Little Princess

Ball

We get to see the kings take a much more proactive and extremely protective role in this chapter.

*Nymeria's P.O.V*

I managed to make it through the meeting without any incidents. The kings and queens seemed pleased when I mentioned how there were mines ready to operate if the trade agreement went through. Time seemed to slow down when King Zohar stood and announced that they had reached a decision on the trade agreements.

"We have decided that the trade agreements shall pass. We wish that it brings both your kingdom and ours a very prosperous future," he said, making me sigh in relief. I felt like I could finally breathe, my kingdom would not suffer for my foolish actions the past couple days it seemed.

"We have a ball planned for tonight, the trade agreements shall be announced to the nobles and then printed in the press tomorrow," Queen Elvira said. "Normally this ball is just for us to mingle with the nobles and see how things go in the far reaches of our kingdoms but now it shall also celebrate our kingdoms. You shall be the guest of honor of course," she stated. As soon as she said that, a heavy weight fell on my chest. Attending a ball meant dancing, I wasn't very good at dancing.

"The ball shall start at 6, please be in the main hall a few minutes before then," King Folmar said as he stood, helping Queen Riniya to her feet.

"If you require any help in preparing, please let us know," Queen Ordelia said. I nodded my head, curtsying to them before they dismissed me. I practically ran to my room once I was out of their eyesight.

What was I going to wear? I had to make a good impression on the nobles, their opinion would matter greatly to everyone. Whether they approved of me or not would make or break the public's opinion. I called Castien into my room to help, making him watch me try on countless dresses and asking for his opinion for each one. He indulged me, telling me his honest opinion. He even went to get me lunch when I was too nervous to join the kings and queens.

We eventually decided on a dark red dress with a slightly flared bottom. My hair was put in a crown braid with matching red glitter sprinkled in so that it glittered in the light. I did a simple makeup look with a smokey eye with just a touch of red mixed into the eyeshadow. I chose to wear black heels to have some contrast with my outfit.

I left my room a quarter to six, meeting the kings and queens in the main hall. I felt their eyes on me as I joined them, making me hesitantly look up to meet their gazes. I received a soft smile from Queen Ordelia as she moved to stand by me.

"You look beautiful Nymeria," she informed me. Her eyes lingered on my hair and a small chuckle escaped her lips. "Glitter?" she asked.

"I thought it would go well with my dress," I said honestly. She nodded in approval as Queen Morticia joined us.

"We will wait to announce the trade agreements until the middle of the ball. You will be introduced at the start of the ball but as far as anyone knows, you are just visiting to rebuild old connections," Queen Morticia stated. "Alcohol will be served but the waiters have been informed that you are not of age to drink in your kingdom so they will make you nonalcoholic drinks," she informed me.

"Thank you," I said as I smiled in appreciation. As much as I would love to have a little bit of alcohol in my system to make this even more tolerable, I also knew that I would be closely watched by the nobles so it was probably for the best that I couldn't have any alcohol.

"Be careful on the steps leading down into the ballroom, there are only a few but I think we would all prefer it if you didn't fall again," Queen Morticia said before she returned to King Lazarus' side. He offered his arm to her and she took it. They were one of the first ones that entered the ballroom, right after Queen Elvira and King Zohar. Next followed Queen Belladonna and King Ariston. Right after them was Queen Riniya and King Folmar. Finally Queen Ordelia and King Thorne entered and I was left standing alone.

Once my name was announced, I entered the room. I kept my head held high as I carefully walked down the stairs, feeling the stares of everyone on me. As soon as I took the last step, people broke into whispers. I took a deep breath as I looked at Queen Ordelia who had waited at the bottom of the steps for me. Right after I looked at her, Queen Elvira called for the festivities to start.

It became a whirlwind of activity as the kings and queens split off into different parts of the room. Queen Ordelia pulled me off to the side of the room where there were much less people. I looked at her with appreciation.

"If you get overwhelmed, the gardens are right out that door if you need to step out," she informed me. I nodded in thanks as she offered me a small smile before leaving to go join her husband who swept her away into a dance.

I mingled for a little while, speaking with people who seemed greatly interested in knowing things about my kingdom. I revealed only a little bit, knowing that mentioning my kingdom's current weakened state would be terrible. After a while, I broke away from the people speaking to me. I claimed I needed to step outside for a moment and did so. I looked around the garden, taking a couple of steps farther into it until I ended up at a fountain. It had all five kingdoms crests on it, a water spout by each crest that made it so they all connected.

I had only been outside for a few moments when I felt a hand grip my waist rather tightly. I spun around, finding myself face to face with an unfamiliar man. He leered at me as his other hand moved to touch my face. I jerked away, smelling the alcohol that radiated from his breath.

"Let me go," I said quietly, trying to push his hand off of my waist. His grip tightened as his free hand grabbed my arm. He was muttering under his breath about how pretty I was and how it was a damn shame that it was forbidden for werewolves to turn humans. "Get off," I said, my voice raising slightly. There was a shakiness in it that I hated and I was debating on kicking him in the crotch when his hands were suddenly ripped off of me.

"What the hell do you think you are doing touching her?" King Ariston said, stepping so that he was face to face with the man. I cowered behind him slightly, muttering a silent thanks. "She told you to let go, you did not listen. If you ever get near her again I will rip your fucking hands on," he stated. I felt a hand lightly tap my shoulder and I turned around to meet King Folmar's gentle gaze.

"Let's go inside darling," he said softly. "It's going to get ugly soon I am afraid," he stated as he offered me his arm. I took it, allowing him to guide me back to the castle. His eyes landed on my wrist and I realized that there was a bruise from how hard the man was grabbing me. My waist throbbed slightly from where he had grabbed me so I knew that was definitely bruised as well. "He won't live through the night," he stated simply.

I nodded my head slightly, allowing him to guide me inside. His hand moved to rest on my upper back as he guided me to where the queens and the remaining kings were at. Queen Elvira stepped forward to greet us, her eyes narrowing when she saw the bruise on my wrist.

"Ariston's got the man who did it," King Folmar said as Queen Elvira replaced his place by my side, her hand gently rubbing small circles on my back. "Thorne, Lazarus, Zohar, come with me," he said as he nodded his head. The kings left their wives and followed him outside to the garden. King Zohar paused beside me and promised that he would make sure the man regretted even looking at me.

"Perhaps you should stay close to us for the rest of the night," Queen Belladonna suggested, her gaze sad as she looked at the bruise. Queen Elvira's hand glowed as it moved to rest on top of it, I watched as the bruise faded into nothingness.

"If you have any more let me know and I will heal them but I can only heal bare skin so I would have to touch wherever the bruise is to heal it," Queen Elvira said softly. I nodded my head in understanding as the queen's moved to surround me. I smiled softly when I realized they had made a semi-circle with me in the middle of the group, slightly standing back. The wall blocked off anyone from coming from behind and they would have to get past the queens to get near me.

"This is not how we wanted your first ball with us to be little princess," Queen Riniya said apologetically. I smiled at the petname as I nodded my head in understanding. This isn't how I wanted my first ball to go either but it was the way the cards happened to fall. I leaned into Queen Elvira who was still rubbing small circles on my back.