~ The Unworthy Title ~

~ Chapter 6 ~

I spent the rest of the day in bed talking with Keir about politics and strategy. While my father taught me swordsmanship and combat, Keir taught me how to see our world with strategy. Through his eyes our world was a chessboard. Every person with power in society was a pawn which he could use by doing the right moves. Keir was very skilled in understanding what type of person you are and what you are capable of. Especially when he needed you to be a pawn in his game. Sometimes I wonder if we were all just pawns in his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~

The sun rose and the day of the ball arrived. The castle was full of servants cleaning every corner, every corridor and room. I hadn't seen the castle so busy since forever. My father didn't show up at practice, he stayed in his office all day. He might had a lot of paperwork because of the ball.

After lunch Aiden and I went to our room just to find a servant in it. She said she was supposed to help us prepare. Or what I like to call dress me as a doll and Aiden just wears what he wants. I sat down on a chair and let her do my hair. She braided carefully two braids, one on each side and then she brushed my hair to make them more curly. While Aiden was just watching from behind smiling with a wicked smile.

   "You know how much I want to punch you right ?" I asked him looking at his reflection from the mirror in front of me.

   "It's not my fault I was born a boy."

   "It's still annoying." I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My long hair, styled with curls and the two braids she braided. It wasn't anything special but I liked it. The servant went to my closet and took out a black long dress. I stood up and looked at Aiden.

   "Um, do you mind?" I asked him, making a signal to the door. Aiden looked at me, then at the door and then back to me.

   "Oh, I'm going to see how Keir's doing." He said and went to the door.

   "See you there." He waved a hand and closed the door behind him. I looked at the dress and sighed.
I went to the corner of the room and took off my clothes. I wore the dress and let the servant help me with the back side. The dress was a simple, long, black dress with a crossed back.

   "I'll be fine on my own, thank you." I told her calmly with a smile. She nodded and bowed. Then she left silently. I thought of what everyone was going to wear.

Everyone from Keith was going to be dressed with colors of green and pink. While Zion's colors were gold, brown and yellow for its high mountains. Lastly, Cordelia's people would make an appearance full of blue. The blue of the sky and the ocean. Or pure white for their snowed cities.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Something was missing. I looked at my desk, a brown box with red details waiting for me to open it. I opened it to find my jewels. I haven't worn them since the last time I went to a ball. I noticed two gold bracelets decorated with small red stones. I wore them on my left hand. Then I noticed another bracelet with green stones this time. I wore it on my right hand and looked at my reflection once more. Better, I thought. My silver chain around my neck with my crystal, making my eyes look even more blue. I looked around the room.

From the next day onwards I wouldn't sleep there. I would be with strangers. I took a big breath, moved towards the door and left the room of my childhood.

~~~~~~~~~~

The doors opened and the room got filled. Every corner of the room was full of every kind of color. Gowns, dresses and suits from all over the world. Every cloth saying its own story. My father sat on his throne with my brother by his side. His heir. Important people from our and the other kingdoms went to talk to him, greet him or even amuse him. Keir's face was filled with boredom. He just sat there waiting for the event to end.

While Aiden and I were lost in the crowd. When we were children we used to play hide and seek until our feet would give up. But growing up gossip seemed more appealing. Aiden chuckled and pointed with his finger at a boy who looked to be from Keith, trying to impress a girl. The boy gave her a flower and the girl smiled from his move.

   "Looks like we have a winner." Aiden said and chuckled again. I did the same with the adorable image. I noticed a group of girls laughing and looking at a boy who clearly wasn't aware of their existence. I pointed at them and chuckled once more.

   "That's truly pitiful."

   "Imagine what would happen if they fought over him." Aiden and I couldn't keep our laughter.

   "Do you think so low of them?" Aiden asked me through his laughter.

   "That's the charm of gossip, dear brother. I don't know anything about them but once I look at them for five seconds, I form my opinion." Aiden took a small sip from his drink and gave me a wicked smile.

   "You're evil."

   "No, I'm realistic."

   "Speaking of realism, do you think dad's plan will work?" Aiden asked me while taking a glance at our father.

   "Which plan?"

   "He wants to use tonight's event to have a word with Keith's queen." I raised my eyebrows by surprise.

   "What could he possibly want to say to that idiot of a woman?"


   "He wants to arrange a meeting with all the rulers of the kingdoms. And before you ask, no I don't know the reason." I took a glance at my father and then at Aiden.

   "Well that's weird but my answer is no. It won't work." I told him while taking a sip from my drink.

   "She won't listen to him or what he has to say, he's wasting his time." I looked around to find the queen of Keith accompanied by her husband. She looked so beautiful with her long brown hair and her red fox ears. People from Keith could transform into an animal and some had even a characteristic from their animal.

   "Hello, hello!" Said an excited voice from behind us. Aiden and I turned around to find Sam, Aiden's best friend and the youngest son of the royal family of Keith.

Aiden hugged his best friend and laughed from pure happiness. They hadn't seen each other for a whole year, they should have had a lot to say to each other. Sam looks more like Aiden than I do, you could easily mistake them for siblings. Sam and Aiden have the same brown hair but Sam has green eyes.

   "Um Crystal, can I steal your twin for a couple of minutes?" Sam asked me as if I would say no. Aiden looked at me with a smile on his face. How could I possibly say no to that smile.


   "Go, have some fun." They smiled and left when suddenly Aiden turned back as he forgot to tell me something.

   "Remember, when you hear a song without a violin it's time for your solo songs." Aiden reminded me.

   "Can't you play yours first ?"

   "Crystal!?"

   "Come on, do it for me." Aiden looked at Sam who was waiting for him.

   "Fine but you own me." He told me and he was gone in a second. His image was lost in the crowd and that's when I realized I was left alone.

   "Well, looks like it's just the two of us." A familiar voice spoke. Why couldn't I be alone for one minute? I turned around and faced the last person I would like to see that night. Alarick, heir to the throne of Keith and a total asshole. I gave him the fakest smile I could force and said,

   "Ricky! What a pleasure to see you." In reality I would love to punch you in your stupid face. Alarick laughed and then glanced behind me where Aiden and Sam must have been.


   "Looks like my little brother still gets along with your twin, I wonder why."

   "Well, what can I say? Perfection runs in our blood, maybe Sam has an excellent taste in friends." I told him while smiling wickedly. Alarick laughed again at my response.

   "I almost forgot how many stupid words can come out of your mouth." I looked at his eyes, green like the leaves of the trees. His blonde hair, being almost perfect as if they were made from gold. He was wearing a dark green suit with gold details.

   "Anyways, would you like a dance?" Alarick asked me and held out his hand, waiting for me to take it.

   "Rick, are you feeling anything weird? Should I call a healer to check on you?" I asked him, trying to mock him. He just smiled and put his hand on my shoulder.

   "Look around, Crystal. Look at your father. What do you see?" I did as he said. My father was watching us.

   "He is watching us."

   "Correct. Now look to the left where my parents are. What do you see?" I did as he said again. His mother was watching us too.

   "The same, she is watching us."

   "Why?" He asked me.

   "Because our parents are weird." Alarick gave me a look that made it clear he didn't like my answer.

   "Your father wants to get along with my mother and my mother wants the same but in order for them to do the first step they want our word in the matter. What I'm trying to say is if we get along they will do the same." He was right, it made sense but that meant I had to play nice around that man. Why that man? Couldn't it be someone else?

   "Fine. One song." I said, giving up.

   "Two. We have to make it believable." I took his hand while looking at him. He led me to the center of the room and put his hand around my waist. I put my left hand on his shoulder and my right hand was holding his. A new song began and we started dancing. Alarick moved me around, our feet almost stepped on each other. I gave him an angry look and he responded with a smile.

   "Do it, I dare you." I threatened him. We danced and danced. Everybody was watching us, the golden prince and the unwanted princess. I wanted to go outside, to ignore everyone and look at the sky. But instead I was there, playing his game. The music was endless. The room was filled with people. I felt dizzy just thinking about how much I wanted to punch him.

   "Have I told you how awful you look today ?" I asked him, faking a smile.

   "No, tell me." He responded. I looked at my father. He seemed pleased. I looked at Alarick's mother. She was going towards the throne.

   "It's working, let me go."

   "Wait a second, the song is about to end." He was right, the instruments began the ending of the song and... done. I looked at him and took deep breaths. I let go of him and faked a smile. He bowed and looked at me.

   "Until we meet again, milady." He told me and winked.

   "May that day never come." I said and left him.
~~~~~~~~~~

I went outside, to the balcony to get some air. I wanted to be alone for five minutes. Away from the massive crowd. I heard Aiden starting his first song. I had some minutes until I had to get in for the songs we had together. I looked at the sky. The night sky was full of stars. I loved that view. Could I get lost in that view for the rest of my life? Could I stay there instead of going inside? Could I-

I heard footsteps coming from behind me and I almost jumped by surprise. I found a man with black hair and shining eyes almost as gold as any jewel. He must have been from Zion.

   "I'm sorry I didn't mean to... scare you." He said calmly.