Erondale

Chapter 16

Rae

It’s party time!! I should be happy, right? Well, I am, sort of. The absence of Chris, and all the deaths surrounding us, makes it hard for me to be fully happy. I never dreamed that I would be celebrating my 16th birthday without my childhood best friend. Well, one of them anyway. Emma is still here.

She looks absolutely stunning in a gold, ankle length, dress. It shimmers with glitter that seems to catch every single light that hits. Her heels match as the same gold on her dress. Erin looks stunning as well. She and her brother came matched in black and red. Her black, floor length dress, has blood red roses stitched and wrapped around her sleeves. It looks like she has tiny rose bushes growing down her arm. Her red heels match the color of her roses.

Toby. I can’t even tell you how Toby’s look makes me blush. He looks so delicious in his all black tux. The handkerchief is the same color red as his sister’s roses. He wore his sandy blonde hair slicked black on the sides. His wavy bangs hang a little above his bright blue eyes. Delicious! He looks all of his 20 years of age. Built to perfection, his tux hugs him tight in just the right spaces.

“Are you going to continue to drool over Toby all day? Or are you going to actually say hi to me?” Emma says, snapping me out of my day dream.

“I wasn’t drooling over Toby.” I answer, slightly embarrassed.

“Yeah, sure, that’s why there’s a line of drool hanging off your chin.” She says.

My eyes widen as I bring my hand up to wipe off my chin. This sets Emma off into loud laughter. I narrow my eyes at her.

“I knew it.” She says smugly. Emma takes a step back to look at me closely. “You look absolutely breathtaking, Rae. Alrich sure is a lucky guy to be your date tonight.”

I shrug my shoulders. “We’re just friends so it’s no big deal.”

She glances over towards Alrich, who is chatting my Mama. “Okay, if that’s what you think. He wore a handkerchief that matches your outfit. How did he know?”

“Oh, Mama told him.” I roll my eyes.

“So, are you ready to go in? The King will be here soon.”

“Sure. Let’s go.”

I walk over to Mama and Alrich and wait patiently for him to finish his comment. When he doesn’t seem to notice me, I tap his shoulder. He glances at me and immediately his eyes shine. Guilt floods me briefly because I can’t seem to have the same feelings that he obviously has for me.

“Are you ready to go, Beautiful?” He asks with a charming smirk.

“Yes. Let’s get this party started.” I smirk.

He holds his arm out for me to hold. “As you wish.”

Grabbing his arm, we walk into the most magical place that I have ever seen. There are small lights strung up all over the ceiling.

Vines filled with purple roses, the same color as my dress, are growing up along the sides of the tent and all over the ceiling. Flowers in pots and troughs are all over the room filled with many different variety of flowers.

It’s absolutely breathtaking and indescribable.

Alrich leads me to a table that has my name on it. Every napkin is inside of a golden ring. The glasses look as if they are made out of crystal. My mouth hurts from my jaw being unable to pick itself up. It’s absolutely incredible all the work that has gone into this party for me.

“You like it?” Alrich asks.

“It’s beautiful.”

“It is. Not as beautiful as you though.” He says, sounding cheesy.

A blush creeps up my cheek.“Thank you.”

He smiles at me. “Do you want to dance?”

It’s at that moment that I notice a harp and violin being played. The melody is a slow one. I nod my head and he guides me over to the dance floor. He’s treating me so much more delicate than he did the first party that we went to together.

He clasps my right hand into his while he grabs a hold of my waist. I wrap my hand around his waist and pull myself closer to him. We dance slowly. I can hear his heart beating faster than the music. Glancing up at him, I notice that he is looking across the way.

I lean back a bit and see Toby standing there staring at Alrich with hard eyes. When he notices me, Toby offers me a tight smile. I smile back. The song changes to one of the King’s favorite songs and my heart skips. Clay is here! I turn towards the entrance just as he is being carried in. Forgetting that I am wearing heels, I take off towards him. I stop abruptly as the guards come forward.

“Let her pass.” Clay says warmly.

I smile so wide that I feel like my face is about to c***k.

“Your highness! I am honored.” I exclaim as I bow.

“That’s not necessary, Raleigh. Come here, child.”

I walk over to him and give him a gentle hug. He feels so weak.

“I’m so glad that you came. How are you?”

“I didn’t come here to talk about myself, Rae. I came here to celebrate your 16th birthday.” He pauses while he grabs my hand.

“Even though Chris has treated you wrong the last few months that he was here, you will still remain as a daughter to me. I am sorry that your father couldn’t be here for this. You look absolutely gorgeous.”

Blushing hotly, “Thank you.”

Clay glances around and chuckles. “Seems that you have a good group of protectors.”

I glance around and, sure enough, Alrich and Toby are flanking me. I smile at them both.

“I won’t keep you longer, Rae. Let’s go enjoy the party.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

I step back and let his guards carry him to his special table. My heart is pounding so hard right now. I am so glad that he came. I see Mama make her way to his table and I smile. Now, I just wish that my daddy was here.

“I miss you daddy.” I say quietly.

I hear someone clear their throat and I look up. Toby is standing in front of me.

“I hope this isn’t inappropriate but would you like to dance with me?”

I glance towards Alrich, who is scowling, before I drop my gaze to my feet. Is it inappropriate? He is four years older than me but it’s just a dance.  Something within me says that he is safe. I take a deep breath to swallow the teenage crush down before I look back into his eyes.

“I would love to.”

He smiles and gently takes my hand as he leads me to the dance floor. Several hours, and several dances, later I finally sit down to rest. My birthday so far has been a blast. I danced a lot with Toby. He makes me laugh so easily. Alrich disappeared for a little while. I don’t know where he went but he told me that it wasn’t a big deal. As my heart finally slowed down, I hear Mama say something that unsettled me.

“I am not going to sign a marriage contract for my daughter to get married.” Mama hisses.

What? What is she talking about? I turn around and she is talking to Clay.

“Shhh. Don’t speak so loud.” Clay whispers weakly.

“Sorry, Clay. It’s just that that makes my blood boil.”

“I know.” He pauses. “Look, I don’t like it either. It’s just something that is being worked on.”

“Well, if he is that adamant on marrying my daughter, maybe he should try talking to her about it. Right now, he is trying to go behind her back.”

“I know. I know. Maybe by the time it comes together, she’ll already know how she feels.”

I don’t get to hear what she says next because all hell broke loose. A loud shrill came from outside. I jump up at the same time that the King’s guards rushes forward to his side. I run outside looking for the person responsible for the scream. I wish I hadn’t.