The Throne of the Four Realms ✔

CHAPTER 11 - Of a Royal Ball (Part II)

Her pristine silver ballgown, sparkled on the circular dance floor as she stood in line with the ladies, all facing their partners. Serena kept tucking the curls of her hair behind her ear, that were falling over the sides of her cheeks. Her partner seemed amiable but he couldn't take his eyes off her. I found it borderline creepy. The music changed and the dance set commenced.

Watching all the dancers gliding and swirling around each other, changing positions in sync to the chords, I felt a longing for the dance too. Amelia and I had practiced the different sets of waltzes at home, until a few years ago. Well, then she practiced with her friends at school and I waltzed my body to work every day.

My eyes fell on Prince Nova and Lady Orella who were dancing elegantly a little left to Serena. They seemed to share an easy camaraderie. Nothing more than that would be possible, of course. They knew the laws well, being royals.

Putting a fork in the sausage that was getting cold in my plate, I looked around the room leisurely. The feeling that the ballroom treated every person equally, not as royals or commoners, made me feel at ease.

Taking a swig from my glass of water, I turned around again to look at the dance floor. I wanted her dance to be done quickly so that I could fill in her with my latest discovery. I might have to apologize harder.

I saw Serena, mid-step in her dance, looking tensed. Her eyebrows squeezing close together. And as she twirled around to come face-to-face with her partner, I saw the reason for her distress. His right hand was draped over her waist.

This particular dance form as I recalled, required only the slight touch of hands. Anger crawling over, I got up from my seat, hastily pulling the serviette off my lap. Such a creep. I took merely two steps forward when I saw someone cutting through the line.

The strong burly female Defensor, Lady Una was staring daggers at the man, and swatted his hands off Serena. I hurriedly walked over, just in time to get a close-up of Serena punching the man. Right on the nose. He fell down to the floor, swearing loudly in pain. But one look at the Defensor, he got up without a fuss and backed off.

Lady Una patted Serena's shoulder in admiration and I stood frozen. The dance had seemed to stop and everyone looked at the spectacle. The Lady of Autumn Realm waved her hand over her head and the quartet continued the song quickly. People kept glancing at the departing ladies. Serena came over to where I stood and clutched my hand. Una following her, eyes flitting with rage.

I blinked. She was scary, even when she clearly didn't intend to. Even the tiniest humane actions that she did, made me retrace a few steps backs. I nudged Serena reminding her of the fact that she was a royal, and we both bowed low, "Milady, thank you."

She looked from me to Serena, her irises seemed like pits of darkness, black to the core, terrifying yet beautiful. Her dark black shoulder-length hair, let loose. She had grown up on the island Puerkan and her skin was honey brown, like the sand.

The island had majority of women residents, since most of their men had to leave the island to stay in Central Terraskee where the training of young boys and girls had to be looked after. The Autumn Realm had the best warriors, especially House of Virgo, and one such warrior now stood in front of me.

I had been wondering for a past few days, how my life would have been if I were raised as a true Earth Elemental. I would have been a warrior too! I'd want that, definitely.

"That was a great punch back there," Lady Una said with an expressionless face.

"I just did what you told me to do," Serena smiled politely at her. Finally, I got to see her nervous side.