Breaking the Ice

Chapter 9: Salope d'homme!

2 days before the ball.

"Elias!" Mare called out, wandering down the halls looking for him. She still believed he was just being stubborn, but he really didn't love her.

Elias was busy laughing, sitting in the garden with Renee as she laughed as well.

"Wait wait wait, so your mother did what?" Elias asked while mid laugh. "After the man tried taking her bag in the market, she kicked him right in the groin as he fell back in pain! 'Salope d'homme!' Was her exact words." Renee continued to laugh as she talked about her dear mother.

"And what in hell does that mean?" Elias asked while smiling at her. "You jerk of a man!" Renee said in response. Her mother didn't call the man a jerk, she just replaced the work so she wouldn't have to say the swear.

The two continued to laugh until they heard the door open, both their heads turning when footsteps erupted close to the two. Parker stood there smirking.

"Well lookey here, two love birds having fun." He spoke, Renee's face turning red as she shyly looked away. Elias simply rolled his eyes, glancing at Renee. "Really? You have to make her all shy like this?" Elias asked, standing up.

"Elias!" Mare shouted, now coming close to the garden doors. Renee gasped, looking at Elias in worry. Elias panicked slightly.

"Come, we shall hide." Parker reached his hand out to Renee, and she took it. He quickly pulled her away in silence, just before Mare came out.

"Ugh! I've been looking for you everywhere!" She would say in anger. Elias scoffed softly. "What is it, Mare?" He would ask, a hint of annoyance laced in his voice. "We are supposed to be practicing our dance right now, the ball is in two days!" Her eyebrows furrowed, but she wasn't the only one upset.

Renee and Parker were hiding behind a few large rose bushes, keeping quiet. Parker huffed in annoyance as he watched the two, Renee's eyebrows furrowing from the way Mare was talking to him.

"Mare, I don't want to dance with you. I've said it before and I'll say it a thousand more times."

"When are you going to start acting like a good husband?! We get married not long after this! You know you love me." Mare glared at him, her arms furrowing. "I will never love you."

Mare grunted in annoyance, getting an idea. "I'll make you learn to love me, starting with this." She pulled him forward, forcing a kiss on his lips as he stood there in shock. Renee gasped softly, her eyes widening. Parker looked furious, he knew Elias' heart belonged to Renee and was plain angry for her.

After a few seconds from the shock, Elias shoved her away. He wiped his lips with his sleeves, and looked angry. "Bitch." He mumbled, Mare looking shocked at what he called her. He now had a smack across his face.

By now Parker had his arms around Renee, holding her back as she tried to go over and beat up Mare. He placed a hand over her mouth, needing her to be quiet as her voice muffled softly. He couldn't let them be caught.

"You will dance with me at the ball, and you will learn to love me!" Mare shouted, before storming off. Elias waited a couple seconds before she was gone and then went to were Parker and Renee were.

Parker was still holding her back, and she was trying harder just to get Mare now. She was tiny, but pretty strong. She calmed down a little when Elias came into view, her eyes softening as she blushed. The ground below her feet had a layer of ice on it, but lucky for her Parker was too occupied to look down.

"Renee, calm down." Elias said nervously, knowing her powers might get out of control. "She means nothing to me."

Renee sighed and nodded a little, her gaze now down as she stopped struggling. Elias smiled softly, Parker letting out a little laugh. "Feisty one, you should've seen her when the she-devil yelled at you." He said while smirking. Elias couldn't help but smirk too.

Day of the ball.

Servants were running around the castle, trying to get everything set perfect for the party. Tens of royals from other kingdoms coming to this event. Friends of the royals and acquaintances as well were to be coming, so much food and drinks needed to be prepared.

Elias was excited, but nervous. He wasn't nervous for himself, in was for Renee. He was scared how things would go for her, but he hand confidence in her. There was an issue though, she was practically MIA from Parker and Elias the entire day. He assumed she was either too busy working or she was nervously hiding, maybe both.

Renee had a spike of anxiety when she woke up, incredibly nervous. She had always dreamed of one day being swept off her feet by her Prince Charming (royalty or not), but she never imagined to be going against the king and dancing with the Prince at his engagement ball. She had no confidence in herself, knowing people like her were looked down upon.

She had been purposely avoiding Elias and Parker, feeling scared about going to the ball. She walked with hesitance down a hallway, still working like the other servants but avoiding the two at the same time. Her anxiety was calming down a bit, hoping that they for whatever reason gave up on trying to look for her. It was a 0% chance.

Her eyes widened as Parker came around the corner from the direction she was heading toward, both stopping. Her eyes widened, and Parker stared her down. She slowly backed away as he slowly walked forward, like a predator and it's prey. She now had two open hallways next to her, glancing to the one on her left. Parker glanced that way too, and she did it again, and him too.

In an instant she ran to the one on her right to fool him, but before she knew it Elias popped out of a room and scooped her up. Renee squealed in surprise, not expecting any of this.

"Gotcha." He said while looking at her, an embarrassed and guilty look on her face.

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