Word Count: 2207
Chapter Four:
"Well, I was just about to go over and ask if I could have this dance with such a beautiful lady, but obviously my brother had other plans."
I blushed as I slowly looked up at the crowned prince who was smirking down at me. One of his hands was pressed against my open thigh - there was a leg slit in the dress - tingles erupted from where his hand touched my bare skin which made my breath hitch. The other rested across my waist to balance me from falling.
The Prince's eyes were a dark vibrant green that stood out from his pale complexion and his platinum blonde- almost white hair. They were easy to get lost in, and I felt as if the world had stopped when I stared into them.
I blushed a darker shade of pink and pulled away from the Prince's powerful gaze.
"Prince Adrian of Aldmist," I muttered softly, and respectfully bowed my head, and then I mumbled "I'm going to strangle that boy next chance I get." Which was directed at Prince Felix, who was smiling at us with a thumbs up.
"You know it's a Capitol offense to threaten a prince." Prince Adrian smirked, a chuckle vibrating through his chest. He adjusted his hands on my waist so that we were dancing properly, the orchestra was playing a slow song.
"It's also a Capitol offense to make me come to a ball on a night when I'm supposed to be watching Netflix and shoving icecream in my mouth." I chuckled at the surprised look on his face, obviously no one at this ball had spoken to him like he was an actual person. Most of the women he had spoken to must have been blushing and pushing up their breasts to impress him, where as I was just trying to have a friendly conversation. He gave me a small smile and I stared longingly at his lips. His lips were a full dark pink color, which was another contrast to his pale skin.
Wait what the hell am I doing?
"Oh? And what might your name be so I may report this awful crime to the authorities?" He winked at me, before spinning me out and pulling me back in.
"Jade," I replied, flashing him a smile, "But on the report you file, you must put 'Wizard Jade Of Netflix Land', I'm sure it'd make it easier for the police to find the perpetrator that way." I laughed, as we both spun to the quickening pace of the song.
The prince sent me a breathtaking smile, one I had never seen him wear on the News on TV, or anywhere really. It seemed to be a rarity catching him smile at all, and it made my heart warm knowing that I had put it there.
"Well then Wizard Jade Of Netflix Land, would you give me the honor of going on a walk outside with the beloved Crowned Prince Adrian Of Aldmist?" Prince Adrain quirked an eyebrow, and kept the smile that had blown me away on his face, holding out his arm to escort me.
"A walk with the beloved Crowned Prince Of Aldmist?" I feigned surprise, holding my hand over my heart, "Why would I ever reject such an offer?" I placed my arm over his and he slowly led me towards the back doors of the ball room, a triumphant smile graced his features.
I sent a glance at Prince Felix who was trying to talk to a bunch of elegant looking women, but was turned down as they stared enviously at me. I noticed then that several if not all of the women in the ball room had stopped their conversations and were staring at The Prince and I.
Prince Felix sent me a wink before dissappearing back into the thick jungle of a crowd. Prince Adrian though, held the door open for me as a stepped outside, the cold evening air hitting my shoulders and blowing into my faced. Goosebumps rose on my skin as The Prince led me out onto a terrace.
"And what did I do to have the honor of being outside, alone may I add, with the Crowned Prince?" I turned around to face him, and let out a gasp as I was suddenly pushed against the stone and plaster fencing that kept people from falling off.
Prince Adrian loomed over me in the darkness, his eyes staring down at me. "Show me your mate-tattoo," he said quietly. I blinked, flustered by his sudden change in personality,
Have I done something wrong?
When I hesitated, he said it again, more forcefully this time, "Show me your tattoo, Now!"
I gulped, unable to disobey and held out my right forearm to show him the tattoo. I cringed at how fake it looked, the lines weren't as even as my mother would've drawn them, but the black ink had basically been burned into my skin by now, so it was easy to trace.
Prince Adrian's eyes widened as he unbuttoned the sleeve of his tuxedo and held his own right forearm out.
We stared down at each others forearms before looking back up at one another, our eyes wide.
"No," he mumbled, looking down to double check.
"It couldn't be." I whispered, grabbing his forearm and taking a closer look. Tingles shot up and down my arm from where I had grabbed him, and I immediately let his hand go, gasping.
I sniffed the air and Prince Adrian did the same, before looking directly into each others eyes. The most amazing smell filled my nose, it smelled like the musk of the forest after it rains and old books. It was enthralling , enticing, magnificent.
"It couldn't be, it shouldn't be...we couldn't be..?" I stared at him wide-eyed, taking in his surprised features.
Prince Adrian shoved me harder against the railing and pressed his nose into my neck taking a deep breath, "Mine," he growled, his hot breath fanning across my shivering skin. I gasped loudly at the euphoric feeling and leaned my head to the side.
Woah, woah, woah, what the hell am doing?
I shoved the prince away quickly, much to his surprise, and he stumbled backwards staring at me confused. "I-I must go, goodbye Crowned Prince Adrian, have a good ball!" I frantically picked up the end of my dress, running towards the doors we had just come out of.
"Jade! Wait!" The prince shouted reaching out to grasp my arm, but I was already speeding away towards where I had entered the ball an hour earlier. Women gasped as I shoved them again, pissed that I had shoved or pushed them so disgracefully, but I needed to get away.
I pushed passed a confused looking Prince Felix and was almost up the steps to the exit when someone grabbed my wrist and whipped me around. Prince Adrian stood there, in all of his glory, confusion, anger, and pain gracing his beautiful features. "I'll find you again." He said in an aggressive tone. My eyes widened further and I ripped my arm away from him and ran up the remaining steps, once I was at the door, to guards stepped in front, aiming their guns at me.
I was about to use my persuasion to get them to move when I heard Prince Adrian's airy voice say "Let her go," and the guards stepped away, glaring at me as I sprinted out the doors and down the grand stairs.
I didn't stop running until my heels had snapped and it started raining, dampening down my hair and my dress. I was standing in the middle of a dirt road when I broke down, falling to my knees in a muddy heap and sobbing my eyes out.
I cant have a mate! I can't have a fudging soulmate! I don't have a mate-tattoo, so I can't have a mate. That poor prince in there thinks I'm his mate because we coincidentally have the same tattoo drawn on our skin. But his is real, and mine is fake.
"Fake,"
Fake, fake. fake. The word feels disgusting as it rolls off my tongue. I start scratching the fake tattoo as hard as I can until I start bleeding, the black ink from a pen slowly running down my arm with a trail of blood, tears, and raindrops.
I can't have a mate. I don't have a mate. I don't want a mate...right?
Hyperventilating I stand up from my position on the muddy ground and start running home, praying that Jackson and Angelica aren't doing anything nasty when I arrive.
---
The door flew open and a smiling Angelica appeared in my vision - until she saw the state I was in.
I didn't have shoes on, my hair was wet and clung to my face, my dress was muddy and tattered, I looked like a Zombie Bride. "Sweetheart..." Angelica frowned pulling me inside and closing the door behind us. "What happened?" Jackson asked as he walked into the front room.
My lip quivered and I let out a choked sob, falling onto the couch behind me. "Th-The Crowned Prince thinks I-I'm his mate."
Angelica and Jackson glanced at each other worriedly before looking back at me, "Thinks?" Angelica questioned softly, as Jackson ran off to get me some towels. I nodded scratching at my forearm where my fake tattoo was.
Without thinking I held out my right forearm as Jackson walked back into the room. "I-I don't have a-a mate." I stuttered, Jackson dropped his towels in surprise, "I d-don't have an actual tattoo...please d-don't tell the Elders."
I pulled my arm back to me and scratched at it more, curling up into a ball.
"We wouldn't ever betray you like that darling. Jackson go get the emergency kit, we need to clean her scrapes and cuts." Angelica pulled me into her and hugged me tightly.
Ever since I was small, its been beaten into my head that I don't have a mate, that I won't ever share that kind of love with someone, or receive anything affectionate...ever, which is part of the reason I'm letting it all out now, another reason I'm a sobbing mess is because the prince thinks I'm his mate, his soulmate, his other half, when in reality he has an actual mate out there that is not me, and it will never be me. Ever.
---
Within the cold house walls sat three brothers, Felix, Adrian, and Sebastian. They shared similar features, green eyes, pale skin, and almost white hair, which was strange, for their families all had tan skin, dark hair, and brown eyes, which made them the rarities. Shining emeralds in a field of rubies.
The boys stared at each other silently, their green eyes darting around at each other in expectation. Adrian sat up straighter glancing at his younger brothers who waited patiently, "She is the one," Adrian said calmly, although his insides were churning with nervousness at what his brothers could be thinking.
"How could that be true? You're the only one, aren't you?" Sebastian, the shyest, self-reserved, and kind brother quietly asked. He was seventeen, two years older than his younger brother Felix, though all of the three brothers looked similar. The only differences between the boys were the shades of green in their eyes, their personalities, and tiny little quirks, like an upturned nose, lower eyebrows, a soft cleft chin, stubble. You could tell the brothers apart, but you could tell that they were brothers, and that their bond was stronger than most.
"I don't know how, Sebastian. But she is it." Adrian nodded at his shy brother, who shook his head slowly, before his eyes went down to the emerald ring on his middle finger.
"She's your-"
"Yes."
"But how could it-"
"I don't know."
"But you can't have a ma-"
"I know."
The Sebastian and Adrian's bickering was interrupted by a smiling Felix,
"When is she coming to the castle with us? When's the announcement going to be?" Being the youngest of the three, Felix was the jokester, the brother who tried to lighten things up, but the seriousness of the conversation was hard to dampen with a gentle joke. All Felix was, was excited, to finally have a new face in the castle, plus, he truly liked the girl that they were discussing - as a friend of course.
"I will have my guards figure out where her home is, and on Sunday we will take her back. The announcement will be made Monday morning, although she will go public whenever she finds herself comfortable." Adrian had the whole plan thoroughly ready in his head. He would show up at his mates front door, swoop her into his arms and take her back to his castle, to which she would gladly follow him to, because c'mon, what girl wouldn't swoon over the crowned prince?
"So I guess it's set then..." Sebastian nodded at his brothers before Adrian spoke,
"Jade Harvingston of Esterhaven, will accompany me to the Aldmist Castle, Sunday April twenty-third, for she is my soulmate. The one I shall forever be connected to."