-Third Person Point of View-
The ball had finally started as guests were filing into the grand ballroom from all over the nine realms. Tables full of food were against the wall at all four sides and the centre of the ballroom was full of people dancing to the elegant music the castle orchestra played.
"What's the matter Avenal? First royal ball?" Stark nudged the girl who was twisting the emerald ring on her finger. Lilith scoffed at Tony and rolled her eyes.
"Nonsense Stark! I've been to plenty of royal balls and parties, can't you tell" Tony chuckled and left to find a servant handing out ale. The Avengers had spread out across the ballroom trying to mingle with the nobles and other royals.
Thor and Loki had left to go speak to some kings and Queens leaving the group to fend for themselves. Pietro was trying to chat up a poor girl from Alfheim and Bucky was having difficulty explaining his metal arm to a group of small princes and princesses. Peter stood awkwardly by the wall with Lilith as they watched Wanda & Vision and Nat & Steve dance in the centre.
"Dobyou think we have the skill to do that?" Peter asked tilting his head to the dancing women and men. At that moment the girls were lifted into the air and spun around to elegantly land back onto the floor.
"Nope" Lilith said making a popping noise for the P.
The two stood talking to each other laughing and giggling at Pietro's failed attempts at flirting with the women as Sif and the warriors three made their way towards them. Instead of their usual armour, Sif wore a lovely dark blue dress, and the warriors wore more formal attire.
"You two look dashing" Volstagg said jollily finishing off his ale.
"Indeed you do" Fandral bent down, and kissed Lilith's hand making Sif cringe and flick his ear. "Hey! Can't I be polite~"
"No, no you can't" Hogun deadpanned making Fandral scowl.
"Thank you Volstagg, you all look handsome and gorgeous as well" Lilith poked Fandral's nose and linked arms with Sif. "But if you excuse me, I'm going to dance with Lady Sif."
Sif raised her eyebrow fascinated and smirked.
"After you then" the two girls laughed as they left the men confused and walked out on the dance floor. They linked hands and began to dance and twirl in sync with the other pairs and fumble around not having a care in the world. "You're not such a bad dancer."
"Why thank you M'lady, I try" Lilith replied scrunching up her nose. She stopped dancing with Sif when she felt a large hand rest on her shoulder and a man clear his throat.
"Excuse me madam, may I have this dance?" Lilith turned to see Loki back with a lopsided grin on his face. Sif winked to Lilith and excused herself away from the two.
"Why of course your highness, who would I be to refuse a prince?" Loki chuckled and rolled his eyes. Grabbing her hand and pulling her close to his chest, laying his second hand on her lower back.
"Must you always be so sarcastic?"
"Of course! Especially since you interrupted my dance with Sif" the two laughed and chatted as they danced to the soft music. Loki twirled Lilith around and pull her back into his arms making pink appear across her cheeks.
"You've gotten better since the last time we danced" Loki commented dipping Lilith ad raising her back up.
"Is that meant to be a compliment?" Lilith gasped dramatically.
"You know what I take it back now" Loki rolled his eyes playfully. Lilith laughed loudly and spun Loki around this time catching him by surprise.
"You know you love me" she said with a smirk. Loki looked at her dark stormy eyes with admiration and smiled softly. He pushed a strand of hair from her face as they danced, and the song came to a near end. The orchestra stopped playing their instruments and the crowd around the dancing pairs gave a small round of applause. The two stood in the middle of the dance floor. Loki grabbed Lilith's hands hesitantly ready to tell her what he wanted to tell her since he gave her the ring.
"Darling, there's something I want to tell you and I don't think I can keep to myself any longer" Loki said quickly.
"I'm all ears Lokes, what is it?" Lilith replied unknowingly. Loki took a deep breath.
"Lilith I-"
"Prince Loki, you are needed. You are required to greet the royal family of Alfheim and greet them" a servant said politely bowing their head to the prince who furrowed his eyebrows annoyed.
"Yes, thank you I'll be right there" Loki let out with a sigh. He looked back to Lilith with a sad smile, "I suppose I'll have to keep it to myself until this situation is dealt with. I'll be back soon darling, go stop the men from making a fool of themselves" Loki nodded towards Pietro and Sam who were having a contest to see who could drink the most ale within a minute.
"Of course your highness" Lilith giggled to herself and bowed before the prince mockingly. Loki rolled his eyes and went off to complete his duty.
Lilith stood back up and began to make her way through the crowd of nobles and royals towards the Avengers. As she walked the people around her whispered and looked her up and down judgingly. Eyes lingered on her for a bit too long and the whispers weren't exactly quiet.
"Did you see her with the prince? I can't believe he'd dance with her" a woman snarled glaring daggers at her. Lilith kept her eyes in front of her trying to shake the comment off, it was just one comment after all, just one woman.
"Does she really think the prince would go for someone like her? She's a Midgardian and not a very pretty one at that, look at her!" another girl whispered to her friend who snickered. The further she walked the worst the comments got.
"She's a gold digger"
"She's using him"
"He must feel sorry for her"
Lilith kept her head held high, but it was getting harder to supress the tear that was threatening to spill from her eye. It wasn't knew hearing such nasty comments, but it never got easier hearing them.
"She's pathetic" that was the breaking point. Being only a few feet away from the team Lilith changed directions and made her way to an archway on the side of the ballroom which led out to the garden.
Natasha and Wanda just caught sight of her as she left, along with the others who stopped what they were doing. As Lilith quickly rushed out the comments didn't stop, they only increased with the woman gone. Natasha and Bucky glared at the jealous woman and petty men ready to fight but were held back.
"Calm down Nat, look" Clint whispered into her ear subtly as Loki came closer to the group back from the other royals with a concerned look on his face.
"Where has Lilith gone? I thought she'd be here with you; I need to tell her something important" Loki said fiddling with hands.
"She just ran off through there" Vision pointed to the archway, "some of the people here said some... unkind things."
"Go after her" Peter winked to Loki. Loki nodded his head and walked towards the archway in a hurry to find Lilith.
He hoped that she wasn't too affected by the others. It was uncommon for some of the men and women to be bitter towards any female him or Thor engaged with. They all wanted to be a possible suitor they would court and marry, they all wanted to be a king or queen and were willingly to do what was necessary to achieve that, even use the princes.
That was precisely why he adored Lilith; she was the opposite. She couldn't care if he was royalty if anything she used it as a way to poke fun at him and get under his skin. She doesn't care about status or power. To him she's... perfect.
Eventually Loki spotted Lilith. In the middle of the garden she sat on the side of the stone fountain that spewed water which slightly glowed gold. The light reflected on her teary face, and he felt his heart sink. Lilith ran her finger over the stone and traced the cracks with her finger and let out a shuddery breath.
"Darling?"
-Scarlett Johansson-
Nat and Bucky in that room ^
It may be 3am but I'm posting another chapter.
"AnOthEr!"
~ Lilly <3