The Fae Locket

Chapter Twenty-Two

Music was blaring from the bandstand; the Holt was alive with a huge party and a feast was laid out around the palace tree. The coronation party was in full swing, it was nearly the end of summer and the nights were still light. There was bunting hanging from every tree, and flowers petals were strewn everywhere. Most of the Fae in the Holt was drunk, dancing about in a merry way and the guards were watching the veil with eagle eyes to keep any mischievous faeries from slipping out of the veil into the night.

Easton and Rose were sat outside the palace on a stage, it was draped with gold thread and various dried flowers were entwined around the sticks that formed the frame above them. Lux was sat beside her brother; she'd added some highlights to her hair which had lightened up the overall shade of her hair. Her dress was stunning, a fishtail black ensemble with a gold trim which caught the light and shimmered. Aine sat next to Lux, they held hands under the table and exchanged cute whispers and giggles. it was wonderful to see how happy they made each other. Rose's mother was the opinionated one and Lux was reserved but steadfast in her thinking, and they complimented each other perfectly.

To Rose's left were several members of the government, old looking men who were not shy in saying controversial statements. Easton looked over at Rose for the first time in an hour, he'd been so busy chatting to everybody on the left-hand side of him that he hadn't had the time to sit down and have a conversation with her. Their eyes met and he squeezed her hand on the table playfully, "You look beautiful today" Easton told her with a smile. A member of the public interrupted him, wanting to personally congratulate him on becoming King. "Are you having fun?" Easton asked Rose when the well-wisher had gone.

"I'm having a lovely time; it is nice to see one of these Holt parties I've heard so much of in the past!" Rose replied.

"Yes, they have been a little crazy in the past. At least we've not had a streaker...yet!"

Rose and Easton laughed before a member of staff poked his head in between the couple and told them that the last of the acts that were about to perform.

The wine was flowing, and most people were drunk, the food was nearly all gone, and Rose looked out at the many empty seats around the tables that had been laid out for the feast. One of the security guards came over and told Easton and Rose that they were ok to dance now that the crowds had dissipated. Excited, Rose jumped up, she had been waiting for this moment all day. It had been quite dull watching everyone else dance, there had been no end of dances by other performers too. A stunning ballerina with long elongated ears pranced around the dance floor, she was graceful, and Rose couldn't take her eyes off her. Easton whispered to Rose that there were many different magical creatures in this world. The thought of all the fairy tales she had heard growing up made her head boggle to wonder which existed and which didn't. These thoughts had preoccupied her mind throughout the ballerina's dance, she counted down the minutes until she would be able to dance with Easton.... She was happy that Easton had been coronated, but it wasn't ideal not being able to fully enjoy the day. Rose didn't even know how to dance well but she hoped that Easton would help her so that it would cover her inability.

The dance finished, and the last of the crowd applauded. The master of the ceremony stood up and introduced to the stage the King for his first crowned dance. Easton stood up and offered out his hand to Rose who grasped it and stood up for the first time in hours. It was sweet relief to be in a different position. They walked out onto the dance floor; Rose's skirt floated around her knees in the gentle breeze. All eyes were on them, she could feel their stares on her skin, but Easton's comforting grip brought her in the centre of the dance floor which was surrounded on three sides by circular tables draped in white cloth.

Tucking a strand of loose hair behind Rose's ear, in the centre of the dance floor, Easton reminded her of how beautiful she looked, "Thank you for agreeing to marry me!" he told her softly into her ear.

"Thank you for standing by me," Rose told him as she leant against his chest. The pair danced by swaying, the empty space around them then got filled as others got invited onto the dance floor. They swayed around mostly in circles, his arms around Rose's waist, their bodies close, Rose rested her head onto Easton's shoulder and inhaled his cedarwood scent, closing her eyes even though so many eyes were watching them, and it felt just for a brief few seconds that this was a private moment despite the people around them. "I love you" Easton whispered to her.