The Fae King's Ruin

The Princess' Confirmation

There was no other way of putting it. In Avery’s arms, Aislin felt beautiful.

Just like the first time they danced, it felt more as if she was floating in the air than merely dancing on the toes of her feet. She had already enjoyed dancing long before, but dancing with him was a different kind of connection that she enjoyed. Dancing with him, there was no crowd to please; no effort needed to be exerted just so she could be the best out there. It was so easy, like one, two, and three.

And when they started to dance, Aislin never wanted to stop. She loved having the excuse to have him this close to her in front of people that they mostly invited for propriety’s sake. She knew that if it had been solely up to them, they would have chosen something more intimate. Even if that was not the case, Avery still looked at her as if she was the only female worth looking at in a sea of so many lovely ladies. Still held her to him as if she was a leaf in the wind about to float away at any minute.

But as he spun her around and waltzed her all around the large hall, she was filled with excitement as she briefly spotted the friends she had invited over from Mhoryga. Avery had pulled through for her on that part, too, and once more, Aislin was hit by this great feeling of gratitude towards her fiancé.

So much so that the gifts she had asked her friends to bring over from her home in Cetha were starting to feel insignificantly small.

When the music ended, encores resounded from all over the ballroom, and though she did not want to stop, there were guests she had to greet and thank for coming. Avery led her off to the side where Res and her cousin were waiting, their presence on the dance floor replaced by entertainers. 

Res smiled approvingly at the both of them. “You two really look good dancing together. Great photos, surely, even if Avery keeps staring at Aislin as if he’s ready to undr—”

Avery cut him off with an ice-cold stare. “Choose your next words wisely because I will not hesitate to turn you into an animal in front of a live audience, Res.”

“Cute,” his best friend sarcastically shot back. “Now let’s go and mingle before dinner is served.”

“Who do we go to first?” she asked, letting Avery drape her arm over his once more. 

He shrugged and tapped the shoulder of the fae standing right behind him and smiled as soon as the Seelie noble turned. “Tureen! How lovely to see you here after your divorce. Where’s Missus Number Two? Ha! Just kidding. Have you met the future queen of the faes yet? How about the King and his soon-to-be cousin-in-law?”

Exchanging disturbed looks, the three of them went on with Res’ crazy way of acquainting them with the nobles that had not been invited yesterday at the luncheon. There seemed to have been no pattern or definitive process that the King’s Hand had employed into his introductions. He just tapped whoever he saw and greeted them like old friends that had purposefully shut him out because of his loud and fat mouth.

But while Res’ chaotic self was at an all-time high, Aelthrys had become more reserved. The Unseelie Fae still saw him as the brutal warrior that he ultimately was and it was all Aislin could do to keep herself from laughing as the nobles he introduced to Avery and Res paled slightly when he came to stand in their presence. The only ones who did not recoil in fear of her cousin were the friends she had invited over.

All dressed in the newest Unseelie fashion— which was just another degree of revealing and dark in the color palette— Aislin gently disentangled herself from Avery to hug the tall, burgundy-haired, dark-skinned fae that had all but squealed herself into being noticed as she stepped into Aislin’s path.

“I missed you!” Rhodorea Galveys cried loudly in her ear. “You never returned any of my calls, my letters, not even my dream summons! When are you coming back to Mhoryga?”

She laughed. “Oh, I missed you too, Dore!” She eyed her plunging neckline and the deep plum gown she wore. “That honestly looks so good on you! Oh, I’ll catch up with you later. Come, let me introduce you to my future husband.”

Ever the gentleman, Avery took Dore’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “Lovely to meet one of Aislin’s beloved friends. I do apologize that your missives failed to come to her possession, we’re working on that.”

Aislin smiled at Avery, expecting to hear a quick remark from her best friend. When she turned back to look at her, however, Dore’s almond eyes were going back and forth between her and Avery.

She tensed. Dore had an uncanny ability in detecting ties between two people. And because Aislin invited her without going into detail about the current status of her relationship with the King, she knew Dore and her other friends came to Alfheim thinking that it was still just a marriage of convenience happening between them.

But now, she knew all of that was being slowly washed away by the firm arm Avery kept around her waist protectively. 

“Oh, dear,” she heard Dore whisper.

Aelthrys, who knew Dore’s ability, raised a brow at Aislin. “Are you seeing what I am thinking, Rhodorea?”

Res frowned. “See what?”

Her friend blinked at him. “Oh, I think Princess Aislin can explain that later.” Almond-shaped eyes turned to her. With a slow smile spreading across her face, Dore raised her glass towards them and said, “May the fruitful blessings of the Mother Moon shine upon your marriage.”

And to Aislin, it was all the confirmation she needed to be able to tell Avery what she really felt for him.