I'M READY FOR THIS STINKIN' BALL TO HAPPEN! So now it's happening and so is some drama! Let me know what you think and chapter 24 will be posted on Tuesday!
The grand ballroom had never looked so resplendent. At least not to Helia. His father had usually kept the ballroom locked with the exception of servants coming in and out for the purposes of cleaning so that it would not fall into disarray. The last time that there had been any kind of celebration at the palace was when Helia came of age six years ago to the day. And still, the ballroom had just been modestly decorated and his father had only shown up just in time to begrudgingly bestow the title of Crown Prince onto Helia. It was barely a celebration and Helia frowned as he looked around the ballroom now.
There were tables covered with silver-colored cloth and a wide variety of food spread out. Fruits, vegetables, small desserts, and glasses of bright champagne were placed on large platters on the table and surrounded large roasted boars. Dark blue curtains bordered the large windows and large ice sculptures of animals were scattered throughout the ballroom. Men and women were dressed in shades of blues and silvers, dancing in the center of the large ballroom or standing on the sides, eating, drinking, and chatting about something Helia couldn't care less about. Some women dared to stand out by wearing purple. Helia and his father, who had been there the whole time, were the only ones dressed in their formal black. Helia hated black.
Helia hated looking around at all the smiling faces, especially his father's as he had spent the whole night next to the newly appointed general. Duncan was dressed in the formal uniform of the General of Hademort. A navy blue uniform that verged on black, covered with silver pins and a golden cord hung from his shoulders. Helia angrily sipped his champagne, not wanting to drown his disdain for his father and Duncan with alcohol but it seemed to be the only distraction that he could find.
Neither Krystal nor Flora were here at the ball just yet and he was getting impatient. They were the only two people in the palace, maybe in the entire country, that Helia could stand, and any more longer without either of them, he would find it harder and harder to fight his anger at the whole night. He wanted Krystal to come and distract him with another one of her funny stories from Linphea that he had grown to enjoy hearing and he wanted Flora to come because he found that he was happier whenever she was near. He was glad that Krystal invited her, Flora deserved to have her dream of going to a ball come true, even if she protested the invitation every step of the way.
He remembered the first night that he had read to her two months ago and how she hung onto every word of Cinderella. Flora expressed her glee at Cinderella being able to attend the ball and her face was in sheer bliss when the story ended with the prince and Cinderella finding each other and living happily ever after. Helia smiled to himself as he took a sip of his champagne, finding it funny that he too was a prince who had fallen in love with some poor servant girl and there was a ball. Sure, the ball wasn't for him like it had been for the prince in the story, and he had fallen in love with Flora long before this night. But like the story, Helia had become enraptured by Flora from the moment that he saw her. Was it love at first sight? Ridiculous. Perhaps attraction at first sight that grew into an all-encompassing love for him. He hoped that she felt the same way. She said that he loved him but it seemed that she was shy about matters of her heart. Though she had been outspoken about so many other things. Helia never thought that he would be the more open one in any relationship, seeing as he had been taught to keep his feelings and opinions to himself because to his father, feelings made him weak.
But when Helia was with Flora and showering her with adoration and covering every exposed inch of skin with kisses, he felt like he could conquer anything or anyone. He loved her and knowing that she loved him made him feel that much stronger.
"Careful with your champagne, Your Highness." Helia clenched his jaw as he heard Duncan speak behind him, "Passing out before your father's speech would be...untoward."
Helia lifted the crystal champagne flute to his lips and threw back the rest of the sparkling beverage down his throat in one gulp. He set down the empty glass on a table and reached for another full glass. Duncan was already talking to him this early on in the evening and Helia had to bear through another several hours of this stupid ball before he was free to retire to the night. He hoped that Krystal and Flora were on their way. He would need the distraction.
"My my, I guess a chamber pot would be a more fitting crown for you tonight instead of the one you are wearing now. I've heard that they had to have one made to fit your head as many times as you have needed it after getting too-"
"Don't you have other people to bother?" Helia asked as he snapped his head around to look at Duncan. He wanted to punch the shit-eating grin that Duncan was wearing on his face. Well, Helia had always wanted to punch Duncan but it was never the right time to do so. They were either always in public or Flora was around and Helia did not want to upset her. He had gotten lucky that she had not seen him break down when she came to the training months ago.
"You think I am a bother?" Duncan smirked, his voice filled with feigned offense.
"Have I not made my absolute irritation towards you overwhelmingly clear?" Helia rolled his eyes.
"Ah, chin up." Ducan slapped the side of Helia's arm and leaned forward to whisper in Helia's ear, "Just think, I will be gone come tomorrow and when I return, I will be too busy fucking that little Linphean to annoy you. I'll have her molded to fit me in no time."
Helia did his best to not crush his champagne flute in his hands. How dare he talk about Flora like that? How dare he talk about anyone like that? The world started to wash over in a red tint and Helia was ready to ruin the ball by taking out his rage on the general.
"My my my..." Duncan exclaimed under a chuckle as his eyes locked on something behind Helia.
Helia turned around and suddenly his eyes met a vision in white. Behind the princess and her beautiful blue gown, Flora stood in a simple, white, ethereal dress. It was similar to what she had worn in the palace before but Helia had never seen her in white. The bright white made her tan skin glow from within but to Helia, Flora always seemed to glow. The way that the bands of fabric wrapped across her chest left little to the imagination and beckoned Helia towards her like some siren call that he had read about when he was younger.
"And to think that will all be mine when I get back." Duncan remarked as he watched Flora smile and whisper to the page who was to announce the princess's arrival, "I don't think I can wait for my return. I should stake my claim now."
Helia should have said something to Duncan, told him off for being a disgusting prick. But when he saw Flora, it was like the wind had been knocked out of him and he had forgotten how to speak. As she walked with the princess, she looked as if she was floating on air. Her brown hair fell behind her in large and soft curls, small white flowers dotting her hair like the first time she had joined Krystal at tea. Her lips were stained a beautiful pink that brought out her bright, green eyes. She was like a work of art and when she smiled next to the princess, she had put all of the paintings in the Hademort Gallery to shame. Nobody could have come up with a woman more beautiful.
"Your Highness," Flora leaned over and whispered to Krystal, "everyone is staring at you."
Flora knew that it wasn't everyone. She blushed when she met Helia's gaze. He had never looked at her like this and she felt the butterflies in her stomach take flight. He was dressed in the traditional Hademort black but his blue eyes were bright and he looked lit up from within. The last time she saw him in all black, it was months ago when she first arrived and the way he looked at her then was completely different than the way that he looked at her now. Though Flora supposed that the way that she was looking at him now was different than the way that she looked at him when they had first met. Then, she was finding it hard to meet his gaze, he is the prince afterall. But now, she never wanted to take her eyes off of him. She longed for his blue eyes to lock with hers.
Then there was Duncan. Flora had to admit to herself that he had his eyes on her as well and she felt small and weak under his gaze. He looked at her the way that the men in the jail cell had looked at her all those years in Linphea. She remembered the conversations about her while they were deciding where they would sell her off before the Linphean royal family stepped in. Duncan looked at her as if she were something and not someone and it made Flora extremely uncomfortable.
"And you are certain that I look alright?" Krystal asked, bringing Flora back to her conversation with Krystal.
"Of course, Your Highness. I have worked hard on you but you made it easy with how beautiful you are, Your Highness."
"How do you always know what to say to calm my nerves?" Krystal giggled as she brought her hand down to one of the tables and scooped up a glass of champagne and brought it to her lips, colored the same pink color as Flora's. Flora did use Krystal's lip tint afterall.
"Just relax and try to enjoy yourself, Your Highness." Flora replied, not answering Krystal's question. "I know how excited you were for this ball and you should treat it like the balls back in Linphea but with different food and people. And slower music apparently." Flora giggled.
Flora had never attended the balls back in Linphea but she and the other servants at the palace could hear the music from downstairs in the kitchen as they had prepared the food for the night. But now she was here next to the princess at a royal ball. Who would have thought that a poor farm girl would be in the presence of so many important people?
"I think I see Prince Helia." Krystal smiled, "Oh and the captain is right by him as well. Let's go talk to them. I think that will calm my nerves a bit."
Flora simply nodded. She didn't want to be next to Helia with the way that his eyes ran over her body and she thought that she would have a hard time controlling herself around him. She had sucked his finger and ground herself into him right before the clock struck midnight that day. And she had a surprise for him under her dress and she was eager to give it to him.
Krystal grabbed Flora's hand and led her through the crowd to the large stone pillar where Helia and Duncan were standing. Flora kept her head down as to hide her blush, her mind going back to the night before and while she knew that Helia had hated black, the sleek uniform and pins did things to her. Then again, Helia always did things to her, things that should not happen to a lady.
"Good evening, Your Highness," Duncan spoke and gave Krystal a bow and she returned with a polite curtsy. Duncan turned to Flora and reached for her hand and brought it up to his mouth to place a kiss on top. "Flora."
Flora's hand burned under Ducan's kiss and her chest tightened, but not in the same way that her body burned under Helia's touch and kiss. Flora gently removed her hand from Duncan's hold and did her best to discretely wipe her hand on the fabric of her dress. But Helia noticed and he couldn't help but smile behind his champagne flute. It had been the first time that he had seen any woman wipe away a kiss from the valiant captain.
"You ladies look absolutely ravishing tonight," Duncan smirked as he looked at both Krystal and Flora, though his eyes did sit on Flora for a little while longer. Flora reached up and adjusted the fabric that sat over her chest as Ducan's eyes had stayed fixed to the bare skin for quite some time.
"You are too kind, Captain." Krystal giggled, oblivious to Duncan's lewd gaze on Flora.
"Ah, I take it you haven't heard the news, Your Highness," Duncan held his head up high, "I have been promoted."
"Promoted?" Krystal smiled, "That is wonderful news! What shall I call you now?"
"General. But not much has changed other than after I come back from destroying the enemy in Koria, my," Duncan looked towards Flora before looking back to Krystal, "compensation will be far greater than what I would get as a captain."
Flora looked over to Helia who was furiously chugging down his champagne, his eyes shooting daggers at the captain, no, general. Flora knew that Helia did not like Duncan but she would hopefully get the chance to ask Helia what was wrong. Maybe it was the ball that was being held for Duncan and not for him but Flora was hoping to change that. She wanted Helia to feel happy on his birthday.
"Then I guess congratulations are in order." Krystal smiled as she raised her champagne flute, "To General Duncan."
Helia stormed off to the back of the ballroom as Duncan and Krystal took a sip of their champagne.
"Oh no," Krystal remarked after her sip, "is there something wrong with His Highness?"
Flora sighed and turned towards Krystal, "Let me talk to him, Your Highness. As you said, I have a knack for making you feel better, perhaps I can try to make High Highness feel better as well. You should stay and enjoy the party, let me handle His Highness."
Krystal sighed and nodded. Flora have Krystal a small curtsy before turning to Duncan and giving him one as well.
"General."
Flora walked away from Krystal and the intimidating general to weave herself through the crowd and find the prince. She knew that Helia was having a difficult time. He didn't even want a ball but he was willing to ask his father for one because Flora had expressed a desire to have a ball. Then his father threw one but not for Helia, but for Duncan. The only good part about the ball was that Duncan would be gone come the morning and Flora would not have to run into him in the hallways and Helia might be in a better mood during the day.
Spotting Helia standing in the back corner of the ballroom, Flora let out a breath through her nose and made her way over to the prince, chugging down more champagne.
"You didn't need to follow me." Helia said as Flora stood in front of him in the dark corner, "You should be enjoying the ball."
Flora sighed, "You know I cannot enjoy the ball if you are miserable. Please don't let the capt- general sour your night."
"This whole night is for him, how can I not let his presence affect me when it is what we are supposedly celebrating?" Helia took another large gulp of his champagne.
"I am not celebrating him...Your Highness." Flora added in case anyone was listening, "It is your birthday and this ball should be for you."
"Well it isn't so there is no point in pretending that any of this is for me." Helia threw his head back, "Not like I would deserve a ball at all. My father constantly loves to remind me that I don't deserve anything and that I lucked into being the prince of this frozen wasteland of a country."
"That's not true, Your Highness." Flora looked around and saw that nobody was looking in their direction. Duncan and Krystal still talking and the rest of the attendants were too engrossed in whatever it was they were doing to pay any kind of attention to the handmaiden and prince in the back of the ballroom.
"You deserve to be happy and you deserve to be celebrated simply for being you."
Helia raised a hand and lightly ran his fingertips up Flora's bare arms, "I am happy when I am with you."
Flora blushed, "I am too, Your Highness."
Helia wanted to correct her and tell her to call him Helia but he knew that she was just trying to be wary of any straying ears that might hear them. He removed his hand from her arm in case any wandering eyes would meet straying ears. But the look in his eyes still remained as he took in the beautiful woman in front of him.
"You look beautiful tonight, Flora." Helia whispered, "You look beautiful every night but tonight I found myself forgetting how to breathe when you walked in."
"The dress is unfinished, I hope that nobody will notice." Flora held her head down.
Keeping his hands to himself was proving to be an insurmountable task and Helia had to grip his nearly-empty champagne flute in both hands.
"Nobody will notice that your dress is unfinished when you look absolutely stunning in it. Though for my sake, I wish it covered more of you. You have become very...distracting." Helia brought his glass to his lips and took a sip.
"But it's a traditional Linphean style of dress. In my village, the women would wear this style of gown during our Spring Festival. I know that it is September but I-"
"Flora," Helia leaned forward, "you don't have to explain anything to me. I just know that I am not going to enjoy watching you get the attention tonight that I wish I could give to you alone."
"Your Highness, I am-"
"Don't try to protest, Flora. You should have heard what Duncan said when you walked in."
"And to think that will all be mine when I get back. I don't think I can wait for my return. I should stake my claim now."
Helia's brow lowered as he remembered Duncan's words, there was no way that Helia was going to allow Duncan to take Flora away from him. He would rather climb barefoot through the Dearill Mountains in the dead of winter and chew glass than to see Flora with Duncan.
"I don't care what he or anyone else has to say about me. Their opinions of me don't matter, Your Highness. Once one has had an entire village full of people who once claimed to care for you calling you such terrible things and murdering your sister in front of you, the small comments of strangers in the Hademort court don't seem that daunting."
Helia wanted to tell Flora that he wasn't so much worried about passing comments but instead, he was worried about what people might do. Duncan was not one to back away from a challenge and if Flora rejected him, she would become an even bigger target.
"Oh," Flora turned her head to look down at her hip and brushed aside the white fabric to reveal a small pouch tied around her long, tan leg. The same pouch that she had taken on her trips to the market with Saladin. Helia gulped as he watched her untie the dark green ribbon from her leg and held the pouch out to him, "for you, Your Highness."
Setting down his champagne flute on a nearby table, Helia took the tan pouch from her hands, it was warm from resting against her leg and it smelled like her and...cinnamon? He opened the bag and saw a white cloth inside. Pulling out the white cloth, Helia unfolded it to reveal a small slice of the cinnamon cake that she had baked for him. It was deformed and fell apart in his hands but he still smiled at the misshapen piece of cake in his hands.
"I'm sorry that it is so misshapen, I didn't know another way to get it to you and if I did, I would have done so. I know that you said that your father wouldn't allow the cake but thought that you should have had some."
"Flora, thank you." Helia looked up at Flora, his smile only growing wider, "I love it and I love you."
Flora blushed as she whispered, "I love you too, Your Highness."
"You don't have to call me 'Your Highness' when you tell me that you love me. In fact, I prefer you didn't."
Helia stuck his fingers into the cake and brought a pinch of the warm cake to his mouth. He took a bite and it was better than he had remembered. Maybe it was because it was made by the person who had his heart. At that moment, his twenty-seventh birthday had become the best birthday he could remember. He was willing to bet that this birthday was even better than the birthdays he couldn't remember.
"You should have some too." Helia held out the cake to Flora.
"It's your cake, Your Highness." Flora shook her head, "It is bad luck to share your first piece of cake."
"We have a tradition here to share our first piece with the person we love the most. And for me, that is you."
"It appears that our traditions seem to contradict each other, Your Highness."
"Well, maybe we will be immune from Linphea's tradition of bad luck all the way in Hademort." Helia chuckled as he held up the cake again for Flora to take a piece. Flora reached into the cloth and grabbed a small pinch of the cake before bringing it up to her mouth. She smiled as she chewed the cake and at Helia's pleased expression that she gave in to sharing with him.
"So this is where you two have gone."
Helia and Flora froze and turned their heads to see Krystal and Duncan standing side by side looking at the couple. Krystal had a smile on her face whereas Duncan had been glaring at Helia.
"Oh, you have cake!" Krystal remarked with a smile as she reached forward and grabbed some. She stuck some of it in her mouth and scrunched her face, "Ugh, cinnamon."
Flora only gave Krystal a silent and polite smile while Helia really wanted to tell her off for taking something that didn't belong to her. He knew that she was a little immature and honestly, grabbing some cake wasn't something that most people would be upset with but this had been a special cake that Flora had made for him. Krystal had not given him a present, Flora was the only one besides Saladin who had even acknowledged the fact that it was his birthday. Krystal was kind and had saved Flora's life but she was naive and a little oblivious.
"Flora makes an amazing vanilla and berry cake. She made it for my eighteenth birthday and I haven't had another kind of cake for my birthday since." Krystal smiled as she looked at Helia as she talked about Flora. "You should have her make that for you. You too, General Duncan."
"Mmm, yes," Duncan chimed in, "I would love to eat anything of Flora's."
Flora dared not to meet Duncan's gaze, knowing that it had now been placed uncomfortably on her. She just hated the way that he made her feel.
"She is a fantastic cook and baker." Krystal turned to face Duncan, "She even made this dress," Krystal gestured to her own blue gown, "and she managed to make a traditional Linphean Spring Dress in a matter of weeks. Most people will spend months on their dresses."
"Mmmm, you don't say?" Duncan asked, his eyes still trained on Flora. "I think Flora should make a dress like this in every color."
"I agree." Krystal grinned, oblivious to Duncan's true intentions and the way that his eyes landed on the exposed parts of Flora's breasts, "Maybe we can introduce the spring festival to Hademort after the wedding."
Flora's heart sank and Helia picked up his glass of champagne and held to his lips to drink the rest of the contents in the glass.
"Which wedding are you talking about, Your Highness?" Duncan asked. Helia wanted to sink into the ground. He was supposed to have told Krystal and Flora about his father's plans to marry Flora off to Duncan when he returned from the campaign in Koria. But every time he had gotten the chance to say something, he would look at Flora and he just couldn't do it. However, Helia's stomach dropped at the thought of Duncan telling Flora about his father's grand plan to marry her off to the man that Helia hated the most. He should have just told her.
"Mine and Prince Helia's, silly." Krystal giggled as she gave Duncan's shoulder a lighthearted and playful. "Is there another wedding that will be happening in the spring? I do love a wedding so the more the merrier."
"Oh," Duncan smirked as he looked over to Helia, "has His Highness not told you the news?"
Krystal turned around to Helia who had retreated back to the darkness of the corner, "No, what news?"
"I am to be wed," Duncan answered for Helia.
"That's fantastic!" Krystal exclaimed as she turned back to Duncan and Flora couldn't help to feel a little relieved by this news. Maybe Duncan would then leave her alone. "I was not aware that you were engaged."
"It's a fairly recent engagement. With a new promotion comes more land and an estate in the capital. I am thirty and I hold the highest rank in the Hademort military and His Majesty and I agreed that I find a woman to help take care of the estate and have children with who will also rise up through the ranks just like their father. Well, that is the hope anyway."
"I am sure that with a successful and skilled father such as yourself, your children would be a force to be reckoned with. Who is this lucky lady to have been promised to such an accomplished man like yourself? She must be quite impressive to be matched with you." Krystal asked.
Duncan looked at Helia and gave him a sinister smirk. Helia didn't want to be here when Duncan told the princess and Flora that the woman that he was set to marry was Flora. His Flora.
"It was arranged by the royal family so I think that a member of the family should be the one to tell you, Your Highness." Duncan nodded his head towards Helia.
"Oh, Prince Helia, you must tell me." Krystal whipped herself back around to face Helia, her green eyes pleading with the prince.
Helia felt his heart drop into his stomach as he looked down into his empty glass and then back up at the princess.
"I had nothing to do with this arrangement," Helia replied, "my father and the general seemed to have come up with the arrangement on their own without my knowledge."
"But you do know, don't you?" Krystal asked.
Helia sighed, "Yes."
"Then you must tell me who. Flora knows how I get when I am left out of the gossip. Especially marriage gossip."
"Your Highness," Flora spoke, "you know what I say about gossiping."
"But Flora, it's a marriage! A wedding! Nothing bad can come out of a wedding." Krystal protested. "Please, Prince Helia, I just want to know who it is."
Helia's jaw clenched, he wouldn't say. How dare Duncan put him in such a position! Duncan could have easily told the princess and saved Helia the pain of finally admitting that Flora was going to be wed to Duncan. He didn't know how Flora was going to react.
"Please, Your Highness." Krystal kept pleading, "Please please please-"
"Flora!" Helia exclaimed, causing a few heads to turn back and look at the quartet of people in the back of the ballroom, "It's Flora. My father has promised Flora to Duncan when he returns back from Koria."
Krystal smiled and clapped her hands together before turning to look at her handmaiden. Flora was in shock. Her green eyes stared into nothingness and her lips were parted. It was as if time stilled and she had forgotten how to breathe. She was going to be married to Duncan. The king was giving her to Duncan. What could she do?
"That is amazing news!" Krystal beamed, "Flora will be the wife of a general and she will be part of the royal court! Oh, Flora, I am so excited for you! I know that you said that you didn't want to get married but..."
Krystal's voice faded into unrecognizable noise as Flora still tried to make sense of what had been told to her. She was to be married to Duncan. Married to the man who made her skin crawl with just a simple look. No, she couldn't be. She must have heard wrong. Was there another Flora in Hademort? But when she turned to look at Helia's face, his somber expression and his inability to meet her gaze had told her that she had heard correctly. She wouldn't do it. She would protest and refuse to marry Duncan. But if it came from the king, Flora had to. She could not go against the sovereign of the country that she was now a citizen of.
Her heart ached as she thought about being married to a man she didn't love. She wanted to throw up when she thought about sharing a marriage bed together and his hands all over her. Flora couldn't even begin to think about Duncan claiming her body as his own, his lips on hers, him on top of her as he thrust into her whenever he wanted. Knowing what she had known about the man from her few interactions and Helia's stories, Flora knew that she would not get a say in the matter. Flora's hands went to her stomach as she thought about how it would swell as she would carry his children. She didn't want any of this. Was this the true penance of what happened all those years ago in the village? Was it punishment for daring to fall in love with a man that she could not have?
"...Flora?"
Flora blinked and looked in front of her, Krystal's voice calling her out of the stupor that she had been put in.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness," Flora turned to look at Krystal, "I was lost in thought."
"Of course you were, Flora," Krystal beamed, "I would also be-"
"Please excuse me." Flora cut off Krystal. She never cut her off.
Flora left the corner of the ballroom and made her way over to the table filled with small desserts. Her fingers immediately went to the small chocolate tarts and began shoving them one by one into her mouth. The chocolate reminded her of when her father would be gifted small chocolates from the sweet shop owner in the village. Her father would bring them back to the house and give them to her and Miele. He would have a special set of chocolates for their mother. Usually, eating sweets was something she did sparingly but right now, she was desperate for the small amount of happiness and nostalgia that the chocolate tarts brought her.
"I wouldn't each too many of those if I were you. It would be a shame to see a body like that ruined in one night."
Flora turned around to see Duncan, a glass of champagne in his hand leaning against the table.
"Please forgive me," Flora said as she swallowed the bite of tart that she had in her mouth, "I was not expecting such...news tonight."
"Ah yes," Duncan smiled, "I am sure that it came as a surprise. Shame that His Highness did not notify you earlier as he was supposed to. Naughty naughty."
Flora looked over to where Helia was still standing with Krystal. The princess was smiling at the prince, her arm locked around Helia's and her mouth was running a mile a minute. But Flora's eyes met his as he looked at her with sorrow and pity. He knew. He knew and he didn't tell her. How dare he look at her like that? If he really had cared about her, he would have told her in private. Instead, she had to hear the news and process it all in public. She had been looking forward to the ball but now she just wanted to run away and hide in her room.
"Don't worry," Duncan brought Flora back, "you'll be the perfect wife for a general. You'll love taking care of the estate and while I hate to see such a beautiful woman ruined, I suppose bearing my children will be a decent tradeoff. Married in the late spring and having our first child-"
"How do you know that is what I would want?" Flora jumped in to ask, "You don't know anything about me."
"What is there to know?" Duncan took a step closer to Flora, "You have been the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and well, that's all I need to know. The rest is just frivolous."
"Frivolous?" Flora took a step back, "How could you say that?"
"Don't take it personally, gorgeous," Duncan replied.
"How could I not, general?" Flora asked, "If we are to spend the rest of our lives together, shouldn't we learn about each other?"
"I am the general of all armed forces in Hademort. I am an accomplished war hero and I live to serve King Azrael. You are to be my wife and so you will live to serve me. You will take care of the home and children, raise them to be as dutiful as you are and stand by my side when I want and need you."
"And what about love?" Flora asked as she raised her eyes to meet Duncan's.
Duncan scoffed, "What about it? It's not necessary. Marriage is just merely a transaction at the end of the day. You get a husband who has favor with the King and who could get you all the treasures in the world. And I...well I get you."
"But I-"
"Honestly, Flora what did you think this was? One of those silly children's books that Helia reads to you at night?"
Flora's eyes widened and her breath caught in her chest. How did he know?
"You don't think that I see him sneaking down to the servants' quarters with those ratty old books? Makes me wonder if there is anything else going on down there but Helia is the biggest coward I have ever met and you are much too proper to carry on in such manner. However, I hope to change that very soon."
Duncan moved closer and closer to Flora and wrapped his free hand tightly around Flora's arm. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I sincerely hope that you will behave yourself when I am gone. You'll find it in your best interests not to disobey me or make me upset."
Flora gulped and glared into Duncan's amber eyes, "And what about you? Will you behave?"
Duncan let go of Flora's arm and his expression turned dark, "Just focus on your duties and I will focus on mine. Don't stick your nose in matters that don't concern you."
"I am to be your wi-"
"Exactly," Duncan snapped, "you are to be my wife and you will be an obedient and good wife. Do I make myself clear?"
Flora nodded her head. Flora wanted to protest but found herself suddenly fearful of the general. She had powers that could solve her issue with Duncan quite quickly, she managed to massacre an entire village in a matter of minutes, Duncan would be gone in the blink of an eye. But that would mean more blood on her hands and she would once again be seen as a monster. She didn't want that for herself or the princess. But even if she could, the way that his eyes bore into her was enough to make her knees grow weak and her body tremble, but not in the same way that Helia had. She quite liked that sensation when Helia ha caused it.
"I am glad that we are in agreement. Now you will stop eating those tarts and we will have a lovely night before I leave tomorrow morning. You will see me off in the morning won't you?"
Flora gave another silent nod.
"Good girl."
She wouldn't stop talking. All Helia could think about was Flora and how Duncan had made his way over to her but in his ear was Krystal, talking about the pending marriage of the woman that he loved to the man that he hated.
Flora turned her head to look at him and Helia could see the anger hidden behind her eyes. He had only seen her angry once but this anger went deeper than anything that he had seen before. She looked hurt, betrayed, and disappointed. Helia never wanted to see Flora look that way, especially not because of him.
He messed up.
She would never forgive him. Flora would never want to speak to him again and he couldn't blame her. He had lied to her by omission. He had betrayed her trust and he had left her to take in the marriage arrangement in the most inconvenient way possible. He watched as Flora and Duncan talked and he wanted to vomit. He wanted to throw his now-empty champagne glass against the wall when he saw Duncan's large hand grab Flora's arm. Helia could see Duncan's fingertips dig into the soft flesh of Flora's arm; the same skin that he had been lightly stroking only a few moments ago. The red came over him again when he saw Flora wince and freeze as Duncan hovered over her, telling her something that judging by her expression wasn't very pleasant.
Helia wanted to do something but Krystal would not. Stop. Talking.
"I'm sorry," Helia cut Krystal off, "I just can't do this tonight."
Helia removed his arm from Krystal's and set his empty glass on a clothed table. He turned towards Krystal and gave her a shallow bow.
"Good evening, Your Highness."
Krystal's brow furrowed, "Are you leaving now? The ball has just begun."
"I didn't want to be here anyway and I would much rather spend my birthday alone as I do every year."
"I haven't done anything to offend you, have I?" Krystal asked.
Helia wanted to say yes. He wanted to tell her how because of her persistent asking of Duncan's marriage, Flora had to find out that she was to be wed to one of the worst men in Hademort and as a result, Helia might have lost one of the best parts of his life. Krystal might have saved Flora's life but now, she had indirectly ruined his life. He was going to tell her, he was. But just not tonight. Not like this.
"No, Your Highness." Helia sighed, "Like I said, I didn't want to be here and I would prefer to have a quiet birthday."
"Well then," Krystal smiled and gave a shallow curtsy, "good night, Prince Helia."
Helia turned and made his way out of the ballroom, not sparing a passing glance to Flora as he passed her. It would hurt too much.
It had finally hit Helia that he had spent his life blaming his father, Duncan, and on the rare occasion, his mother for ruining his life but maybe he was the one ruining his own life. His father was unsupportive, Duncan loved to take everything that Helia cherished and rub it in his face, and Helia hated his mother for leaving him. But Helia had kept something so important from Flora all because he was being selfish. Krystal didn't ruin what he had with Flora, not even Duncan nor his father were to blame. He ruined it. He was the problem. All of this once again proving that Flora deserved so much better and that Helia really was just an utter disappointment and waste of space.
Helia left the ballroom and the large doors shut behind him, the noise of the ballroom becoming muted as he made his way further down the hallway. As the noise faded and the silence surrounded him, Helia's heart sank lower and lower. Flora was gone. He lost her. It was all his fault.
The sconces on the wall grew brighter and brighter as the alcohol made its way to his head. The small lights were blinding and the silence was deafening. Helia clutched his head and took a deep breath before charging down the hallway. He just wanted it to go away. The look in Flora's eyes when she looked at him across the ballroom, the sight of Duncan gripping her arm so forcefully, and the sound of Krystal's incessant talking. He didn't want to be the prince anymore. He didn't want to marry Krystal, he didn't want to be here when he would watch Flora marry Duncan, he just didn't want to be anything. Because everything he was just wasn't good enough.
Finally reaching his room, he grabbed the metal handle of his door and swung it open. The door slammed behind him as Helia sank to the ground and did what he swore to himself years ago that he would never do again, cry. The last time he cried, his father had berated him and told him that he was weak and that crying was useless. But that was all he could do in this moment. Cry through the pain of the past twenty years and cry at the realization that he was the problem. What had Flora seen in him? Now he was a crumpled mess on the floor of his bedroom, the cold stone seeping through the black cloth of his pants and settling on his legs.
He would never find anyone like Flora again. He had questioned whatever higher power there might have been as to what he had done to have Flora walk off of that ship and to walk into his arms. How could someone like her love someone like him? Well, now he was certain she hated him. Saladin was always going on about balance and the world was now in balance. Flora was beautiful, kind, caring and he was ugly and disappointing. There was no way that the universe should have placed them together and now they weren't. Balance.
Helia rose up to his feet and wiped his eyes, the words of his father swimming in his head.
"You're seven. Stop crying. Real men don't cry. No son of mine will ever be seen as weak so get up and stop crying."
He made his way over to the silver tray on the small table in the corner of his room. He thought that this birthday would be different with Flora at the ball and by his side. But Flora was with Duncan and Helia was once again alone. Just as he had been for every birthday since his mother had died. Alone and reaching for the bottle of whiskey.
Helia grabbed the bottle of whiskey and an empty crystal glass. He popped the stopper off of the top of the bottle and poured the amber liquid into the glass, the spicy smell hitting his nose and the familiar warmth a welcome sensation. Placing the bottle back on the tray, Helia threw back a large gulp of the whiskey, wincing at the burning that covered the back of his throat. He hadn't needed a drink like this since he had begun spending time with Flora. He had never thought of it ever since Flora had told him that she loved him. She was the only warmth that he needed and now she was gone, taking away the only warmth that was in his life.
He lowered his arm, the half-filled glass resting on his thigh where he felt the soft bulge from the side of his leg. Helia placed the glass back on the tray and reached inside the pocket of his black pants to pull out the half-eaten piece of cake that had been wrapped back up in the white cloth. It still smelled so sweet and reminded him of the night before. She had made him a cake. She didn't need to but she still did anyway. She had kissed him as it had baked in the oven and she had told him that she wanted more as she was under him on the kitchen table. And when she had given him the cake, she smiled at him and told him that she loved him. She loved him and he had ruined it.
The tears once again found a home in his eyes and he brought his free hand up to catch the salty tears before they fell onto his cheek and down his face. He quickly grabbed the glass of whiskey and drank the rest of the liquor, savoring the spicy taste on his tongue. He set the cake on his bedside table, not wanting to deal with the baked reminder of the woman he had hurt. But he couldn't get rid of it either, it would feel too final.
Helia took a deep breath and reached for the bottle of whiskey again but his hand stilled in the air when a soft knock on his door sounded through his room.
"Go away!" Helia called out. His voice was shaky and raspy. He really wasn't in the mood for Saladin's lectures or pep talks. He wanted to be alone.
There was a moment of silence and Helia exhaled, the person who had knocked surely having left. But the knock came again.
"I said leave!"
Another knock.
Helia groaned and set down the bottle and glass before making his way to the large door of his bedroom. He swung the door open.
"I don't want to listen to another one of your lectures or hear what you have to say. I don't want to talk, I just want to be left alone. Please," Helia stared down at his feet, the tears threatening to fall again, "just leave."
"Then we don't have to say anything."
Helia's eyes left his feet and looked up to see Flora standing in front of him and he felt his chest explode.
"Flora..."
"May I come in?"