Valora's POV

I slowly make my way to the palace. Dust coats my legs and arms and my face feels grubby. The sun hits my pale skin and warms me up. I hate the fact that Audrey's body is so pale because that means she needs the sun and I really don't like the sun.

I glare up at it. Zander must be having a blast using his abilities to warm people up. Always felt like he was the good one. The nicer one...

I huff when my eyes sting from it's rays. If I get my hands on him.....

The palace finally looms before me. It is really huge and has a lot of pointy roofs. It is bathed in gold from the sun and looks like a fucking fairytale. I snicker. A fucking fairytale that will soon be turned into a nightmare for them.

A gully filled with water separates it from the rest of the city and I realize that I need a draw bridge. Just great!!

Normally I'd just make one of course and cross over, but I am not ready to do that yet. I need a bath and tour of my palace.... well, future palace. Details....

The guards spot me from a watch tower and starts letting the wooden bridge down while I impatiently wait.

It seems they are doing it as slowly as they can and I am ready to snap their necks when it finally reaches the ground with a soft thud.

My feet feel way better on the smooth wood and makes my mood way better. I would've happily killed the guards right there but I have to remind myself that I need patience...
A 'Virtue' that I absolutely hate sometimes and love the other. Hate mostly.
The guards don't even bow when I make it into the palace. They are clad in metal suits and swords. One of them gestures to the palace entrance.
"The king and Queen request your presence at once your majesty..."

The way he says it is clearly mocking but I just send him a smile. "Thank you for telling me that, now keep watching the gates like the guard you are."

I turn and make my way to the palace real door. It is huge, decorated with melted gold and jewels. It would cost a fortune.

I snicker. Gold on door, what else?? In the roof?! It seems this city is actually rich. Just my luck.

A maid suddenly pulls the door open from inside. "Good morning your majesty."

Her red hair is pulled back into a bun with wisps framing her face and her hands clutch her black and white uniform so hard her knuckles are white. Her head is bowed low.

I eye her with disdain. Of course weak people like her are the reason it's so easy to control humans. I am more focused on how my feels seem to sink into the soft ox blood carpet.

Suddenly, I get a flash of pictures from Audrey's memory....

Of a certain maid with red hair helping her up when she fell at a certain ball numerous times.

I am even appalled by how awful Audrey is at dancing...

However, it seems she liked this woman.... oh dear, and now the poor woman thinks I'm Audrey.

A maniacal smile slowly tugs on my lips. Well....

"Good morning Eliora."

She raises her head to look around. To the left, right, up the stairs, then suddenly, she grabs my hands earnestly. "I was so worried miss!! The King and Queen were angry and Olivia had a show crying about how she loves you!!"

What first comes to mind is to freeze her right there for touching me, then I replay all she has said and I realize that she would be the perfect spy and informant.

I slowly grip her hands and she seems to notice how cold they are by her flinch. "Really?! Olivia was worried?!"

She frowned. "Yes miss. Your sister says she loves you very much and wishes you home..."

I nod absently and look around. "Very well, take me to my room and run a bath for me... I am filthy."

She seems to jump from caring friend to useful maid in a second. "Of course!! One of the villagers informed us of your presence and I've already begun running a lavender and peach bath for you." She herds me to the grand steps and up them.

There are a series of turns and huge portraits on the wall.

Through Audrey's memories I can tell who they are. The king, a rather large man with a hook nose and trimmed beard. The Queen a frail looking woman with big blue eyes and a slender nose. And then Olivia. She isn't what I expect.

She looks dainty and frail. The perfect mixture of her parents with a little hook nose and big blue eyes. Her golden hair is in a braid in the portrait and I don't know why but I hate her already.... call it my ice instincts. Audrey stands at the back, almost in the shadows of the picture but she is still the most eye catching of hem all. Her long dark hair frames a small heart face, nose is tiny and pointy and eyes huge. Her lashes are so long and dark that it forms shadows over her cheeks even in the portrait.

Eliora finally stops in front of a room at the farther end of the hallway and pushes it open.

The room is beautiful, I'll give the humans that.

It's full of purple and gold hues. A huge king bed in the center dropped with cushions of all sizes and silk covers. There is a window seat that over looks the back of the palace.

The walk in closet is big and full of purple clothes.. purple dresses, riding habits, shoes, stockings, silk undergarments, camisoles, nightclothes.... it seems Purple was Audrey's favorite color.

I hate it.

Eliora has disappeared into the bath and is mixing in vials of scents and salts into the water.

"Eliora!!"

She jumps at my voice and turns with a flushed face and a hand over her heart. "Gosh you scared me there miss."

I ignore her and glare into the closet. "Get rid of all of this and get me new dresses."

I glance at her. Her eyes are bulging. "Is there a problem?" I ask.

She swallows. "His majesty and her majesty will never let me get new dresses for you. They barely managed to let you have these and these are the cheapest materials."

Oh.....

I run my fingers softly over the material and realize that she is right. It definitely looks like silk but is not. It is fake.

I want to bash the royal couple's heads. How dare they expect me to wear these?!

I walk around feeling up the clothes. Only the silk nightgowns were actual silk.

Fools.

Eliora appears behind me wringing her hands. "You never minded before miss." She sounds confused by my reaction.

It isn't my intention to hide who I am or what I can do, but it's not yet time, besides, I'm not sure if I even want to reveal who I am. Now is not the time to think of it, all I want at the moment is to relax and enjoy my first day of freedom, so I turn to her with a sigh.
"Well I am exhausted and my head aches. I just wish I had quality clothes to dress in." Add a pinch of self pity and she's eating it up.

She reaches to grasp my hand again. "It is going to be alright miss."

I sigh and fake a sniffle. "I hope so.."

We are interrupted by a knock.

I turn to the door. "Come in."

Another maid, this one with a head of black curls and shiny skin clad in the black and white uniform.
"The King and Queen request your presence in the throne room princess." With that she turns and leaves, not waiting to be dismissed.

The people here do disregard me... I can't wait to break them and make them beg for mercy.

Eliora gasps. "Oh, we have to hurry then!!"

I ignore her and feel the silk clothes again. "Get me a glass of wine. Red grapes and a flute."

With that I walk to the bath and start pulling off my tattered dress.