Otherworld

The Ballroom Surprise

A/N: First comment gets a dedication to the chapter he/she commented on :D this goes for the rest of the story :D (You have to be a fan >.>)

To the story.

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I didn't realize I fell asleep until I turned over to an empty half of bed. You know, the kind of empty where you know someone was there but recently left? Yeah, that one. My face was aflame just thinking about how I had acted. Maybe he casted magic on me. 

Most of the sun-like warmth was gone now, and the room felt cooler than it had before. A bit lonely, but I'd never admit that out loud. I slipped out and tip toed into the hallway, immediately spotted by a small goblin-like creature.

"Come. Measurements were taken while you were asleep. We've got your clothes in your new room."

For lack of direction, I followed it. Her. Him. Whatever.

While walking through what was likely to be Oberon's castle, I spotted countless flowers, scents, woods and creatures I had no name for. I chastized myself for being such a dork when I came here. Denial, denial, denial. I guess being a Faerie isn't that bad when you subtract your 'subjects' and 'Princes' out to kill you. Oh, and that last part about Hades after your life, or something.

But I can't help how stupid I was. Going to a school full of Werewolves and not even realizing it kind of blows the top off a crappy situation. On top of it all, I totally told off the Alpha of the pack.

Okay, I guess there are worse situations out there but it sucks royally after a while. Literally. I still can't get passed the fact someone saw me naked and will probably tell the tale. As a potential fiance, it urks a bit. As a total jerk out for my life to pay some debt to Hades?

Head-bangingly appealing.

We reached a room lit up by a tiny ball of light resembling the sun. It was huge; three times as big as the room I had just slept in.

"Come now," the thing groused. "I'll help you clothe."

I was going to object, but when I took a look at what I was supposed to be wearing, my protest died in my throat. Lots of lace and strings. Holes. In other words, I had no idea where to even start.

"Go on. Off to shower with you." The Goblin-esque thing shoed me into a shower. This time I locked the door when I made sure there were towels preasent.

 One shower and a long struggle to tighten an unessisary corset and I was dressed up like a doll. Long hair trimmed a bit, just to keep it off of the ground, was curled to a wave, red lipstick (or at least, that's what I hope it is) was heavily applied, making my lips look plump and eerily doll-like. A victorian corset squeezed the breath out of me, stripped red in a vertical fashion. The dress, a dark red, similar to pools of blood I've seen on TV had two thick shoulder straps that hung loosely off of my shoulders and flowed to the point right above the black leather boots tied tightly with red lace on my feet. The jewelry was better than anything I've ever seen, though. A liquidy silver chain hung around my neck and on my collar bone lay what I suspected to be a bloodstone.

It was clear and had liquid as thick and red as blood. A same liquidy circlet encased my head, a tiny replica of the oval resting above my chest dangling from a tiny chain link. I don't really know why the Goblin-like creature wanted to dress me up, but I'm sure it has something to do with Oberon. So, instead of complaining I followed the wench or whatever into a large ballroom looking place.

For the first time, I realized it was passing into the night. The ballroom was smooth polished marble with the side opposite of me openning up to the morning air in Roman collums revealing a large lake lit up with something that looked like those string lights you buy at stores. The scents from the garden made their way to the ball room, and large fireflies leisurely floated around the dim-ish room.

Oberon, of course, was like the sun in the night sky. Everone around him was bright, but looked more like they were only reflecting his light. Simple mirrors of the real thing. He spotted me at the edge of the floor, and made his way toward me.

A rather large hand gestured to me, covered in scars, tiny and large alike. The body and face connected to it radiated a weird, buzz-like energy. I reached out for it out of politeness, but when my hand came close a static shock passed between us.

He grabbed my hand then. The buzzing energy I saw on him passed into me, and it was like being recharged. It kind of messed with my head. I saw Oberon's smile fade then. The man dressed in dark colors lead me to a balcony over looking the crowd of dancers and minglers. The music wafted all throughout the room and then some, and the urge to be lost in a waltz bit at me.

I was pretty sure the face under his mask was handsome, since he was faerie. Something nagged at me in the very back of my head. Soon, everyone's eyes were on us-the two probably good looking people that may have looked like a couple. I shook the thought out of my head, thinking back to Alec for some reason.

"May I have your attention," the man's voice rang out in spite of practically everyone's eyes on us already. "I must make an announcement relating your King, the fair princess of Lamina, and I, the Grand Duke Knight Skye."

I looked at him like he was crazy. Then it hit me-everyone here had odd hair colors. Purple, blue, blonde, platinum, white-except for me.

And the looney next to me.

Caution took hold of me, and I tried to pull away. No-go. 

"It seems that tonight your beloved King Oberon the Second had plans to announce his engagement to such a noble beauty. I, however beg to differ." My face fell. Uh-oh. I think I know where this is going. I tried to wriggle out of his grip, but it was air tight, nearly literally. Or maybe that was the corsette.

Wait. Oberon was going to make me his bride? In your dreams, I thought, preoccupying myself needlessly. Knight Skye or whatever held me closer, and slowly lowered his mask.

I gasped, and a slight meloncholy rose within me. the buzzing became stronger, and a mix of unexplained desire and hope and fear exploded within me. I should have known. He looked down at me, smirking at an angle only he could and my heart did an unexplained summersault. My eyes burned with unexplained tears.

The audience looked as surprised as I was, and all around Oberon lightning clashed and roared and clapped. My ears popped with the sudden drop in pressure. My heart thudded so loud it sounded like tidal waves overtook my bloodstream.

"Or not," Aleck simply said.

Darkness swallowed me, and the last thoughts that came to mind were, in prospective, a little funny if my life wasn't in total danger.

I'm like a total damsel in distress. Gross.