Sunset Legend

• 15 •

The questions were spilling out of my mouth. "What do I do? I bow right? Should I say something? Obviously I should say something. I should say something, right?" I didn't know what to do. Usually I was the one on the receiving end of the bows and curtseys.
Summer's hand slipped into mine as we began walking to the stair case the queen was traveling down. 
"Breathe. Just pretend you're meeting a normal friends mom. Just be yourself and she will love you," Summer said, squeezing my hand in reassurance. I nodded to myself. I could do that.
"Miss Aurora," Ray greeted her with a bow. Sol followed suit. I glanced at Summer, thinking I needed to bow too but I saw her slight shake of her head.
Queen Aurora bowed back to the gentlemen with a grin on her bright red lips.
"Sol. Ray. How are you?" I focused on keeping my legs from shaking as they answered. Jaxon might have been watching me, but I didn't want to look away from the queen. 
"Summer!" She chirped, wrapping her daughter into the same massive hug she gave Jaxon. Summer let go of my hand as she embraced her mother. I clasped my hands together in front of me, not sure what to do.
After a few minutes of chatter between the two, the queen's attention finally turned to me. I stopped breathing.
"Solstice." She said my name as she stared at me expressionless. I curtsied. Summer rolled her eyes behind the queen. Her maroon eyes looked at me for a hard second before a large grin appeared on her face. "What an honor to meet you."
I stood, confused, as the queen curtsied to me. I coughed to clear my throat that didn't have anything in it. "Really the honor is mine. Everything is beautiful and everyone has been beyond kind to me."
The queen looked at Sol with an eyebrow cocked. "Everyone?" Jaxon laughed as Sol stomped away. She turned back to me, a warming smile on her face. "I cannot wait to get to talk with you later tonight, but right now I must greet my people."  
I nodded, understanding why she wanted to leave so soon. I watched as she exchanged one more hug with her children. I wonder how long she was gone. I watched as everyone dispersed, leaving to either go dance or possibly eat. I thought I was left alone until a felt a warm hand on my shoulder.
"We've crossed paths before. Welcome back, darling." I watched as her red dress trailed behind her as she walked away from me. She weaved through the crowd, a genuine smile on her face as she talked amongst the people.
I was turning around to see where everyone had went when I bumped into someone. They stumbled back as I apologized. I looked at the orange haired man who wouldn't look me in the eyes.
"Sir?" I asked, but he turned on his heel and began walking at a pace too fast to be casual. I followed behind him as he made his way through the door where most guests entered on the main level. We were in a large foyer now with statues of sun gods. I kicked my heels off my feet the second before he made a mad dash to the door.
"Stop!" I shouted, thankful no one was in the room. He didn't. I broke into a sprint after him. Just a few more steps and he would be through the doors. With every muscle in my legs, I jumped. I landed on his back which lead us both stumbling to the ground. He grunted something as I grabbed him by the shoulders. "If you would just..." My words faded as the man finally turned to look at me.
Deep, blue eyes.
That belonged nowhere else but the Winter lands.
"Why are you here?" I demanded, anger rising through me. This place was to be a secret. I would raise all hell before I let them lose their lands. The man only narrowed his eyes at me.
"You people disgust me," he said, looking ready to spit in my face. He didn't know who I was. I felt the wicked grin turn my lips up as his narrowed glare widened, scared. I was sitting on his chest, hands uncomfortably close to his neck. If he moved, he would choke himself.
"My people? Take a look at your own. You disgust me," I snarled before spitting in his face. I heard the growl deep in his throat as he threw me off his body. I stumbled back a few feet before regaining my balance.
He was crouched in a fighting position, ready to pounce. So he did. He came running towards me, arm high in the air.
Suddenly, he was flying towards the wall.
"Don't you lay a fucking hand on her," Jaxon hissed, appearing in his untouched tuxedo as Sol came to stand in front of me. I looked back over at the man who was struggling to stand. My eyes widened at the crater in the wall from where Jaxon hurled him. Super strength, of course he had it.
"Or what?" The man dared to say.
"Is there a problem here?" Aurora strode into the room too casually for the situation that was occurring. The man's eyes bounced between the queen, Jaxon, and the door. Sol was standing protectively in front of me so I had to watch this under his arm.
"I wouldn't run if I was you," Jaxon said simply, his eyes burning a yellow brighter than the sun itself.
The man bolted for the door anyways without a look back at any of us. In two steps he fell to the floor, one weird gurgle sound rising from his throat then silence. It would of been silent if someone wasn't screaming. I didn't realize it was me until Sol had me wrapped in his arms, whispering something into my ear. I composed myself quickly as I pushed him away to look at the queen.
"What did you do?" I whispered, looking at the dead man on the floor with no sign of injuries.
"I crushed his heart," she said coldly, but not to me. She was walking towards him and I found my feet doing the same. "He was a Winter persons, no?" I saw Jaxon's shoulders tense behind her. The queen was staring over his body at me.
"Yes. His eyes were blue," I answered. I felt numb as she instructed Sol to get rid of the body. I watched as he threw the man over his shoulder with ease before disappearing down a hallway that lead somewhere besides the ballroom.
"He must of followed me back. Did he hurt you?" She stood in front of me, fingers grazing my face as she searched for any injury.
"No, ma'am." She waved a hand in my direction as she stepped back.
"Call me Aurora." I just nodded. Jaxon's eyes were back to the cool gray as he looked at her then me.
"She doesn't go around murdering people," he said cautiously.
"I'm sure this gives off a bad first impression," she said sheepishly. I blinked a few times, not sure if I should respond or not. "Solstice, you are one of us now. I spent many years searching for you so you could come back to where you belong. I will dammed if I let anyone take this away from you again. I knew he was a Winter bastard or I would of took the approach differently. I hope I did not frighten you away." I stared at the empty space on the floor where there should of been a pool of blood or something. I looked back up at Aurora who was waiting patiently for a response with a light smile.
"I think I love you," I said, looking into the face that looked like she could be my sister. I guess thats what immorality does to you. Her laugh was warm as it echoed off the walls. It made me feel safe. She made me feel safe as she wrapped me into a hug.
"There's so much we have to learn about each other."
Summer appeared in the foyer holding my heels in her hand. "I feel like I missed something."
"We'll discuss it later. We still have a party to attend. If you are still up for it?" Aurora turned to me. I nodded. She clapped her hands together once before heading down the hall, calling for her guards to do a search at the party for anymore unwanted guests. Summer let me lean against her as I pushed my heels back onto my feet.

A few minutes later we were back in the ballroom that was radiating with high energy. I stood near a table as Ray was pouring drinks. Five of us stood around the table while only four shots were being filled. I didn't say anything as Summer passed them out and Jaxon was the one drinkless.
"I don't drink," he said with a shrug. I usually didn't unless it was important to at a meeting, but then again that was back when I thought I was a princess. Plus after my night so far, I needed one.
"To the land of beautiful sunsets and to having Solstice where she belongs," Ray said, raising his shot glass in the air. We saluted ours before throwing our heads back to drink. I wasn't sure what I just drank, but I felt it warming my body as it went down. "Another one?"
I don't know how many hours passed as the night began to blur. I felt so light. I felt invincible as I danced like no one was watching. I felt ready to fly.
I watched as the ground flew closer towards me. Hands wrapped around my waist and twirled me around before I could fall. I squealed, throwing my hands up in the air. My feet hit the floor finally, warm hands still on my waist.
"Alright. I think someones ready for bed," Jaxon said with a smile. I didn't even realize we left the ballroom as I looked around at the familiar black couches.
"Did you bring me here? Or did I bring me here?" I asked, spinning to look at the room. I would of fell over if his hands weren't still on my waist.
"You walked here by yourself. I just found you."
"Maybe I telaportated. Telo... telap... teleported here," I shrieked, my hands flying to my face in surprise. Jaxon's face was filled with amusement as he watched me.
"How much did you have to drink?" He asked me. I shrugged.
"Sol is a bad influence. That man can control his drinks like a champ," I said popping the 'p', leaning back to look at the ceiling. I never noticed before that there was a sunset scratched into the ceiling outlined in gold that was glowing against the maroon. "It's beautiful," I whispered.
"I know." I looked at him, expecting him to be looking at the ceiling too. His eyes were locked onto me, glowing orange in the dark room.
"You think I'm beautiful?" I hiccuped, bringing a hand to my chest.
Jaxon chuckled. "I do."
I smiled, swaying to the right as I poked his chest with my index finger. "Well I think you are beautiful."
His smile brought life into the dark room as he scooped me into his arms. I laughed loudly as I watched the world fly past me at alarming speeds. Then we were alone in my room with the door shut. The moon lit my room and streaked across Jaxon's face.
"You're like superman," I whispered the secret. I saw the smallest dimple form in his cheek as he smiled again.
"And you're like a princess." I shook my head no too fast as I started swaying again.
"Not me."
"I already told you, you're my princess," my pounding heart slowed as I looked into his eyes. I brought my hand up to his face, my finger sliding down his jawline.
"I'll be your princess if you'll be my superman," I whispered. My finger paused on his cheek as his arms wrapped tighter around me, bringing our bodies together.
"Deal." A shiver ran down my spine as we stood locked against each other, lost in each other eyes.
"I think I could love you," I said quietly, trying to blink away the drowsiness as my head fell against his chest.
I felt his lips press against the top of my head and stay there for a minute. "I think I already do."