Faye and Ruin

A First Date

I lounged back, exhausted in the chair from another brutal morning of training with Bayne and Deimos. Deimos had disappeared instead of staying with us to eat this time and Brierra was nowhere in sight, although she would always show up right when it was time for me to go with her. I ached so badly today since it had been more hand to hand combat instead of magic training that I could barely lift the water to my lips.

"Who's Dustin?" Bayne asked out of the blue and I spewed water.

Choking on the half swallow he chuckled and waited for me to be able to speak. "What?" I said, hoping he would let it go. But this was Bayne, so of course he wouldn't.

"I asked who's Dustin?"

"He's uh, he's someone I uh..." I stuttered, unsure of how to even describe who he was to me. I had left that ring on my bathroom counter the day after Dustin had left and hadn't put it back on since. I hadn't even realized how long it had been since seeing Dustin and how little I had thought about him. "He was my Fiance." I finally said and Bayne's eyes widened. They looked a little pained.

"When's the wedding date?"

I nervously chuckled. "We never set one."

Bayne stood from his chair and moved to the one directly across from me. "Why not? Why would you wait to get married if you loved him?" He seemed genuinely concerned but before I had time to answer, to admit out loud that maybe I had never truly loved him, King Orym made his first appearance in a week.

"Azora." He addressed me and I glanced towards the King but didn't move. His eyes moved towards Bayne. "You can leave." He commanded and Bayne raised both eyebrows at him but made no sign of moving. The two stared at each other, power exuding between the two of them until Bayne lazily looked away and winked at me.

"Good luck." His voice echoed in my head and he shimmered away.

"Enjoying your food?" King Orym said, the words seemingly forced as he awkwardly ran a hand through his hair. He wore simple clothes today, the same royal blue and purple adorning his suit that looked oddly human. He had a simple band around his head, having replaced the crown.

I looked back towards my food and raised my chin. "Yes, thank you." I softly said and then took another bite.

He paused in front of me and looked down his nose. "In honor of your first week with us, I was thinking you'd maybe like to join me for a special dinner?"

I nearly choked on my food, but remembered his earlier promise, his earlier advances from the last time we spoke. And I glanced at his waist where the sword still glinted in the sunlight. As sick as it made me, I had to play the dazzled human girl role. I had to fake being entranced by him for that would be the only way to gain enough trust to eventually swipe the sword.

"Just you?" I flirted, raising a soft smile to my lips and turning to face him fully. Still adorned in the leather outfit from training earlier, I knew I would have to use other techniques to lull him in. So I stood from the seat and stepped towards him, batting my long eyelashes.

"Would you like that?" He asked, a sly grin slowly pressed against his cheeks.

Another slow blink and a few more steps and I was standing just in front of his body. "It would be an honor." I whispered, looking up towards the King.

His hands twitched as if he wanted to reach towards me and so I mimicked the action, although with less grace and subtlety. I wanted him to see that, even if it made my stomach curdle.

It worked and the King reached towards my left hand and gripped my fingers. He raised it towards his lips and brushed them against the back of my hand. "This evening it is then." He said and then shimmered away.