And with that, Maya followed the servant toward the grand dining hall, alert, curious, and ready to navigate the palace—and the Monster Prince's world—on her own terms.
She approached the king and queen, bowed deeply, and said politely, "Your Majesties, good evening."
The king nodded slightly. "You may sit.
The table was set with an array of dishes that Maya had never seen before. Bowls of steaming vegetables, strange sauces, roasted meats, and pastries she couldn't identify lined the long, polished surface. The aroma was rich, unfamiliar, almost overwhelming.
Maya picked at the food cautiously. She dipped a piece of roasted meat into a simple sauce and took a bite. It was flavorful, tender, and safe. She sipped a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
Maya, sensing the attention but unconcerned, leaned slightly toward her plate and quietly murmured to herself, "Better safe than sorry",She took another bite of meat and another sip of juice, careful to keep her manners.
Darcien, standing silently at a slight distance, observed her with those piercing, unreadable eyes. He didn't comment, didn't flinch, and yet Maya could feel the weight of his scrutiny. She swallowed carefully, trying to ignore it, but a small thrill of excitement ran through her—he was not like anyone she had met before.
Maya caught a few of the glances, but kept her composure, smiling faintly at the king and queen when she glanced their way. She could follow etiquette when she needed to, but she wouldn't pretend to enjoy things she didn't.
The king said nothing more, watching her calmly, while the queen's faintly amused smile suggested she was taking mental notes of the human princess's behavior.
Maya took another careful bite, sipped her juice, and thought to herself, Well, at least I like the meat. That's enough for now.
The evening was settling into a quiet rhythm—Maya, composed yet distinctly different from everyone else, Darcien observing silently, and the servants moving quietly around the room.
⸻
At the head sat the king and queen. To one side were the two princes, one older and sharp-eyed, the other younger and visibly curious. The princess sat beside them, posture perfect, expression.
The younger prince glanced at her plate. "That's all you're having princess?
Maya looked up. "It looked the safest."
The older prince let out a soft scoff. "Brave words for someone new to the palace."
She shrugged lightly. "I like knowing what I'm eating."
The king raised a hand slightly, and the room settled again.
"The journey was long," he said, his voice firm. "You handled it well."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The queen observed Maya over the rim of her cup. "You're very composed," she said. "Most brides are overwhelmed their first evening here."
Maya smiled faintly. "I think it helps not to overthink things."
The princess's gaze lingered on Maya for a moment longer than polite, her eyes sharp, assessing.
The queen set her cup down. "Tonight, you will be settling in properly." Her tone remained gentle. "You and my son will retire for the evening."
She paused.
"You will be sharing a room, yes?"
The table went still.
Maya felt the question settle like weight on her shoulders. She glanced at Darcien.
He sat back in his chair, eyes closed, arms resting loosely at his sides. He didn't react. Didn't speak. Didn't even acknowledge the question.
Maya returned her gaze to the queen. "I'll follow whatever arrangements have been prepared."
The queen studied her carefully, then smiled.
The king said nothing more, though his eyes lingered on Maya briefly before moving away.
"I would like to speak with you privately after dinner," the queen added. "There are matters you should understand."
Maya inclined her head. "Of course, Your Majesty."
Darcien shifted slightly, then settled again, eyes still closed—distant, cold, unreadable.
The meal continued in near silence.
Maya finished her food, aware of every glance, every unspoken judgment.
So this is the royal family, she thought.
Quiet. Controlled. And watching.
Beside her, Darcien remained untouched by the tension.
And that, somehow, made him the most unsettling presence at the table.
After dinner ended, the servants cleared the table in silence. The princes rose and departed, followed closely by the princess. Their footsteps faded into the distance.
Only the queen remained.
"Come," she said, standing. "We should speak."
Maya followed her through a narrow corridor where the light dimmed and the air felt heavier. The queen's steps were unhurried, confident, as though the palace itself bent around her.
She led Maya into a small sitting chamber—elegant, cold, and carefully arranged. A room meant for conversations that were never meant to be repeated.
"Sit," the queen said.
Maya obeyed.
The queen did not.
"Tell me," the queen began lightly, circling the room, "have you ever watched a tree rot from the inside?"
Maya frowned. "No, Your Majesty."
"It looks strong," the queen continued. "Tall. Unmovable. And yet, one day, it falls without warning." She stopped. "People are shocked. They say the storm caused it."
She smiled.
"But storms only reveal what was already weak."
Maya felt a chill crawl up her spine.
"Some branches," the queen said softly, "grow where they do not belong. They drain the tree instead of strengthening it."
She turned to face Maya. "What would you do with such a branch?"
Maya chose her words carefully. "Prune it… before it damages the rest."
The queen's smile widened.
"Exactly."
Silence stretched between them.
"You are now bound to my son," the queen continued, her tone still pleasant. "That makes you… close to a problem."
Maya's brows knit together. "A problem?"
"A question mark," the queen corrected. "And question marks invite answers."
She moved closer. "Darcien was born under unfortunate circumstances. Some births are mistakes. Others are warnings."
Maya's hands tightened in her lap. So this is it, she thought. She doesn't hide it at all—just enough.
"You will hear many stories," the queen went on. "Some paint him as strong. Others as dangerous. Both are useful."
"For whom?" Maya asked before she could stop herself.
The queen's eyes gleamed. "For those who know how to survive."
She straightened, smoothing her gown. "My sons, for instance, are… obedient. Predictable. They understand order."
Maya finally understood. She doesn't want Darcien to fail quietly. She wants him removed.
"You are clever," the queen said suddenly. "Clever enough to know that standing too close to a collapsing structure is unwise."
Maya met her gaze. "And if the structure isn't collapsing?"
The queen tilted her head. "Then someone will make sure it does."
She turned toward the door. "You will sleep separately tonight. Appearances will be managed. Do not grow attached to things that cannot be saved."
At the threshold, she paused.
"One last thought," the queen said softly. "When succession comes, only one branch will remain."
Then she left.
Maya sat there long after the door closed.
She doesn't just dislike him, Maya realized.
She's planning to erase him.
And somehow—
Maya knew she had just been placed between the blade and the neck.
And with that, Maya followed the servant toward the grand dining hall, alert, curious, and ready to navigate the palace—and the Monster Prince's world—on her own terms.
She approached the king and queen, bowed deeply, and said politely, "Your Majesties, good evening."
The king nodded slightly. "You may sit.
The table was set with an array of dishes that Maya had never seen before. Bowls of steaming vegetables, strange sauces, roasted meats, and pastries she couldn't identify lined the long, polished surface. The aroma was rich, unfamiliar, almost overwhelming.
Maya picked at the food cautiously. She dipped a piece of roasted meat into a simple sauce and took a bite. It was flavorful, tender, and safe. She sipped a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
Maya, sensing the attention but unconcerned, leaned slightly toward her plate and quietly murmured to herself, "Better safe than sorry",She took another bite of meat and another sip of juice, careful to keep her manners.
Darcien, standing silently at a slight distance, observed her with those piercing, unreadable eyes. He didn't comment, didn't flinch, and yet Maya could feel the weight of his scrutiny. She swallowed carefully, trying to ignore it, but a small thrill of excitement ran through her—he was not like anyone she had met before.
Maya caught a few of the glances, but kept her composure, smiling faintly at the king and queen when she glanced their way. She could follow etiquette when she needed to, but she wouldn't pretend to enjoy things she didn't.
The king said nothing more, watching her calmly, while the queen's faintly amused smile suggested she was taking mental notes of the human princess's behavior.
Maya took another careful bite, sipped her juice, and thought to herself, Well, at least I like the meat. That's enough for now.
The evening was settling into a quiet rhythm—Maya, composed yet distinctly different from everyone else, Darcien observing silently, and the servants moving quietly around the room.
⸻
At the head sat the king and queen. To one side were the two princes, one older and sharp-eyed, the other younger and visibly curious. The princess sat beside them, posture perfect, expression.
The younger prince glanced at her plate. "That's all you're having princess?
Maya looked up. "It looked the safest."
The older prince let out a soft scoff. "Brave words for someone new to the palace."
She shrugged lightly. "I like knowing what I'm eating."
The king raised a hand slightly, and the room settled again.
"The journey was long," he said, his voice firm. "You handled it well."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The queen observed Maya over the rim of her cup. "You're very composed," she said. "Most brides are overwhelmed their first evening here."
Maya smiled faintly. "I think it helps not to overthink things."
The princess's gaze lingered on Maya for a moment longer than polite, her eyes sharp, assessing.
The queen set her cup down. "Tonight, you will be settling in properly." Her tone remained gentle. "You and my son will retire for the evening."
She paused.
"You will be sharing a room, yes?"
The table went still.
Maya felt the question settle like weight on her shoulders. She glanced at Darcien.
He sat back in his chair, eyes closed, arms resting loosely at his sides. He didn't react. Didn't speak. Didn't even acknowledge the question.
Maya returned her gaze to the queen. "I'll follow whatever arrangements have been prepared."
The queen studied her carefully, then smiled.
The king said nothing more, though his eyes lingered on Maya briefly before moving away.
"I would like to speak with you privately after dinner," the queen added. "There are matters you should understand."
Maya inclined her head. "Of course, Your Majesty."
Darcien shifted slightly, then settled again, eyes still closed—distant, cold, unreadable.
The meal continued in near silence.
Maya finished her food, aware of every glance, every unspoken judgment.
So this is the royal family, she thought.
Quiet. Controlled. And watching.
Beside her, Darcien remained untouched by the tension.
And that, somehow, made him the most unsettling presence at the table.
After dinner ended, the servants cleared the table in silence. The princes rose and departed, followed closely by the princess. Their footsteps faded into the distance.
Only the queen remained.
"Come," she said, standing. "We should speak."
Maya followed her through a narrow corridor where the light dimmed and the air felt heavier. The queen's steps were unhurried, confident, as though the palace itself bent around her.
She led Maya into a small sitting chamber—elegant, cold, and carefully arranged. A room meant for conversations that were never meant to be repeated.
"Sit," the queen said.
Maya obeyed.
The queen did not.
"Tell me," the queen began lightly, circling the room, "have you ever watched a tree rot from the inside?"
Maya frowned. "No, Your Majesty."
"It looks strong," the queen continued. "Tall. Unmovable. And yet, one day, it falls without warning." She stopped. "People are shocked. They say the storm caused it."
She smiled.
"But storms only reveal what was already weak."
Maya felt a chill crawl up her spine.
"Some branches," the queen said softly, "grow where they do not belong. They drain the tree instead of strengthening it."
She turned to face Maya. "What would you do with such a branch?"
Maya chose her words carefully. "Prune it… before it damages the rest."
The queen's smile widened.
"Exactly."
Silence stretched between them.
"You are now bound to my son," the queen continued, her tone still pleasant. "That makes you… close to a problem."
Maya's brows knit together. "A problem?"
"A question mark," the queen corrected. "And question marks invite answers."
She moved closer. "Darcien was born under unfortunate circumstances. Some births are mistakes. Others are warnings."
Maya's hands tightened in her lap. So this is it, she thought. She doesn't hide it at all—just enough.
"You will hear many stories," the queen went on. "Some paint him as strong. Others as dangerous. Both are useful."
"For whom?" Maya asked before she could stop herself.
The queen's eyes gleamed. "For those who know how to survive."
She straightened, smoothing her gown. "My sons, for instance, are… obedient. Predictable. They understand order."
Maya finally understood. She doesn't want Darcien to fail quietly. She wants him removed.
"You are clever," the queen said suddenly. "Clever enough to know that standing too close to a collapsing structure is unwise."
Maya met her gaze. "And if the structure isn't collapsing?"
The queen tilted her head. "Then someone will make sure it does."
She turned toward the door. "You will sleep separately tonight. Appearances will be managed. Do not grow attached to things that cannot be saved."
At the threshold, she paused.
"One last thought," the queen said softly. "When succession comes, only one branch will remain."
Then she left.
Maya sat there long after the door closed.
She doesn't just dislike him, Maya realized.
She's planning to erase him.
And somehow—
Maya knew she had just been placed between the blade and the neck.