A/N: Sorry for the delay! I had to go out of town for a week and could not post before I had to go. Anyway, I hope it was worth the wait. Please review!
Chapter 5: Flaring Dinner
"Hey." Fleur smiled at Oliver while coming out of her room, startling him in the process.
She was dressed in midnight blue Trojan apparel with a pale blue mantel draped over her shoulders, her hair combed into a graceful braid.
After almost jumping from the fright, Oliver turned to look at her, stopping in the middle of the hallway.
"Oh, hello." Oliver smiled back shyly. If there was something his parents had taught him well, it was how to be polite.
"What, were you expecting somebody else?" Fleur snapped. What made her say it, she did not know. After all, she had known the prince for no more than a few hours. One thing she did know however, he was not a bad sight to look at.
"No. I just did not expect you…to come out so abruptly."
"Oh, can I then assume that you do not like spontaneity? Pity, spontaneity can lead to
more…desirable things." Fleur smiled once more, though in a more… seductive manner. This was the type of personality that she did not dare show in Sparta, but this was not Sparta.
"Really? Like what?" Oliver stammered. Was Hermione sure that this was indeed her sister? If he did not know any better, he would say she was…no she could not possibly be doing that.
"Mm. You will find out in time, perhaps. Care to escort me to dinner?"
"Sorry?"
"Well, your room is next to mine and I do not like to go to dinner unaccompanied. Plus, I could get to know you better, since you are a friend of my sister's and all-"
That did it. Oliver's tenseness faded away at Fleur's unintentional subtle hint that this had been nothing but friendly conversation.
"Certainly." He offered his arm to her as they descended the stairs.
****
Harry could not help but focus his eyes on the Spartan princess as she walked into the room.
Hermione was wearing hunter green Trojan attire, his favourite colour, and it looked astoundingly good dangling over the curves of her slender body. Her hair was fastened with a pin, but her curls were loosened over her shoulders, making her face clearly visible. She really was a beauty. But then again, what could he expect from the daughter of Helen? Besides, he had seen his share of pretty girls. One more made no difference.
"Harry, are you all right, dear?" His aunt drifted him away from his thoughts, but her eyes caught everything and as they followed Harry's gaze, she scoffed. "You know, your father used to call her mother, the Goddess from Hell," she whispered.
"Pardon me?" Harry turned to look at her. But before she could repeat her statement, Hermione took a seat across from the prince, without muttering so much as a `good evening' to him. Instead, she turned to the queen.
"Good evening, your majesty," she said in a courteous manner, but her voice was cold.
"Nice of you to join us, Herminia." Alexandra smirked icily.
Hermione simply lifted her wine goblet to her lips. To say she was angry was a clear understatement, but her manners told her that the table was not the best place to settle royal confrontations.
Seconds later, Oliver descended, Fleur beside him.
"Good evening." He smiled, looking at Hermione, and then at Harry, who both gave weak smiles in return.
Oliver took the liberty to move the chair for Fleur to sit on, but before he could move across the table, she shoved him into the chair next to her, and dinner was brought to the table.
"So tell us, Herminia, what brings you to Troy?" Alexandra asked.
"My name is Hermione, your majesty," the princess repeated for the thousandth time, "and I am here on my father's command. He feels that you are not capable of ruling Troy anymore." Hermione was brutally honest, but then again, the queen did not hide her disgust. Why should she attempt to be more diplomatic than necessary.
"Oh, yes. How is your father?" Alexandria pretended to be interested.
"Alive unfortunately," Hermione murmured. "In good health." That was the response Alexandria heard.
"Well, the offer has come right on time, I must say. I was looking forward to my retirement."
"Good. Let me assure you, it will come soon," Hermione affirmed.
"May I ask who is to take the throne?"
"I was aware that Prince Harry had the right to the throne." Hermione glanced at the prince. "We will see where things lead. It could be him, or a more qualified candidate if he for any reason should refuse the offer," she finished, letting Harry know that she was still fully aware of the words he had snapped at her while in her new bedroom.
"Really? Would that be a Spartan?" Alexandra narrowed her eyes at the mere word.
"Actually, your majesty, I am capable of taking the throne; that is what my father wants. But I am keener with the idea of letting someone from your country rule it, if that is all right with you of course." Hermione offered a cold, sarcastic smile.
"And you think you know how to pick a worthy candidate for the throne? Do me a favour, Hermione"
"Mm, you got my name right."
"You let me worry about the successor and you book yourself an early trip home, what do you say?"
Hermione was now enraged. But she would not let the queen have her way.
"Your majesty, as much as I would love to do that, I came here with a task, and guess what? I do not intend to leave until I complete it. So, it appears like we will see our faces around your palace for some time to come." Hermione smiled once more at the queen's displeasured face, and Oliver had to put a hand against his mouth to keep from laughing. "Let us drink to that." Hermione raised her goblet, "To your health." Everyone raised their goblet, as was polite, while Hermione took the wine to her lips.
Cassandra however, would not let Hermione have the last word. She leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"This…command of yours, does it imply a test for the future king in the bedroom before he takes the throne, or is that after?"
That got quite the reaction from Helen's daughter, considering she spat all the liquid from her mouth across the table, more specifically, on Harry's face.
Hermione was both speechless and embarrassed. She did not care, at the moment, that the queen had just called her a whore. She found out that she was, curiously, more worried about Harry's reaction to the comment, despite the clear fact that it had been for her ears only.
"Hermione, are you all right?" Oliver inquired as she coughed. Fleur took a linen napkin and handed it to Harry.
"I am fine, just, bad wine," Hermione answered, standing up. She exited the dining room without even excusing herself or apologizing to the prince. She figured that if she stayed any longer, she might just beat the queen into a bloody pulp.
"She must be feeling ill. I will go and check on her." Fleur followed her sister, Oliver behind her.
Cassandra smirked, swallowed some water, and looked at her nephew.
"Are you all right? These Spartan girls can be so…unpredictable."
"Undoubtedly," Harry whispered as he cleaned up his face.
****
"She is fine. Just a really bad day, I suppose," Fleur assured Oliver, who escorted her to her bedroom just because his was nearby.
"That is certainly good to hear. Well, good night." He smiled at her.
"Make sure the bed bugs do not bite?" She looked at him seductively.
"I find it so hard to believe that you and Hermione are sisters. You are so different." He could not help but observe.
"Would you care to test that theory out?" Fleur drew closer to him. She did not know where this was coming from. Oh, she was the flirty type and she had had her share of suitors despite not being so extroverted in Sparta. But her conscience's remarks did not stop her mind from wondering what having the prince of Ithaca would actually feel like.
"Uh, good night." Oliver retired to his bedroom in a flash, leaving Fleur to her own naughty thoughts of what she would do with the prince of Ithaca once she had him.
****
Hermione could not sleep. It was just…too much. She always knew coming to Troy would mean facing her mother's past. That was precisely why she had tried to avoid it, but no such luck.
She could not stay in bed any longer, so she opted for a quick walk, deciding that she just needed some air.
The door creaked open and she was out in her nightgown and robe, her wavy hair blowing against the night's wind. They were still Trojan garments, but she had to admit, they were quite comfortable. It was too bad that the atmosphere was not quite as inviting.
It was a cold, but beautiful night. The full moon could be seen above the palace and Hermione could not help but become mesmerised by it, until a cold voice made her shake from fright.
"Roaming the palace halls after dark princess? You really should not."
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