THE PRINCESS & THE PIRATE

Chapter 13: The Grand Entrance...

A hush fell over the grand hall as the guests gathered turned thier attention to the grand staircase eagerly awaiting the entrance of King Quentin and Princess Reanna.

Reanna took a deep breath to steady her nerves and her brother craned his neck like a proud peacock before vainly sauntering from behind the curtain into view of the guests, tugging his reluctant sister with him.

As soon as King Quentin and Reanna came into view the guests gasped in awe .

King Quentin looked unquestionably handsome with his well groomed appearance and dazzling attire of a shirt and trouser suit, made from expensive golden silk that was heavily adorned with thick gold chains and sparkling rare jewels. Despite his handsomeness and show stopping clothing, however, the crowds attention was drawn to Reanna.

Reanna stood at the top of the golden staircase and unlike her brother who vainly welcomed stares of admiration Reanna began to feel increasing uncomfortable under the intense gaze of the people below.

She was quite a sight to behold in her gown of emerald silk that wrapped around her body as erotically as a lovers embrace and plunged so daringly low at the front that it stopped just above her navel, exposing her full and firm breasts, elegant shoulders and unblemished porcelain skin.

Her dress was seductive and breath taking in its own right but it was the natural beauty of its wearer complimenting it so well that had the guests whom were gathered gazes fixed in a trance.

Reanna's usaully wild red hair had been brushed until it shined and tamed in tight curls that were pinned to flow over her right shoulder with a beautiful Emerald and gold hair clip.

Her naturally plump and red lips looked like they were begging to be kissed and her exposed skin looked so smooth, even from a distance, that every male guest longed to caress it.

The color of the dress only added to Reanna's beauty as her bright red hair contrasted vividly making it look like it was on fire and her beautiful green eyes matched the emerald silk, Reanna was with out doubt the most beautiful woman in the room and to many gathered the most beautiful woman they had ever seen.

" Look at how they gape at us! Women stare at me with lust and men stare at me jealous of my display of wealth and power, just as the men look upon you with lust and women stare at you with jealously over your beauty. Doesn't thier looks of desire and jealously make you feel empowered and superior?" Quentin arrogantly asked waving to the crowd below as he began to lead his sister down the gold steps.

Reanna disagreed completely, she hated being the center of attention and the spell bound stares focused on her made her exceedingly nervous, although she dared not speak her opinion out loud so she nodded in a gesture of agreement pleasing her brother.

When she and her brother had finally reached the bottom of the steps Reanna was offered some relief and her nerves began to fade some what as the guests quickly snapped out of thier trances and acted automatically. They respectfully made a clear parting for them to pass and finally removed thier gazes from Reanna so they could curtsy or bow as Reanna and her brother glided gracefully across the floor.

Just when Reanna had calmed her frantically beating heart and was begining to believe that she could make it through the evening her and her brothers progression across the hall came to an abrupt halt as King Sebastian brazenly stepped out to block thier path, and when Reanna lifted her gaze to meet his her heart sped up so fast, Reanna feared it would jump from her chest.

King Sebastian was looking at her with such intensity that Reanna felt like prey that was about to be devoured by a deadly predator. " You look ...mesmerising." King Sebastian complimented as he reached out to take Reannas delicate hand in his grasp before he placed a unwanted and too intimate feeling kiss on the back of it.

The foreign feeling of fear continued to rise within Reanna as she stood unable to move or speak paralysed under Sebastians possessive and lustful stare.

Quentin swallowed his bruised ego at being so rudely halted and then ignored by King Sebastian and attempted to converse with him to save face. " Good evening King Sebastian, once again I welcome you to Avlington and I do hope you enjoy the festivities this evening."

Sebastian glared at Quentin annoyed that Quentins shrill voice attempted to steal the attention away from the beauty in front of him. He longed to reach for his sword and strike Quentin down for annoying him, but managed to refrain from doing so, knowing that for now at least until Quentin legally gave him Reanna's hand and her large dowry along with it, that he sadly could not act on such impulses as Quentin was still of use to him.

So instead of striking Quentin down and indulge in relishing his blood staining the pristine white floor Sebastian forced himself to knowledge Quentin with as much politeness as he could muster.

" Thank you, King Quentin." Sebastian begrudgingly replied with stiff formality.

Reanna silently watched the exchange between her brother and King Sebastian. They both arguably were the most feared men in the Seven Kingsoms.

Both had reputations for thier eratic tempers, cruel natures and lust for power but seeing them both standing next to each other her brother seemed to wilt in comparison to King Sebastian.

King Sebastian may have been dressed in plainer attire than her brother, with a simple suit and shirt in matching black silk but his garments somehow seemed a lot more dramatic and powerful.

Maybe it was because his all black attire reflected his reputation for having a black heart? Reanna thought.

Taking another quick glance at King Sebastian as he and her Brother made an attempt at polite conversation Reanna couldn't help but shudder.

Even his natural features of jet black hair and brown eyes that were so dark they almost looked black, reflected his personality of a dangerous, cold hearted tyrant who should be feared.

His dramatic height that allowed him to tower over every one and his obviously large muscles that were visible through his tight fitted shirt all added to his powerful and forebading aura and Reanna could see why it was rumoured around the Seven Kingdoms that King Sebastian was the son of the devil himself, as he definitely looked powerful enough and inflicted enough fear into every guest gathered to be so.

" Would you do me the honour of allowing me to escort you ?" King Sebastian suddenly asked Reanna, in a almost kind sounding voice that was a complete contrast to his dangerous aura.

Reanna hesitated briefly before she took her hand out of her brothers grasp and placed it graceful into the palm of King Sebastians. " Certainly your majesty." Reanna said forcing her tone to be free of fear she couldn't help but uncharacteristically feel when she was in King Sebastians presence.

Sebastian smiled at Reanna as he gently took her offered hand and for the first time ever his smile was one of genuine warmth. "You need not be so formal, please call me Sebastian," he cooed seductively as he led Reanna across the hall.

" I thank your majesty for offering me such a privilege but I fear it is not a privilege I could accept...for now, as we have only just met today and so it would not be proper," Reanna replied following her strategy of being polite but formal.

Reanna's strategy with the aim of making King Sebastian less interested in her, so she could keep her promise to her brother to gain an agreement of a union with King Sebastian but have a long engagement period due to Sebastians lack of interest in her for anymore than political reasons backfired, however, as King Sebastian did something very unexpected in reply to Reanna's response - he laughed.

King Sebastian threw back his head and roared loudly with genuine merriment, amazing not just Reanna but every guest present as well.

" You are clever as well as beautiful I see," Sebastian finally replied once he had his amusement under control.

" I do not understand what you mean, your Majesty?" Reanna replied as she raised her eyebrow and looked at Sebastian with confusion.

" I mean, MY dear Princess..." Sebastian started emphasising both his stake in ownership over her and his respect for wishes her by highlighting the words my and his use of her official title. " You formed your reply to my request so cleverly, by making your wishes heard clearly but by ensuring your reply sounded respectful too so you did not risk offending me."

Reanna's confused expression turned to one of surprise. It was equally as impressive as it was unsettling that King Sebastian was able to decipher her intentions from one short conversation. It showed that King Sebastian may be more intelligent than she first thought and that she would need to be extremely careful during his hopefully short stay here so he didn't get to know her too well and find out the secrets she was hiding - the future of her Kingdom and her people depended on it Reanna thought as her expression turned uncontrollably to one of slight concern.

" Do not look concerned Princess Reanna, I do not find your actions vulgar. In fact, it is a asset that your wits clearly match your outstanding beauty as it will make you a great Queen. I just hope that you will allow me to get to know you better so over time we can become less formal and build a bond so that you will accept my proposal of marriage and I will be able to have you as MY Queen." King Sebastian said once again surprising Reanna as he lifted her hand to place a tentivie yet possessive kiss on her wrist.

Reanna glided gracefully across the hall and thought about how to reply to her escorts words.

Women were viewed in society as pawns to be used as thier male masters saw fit, they were expected to be subservient by nature, graceful in thier actions and beautiful in appearance. It was extremely rare that a man, never mind one with as much influence and power as King Sebastian would see a woman as anything more than thier property or appreciate a woman having intelligence as a virtue.

By his own words however King Sebastian had just declared that he appreciated Reanna's intelligence and his statement made Reanna very confused.

Reanna was with out doubt that the reputation King Sebastian had as a cruel tyrant was truthful but perhaps his reputation for having perverse desires and no heart at all was untrue or at least dramatically exaggerated? As surely no man who appreciated a woman for being intelligent could also receive pleasure from forcing women into depraved acts as rumours suggested King Sebastian did.

Reanna also knew first hand that King Sebastian instilled fear into the hearts of people. As, she herself could not help her heart beating erratically in fright with his every look or touch but she had also witnessed his genuinely warm smile, gentle mannerism and almost kind tone... perhaps he had a heart after all and he just needed someone to teach him how to use it so he could change? If her plan failed and she was forced into marriage with King Sebastian would she be able to change him into a better man and maybe with his help form another plan to free Avlington from her brothers tyranny and she and the new kind hearted King Sebastian could possibly lead Avlington and the Kingdom of Meccador into a brighter future?