The automatic doors slide open to the building, and we are entering the master hall, the ends of my heels clop against the polished beige tiles. As If I stepped into a city, a scape of grand gold that is elegantly polished into the walls and floor. Skilled architecture demanding attention outside and in though it was simpler and vague on the inside. -- It was the colors and sheen gloss over every design that stole my breath.

Similarities of my castle rearing itself as I craned my neck up the mountainous height, spiraling twin staircases that lead up to the highest floors and mahogany railings, flowing citrus that moistens the mouth, leaving a tart taste to the tongue once you have entered.

Gunter and me hand in hand as we are welcomed by the employees dressed in black, bowing their heads in respect. My eyes search for Nasir in the midst of the bowing crowd, and I find him closely behind, but his void eyes stare beyond us, as if anticipating danger ahead.

Strong fingers gently tighten mine and I whip my head forwards almost running chest to chest with a man, dressed in servers' attire, and a tray in hand holding two bubbling drinks.

"My king and my Queen." Came the raspy voice of an elder man that held a same pitch and suave the way Patrick had, and it stilled me in place, I whirl to the owner. A part of me sparked, only to die down when I met a completely different face.

Not the tall, pale and polished old man -- but a shorter opposite version with the stolen note.

The brimming joy faded in my veins, I slumped my frame from view as he approached joyously and focused solely on the bubbling champagne, pouring the crisp bubbles into my mouth and to drink the embarrassment.

"It is an honor." He bows and all the gathered employees bowed yet again right behind him. "Welcome to the Cathedral, to the King and Queen, my name is Walter." he introduced.

Gunter only staring boorishly and subtly nodded. "Has my requests been delivered." He was cutthroat.

The old man nodded, clasping his hands in front of him as the few employees began to disperse back to their work. "Yes, my king. The room has been cleaned and reconstructed for the approaching ceremony; it is all set for the Queen's final touch." His gray eyes looking over to me with a proud gleam.

At the mention of my title they had my attention, the bubbling liquid dripped down the wrong hole when I suddenly jolted. And heaved out for dear life. My naked shoulder is warmed by a gloved palm, and someone took the drink from my hand as Gunter looked at me with three heads.

"Water for the queen." Gunter calls out to the sea of concerned employees that quickly scatter to the command.

"N-no forgive me, I was just stunned is all." My lungs swelling as I held a deep cough, a vein swelling on the side of my temple. "I was not expecting this one be something I would be in charge of." I spoke rasp like, my usual sultry voice broken and rusty.

"Well of course my Queen." Walter ensures, "King Gunter speaks highly of your exquisite taste in shimmering colors, and the ability to pair them well for a gleaming event."

It was as if I was being told he won me a grand prize at a carnival. I whip my eyes up to Gunter, who sported a smile without meeting my glare in return. And in the peripherals of my eyes, Nasir was standing in a close proximity, blurred by a fuzzy cloud. Clearly in his own state of mind.

I wanted to turn fully and give him my attention, let him see the sorrow in my eyes for what he had heard in the car between me and Gunter. But what could I explain? How would I explain to him that it meant nothing when it probably sounded like I was having the time of my life?

And it would mean explaining why it sounded like I enjoyed it.

Because I thought of him earlier in the closet, swelled my gut with liquid need before I was interrupted by the cleaning maid, and tried to release it while riding a man we both hated.

Yea ... that would ... sound utterly ridiculous.

I'm split in two, knowing his eyes are doing it all to avoid me but I turn back to the scene, where the old man's eyes waited for me to come back, and threw a questioning gaze to who it was that had my attention. And cleared a thick phlegm in his throat, and before he parted his lips, a lean man strode right from behind him with an ice-cold glass of water, and bows.

"Thank you." I said, reaching outwards to the cold glass. My fingers meet the icy jar and dismissively nodded.

"Have the others arrived?" Gunter questions, having seemingly been silent enough to let me choke and humiliate myself.

I arch my brows, "Others?"

He turns to me, his smile soft and graceful as if he preps to catch me if I were to fall. "I have invited a few others to join us in this gathering."

"O-oh." The crook of my neck slightly cocked, taken all the way back to the knowledge he just poured down onto me, in the absence of my silence he speared the thickening ice, naming the mysterious guests by names.

"Sir Kristoff, Isaac, Jacques and lady and Sir Elodie."

My fingers jerked around the jar, nearly letting the glass slip from my grasp at the mention of the Elodie's, especially lady Elodie. I treaded not to look over my shoulder to Nasir, but I felt him stiffen as if our physical bodies were in synched.

Carter Elodie's mother and father, and the very two that gladly given their son for sacrificial blood rituals. Those two were aware of what went into my castle, and they participated along with my father, hoping to continue their traditions and reaping power. Their names are boldened on my list.

"Ah, yes!" Walter beamed, clasping his hands together in midair, "they have arrived and are gathered in the ceremonial waiting for the Royal guests to arrive, please allow me to guide the way."

With a nod from Gunter, Walter whirled around with an ever-wide grin upon his face, old age meant nothing as he strode formally down the hall where I kept glancing more and more in awe of the scenery. Green has always been a color I admired deeply, but looking at this translucent beige somehow lifted a suffocating pressure from my shoulders.

"In here My king and Queen." Behind wide ivory doors that looked as if Kong himself could enter, Walter pushed open and the clothes upon my skin breezed back by the chilly air, Warm lavender drifting in its breath as the doors slowly fly open and present us with a room so spacious and free I pictured a fantasy realm to fit the moment.

A scene where it would be a ballroom and I would descend downward into the waltzing the crowd of masked guests, meeting the prince at the end of the railing -- but then I found the center of the room and my smile lopped.

Stood at the center of the hall were figures of men groomed and polished in black. Huddled together like vultures to raw roadkill. One on the far end holding his limping weight above with a designer cane, and the other two held champagne. The word silence was an afterthought as the room, and the room lit with their bellowing laughter.

"Gentlemen." Walter announced. He stepped in first, all heads whipped to his presence, from the peak of what I could see.

Gunter's frame shielding mine as he stood in front of me, and in the welcoming chants to his presence, I stole a glance to Nasir. Perching himself aside of the door frame, eyes still avoided looking at me and minded his feet on the ground or and no acknowledge, or to even check if I was alright. Grief waved through me at those dull hazel orbs, and missed the gleaming hue that would follow when he ever looks at me.

"My king!" Thier thunderous voices reverberating powerfully off the walls.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen." Gunter responds, firmly shaking Sir Jacques is hand. And at the touch of his nobility, Jacques raised the back of Gunter's arm to kiss his hand, the others following in pursuit, gazing up at him as if he were the morning star.

Right before me Gunter angled his shoulder, reaching out to my frame with wiggling fingers, I slip my eyes from Nasir just as he was about to look up, and entangled my fingers into Gunter's who firmly pulled me from the shadows and present before the groomed gentlemen.

My presence now being scrutinized by the men, but I did not emerge alone. Closely following behind me was Nasir, Kristoff's eyes slit open with fear, his words fumbling at the tongue as he muffled something incoherent before ditching his cane. Suprise filling the lungs of all of us as he sunk down to the ground, roughly coming onto his bad knee, hands spread, his forehead resounds with a sickening crack as he slammed it down.

"My Queen." he gasps, heaving with fear and pain, I watched crimson red leaking from the temple, as he violently trembled.

The men run to his aid, calling forth nearby employees to lift him from the ground, meanwhile I could only trail my eyes to what it was that struck a harpoon of fear straight to Kristoff, and I hovered to them to Nasir. Standing as if he were death, a ghost of a grin in plain sight, and I finally saw the glowing hazels as if he were amused at what was being displayed.

Butterflies soar in my stomach and my heart leaps with a loud thud, until it beats like drums. As if a single ray of the sun poured down onto him, it rained its luminescence and heightened him, it felt like it had been centuries, just watching him smile -- even though it was only an hour since we had spoken.

His eyes suddenly drifted aside us and it slitted like the eyes of a snake.

"Sir Kristoff, please tell me you will allow us to call you an ambulance." The voice that poured like fruity wine, a seductive hush that erected the hairs on my nape.

Before I could turn to the sound of her clopping heels, I watched Nasir straighten his back and ease the stern expression on his face. Something pinched my nerve at the way he looked her.

"My King." she said, closer. "And my queen." I recoil at the sound of her voice but melted my facial expression for something more suitable for a lady.

With caution my head rotated, swelling my lungs with the crisp air of lavender, just as Gunter kissed the back of her slender arm. And her forest green drifted to mine, her expression cockish as she displayed a coy smirk. Lips rosy, red, raven hair swept and curled to the side glimmering its health and radiance. Her normal complexion slightly tanned, and her figure accentuating an all-white gown ornamented with silver on the outline.

What took away from the outer beauty is her heart made of inky black, behind the façade is nothing but poison streaming in her veins.

"My queen." she curtsies, a slender leg is slips out the slit, lowering herself until the top of her glossed breasts is displayed.

I return her acknowledgment but stood myself like a goddess. "Mrs. Elodie."

She aligns her back, her green orbs holding a challenging gaze as if she tries to match my nobility, and then drifted her gaze slightly to the right of me and parted her lips. As if seeing something purely fascinating. Her cheeks burn pink, and stars flecks sparkling in the corners of her orbs, replicating the emeralds that glimmer upon my crown.

"It is great to have us all reunite once again." She smiles gratefully to everyone around but lingered her eyes towards Nasir. "All of you."

"And Mr. Elodie?" Sir Jacques interjected looking ever so dumbfounded by her presence and presence alone.

As Kristoff forehead is being tended to, I slip my eyes from the employees tending to the blood on the polish and watched her intently.

"Oh, he sends his regrets, there are some companies in need of signatures, so he sends me on his behalf."

Any more conversation becomes absent between us all as they nodded to her clever response in a short time.

"Well than Gentlemen, I do believe the queen is to make decisions. Let us proceed Walter." she snickers.

Bewitched by her formality and beauty Walter snaps from a trance and cleared his throat. "Ah that is right." And he turns to me. "My queen, shall we?" His palm is extended outwards to towards the scenery, the room silences waiting for me to take a step.

And as I do, Gunter is right beside me, thus making her take a slight step back to grant me room.

The tour commences than in that moment. I take the lead like I rightfully deserve, putting my tastes to the test for the ceremonial memorial soon to take its course. Hand in hand with the King, employees behind us taking notes on how the design will be, and for the first time the Elites shoved a foot down their throats and kept quiet.

But alas, I was only minding the giggles of Mrs. Elodie. Her proximity towards Nasir, and the conversation they seem to be having in the distance. So, close her breasts were rubbing against him, my jaw ticks with annoyance at how relaxed he appeared to be.

"My queen?"

I snap my eyes back to the grey hair woman before me, red manicured fingers holding different shades of green with an expecting look.

"Uh oh Pastel Green." I forcibly smiled. She bows and scurries off before another employee showed face of the snacks and wine there is to be served, meanwhile Gunter is in a conversation with the elites and Walter.

I was still a lone wolf, even when the spotlights was mine, no one paid me any attention. And now I have to witness a married woman nearly grind herself against my guard.

"Mrs. Elodi." I snapped, just as her slender fingers begun to seductively drag up the fabric of Nasir's pant leg. She believed it was discreet, but the only reason is because no one was paying her any mind, in fact Nasir himself look exceedingly aggravated.

She whirls to me, snatching her hand from where it didn't belong and repositioned herself as if she were a proper maiden. "Yes, my queen." she smiles, clearing the gravel spewing in her throat, her face burning red.

Nasir has this effect on women that is for sure, but it aggravates me at how she thinks she could touch and feel him without his permission, especially since this is the first time they have even met.

"I would love another woman's perspective on this." I masked. Feeling Gunter's glare piercing my nape. "Don't worry yourself with a guard and come join me at my selections."

Her crisp green eyes soften but muses the idea. A woman like her seeks power, whether it be establishing herself above old wuthering men, bullying those that have disabilities, or have someone that will abide by her every whim, making decisions aside nobility would be a souvenir to add to her resume.

But alas I wondered if she were like me in a way - wanting our words to be heard, but secretly enjoyed being dominated and owned.

"I am at yours entirely my queen," she curtsies. I could already foreshadow this decision will be regrettable, but anything to keep her away from Nasir, who for some odd reason kept a feral smirk at her backside.

The same inky gleam he had with me when he is ready to have his way with me, is now given to her.

***

And quickly so, I was right.

The saying is true when they say great minds think alike, but what if for one iconic moment, they had a different thought process and they so happen to be in the same room. Unlike Charlotte, she was the sister I never wanted, yet we had almost the same taste.

"I truly believe these colors will be better in the hanging drapes my queen."

I will summon a migraine from the countless times my eyes rolled to the top of my skull, "And I am saying that the Pastel would go great with the chandeliers." I retort.

By now the men have paused their chatters amongst each other, to stop and watch the bickering. Two women seeking power but only one answer could be righteous and agreed upon, but in this moment, it was about having taste, not nobility or who is higher than who and I know I had that naturally.

Walter cautiously stepped forth as If he were afraid to get caught in sparking flames, "If I may -"

"NO!" we both snapped to him

Elodie frustratingly sighs, "My queen, respectfully, you have called me over for aid in designing, but I feel as though you only called me to keep me at your side as If I were a hound."

The air around us thins, and Gunter steps in. "Why do you treat Ms. Elodie this way, my love? she was very kind in delivering flowers from her opening boutique."

Even when I try to tolerate Gunter, there he goes again minimizing me as his wife and Queen, in front of all those that pray for my downfall. I fidget, searching for a quick excuse, knowing in any moment all they have to do is glance on the side of me and they will see the reason. But yet again, I was too late.

Her forest green steadily drifted along side of me as the silence immersed itself, I could see a moment soak into her eyes like the blink of a lightbulb and she elegantly inhaled a long breath.

"My king it is alright." her slender fingers gripping Gunters bicep, "I was only talking the guard when she interrupted."

"Were you now?" he musingly questions. Bricks plunged down to my feet.

"Indeed, maybe that is what made her summon me?"

A single leaf fighting to stay on a branch, despite the current wind. That was how I felt. But alas I found my tongue, "Heavens no, Mrs. Elodi, see the thing is I found it rude to try and feel up my bodyguard seductively, despite you being a married woman. It is a violation to his rights, and I value my employees." I smiled.

From the corner of my peripherals the three stooges dressed fancily kept their knowing glares to discretion, but the sharp look they threw at her were like daggers.

Elodi buries her thumb into her fisted hands, cheeks burning red by the second, "Forgive me." Is what she could muster, silver was lining her eyes, and she kept her quivering lip to a minimal. "Things have just been tough for me ever since Mr. Elodi's diagnosis."

My brows knotted deeply. And so did everyone else's.

"I do have a bit of a confession to make," she sighed. "Mr. Elodi has not been very present as of lately but has been ill. We are still waiting for the Doctors to come back with the results." A tear slipped down her high cheek bone. "I have just been in need lately, of friends and people like me is all. Forgive me for coming onto you so strongly my queen and forgive me for touching your royal guard."

Eventually, the tears stream until her crystalline orbs burns red, glances turn to me all around as a few of the employee's hover to her with tissues in hand, while glaring at me if I had said the foulest thing.

Yet I stood and owned my words, the tears seemingly have no effect on me, even when she forced her face to contort. Carter warned me of her ways, crying when she is cornered. And now that I see them clear as day, firsthand, I just didn't buy it.

But it moved everyone else, even Sir Jacques. "Is there anything we can get for you?" he questions.

"I'm fine," she huffs and drifted her gaze along side of me, "I just need to use the restroom is all."

"Take her." Gunter commanded to Nasir, and my heart plummeted down to the acid of my stomach. Them. Alone?

Those sad eyes suddenly mellowed as she simmers the idea, "Y-yes. I think that would be lovely." she smiles graciously.

With zero to little choice all Nasir could do is bow.