/-Kaelynn's pov-/
Lady Cale, visibly irritated, closed her eyes and let out a heavy breath. Her lips pressed together as her gaze landed on her eldest son, who immediately shrank back and tried to hide behind his father's tall frame.
Lord Cale only chuckled deeply. "Yith, try to control your siblings, will you? You know very well that once we enter the castle, they can't run around doing whatever they please. They're your responsibility now. Be a big boy, and don't give your mother any more trouble."
But fifteen-year-old Yith wasn't in the mood to be lectured. He folded his arms and muttered under his breath, "Why do I always have to be the one controlling those brats?"
Lord Cale smiled again, gentler this time. "Because you're the head of House Elrean. Whether you like it or not."
With a huff, Yith turned around to face his younger brother and sister. He deepened his voice. "Get back here!"
The horn sounded once more, and the line moved forward again.
Under the yellow banner, displayed by the yellowish seahorse insignia, stood the people of House Varek. In comparison to the disorderliness of the previous house, they appeared calm and composed from afar… almost holy.
Their postures were straight, and not a single step seemed out of place. But everyone knew they weren't worth all that fuss.
Lord Vikar, head of House Varek, grinned down at the young female servant standing beside him. His eyes danced on her full lips and her voluptuous tits, poorly hidden beneath the modest servant gown.
"You're new here, aren't you?" he asked, with a smirk tugging at his lips. "The Queen must've sent you to make our arrival more pleasant. Whatever I need, you say?" His grin widened, and his eyes roamed without shame.
The servant lowered her gaze politely. "Yes, my lord. The Queen has assigned a personal servant to each house to assist during today's ceremony."
Vikar nodded slowly, but his mind had already wandered elsewhere, imagining far more than assistance. Every version of her ended with her naked in his bed, legs spread, moaning his name.
Before he could speak again, a tall handsome man stepped out from behind, wiping the grin off Vikar's face.
"Lord Vikar," the man said curtly, "the King's men are still stationed throughout the castle. Their ranks haven't changed. The Queen simply assigned a servant to each House as a gesture of hospitality."
Lord Vikar sneered. "No doubt she's planted her spies among us, too. Who knows what else she's planted." He turned to the man and gave a faint, dismissive nod. "Thank you, Malric. That will be all."
But his smile was gone. He was anything but fine.
The horn blared again, and the procession moved forward once more.
The grey banner of House Vaskar rose above a silent group. Known as the military arm of Castle Court, House Vaskar prided itself on discipline.
Their Lord, General Loric, Commander of the King's Army was noticeably absent, yet it felt as if he was present.
His two wives and their children marched in sync with expressionless faces. They knew what was expected of them and what name they carried.
House Vaskar wasn't made of loud voices and flowing robes… They were built for war, even in ceremonies. Their women moved their children like little warriors because according to them, they were here to protect the Royal family against cunning foxes who were trying to take over the Black Throne.
The horn blared again.
And then came the last house, not the weakest, but the quietest, and most unpredictable. The violet banner with a silver serpent floating above marked the House Evermoor.
The House was surprisingly led by a widow, Lady Nysha who was standing with the poise of a feline queen, her long violet cloak hugging her form softly. The resemblance between her and the Queen wasn't missed by those who looked close enough. Distant cousins, yes. But not raised as a family. They had only met after Lady Nysha was appointed lady of her House. She was the only female head among the Five, and that alone earned her a different kind of respect.
Her sharp eyes flicked over to the yellow banner.
There, Lord Vikar was already leering at the servant girl like a dog in heat. Typical. That man was her nemesis, always had been. She was sure he'd come today with enough lies and "evidence" to try and have her stripped of her title and cast out from Castle Court.
But he wasn't the only one who came prepared. Lady Nysha had brought her own weapon… She glanced up at the sky.
The clouds were dark and gathering above them, heavy with something more than rain. Today was different. She could feel it deep in her bones.
And it had nothing to do with the King's death.
The horn blared once again like a final warning… and the Houses moved on.
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/Kaelynn's pov/
They all looked so colorful and intimidating at the same time. I could tell their families had been summoned here by the Royal House to mourn the King.
Then a question popped into my head: who was watching over their castles back home? But the moment I asked myself, I realized how silly that sounded. Of course, they had servants. Many loyal guards and representatives keep things in order, especially in case of an undead attack.
No one was worried about uprisings from their own people. It was the undead we feared now.
I nodded to myself. That made sense.
It didn't take long for all the houses to gather in the grand hall. Their eyes slowly lifted to the banister above, all of them watching in silence, waiting.
Most likely, they were expecting the arrival of my mother and brothers.
I looked up too.
"All shall welcome, Her Majesty, Queen Isolde Raventhorn."
"All shall welcome Prince Heir, Prince Cedric Raventhorn."
"All shall welcome Prince Daemon Raventhorn."
As soon as the sound of heels echoed across the polished floor, the lords and ladies of the Five Houses dropped to their knees in perfect timing.
The hall went still.