Hello guyss! I know this is super late.but academics is being annoying and rigourous and I just ended my block tests. They were horrible...but anyways im free now..kind of. .. I have a month of holiday before the.next exam anyway :). enjoy the uberrr long chappie!!! please review! !!
I just want to add that the title for this chapter came from the title of an wonderrrful fanfiction on tom riddle and hermione!! I can't rmb the author but do check it out!!
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The Grand ballroom in the Institution was lit by sparkling candlelight, small talk and twinkling laughter as the influentials gathered to show off and boast. Anxious mageling girls fussed about their appearance while assessing the competition. The atmosphere of ease and sophistication was hindered by one thing. The sense of anticipation was thick and it was not hard to see frequent glances at the entrance many stole surreptitiously.
Prince Fallon was late.
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A safe distance from the ball, Kashara stood amongst the Pavilion in the Institution. She flinged stones across the surface of the lake and used her magic to make them fly. She twisted her face into a scowl as the noise streamed from the ballroom to her ears.
'They are being totally paranoid! Honestly I don't want to be his bride and the probability of me - a poor class mage - being chosen is close to zero' She complained to the trees. Now she was stuck in the frigid cold, hungry and tired listening to their exclammations of laughter and joy waft through the air like an appetiser to an feast that was never going to come.
Kashara went back to grouchily flinging stones at the lake as if they had done a great personal monstrosity to her.
-----------Fallon-----------------------------@------@-----@------@
Prince Fallon stood at the entrance to the ball. He scanned the ballroom as a wave of chatter and gossip hit him like an icy blast ( I know :p frozen song). He strode into the ballroom as a blithering moron, one of the attendants, hurried towards him babbling excitedly "Prince Fallon I'm so glad you are finally here! Everyone has been waiting for you!"
The fool could hardly keep up with his strides as he pointed out various courtiers and nobles to him. Fallon resigned himself to a monotonus time of scouring through brides from the meagre selection.
For the umpteenth the idiot had brought yet another courtier and his daughter to introduce to him. Fallon let his eyes rake over the girl. She was one of those spectacularly beautiful ones that made you feel slightly awed and nauseous at the same time . The seductive flowing dress she was wearing only emphasised her figure and curves.
'I don't mind this at all.' Fallon thought to himself as he clasped her hand and brought it to his lips. A blush broke across her face and her breasts heaved. She parted her lips in wonder. Fallon pulled her into his arms and moved to dance in the center of the room. His hands gliding over her smoothly, lingering too long in places to be considered innocent.
Meanwhile his mind probed her magical ability. 'Pitiful.' He though in disgust as he realised that she could not even hold up a defence barrier for a minute. She resisted for a while, but as soon as he entered her mind, her confusion evaporated into a semblance of contenment.
He lulled her mind into a state of peace as soon as he invaded it. He began sieving through her memories. Since she was an important courtier's daughter she might know the dynamics in court or anyone who resented the Protector. That would benefit him immensly.
However he found to his great displeasure that the girl was ridiculously vapid and hero worshipped the Protector. He would have expected this from a courtier's daughter, but a nagging suspicion overtook him. He delved deeper into her mind, surprised at having to fight a faint resistance of fog. He found a memory, that made everything clearer.
The Lord Protector and Gemini were addressing a huge bunch of girls -probably mages. The Protector was speaking with gusto. "...My dear girls! Prince Fallon and his courtiers will be arriving on Erth in a week. He will choose one of you to be his queen and rule Demitytes. This, we have to use to our benefit! We have to use Demitytes to support Erth. When one of you becomes the Queen, you have to be ready to follow instructions from Erth to help our glorious purpose! When you are the Queen , you cannot be an puppet, you must be ready to trick, fight or even kill to better Erth. You are not going to Demitytes to be an pampered royal, you are a spy! You will fight for Erth and for your family and friends! Do you understand the risks and give your utter allegiance to me and our cause?"
Though the Protector asked this as a question he looked like he would murder anyone who said 'No'. Behind the girls a few mages looked curiously like they were caating a spell on the girls.
Fallon reemerged from the girl's mind furious about what Erth was trying to do. This was all an hoax! An hoax to take over his kingdom. An show to infiltrate his Planet. He did not need an mindless spy in his midst. This ball was off!! He was not going to allow Erth to take over Demitytes. His Demitytes.
Fallon released the girl who was quite taken aback, her dreams of a demitytan palace coming crashing. He strode out of the ballroom. His uncles could take care of this business. He was not going to stand for this faux of a ball.
The outside of the ballroom offered better sights then the inside. A glorious stretch of gardens did something to calm him down. However Fallon still seethed. His gaze swung towards a pair of swans gliding across the lake surface. Annoyed and irritated Fallon moved his hand and the water surface rose and began choking the pair of swans mercilessly.
-Kashara---------------------------------------@---------------------
Kashara could here a symphony of cackles as she gazed across the lake. A mage was torturing swans! Of all the useless and pointless things to do, this took the prize. She couldn't believe anyone could be so heartless to torture innocent birds.
Fuming mad, Kashara made her decision in a split second. She recalled what little she had learnt recently in the Institution and stepped on the water lightly, concentrating on her charm to remain on the water surface. She soon began sprinting across the expanse of the lake.
Unable to come to a stop on the other end, Kashara was launched off the water and headbumped the mage, sending him sprawling across the lawn. The swans that were released as the spell broke, flew away frantically.
--------------------------------------------------Fallon--------------
Fallon did not know what hit him, but he was so shocked that for a minute, his eyes were colourless. Completely blank of thought or intention. However they soon settled into an unatural obsidian black that gleamed of a malovence darker than the night sky. He was angry.
He scanned the ground for what had knocked him over and found an figure, an mageling probably from the powerful aura given off, stirring weakly nearby.
Fallon's lips curved as he directed water to slink arond the mage's neck. The mage was lifted into the air flailing about as Fallon began to choke him.
Suddenly the water exploded into droplets as the mage dropped to ground at his feet. Fallon grabbed the mage's hair, which was absymally long. 'Crude erthling practices!' Fallon thought as he hauled the boy up.
Suddenly Fallon was sent flying overhead by the boy. The mage had managed to somehow flip Fallon over despite his puny stature. Fallon got up his ego more bruised then he was.
Enraged, he let his energy diffuse into the air along with his anger. Flames flared up, circling the mage who was poised to run, his back facing Fallon. He was trapped. Fallon relaxed, his irises gleaming a enthralling midnight blue, he leisurley strolling across the fire which merely licked him, to physical punish the insolent boy. He had won and his pride was restored.
He grabbed the mage from the back, intent on turning him around. His hands circled around the boy's freakishly slim torso. He noticed the boy tremble slightly. Good. The boy was afraid, as he should be. Suddenly his hands bumped into something soft. Something suspiciously feminine.
Shocked Fallon stumbled back a few steps. A Girl! The mage was a girl! He grabbed HER wrist and spun her around. Obviously, she was supposed to be in the Ball! Had she run off? He wondered as his eyes raked over her, lingering on her rather boyish slim uncurvy build with displeasure.
' A shame' he thought impishly 'she had felt quite nice when I touched her'.
He concluded she had probably run off from the Ball, considering her uncouth behaviour. However he noticed she wasn't even dressed up for the Ball.
'The Erthling courtiers were not as careless to miss the fact that a mage girl -quite a powerful one at that, if her aura was any indication- was missing. So either she was banned from the ball or she was not an registered mage." he thought.
Either way, things were turning out good for him. Maybe she did not blindly follow the Protector. Just to be sure Fallon searched her mind, smug as she cried out in pain against the siege. Images and scenes swirled around him like water as he breached her mind. He saw enough.
This girl had uncovered a key mystery in Erth and it would be useful to have her near him. Though she knew it not, she would one day make an powerful mage and she was best for the task back in Demitytes.
He had decided. She was his bride. She was the most powerful one amongst the girls and she was obviously against the Protector. He would rather allow a crude harmless tomboy into his planet then a scheming vixen.
He paused suddenly. What if the Protector had planned a set up such that this would happen, and now he was choosing his own assassin. Fallon assessed the girl, grimacing in pain, subconsciously leaning gently against his shoulder.
Considering he couldn't find anything suspicious in her mind and he had beaten her once, he was quite sure this was not the case. Besides, the Protector was not that intelligent to suspect he would walk out of the Ball and come up with such an elaborate and ingenious plan.
Fallon grabbed her wrist again and tugged her along to the Ball.
"What are you doing!?" the girl exclaimed have suddenly found her voice. Seemed like her fear of him had evaporated. Shame. He liked fear. Sighing in annoyance he tugged her again as she dug her heels into the ground. However, she was no match for Fallon, who had his genes to thank for it, and was soon dragged along.
--------''''--------------"''------------------------Kashara--------------
The strange mage pulled her closer and closer to the ball, confirming her suspicions that she was going to be punished for not staying in her Koitonas like instructed.
Strange tingles were spreading from her wrist the mage was holding. Suspicious that some magic was being used, Kashara glared at the mage. However now the Ball's resplendent hangings lent light to stranger's face and Kashara gasped.
'Great Athena! It was the Prince of Demitytes!' Kashara realised with a jolt.
Sudden apprehension struck her heart and she overcame her lethergy and began to struggle but it was useless. Fallon dragged her into the Ball. Their abrupt entrance coupled with Kashara's loud exclaimation to let her go attracted the attention of enough gossipers to settle a hush through the Ball.
The Crowd began gathering and hushed whispering grew as the vipers of Erth court began to ponder and wonder.
Fallon eased his iron grip on her and waited until the crowd had surrounded them. An ominious smile was curling at the corner of his mouth.
'What was he hoping to accomplish with her in the Ball? Was he going to complain about her to the Protector?' Kashara thought wildly as more and more people began circling them. Kashara noticed the Protector push his way through the crowd into the front his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
'Oh Artemis! This was not good! Totally not good!' Kashara thought as she tried to free her wrist from Fallon. It seemed he had been waiting for the very person Kashara dreaded, for now he began to speak in a low voice that carried over the crowd.
"I'm afraid your Ball was a complete waste of my time! Had I known that I would be finding the woman of my dreams outside, banned from the Ball, I wouldn't even have set foot into the abysmal hoax" Fallon paused as eerie silence settled amongst the crowd. He turned to her, his eyes softening believably, his lips crinkled into a gentle smile.
'Bride?' Kashara was stunned. 'Was this some form of punishment? Marriage? He had to be kidding her!' Kashara would have believed his smile had she not seen the warning and steel in his eyes and felt the death grip on her wrist.
Whatever she was going to say or protest, she decided, could wait later. She wasn't a fool to challenge him when he was already physically restraining her and looked like Grim Reaper's cousin.
'Albeit a very handsome one, especially up close', her mind added traitorously.
"I've chosen my bride! One of your mages, who was restricted from attending the ball, I'm sure, because the protector felt she was unsuitable for me. I know your Emperor..." An hiss filled the air because this term was considered an insult in the 'absolute democracy' of Erth. Kashara glanced at Fallon, surprised he was smiling satisfiedly.
Suddenly she understood. Fallon was not trying to appease the crowd or the protector. He was trying to warn Protector and let him know he was not going pick a spy as his bride. She thought back to what she had overheard that day. Looks like Protector's plan had failed.
'So you've decided to marry him already?' The snide voice asked. Kashara dismissed it guiltily, 'I was thinking that now Fallon knows about his plan. NOT about me marrying him!' She hastily added, 'Which I will Not!'
Fallon waited for silence to fall again, " I know your Emperor had MY best interests at heart but I'm afraid I know how to choose the BEST bride for me." Fallon again gave her gentle look and smiled, leaning towards her as if he was going to... Kashara backed away in horror! She stumbled into the crowd and knocked an elderly courtier down. Whispers began to fill the air again as people began faintly recognising her.
"Kashara darling! Do try not to be such a blushing virgin dear!" Fallon was all charm and sweetness as he tugged her to her feet. Or more like dislocated her shoulder. Kashara seethed as she realised what he had done again. Exposed her identity. The Ball now knew who she was.
It was as if Fallon had released a thousand wild animals and birds into the air. It was a cacophony! The Ball was in an uproar as furious whispers flew overhead. Kashara tried to look small and insignificant as numerous stares pierced her. She silently vowed retribution to Fallon as he perched his hand obnoxiously on her waist. She tried to ignore the sparks his hand's weight sent through her body as she gritted her teeth.
Her eyes met the Protectors' and Kashara shrunk under the ferocity of his gaze. He did not look happy.
Neither was Kashara. She tried to shrug Fallon's hand off, but now Fallon swivelled to face her, he looked at her lips pointedly and turned back, continuing his drama with some inane comment the crowd would drink up. The meaning in his eyes were clear. 'Shrug my hand off and I will kiss you.'
Kashara tried to quell an image of her and Fallon kissing her traitorous mind conjured up. She did not need that now, not when she was in a very dire situation..or as some people said, caught in between a rock and an hard place.
The snide voice now asked her if the hard place was Fallon's firm chest pressed against her back or something even lower. Kashara groaned mentally.