Extol of Agnatic Dreams (The Extol Series Book 1) (8 page)

“You will be fine.” Sigourney seemed to be able to read her thoughts. Finishing with the laces, Sigourney settled the robe back around Evangeline’s shoulders and gave her a critical eye that was nothing when compared to the looks Evangeline would suffer from Viviana. Seemingly satisfied, both girls settled for the last few minutes together. “The royal family will greet you and you will have an opportunity to speak with Glais before being shown to your rooms. I strongly suggest you bathe and allow your assistant to pick something appropriate for you to wear to breakfast.”

“Is everything in Braykith black?” Evangeline suddenly asked and Sigourney looked down at her own outfit as if she didn’t even realise she was wearing the colour. Evangeline didn’t realise she had asked the question out loud before Sigourney responded to it.

“During particular times, yes there is a tradition of wearing our colours. Should you ever leave the Kingdom as a representative of Braykith, then it will be expected that you wear black. The first dress worn by any of your children will be black. For regular days though you will find that your wardrobe has many colours available to you.” Sigourney paused. “Can I offer a suggestion, Evangeline?”

“Oh, please do.” She needed all the help she could manage to scrape together. “I do not wish to offend anyone.”

Sigourney nodded. “Wear Braykith black and blue to breakfast. You need to show unity to your new husband and his realm. It is such a simple thing to do, but speaks volumes of your new loyalty.” Evangeline nodded, knowing she would take the advice and hoped that Sigourney had offered it in friendship. “Do not worry so much. You will have ladies to assist you. They will be a
beneficial
until you become more accustomed.”

“Sometimes Crimah and Braykith seem so similar that I barely feel like I need to change a thing.” Evangeline lied.

Sigourney put her hand over Evangeline’s and gave it a gentle squeeze. It was more genuine than before. “Nowhere is like Braykith, Evangeline and I suggest the sooner you accept this and stop looking for the familiar, the better you will be.”

E
vangeline sat in the carriage for longer than she supposed she should have. She gave one last look to Sigourney, hoping the girl would change her mind and come with her but she wouldn’t. A solid shake of her head and Evangeline was alone and facing the royal family of Braykith. Someone had opened the door for her, a hand gloved in the traditional colours of black and gold was waiting to assist her down that first step. Evangeline was nervous but her hand was firm in the soldier’s.

She half expected to see Thomas standing there. Sneaking a peek under her lashes at the soldier who helped her manage the dark, Evangeline wasn’t sure who it was. She could barely remember his face beyond the typical human characteristics of where eyes, nose and mouth should be located. The only reason Evangeline doubted this could be the same man as before was because he didn’t speak. This was the kind of behaviour that she was expecting from the military and it comforted her in a strange way.

Evangeline could only hope that in time, she would stop noticing the things that made Braykith different. While she had been lamenting the hour of her arrival, now she was glad for it. While the path was laid only with torches and offered dark pools of orange light for Evangeline to see by, the path was also only manned by soldiers. She supposed if she had come during the day, the street would be lined with citizens hoping to see the new future Queen.

She was also saddened by the lack of light because she wished she could see more. While it kept her hidden from the gaze of strangers, it kept her from seeing the strangers as well. The royal family was not far, but they were only a small part of this Kingdom and the darkness couldn’t hide the lush green entirely from the closest plants that were being cultivated. Evangeline couldn’t seem to focus on the people waiting for her and nervously her eyes flickered from one small growing shrub to the next, only daring to find sneak peeks from the family and yet could only ever focus on the King.

He appeared to be only a young man, which could not be right. While the King of Braykith would come to visit Crimah, Evangeline was not requested at such events to see him. Now it was jarring and only made her feel less enticed with the Kingdom. It was not unheard of for powerful men to produce doubles during times of war or unrest, but Evangeline was sure that this was not one of those times and so she dismissed the notion quickly. Never before did she give any thought to the rumours of demons and devil worship within Braykith. She had always been quick to dismiss talk of dark elves and the lineage within the royal family, until this very moment. If this were the king, he could not be more than twenty-five, and how could he have fathered a son? Glais was only twenty-two, two years and a scattering of months separating him from Evangeline’s age of twenty. Evangeline blushed at her mental wanderings, looking down firmly at her hands and had time to resettle her breath so when she looked up again, she felt more in control.

“King Quintus.” Evangeline stumbled a little as she made to bow, deep and as low as her dress would allow. A chuckle came from the King, a handsome man with a strong jaw that couldn’t be hidden under his meticulously kept beard. Unlike every other person she had met, his long hair was tied back from his face and hidden from sight. He stood tall and proud, as any King should. Feeling vulnerable as he chuckled at her, Evangeline blushed and straightened. What had she done to elect such a response from him?

“You are our new daughter,” Quintus said, offering Evangeline his hand which she did not hesitate to take. It would be rude to refuse such a gesture. “There is no need for titles and strangeness between us. You will call me Quintus, and you shall refer to my wife only by Kyleigh.” Evangeline nodded, and when Quintus gave her hand a gentle squeeze, she found herself squeezing his hand back.

“I apologise Quintus. I do not wish to offend.”

“You have offended no one,” Quintus assured her. He was quick to cut her off and Evangeline stopped half way done with her full apology, letting their hands drop naturally. While he appeared young, there was a power to him that made his youthful face more jarring. Smoothing down her dress, she greeted Kyleigh, falling into a curtsey before kissing the woman on the cheek.

While the King barely looked old enough to be the ruler she had heard so many stories about, Kyleigh was the kind of woman you could expect to see. Pale skin that bordered on looking sickly in this light and dark red hair that did not seem to compliment naturally with her complexion. The Queen’s hair curled around her face, down like Evangeline had been instructed to do, but sections used to hold her crown in place. Light wrinkles decorated her face, not ugly but they were undeniable. “We will speak soon,” Kyleigh promised.

Evangeline wasn’t sure what to make of the comment. She supposed that Kyleigh would want to get to know the girl who was to marry her eldest son. She knew so little of Glais and even less of his family. Evangeline was going to have to assume that this was the same for them about her. Perhaps a collection of shared stories in passing, but the real truth? Well, there had simply been a gap in all of their education. Until this moment, she had not been sure what the Royals of Braykith even looked like. Perhaps the Queen would have some advice for Evangeline. She had lived such a life, and understood this city better than most intruders. Surely she would like to share these secrets with Evangeline. She could hope for such respite.

She had been preparing for such a different greeting that it seemed irresponsible to be hopeful that perhaps this could flow neater than Evangeline had imagined. While most of her concerns in coming to Braykith could be blamed on learning her future husbands’ habits, and his opinions of her, the reputation of the royal family had made her believe they were far more intimidating than they were.

Evangeline did not welcome this as readily as one might suspect. Instead of embracing this casual approach, she was suspicious. All of her meticulous training and meditation to prepare for this very moment had been nothing more than wasted hours. She would remember the hours spent practising her curtsy for the King in the mirror, being sure it as graceful and respectful. Quintus could not know how hard she had practiced but she could not help but feel resentful.

If she had not spent years in the company of an etiquette coach, Evangeline might have considered confronting Quintus about all of the demands he had forced upon her family. Her new role in Braykith had been a heavy burden for so long and now she felt like a joke. Not that it appeared that anyone was laughing at her or that this was some kind of test. The soldiers that decorated the courtyard were respectful, and not in a casual way. This was the true King and Queen. They had not merely brought in doubles and ensured some kind of joke on her behalf.

The familiar touch from Kyleigh as she embraced Evangeline would have better suited for family and not for the stranger Evangeline was to them. Of course, Quintus had said she was family, but that should not have been so easy to comply with. Although it was expected that every command from the King to be treated as law, this seemed to be something entirely different. He had said such things and so they came into being. Quintus had called her family and so she was family, with all the casual touches that should have been built up over years of contact immediately inherited.

This was not the welcoming moment they seemed to want to generate, and quickly Evangeline imagined all of this losing control. All of it only made Evangeline uneasy, and her unease only made Quintus more determined to put to rest her awkward pauses and emotional driven anxieties. “You will have to excuse us; our daughter Adeline is still sleeping. We could not rouse her no matter the methods.” There was no scolding, although a little bit of embarrassment as Kyleigh went on to explain. “I suppose you should see her come breakfast time.”

Her apology seemed far too insincere, even for a diplomatic visitor, which was another way to view Evangeline. It had been the argument she had been practising for years leading up to this moment that now was apparently useless because Quintus had made her family.

“I thoroughly understand.” Is what Evangeline said, still too uncertain how best to handle this situation. There was nothing anyone could do to change her time of arrival, and really she should be happy that anyone came to see her at all as all of this could have been completed during the day.

“I suppose there is only one person you truly wish to see anyway.” Kyleigh took her husband’s hand and the king laughed lightly.

“I guess so.” He agreed, motioning with his free hand for Glais to emerge from the dark. Until that moment, Glais had been hidden even under the torches that had been lit in an attempt to offer the people something to see by. It was not working, and so Evangeline had been blinded until this reveal. Evangeline saw his approach but her mind was reeling and so there was very little detail for Evangeline to reflect on later. She was drawing on a few vague memories from her childhood where she had played side by side with Glais. Those memories of scrapped knees were quickly dismissed, for Glais was no longer the child.

He was handsome although his features were so like his father he could have been a twin, not his son. His body was strong and Glais moved with a contained power that always seemed on the verge of release. He looked tense, like a trapped wild cat. He would play nice for as long as it was good for him, but one needed to remain aware that Glais was only playing tame. Evangeline was shocked at her own thoughts but it was the only way to describe that predatory movement in his shoulders. He would be tame until it was no longer convenient. It sent a shudder through her. The ideas brought to life at the thought had her dropping her gaze to hide the rush of crimson to her cheeks that spread across her chest.

“We should have left this moment in peace.” It seemed that Quintus was enjoying the effect his son was having on poor Evangeline. She could not look up, intimidation and curiosity fought within her head and there seemed to be no clear victor. Embarrassed she would not risk them seeing the indecisiveness.

“Why don’t I escort Evangeline to her rooms?” Glais offered. Those words repeated over and over until it became a melody to her own mind. Although the sentence should have been a question, there was no change in his tone. He was not asking for permission or for even her support. It was simply going to happen. Glais would be walking her to her rooms, which seemed both extremely improper and yet perfect. He was just polite enough so his family could leave without it looking hostile.

Only just old enough to be actually called a man, and already he had the confidence of a King. Evangeline foolishly wondered if his authority came from an actual place. She knew hers did not, but rather only a weak imitation of her mother. For now, it was enough for the people of Braykith to believe Evangeline might be someone who could make their lands prosper. After all, she had fooled Sigourney, and Evangeline felt safe in thinking she could fool most of the citizens with that same charade.

How long could Evangeline continue being convincing was an entirely different question. One that she felt had a very limited available space. Evangeline needed to learn how to be the sure and steady personality that Glais always was. If it was indeed his personality and not just the young man faking his father’s tones and practice. Evangeline felt that she could not trust anything within this Kingdom and in her own mind, she sent a brief prayer to Xado to clear her vision and for her to believe.

The intimidation she felt only intensified when she finally found the core strength to look up. She almost fell over to both stay where she was and stumble back from his intense gaze. It was like he could see through her, into her past and their future. In this one moment Glais knew everything about her and there were no secrets left to keep. Or so it seemed. She felt only judgement from him but she couldn’t decide if it was forming a positive or negative opinion. She fell into a curtsey, eyes downcast as her body leant forward.

She stayed low, trapped by him until Glais broke their spell with a simple offering of his hand. Evangeline took it, not surprised when he did not release her. Instantly Glais attempted to leave with her, but Evangeline didn’t move.

“I would very much like to stay and meet your brother.” The words were exposed before she could judge them, a panic response but seemingly completely in line. After all, he was the only member of the royal family who had come out to meet her and yet she had not been formally introduced. Glais rolled his eyes, but he did not fight her on the demand. Instead, he presented her to Baxter with not a further introduction.

Evangeline blinked, looking back to Glais but he seemed to have decided to leave her on her own for this one. She wasn’t sure how to proceed. In all her lessons the very idea she would need to introduce herself had never come up. Not in such a formal way. She still felt this was formal even though Quintus had instead differently.

Baxter felt her distress and quickly made the introduction that Glais should have made. “I am Baxter, second son of the King and Queen of Braykith.” He bowed low, and Evangeline smiled. This was the level she had been expecting, and automatically she lifted her dress just enough off the ground so she could curtsey properly in response. “Welcome, Evangeline. It is a pleasure to meet finally with you.”

“I am very glad to have met you as well.” And Evangeline was honest in it. While Glais and Quintus were dark hair and intense features, Baxter appeared to take much more of his mother. Not the copy Glais was, but considering the delicate feminine features of his mother they became handsome in their arrangement on his face. His hair was cropped close to his head but even in this light, it was evident that his hair was the same shade of dark red. A tan was permanently stained into his skin. Clearly being the second son gave Baxter more freedom with his time that included the outdoors. Glais seemed deathly pale in comparison to his little brother.