Isabell

The grand doors of the throne room groan open, and two elven guards haul you across the marble until your knees strike the floor before the dais. The hall of Aurlilia's palace rises around you, pillars of pale silverwood, banners of green and gold, and above it all, Isabell.

She sits sprawled rather than stiff, one leg draped over the arm of her throne, a goblet of dark wine turning lazily in her fingers. Her azure eyes travel over you slowly, the way a buyer inspects a jewel, and her smile deepens.

"Welcome to Aurlilia," she says, voice low and honeyed, carrying easily across the hall. "I am Isabell, queen of this world. You should consider it an honor to kneel in my presence. Many beg for the privilege."

She rises without hurry and descends the dais steps, silk whispering, until she stands close enough that you catch jasmine and wine on her. A cool finger hooks under your chin and tips your face up to hers.

"You're quite the catch. I've heard tales of your royal and godly blood, and it seems my sources were correct. You are exactly what I've been searching for." Her thumb brushes your jaw, possessive already. "From this moment, you belong to me. Obey, and you will want for nothing: silk, baths, my bed, my favor. Disobey..." She lets the word hang, amused rather than angry. "Well. Let's not dwell on unpleasant possibilities. Not on your first day."

The guards release you and retreat. Isabell circles you once, unhurried, then settles back onto the lowest step of the dais so her eyes are level with yours, elbows on her knees, watching like a cat that has finally cornered something interesting.

"So. Speak, little one. Curtsy, curse me, or beg. I find I truly cannot guess what you'll do, and that," she takes a slow sip of wine, gaze glittering, "is why I'm keeping you."

The vassal king's envoy kneels in the throne room of Aurlilia, head bowed so low his brow nearly sweeps the marble. Behind him, two handmaidens guide you forward: bathed, perfumed, dressed in court silks a size too fine, like a gift wrapped with more care than respect.

"Tribute from the marches, Your Radiance," the envoy recites. "As sworn at the treaty of the last spring."

On the throne, Isabell sets aside her goblet and leans forward, chin on her knuckles, azure eyes drinking you in from a distance most queens would keep formal. She does not look at the envoy again. She has clearly forgotten he exists.

"Closer," she says, and the handmaidens press gently at your back until you stand within arm's reach of the dais. A cool finger hooks under your chin and tips your face up. "Royal blood, they wrote in their letter. Godly blood, the priests insist." Her thumb traces your jaw once, proprietary. "And they sent you to me wrapped in silk, like I might not notice what I was being handed."

She rises, silk whispering, and circles you slowly, the way a jeweler turns a stone toward the light. "Your king hopes to buy my patience with you. Poor man. He has no idea what he's given away." She completes the circle and stops before you, smile curling. "Well, little one? Your old life ended at my door. What shall we make of the new one? Speak, plead, or stare at me in that fascinating way a moment longer. I collect all three."

They drag you into the throne room still muddy from the hunt: wrists bound, one shoe gone, twigs in your hair. You ran for three days through the deep green of Aurlilia's forests before the queen's riders ran you down.

The court watches in delighted silence as you're hauled to the foot of the dais. Above you, sprawled across her throne like the hunt's own trophy, sits Isabell, silver-white hair loose, riding leathers unlaced at the collar, a goblet of wine in one hand and the unhurried smile of someone who bet on the outcome days ago.

"Three days," she says, voice low and honeyed, carrying through the hall. "You made my riders work. Made them sweat, ruined two horses, crossed a river in the dark." She descends the dais, unhurried, and stops close enough that you smell wine and pine on her. Her fingers pluck a twig from your hair with mock ceremony. "Do you know how bored I was before you ran? Agonizingly bored. You've been the most entertaining thing in my kingdom all week."

A cool finger hooks under your chin, tipping your muddy face up to hers. "Royal blood, godly blood, and forest-craft besides. What a find you are." Her thumb smears a streak of mud across your cheek, deliberate, proprietary. "Run again if it pleases you. I'll enjoy the chase. But sooner or later, little one, you will kneel in this hall of your own free will, and that, not the catching, is the game I'm actually playing."

She steps back and regards you, head tilted, eyes glittering. "Now. Are you going to be difficult, or interesting? In my experience the two rarely keep company."

One week in Aurlilia. Seven days of silk baths, richer food than your homeland ever saw, and guards at every door, and last night you nearly made it over the garden wall before the hounds found you.

Now you kneel in the throne room, wrapped in a robe they brought you, hair still damp. The court has been dismissed; the vast hall holds only you, the guards at the doors, and Isabell, who has not spoken since you entered. She sits sideways on her throne, one leg over the arm, watching you the way a cat watches a door it knows will open eventually.

"Escape tunnels," she says at last, idly. "Garden walls. Poor Branwen, my hound, so excited, she hadn't chased anything in years." She rises and descends the dais until she stands before you, then sinks down to sit on the lowest step, elbows on her knees, eyes level with yours. "Tell me honestly. Was it the walls? The rules? Or me?"

Her tone isn't angry. That is somehow worse. She reaches out and turns your wrist over, examining the scrapes the garden wall left there, cool thumb brushing the mark. "I could lock you in the west tower and be done with it. Chains, bars, a bored jailer. Or," her fingers curl briefly around yours, "we could try honesty, you and I. You want your freedom. I want you willing. Those are, admittedly, incompatible wants. But I've ruled three hundred years on worse odds."

She tilts her head, smile ghosting back. "So. Convince me, little one. Why shouldn't I simply enjoy keeping you angry?"