Dark Prince Rising

Four

Cira saw Zael again much sooner than she expected.

That evening, she went to dinner in the royal dining hall with the rest of the Wynvers. It wasn't public, but the two families often dined together, along with High King Baryn's close friends. Cira was Cyran Wynver's ward, so she accompanied his children to dinners and dances often.

"Aelon," King Baryn boomed when they entered. "Come sit next to your father and I!"

Aelon smiled that wonderful smile of his. He discreetly met Cira's eyes, and she nodded to accept the silent apology in them. Everyone loved Aelon, even the High King himself. It was impossible not to. He was beautiful and charming and kind and honorable and... Stop it, Cira.

A squealing brown fluffball darted out from the other side of the table to embrace Cira's legs. It was Kyren, the youngest Wynver. He roomed separately from his older siblings with his nursemaid, and didn't attend balls because he was too little to dance.

"Hello there, Ky." She laughed, bending to scoop him off of his feet. "How have you been?"

"I found another rock, Cira!" He held up his tiny fat fist for Cira to see. A small gemstone was nestled in his palm, beautiful shades of brown and gold shimmering across the surface.

"Its pretty," she said, gazing at the stone in awe. Kyren loved nature, and he always seemed to find beautiful baubles and flowers wherever he went. Cira suspected that, when his gift emerged, it would have something to do with the wilderness.

"You can have it!" He pushed it into her hand, his chubby cheeks round with his grin. "It looks like your eyes."

Cira laughed and accepted the present, turning it in her hands. "I think I'll get it enchanted," she told him. "What enchantment should I get?"

Ky frowned in thought, then his big sea-green eyes widened. "You should get a quiet 'chantment! So you can be a quiet and sneaky secret fighter Lady!"

Cira's smile faded a bit, and she studied the little boy. Did he know? It was impossible. He couldn't know, could he?

"He gave you his rock?" His nursemaid chuckled gently. "I'm shocked. He's been clutching that thing for days! I haven't even been able to get him to put it down for baths."

They all took their seats. Cira ended up with Izzy on her left and an empty chair on her right. Since she wasn't technically a Wynver, she was always on the end. A few more people shuffled in, mostly royalty from the other kingdoms. This was a formal dinner, not like the casual ones they usually had.

"Well, what are the odds?" A voice sounded from behind her.

Cira froze, composing herself before turning around. She hadn't expected to see him this soon, if ever again. He was just as stunning as he had been in the ballroom, and he smiled as if he knew it. He lowered himself easily into the chair to Cira's right, and she saw for the first time that the fancy paper name card spelled out his name in curling red letters.

"What a delightful surprise," she answered. Her voice was crisp and polite, but nothing more. She didn't know this man, and she had no desire to. Something about the way he looked at her made half of her want to run as far away from him as she could, as fast as possible. The other half.... She didn't dwell on what the other half of her wanted to do.

He picked up his name card and began to fold it into a tiny square, and Cira couldn't help but wonder of he was a musician, like her. He had musical fingers, long and thin and dexterous.

"What are you doing here?" She couldn't help but ask. He couldn't be royalty. Could he?

Zael laughed, a pleasant, soothing sound. "The king of Lythores has many sons."