Fates Intertwined

52. | A Small World, It Is

There was a knock on Aurora's door. She pulled it open, Nara standing outside her door, ready in her gown. Her dress was a deep blue tulle with one shoulder sleeves and a slit along her leg. It was decorated with flowers and butterflies around the skirt of the dress, but it fit her beautifully.

"You're not ready." She frowned, looking down at Aurora's outfit. She was in the same training clothes as she had been for the last week.

"I'm not going." She admitted, turning to her bed and sitting down with one leg underneath her.

"What? You have to go!" She argued, stepping inside and shutting the door. "Zyran is expecting you." She turned away, avoiding Nara's gaze. Nara sighed at the realization. She moved to sit in front of Aurora on her bed. "You've been avoiding him all week."

"For a good reason."

"Aurora," She sighed. "You can't let Octavia dictate your life. Find a way to break the curse. You can't give up."

"It's not that I don't want to find a way; it's that I'm afraid that if I break the curse, Zyran will realize I was never worth it. And I've been avoiding him because of the curse. I don't want to risk something and him pay the consequences." She explained.

"You're afraid." Aurora turned to her bed sheet, where she picked at the cover. "Even if you're afraid, you should still go to the ball."

Aurora sighed. "Why?"

"Because in all honesty I'm afraid of Evelyn and if we don't go, she might attack us." Aurora let out a small laugh. "This is your dress?" Nara asked, moving to the closet door where a silver dress hung.

"Yeah."

Nara pulled it down, examining it. "It's pretty. I could've done better, but you know." She shrugged. Aurora smiled at that. "Come on. Get changed and we'll go down together. The others are already there."

Aurora sighed before pushing herself up, grabbing the dress from Nara and taking it into the bathroom. She slipped out of her training clothes, that she had changed into to go to the gym, and put on the dress.

The dress was silver and flowed to the floor with a slit running up her leg, the corset was split in two, held together by a lace running up her sternum, and her sleeves were spaghetti-strapped.

It was a beautiful dress, really. One that Evelyn was more than willing to let her have.

Her gaze drifted to the necklace she still sported. She refused to take it off.

Sighing, she finally stepped out of the bathroom. Nara looked up, meeting Aurora's eye, and grinned. "Beautiful!"

"Thanks." Aurora smiled.

"Come. I'll do your hair." Nara sat Aurora down in front of her vanity, and while Nara did her hair, Aurora worked on applying a little bit of makeup. Mostly eyeshadow, mascara, and lipstick.

Once they were done, Aurora's hair in a half up, half down hairstyle, Nara grabbed Aurora's hand. "Come on." She smiled, dragging Aurora down the hall to the ballroom.

When they got closer, Aurora could hear the steady thrum of chatter, the music playing quite loudly. They walked through the doors, standing at the top of the stairs to the ballroom. Aurora scanned the room, finding Evelyn and her husband standing off to the side in conversation with Nara's mother. People were already on the dance floor, spinning to the music.

"What are they staring at?" Aurora asked, looking at Nara.

Nara only smiled. "Not what. Who." Then she turned and walked down the stairs, toward her mother.