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> “I look like a decoration,” Aledwen murmured. Johanna stifled a laugh behind her hand.
“But a beautiful one.”
“I’m sure.” No one looked good like this. It was royalty goggles all over again. One look at anyone with a title, and a lot of fae got giddy and started rambling on about beauty. Really, fae were just like any other species. There were truly beautiful fae, and not quite so beautiful fae. The only difference was that they often tended to glow. Only faintly, for which Aledwen was glad. Going around with a green filter on everything wasn’t exactly her idea of fun. She’d rather experience the world in every colour.
“Thank you,” she told Johanna, giving her a weak smile.
“You’re welcome.” Her friend smiled back, then made a slight shooing motion, indicating that she really should get on her way. She had a ball to get to whether she liked it or not.
The corridor was surprisingly deserted. Everyone must already be in the room preparing to dance the night away. That, or they were drunk down another corridor somewhere. That was how most of the balls she’d been allowed to attend seemed to end up.
Before she knew it, she was at the entrance to the ballroom. And kind of hating that this was the last time she’d be able to enter so unobtrusively. They weren’t like the summer court. Balls for the Spring Fae happened rarely, and the next one was in a few days when the Birth would occur. Well, after the Birth. She’d never been allowed to go to that one before, but she’d listened to it every year. Part of her was excited, it was the one party a year where everyone let their hair down. The other part of her was just worried about the bit that came before.
They were worries for another day though. First she had to get through this ball and hope that Drey didn’t see her in this monstrosity of a dress. Maybe she wouldn’t be asking him to dance after all. He’d likely just laugh when he saw her anyway. She would if she were him.
The hall was alive, but everyone was stood the correct distance apart, like propriety dictated. It was odd that they ran the balls and court like they all lived in a nunnery, but sex, alcohol and kidnapping were considered to be just who the fae were. The double standards weren’t just baffling, but completely stupid too. It didn’t make any sense to Aledwen for them to be that way. She’d rather the fae dropped the kidnapping humans bit, there were enough visiting paranormal men that they really didn’t need to do that anymore, but if they wanted to get drunk and have sex, then they should just own it. Preferably not in such uncomfortable dresses though. Maybe that was the point of them. Taking so long to remove it did kind of kill the mood a bit. Unless the man had claws. Then it could be fun.
Her thoughts drifted back to Drey. She wondered what kind of shifter he was. If he even was one, but something in her gut was telling her she was right.
“You summoned, Your Majesty?” The man in question appeared in front of her as if by magic, and gave an exaggerated bow.
“Dreyfus,” she acknowledged, cringing inwardly that he was seeing her in such an awful dress. “Would you like to dance?” she asked before he could get in there first. She wanted to be the one in control of the situation, and this seemed to be the best way to achieve that.
“Sure.” He smiled easily, not at all put off by her forwardness, which could probably only be a good thing? She wasn’t too sure. Maybe that completely counteracted what she was trying to achieve?
He held out his hand, and she took it, tingles running up and down her skin. There was something about him that was calling to her. And not just on the surface either. Something deep down was telling her that she could trust him. That he was on her side. That she was on his. The only thing that was confusing her a little was the lack of urge to drag him into a cupboard and have her way with him. The rest of it sounded like the mating rumours did. But she should want him in that way too if it was the case. And while she’d been thinking of it earlier, and found him physically attractive now, she wasn’t wanting to quite go that far.
Thinking about it was starting to give her a headache.
“Do you know this song?” he asked casually, and she appreciated his attempt at light conversation.
“Yes, I know most of them. I had dancing tutors as a child.” She’d actually enjoyed those lessons. The melody in the music, and the freedom of movement. At least until the corsets had come. Then dancing hadn’t been so fun. Quite the opposite. Even as loose as her corset was tonight, there’d likely be bruises come the morning. Not to mention back ache. She could almost feel it already.
He drew her into a firm ballroom hold, and started the intricate steps of the dance. Pleasantly surprised, she followed along with him, giving over to the music. There weren’t many men who could dance like this, though that could be because only the half-fae really spent a significant amount of time at court. And even then, they tended to be looked down on as inferior. Another thing she’d change if she could. It wasn’t their fault they’d been born male and couldn’t inherit the full powers of a fae.
“Where did you learn to dance?” she asked as the music slowed and transitioned into another song. Technically, she believed she was supposed to change partners, but she didn’t want to yet. Not when there were so many more dances to enjoy. And questions to be asked. But she hadn’t wanted to talk during their first dance for some reason.
“My mother.” A haunted look flitted through his dark eyes and she decided to refrain from pushing further. Maybe he’d tell her in time. Wait...in time? What made her think there’d be time? It was the gut feeling she seemed to be having about him again. She should probably just go with it. It’d never served her wrong before.
“Do you enjoy it? Dancing I mean?”
“Yes, it reminds me of her.”
They lapsed back into silence, though she was desperate to pry a little more. To learn what made him tick, and to chase away the sadness in his eyes and his voice. The something inside her definitely didn’t like the idea of him being hurt.
“Are your parties always this stiff and formal?” he asked after a few more rounds of the dance floor.
“I think so.”
“You don’t know?” He spun her under his arm, and her dress flared around her. She had to admit that effect was kind of pretty, even if the dress itself was frightfully bad.
“I don’t come to many,” she admitted, glancing away and pretending to watch the couple in front of them.
“Why not?”
“I just don’t.”
“What’s more your scene then? One of the parties on Earth?” She turned back to him, noting the curious look on his face. He was genuinely interested in her answer it seemed. That was odd to say the least. No one was ever really interested in what she wanted.
