Ripples

Rubies V

Includes cursing and a degrading slur

~~~•~~~

In a room bathed by the light of chandeliers, silken dresses and coats swirled in a circle. Amidst that crowd of laughter and stares, the confusion of whom they were, Athanasia and Lucas simply danced. And, although he deeply disliked dancing, or seemed to, the mage did not show his displeasure when it was the princess that he was with.

If he were to be honest, he actually enjoyed it.

"They're still staring," Lucas whispered as he led Athanasia off of their nonexistent stage. True to his words, the gazes did not stray when they approached the side of the hall, needles prickling their skin as they awaited Rogers' grand spectacle. Then again, neither of the two found it a surprise.

"Wasn't the princess ignored? I mean, she has yet to even interact with his majesty." "Then, how could she have afforded that dress?" "Who designed such a masterpiece?" "And who is that man with her?" "Indeed, who is he?"

Nobles were best at one thing other than maintaining tradition and building wealth- gossiping. With such mysterious figures placed before their eyes, they could not refrain from doing what they could do best. Both Athanasia and her mage thought that they were such "pests."

Suddenly, Rogers led that brunette princess to where the duo had once danced, bowing before the emperor with those unamused eyes. Although Athanasia had once thought that she would have been bothered by the sight, she could not feel an ounce of pain, even when Jeanette stepped into the light- rather, she found it amusing.

"How fitting," that blonde princess thought, her hand on the curled elbow of her red-eyed companion. In return, the man beside her could only think with hatred and insults, "whore."

"This is the one that you were so worried about?" Lucas clicked his tongue, his mana seeping out of his skin with his displeasure. "How dare that chimera take away what's not hers."

"That's silly, my sister is so innocent that she can't possibly hurt even a fly." Athanasia giggled, her eyes flickering with indistinguishable malice. She leaned her body towards her friend, looking oddly seductive as her eyes flickered over the nobles. Little did they know how much she despised their fickle nature, especially now as they stared at her with dazed eyes and awed features. "I was scared of the memories that they would have reminded me of. Still, you were the perfect escort. Thank you, Lucas, for keeping the memories at bay."

"Don't start getting sentimental on me now, you know that I'm not one for those things." The mirthful princess bit back a laugh, remembering the moments that they have comforted each other through their own numbness.

"How adorable," she gently mused, smiling warmly as her sister's eyes turned and met her own pair of sapphires. She felt oddly light as those ocean pools finally vanished, leaving her with the fickle nobles and her beloved mage, "that Lucas is also capable of being shy."

"So then, now what?" Lucas asked with mild annoyance, glaring heatedly at the people in the room. His eyes became considerably more lethal for the men who stared much too long at his companion. They were not worthy of even breathing the same air as her, much less to get a glimpse of her. "Should I teach your dad a lesson?"

"Don't be so hasty, Lucas. We should just leave now," the princess laughed before glancing around them, watching the nobles become more and more enchanted with each second that they gazed upon her.

Oh, how fickle they all were.

"There's nothing more to watch for tonight." Once more, Athanasia fell spectator to how fate pushed and pulled, firmly believing that she could change nothing more than gaining the affection of the nobles and those around her. Then again, it did not matter. As long as she had Lucas, nothing else mattered.