𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 // ꜱᴀʀᴀᴡᴀᴛ ✕ ᴛɪɴᴇ

xxiv

-Sarawat

"It's quite the treat to find you at such functions, isn't it Duke Danes?" The Marquess roared in laughter as he chugged his wine. "You here to see what Afrandal women have to offer you?" I sighed and pushed my tongue against the inside of my cheek in impatience.

"They don't have what I want." I replied before raising my glass to him and walking off.

If another fat bald man asks me about marriage, I will stick my knife in his throat.

I wasn't ready for marriage, not while my heart belonged to someone I'm not even aware of.

The doors opened and another self righteous man was announced like a pair of chickens for sale in the city. But the name piqued my interest as I kept moving through the ballroom. Keisteria. The land of riches and glory. The people wouldn't know true meaning of poverty considering that everyone was born into money. And whoever lacked money, would be cast out.

Suddenly my heart stopped for what felt like a minute, my eyes flew to the door like my brain saw him before I did. Why was I looking at that chiseled fool. But it wasn't him that I was looking at.

Standing beside him was the most beautiful person to ever appear before me. His beautiful snow white skin that blushed in nervousness, his full lips that pressed together in concern.

No woman in Afrandal could ever compare to his beauty, since they had all failed to catch my eyes unlike the English Rose before me. His eyes skimmed the crowd before it landed on mine.

His slightly low cut shirt that dipped into his chest was loosely tied together with the drawstrings. The collar of the shirt was tall enough to meet with the ends of his hair that curled up on his neck. His beautiful black hair suited his skin so well that it looked like ribbons of paint on a blank canvas. As I eyed him, the fabric tightened between my legs but luckily the excessive overcoats that men more to these Balls really came in clutch.

His eyes glistened like a puppy under my gaze as he mouthed something that seemed to look like my name. However, he pulled his eyes away and cautiously glanced at the golden spoon that stood beside him.

My feet took me to the middle of the Ballroom where I could admire the object of my interest from closer. Adorably enough his eyes were still searching for me in the place I stood before.

A hand was placed on my shoulder, bringing my attention to Tharn who looked like he watched the two in the spotlight with a heavy heart. "I'm the King, yet they like The Duke of Keisteria more than me." He sighed, shaking his head.

"Do you know who that beauty beside him is?" I hoped that someone would know, but the way he was dressed told me that he wasn't a Noble. Tharn looked at the boy for a minute before he pulled his arm away from my shoulder and cleared his throat.

"No, probably a lover or something." He shrugged, averting my eyes. Normally I would have considered this suspicious but I was sure that the he would know this beautiful being because if he did then he would have told me earlier.

"I need to find out what I can about him." I looked back at him as he followed the Duke obediently.

"I, uhm, I think you'd best leave him alone. I've heard Adonis doesn't take well to others trying a hand at his things." Tharn pursed his lips, glancing back at the man.

"I don't believe I've ever liked The Duke of Keisteria enough to give him that courtesy." I could've just been bitter from the past few encounters I've had with the man. Though he couldn't compare to me with strength, he makes up with his lack of empathy.

I've fought many battles but that man has slaughtered more people than I can count. I cannot say that I'm a saint but I kill within reason while he kills whoever threatens him or anything to do with him.