Little King

Rae

I squint at my mirror, tugging on my jacket. I'm wearing gray trousers and a black shirt, with a dark blue jacket on top. I wear my nicest boots, laced up all the way to the top. A band on my thigh holds several knives, and a sword is clipped to my hip. My hair looks like fire in the lighting of my room, and it is somewhat combed. Father's crown sits on my curls, lopsided. I look like a king, and I hate it. 

                                                                                        ***

I knock softly on the doorway of the Healer's wing, and Kopa appears, raising an eyebrow when she sees me. Azi comes from behind her, giving me a small curtsy. They're both dressed in what I assume is their best. Kopa's short black hair is French braided, and she wears a slim yellow dress with small sleeves. Azi's dress is a minty green, and the sleeves are longer, covering her hands. They slip through the doorway, Azi give me a smile before they both disappear, most likely making their way to the ballroom. I turn around just in time to meet Ashe's eyes.

The dress flows in folds from her waist down, and it is a beautiful pink color. Her blonde hair is half-pinned up, the rest falling down her shoulders like a river of curls. Her expression is breathtaking. Her eye stares into mine, her lips together in a sheepish smile. I love the way half her face looks like she's been through hell and came back stronger, yet the other half still smiles sweetly. 

After a second I find my thoughts and bow, rising with my hand held out to her. 

"Shall we?" I ask, wondering how she'll react. She curtsies, sliding her hand into mine. 

"Sure." She says, smoothing her skirt with her free hand. I lead her to the ballroom, silence hanging between us like a heavy-bellied cloud. She limps beside me, and I'm surprised at how fast she is. She watches the ground for unwanted things that might trip her. We arrive at the ballroom doors and she inhales and exhales slowly.

"Ready for the best fake date of your life?" I ask her, smiling. She laughs softly.

"We'll see." I push open the doors, and we enter the decorated room. It's very large, with people milling and talking everywhere. King Talon is off to one corner, already drinking some sort of alcohol. His guards and mine line the edges, and everyone else is in the middle. There's a refreshment and food table, and a stage. A small girl with short curly red hair plays a violin. Several couples dance, but most people have clearly been waiting for me to arrive. 

"Your majesty." Emi says, coming up to me and curtsying. She smiles, light shining in her eyes. For once her hair is down, falling neatly to her shoulders. Her dress is a deep scarlet red, and she has a ribbon in her hair.

"Not yet." I tell her, gritting my teeth at the title. She scoffs.

"Close enough." Emi says, spinning around to join the dancing. I watch her for a second, noticing she pretends to not hear when some off-duty guard asks her to dance. I turn my gaze back to Ashe, and looks a little overwhelmed by the number of people watching her. I squeeze her hand, leaning in, an inch from her ear. 

"Don't worry, they're all just waiting for me to screw up. If it makes you feel better, they don't care about you." Ashe stares at me for a second, then laughs. Her laugh is hesitant, soft, careful.

"As much as it shouldn't, that helps." She tells me, smiling. I lead her onto the dance floor, twisting so we're facing each other, her hands in mine.

"May I have this dance?" I ask her, bowing. She smiles.

"I've told you before, who am I to refuse your orders?" 

                                                                                        ***

The music has slowed, and more couples dance together now. Emi dances with Maxe, eyes glittering with happiness. The guard, Mikah, dances with a girl from the kitchen. 

Princess Alyssa dances with a Silver Star guard I recognize, Rook. He's heavily built with short jet-black hair. His eyes are a sharp green and when they meet mine for a second, there's nothing there but hostility. Ashe approaches me, a bubbling drink in each hand.

"Thanks." I tell her when she hands me mine. 

"You look tired." She says, sipping from her cup. I shake out my hair.

"What makes you think I'm tired?" I ask, and she gives me a light laugh. 

"I'm a healer, you seem tired," Ashe explains, "It just radiates off you." She says matter-of-factly. I grin.

"You win, I'm tired." She smiles.

"Hopefully you'll be quicker to accept defeat in the future." Her words are a joke but part of her sentence makes my breath catch. 'In the future.' Is this her saying there will be one? 

I push the thought out of my head. She's a healer, I can't break the laws I'm supposed to be enforcing. I would look weak if I bent every rule to my pleasure.  Alyssa spins over to me and Ashe, sliding her hand out of Rook's hand. She curtsies, and I snap back from my thoughts with an empty look.

"Prince Rae, may I have this dance?" she asks, and Rook's eyes narrow. I raise an eyebrow to Ashe and she nods. I let Alyssa lead me onto the dance floor, coming to a stop in the middle. All eyes are on us, two young heirs, dancing together, like a page out of the stories Father used to tell me. I remember my favorite as me and Alyssa dance, the one about Alka and Tani. 

Father would sit beside my bed and tell me the tale. Alka was a prince from his kingdom, Tani a peasant from hers. During Princess Anali's visit Alka and Tani had fallen deeply in love, but Alka was to be wed with Anali.  The couple was heartbroken but Alka decided to move on with the wedding. But during the ceremonies, Tani had run to him crying and confessing everything, refusing to let him wed Princess Anali. 

Father always hesitated during this part. I've heard it two ways. In Silver Star they end it by saying Tani was hung for her crimes, and Alka married Anali. King Talon wants to remind his subjects he is in charge. Yet, father always told me Alka and Tani ran away together. I preferred that ending as a child, but now, dancing with Alyssa, I understand King Talon. I am a prince, and all these people are below me. I must follow rules if I want to rule fairly. That means I must promise to push Ashe far out of my mind. The song comes to an end and Alyssa steps away with a curtsy, leaving me to wonder if this promise I just made myself can be kept.