairs for those wanting to rest. Once the center of the room was cleared, the first notes of instruments echoed through the room.
The royal families watched from their seats on the dais, mildly interested as the room was transformed for dancing.
Finally, King Eldric rose and offered his weathered hand to the princess.
Elysia descended the steps gracefully. Once at the center, she allowed Eldric to turn her and take her other hand in a dancer’s stance.
The music began playing in earnest, and the guests watched the couple move through the steps.
Brenna’s stomach soured as she watched Elysia turn her face away from her betrothed. How sad it must be to be a royal marrying for an alliance to someone so ill suited.