Obsidian and Gold

chapter One

The ballroom was lively. Everyone from the Kingdom of Anuire danced and ate, it had been a decade since the queen let anyone in or out causally. Nobody was sure why but, who could decline going to a ball? The music filled the room and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Everyone that is except for Prince Reese, who was currently trying to come up with a way to evade a conversation with a group of gossiping mothers.

The prince felt uncomfortable with the swarm of people. It's not that he disliked anyone but when you've been secluded for ten years your social bar tends to become a lot smaller.

"Ah- if you'll excuse me ladies, I have something I need to tend to. It was nice speaking to you all." He excused before scurrying away from the swarm of questions he knew would be asked.

He left the room and quickly retired into the library and slammed the large door shut, sliding down. He grabbed his crown and set it aside so he could tie up his dreaded hair. He let out a relieved sigh and rubbed his face.

"This is so much better than that loud atrocity." Reese said to himself as he walked to the closest shelf, leaving the obsidian crown behind on the marble floor.

He searched throughout the library, finally making it to the back. He grabbed a book and sat down where he stood and immediately began to read. Reese only managed to get a few pages in before a deep accented voice spoke.

"Some party."

The sudden voice jarred Reese from his book, he looked up and made eye contact with a male who was leaning against a bookshelf. He was quite attractive in all honesty, his skin a warm brown only a few shades lighter than Reese, his hair cut short really made his strong jaw prominent. He was quite the beauty in all honesty. Reese began to wonder how he didn't notice him in the room before, which was a bit worrying.

Reese looks the man up and down, they were probably the same age. He wore expensive royal fabrics, though it was obvious he wasn't from Anuire.

"I'm not much of a party person myself." The guy continued to break the silence. There was no hostility in his voice and yet Reese got the impression that he didn't have much of choice but to respond to the guy.

"Nor am I.. May I ask your name?" Reese asked as he felt slightly weary being around the stranger.

"Ah, apologies, I'm Prince Aiyden of Krolia." He carefully made his way closer to Reese and stuck out his hand.

"Reese. So, Krolia? That's just east of here is it not?" Reese shook his hand. He didn't bother mentioning titles, if he was here then he'd have to know who they were. Right?

"Indeed it is, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Aiyden seemed nice, this eased Reese. Being around a whole ballroom filled with strangers was overwhelming but being one on one with someone seemed to be bearable.

"So what brings you to Anuire? Outside of the gates reopening."

Aiyden groaned, "My mother forced me to come along, wanted me to meet the prince for her own reasons. As soon as we got here I broke from her sight and retreated into here. I must say Anuire's prince has a fine taste in books."

Reese held back a chuckle that threatened to erupt as he acknowledged the fact that Aiyden still hadn't a clue as to who he was. This was a fact that Reese decided to play along with, it was quite hilarious to be frank.

"What have you heard about him?"

"Of whom? The prince? Only what my mother told me, as well as what rumors had been spread" Aiyden chewed the inside of his cheek as he tried to recall everything he'd been told. Though, it wasn't much. Anuire's royal family was quite the mystery to outsiders, especially the prince.