Twist of Fate

Merry Christmas Val

Valkyrie stood tapping her foot impatiently, the sound of the lapping waves not acting as the calming agent it usually did. Skulduggery was now running 20 minutes late, and the absence was really not appreciated as she stood there in a festive red dress that hugged her curves, gaining her numerous glances from men passing by. She heard the Bentley before she saw it, and the anticipation kicked back in, why was she going to this party? There would be loads of people there... Valkyrie didn't like people.
"You're late!" she scowled as she clambered into the  car, she didn't like that the dress hindered her movements more than her usual gear.
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to." Skulduggery replied calmly.

"You're quoting Gandalf at me. Really Skulduggery? I thought you said that Lord of the Rings was degrading to real mages?" Valkyrie stated, raising her eyebrows at him.
"Shut it you filthy little mudblood!"
"Seriously? You were late and now you're going to quote pop culture at me. Pop culture that if I recall correctly, you chastised me for reading and watching." Valkyrie replied with a sigh.
"Yeah well, I may have gotten a bit bored without a case and had a movie marathon." Skulduggery replied sheepishly. Valkyrie was smirking to herself and Skulduggery sulked as he drove off towards Roarhaven. 

After several minutes Skulduggery broke the silence, "so.. you look nice! You look female, sometimes I forget you're female you know, with all the black and swearing and pure hatred for the world.." Valkyrie's glare cut him off. He put his attention instead to the radio and turned up the volume. "Yes! I love this one!" he proclaimed as Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin Stevens blasted through the speakers. Skulduggery sang along to the chorus at the top of his voice "Snow is falling, all around me, children playing, having fun," he looked at Valkyrie expectantly but she just shook her head, "come on Val, it's Christmas! You know you want to!" Valkyrie seemed conflicted for a moment but Skulduggery had clearly won this battle, so the two of them belted along to the rest of the song, dancing in their seats. 

"You know, you actually have a good voice!" Valkyrie said turning to Skulduggery after the song had finished and the music turned back down.
"I know. I was the best singer in Ireland before I, you know, died." He looked off wistfully, "perhaps even the world." Valkyrie couldn't tell if he was joking or not so turned her attention elsewhere. 

"So. Where's my present?" she asked, looking about the car. 
"Ah yes, your present. That brings us back to why I was late. Look under your seat. I think you'll find I did a spectacular job." Skulduggery replied, sounding very proud of himself. Valkyrie found a bright pink box and pulled off the ribbon.
"A unicorn night light?" she asked, half exasperated, half amused.
"You. Are. Welcome." Skulduggery replied, now clearly very pleased with the present. "It changes colour!" he added, very excitedly. Valkyrie flicked the switch and the unicorn started glowing red before fading to purple then blue then green. Despite herself, she found she was smiling.
"You're smiling, I knew it! The lady in the shop told me all girls love unicorns!" he said proudly.
"Wait wait wait, you went into a shop? Like an actual shop for this?" she began laughing.
"Why is that so hard to believe? I used my disguise! Honestly I'd never been in Toys R Us before, but it did not disappoint. You know, they have toys out that you can test and play with? They had scooters Val, scooters! You could just whizz around the shop, on a scooter, and nobody batted an eyelid. It was fantastic!" This was too much for Valkyrie, picturing Skulduggery going around a toy shop on a scooter caused her to lose all control and she doubled over with laughter. 
When she finally managed to compose herself she sighed and said to him "You really are a special kind of special." They sat in a comfortable silence for the rest of the drive to Roarhaven. Anxiety at the upcoming party kicking back in.

They pulled up outside the hall where the party was being held and were greeted by cleavers adorned with tinsel. They walked up the front steps and opened the doors into a room that looked like something straight out of a fairytale book. The room was decorated in various shades of gold, soft twinkling lights lined the ceiling, satin drapes lined the walls, giving the impression they'd walked into the most beautiful marquee that Valkyrie had ever seen. Tables lined the outside of the room and the centre floor was filled with men in suits and ladies in flowing dresses, all dancing to the music that emanated from the live band that stood on a stage at the far end of the room. 
"Wow!" Valkyrie couldn't stop the exclamation from escaping her lips.
"Yes. Wow!" Came a familiar voice from behind her. Valkyrie smiled as she turned to see Dexter Vex looking extremely handsome in a dark navy suit and deep burgundy tie. Valkyrie immediately felt more at ease as he laced his hand around her waist and pulled her close. 
Ghastly came walking towards them from a table in the back corner of the room, he came to a halt a few feet away when he saw Skulduggery cross his arms and shake his head.
"I still can't believe you wouldn't make me a new suit!" Skulduggery stated.
"Oh not this again!" sighed Ghastly, laughing as he closed the rest of the distance and embraced Valkyrie in a quick hug. "Fletcher has already been driving me insane, please not you as well!" Skulduggery ignored him and made his way across the room to the table Ghastly had just come from. 
"For a man who is over 400 years old, he is such a child!" Ghastly noted, shaking his head. 
The rest of them made their way over to the table and lowered themselves into chairs that had been decorating with shimmering gold bows. 
"I've missed you!" Vex whispered to Valkyrie, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She smiled and kissed him softly.
"I've missed you too!" she replied. Dexter rested his arm protectively across the back of her chair and she smiled. She knew she looked good in this dress, and it was clear Vex didn't want another man thinking he could spend the evening with her. She laughed to herself, didn't the man realise that half the women in the room were drooling over him? If anything, she was the one with more to worry about. She sighed. She always liked the innate sense of comfort she felt whenever Vex was around. 

Some time later, after Vex had taken Valkyrie to dance, China glided over to their table, her dress flowing perfectly, a stunning shade of deep green.

"Don't you all look dashing!" she beamed at them.
"China. A pleasure as always." Skulduggery replied stiffly.

"Oh Skul, one would almost think you weren't happy to see me." China replied, smiling her dazzling smile, clearly unabashed. 
"It's more that you're denying your admirers the opportunity to pronounce their undying love for you!" Skulduggery indicated to the other side of the room, where there were in fact, several young men all watching her in awe. 
"I've received 5 marriage proposals already this evening, all very charming men, but you know I'm not interested in any of that!" China tilted her head slightly to the side and her softly curled hair fell across her shoulder. 
"Well, this has been grand, but I'm going to go and dance. I believe Dexter is itching for a rematch after our last dance off." And with that, Skulduggery left the table with surprising grace for a skeleton, and made his way across the dance floor to interrupt Dexter and Valkyrie, leaving China with Ghastly and Saracen.
"Oh this will be good!" remarked Saracen.

"After the carnage last time? This should be magnificent!" Ghastly agreed. 
"If you'll excuse us." Saracen said, bowing his head respectfully at China, before making their way across the dance floor, joining the circle that surrounded Skulduggery and Vex. 

The party had gone much better than Valkyrie had expected, but 5 hours around those people was more than enough, so she was grateful when Skulduggery offered to drive her home. Skulduggery sat in the car looking very smug.
"You know you didn't win that dance battle right?" Valkyrie said to him, "It was voted a draw!" she added.
"Yes, but I was clearly the better dancer. Everyone just felt sorry for Vex. He was outshone." Skulduggery sounded very sure of himself, and Valkyrie humored him, knowing that once he had an idea in his head, nobody could tell him otherwise.
"So, are you excited for Christmas tomorrow?" Skulduggery asked her.

"Actually yes," Valkyrie replied, a small smile playing on her lips, "it's dad's favourite time of year, and he gets very excited. I can't wait to see how much he'll enjoy playing with all of Alice's toys!" She looked out the window and realised that for the first time in a long time she truly felt happy. 

After some time, Skulduggery pulled up near Valkyrie's house. 
"Thank you for the unicorn, I will treasure it always!" Valkyrie said, holding it up as it turned bright green.
"Too right you will!" Skulduggery replied, and Valkyrie smiled as she climbed out the car. She was just about to walk away when she caught herself.
"Merry Christmas Skulduggery!"
"Merry Christmas Val!"