First came the palace guards who had obviously been tasked with escorting the royal visitors. They parted and moved to either side of the aisle, pressing back the crowd to allow room for Lady Delilah and her people to enter.
The silver haired beauty appeared first. She was regal as ever, her silver hair cascading down her back, becoming lost in the folds of her equally silver gown.
She held her head high with her pinched nose in the air, her hands clasped before her. The bell sleeves of her dress swished as she walked and she appeared to be moving as if she walked on air yet her wings were delicately held in place, spread out from her shoulders in all their white and silver glory.
She looked every bit the queen to be and yet the moment his eyes were drawn away from her, Theo found she was entirely forgotten.
Walking behind her was the woman he had hoped against hope to see. Her mousy hair formed a plaited halo around her head while two more braids were decorated with flowers, falling loosely on either side of her face. The pale orange flowers in her hair perfectly matched the simple, silk dress she wore and it cinched in to her every curve before the material pooled beautifully around her feet. She walked with as much grace as her mistress though her small button nose was turned down and her features were drawn into a demure expression.
Nothing about her appearance was loud or shocking as that of her mistress was and yet Theo could not take his eyes off her. She didn't even hold her wings proudly, instead tucking them back as if she wished to make herself as small and insignificant as possible.
The sound of Maximus discreetly clearing his throat made Theo realize two things, Lady Delilah had made it across the room to stand before the dais and he had spent far too long staring at Fleur.
Fleur…
Now, in sight of her, he couldn't help but think her name and his head began to spin.
He closed his eyes for a moment, attempting to regain his composure. Then he looked down at Lady Delilah and forced a welcoming smile.
Rising to his feet, he felt everyone watching him as he began to make his way down the steps of the dais. He had to fight with everything in himself just to stop from gazing at Fleur, knowing that if he did he would be lost.
Instead, he stopped before Lady Delilah and held out his hand. She curtseyed as he approached before placing her palm in his. Her skin was warm and soft but it definitely was not the skin he so longed to touch. Holding his breath, he leaned down to press his lips against Delilah's knuckles.
"Welcome," he greeted, rising up to his full height. "I do hope your journey was pleasant."
He focused hard on Delilah's face, determined not to allow himself to glance over her shoulder at her lady companion.
"It was….pleasant enough," Delilah responded and Theo got the distinct impression that the lady was lying. He remembered his own journey from the mainland and a shiver of dread ran down his spine. He would be happy if he never had to cross the sea again.
"Then you have a much stronger stomach than I," he commented before sweeping his eyes over the rest of her household to welcome them all with a nod of his head. "You must all be very tired. I shall have my people show you to your quarters."
He lifted a hand to gesture his servants forward and they began to move quickly from the edge of the room.
"Thank you, Your Grace, a rest would do us all some good," Delilah responded gracefully with another curtsey.
Even as the lady and her people were shown from the room, Theo returned to his throne and leaned over to Maximus. "Court is over."
The advisor dipped his head before stepping up to the edge of the dais. He held his head high, his hands clasped before him. "Court is concluded."
With only a slight murmur of disappointment his subjects began to curtsey and bow before removing themselves from the throne room.
In the end, the only people who remained were the guards posted around the room in their fine forest-green livery.
"Lance!" Theo called and the guard standing closest stepped forward. He wore the same livery as the others though a striking gold cape marked him out as Captain of the Guard.
"Have your men go to Lady Delilah's chambers and fetch someone for me," Theo explained.
"Who, Your Grace?" Lance asked, his golden hair falling in front of his face as he bowed his head.
"Her Lady Companion. I believe her name is Fleur."
Theo was sure he felt Maximus tense at his side.
"And once we have her, Your Grace?" Lance asked when nobody else began to question the king.
"Have her taken to the top of the North Tower."
Lance looked skeptical but Theo was relieved when the man simply bowed his head once more and ordered his guards from the room.