Chapter 276: Just Follow My Lead
Chapter 276: Just Follow My Lead
Drayce and Seren had the highest positions among the people inside the ballroom, and thus, everyone had to pay their respects to them. As such, when? Drayce and Seren finally sat on their thrones overlooking the crowd, one could feel the excitement of the people below regarding the order of greeting the King of Megaris and his new queen.
"Are you fine, my Queen?" Drayce inquired as he looked at the delicate woman sitting next to him. He was worried by how tired she must be feeling after the wedding ceremony and procession that took place after. It made him wonder if he could say something to excuse her from all these formalities…
"I am fine, Your Majesty," she replied while looking back at him.
"Tell me if you want to rest. I can meet these people alone on our stead."
"I can handle this much, Your Majesty," she insisted. "Please do not worry. I am sure you are tired as well."
'Is she worried about me?' Drayce smiled inside. "I am used to meeting people, my Queen. This is nothing."
Seren simply nodded as she turned to look at the man who was approaching them. Lady Tyra had informed her yesterday that for the banquet, it would test her ability to deal with diplomacy, which was an important aspect of being a queen. From now on, every word and action from her could affect the stance and affairs of the kingdom. What the wise lady advised was for her to remain calm at all times, as she had no need to worry with Drayce by her side.
'The man walking towards us has the insignia of the Ivanov Family on his brooch,' Seren noticed. However, the man looked too young to be Drayce's father and she knew her husband had no uncle. 'Since he's first to approach us, then he must be the direct descendant next in line for the throne...which reminds me, only Drayce's grandmother blessed us but not his father.'
What Seren did not know, King Theron had attended the wedding ceremony. He was among the males seated in the first row inside the throne hall. However, the middle-aged man left just after the High Priest anointed Seren as the new Queen of Megaris. The former king had long isolated himself from the matters of the kingdom and anything related to Drayce, but he had to attend the wedding only to keep the face of the Ivanov Royal Family in front of the guests from the other kingdoms. Still, he only did the bare minimum and stayed long enough for the ceremony proper itself.
The man who was approaching them was King Theron's first son and Drayce's elder brother.
"Keiren Ivanov greets His Majesty the Dragon and Her Majesty the Phoenix of Megaris," he said in a pleasant tone, wearing an amiable smile that did not quite reach his eyes. "Congratulations on your wedding. May I offer a toast to bless your union?"
Seren looked at the tall man who greeted them. By now she understood he was Drayce's elder brother, but there was no similarity between them that would indicate they were siblings. Though Seren and Cian were half-siblings, they had certain similarities—like the shape of their eyes as well as the bridge of their noses.
However, the man in front of her had wavy dark brown hair and equally dark eyes, with a face that seemed more ruggedly handsome compared to Drayce's devilishly good appearance.
After greeting the king and the queen for the sake of formality. Prince Keiren went to his grandmother, Great Lady Theodora to talk with her. He did not even stay to make idle talk with the royal couple. More than a wedding, his goal was to meet the guests attending the wedding and build relationships with them that could come in handy in his future plans.
Next, the diplomats from the other kingdoms came to their thrones after the prince, and then after them, the high-ranking nobles of Megaris also gave them their well wishes. It somehow made Seren dizzy as she could not remember so many names in one sitting.
Then, before she realized it, it was time for the dance to start and the first dance was always for the King and the Queen.
Drayce looked at Seren and offered her his hand. "Shall we, my Queen?"
Seren hesitated for a while before accepting his hand. "I...have never danced before."
Drayce only looked at her and she repeated in a low voice, "I don't know how to dance."
Only then did Seren realize that Lady Tyra seemingly missed something in her preparations—the dancing part. As a royal, Seren was expected to have been taught how to dance as part of her education as a princess, and thus, Lady Tyra neglected to assign her dance lessons before the wedding day.
Drayce smiled. "Leave it to me. You will do fine."
Seren hesitantly accepted his hand and stood up. Everyone's attention was on the king and the queen who stepped down the throne platform and reached the middle of the ballroom.
Drayce and Seren stood facing each other as Drayce held both of her hands and looked into her puzzled purple eyes. He took a step closer to her, put her left hand on his shoulder, and moved his right hand to the back of her waist. His left hand then held her right hand; her tiny palm met his palm while their fingers interlaced with each other.
"Just follow my lead, my Queen," he said gently, not letting his gaze wander away from those pair of prettiest eyes he had ever seen.
Seren nodded slightly, saying she trusted him. To her, this much closeness and the way they were standing seemed way too intimate in public. She could feel the warmth of his body on hers. Her heart, which was unstable due to the anxiety of not knowing how to dance, was now affected by this closeness with him.
"Are you ready, my Queen?" Drayce asked. "Relax. Just follow me." That pulled her out of her wavering thoughts.
Seren nodded lightly. The music started and Drayce slowly moved his feet as his hands guided her body to move along with him. She was so light that it was not difficult for him to do so. As they moved, the soft skirt of Seren's gown fluttered behind her like a soft dream. It caused many of the onlookers to sigh and remark at the beauty of their dance. All the while, the two were looking into each other's eyes as if they were lost in them. The entire place seemed to be empty, having no crowd around them. It was just the two of them, seemingly floating in each other's arms.
Unknown to them, a light smile was painted on Seren's lips while she was looking into those red eyes which looked back at her full of affection.
The magic ended the moment the music stopped. Once their dance was over, the applause of the guests pulled Seren out of her daze and she only fully realized what happened then. The first dance was over and they had already stopped with her still in his embrace. Drayce smiled and pecked on her forehead, showing his affection for her in front of everyone.
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Other than the bride and the groom, the happiest person inside the ballroom was Cian. The bride's brother could not express his happiness in words, and he could only gulp the wine in his glass to express his feelings. He was sure that if his father was here, he would also be equally happy seeing his daughter marry a man who truly cherished her.
The orchestra then started playing the next song, and as sweet music filled the ballroom, other couples joined them in the middle of the room. Just as Drayce was about to lead Seren back to their thrones to rest, Cian came to them and bowed.
"Can I have my sister for a while, Your Majesty?" Cian asked Drayce.
"She is tired so make sure to not take too much time," Drayce said and stepped away without another word. It was his way of permitting Cian.
Cian looked at his sister with a light smile and offered her his hand. "Can I have the honor of this dance, Your Majesty?"
Seren let out a soft laugh as she accepted his hand. "Calling me Seren is fine, Brother."
The song being played was gentle and soft, and the two merely swayed to the music. Cian could not help but respond to her with a teasing tone, "I won't dare as my sister is a queen now. If I show any hints of disrespect, I may not be able to return to Abetha."
"Brother, for you, I want to remain as Seren," she countered, pretending to be mad. Unfortunately, the smile on her face was hidden under her veil. She knew that meeting her brother would be rare after this, and she was cherishing this moment to have a chance to talk with him like this.
Cian paused for a moment as he observed his sister who looked changed now. Before, she used to only respond when asked questions, but now, she had started talking more and expressing her opinions. She could even tease him now.
'So this is what the true Seren is like.' Only when she's free and happy could her true character show. This time, he hoped that nothing would ruin her happiness.
There were many things he still wanted to tell her, but he summed them up in a few words to express them best.
"I am happy for you, Seren. I wish you to always be happy like this. I wish you to get everything that you deserve."
Seren felt the sincerity of his well wishes. She knew that from the very start, he was the person who wished for her happiness the most.
"Thank you, Brother," Seren replied as she blinked back the happy tears in her eyes. "Thank you for coming here. Thank you for being my brother."
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