The Midnight Ball

16

Note: The closest I could find to my version of Navid, although to tell the truth his appearance and name were isnspired by Prince Naveen from the princess and the frog
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Ramonda: Restrain her!

Santana and Anushka hurried to restrain Margarette, Anastasia pushed them away, amd Freja stood wide eyed, unsure as what to do

Anastasia: Let her be!

Santana: Are you insane?! She pushed Ismie out of the cricle's protection

Anastasia: Is that such a bad thing? Just let him take her already so we can return hom

Santana gaped at her: She's one of us!

Anastasia looked at her, eyes full of hate: No she's not..

Santana slapped her

Freja's voice was weak: Meg.. Ana..
Her eyes brimmed with tears

Navid: Ladies! This is not the time gor this

Anushka screamed at her brother: Navid!

He looked to the direction of his gaze, and found Ismie surrounded by the eleven former princesses

The strange man was laughing, gleefully

Mariko's voice was a whisper, yet they all heard it: Oh, no..

Ramonda took a step forward: Take me instead

The others and Ismie shouted at her: No!

Ismie looked at them as if drinking in their visages, saying good-bye with eyes full of sorrow

Ismie: Do not do anything stupid. It is over. It is done..

Some collapsed to the ground. Others hugged themselves

Anushka clutched her brother's arm in a vice like grip

The strange man grinned, looking triumphant. He gestured to the eleven lost princesses: Come..

They surrounded her, and she went along willingly

They got into the boats, each princess with one of the marionettes that steared them before, and Ismie with the stranger, their boat steering itself

Ismie: What are you going to do with me?

He looked at her smiling like the cat that got the cream: Does it matter? You will not remember any of what comes

Ismie swallowed: Then would it matter to you if you tell me? I'd like to know now, don't prisoners deserve a last request

He laughed: A strange notion, but you humans were always strange. Fine then.. As you predicted, we need magic..

Ismie: But you are magic, much more than us

Stranger: Our magic is fading, but there's a ritual. We need twelve beings with the old magic, what better choices than you ladies. The old families did like having power. It belongs to us in the first place. We're just taking back what is ours. Your magic, your blood, will give us our old glory and power back

She swallowed again: You'll kill us..

He shrugged: Does it matter. You will not exist either way. They don't. They are but puppets. Don't look so green. You will be the same as them so you will disappear quite painlessly. We're not savages

Ismie: I want to live

He tutted: We don't always get what we want. Or should I say, you..

Ismie: You won't have my magic. I won't let you

Stranger: Oh, and what can you do about it?

He arched a brow

Ismie: I won't let you. I'll kill myself before you do

She brought a gleaming dagger up, aiming at her heart

He jumped up from his relaxed position: You foolish girl! Give me that!

Ismie: No!

They wrestled for it, and Ismie prayed with all her might, seeming to point it at herself. At the last moment, she turned the dagger at him, plunging it into his heart. He held onto her, trying to remove the dagger, which burned his hand. He seared her with his magic. She grit her teeth but kept her grip on the dagger firm

He scowled: Iron! You witch! How have you hidden it from me?!

Ismie pushed harder, desperately, and felt something more give

Ismie: I his it in my clothes

Stranger, voice growing faint: You are the key.. You didn't even realize you've used a bit of glamour. Others will come. I am not the only one..

Ismie: Who?! How can we stop them?

He ignored her. She Shook him, but he was becoming f