King of Anything

03

I float around. That was my decision. To float around and greet people, talking to them, charming them, while inconspicuously keeping my back to the people I knew.

I wonder, briefly, if he's watching me. If I'm doing the right thing. Is this what he wants from me? Scar?

The beautiful man, who said he was a king? What was he King of, I wonder?

I don't know how long I do this? Flitting around, smiling as sincerely as possible, making friends.

My name is Katya.

Why am I doing this? Why not rebel and have him kill me? Wasn't that the original plan?

The police chief is here. They know me. His daughter might still be stuffed in my trunk. I wonder if, by now, they know what I've done?

I don't think he'd be here, if he did.

Where is Scar? I look around for him subtly. Will he come down here?

"You are the most beautiful creature I've ever seen," An earnest voice whispers in my ear.

I turn around, giving him a small smile. "Thank you, for your compliments, sir."

He takes my hand, kissing it. "I am Regan. Regan Warner. I would be honored if you would dance with me."

I aloblige and we spin around the room. My feet remember the steps, after years of instructions, I could forget it no sooner than I could forget to speak.

"Where did you come from?" He asks.

"A Galaxy, far, far away," I joke making him smile.

"You knows Star Wars?" He quirks his perfect arch brow.

"I could continue if you'd like. I know the whole intro."

"Is there any flaw in you?"

"Plenty," I smile on a very gentlewomanly fashion. Not too large. Not too sincere. Not too small.

Maureen don't smile so recklessly. It doesn't matter if you're happy. You are a lady first. Don't smile too wide. Now you look like you need a trip to the bathroom! Can you do anything right?!

"I don't see them," He charms.

"That points more the flaws of your eyes, then the lack of flaws in me." I flirt back.

"Nonsense, you are perfection."

You are worthless! Without that boy you are worthless! I don't care what he does, you marry him, do you understand?!

I smile. "If you think so. I'm quite tired."

He picks up on the hint immediately. "Please, may I offer you a beverage?"

"Tea, please." I smile.

It doesn't matter if you don't like tea! You must drink it. Soda isn't good for you. It's a commoner's beverage. Now work on your accent.

He hurried back, handing me the tea. I drink it down in a very lady-like manner.

"I noticed you're from the U.K?"

I smile. "Yes. But I may stay in your wonderful country a little longer."

"I hope, I will see you again," He grins.

***

The night is over. Everyone has left. It's just me. Alone in the ballroom now. It's silent. When I came to America, I swore I would never do this again.

I hear his footprints, soft, but resounding.

"Outstanding Katya," He rumbles. I look up at him, as he observed me.

"Can you...can you dance?" I ask.

He says nothing, making me peak up at him, before looking back down.

"It's just...I didn't get to dance with anyone I really wanted to dance with so I—"

That hand fills my vision. I look up at him, his outstretched hand, fingers long and elegant.

I wonder, what he is? What purpose I serve to him?

What is King of?

He pulls my closer, waltzing me around the room, my nose against his shoulder, one hand holding mine, the other around my waist as he expertly dances with me.

"You come from this—" He noted lowly. "The society. The money. The power."

I say nothing. "The man you danced with the most—he is your target."

Target?

"I want you to get close to him, and when he trusts you—I want you to kill him." He spins me around, pulling me back into the warmth of his shadow. "Can you do that, for me?"

Can I?

"I...I don't want to kill him. I don't want to kill anyone."

He keeps moving, rhythm uninterrupted. Abruptly, music starts up, and he falls in sync with it instantly.

(Start the music attached to the chapter)

I fall out of tune, unable to keep up with it.

"Do you know this song," He murmurs in my ear.

"Requiem, by Mozart. It's so harsh, most people wouldn't dance to it."

The music swells. "Most people aren't me," He carries me around the room now, I can't keep up with his steps.

"Do you know what requiem means?" How can he talk while following this music?

"Yes, Requiem is Latin for rest."

"And yet, there's no true rest in this music is there?"

It isn't. It's chaos, it's colors colliding its life. It's not rest.

"No, there's not."

Even the slower moments, aren't restful. They're...haunting.

"If you do what I ask of you, I will give you freedom. I will give you whatever it is you wish. I will give you true rest. From the people pursing you. From your past."

"How?"

"Trust me," He whispers, his warm breath fanning my ear.

He let's me go, standing away from me in the lull of the music. "Take my hand."

And even though I don't know him. I believe him. And besides that, u have nothing left to lose. I can only gain.

So I take his hands, and he pulls me into him, into his shadow once more, as the music bottoms out.

He holds me close to me as the music comes to an end. As the rest finally begins.

He looks down at me. His eyes burning as he carries me in his arms around the room.

The music swells once more, and I feel it thrumming thorough my body. He holds me still, our noses touching, softly panting.

He glanced over my face, before turning away.

"I will see you in the morning, Katya. Until then... Rest."

• • •

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