Lonesome Souls - Tales of the Souls, Vol I

Chapter Three

Stefania and Duchess Morena appeared in the middle of a gloomy and monstrous ballroom. So dark, yet the ceiling played its own film; galaxies and stars sparkled, planets span around the orbit, and meteors flew here and there. The floor, envious of the beauty above, formed into a grey cloud, flashing with an angry yellow storm, as canonical pillars supported the high ceiling. Stefania fell in love with beautiful side lamps shaped into pale fireballs, lighting the black walls in minuscule rainbows. Exotic scents which originated from all around the universe, whiffed in the air as chief immortals, lower deities, and other strange creatures swam around the ballroom. The rhythm of gentle piano tunes chaperoned the immortals clothed in extravagant gowns and bow ties.

An overwhelmed Stefania absorbed every flicker, every creature, and every strange occurrence with awe, as her heart crashed against her ribcage at regular intervals. The blood flow was loud in her ears, and she realised that throughout her five hundred years of existence, she had never seen so many creatures at such a small distance from her.

'Oh deary me, from all the frenzy, I have forgotten it is the centurial ball this evening,' Duchess Morena spoke and grasped Stefania's upper arm gently. She pulled Stefania until they reached the front, where an empty raised podium draped in a dark crimson carpet was awaiting.

'Aren't we a little underdressed for the occasion, my lady?' Asked Stefania

The duchess narrowed her eyes at their simple attires. Stefania wanted to shrink and disappear as she realised that a cloak compared to the extravagance stood out more than blood on a vampire's pale skin.

'Well, no matter,' Duchess Morena said, 'we need to bear the few minutes of embarrassment; I am sure his majesty will not mind our intrusion in such attire when he learns of the reason.'

She has not answered the duchess, only eyed the podium, and when all murmurs silenced, King Amudilio stepped out, followed by a round of gentle applause.

He stopped in front of the audience, his back straight as a candle and his chiselled face twisted into a smile, 'a warm welcome to you all as we celebrate the 10th Centurial ball at Nav. I hope you all discovered a piece of your homeland in this ballroom and learned something new about the Slavic culture.'

King Amudilio was so unlike his brother Veles, the exiled king. While Veles was haunted, cold, and never showed an ounce of kindness, his brother was the complete opposite, it seemed. King Amudilio's diplomatic persona owned his surroundings. There was nothing demure about him. Not his olive, groomed face carved to perfection; not his well-formed physique; not his black, silky-smooth wings tucked behind his back and worthy of the aristocratic deity.

As if Amudilio was carved by the creator of the universe himself.

'I must say, you all clean up well, I feel underdressed just looking at you all. Tonight is an exceptional evening, and I am glad so many noble creatures joined me as I have a special surprise for you all present.'

As Amudilio gazed into Stefania's irises for the first time that evening, nothing was eerier than his spine-chilling black eyes. The irises and the whites were filled with darkness, full of never-ending nothingness. They possessed the power to leave any creature frozen and hypnotised if Amudilio fancied.

Yet Amudilio evoked undeniable allure inside of Stefania's being, and her eyes grew at the sudden feel of a flutter against her stomach walls, tickled by close to a million Amber Phantom butterflies. The feeling was strange, her cheeks warmed up as she observed him, and a pulse carried on throbbing in her chest.

As Amudilio's gaze darted from her to Morena, a slight crease appeared in his deep, dark eyebrows. Upon meeting Stefania's gaze once again, a sorrowful glisten swam in his obsidian eyes. It was odd to see. After all, she had seen the king for the first time in her existence.