Elijah and I made our way back to the ball. He ran off to his adoptive parents and I looked around for Rone. The Queen seemed to be having the time of her life as did all her guests "Nadia?" Crap my father, Lux.
He wore his same old blue suit and white collard shirt underneath, "Hello." His calm stormy eyes scanned me up and down.
"The word is that you and Rone have been getting very close. I thought you were just his guard, isn't that a bit unprofessional?" He jabbed, his lips tight and his fiery red eyes blazing.
"Whats it to you?" Apparently word really does travel fast.
"Just surprised is all," he said putting his hands in his pocket. "You know he's to be king sooner or later right?"
"Of course I know."
He gave me an annoyed look and I knew it was because of how vague I was being. I don't think being Queen is what you want. Didn't you dream of being a commander of the Trax?"
"I like him that's all that matters," I sighed. "I need to go look for Rone, it was nice seeing you Lux. Tell mom and Simon I said I will be over soon."
"With Rone?" My father asked.
Walking away I said with a twisted smile, "Maybe."
I found Rone with his mother, she looked beautiful in her light pink gown. Her petaled pink wings were relaxed down her back, almost like they melted into her dress.
"Nadia!" Queen Livina hummed, "You look breathtaking," she nodded in approval. "Now I heard a little rumor going around about the two of you," she pried.
"What rumors?" Rone asked innocently, still starring at me.
"Dont be coy," she chastened, "The two of you dating, is this true?" She asked her eyes scanning mine suspiciously.
I nodded, "We didn't expect for it to come out so soon, this is all still fresh," I rushed on, making sure she knew nothing was set in stone.
She smiled slowly her wrinkled eyes relaxed, "I seen it coming," she said proud of herself. "Well I'll let you two enjoy your night."
"I'm going with my dad to a council meeting in the morning," Rone said nervously.
I figured tonight wouldn't be the best time to talk about the boy I met and the idea he sparked. "For?'
"My father wants the council to get used to my face, my presence. He really wants me to step up, and Im ready," I could see the determination not only in his eyes but his entire body. He stood tall and proud, The prince of Valkri but also Rone, my friend and more. "I dont know what the meetings for, I feel un ready."
"Just listen, to everyone. You know... I happen to know you're a good listener so this shouldn't be too hard. Plus, I'm sure your father doesn't expect much. Either way you've watched King Vern your whole life, being a king is a part of who you are."
He looked down at me and took my hand in his, "Thank you, I guess I just trip myself out. I want to show not only the council but my parents that I have this. That when they're long gone this world will be better."
"I think they already see that," I told him. "Come on, let's dance, clear your head a little," I pulled him into the small crowd of slow dancers.
He held me close and even with all the fabric between us I still felt his warmth creeping into my body. It was a weird feeling. I felt giddy with his hand touching mine, laced through my fingers. It felt good knowing I was desired, that I was beautiful.
We danced, eye to eye, heart to heart. We must have been dancing for a long time, because we noticed there was no one else on the dance floor. Just Rone and I, taking up every delicious second of this moment. He twirled me around, making me smile and blush at the attention we were receiving. Even my father stood to the side, watching in a cross of awe and surly disappointment.
But I didn't care because this... this is everything. It was like I was a normal girl dancing with a normal guy. Not a prince, nor a warrior but two people who couldn't stop smiling.
The moment faded. Breathless Rone let go of my hand as a small smile crept onto his handsome face. I looked around me, the lights seemed so bright and I knew mine matched his.
We left the ballroom and went into the foyer where there were seats and a weird amount of turkeys hung up on the wall.
"Are you okay with all of this?" he asked lightly, reaching for my small hand.
"Yeah, I even had fun tonight. I meet a little boy named Elijah I was meaning to tell you earlier but I am now. He and I think it would be a good Idea to have a Festival. We always do balls, formal things I figured for once we should do something fun for the youth. To lift their spirits up, have parents come out Fae and human."
"What's a festival?" Rone asked intrigued by the idea.
"Well Elijah said it was something humans did a very long time ago to have fun. There will be games, music, dance, food, even sometimes prizes like a stuffed bears." Now stuffed bears were extremely expensive because of the lack of sheep but I'm sure we could figure something out.
Rone gave me a warm smile, "I'm glad you told me tonight. I'm going to bring it up at the council tomorrow, this is such a good idea. It also helps bring out some of the humans old traditions alive, one fear my father has had is the lack of humans. We've lived with them for so many years, our friends and family deserve this."
"It's going to be so much fun to plan!" Normally I wouldn't be this excited over this type of stuff but tonight was different. "We could have kids help us with the game stations and even have them as staff. Elijah knows so much about these festivals he even has an old book to help us out."
"Well we're definitely going to need all the help we can get. I have no doubt the Fae and Human Council wouldn't love it." He licked his lips and inched closer to me.
This was it, he was going to kiss me. I closed my eyes both nervous and excited to finally have his lips on mine. In the back of my mind I had been wondering all night if he'd kiss me or not.
"Sorry to interrupt but the Queen needs you my Prince," of course it was Gregory.
"I'm going to walk Nadia to her room. Tell my mother I will be right there, "Rone said, not even looking up at Gregory as he held me close to him.
"She was very persistent, Lux is heading out and you two haven't talked yet, she needs you now." The thought of Rone talking to my dad made my stomach ache, I'm sure he's going to bring up us being together and I was itching to know what he had planned. "I'll take her to her room, you should go," Gregory stood tall, a little sarcasm to his voice.
Rone did a light almost like growl, he put his hand on my waist and planted a soft kiss on my lips, "I'll see you tonight," he murmured against my lips. It was just a tap but it left me yearning for more, and he knew that.
I watched him walk away in longing, "You ready?" Gregory asked. I looked at Gregory and my heart ached for him, the last thing I wanted was for him to see Ron kiss me. I mean would I want to see him kiss someone after all this time? But then again I was once there, in his very position but it wasn't the same.
"You dont have to walk me I do know where my room is."
"The palace is full of people, the Queen insisted you were returned safe to your room."
I rolled my eyes, "I'm stronger than you," I said walking past him. "You'd just get in my way," I told him as he followed me up the long marble staircase, Itook a left down the hall and we walked all the way to the end. "This is me," I said awkwardly.
Gregorys dark eyes were what swallowed me whole in the first place. I was drowned with the golden specks that rifted in his eyes. But they were now sad, not happy, or confident like the Gregory I knew. It looked like I was watching a building ready to collapse on itself. "I miss you, not just us but our friendship. I miss training together, I miss hanging out with our friends. Nothing feels the same, and I know you don't want to hear this but I'm standing here, looking at you and I can't help but miss every little thing that makes us, us."
"Us, that's never going to happen again but friends? I want that more than anything honestly, we have a past together it's not something just forgot. But do you really think you should be around me? Wouldn't being friends just be worse?
He looked up at me in defeat, "I just need to be near you."
"I think you need time," I said lightly, even in his armor he looked a mess, a tired disaster. "I want you to heal-"
"Have you healed? Because it definitely looks like it," he hissed. "You didn't even give me a chance to explain, you completely ghosted me and now you're in love with a damn Prince?" he spat.
Wow this was not going where I wanted it. "You think I've healed?" I choked. "Even if I have I deserve that, you think you did nothing wrong but you did everything wrong. I can't be controlled, you held me back and as much as I love you, I refuse to go back to that. I refuse to feel like I am suffocating ever again, you had your chance." For once i wasnt angry, but tired and broken. "I may have moved on but I haven't healed, and I definitely am not in love with Rone. It could lead there, one day but even then it's none of your business. I'm just trying to figure out who I am and what I want, you should do the same."
Gregory shook his head, furious there was a heat in his eyes I had never seen before. "Whatever, have fun playing this fantasy role of yours," he stomped off. It was like he had slapped me in the face. He thinks this is some fantasy role? He couldn't have degraded me worse.
I trudged into my bedroom my perfect night suddenly just another night. Ripping my dress off as fast as I could. I felt like I was suffocating and I was going to be engulfed in this stupid dress. I angrily slip on a long shirt and plopped into my bed.
I hated fighting with Gregory, I felt lost without his friendship but it seemed like we would never get back to that and it hurt. They way he looked at me with so much hate, it made me feel less of a person because deep down... I missed his presence. Gregory understood me and when we were friends he always had the best advice. I wanted to go back to that but maybe being in love changed that. Maybe there just isn't a friendship left and if that were true, my heart broke.
It's weird having someone in your life that long just for them to never be in it again. Is it selfish for me to want a friendship? We had always said no matter what. No matter where this world took us we had each other.
What I needed was a hunt, I needed to get out behind the walls. Tomorrow morning while Rone is at his meeting I'm going out. I knew I shouldn't go alone, but who would I ask to come? Berella? I didn't want to put her in harm's way, it had to be just me. I needed to let out steam, I needed to use my fire that itched at the tips of my fingers. Would it solve anything? No, but sometimes it's nice to get lost and scream your head off at the tallest mountain you can climb. Used to be a regular for me, I missed the springs even though they were all muddy and polluted. I loved the sound of lapping water. I loved the feeling of the wind through my hair and seeing the trees quiver.
I don't see a long future for us, not like this, not with our numbers. I felt like we were all just clueless, forty years and still no answers, surrounded by creatures both dangerous and smart. There's no real words to describe something so evil, and demonic. They killed our land, our grass and crops, most importantly they kill and kill till there is nothing left. Till an iron sword is plunged into their chest or set on fire.
Those monsters just keep coming, we keep fighting not knowing what we're fighting or when it will stop. We have questions of course, how did they get here, how many, will we survive? And then there's theories. Elves, thats the best they got. It could possibly be the demonic spirit of the elves our ancestors killed but I hardly doubt that. It feels almost to easy, there has to be something bigger.
Some have thought that we are being punished by Mother Valkri for killing the elves. Wouldn't make sense though... that was many lifetimes ago. If you asked me, I don't think the elves ever died off. According to legend there were still families back at their village, they all disappeared. I don't know what kind of tricks these elves had but I knew it wasn't magic, it was something darker right? Maybe it's something more powerful.
I had a bad habit of thinking myself to death, I had so much worry in me everything we have could be gone in a second. What if enough demons with their strength can break the cement wall? I hated that I thought of things that didn't need to be thought of but I always have what ifs in my head. We've tried to fly but the deeper we got into the forest the more demons they were. Only thirty out of an army of ninety came back to tell the King what happened.
"Nadia is it?"
I turned to the raspy voice that echoed behind me "Who are you?" I frowned. "And why did you just barge into my room?" I backed up slowly towards my dresser and grabbed the letter opener as slowly and stealthy as I could.
The young man smiled slyly making my skin crawl, he smelled human but there was a sour smell to him I have never smelled off of a human. "Today you die fairy, it's a shame in another world I think you'd quit like me." Without further explanation he lunged for me with his dagger but I caught him by surprise as I charged forward and kicking him in the chest. I thrust the letter opener into his ribs. A snake like hiss came from his chapped lips as he staggered back clutching his wound, he grinned sinisterly. "I was hoping you'd put up a fight," he licked his lips.
"Thats only the beginning," I released the raging fire that has been dancing on my figure tips for weeks. The hum of my magic was uncontrollable at times almost consuming. I could tell my attacker has had years of training from the way he dogged me with ease.
"So we're using our gifts now?" he taunted. I was going to tell him he had no powers, that he was just human but suddenly I couldn't talk. I couldn't breath, I couldn't even move. My intruder closed in his fury black eyes pierced into mine, he smiled wickedly. "It was a good fight but your kind just can't beat me. I bet you're wondering exactly what I am, aren't you little Fairy?" He pondered resting his blade on my face. Instantly the cold iron blade burned my cheek and I screamed louder then I ever have before. The pain was surreal, a burning ripping force that numbed the entire side of my face. "Your screams are so precious," the crazy man said in awe, he even closed his eyes capturing this moment. "I wonder if all Fairies will scream like this, moments before their death."
I refused to die like this. I tried fighting his grasp on me, my body screamed to take control but nothing happened. "Wow you're strong," He howled frowning with curiosity. "Too bad you won't-"
My knee shot out hitting him square in the crotch, he hissed getting ready to plunge his iron dagger in my heart but I jerked fast enough for it to only pierce my shoulder blade. The pain was shocking, it felt as if my arm would frost up and shatter into a million pieces. He yanked his dagger out, "Night love," he raised his dagger above him but the man was yanked from my vision as I laid there screaming over my iron burnt flesh.
Gregory scared off the man but wasnt able to chase after him as I went in and out of consciousness. The poison of the iron was leaking closer and closer to my heart. I could feel it. Gregory scooped me up and rushed me out of my bedroom, "Where am I-" I breathlessly tried to finish my sentence but I was also losing a lot of blood, "Going."
"I need to get you to a healer," he said holding me close my eyes closed and somewhere far away. I heard Gregory screaming for me to stay awake but it was just too hard. "Dont fucking die on me Nadia."