But when she broke the kiss and looked at the clock, her eyes widened.
“It's almost time to go,” she said. “We've only got a few minutes.”
“Indeed,” Marco said, with a half smirk. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I'll ever be,” she said, with a nervous sigh.
Dressed to perfection, Marco and Sabrina made their way downstairs and to the back of the building, where the grand hall was located. Winston had walked her by it earlier that day, but they weren't able to go inside due to preparations for the celebration that evening. But now the place was filled. Elegant people, with elegant attire, were lined up out the door. They turned to look when Marco and Sabrina walked toward them and the ones who weren't wearing a green or purple pendant on their collar stepped to the side and dropped to a knee out of respect.
“Good evening, everyone,” Marco said, as he and Sabrina walked by.
The two made their way into the main room and Sabrina's gaze moved toward the very back, where the King of Orsino sat on his throne. He looked regal and proud as he gazed out at the audience. Seated next to him was Queen Magdalena. She sat with a smug expression on her face, as though she was too good for even her own party.
Surrounding the royalty were guards, but also guests. Many of them appeared to be nobles, based on their expensive dress and the elegant way that they carried themselves. Sabrina's nerves were through the roof as she walked alongside Marco toward the throne.
I wonder how many other girls out there can say that this is how they “met the parents,” she thought, swallowing down the lump in her throat.
She squeezed Marco's arm firmly and he looked over.
“You're doing fine,” he said. “Just relax.”
Sabrina didn't respond as she tried to keep her cool. She became utterly self-conscious, suddenly worrying about each step she took. The last thing she wanted to do was to trip and fall in front of the royalty, making herself look like a total fool.
Her heart was racing and she felt like she could have thrown up from nervousness. Each inch they got closer to the throne caused another butterfly to released into her gut. Her hands were trembling and her knees were weak by the time they got to the back of the room.
“Father,” Marco said. “I'd like to introduce you to the beautiful Sabrina.”
The man in the throne sat up and smiled. He appeared to be much older than the man in the picture that she had seen. He looked pale and sickly, with dark bags under his eyes. His hair, though thick in the photo, was weak-looking and sparse.
“Marco, my son,” the king spoke, his deep and authoritative. “Bring her closer. My eyes aren't what they used to be.”
“Of course, Father,” Marco said, leading Sabrina up the stairs toward the throne.
Sabrina felt the room shrink as the king and queen both brought their attention toward her. Luckily, the training that Winston had given her earlier kicked in. She let go of Marco's arm and did the perfect curtsy in front of everyone.
“It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty,” she said, dipping down toward the ground. “It's a true honor to be on Orsino Island.”
“And it's an honor to have you here,” the king said.
Sabrina finished her curtsy and stood up straight. King Carlo was looking at her with curiosity, while Queen Magdalena sat in silence, her face unreadable.
“I appreciate the formalities, but come closer still,” King Carlo said. “Let me get a look at you.”
Sabrina stepped toe to toe with Carlo and he took her hand. Their eyes were locked as he spoke. “Where are you from, Ms. Sabrina?”
“Memphis, Tennessee,” she said, her accent suddenly feeling more thick than usual. She usually tried to keep her accent as minimal as possible, but it often came out stronger when she was stressed.
“I can hear it,” he replied. “It's soft, but there.”
“Yes, I was born and raised there,” she said.
“Welcome to Orsino.” King Carlo squeezed her hand. “I'm confident that you'll love it here once you get settled. It's a beautiful place with a lot to offer.”
“Marco has told me a lot about it, but I'm excited to explore.” Sabrina smiled, relieved by the small talk. She glanced at the queen, still unsure because the woman had yet to say a word.
“It really is a pleasure to meet you, King Carlo,” Sabrina continued. “It's nice to finally be able to put a face to a name.”
“I can say the same about you,” he said, before turning toward the woman next to him. “Since we're making introductions, I'd like to officially introduce you to my wife, Queen Magdalena.”