Crown of the Eternals

15

Auri saw Will go into the lounge with Mysteis as they had talked about earlier. She narrowed her eyes at their backs, but she was quickly swept up in conversation with Wesley Bourne, whose family's house was situated a ways north of Arcanil. She entertained him for a bit with harmless stories of her time in the Realm as she ate the pudding a servant put in front of her.

It was because of this that she also saw Will and Mysteis exit the lounge.

They drew many an eye as they crept along the far wall. Auri had no idea why they would have chosen to pass back through the dining chamber rather than one of the lounge's other exits given their states.

They were both very clearly drunk, as the Eternals and humans called it. Mysteis was laughing and covering her mouth as she did so as if they were trying to be covert despite the circumstances. Will was grinning like a doofus, his eyes locked on her as if he did not even notice the people in the room around him. Their clothes looked wrinkled and frumpy, as if they had been donned haphazardly. Auri did not remember them being that way when they had entered.

The thing that shocked and revolted Auri down to her very core was the fact that they were hand in hand, and, as they came closer just before sneaking out of the room, the fact that Mysteis' lipstick was smeared across Will's mouth.

It took her a moment to identify the feeling that began to fester inside of her as the door shut behind the two of them and she figured out what they were about to do.

It was betrayal.

Wesley was chuckling, but it was an uncomfortable sound. "Well... that's not something you see every day, is it, your Highness? A Fae and an Eternal... especially nowadays..."

Betrayal.

He was here to help her. He was supposed to be keeping her safe. He was supposed to be her friend. Serena had written that letter... Serena felt she was ready to take the throne. Mysteis was not her friend. Mysteis had let her finger get broken and was trying to take her crown.

He had betrayed her, and the strength of the fury she felt at the knowledge was so fierce that she thought she must know how the Fae felt with a force such as magic raging through their blood.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" Wesley was asking. He could not possibly be much older than her. She was sure he was only talking to her because his rich parents had told him to. Even if she did not get the throne now - or ever - she would be a royal. Would be a catch.

And in the face of her anger came a new feeling, one she had never truly felt before, but that was far easier to identify.

The desire to retaliate.

A thirst for revenge.

She was a royal. She had power of her own. It was time she began acting like it.

She turned abruptly to flash a charming smile at Wesley, and she knew she startled him with it, having previously been less than engaged in their conversation.

"Not something you see every day, no, but I'm glad to see our two races getting along as they should," she stated, pushing aside the pudding in order to lean closer to Wesley, hoping to keep his attention on her. "The Fae are better off as our allies than our enemies, believe me. I saw plenty while I was there to provide evidence of that."

Wesley's eyes widened slightly and he leaned closer as well. "How much did you see?"

"Everything," Auri claimed confidently, keeping her voice low so that he would think she was choosing only to share this with him. "The queen trusts me, Wesley, as do her Lights. We have become friends."