Chapter 71 Elders?
AUDREY
"Oh my goddess. They look so cute together"
"She's blushing"
"I'm sure there'll be a little prince running around soon enough"
"See the way they look at each other! "
"Awwwnn"
Hearing the maids chatter on with fits of giggles only made my face burn brighter. Sugars. "How are you feeling love?" He asked me in that low delicious timber that vibrated through my entire body.
"I-im okay. How did your meetings go?" I asked meekly, still feeling the foreign gazes prodding through every layer of my skin and burning the back of my head.
"They went okay, but all the while I couldn't stop thinking about you. I've missed you so much baby" immediately the word of endearment left his lips coos and "awwwns' flew over my head making my ears burn. "I heard you've been a little busy too and it seems you're on your way to the Royal seamstress. I can't wait to see how absolutely ravishing you look tonight. I'll come see you in the evening love" he stroked my cheeks, leaning down his lips brushed over mine and in an instance the image of those malevolent gold eyes flashed through my mind and I turned away, making his lips land on my cheek.
My eyes went wide and my cheeks burning as confusion and fear settled in my chest. What was that? Darius pulled back not before placing another kiss to my forehead. A soft smile settled on his lips as he gazed down at me. I tried to return the smile but it fell as I dropped my gaze to my fingers as I fiddled with them. I felt his burning gaze on me but I couldn't meet his eyes, I was afraid if I did I would just crumble and tell him everything but it would be useless because I didn't understand why I felt so scared and unsettled.
"Love?" His deep baritone called out, his finger coming to twirl in my hair as he regarded me.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded, putting on my most convincing smile yet I knew he wasn't buying my act. If I stayed any longer then he would coarse me into speaking so I needed to leave. I grabbed hold of his hand, his gaze following my actions. "I'm fine" I climbed on my tip toes and placed a soft peck on his cheek before pulling away. "I'll see you later" with that I left his hold, my body already going cold from his absence.
I walked over to where the maids were still gushing and continued on my way feeling a pair of piercing dark eyes on me as I departed. I kept my gaze down memories of my dream flashing through my mind, those teeth, those eyes. That voice. Sugars what was that dream and most importantly why did it seem so familiar?
~
Turning around Audrey looked herself over in the mirror as she stood on the stool. She looked.. Different to say the least. When Penelope and Ruby had told her she would be getting dressed in their traditional attire she definitely didn't expect it to be so.. Exuberant. It was gorgeous yes but it looked like something a queen would wear but that was exactly what they wanted her to look like , enough to convince the elders she was fit for the role.
But everything felt a bit overwhelming she couldn't deny. It was all happening so fast, she still hasn't gotten over her dream from earlier and now she would be placed on a pedestal and scrutinized by people she had never met and by eyes she could only assume would be pointing out every flaw and dimple on her.
As she looked over the designs on the back of the dress she couldn't help but notice that her crescent moon shaped birthmark that was once faint looked more prominent and visible. Now it was more evident, every stroke and curve of it making itself known.
She frowned at the sight, she always shrugged it off and never gave it a second thought seeing as it was at the part of her body that most of her clothing covered plus it wasn't something someone could see as easily but now, now it had attained a darker hue and looked like it was carved over night and placed there. She couldn't help but also take notice that it looked a lot bigger almost taking up the curve of her shouldershoulder on the opposing side to her baby noticeable mark.
"Milady, you would need to try on the rest of these and add them to your wardrobe. As long as the elders are staying you will need to look the part at all times. Your old dresses can still be worn but not out of you and the King's quarters" Audrey's frown deepened hearing Ruby's words. Everything felt strange and a little too much, they were all over reacting. She didn't have to change her whole dressing style because of a few old wolves.
"This is a bit too much Ruby. I've never worn something that showed so much skin in these many places" Audrey complained, stepping down from the stool and turning to face the two she wolves that stood in front of her. She sighed, running a hand through her hair she could feel her head throbbing from all this stress, "Don't get me wrong it's absolutely gorgeous and I love how good it looks and feels but I'm not used to this, can't we-"
"I'm sorry milady but we can't underestimate the expectations of the elders. Not putting in more than enough effort is like telling the entire kingdom that you don't love His Majesty" her eyes widened and a crease formed between her brows.
"I never said that" she defends, gazing away in deep thought.
"But that's the message that you would be sending to the masses when they don't see you wearing our traditional queens attires. Gossip spreads like wildfire and before you know it you could have gotten on the worst side of the people" Ruby walked up to Audrey, taking her hands in hers and holding her gaze. "I know it seems like much and it can get pretty scary but just remember that the king loves you no matter what and even if the elders don't approve you and I both know it won't change his mind. He can fight the entire kingdom for you"
"But I never want it to come down to that. He shouldn't fight his people just because of me" as the realisation of Ruby's words set in so did dread fill her heart at the brutal honesty in her words. It didn't take a wise man to know Darius would do anything for the love of his life even without her asking he would fight the whole world for her and now she knew it was her duty to make sure that never became the case.