The Princess's Dangerous Vampire Mate-Chapter 211: Dinner with the king’s - II

Merylin took my hand in hers. "You have been attending dinners all your life. This is nothing out of the ordinary and I know that you will do great, princess."

Did she really expect me to believe that? By those words alone I knew they were hiding something from me. "Just tell me." I said again.

Merilyn pursed her lips forward. "There is nothing to tell, really. It is like any dinner that is held for a king who visits. The only difference is that beloved’s are cherished highly."

"Beloved’s are cherished highly? Marylin, wives are always cherished highly." I told her. No matter what position the marriage of any nobleman or King might be in front of everyone the spouse was to be cherished with utmost respect and love.

"Not like that, no," she shook her head, "human marriages can end in divorce or taking up mistresses. This does not happen with the supernatural. Mates are for life and they are cherished accordingly. So my advice would be not. . To. ."

"Go ahead," I encouraged.

She still appeared to be slightly hesitant. "My advice would be to not look anyone in the eye for long. Just don’t look like you are flirting with them."

"What!" I spat. "Flirting? Don’t meet the eye? Marilyn, what kind of culture is this!"

Anna cleared her throat. "We are highly possessive of each other. Especially in the beginning. No one will take offence if you meet them in the eye but just appear friendly to a certain limit." She gave Marilyn a pointed look. "You are the queen, Your Highness, soon-to-be. You must look everyone in the eye."

That was far from what I was talking about but she was right. Which would explain why Nokul did not meet my eye.

"We should go." Anna announced. "You will enter with the King. I shall check up with his retinue." She bowed to both of us and left. After her Dorothy and Layla left as well.

Merilyn broke the silence. "It would not be difficult, I assure you of that. Secondly you remember very well that no one is to be trusted during a political dinner."

"I do know that." I murmured. Dinners were formal events. Only for male topics were touched and nothing related to family matters were brought up. "What am I supposed to do? I am not officially titled as something and I just do not want to be someone that Tristan is courting." Now that I heard myself that was exactly what I was doing.

"Well—"

The knock on the door interrupted her and Anna walked in. She nodded at us and said that it was time for us to leave for the dining hall.

As we walked out and descended the stairs I tried to calm my nerves as much as I could. This was just a political dinner. Something that I had attended many times before. As we descended down the stairs I knew that this was going to be in the Grand dining hall, not something that was used by family members on a regular basis.

This dining hall usually conducted tennis for political reasons and where the number of people were generally large.

I could see the glamour around but the theme remained dark. The crest of the family that ruled before had been carved out and the new one had been put in. I blinked to find the familiarity of what was made but in the short time as we continued to move forward I could not find it.

Tristan stood at the end of the stairs on the floor where the Grand dining hall was and his eyes found mine as they followed me descending the stairs.

His hand reached out to me and I placed mine on it. I blushed under those red eyes which matched with the colour that I was wearing.

"You wore the crown," he said softly as if it was just meant for me to hear, "I am grateful by not just that but also so for the pleasure of having you beside me."

"The pleasure is all mine." The formal words slipped out and he gave me a look which made me look away. "I am grateful for joining you too." I whispered shyly.

He squeezed my hand slightly. " Are you ready to go and would you require a few moments?" I looked up. He smiled slightly, " I can hear your heartbeat rising up."

"Oh," that made me slightly conscious. That meant that everyone in the room could practically hear that I was nervous just by listening to my beating heart. Now I wish that I was like Marilyn.

I gave out a long breath. I had been to countless dinners and this was just one like them. The only difference was those people could snap my neck in one moment.

"Let us go." I told him with a confident smile on my face. I have to face the night and I would rather face it with confidence.

He nodded and removed my hand from his grip only to place it on his elbow. As we started moving forward to the hall I straightened my spine and tilted my chin up. I was a princess with the Crown of my head and even if I did not I was a princess at heart.

The entire room fell into a deafening silence as the crier announced the entry of the king and the queen.

"Arrival of His majesty. . . Her majesty. . "

Queen. . ? He had her majesty! Not her ladyship. Had I heard him correctly?

I stared at no one in particular as we entered the room after the announcement. I could feel every pair of eyes at me.

Tristan walked forward to the chairs and I saw them first as everyone cleared out of the path of his.

The chairs were meant for the king and queen. He was leading us to them. I gulped at the sight of the chairs. Was I going to sit on his right as the Queen of Astria?