Villainess From the Stars

38. The Debut Ball

The time for the current year's debut ball had arrived.

Many of the soon-to-attend students of the Academy would attend, along with many innovators across Wofford and some from other places in the Continent.

Vienna had just had a little over a month to work alongside Ezzie making her dress for the event.

The Fortress grand hall was decorated with the natural vines that grew up the sides of the buildings in the Capital.

Wrapping around archways and saplings were brought to decorate the walls. The royals did not sit on their thrones instead they mingled with their people, no long burgundy trains behind them. The Queen wore a long draping tunic the color of the Sukomi desert, her warrior pauldrons on her shoulders, a skirt that was slit up the sides while she wore dark leggings beneath with boots that came over her knee. She was gorgeous and ever so threatening. The king wore a beautiful hand-stitched cape with a cape broach at the tie with the Wofford crest upon it.

"May I have this dance, Lady Vienna?" Vienna turned to find Prince Ravven dressed in a matching black cape like his father and humble handstitched tunic and trousers. Vienna was grateful for the lessons she took from her father over the month in preparation for the event.

"I just learned how this month, I might step on your toes."

He shook his head with an honest smile, "I won't mind."

Vienna placed her hand in his and laughed as he spun her around in the center of the hall as the strings started up. "Sorry." She winced as her soft booted feet stepped on his toes.

He twirled her around, her dark green skirt spinning out with her.

"You are getting better." Their hands met and they turned around each other, Vienna shook her head.

"You are being kind." They turned and passed between other couples before joining back up. On their next switch, Vienna's eyes gazed out into the crowded room and saw a flash of unnaturally golden hair. Blue eyes stared at her, a sneer on pretty lips. It would seem Adeena Nesrin had caught sight of them dancing.

When Vienna turned her head back it was to Prince Ravven bowing toward her and to her father before Pop stepped in to dance with her.

Her father was a natural, light upon his feet, turning her around and making her feel as if she were floating and not dancing.

This time as Vienna spun around the room her eyes briefly made contact with a pair of ice blue. She didn't recognize them, she must have not met the man before. There was a familiar feeling about him though, something in the way he stood. Perhaps it was his lonely gaze, the not-really-here look in his eyes that was so similar to her father's when he was in one of his dazes.

After her father ended the dance, he and Roark began speaking amongst themselves several paces away.

"Oh if it isn't the little girl that ran away from home."

A gaggle of ladylike giggles sounded from behind Vienna.

She turned to find Adeena ostentatiously dressed in gold that clashed with her hair, surrounded by a gaggle of ladies who peered at Vienna over their fluttering fans.

Vienna curtseyed her head bobbing in respect, even if her father was a duke she wouldn't put aside the courtesy of acknowledging the other nobles no matter their rank.

"Good day, Lady Nesrin." Vienna tilted her head, "It is good to be back home."

Vienna watched sky-blue eyes narrow over the top of a white feathered fan.

---

[Special POV: Zephyr Soren, Court Artificer]

The seeds had grown.

With them came knowledge of what he was and what he was missing for so long. The first hint of a home no matter how forgotten it may be.

With the songs of long ago and the knowledge of his inheritance came a connection.

He was not truly alone. There were others like him.

He wondered how he had not figured it out long ago, Duke Winden Thorne. He did not fit in with the other different beings, there was always something different about him.

Vienna Thorne, though was something even more rare. As soon as his eyes met hers across the ballroom he was thrown into a memory.

A silver-walled room. A girl upon a pedestal of light, her form flickering between a young child and a young adolescent.

"I wished for a new life."

A strange being with many different arms, eyes wise stared at the girl. "Seize the opportunity before you. Live this life. But remember beware of a violent death and don't allow someone to take advantage. If these warnings aren't heeded, the timeline will implode and all will be lost."

"No pressure then."

The room dimmed and he was back in the ballroom, looking after the Thornes realizing who Vienna was. A Starlight Soul, how rare indeed. She would need to be protected. This was something he knew he could achieve from afar.

[End of Special POV: Zephyr Soren, Court Artificer]