To the White Wolf | Fenrys (ToG)

Chapter 8: Broken or Stained

Lionna fixed baby's breath flowers into the loose half braid she had made with my hair. I looked different from the girl I thought I was in my head. To me, I was a naked girl with bruises and scars too dirty to touch. But the girl in the mirror could pass as royalty with the elegant satin pink dress and hair that was clean and flowed to my color bone in chocolate waves and was artfully braided at the crown and tucked behind my pointed ears. I had confidence, but there was sadness too.

The afternoon had started off with a feast that all courtiers were invited to, I sat between Elide and a Lord's daughter whose name slipped my mind. We toasted to the queen.

Then everyone got ready for the main event.

When I was almost done and was nit picking at the flowers in my hair, Evangeline swung open my door and spun around in her deep purple dress.

"Wow, Evangeline." I exclaimed, she looked beautiful. "You'll be the prettiest girl there."

Lysandra followed in behind her in a rich green dress and a filled wine glass in each hand. She held one out to me with a smile as she looked at her ward, "I told you she'd like it."

I took the wine and sniffed it, then took a sip and hummed at how delicious it was, I looked to Lysandra and she flicked her eyebrows up as if to acknowledge that she knew it was good wine.

"You look so pretty," Evangeline looked at my hair with awe and then she looked at Lysandra and snickered.

"What?" I asked, then my hands went to my hair.

Lysandra narrowed her eyes at the little girl, but the girl didn't say what made her snicker. "Are you ready?" She downed the rest of her glass of wine and set it down on my coffee table, I did the same and followed her out my door.

The music grew louder as we walked to the ball room, a sweet symphony. My heart raced and I felt tears start to well in my eyes but I took slow breaths and blinked the wetness in my eyes away.

The brightness of the ballroom hit me as it came into view and radiated a golden glow. People danced to the music with ease and happiness and I had to take a step back, they looked happy unlike the balls Maeve threw. There was not pattern or routine to the way the people of Terrasen were dancing, they held their partner and moved around the room as if they were made of air.

I saw Elide laugh as Lorcan lifted her into the air and spun her around, her dress belled out around them. They didn't have a worry in the world in that moment, just a pure love for each other. I couldn't help but smile for them.

"My husband is currently tending to his hair," Lysandra leaned close to me and talked over the music. "He's usually not late for things, but I think he wants to make an entrance with Aelin."

I laughed, "or maybe his hair just needs extra care tonight."

She rolled her eyes and tracked down an attendant holding a tray of wine. She handed me one and I drank it quickly, hoping it could calm my jitters. I couldn't help the tapping of my foot.

I scanned the crowd as Lysandra talked, I'm sure she knew I wasn't paying attention, but she continued anyway. Elide and Lorcan stopped dancing and found their way to a snack table. Evangeline was dancing with a fae male her age who I bet was the young male who turned into a horse in her class. I found Vaughan chatting with a group of ladies, which was odd to see him here.

And then, entering the ballroom in a clean cut all black outfit, was Fenrys. He found me, his eyes roaming over my body as he drifted closer. His face was serious and his eyes wide as he took in everything from my dress to my face.

Gods, he was breathtaking. His curly blonde hair was pulled back into a low bun and his skin glowed in the golden light. He didn't seem real.

Lysandra stopped talking and was off to the food table as Fenrys stopped in front of me. His mouth was shut but his eyes glowed as they caught the light.