"Ah, Luna! There you are!" her father called out boisterously, as though he hadn't just watched her walk across the entire room.
"Yes, Father," Luna replied in a lilting voice.
That was another thing about being nobility. She always had to be careful about her voice in public. If she spoke normally like she did at fencing practice, her voice would be far too even and gentle.
Perfection even in voice, her mother called it. Luna called it a pain.
Regardless of her opinion, it was true. As a princess, her voice should be elegant and unapproachable. This was her public voice, her "even letting you look on me is a blessing, so be grateful" voice.
With her servants, she spoke more genuinely. She could be compassionate and respect their rights as part of the sentient races, instead of treating them like goblins, only good to serve.
But the nobility had to know their place, because they were prone to getting too uppity. Luna's voice was just one way of suppressing them. However, she couldn't take full responsibility, because the threat of her father's sword weighed much heavier on them than her presence.
It was for this reason that she hid the interest in her eyes, only glancing briefly at the young man sitting there as she sat down. If it was just a single man, then she could easily assume that he was a suitor, and while Luna appreciated the conception behind courting, especially when she was on the receiving end, she had no intention of ever marrying until the kingdom was hers, and then she would still keep her distance from her husband.
This was the first mistaken assumption she had made about him. It wouldn't be anywhere near the last.
"Dear, this is Lukas Warwick," her mother said in a weaker imitation of Luna's superior tone. Luna had never liked that her mother turned her tone against her, but she recognized the necessity.
Then she processed the words that her mother had said.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Luna said, standing from her chair again and curtsying elegantly.
Inside herself, she was screaming and bemoaning her bad luck.
Warwick.
She knew that name. Every living member of the sentient races knew that name, unless they weren't yet two years old or they were an idiot.
Warwick was the Emperor's last name. If this man bore it, then he must be his son, or perhaps an adoption. If he was, then he was likely sent here on important business, because the Emperor never did anything without purpose.
That was the second incorrect assumption she had made about him. But this one she would discover far later.
"I ought to have recognized your illustrious features," she continued, maintaining her low position. And it was true. She knew the Emperor's figure quite well, as near everyone did, and she could now clearly see that this man was his son. The angle of the jaw, the set of the shoulders, even the hardly-groomed black hair that flowed from his head, though the Emperor's was white, showed his heritage.
Instead of accepting her apology, the boy rose from his seat and settled his hand on her neck.
Luna gasped.
She hadn't even heard him approach.
"My lord, what are you-"
The boy raised a hand, silencing her mother. The force of his attention pressed down on Luna like an anvil was dropped on her but just a flick of displeasure silenced her mother. Luna scoffed inside her head. She really was weak.
Then again, she had married Luna's father, so there wasn't much of a question of that.
His palm was cold against her neck, but his hand quickly heated up as he began to wrap his fingers around. It seemed like every inch more of skin that touched hers raised the temperature by five degrees.
Is this what it feels like to be outclassed?
Luna had never before felt anything like this. This pressure, this surety of what was required.
And what was required was absolute obedience.
She could feel that, like a chain that wrapped around her neck as his fingers did.
She felt like she would never be free again.
And then the moment passed. He removed his hand from her and sat back down, then raised two fingers to the side in a dismissive gesture, allowing her to straighten.
Luna had been so distracted, she hadn't even realized that she was still crouched slightly in a curtsy.
He may not be a suitor, but he's still trouble. In fact, he's worse than a suitor.
And why was that? Because he had actual power.
And Luna was terrified.