Heir of the Dragon Flame.

Chapter 12.

Lady Larissa of House Whitby. The name also sounded oddly familiar. Everyone knew the Whitbys. Who didn't?

They were a noble household that most people liked to forget existed. All because Silver Falcon also known as Lord Earn was a religious fanatic. After his fallout with the king about a decade ago, he had stopped attending court.

Only deigning to send emissaries when it was necessary. His wife had died years ago, but they had a son who got married to the daughter of a famous merchant. Both happened to have died in a far away in a horrible sea accident just a few years after their daughter was born. Lord Earn was the one who took care of his granddaughter.

But after his fallout with the King a decade ago, nothing was heard about him or his granddaughter except the rumours that he had gathered a cult of fanatics in his household where many of them regularly worshipped and where he fed them false prophesies. The King never bothered enough to know what he was doing.

And everyone in court forgot he existed. As well as his granddaughter too, whom the court had only seen a few times as a child.

Everyone had assumed her dead, no one heard from her for years and she was never seen outside. Rumours also started to spread that she died in her sleep and no one cared enough to investigate them, especially the King who desperately wanted to have little to do with Lord Earn.

Perhaps that was why a Queenstrial invitation was not extended to the Whitby household, because there was no one else but the old man to receive it.

Rowan, like many others had heard of her white blond hair, which was an unusual rarity in Castamere. Maybe it was due to the fact that her mother was from a faraway continent.

She was beautiful though. He thought as he watched Prince Caspian's jaw dropped as she gracefully walked down the stairs. Of course he was stunned, she was a beauty and the Queenstrial just got harder for him. A small smile on her perfect face and her eyes a blazing golden colour.

Wait.

Her eyes, there was something about them... But he couldn't place what it was.

Her eyes.

Lord Rowan of Athalar thought as he frowned at them. He didn't remember her having eyes like that. He would have remembered if she did.

He was distracted for a minute, before a castle guard came to whisper in his ear about something he had to do and he left.

"Lady Larissa of House Whitby..."

Prince Caspian said with a small smile on his face. Larissa bowed courteously, aware that everyone in the ballroom had their eyes on them.

"Prince Caspian."

She said as she lowered her eyes a bit, just like Hydra had taught her. She knew the Prince's eyes was on her, watching her, studying her.

He was just like she had been told he would look like.

Tall, golden complexion, handsome with fair hair and mesmerising blue eyes.

Her eyes darted around quickly and she noticed the other girls from Queenstrial gawking at them. At her specifically.

Majority of them were frowning at her.

And Astra.

Oh gods!

Astra was looking at her!

She thought as she looked away, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

Prince Caspian held her hand and looked at her with concern in his eyes.

"Is everything okay?"

He asked and she smiled and nodded her head slowly.

"Yes, it certainly is. I am quite honoured to meet you Your Highness."

Caspian shrugged.

"Oh please. Call me Caspian."

First name basis already? She thought as she looked up at him, her eyes finally meeting his and he became starstruck. She had the most unique, most beautiful eyes that he had ever saw on a woman. Her eyes were perfect.

"Oh wow! I must say... Your eyes... They remind me of a living flame."

He said.

No one had ever described her eyes that way, but it was a quite accurate description.

The music started to play and everyone in the ballroom started to pair up. The other girls from the Queenstrial started to sulkily leave the dancefloor, it looked like the Prince had made his choice on who he was going to have his first dance with.

"My lady. Will you give me the honour of having the first dance with me?"

"It would be my pleasure."

She said as she stretched out her hand to receive his.

She scanned the room briefly and found no signs of Hydra or Lord Earn. Have they abandoned her?

She asked herself with panic building in her chest.

Last she remembered, Lord Earn was on his way to the dais to talk to the King.

The music began suddenly, Prince Caspian grabbed Larissa's hand firmly as they began to waltz.

Spinning and circles and shuffling our feet to the slow, rhythmic music. It was perfect, but even so more when our eyes met.

His eyes were a mesmerising blue colour, they captivated Larissa, eyes so bright and pretty.

He slightly narrowed his eyes, and let out a small chuckle. The prince leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Relax. You're doing great."

He said gently. He most have felt her hands shaking, just like how her heart  was beating rapidly in her chest.

It was over almost suddenly, he pulled his face away from hers and the music changed. Their paces quickened, and it was hard for Larissa to keep up with the quick, flowing steps. She wasn't as good in ballroom dancing as she should have been.

Her dress was getting in the way and her heels making her steps clumsy, or maybe it was just because she was with him that she was clumsy.

He wouldn't?

He was a prince.

He noticed her discomfort, and chanced his stance to make it easier to him to follow. His grip tightened on her hand as he gave it a comforting squeeze, it made her heart skip a beat.  

Suddenly, the music changed it's pace again, this time a this time a very slow and relaxing song. He smiled at her slightly, and pulled her body closer to his.

Larissa was a bit shocked. Everyone had their eyes on them, they were all looking at them, the Prince didn't seem to care, he was very much content with giving them a show.

Larissa could feel her cheeks burning, and she knew she was blushing on the outside. His smile only grew bigger. We danced together, our bodies close; with his hand still grasping mine.

Larissa looked around awkwardly. a few of the girls were getting bold and were walking towards them. They had been dancing for too long. People were already staring.

"Prince Caspian... I think it's time we stop now."

She said quietly and he broke his gaze and looked around.

He paused.

"Oh well... I think we got carried away."

"Indeed you did."

A voice answered behind them and Larissa froze on hearing Astra's voice.

Larissa refused to turn.

"I must leave now."

She said to the Prince as she bowed slowly and walked briskly away without as much as a glance back.

If Astra recognised her, her cover would be blown, although she highly doubted it because with everything she could barely recognise herself as Summer but she wasn't ready to take any chances.