The Storyteller

Chapter 3

After making sure Hoggle was comfortable in the guest room Libera led Ariadne up to her room.

"Oh, I almost forgot before you get ready there's someone here to see you," Libera said trying to hide her smile. Ariadne looked at her confused before gasping in delight as she realised who it could be.

"Derryn!" She shouted as she rushed into her bedroom.

Derryn sat in her reading chair lounging back looking his usual handsome self. He was dressed in modest grey breeches and a flowing cream poets shirt, a grey leather jacket led across his lap. Ariadne noticed he had let his usually close-cropped blonde hair grow out so now it came down to his shoulders. Apart from his golden brown eyes, you could say he almost looked like the King. Ariadne had stopped in her tracks as she noticed the changes to his appearance, Derryn smirked as he caught her staring at him.

"Well don't just stand there Aria, haven't you missed me?" He laughed.

Ariadne ran over to him and hugged him tightly she felt his arms wrap around her and his head bury into her shoulder. She pulled away from him feeling slightly awkward, she cleared her throat and desperately thought of something to say.

"How was your trip?" She asked quickly.

"The usual, I missed you." Derryn moved to sit back down in her chair but as he did he noticed a black dress bag hanging on the back of her door.

"Off anywhere nice?" He asked pointing at the dress bag.

"Yes, I'm going to the ball tonight. Aren't you going?" Ariadne asked him.

"You know they're only for the fae, no selkies are invited," Derryn explained.

"Not that I would want to go, my father told me that the night just involves fae nobles offering up their daughter's hand in marriage to the King." Derryn scoffed.

"I'm sure it's not all that bad anyway how would your father know if selkies can't go?" She replied coolly.

"Hey don't go getting defensive on me, I'm just repeating what I was told." Derryn held his hands up in mock defeat grinning widely. He walked over to her and pulled her into him, wrapping his arms gently around her.

"Why don't you stay here with me? I haven't seen you in ages." Derryn asked softly.

"Derryn we can catch up tomorrow, this may be my only chance to go." Ariadne scolded him gently as she moved out of his arms.

She felt oddly uncomfortable around him, he had been her best friend for years but today he just seemed different. 'Something must have happened that he doesn't want to tell me.' She thought to herself. Ariadne watched him as he stared almost longingly into her eyes as if he was silently pleading with her. When he saw that she wasn't going to change her mind he dropped his gaze and walked out of the room without another word.

Ariadne stood in silence feeling as though she had just lost her best friend but she didn't understand why. She didn't realise her grandmother had come into the room as she jumped at the sound of her voice.

"I'm sorry darling, love can be cruel sometimes," Libera said wisely.

"What do you mean?" Ariadne asked confused.

"Didn't you notice? He's in love with you Aria, I've seen it for years. I always knew that he wasn't right for you though so I never said anything." Libera said sadly.

"No, that can't be true. He's my best friend, he's almost like a brother to me." Ariadne insisted.

"Believe what you will Aria, I know unrequited love when I see it. Now that's enough of that, let's get you ready" Libera said.

Libera grabbed the dress bag and placed it on the bed. "Well, are you going to open it or not?" She laughed.

Ariadne eagerly opened the bag and pulled the dress out, gazing at it in shock. The dress was a sleeveless emerald ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and an empire waist which flowed into a floor length skirt. The bodice was a corset made of duchess satin and covered with a lace of the same shade. The skirt pooled out in layers of satin and chiffon, making it puff out naturally without being too heavy.

"Thank you, it's beautiful." Ariadne was almost in tears.

"Oh don't start the waterworks, you'll get me going otherwise." Libera laughed brushing away a few stray tears from her eyes.

Libera helped Ariadne into the beautiful gown and laced up the corset back. She sat Ariadne down at her vanity table and began piling her naturally wavy chocolate brown hair into an elegant updo. She placed silver combs into both sides of her hair, the combs had small emeralds in the centre of the flowers.

Ariadne stood staring at her reflection in the mirror barely recognizing the elegant woman that was staring back. Libera walked up behind her and placed a black filigree mask over her eyes. The emerald green of the dress in contrast with the black mask made the green of her eyes stand out.

"There now you are ready, you look beautiful my Aria. I'm sure the King will think so too." Libera complimented.

Ariadne blushed before walking out and closing her bedroom door.

Libera and Ariadne walked quietly out of the house and towards the clearing as they got closer Ariadne heard someone calling her, she turned to see Derryn running towards her.

"What's wrong?" Ariadne asked him frantically.

"Don't go!" Derryn pleaded.

"What? Derryn we've been through this, this might be my only chance." Ariadne sighed.

"Please Ariadne, if you go to that ball I may lose you forever." He grabbed her band and held it tightly.

"Derryn please you're hurting me! I don't understand what you're talking about." She pulled her hand free, abruptly staggering away from him.

"I love you!" He blurted out. Neither of them had noticed Libera as she quietly slipped away.

"I have always loved you and I know that you love me Aria." He said feigning confidence.

"Derryn, you are like family to me, of course, I love you but not in the way you want me to, I'm sorry. Besides it could never work, your true love will always be the sea and mine is somewhere out there, maybe even at that ball." Ariadne walked over to him and gave him a small kiss on his cheek before moving back to the centre of the clearing. She gathered a Crystal to her hand and thought of the goblin castle.

"Goodbye Derryn, I'm sorry." She apologized sadly as she disappeared in a haze of glitter.

Derryn stood staring at the falling glitter, a small hand grasped his shoulder gently.

"I'm sorry Derryn, you are not the only one that is afraid of losing her," Rhea spoke gently before walking away as silently as she had appeared.

Derryn watched after her 'No, he wouldn't let it happen. There must be something I can do' he thought to himself.

"Even if I have to give up the sea, I will not lose her." He vowed determinedly.