The Falling Of Day

VIII

I had never seen someone look the way he did, like Austraya came down and crafted every piece of him into the perfectly chaotic beauty that was before me.

I had heard stories of how handsome he was, and also how cruel and evil he could be.

Yet I could not help myself when I drawed my feet near him, the entire ballroom seeming to fade away as Noak and I walked over to where he and his court stood.

As I approached I noticed the girl standing to his left plaster a disingenuous smile on her lips soon after the male next to her said something to her that I could not hear.

"Welcome Pr-" I started.

"Let's cut the formalities sweetheart," He cut me off leaving me completely dumbfounded by his blatant disrespect. I noticed Noak stiffen, I subtly reached my hand out to him, trying to calm my protector down.

"My name is Princess Saskia, Your Highness." I mustered up the courage to say to him, the fake smile on the Lady of Winter's face faltering.
I thought only I had noticed the hostil shift in the room with the five of us, but I soon heard the footsteps of my court.

We used to play when we were children, but Lord Frendrick of Spring had told my mother that we needed to be learning the ins and outs of ruling a kingdom rather than playing in fields, and because he was my fathers closest friend, and because the other provinces trusted hi, it left my mother no choice but to limit my contact with my three old friends until we had all finally reached eighteen, and by then none of us had even wanted to be close with the others.

"Happy birthday, Princess Saskia," Lady Ena of Dawn greeted, as her wavy hair seemed to move slowly with her long straight soft blue colored dress as she approached. Ena always seemed to be the happiest of my court, although we did not spend much time together.

"Thank you, " I say with a slight curtsy. The Lady with the Night Kingdom does not try to hide her annoyance as she rolls her eyes and lets out a pretend heave, they all smirk and lowly chuckle, causing me to lower my eyes away from their gaze.

"Oh?" I hear Havraya exclaim from behind me, making her way to my side.

"I think you ought to show my princess some respect," She states crossing her arms over her full chest.

I had always admired her, her confidence and her ability to never care about what others say, always seeming to find ways to demand attention without trying, sure she was a bit spoiled, but as a daughter of the most lavish province it was just as expected from her.

The Moon's court seemed taken back by her response-quite honestly I was too- and in the silence I curtsied and lightly tapped Noak, we did not speak as we walked over to the main floor of the ballroom and a old Norian folk song I remember played at the last birthday ball I had so many years ago began.

My mother must have remembered how happy I was, how I giggled as I spun around the room with my court, completely letting go.

Looking out I finally spot my mother and she smiles at me, and with the slightest nod. I know what she means.

And so I, Princess Saskia Kolith of Day, do what I have been begging to do for months.

I let go and dance with my court, and Noak.

We hold hands as we spin in circles, clapping our hands to the beat of the song. Our hands break apart and I find myself next to Fonnayus, his blonde hair is no longer slicked back, and I started to think about how my probably was, I pushed the thought out of my head and begin to dance with him, the sound of a fiddle joining the song causes my smile to grow even wider. He lifts me up by my waist the same time Noak lifts Ena and Havraya simply spins in between us and they turn to each other and me and Ena switch partners.

I hadn't had a birthday, in which I felt this free.

But, that all seemed to stop when a scream erupts from somewhere in the room, urging everything in the room to freeze.

A/N
Merry Christmas ( Or happy holiday you celebrate this time of year) if you do celebrate it, comment what you go this year!