~A Magical Collection of Short Stories~

A Dance with a King

The dance was always the same, a barrage of endless spinning colors, images she could barely hold in her mind's-eye, attempting to recall small details. Even after the dance was long over, her dreams were filled with spinning images of ballrooms far more glamorous than any she'd ever seen.

She could feel the movement of the other bodies in the room, hear the rustling of the dresses as they spun in and out to the music. There was also another feeling, the sensation of being watched.

Ever since their first arrival at the ball, someone had watched her. She knew perfectly well who it was. He was a dark presence at the head of the ballroom, one leg crossed over the other, foot swaying to the music. Behind a golden mask, he smirked, his eyes so dark they could scarcely be seen.

Night after night, she danced. Night after night, he watched, a cold chill filling the room. It was impossibly cold, yet she would sweat as if overheated. She shivered, her hands clasped in those of a stranger.

Never had she seen her partners face, nor anyone else's face in this room. Her feet ached, and no matter how much she wished to stop, she couldn't.

Closing her eyes, she let the spinning take her. Her mind reeling away into the darkness, far from this room, far from the man who stared.

She didn't realize something was different until a smooth voice spoke to her, and her eyes flew open.

"You seem far away. Am I boring you?"

She dared not look as shivers ran through her entire body, even without seeing who it was, she knew it was him. She swallowed hard, unsure of how to answer.

"Bored, my lord? How could I be? I am a prisoner of your whimsy." She spoke without thinking, her eyes growing wide as she realized her mistake.

He chuckled. "I knew you were feisty," he whispered, pulling her against him tightly. Forcing her to look him in the eye. He smiled, his lips a perfect pink, his skin porcelain.

"There, isn't that better? A little more intimate."

She glared at him, still unable to stop dancing no matter what. Her limbs felt like lead, her legs anchored her to the floor and only a partner could move her according to the music.

"Why are you doing this to us?"

He arched a brow. "Perhaps I just want to be entertained? You and your six sisters have been entertaining me for years now."

She sighed heavily. "Why us?"

"Why not you? You are just as dull and boring as every other mortal."

She tilted her head back, searching his eyes. "No. You don't strike me as a man who would do something without a reason."

"Well, first off, I'm not a man."

"Whatever you are, you are cunning and you clearly have a plan." She didn't think they could get any closer, and yet he crushed her against his torso. His arm wound so tightly around her waist, she gasped.

"You are smarter than you look. I knew you were the one," he said, his eyes glinting.

"What?" She asked, baffled. "What do you mean?"

He laughed. "It's too late now. You've looked into my eyes, you are mine now."

"I don't understand."

He lifted his mask, revealing his full face. He was breathtaking, beautiful beyond comparison to any man she had ever laid eyes on. Dark locks fell around his shoulders, framing his face, his eyes were a dark blue with hues of purple around the rim. She felt her breath hitch seeing him for who he was.

"You're fae!"

He laughed. "You see now, you thought you were being defiant. But you were only signing yourself over to me." He leaned in close, and for a moment she thought he might kiss her. She wanted to be kissed by his perfect lips, she struggled against the thought, but he was too close and he smelled of something sweet.

"You can't even control your own emotions. Your heart is thundering, your cheeks flushed," he whispered, his breath on her lips. "You don't want to, but you can't control how badly you ache for me."

"This is your doing. Your fae magic has twisted me," she snarled, her ears ringing.

"No, my dear. My magic can do a lot, but it cannot force feelings that aren't there." He drew back, leaving her disappointed, a chill sweeping over her. "I think it's time we got to know each other a little better, don't you?"

She scoffed at him as he twirled her around the room. "If you wanted to know me, you wouldn't be imprisoning me."

"Your imprisonment is not my doing, dear lady."

She scowled, "then who, if not you? I see no one else holding me here against my will night after night, forcing my sister's and I to dance until our feet are bloodied."

He stared at her without speaking for a long beat, making her feel uncomfortable as they spun around the room. He finally smirked, shaking his head.

"You really don't know. My dear princess, it was your father who put you in this place. He made my halls your cell, your nights into nightmares. Why, if we put the blame to him, we can say he bloodies your feet every night as well. All the aches, the pain, the hurt. All of that can rest on him, the one who sold you for trinkets and glory," the King said, his smile contradicting his serious tone.

She blinked, tears falling freely from her eyes. "No, he wouldn't."

"He would, and he did. Night after night, you suffer. Night after night, he enjoys whatever he fancies. That was the deal, the arrangement he made. Dearest, he came to me, asked me for this. I did nothing but accept his terms, and here we are."

She shook her head, he had to be lying. He must be lying.

"You're wrong," she whispered weakly, knowing that if she wasn't being held up by magic, she would collapse. "Stop this. Why are you doing this?"

The king wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace, despite herself, she wanted to lean into him. Whatever magic kept her dancing seemed to fall away for a moment, keeping her frozen in his arms, tears falling from her eyes.

He pressed his lips near her ear. "You wanted the truth, and I gave it," he whispered softly. "Do you wish me to erase it?"

"No."

He drew back, looking down at her. "Good. What will you do about it?" He asked, the room full of couples still twirling around them, never getting any closer as they spun in perfect unison.

She struggled to think of an answer. "I don't know yet. I don't know if I believe you. I shall find the truth for myself, Fae King. And once I am satisfied, I will break my bonds and kill you for what you've done," she hissed.

His eyes sparkled, a wicked grin curling his lips. "My dear, I wouldn't have it any other way."