The trumpets blared and the heavy double doors swung wide.
I froze.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward me...nobles dripping in velvet, ladies glittering like chandeliers, and crowns that sparkled so much I nearly went blind.
The hall was bigger than any cathedral I'd ever seen, its golden chandeliers reflecting off polished marble floors.
Heads turned towards me, and then… it was my turn to walk.
Okay, Liana. Just breathe. One foot in front of the other. Pretend this is a runway. Except, you know, without the centuries of royalty staring holes into your skull.
I stepped forward, holding my chin high like Maris told me.
The music swelled. The whispers started.
"Is it truly...?"
"She survived..."
"The princess…"
For about three whole seconds, I nailed it.
But the universe clearly hated me. My heel caught on the hem of my own ridiculous dress.
The next thing I knew, I pitched forward with a shrill yelp, arms flailing, jewels clattering, and about three nobles gasping in horror.
Oh, fantastic. Ioana the Elegant, brought low by fabric.
But before I could faceplant on the marble, strong hands caught me.
A ripple of gasps swept through the grand hall.
"Easy now," came a low drawl against my ear. My savior...or tormentor...whichever, looked down at me with a crooked smirk.
Alistair. The brother with the stupid smirk. Emphasis on the stupid.
His grip was steady, his expression anything but sympathetic. "The ball hath scarce begun, and thou seekest to bring down the ceiling with thy stumble?"
Heat flushed up my neck.
"I'm fine!" I hissed under my breath, tugging against his hold. "You can let me go now."
Instead, he spun me upright in a mock flourish, loud enough for the watching nobles to see.
"Behold," he announced, tone dripping with sarcasm, "our most radiant jewel, gracing us with her… dramatic entrance."
If there's one thing we had in common, it was sarcasm for sure.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, some stifling laughter, others whispering behind jeweled fans.
I glared at him, wishing I could do more than that.
"Enough, Alistair." Another voice cut through the noise.
Cedric, Mr, cold but protective older brother, stepped forward, his posture rigid, jaw set.
He gave me a firm but not unkind look before leveling a glare at his brother. "Mock her not. Our sister hath survived after many trials. Is this the welcome she deserveth?"
Alistair only raised a brow, lips twitching like he found the whole thing entertaining.
"Merely keeping her from cracking her skull. Wouldst thou rather she lay sprawled across the marble?"
Cedric ignored him and slipped a protective arm around me, guiding me toward the center of the hall where the king and queen waited on their dais.
"Chin high," he murmured low, his voice softer than his expression. "All eyes are upon thee. Do not grant them cause to doubt."
I swallowed hard, trying to breathe, trying to remember how to walk in this suffocating gown without tripping again.
The air felt thick with stares.
Before I could regain my footing, a young man stepped forward from the circle of nobles.
His robe was deep blue, embroidered with silver threads, and his hair fell in sleek waves.
He bowed low, his gaze never leaving mine.
"Princess Ioana," he said with a measured smile, his accent clipped and precise.
"I am Prince Dorian of Harland. 'Tis an honor to be the first to greet thee upon thy return."
Oh no. Protocol. My brain screamed.
Maris had whispered something about curtsying, but I hadn't exactly practiced.
Heart thudding, I bent into what I thought was a graceful curtsy...only to wobble sideways.
My skirts tangled, my knee cracked, and I barely caught myself before I toppled again.
Classic Liana. Classic.
A chorus of shocked gasps echoed through the hall. A few chuckles followed.
Prince Dorian blinked, his smile tightening.
Alistair covered his mouth, poorly hiding a laugh, while Cedric muttered something under his breath that sounded dangerously close to "Saints preserve us."
I straightened with a nervous laugh, heat burning my cheeks. "Uh...yeah. Nice to meet you too."
The hall fell into an awkward silence.
The King and Queen exchanged glances and somewhere behind a pillar, Maris facepalmed.
"Well," Alistair waltzed to my side. " The princess hath survived a tragic accident. Do pardon her."
Seriously? Is that the best you've got?" I deadpanned.
But it broke the ice anyway.
I finally had the chance to sit...but I was better off standing.
The corset pressed tightly against me, stiff and suffocating, as prince after prince filed past me, bowing low, each greeting a repetition of the last.
An honor, Your Highness. A delight, Princess Ioana. A joy to see you again.
Their voices blurred into one endless drone. Boring and exhausting.
My cheeks ached from the polite smile plastered there, and my stomach twisted with every empty curtsy I was forced to return.
If one more person bows, I swear I'll faint dramatically just to spice this up. I thought, teeth gritted.
At the first chance...when Cedric's attention was pulled toward a nobleman, the King and Queen buried deeply in a conversation with another of same status, and Alistair, whispering something sharp into a courtier's ear...I slipped from my chair.
Lifting the suffocating layers of my gown high enough that my knees showed, I bolted into the hallway.
My slippers slapped against marble as I muttered furiously under my breath. "Bow. Curtsy. Nod. Smile. Saints, it's like customer service in a dress. I can't breathe in this thing. I need...air. Air!"
I turned a corner, too lost in my rant to notice where I was headed, until the scent hit me first...sweet, delicate, earthy.
I froze.
Before me stretched the most magnificent garden I had ever seen.
Lanterns swayed in the evening breeze, casting a golden glow over roses, lilies, and climbing vines that shimmered like silver under the moonlight.
Fountains trickled into marble basins, their soft song filling the silence.
My lips lifted at its corners. Perfect.
Kicking off my shoes, I padded onto the soft grass and flopped straight down. The ground welcomed me with a cool, damp embrace.
I stretched out, arms flung wide, skirts tangled around me, hair spilling across the lawn.
"Finally," I sighed, letting my eyes slip shut. "A place that doesn't smell like perfume and politics."
The blades tickled my bare toes, the stars winking overhead.
I let myself enjoy it while it lasts because obviously, nothing lasts in a royal household.