The Return Of The Queen

Opening Ball

Stepping into the ballroom was like stepping into a forest celebration. The large pillars lining the dance floor were transformed into tree trunks. The top of the pillars that reached the ceiling had branches covered in the leaves stretching towards the center. Lights hung from the branches illuminating the room in an amber glow. Grass seemed to cover the ground around the dance floor which was solid green stone. Once you took a step however the grass felt like the usual granite floor. It only appeared to be grass, it merely muffled your steps a bit but was otherwise stone hard. For an enchantment it was incredibly realistic and beautiful.

Deciding to stick with the crowed I turned right of the dance floor. Staying to the edge of the crowed of fae I maintained a close distance to the wall. Subtly watching the fae around me while I also watched the current dance taking place.

A nobility style dance was being performed by a group of ten couples. Every dance at a noble style ball played at touching your partner while giving distance as each couple wove around the others. Some steps would bring them close enough to feel the heat coming off each other without actually touching. Other steps would bring you far away from your partner as they stepped back and around another fae dancing. It was always intriguing to watch, to see which fae had a more heated connection with their partner and which were merely moving by memory. The dances gave a good idea on which fae were more naturally drawn to each other and which weren't. Knowing that helped when making bonds for an alliance.

The last time I danced was six months ago at the welcoming ball in Notorn. Pulling away from the memory I retook in my surroundings, I had drifted closer to the center of the crowd then I had attended.

Turning to move back towards the wall a familiar voice caught my ear. I stiffened, anger warming my blood at the sound of Cardan's condescending voice.

"Would you look at what we have here, a beauty seems to have stepped into our path." He said to my half side profile, more of my back to him then my face.

Taking a breath to relax my face into a look of boredom before turning around to look at him.

"Prince Cardan, it's been awhile." I stated flatly. He stiffened upon seeing my face. A guarded look crossing his before relaxing into smugness. I did my best to keep the bored mask and not grind my teeth at his smug look.

"How do you know this beauty Cardan?" Ask a fae male to his left.

He shrugged,

"Just some nobel lady I met in the village a while back." He smirked at me while the two males chuckled.

With that one sentence he led his companions to believe that I had been one of his playthings. It was clear that those two were his friends and knew exactly what he did in the village.

"If it's been a while do you mind if I give her a try?" One of them asked. Cardan only shrugged once. My anger was quickly turning into rage at their discussion of me, like I was some toy they could pass around.

"You males must be very disappointing in bed if you have to share females and if you've been told otherwise they were lying." I said before stepping around them and walking away.

The ball went on for hours without sign of slowing down. Cardan had made his alliance announcement by only dancing with Cordellia several times.

"I didn't think you'd stick around this long." A deep voice spoke from behind me.

"You know the most annoying thing about you is your ability to hide your aura from me." I didn't turn around when I spoke to him.

"If I didn't hide my aura everyone would be staring at us right now." He had a point. He was one of the only royals whose magical aura could fill the room.

"You know, you still owe me a match for the way you behaved at the masquerade." I said deciding it was better not the look at him. He chuckled stepping closer to me.

"You'll have your match in the Arena little Queen." I bristled at his pet name. He knows I hate it but that's why he used it. My silence must've annoyed him because he gets so close to me our bodies are practically touching.

"Why won't you look at me?" The deep rumble of his voice vibrating through my back where it brushes against his chest.

"Same reason you use that pet name, to annoy you." I say sweetly, slightly mockingly.

He growls befores leaning down and saying into my ear.

"Be in denial for as long as you want Nyx, we both know how your body responds to me. You'll give in eventually baby, you already belong to me."

goosebumps had covered my skin when he growled, heat flooding my core. The brush of his voice against my ear, I felt my legs going weak, knees about to buckle. He chuckled as he noticed my reaction and then he was gone.

The air felt cool against my skin where his body heat had warmed.

Five months away from him caused my physical response to him to increase. From the first moment we met at that ball my body had responded to him. The pull I felt towards him was stronger after the separation. Before it was easier to ignore and keep my composure. Tonight though I had barely held on and managed to stay standing.

"There you are beautiful." I rolled my eyes at the sound of the fae's voice. It was one the males that had been standing with Cardan. I ignored him which he didn't seem like very much.

"You must be from a lower branch of nobility to be raised with such manners." I wanted to laugh at his choice of insult. Wanting to see if he'd get the hint and leave, I continued to ignore him.

"You're really something aren't you, first insulting and then ignoring your betters. By the time I'm done with you, you'll know your place." He seethed before reaching for my wrist. If I was who thought I was, he would've too fast for me. But I'm not and I was faster. In a blink of an eye I shifted back right as a random uneven piece of tile caught his foot and he tripped onto the dance floor.

I stayed long enough to watch two sets of dancers topple on top of him and then I left.

Cas fell into step beside me after stepping out the doors.

"Find out who he is, I'll fight him first tomorrow, make it happen." I told him with a bite to my tone. If I wasn't who I am than I would've been that male's victim. I most likely wasn't the first female he tried that with, but I was probably the first to deny him.

The thought of all those potential victims made my blood boil. It was against the academy rules to physically harm another fae outside of the arena. Otherwise he would've been hurt worse than only tripping.

"As you wish my lady." Cas knew the mood I was in. Even he, who was raised with me, knows when I'm like this to interact minimally with me.

Tomorrow all this rage would have its target and that male wasn't going to leave the arena in one piece. Justice done for all his possible past or future victims.