Thanks to 4Love4Love4 (x2), UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, Smiley face, Lady Anj, majestictales, PrincessSwim, pinterestobsessed, and fairy not princess (x3) for reviewing!
This is the other team's party, but it all turned into Sirena's POV and was much more thought focused than party focused. I also fangirled over their outfits a lot, and posted them on the Pinterest page!
…
Sirena looked around in satisfaction at all the preparation that had gone into the event. They had agreed to not attempt to upstage the other girl's too much, since they had all been in on sabotaging Ebony, but the Great Room still looked lovely. They had left the lights up in the garden from yesterday's event with the people from Zealand, and the soft golden light twinkled out the windows and invited the guests to step out on the terrace to chat. The glass ceiling of the Great Room had been accented with deep purple satin fabric covering the ironwork that held it up. They had continued the theme, adding silver satin with the purple around the arches leading out to the terrace, and had used those colors as the tablecloth in the dining room, earlier at dinner.
Their guests were still making their way to the Great Room from dinner but Sirena and Lissa had run ahead to make sure everything was ready. Sirena signaled the musicians to begin playing, and smiled at Lissa, who looked a little nervous.
"You okay?" She asked
"Yeah. It just reminds me of the masquerade. And after."
"I think we'll be fine. Remember, even if anything does happen, they installed the safe rooms." Sirena patted her shoulder. She had actually been excited about this project. Usually, for all of Sophia's projects, she would do them barely adequately, bored. But she had been surprised to find herself taking over organizing the reception, and throwing all her energy into it. She was here, so she wanted to win. And this would certainly help. It provided a welcome distraction for all the problems and doubts that wiggled into her brain constantly. Nothing will ruin tonight she told herself firmly.
The reception was a black-tie affair, unlike yesterday. Sirena's maids had out done themselves with her latest dress. It was shimmering gold, and gorgeous, clinging to her curves with delicate sequined sleeves that ended just before her shoulder blades to sheer nude fabric to give the appearance of feathers. She left her hair down, curled and swept to one side. Lissa looked equally good, in a bright candy pink ball gown, with a high, square neckline. The color deepened to a rich coral in the skirt, and it was festooned with silver and blue crystals, bringing out her gray eyes.
But they looked dull compared to the large royal family of Italy. The all looked impeccable, in ball gowns and tuxes, and all of them looked like models. In addition to the king and queen, and Prince Orlando, the heir, who was engaged to Michelle, they had brought their four daughters, two of which had husbands and children of their own, and three younger sons, the oldest about the age of the Selected girls, much to the delight of Mackenzie. Apparently, Italians were quite close, as they had also brought at least ten more people with their extended family, aunts and uncles and so forth, all ranking nobles in the court. Sirena was glad they had been prepared for all of the guests.
The rest of their team scurried up behind the two. Michaela—in a delicate empire-waist ice blue gown, Elvira—in a black, backless ball gown, with long sleeves, and Nicole—in a lacy cream and dusky violet gown, with a full tulle skirt. They welcomed the guests as they entered the Great Room, and thankfully, Andrew and Christine took the cue and started to dance. The last ones to enter were the other six Selected.
"This is certainly better than ours." Katherine admitted. She had gone a little different from her usual lace and looked stunning and classy in a strapless teal gown, with beading practically dripping off the bodice, before melting into the tulle.
"It's not your fault it rained." Elvira said, with her usual seriousness, which struck them as funny.
"Yeah, you've done well." Nat, in black and white, said, high-fiving Sirena and giving Nicole a side hug.
"I'll say." Ebony snorted. "You guys can't plan anything."
"You're the one who pushed me into the mud!" Mackenzie cried.
"Guys, no more making scenes. We're probably going to get extra lessons as it is!" Gracie jumped in.
Sirena wasn't quite ready to accept Ebony's presence, but it was clear she wasn't going anywhere, no matter what they did. Still, it annoyed her how good the new girl looked, in a dramatic deep wine colored ball gown, the skirt ruffled in edgy patterns, her black hair shining against the diamond choker adorning her throat. Mackenzie was glaring daggers at Ebony, since she also wore red. Her dress was a lighter red, with a plunging neckline, fitting to her curves before flaring out in a trumpet style.
"Yes, well, tell that to her." Mackenzie sauntered by them, brushing past Ebony, and pounced on Ethan, engaging him in a dance.
"Poor guy." Adele snickered, resplendent in a glitzy silver gown overlaid with white tulle, fastened on one shoulder. "Her maids should really make her dresses a little higher."
The girls observed, trying not to laugh too impolitely as they watch Mackenzie use her ample chest to try to seduce Ethan. His face was deep red as they danced, and her boobs were about to fall out of her dress. As they giggled, several of the Italian courtiers arrived, and took Elvira, Adele, and Nat away to dance.
Lissa and Gracie, in a cute dress with a silver strapless bodice and a feathery pink skirt left to go speak to Prince Wesley. Katherine, Nicole, and Michaela linked arms and set off to speak to the other guests, leaving Sirena with Ebony. Sirena maintained the silence between them, and watched as Ethan extracted himself away from Mackenzie and her boobs, and approached them. She smiled at him, ready to dance the night away and listen to him congratulate her on the party. Since deciding that she was in it to win it, she had stopped fooling around and flirting with the other men, and put her energy into flirting with Ethan, but so far, he hadn't seemed to notice.
"Oh…uh, your Highness." Ebony curtsied awkwardly, although it was more just a bob of her knees.
He held out his hand, smiling a tight lipped smile. "Lady Ebony, would you care to dance?"
Ebony looked like a deer in the headlights. "I don't know how." She said, her voice panic stricken.
"It's not that hard. I'll show you." Ethan smiled warmly at her, and Sirena noticed he wasn't blushing like he so often did. Ebony took his hand with uncertainty, and followed him to join the other dancers. Sirena watched them, Ebony laughing at her mistakes, and clumsily following Ethan. He held her, smiling at her awkwardness and unsteadiness. They seemed happy.
Happiness she had never known.
This was going to be a lot harder than expected.
Sirena felt her smile slip, and she watched the two with a knot growing in her chest. Vaguely she noticed most of the other girls glaring at their prince with this intruder.
She went off in search of something to drink. Preferably something strong enough so that she wouldn't remember any of this and it would all turn to giddy drunkenness.
.
She was midway through a second glass of wine when Ethan finally relinquished Ebony and left to talk to some of the Italians, leaving her and all the other girls frustrated and jittery.
"They can't just let someone in after all we've been through. It's unfair." Adele commented, scowling. She seemed moodier than usual. "It upsets the internal balance."
"Not that we had much in the first place." Elvira remarked. "I'm surprised one of you hasn't killed anyone yet."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Adele snapped, her voice high pitched and strained. \
Elvira didn't flinch. "Nothing to react over. Just when you get all this estrogen in one place and one love interest, things get a little crazy. I mean, if looks could kill Ebony would already be dead." She turned around and walked away, and Adele stormed off in the other.
Sirena sighed and finished off her glass, still not feeling less depressed. Not really wanting to be around anyone, and leaving the other girls to be hostesses, she slipped out onto the terrace, into the cool late summer night and the twinkling of the garden lights. She found Princess Michelle, standing by herself, and she didn't look very happy. Sirena didn't blame her.
The reception was restoring the balance between Illea and Italy that had been upset during the masquerade attack, in which Prince Orlando had almost been killed, but it was also an unofficial celebration of her engagement to him
"You okay?" Sirena approached her.
Michelle looked up sharply. "Oh. I didn't see you there. It's nothing." She looked back out over the garden, the light catching on her gold necklace, enhancing her navy blue mermaid style gown.
"Not too thrilled about your fiancé?"
Michelle shook her head, not saying anything.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
She shook her head again, and Sirena turned to leave the princess alone.
"I get that I'm not as valuable as my brothers, I get it. I'm a girl." Apparently she did want to talk. "I'm getting married to form an alliance. I just wish that maybe I could get married for love."
"Who doesn't?" Sirena said softly. She had been privy to Michelle and one of the guard's affection and devotion to one another during the masquerade attack, and it was clear Michelle didn't want to marry Prince Orlando. She and Nat had spent some time with the rambunctious princess at Trentworth, and Sirena knew she would never be happy with a guy like Prince Orlando.
"I mean, Orlando's…nice. But he's all pomp and circumstance and he's never done anything courageous in his life. He's spoiled and stupid. And I'm going to marry him and move away to Italy to be queen of a country I wasn't born in. I don't even like spaghetti that much." She laughed half-heartedly. "I don't love him and I never will."
"There's someone else." It was a statement, not a question.
"Yeah. But David's just a guard. I could never marry him… unless the guards decided to go on strike or something." She was silent, and then broke down. "Sorry." She squeaked out, wiping at her eyes. "You probably don't want to hear me rant and rave." She was only succeeding in smudging her makeup around.
"No, it's fine." Sirena patted her on the shoulder. "I would want me to listen to me if I was stuck in your place."
"I hope you never have to be. Promise me that if you end up with my brother it's because you love him and not just the idea of him. And if you have a daughter, at least let have her own Selection or something."
Sirena nodded, and looked away. She wasn't quite sure what to say. Am I only in love with the idea of being in love? She asked of herself.
Pushing the thoughts away, Sirena focused on Michelle. "I will."
"Good. You know, for a while, I thought it was possible. To end up happy, and marry someone I loved. I guess you can't be a princess and marry who you love."
"You could always just not be a princess." Sirena suggested.
"The only way that would happen is if I were queen, or dead." Michelle said, humorlessly. "I better be going back in. I don't want people talking too much about my absences."
"You're right. I'll stay out here a little longer. Need to clear my head."
Michelle's footsteps disappeared back inside, and Sirena was left alone. After a moment, she pasted on a smile, not quite ready to confront her thoughts, and went back inside to pretend to be happy and a good hostess. The party lasted several more hours. Everyone danced, the Italian girls kicking off their high heels and requesting better music. Sirena pretended to enjoy herself, but for once, not even this party or getting drunk was helping.
By midnight, all their guests seemed a little more than tipsy, and Michelle wasn't even trying to look happy. Sirena got her team together, and they thanked everyone for coming, signaling it was over. It took several more minutes for them to take the hint, but Sirena was ready to leave. She left the other girls to play hostess, and snuck away to the gardens.
It had rained almost every day for a week as summer waned into fall, and it was drizzling now, but she couldn't even pretend anymore. She had to be by herself.
She wasn't in love with Ethan. It was time to face the facts. She had been thinking she should love him. She should want this. She had let herself fall in love with the idea of being in love with him. He would make her happy. He would make her love herself again. He would replace the emptiness she felt. She wanted to love him, but more importantly, she wanted him to love her. She needed him to love her.
The rain was coming down harder now. Caring not for the gown her maids had worked so hard on, she continued to wander through the gardens, and didn't even realize she was crying. Sirena Mastrano didn't cry. She collapsed on a bench, shivering. She pulled her knees to her chest, the gardens no longer holding their magic. I've only been pretending. I'll never be happy. She continued to sit there, crying for all that she wanted and never had, for all her wasted time, and despising herself.
After a while, she picked herself up, wiped the traces of black mascara off her cheeks, and headed back to her room. Crying in the rain wasn't going to fix anything. She just wanted to go to sleep. The Great Room was dark, and the hallways were empty. Leaving a trail of water in her wake, Sirena slowly climbed the stairs to the second floor.
Ethan was there, heading up to the third floor. Probably visiting Katherine or Ebony or one of the other—happy—girls.
"Sirena?" He asked, his voice echoing in the dark, empty hallways. "Are you okay?"
He approached. Sirena tried to think of an appropriate response but her brain was just too numb. "Are you okay?" He repeated, lightly touching her shoulder.
Her resolve crumbled. "No." She shook her head, starting to cry again. "No, I'm not."
Ethan put both hands on her shoulders, and stared at her hard. "What's wrong? Is it the rebels? Have you been hurt? Are-"
Sirena didn't reply or bother letting him finish. She interrupted him instead, kissing him with all the hopelessness and despair she felt, her arms going around his neck. She kept crying, unable to stop. It took him a moment to respond, and he was tentative and unsure. Sirena back him against the wall, her hands sliding down to his shirt, where she began undoing the buttons, simultaneously slipping her shoulders out of the sleeves of her dress.
Stop. She tried to tell herself, but she needed him to love her. She kissed him harder, sensing him pulling back. Finally, she managed to make herself stop.
I'm no better than Mackenzie.
"Why did you keep me? As part of the Elite?" The words were demanding, desperate for some sort of a sign. Sirena was still crying. She pulled her dress back up over her bra, and put the sleeves back on before hugging herself to keep everything inside.
Breathing hard, and buttoning his shirt back up, Ethan took a moment to respond. "I like you. Everything you get involved in suddenly becomes more fun."
Sirena could only nod. There was more she wanted to ask. More answers she sought. But she didn't want to hear the truth. "Sorry." She smoothed back her wet hair, and retreated down the hall to her room.
…
-Shades
