Element Of Surprise

Chapter 10 - Interrupted

A/N Thanks so much everyone for so many reads, 126 last time I checked! You guys are fab and thanks for all the support! This chapter is dedicated to xHimeFx because she's afab writer and she gave me the idea for this chapter so I owe her ;) I'm not sure how to do dedications because at the moment I'm typing on my tablet so if anyone knows please message me or tell me in the comments! Thanks for all the reads and I hope you like it!

Ash and Aura had been dancing for what seemed like forever. The end of the night was drawing near, and the last slow songs were beginning to play. Aura had her head on Ash's shoulder as they swayed in time to the violins and the light chords playing on the piano. He murmured into her golden hair:

"I think I'm actually really happy that I decided to go to that ceremony."

"Me too," Aura whispered into his evening suit. There was a contented silence, then Ash spoke again.

"Aura, I -"

"Yes?"

"I think I -"

Ash didn't even finish his sentence, he couldn't. He found himself becoming entirely entranced in Aura's startlingly green eyes; he couldn't speak for the life of him. They both instinctively leaned in, they found their faces barely an inch away from the other. Ash longed to get rid of that small distance between them, to kiss her perfect lips. But he didn't want to make things awkward...

It turns out that he wasn't needed to. Aura seemed to finally get some courage, from where no one knew, but as she put her arms around his neck and let their lips finally meet, Ash felt like he'd never been happier. They stayed there for a few blissful seconds That was, until there was a loud smack, and Aura fell away, crying and crying.

"AURA! What on EARTH do you think you're doing?"

The Queen of Mistelle had slapped her daughter on her head, causing the latter to fall to the floor, howling in pain.

"I told you he was bad news, didn't I? DIDN'T I?"

"Yes mother," Aura mumbled. Ash could only watch and stare in horror.

The Kings and Queens of Fierdom, Leaudon and Erydon were watching the Queen in absolute disgust.

"Now Gothel," the King of Fierdom warned, moving closer to the Queen of Mistelle very, very cautiously in case she lashed out at him too, "what are you doing?"

"My daughter was going against my orders, Fergus," Queen Gothel said, as calmly as she could muster. "I don't want my little flower running round like some kind of whore!"

"Was that supposed to offend my son?" the King of Erydon shouted angrily. "Are you suggesting he's not good enough for your precious flower?"

"We should think of this as another bond, not another breakage to the Land!" the Queen of Fierdom spoke calmly, somehow silencing everyone else in the room.

"Elinor -" Fergus started, but his wife silenced him immediately.

"Gothel, if you would please not use language like that in front of everyone. North," she gestured to the King of Erydon, "I am sure she meant to offend no one. But please, let us not fight like we did when we were their age! See them all dancing together," she pointed out the two couples of Laec and Enya (who had fallen silent and stopped dancing to watch the conflict) and Ash and Aura, "and we did nothing to help them! Mend the bond torn by pride, and we will finally live in peace."

"Well said," the King of Leaudon boomed as he began to applaud. His wife soon joined him, as did the rest of the guests and all of the Heirs.

"Well I suggest that we finish this ball, eh?" smiled King Fergus. Queen Gothel was still scowling at her daughter, something that did not go unnoticed by Ash. The music started up again, and Enya and Laec went back to their slow waltz. Aura was just about to take Ash's hand when her mother slapped her hand and muttered,

"Don't you dare. You'll be dancing with Eugene here for the rest of the evening."

Ash clenched his fists as this Eugene idiot whisked a very depressed and beaten Aura into a dance. He didn't have to feel angry for long though, as before the first song could even reach its crescendo there was an almighty crash and one of the walls caved in.

Standing in the wreckage was a man about the same age as the Heirs in an entirely black suit.

"Well, look who forgot about me," he smirked. "Who could forget the Kingdom of Quart, the Kingdom of Time itself?"