Beauty's Rose

Chapter #3

Most of the people here I didn't recognize. Me and Evie had to go around and 'be sociable'. We had met what felt like hundreds of people, and it was just so draining. We had met mayors, royal families from different realms and high-up people from Hyalae like bankers, investors and inventors. All of them bowed or curtsied when they saw me, even other Queens and Kings. It's polite to bow first at formal gatherings if you're in the other's realm, so I had to stand there awkwardly to wait my turn to bow. Evie and I both spoke like proper princesses, and smiled too much- my mouth hurt from all the smiling. Of course we had also met angels, faeries, nymphs and warlocks. Some of the younger quests looked at us and said, "Why are you not short?" It was just so annoying, they must of been reading human books. Obviously we weren't actually tiny, it was just human nonsense. Yes we're extremely pretty and attractive to other species, but no, we aren't small.

After what felt like meeting about a hundred more people it was time for the masquerade ball. I hadn't seen my mask yet, and I was the last not wearing one. I was practically dragged onto the stage by Mother. She made me stand up, and a young server came up to me, smiling. He had a small cushion precariously balanced on his arms which was purple, and had tassels dangling of the edge. On it sat my masquerade mask. It was white and pink, matching the theme. It had a gold outline, and an elastic string. It wasn't a full mask, but a half. To sum it up, it was beautiful! I thanked the man, and he quickly yet quietly exited the stage. Every one cheered and clapped when I pulled the mask on, and the soft music started to play, so I took that as my cue to exit the stage.

Me and Evie were separated by Mother, we had been dancing together, but obviously not for any longer. "You have to start mingling with people other than Evie! You need to meet everyone! They have kindly traveled to see you and to give you gifts, and you're only talking to Evie; who you can see every day" I was taken aback by the fact she used Evie's nick name. She gently pushed me forward, being subtle so no one would notice. "Go and mingle please. Now would be good." She added the last part when I didn't budge.

"Okay." I sighed in defeat. "Who am I meeting?" She sent me a victorious smile and pointed out Queen Laina, King Marcus and Prince Theo, the royal family of the Werewolves.

I walked over to them, trying to remember what my tutor had taught me about walking in high heels. Some how I still managed to trip up. I grimaced, but recovered quickly. "Hello Queen Laina, King Marcus, Prince Theo." I said, watching them bow and curtsy. I curtsied back, mainly because I could feel mother's beady eyes on my back.

"Hello Princess Bellatrix," They all chimed in sync. They sounded like they had practised it. Well, maybe they had. We made small talk, which was uncomfortable to say at the least. Queen Laina smiled at me, and brought a sparkly silver gift bag from behind her back. "I know it's not time yet, but here's your gift. We found it in a rouge, and thought you might like it." She smiled at me, and I gulped. They found in it a rouge? It could be wolf liver for all I knew. Werewolves could be pretty gruesome, especially when it concerns rouges on their territory. "Don't worry, it isn't anything horrible." King Marcus chuckled.

I gingerly opened the bag, peering through the sparky straps. There was a small black string coiled up at the bottom like a snake which I pulled it out- it wasn't like they could put liver on a string, could they? I hoped not. I found a small catch on the string, it must be a necklace, I thought to myself, and inwardly sighed. Sometimes I feel so blond. Attached to the string was a wolf's tooth. Was this a gag gift?

"Sorry about the string, the chain got... well, it broke." King Marcus said. He sent a death glare towards Theo, and he shifted slightly, avoiding his father's frosty glare. Well I guessed that 'someone' snapped it.