"Under normal circumstances I would just blend in amongst the crowd but it doesn't seem like I'll be able to." Keira was sitting at her vanity as a maid fixed her hair. It had taken quite the disagreement between her and Sylvia before she caved in and let herself be 'transformed into a beauty.' Sylvia's words, not hers.
"I know, sorry about that."
Keira looked at her from the mirror. "You have nothing to apologize for. It isn't your fault that people are sexist." She wore a midnight blue gown that had a heart shaped neckline. She, of course, altered the dress the same way she did with the others.
A knock sounded at the door as the maid put in the last hair pin in Keira's hair. The maid rushed to the door and opened it a crack.
"Your Highness." The maid curtsied and fully opened the door to reveal Alexander and Ambrose.
Keira turned to get a better look at Sylvia, who appeared to be marveling at Alexander's look. Keira smirked and stepped away from her vanity and pinched Sylvia's arm.
"Ouch! What was that for?" Sylvia rubbed her arm.
"Just making sure you were still present. You seemed a bit hazy there for a second."
Sylvia knew what Keira was implying and swatted her arm.
"Ouch. What was that for?" Keira had amusement glinting in her eyes.
"You know exactly what it was for."
Keira held a hand to her heart. "Whatever do you mean Sylvia?"
"Oh shut it," Sylvia muttered.
Someone cleared their throat and they both looked up to see Alexander and Ambrose still standing in the doorway. "Are you ladies ready?" Alexander smiled at them.
Sylvia saw Keira give her the look, which obviously meant that Keira knew that she was going to give a snide remark so she just rolled her eyes. "Yup, so let's get this done and over with."
~*~
As Alexander made his way over to Keira's room, along with Ambrose, he thought back to their earlier discussion. How many boyfriends had Sylvia had? It irked him that another man has touched his mate.
He knocked on Keira's door and a maid opened it. "Your Highness." She curtsied and scuttled out of the way, exposing an awe-inspiring Sylvia.
His breath caught in his throat as he admired her beautiful body that wore a soft, silken princess gown. Her hair was put up in a bun with strands of curls flowing down. The jewels she wore complemented her beauty.
He finally became aware of Keira's presence and caught her eyeing the two of them with a smirk. She then said something to Sylvia and watched as his Beloved's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.
"Are you ladies ready?" He asked after awhile.
Sylvia's face flashed with momentary annoyance but stopped short of her comment when she saw the look Keira gave her. "Yup, let's get this done and over with," she huffed.
Internally, he sighed. He thought that after he had escorted her to her room the other day that they had broken through a wall but perhaps not, maybe just a slight crack in it.
As they started down the hall with Sylvia's arm looped around his, he couldn't help but take note of where his cousin's gaze drifted off too. He perceived Ambrose's eyes that would rake over Keira's body. He smirked at Keira's unawareness of the interests she was drawing.
~*~
Keira walked behind Sylvia and Alexander. As they strolled down the corridor, she made out Ambrose' vast distance from her. She dismissed it without interest, it wasn't as if she were a parasite.
They came to a stop in front of two large doors that had guards posted at its side. "Your Majesties." They bowed before them and opened the doors for them.
Sylvia began to freak then. "I can't go in there! There's so many people!" She tried to turn around but Alexander held her steadfastly. "Let me go!"
Keira rolled her eyes. "Sylvia, just get inside. What happened to getting it over and done with?"
"I changed my mind! How about we just not do this?" Sylvia was going in hysterics. "I like that idea. Let's go back to your room Keira!"
Keira walked behind Alexander and pressed the back of his knee with her foot. He wasn't expecting that so his leg gave way a bit so he was bent. Utter silence. Alexander and Sylvia were both kissing! Keira knew that she was going to get an earful from Sylvia later on for this but at least it got her to shut it.
Keira rounded back over to where she stood before and waited for the two.
Ambrose stared at her shocked. He was finding that this girl was beyond any woman he's ever met. "Was that really necessary?"
"Did you have a better idea in mind? She was going into hysterics." Keira leaned against the wall. Apparently these two were going to take some time. She glanced around them and noticed the guards grinning at each other. "Men," she thought and rolled her eyes.
It was Sylvia who broke the kiss. She pulled away gasping for breath and then turned daggers on her sister. "What the heck did you do that for?!"
Keira wholly ignored her question. "Well, that was a long five minutes." She tapped her wrist as if she had an imaginary watch on it.
"Ugh, Keira! You're such a jerk!"
"Yes, yes, I understand. Now will you please hurry up. I bet everyone's waiting for you to show that pretty little face of yours." Keira flicked Sylvia's nose.
"No! There is no way I'm going in there now!"
Sighing, Keira looked at Sylvia. "Syl! I will tell everyone in this castle about the time when we went to Matt's party last month and how you were so drunk that yo-"
Sylvia clamped her mouth shut. "Okay, that's enough. I'm going! But I'm still mad at you!"
"I'm okay with that." Keira pulled Sylvia's hand away and placed it back into Alexander's.
With a final glare at her sister, Sylvia inhaled deeply before going through the already awaiting doors.
The sound of trumpets filled the room as they stepped in. An announcer then spoke up. "Lords and Ladies, I present to you, guardians of our most beloved Royals. Lord Ambrose and K-" The announcer looked over at a guy with a scroll in his arms. The boy whispered something to him and he faced the crowd once again. "My apologies. I present to you, Lord Ambrose and Lady Keira."
Keira quirked a brow. "Lady?" She simply shrugged and descended the marble staircase. Everyone whispered and stared at her. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, she stepped to the side and waited for Sylvia to come down.
"And now, as we all know, our princess has returned! And so our beloved prince is now reunited with his Love. Please welcome Prince Alexander and Princess Sylvia!"
Keira couldn't be more proud to be her guardian. She watched as Sylvia gracefully glided down the stairs with Alexander. As soon as they stepped down from the last step everyone erupted in cheers. All glad that their future queen was back, safe and sound.
~*~
It had been about an hour since they've been at the ball and all this time Keira spent it outside on the balcony. There were few people out there because of the frigid night air and she was glad for it. Even though everyone was all tuned to the return of their princess, their eyes still wandered over to her.
Sylvia was still inside with Alexander, talking to her parents. "Sis? Where are you?"
"Just outside, Sylvia."
"Oh."
"Don't worry about me. Have fun, this ball is for you." Keira brushed back a stray lock of hair from her eyes. She sensed Sylvia's hesitancy. "I'm fine, Sylvia. Have fun."
"Okay..." Sylvia sighed and looked around the ballroom. She had been caught up with people coming to her, telling her how thrilled they were to have her back. She smiled and made small talk with each of them and so she didn't have anytime to speak with Keira.
"Princess Sylvia." A nasily voice spoke from behind her.
She turned to find a girl, probably her age, wearing a way too revealing dress. She noticed that all the women seemed to be wearing something of the sort but this girl blew the rest of them off the charts. Her outfit was absolutely, well, skimpy to put it in a nicer term.
"Uh, hello." Sylvia smiled rather uncomfortably. She then noticed Conor standing behind the girl and she greeted him as well. He simply nodded.
"You don't know me but I'm Princess Celine." She said rather poshly.
A light bulb turned on her head. "So this is the girl Keira dissed! So that means," her eyes traveled to Conor for a moment, "he's her guardian."
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
"I'm sure it is," Celine sneered.
Sylvia raised a brow and turned to look at Alexander. He simply gave her a tired expression.
"You know, it must be a shame having a little girl as your guardian. I mean, how is she supposed to protect you! She probably couldn't even protect herself!" Celine laughed, which sounded more like screeching tires to Sylvia's ears.
Sylvia stepped towards her with pure anger coursing through her. "Listen, just because you're a princess doesn't mean you can talk crap about anyone. Especially my sister. Got it?"
"Please, your guardian couldn't take on a fly." Celine narrowed her eyes.
"So tell me again how your guardian lost to Keira?"
The two started bickering and went on to trashing each other.
Celine venomously spat, "A house cat would provide more protection than your poor excuse of a guardian can! And just to clarify, I'm more fitted to be queen than you."
The ballroom grew silent as they stared, shocked at what Celine said. Alexander was infuriated. How dare she talk like that to his mate!
In a split second Keira was face to face with Celine. "I'd back off if I were you. Princess or not, don't ever insult my sister. Got that?" Keira stepped closer to her as Celine backed up against Conor. Keira glared at him. "I'd keep her in check. I won't hesitate to dispatch of her next time she says something like that to Sylvia." Conor looked about to say something, clearly angered by her comment, but Keira wouldn't let him speak. "Do I have to show you the pavement, Conor? I'm sure it's feeling a bit lonely without you now." Keira mocked sadness but then her voice turned cold. "Don't ever challenge my protected again because I assure you, you won't live to see the next sunrise."