This chapter is dedicated to one of my closest friends to date. Happy, very late, Birthday, Luiza!
I ended up spending the whole night in the Enchanted Forest with Adonis. We mostly stared at the stars. Although it doesn't count as our night together, Adonis said if I didn't feel comfortable, he would count it. I said no, it might be worth having the younger prince wrapped around my little finger. Not that Adonis isn't an excellent piece of work, I just -
I take a deep breath. Adonis and I had decided to meet tonight. Seeing as it is an hour to sundown, and I haven't even decided what to wear yet, I think it would be appropriate to pay a visit to Madisón. Although I don't think she'll be in a good mood after this morning. We had spent three hours looking for Charlotte and came out empty-handed. Training was canceled for today due to some girls suffering severe injuries. Instead, we would be adding in some combat to a magic session next week.
I open my dark, oak door and step out into the elaborately decorated hallway leading to Madisón's room. As I walk, I take time to inspect the hall. Paintings with muted colors adorned each wall, alongside lit candelabras. Come to think of it, the castle was quite dull compared to mine, which my mother had spent every day renovating from the woodland style my grandmére had adopted from the witches. Our castle was bright and vibrant, yet still luxurious. Allowing it not to be mistaken for a bazaar. The Queen has a terrible sense of style. Even her dresses are drab, though they are expensive.
I reach Madisón's door and knock.
"Coming!"
I hear the patter of heels, and the door is suddenly yanked open. The broad smile that had once been on her face fell.
"Oh."
I give her a small smile, "Oh? Am I that disappointing to see?"
She shakes her head and steps aside. I let out a tiny gasp, there were clothes strewn everywhere, and I feel a twinge of sadness. If Charlotte were here, she would've had a heart attack seeing so many suitable dresses being wrinkled. But she isn't. She hasn't even sent Madisón or me an invitation to her birthday, which is in two days.
"You thought I was Charlotte, didn't you?"
Madisón slams her bedroom door, and I hear a loud sigh.
"I might have a remedy."
I hear her heartbeat accelerate and turn around to see a massive smile on her face.
"I need an outfit for tonight."
Her eyes visibly widen, and she immediately grabs my arm, dragging me to her closet. The second she opens the large, oak door I see clothes everywhere. None of them being remotely concealing. Each one had a slit here or a plunge there, allowing the wearer to show as much skin as remotely possible yet still somehow covering enough skin to be considered proper.
As I continue to stare at the vast expanse of dresses, I notice a patch of silver amongst heaps of red dresses. Shoving all Madisón's scraps of clothing aside, I reach my destination. Gingerly, I grab the masses of silver and take them into Madisón's bedroom. Looking back toward the closet, I see that Madisón is nowhere the eye can see, and gesture my hands towards the mess of clothes that covered every spot the eye can see. They quickly drift towards the closet, a couple of skirts whipping my face as they flew by, and hang themselves into their appropriate areas.
I gently set down what I could now see are three dresses made entirely out of spider silk. One dress made of spider silk is approximately sold for a minimum of 10 years of human life, but these were no ordinary dresses. They were full gowns, each one having a signature detail. Now, these could cost a century. Back in the day when vampires had human slaves, they would use 3-4 humans to purchase such dresses from witches. Now, these could sell for a fortune. So what business could Madisón have hanging these up where anyone could take them. Before I have enough time to analyze each dress, Madisón comes barging out of the closet, two dresses in hand.
She raises her eyebrows at the dresses I had placed on her bed, but quickly shrugs and smirks. Raising each dress separately with both her hands. One was a rich purple with an open back, embroidered in silver thread artfully woven through a skirt so tight it sticks to the other side. The other was a deep blue v-line dress that had glitter scattered on its skirt to look as though it was the night sky. I loved it. Instantly, I reached towards the dress, and Madisón laughs, handing to me.
"I knew you'd choose that one! Now for heels to match."
Instantly two seven-inch heels appear in front of us, one of them silver and the other black. She tosses me the black ones which land softly on the bed behind me. Turning around, I see the heel is shaped like stars, and the actual shoe itself was a black velvet lined in gold. These probably cost her a fort- you know what she probably got gifted those from an old lord with gold for balls that has a thing for those under 200.
I look back to see her already dressed, her hair braided in a crown around her head. She smirks.
"Now, let me work my magic."
With a flick of her wrist, a large puff of dust surrounds me, and I close my eyes and cough only to open them seconds later and see I'm fully dressed. Even my hair fell in loose curls around my shoulders, and I had a feeling I was wearing make-up as well. Madisón leans back on her bedroom door, picking at her now purple nails. She opens the door and beckons for me to follow.
"Hurry now, Eby. I have a man to meet."
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I knock on Adonis's door, mimicking the sultry stance Madisón had used walking deeper into the royal wing. We had split off when I reached my dates door, and she only gave me a wink goodbye before disappearing into the long hallway that went on for as long as the eye could see. The door opens, and I see Adonis leaning lazily against the doorframe. His shirt is rumpled and casually tucked into his tight trousers with most of the buttons open, and yet he still manages to look clean.
"Hello Ebony, I didn't expect for you to come by today."
"By the looks of it, you didn't expect me to come at all."
He lets out a smooth chuckle. In terms of attractiveness, Adonis was better equipped than his older brother.
"That I didn't, but I must say it's a very delicious surprise. Come in."
Adonis tugs gently on my wrist, both pulling me into his room and crushing me against his partially bare chest. Not that I'm complaining. He smells of fresh pine and peppermint, my favorite. Suddenly, he pushes me back against the now-closed door to the hallway, my hands pushing against his chest in a weak attempt to get out. He's strong, but I'm sure I could push him off if I wanted to.
"We both know what you're here for, getting all dolled up only to wear a dress that barely covers your skin to see me. Trying to learn all my brothers' secrets from me, aren't you? Sorry but that won't work on me again-"
He shuts his mouth, jaw clenching. He just let out some valuable information I could use against him, and we both know it. Instead of pointing that out though, I only roll my eyes and do the one thing I could think of, I grabbed his shirt and pinned him to the door. Anger fueling my movements, the audacity of this man, he isn't entirely wrong about my intentions in coming here, but there's more to it. He piqued my curiosity. I genuinely want to know more about him, especially now that it seems there's bad blood between him and his brother, which isn't all that surprising.
I take my time absorbing all his features. His cropped hair goes perfectly with his angular jaw. A scar runs through his left brow leading down to mesmerizing liquid pools of gold that make up his eyes. He smirks, but one filled with disgust. He opens his mouth to speak, but I rest my index finger on his lips.
"Hush now, before you ruin the moment. I didn't come here to get your brother. I prefer you far better than that insufferable boar. I came here to learn more about you, but since it doesn't seem like you'd like to do the same, I'll leave you be."
Pushing him aside, I grab for the door handle only to see him appear in front of me. His eyes burn with desire as he gently caresses my face. I can't tell who leans in first, but our lips suddenly crash together. His kisses were desperate as if he were searching my mouth for something he couldn't find but desperately needed. I respond just as earnestly, and my hands begin to roam up his sculpted chest. I gasp as he begins to kiss down my neck, leaving a trail of heat burning across my shoulder. He tugs me into him and I arch my back. He groans, sucking on my collarbone.
Just as I'm about to pull him back up for another kiss, a wind fills the room.
"E-Eby, come to my room now. I just saw something. Please, I-I can't-"
Madisón's voice cuts off with the wind message, and my blood turns to ice inside me. I push Adonis back, giving him the same wink Madisón had given me earlier today and rush out of his room down the hallway.
Madisón's seen something, but what? What could be shocking enough that Madisón of all people gets surprised by it, and she's seen and been in a lot of outrageous situations. Whatever it is, I'm on my way to find out, and nothing will get in my way.
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This is about the fifth time I've spent months without writing a chapter, and for that, I would like to apologize sincerely. I'll be working on writing this every day for as much as I can.
Avoir !
-MagicallyMental