The Dragon and His Prince{ManxMan}

*Chapter 8

7 years ago

Zavian

The party was a bore. I looked around with a blank stare as members of the Royal family danced and laughed. My peers did the same, so joyful and uncaring. With so many worries in the world, could they truly afford to be this naive? This lost in their own joy? Wasting time laughing and moving so awkwardly when the kingdom was far from perfect.

It was an eyesore.

"Brother,dance with me?" I glanced down at her pink lips set in a pout, her eyes wide and staring up from thick eyelashes, her golden brown hair was styled beautifully, showing off her neck with was adorned in the simplest most expensive ruby necklace. My young 6 year old sister was an adorable sight, turned into a sore in my eye.

"I do not dance." I stated looking back at the crowd, drinking the juice in my cup which I'm sure my peers assumed to be wine. The fools.

"But is your birthday!" She stomped her foot, her eyebrows furrowing and I had to resist the urge to smile.

"That means nothing if tomorrow I still have to be up at 6 for prayer." She tilted her head, her pout gone and instead looked confused.

"What does that have to do with dancing?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." I allowed myself the burst of a brief, low laugh at her expense.

"I'm telling mommy!" She ran off before I could convince her otherwise. I shook my head and caught the stare of a girl around my age, dressed to the nine in a soft pink dress which highlighted her thin waist and her growing breasts, she smiled shyly at me, giving a bow, I recalled my fathers words the hour before this ball in my honour.

Smile. Be polite. You are being watched and should act appropriately. Act the prince who will one day be king.

Why act when it was a known fact? Had been my initial thought. I gave a short nod of acknowledgement before I moved from my stop, showing her, I did not care to be approached.

"You don't seem to be enjoying yourself much." I turned to the calm soft voice. The girl offered a small unsure smile. Her grey gown brought out her fair skin. Her ears were rather large but in a cute sort of way.

"Festivities have never been my field," she nodded and stood beside me, gazing towards the crowd of people with me.

"My father wouldn't let me stay behind." She touched her arm, holding herself close. "I too don't really fit in." She looked towards a group of girls, one of them being the one I had made eye contact with before, she was glaring.

"I'm afraid I did not catch your name." She looked back at me, straight white teeth caught me.

"I did not throw it, Your Highness." Her response invoked a kind of amusement within me.

"Mind making it easy for me then?" She pursed her lips then.

"Not that you'll remember but, Ellyn, Ellyn Archer." She held out her hand, it was soft and warm, not slender like lost girls I had come across before, it was a welcomed feeling.

"A delight," she turned then.

"Happy birthday, Your Highness. I wish you a most wonderful evening." Then she was beside her father, tugging on his arm and dancing with him. I smiled slightly and watched, glad to have seen at least one girl not trying to catch my fancy.

All too soon I felt the heavy weight of a hand on my shoulder and I looked up at my father with a blank stare. His smile widened perhaps to tell me to relax or to urge me to try and fake a smile as well. People were watching after all.