A Lady of the Court

The great hall buzzed with the low murmur of ministers and petitioners, the king seated on his raised throne as he listened to the latest grievance from a minor lord about border taxes. Sunlight slanted through high windows, casting long shadows across the stone floor where dozens of courtiers stood clustered in their finery.

Riva stood near the center of the press, her dark hair coiled in the elaborate braids favored by the local nobility, her gown cut in the same modest yet elegant style as the other women of rank. The fabric clung to her full breasts and narrow waist, the neckline just low enough to hint at the smooth olive skin beneath. She had mastered the posture and quiet dignity expected here, blending in while still drawing every eye with her exotic features.

Beside her, the nobleman she had been cultivating for weeks shifted his weight. His gaze flicked sideways to her again and again, and she felt the heat of his attention like a physical touch. No one else seemed to notice their proximity in the crowded space, all eyes fixed on the throne.