[f vasquez]’s Reviews > Beta Read > Status Update

Dacre stood at the edge of the throne room, eyes proving the space. People droned about, wrapped up in fine silks and exotic colors that made him want to burn his own eyes. A woman sashayed past, wearing a scant dress in a lush shade of purple, her face and body shimmering with a dusting of gold.
If only Counselor Drand were here. Dacre thought with amusement as he eyed a man’s gaudy red and yellow jacket. The prim, hard nosed councillor would be appalled by the colors and lack of decent modesty of the people now parading themselves around the room.
It felt like a sin to even breathe here.
Dacre shifted, turning his eyes to stare straight ahead at a wall, just as more people swept past, each as equally glittery as the last.
The music lulled suddenly and a hush swept across the room like a crashing tide. Dacres skin prickled, but he somehow kept his gaze straight ahead.
Queen [name tbd]. Finally the desire overcame the need for secrecy, and his eyes moved to where the doors had opened.
His rival swept into the room in a wave of white and silver silk. The dress adorning her was beautiful, swirling up across one shoulder in an elegant wave, leaving the other bare. It hung across her body in fitted folds, showing off her figure. Her hair, a shade of black so dark it was almost blue, was pulled up in a mess of intricate knots and twisted braids, set off by her silver and garnet crown.
She was a siren among men, and everyone knew it.
Her face was painted in ethereal majesty. Her lips were a deep, shocking shade of blood red, and her eyes flickered with vehemence as she strode towards her throne.
The lights flickered off the metallic powder on her pale flesh, making her appear other worldly.
The Queen's entourage entered then, having allowed the Queen to make her entrance alone. It was made up of two handmaids, two advisors, and six fully armed bodyguards.
The guards took their places around the throne platform, and the advisors took seats off to one side, their faces drawn into sour resignation.
But Dacres attention was taken by the dark skinned beauty that was [name tbd]’s handmaid.
Stars alive, she’s beautiful. His breath caught in his chest and he tilted his chin up a little, trying to keep his face as impassive as possible. His hands trembled a little, and he clenched his fists, fighting off the withdrawals. He hadn’t had a drink in days, not since he snuck a glass during the chaos that was kitchen preparations.
The young woman was wrapped in a pale dress, nothing nearly as striking as the Queens, but still elegant. It was understated, hanging in silky folds about her body. It had a V neckline, though was modest, unlike the other dresses about the room. Her hair, dark kinky black curls, was pulled into an elegant weave, laced with silver threads giving it an elegant look. Her face bore little makeup, but somehow she was even more beautiful than the queen, even though it was currently set into a blank, cristal expression.
Dacre blinked and dragged his gaze to the floor, managing to calm the thrum of his heart.

(Sorry for typos!)

(Her Pov)
Laena let out a tense breath as she finally relinquished her watch to Kali. Her companion gave her a soft smile and a gentle arm squeeze before moving to assist the queen.
Laena moved towards the back of the room, running her fingers under her eyes and trying to drag the tiredness out of herself by shaking out her palms.
You can relax now, Lae. Queen [name tbd] is safe and you have the whole night off. Enjoy the party. But she didn't want to enjoy the party. She wanted to go back to her room and crawl into bed and sleep.
She directed her attention to a nearby servant, a tall man only a few years older than her. He had brown hair that was well cut, and deep jade eyes that were currently directed over her shoulder and towards a wall. He was tanned, though there was a pallor to his cheeks that told her something was off.
“Excuse me,” Lae waited till her dipped his gaze to her. “Could you get me a glass of wine?”
“Of course, my lady.” The servant bowed his head a little, and she noticed the fading bruises along his high cheekbones and the thin line of a freshly healed scar just at the edge of his hairline.
Frowning to herself she watched him disappear into a hidden servant's door, then return promptly with a tall glass of dark wine.
She took it, noticing the way his hands trembled as he did so, and then eyed him as he resumed his place. “If you don’t mind me asking, how’d you come by those bruises?”
His eyes flickered to her a moment and she saw the surprise in their depths, before they snapped away. “I fell, my lady.”
“I see.” She didn’t press, and instead nodded to his hands, which he was keeping fisted at his sides, trying to lighten the mood. “No need to be nervous, I’m really practically harmless.”
He really looked at her then, his gaze sweeping over her outfit. She tried to ignore the flutter in her chest, but to no avail.
“I’m not so sure about that, my lady.” He said, and she caught the faint amused undertone.
She raised her eyebrows, a smile playing on her lips, “Oh really? How come?”
The servant shut his eyes with a small laugh and glanced at her again, then around the room, “I really shouldn’t be talking to you.”
“Is that so?” Lae looked brazenly about the room. It was well into the evening and most of the people were drunk or well on their way to be. Even the Queen looked a little intoxicated. The music was high and lively and the lights were burning low. “I don’t think anybody cares.”
The servant dipped his chin and smiled, a soft smirk that did horrible things to her pulse.