"Do you remember everything that you need to do?" Narza asked her - for the umpteenth time - from the other side of the divider that separated them.
She breathed in deeply as the maids laced up her back.
"Ye-" She was cut off when the air was pushed out of her lungs. "Yes," she squeaked.
He'd been like this since before the maids even attempted dressing her - which was no quick process. He'd spent an innumerable number of hours now going through the plan of the day once again, despite her attempts to convince him she remembered it all. Several times.
"Good, then I will take my leave."
She sighed in relief. Only for that too to be cut off by a gasp for air.
"Alex is outside; he will guide you to where the king is and then you will enter the room with him. Do not leave his side." Those were his parting words.
She hissed as the maids pulled at the string again - both in pain and frustration. Young she may be, but she was no child.
Luckily, that was the last of it for the corset, and the maids - Mathilda, the Head maid, and Chanti, one of the younger maids, who'd been looking after Ciara since she came here - instead helped her into the petticoats and skirts.
Finally, they'd finished and both looked at her with awe.
"You look stunning, princess Ciara," Mathilda genuinely told her, while Chanti's head bobbed up and down in agreement.
Ciara carefully turned around in the heavy gown to face the mirror they'd placed there. In it stood a woman she barely recognized as herself. The only thing that revealed she was, was her trademark, blonde hair.
She was clad in the most beautiful, lilac dress. Cut so that is showed curves she knew weren't actually there. It left her collarbone and shoulders mostly bare, puffing out at her arms and then slimming in just before the elbow and reaching all the way to her wrists.
The corset made sure to cinch in and create a waist she most certainly didn't have, while also making her chest emerge from the shadows in which they usually resided. Meanwhile the silky, lilac skirts popped out at her hips, further accentuating those as well. The fabric fell all the way to the floor, completely concealing her ankles from view.
Golden embroidery lined every edge and crevice of the dress, only adding exponentially to the elegance of it.
Seeing herself like this, in a dress fit for the mightiest of queens, hair set up in the most complicated updo she'd ever seen, woke strange feelings in her. She felt much more confident in this dress, so much more mature; like she could do this without any problems. That she might just be fit to stand by the king's side.
A knock sounded, bringing her out of her reverie.
"Are you about ready in there, Ciara?" Alex asked from the other side.
His words woke her up immediately and she quickly lifted her skirts and moved towards the door.
"Yes, I am ready," she quickly told him as she opened the door.
He paused for just one moment, then a broad smile spread across his face.
"You look absolutely dazzling, Ciara. You will blow them all away."
She couldn't hide the smile that grew on her face at the compliment.
"Why, thank you." She curtsied exaggeratedly. "You do not look half bad yourself."
For the occasion, he was dressed in the official, formal armor of the Fire Kingdom. The same one Sergon and his men had worn when they first arrived at her home so long ago. Polished and cleaned to perfection so the silver reflected the light from the flames.
He grinned at her, turning all the way around with his arms out wide.
"I could not agree with you more - this armor really does suit me," he teased, drawing a giggle from her. "Now then-" He stuck his arm out for her. "Shall we?"
Her smile faltered a little as she looped her arm around his, giving him only a silent nod in answer. The gravity of what she was about to do was slowly settling on her, taking a little of the initial excitement with it.
If she didn't do this well, it could mean war between the kingdoms. It could mean everyone here would have to go and might not come back. It could mean her family, her father, brother and everyone she'd known since childhood would have to go. Kaisog and Sunrose might even have to as well.
She couldn't even imagine what everything would become if that was to happen - not that she wanted to either.
Without her notice, she realized they'd reached the door to the ballroom, where the king and Greg stood, waiting for and watching her.
The king was clad in a heavy, purple coat with fur lining. Silvers and golds colored the armor he wore underneath - not unlike Alex' in shape. Only, it was so much more extravagant with patterns carved into the metal, matched by the golden crown on top of his head.
He was beautiful dressed like that, but also mighty intimidating. Especially with the hard look he was giving her. The noise from the ballroom didn't help matters either.
She felt Alex nudge her gently.
"You will do just fine, Ciara. None of us will let anything happen to you - neither will the king."
She nodded at him appreciatively, attempting a smile she knew she didn't fully accomplish. In return, he grinned grandly back at her before letting her go and pushing her in the king's direction.
She slowly took her place at his side, moving with all the grace she'd learned the past many days. He easily offered his arm as though he'd done it a thousand times before, and she silently took it, composing herself.
Taking that as the 'okay' sign from her, the king nodded to Greg and Alex, who'd moved to the grand doors, and each of them slowly pushed them open.
She took in a sharp inhale of air as the sounds, lights and smells all came over her at once.
Live music in a lively tune was playing, but it was almost drowned out by the chattering and laughing of the hundreds of guests.
The hallways they'd been in had been dim and only lit up by the occasional torch, so the bright room on the other side had her squinting her eyes.
The smell from the room was heavy, filled with food, perfume and people. It was difficult to breathe, too heavy and thick for her liking.
All of it at once was far too overwhelming and she staggered backwards. Only the tight grip the king had on her arm prevented her from losing her balance entirely.
Before she felt she was the least bit ready, she felt him stepping into the grandiose room, tugging her along after him.
She felt herself involuntarily stiffening the further she was pulled in, the more she saw.
The room was big. Bigger than any room she'd ever seen before and filled with more people than there were in the entirety of the Dragon Kingdom. All of them wore such elaborate and colorful clothes she had no clue where to even start looking. At the other end of the room stood a grand throne. Glaringly empty as it was.
A long table filled to the edges with drinks and foods of all sorts stood to the side. People gathered all around it, hardly letting anyone else through.
And she didn't recognize a single face down there, not even as they all stilled and looked up at the two of them. She'd much rather face a hundred raging dragons than the full attention she was receiving this very moment.
Apparently, the king didn't feel similarly, even though whispers coursed through the crowd like wildfire.
"Welcome, everyone." His voice echoed commandingly through the room and silenced everything. Not even the flames along the walls dared flicker in his presence. "I am glad you all could make it."
She took one moment to let her gaze sweep over the crowd. While the king had been the one speaking and demanding attention, not a single one of them looked at him. Everyone was looking at her. Most curious. Some skeptical. Luckily she could see none directly hateful.
"As you all well know, the West has been quite transparent with their intentions of late." He paused meaningfully as he looked down at all of them. "That is why we had to find a solution." He looked down at her and met her wide, panicky eyes. "I know it is long overdue." He shifted his gaze back to them, his arm slipping from hers and wounding itself around her back, his long fingers splayed out on her waist.
If she'd been stiff before, it was nothing compared to now. She could only stare at the railing before her, not daring to meet anyone's eyes lest they see the pure, unadulterated desperation and fear in them. It felt like even the birds outside were looking at her oh-so expectantly.
Yet, he was completely ignorant of her struggles.
"I present to you Ciara Tarakona, all the way from the Dragon Kingdom. Your future queen," he announced loudly, his voice easily carrying to the furthest corner of the room.
While the room erupted into cheers, she felt her body begin to tremble to the same beat. Never had her mind been so blank, everything Narza had told her completely disappeared without a trace. What was she supposed to do?
She only faintly noticed it when the king leaned just a little closer.
"Nod," he hissed, not sympathetic of her unpreparedness. How was this so easy for him?
'Smile only faintly, then nod deeply but do not bow' Narza's words flew through her mind.
She gulped. She couldn't create any sort of a convincing smile, but she could still nod her head. Probably.
So, with all the grace she could muster in her, she slowly dropped her head only as low as she'd been taught before raising it again. She locked her eyes on the far wall above their heads, not daring to look at any single one of them.
She tried to ignore the applause as far as she could manage, instead focusing on what she'd been taught.
In any moment now, the king would lead her down the stairs at their right, arm in arm into the crowd.
She'd barely finished the thought when he began doing just that. Step by step they descended the grand marble-staircase, decorated with a thick, purple carpet. The crowd gradually parted before them in the direction of the still empty throne. With each step, her nervousness grew just a fraction, but the case was just the same with her memory of what she was to do.
'Do not look at anyone as you walk, do not search for any face you might recognize. Only look straight ahead.'
A certain, curious silence spread around them, only filled by the whispers of the crowd. The turning heads and wide eyes made her feel claustrophobic. Everyone closed around the two of them as though she was a rare animal. Too scared to touch, but too curious to look away.
Only when the throne finally emerged in her sight did she breathe in relief.
Slowly but steadily, they made it to the throne itself. She was supposed to stand by his left when he sat, so she moved to do just that, thinking the worst part of the evening to be over.
She wasn't aware of a time she'd been more mistaken.
It was as though as soon as he sat down, everyone took it as a sign. And not one in her favor, mind you.
In a matter of seconds, a swarm of ladies surrounded her, curious excitement written on their faces as though with ink.
"You are from the Dragon Kingdom, right?" one with particularly curly hair asked. "Do you really tame dragons over there?"
Ciara nodded, but didn't manage a reply before the next one was already there with the next question.
"Is it true that you tamed one here?"
"I heard the guards accompanying her were killed in an attack and it was a dragon that saved her!" another loudly announced.
"I heard it was one of her own guards that attacked them because he did not approve of the alliance!" yet another said.
"Yes, I heard that too. I heard the dragon bit his head off," the second one said, making them all squeak around her.
Ciara could barely follow the conversation as it jumped from one person to the next, the story growing ever more grotesque as it travelled between them.
"I heard it killed everyone violently, as those beasts do. But when the princess passed out, it picked her up with its teeth and flew her all the way to the castle, killing several Dragon Slayers in its fury here too!"
"Ew, no!" a petite and very young girl shook her head. "More importantly, I heard one of the guards was her lover!" she almost shrieked, jumping up and down where she stood. "Is that true?"
Ciara frowned, thankful for the change in topic, but not really liking this direction either. Where did they make all this up anyway? Was that 'lover' supposed to be Kaisog?
She moved to shake her head and deny the question.
"N-"
"How did the king take it?" one asked, taking the earlier statement as fact.
"Yes, and who was he?" another asked, stepping closer
"How long were you together?" yet another lady asked.
From there, each of them stepped just a little closer. Too close. This was all too much.
Ciara immediately started twirling the single, loose tendril of hair between her fingers, just as she'd been told to do when she wanted help.
While the ladies continued firing question after question at her that she didn't have the presence of mind to even register, she looked up to see if anyone was coming, her eyes flying between the posted guards.
But there were none. Every guard seemed to look everywhere but at her. She turned to see if she could find the king, hoping he might be able to help her instead. It was then she realized just how far these ladies had driven her from his side. She was too far away to even be able to call his name.
She only gripped the blonde tendril harder, her head swiveling around to find an escape from her growing claustrophobia.
"Excuse me, ladies. Please let me through," a masculine and comfortingly familiar voice cut through the noise of the crowd.
It was none other than Julian himself, who had made it through the crowd. The grand smile on his face had especially the younger ladies squealing.
Nonetheless, his eyes were trained on her.
"It is such a pleasure to see you again, princess. Would you care for a dance?"
She smiled at him and nodded, glad to finally see a familiar face and an escape all at the same time. Ecstatic, really.
He easily offered her his arm, drew her out of the flock of ladies and towards the other dancing people, where there was much more room to breathe.
"Thank you so much, Julian. I never thought I would escape those ladies." If it hadn't been for his sudden appearance, who knows how long she would've been caught there.
"They can be a ruthless bunch sometimes." He looked down at her. "They are, however, harmless. All they want it gossip."
"That may be, but I still did not like it."
He chuckled. "That, I do not doubt," he said, just as they were reaching the outer edge of the dancers. "Now, never mind them, princess. Might I say you look absolutely stunning tonight?" he stated more so than asked. "As soon as you entered the room, I found myself unable to look any other way."
She felt heat creep up to her cheeks at his sudden attention.
"Thank you," she replied, her voice nowhere near as strong as she would've hoped it would be.
He seemed amused by her shyness, but nonetheless continued pulling her into the moving crowd.
"Have you ever had the chance to dance like this, princess?"
She shook her head. "I have had a few lessons recently, that is all."
It was kind of embarrassing, but she never did learn it in any way that would be called proper.
He only smiled wider, pulling her to a stop in the middle of everyone.
"In that case, I do believe it time you do now." He turned to face her. He gently took hold of her left wrist and placed her hand in the air, palm open wide. He held his own up as well, hovering in the air across hers, but never touching. "Like so." He placed his other hand on his own hip, nodding for her to mirror the stance.
She nodded. While it may be just a little closer than what she remembered being taught, everything else seemed the same. Still, though, this was about all she remembered.
"We are in luck - this song has such a simple tune."
For a moment, she couldn't help but worry she'd only make a fool of herself out here.
"Okay," he slowly started. "Take a small step back with your left." His own foot followed hers. "Now the right," he said, and she did. "Good, now step forward again."
However, when he pulled his right foot back, she stepped forward with her left. Hence, she stepped on his feet.
"Oh, sorry!" she quickly squeaked and immediately jumped back and away from him.
He simply chuckled. "You worry too much, princess. All you need do is follow my lead," He stepped closer to her again, returning to where they started. "Now, let us try again. One foot at a time."
She chewed down on her lip and stared directly at their feet, this time refusing to step on his toes.
Fortunately, Julian was a patient man and easily guided her through the steps at an incredibly gentle pace that did truly fit with the music. She was so concentrated she didn't even see all the others flying around them.
"There you go, princess. You are a natural!" he said once they'd gone through those steps a few times and now matched the rhythm of the music. "It is not so difficult, is it?"
She briefly looked up at him and smiled before her gaze returned to their feet.
"No, it is not as bad as I feared - however that is all because of your skill, not mine."
He grinned grandly at that. "Why, thank you. A combined effort it is, then."
She could only shake her head and laugh at that.
"Now all that is missing would be moving your beautiful eyes from our feet and up to me instead."
The remark made her immediately whip her head up and stare at him.
"Huh?"
"Well, no one else is looking at their feet, are they?"
Though she didn't need to look to know his words were true, she couldn't help but scan the couples all around them. Naturally, none of them were looking down.
"If I do not look, I fear I will only step on your feet again." She wished she'd paid more attention during the lessons.
"If it is you, you may step on my feet as much as you like." He added a wink that made her avert her gaze downward again. "It will be much easier for you to dance with your head raised as well."
"Okay then," she muttered, bringing her gaze up. She'd give it a chance, however as soon as she stepped on him, she'd go back to looking down. No matter what he claimed was easiest.
Truly, the first few steps were unbelievably awkward, especially because he made sure to keep eye-contact. It went and passed though as soon as she found she didn't step on his feet and her movements weren't as stiff.
"You were right," she finally relented when they'd properly fallen back into the rhythm.
"Naturally." He grinned. "How would you like to try a few harder moves? - You are more than ready."
"Are you sure?"
He nodded, the reassuring smile never leaving his face.
"Definitely."
She paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Okay, teach me."
"Great! Then let us try this," Julian trailed off and then began showing and guiding her through the next set of steps.
Ciara couldn't recount a time during her stay in the Fire Kingdom where she'd had as much fun as she did dancing with Julian. She wasn't perfect at it, but that only served to make it that much more fun.
He taught her to step past each other, to go in a circle, to switch positions and much else, all so relaxing and fun she may as well have been playing around with Kaisog as children.
They were stopped, however, when someone tapped Julian on the shoulder near the end of the song.
When Ciara felt the immediate change in Julian, and then noticed the silence surrounding them, she looked up, her jaw dropping.
The king himself had his steely gaze directed at her companion.
"If you would not mind, I would request a dance with the princess," he said with fake formality. As always with him, this wasn't up for debate.
Ciara didn't know what, but she knew she'd done something wrong. She could hear it in his curt tone and see it in the way he clenched his jaw. And the way his eyes glinted like ice in the flickering light.
Stepping back, Julian immediately nodded and released her.
"Naturally." He bowed deeply to the king. He then turned to her and did the same. "Thank you for the dance, princess."
She only nodded, her courage wilting under the curious attention she was getting from the entire room. She didn't want to face the king alone.
Yet, her wishes didn't come true. As Julian disappeared into the crowd, the king stepped into her line of sight, his eyes bearing down on her from above.
Without a word and any inkling of care for the people around them, he held his hand out to her in the air. She only hesitated for the barest of seconds before slowly matching her own to his. She'd only be worse off if she didn't take the offer, she knew that much.
So, she let herself be drawn closer to him as the music started up again. She immediately found herself thankful for Julian's teachings, because this tune was much more unforgiving than the one she'd just gotten used to.
The king spurred them into movement almost immediately. He was surprisingly even easier to follow, fortunate as that was, and she had almost no problem keeping up with him. She didn't dare look in his eyes, however, keeping hers trained on his chest. An oppressive silence filled the space between them. Like a wall of ice she wasn't sure how to break. Or if she even wanted to at all.
However, as everyone around them slowly returned to the familiar movements, he finally broke it.
"I believe Narza and Sergon instructed you on what you were supposed not to do just a few days ago, did they not?" he asked, his voice as sharp as the blade of any sword.
She nodded slowly.
"Then why is it you allow yourself to be courted by that man?"
She had no wish to see his face in this moment. She did, however, frown at his chest.
"I did no-"
"It may not have seemed so to you," he cut her off before she had a chance. "To everyone else, however, that was exactly how it seemed," he told her. "Him included."
She felt her mind freeze at that. Was that really how it had seemed to the king? They'd just had some fun, there was nothing more to it.
And Julian? Surely he thought nothing of it either. He wouldn't mistake it in the same way the king said. Would he?
As her thoughts whirled, she still felt the king's gaze on her, unchanging as ever and revealing nothing to the crowd.
"I am aware that this is your first time, but you simply do have to be cautious princess," he warned her, his voice revealing none of the sympathy his words insinuated. "You letting yourself be courted out in the open like this does not inspire a whole lot of confidence in our engagement."
"I understand. I will be more careful."
Just as she finished her sentence the music died out, instead replaced by a massive applause. Too close to every head was turned in their direction.
Gracefully he leaned in, suddenly eliminating any and all space between them.
He put his mouth next to her ear. "Watch out for yourself, princess. There is nothingbut vultures here."