Wild and Out of Control

|chapter forty-eight|

|danica|

"The Fables of the Barren includes legends about the mythical creatures venin and wyverns, a folklore serving to demonize dragons and warn against the lure of magic. But, it's only stories."

     Only stories.

     Just a bunch of legends and myths told around the campfire.

     Violet spent a good amount of time last night explaining the legends of days past to me and showing me the books and journals her father left for her. I knew I could come to Violet to learn about the venin because her father used to study them before he passed. I wonder why we don't learn about the past legends as children. I mean, we are taught everything regarding Poromiel, from politics to geography, but we don't learn about our past legends. She let me borrow The Fables of the Barren, only because she has two copies—hers and her father's. She kept her father's while she lent me hers.

     The book sits on my desk, and my eyes keep drifting over to it as I get ready for the Basgiath Formal Ball. I don't even know why we host it since the Reunification Day Ball is a month away, but it seems that leadership likes to celebrate Navarre, so we have two balls. If I could, I would skip this and read more about venin, but as a general's daughter, my attendance is required.

     My father sent me a dress he wants me to wear tonight, which is just another way for him to control me. I'll be the only rider not in our formal uniforms and in an actual dress that was probably custom-made. I'm dreading this ball, already knowing what my father will try to do, what he's been trying to do since I came of age: marry me off to some fancy lord. In the past, I was able to get out of it, and tonight won't be any different.

     I do a light shadow and dark liner on my eyes, which brings out the green in my eyes just the way I like it. Finishing with a dark red on my lips, I start cleaning up my desk from my products, my hand lingering on the book. It's small enough to sneak into the pockets of the dress. I spend one second debating on whether to bring it or not—which is a yes—before pulling the dress out of my armoire.

     The dress is beautifully simple, all black with a silk flowy skirt and an extremely tight corset that pushes my breasts up together nicely. It's a strapless dress, so most of my chest is exposed, but it came with a long, thin black silk scarf that I place on my neck to flow on my back. Instead of the flats, my father wants me to wear heels to make me taller. I learned a long time ago to just listen to his requests so that I won't have a migraine by the end of the night with his constant comments.

     Slipping the book into my left pocket and slipping a dagger into my other pocket, I leave my room. Sure enough, Liam's waiting outside my room, dressed in his formal uniform with his badges. His hair is styled back out of his face, and he leans against the wall with Violet. He looks up when he hears the door close, and stops short when he sees me, his mouth agape as he stares at me. Violet smiles and mimics clapping her hands together.

     "So beautiful, Dani. That dress suits you so much," Violet compliments, linking her arm through Liam's.

     Liam seems to sober from his shock. "Why are you wearing a real dress? Are we all supposed to wear real formal clothes to this thing?"

     "No, just me. My father wanted me to wear this." I clear my throat, straightening my skirt with my hands as I eye their arms linked together. "You going public with your relationship?"

     Violet and Liam share a look before she answers. "Might as well, you know? I don't want to keep hiding this from people."

     I offer a tight-lipped smile as I nod in understanding. I clear my throat, motioning toward the hall. "Shall we?"