Breena grinned, and we split. She looked so beautiful I stared after her, and told myself that the beaus would come rushing to her, and soon. My own gown looked impressive, black and dark green,but I couldn't help wondering whether Breena had only been lying to please me when she'd said I looked nice. I shrugged the idea off, and headed for a group of talking gentlemen in silken suits. I walked past them, nodding back as they nodded at me, and headed for the table, here I picked up one of the silver fruit, which I brought to my mouth, and bit into. The skin was tender, offering nearly no resistance under my teeth, and the flesh inside tasted something like I had never tasted before, both incredibly sweet but with a touch of acidity which made me shiver from head to foot. I finished the fruit, and it was core less, pip-less. Both the silver skin and pale, pearlescent flesh inside where eatable, and the time I had finished the first one, I longed for another. I picked a second one, and ate it too. I was eating my third one when I heard voices behind me.

'Have you seen that young girl, yon?'

'The one with the hair like shimmery silver-gold?'

'The one with the waist so fine you could circle it with your hands.'

'What about her?'

'Did you ever see her before? She is exquisite.'

I felt as if I was going to faint there and then. There was nearly no doubt they were talking about me, but only a blind old man or a mentally-deranged person would call me 'exquisite,' or 'with a waist so fine you could circle it with your hands'. My hand was trembling, and so was the fruit in it as I pressed its tender silver surface against my lips.

'Is she one of the Prince's guests, do you think?'

'She may be. If she is, I hope the Prince guards her well. I would deeply enjoy carrying her away.'

I dropped the fruit back into the silver bowl and walked away, staggering slightly.

'Here she flies. Delicious child.'

'The fruit against which she pressed her lips…'

'It's mine!'

'Mine!'

'I saw her first!'

I ran as far from them as I could, without even bothering to look at the men who talked like this about me. They could have been senile old men or dashing young knights for all I wanted to see their faces.

I walked to the far side of the room away from the table, and as I leaned against the wall, I closed my eyes and longed, as I had never longed for something before, to sink my lips into soft white flesh, and feel the sweetness armed with the tiny needle of bitter acidity.

'Of course, you would not refuse me this dance. And even if you did, I wouldn't care. I like to have what I want, and you could beg me or fight me, I wouldn't let you go until you have danced with me. So, you might as well shut your mouth and let me proceed.'

The young man who'd uttered these words seized one of my hands, and firmly locked an arm around my waist. I started to protest as he led me to the dance floor, but he said, imperiously:

'Shut your mouth. The quicker it is done the earlier you'll be free from me. I won't let you go until you've danced with me.'

'I don't want to dance with you,' I was about to add something rude about him, but I stopped myself in time, 'I don't want to dance at all. I don't even know how to dance Lemme go.'

'I take what I want. I told you not to fight me. I always get my way in the end, always.'

'I always get my way in the end too. So, lemme go, I tell you.'

'You are only a girl. Shut your mouth.'

'You are only an impertinent boy. Lemme go.'

All the while, he was guiding my steps into the waltz the women where playing at the end of the room, and I was surprised at how easy it was, really. I didn't even need concentrate or watch my feet, because he led me so perfectly, so I started detailing him. He was taller than me, but not so much, and of a strong, fit, athletic built. His hair was dark chestnut brown, falling over his shoulders and the mask he wore, which was a dark, rich chocolate colour, simple and matching his eyes, which were dark and large and deep. He was dressed all in elegant brown velvet, with leather boots, and a long, weather-stained cloak, and a sword was hanging at his hip. I wondered whether this was the reason he supposed he would have his way with me, but soon forgot I was in his arms, because the sword was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was thin and sharp, it's blade gleaming gold in the dazzling light from the hundreds of lamps over our heads, with a cross-guard shaped like leaves, and a high, smooth hilt. I wonder how it would feel to hold this hilt, and swing the blade and cut through material and skin—

'My name is Sir Lavonn. You might as well tell me your name, girl,' the brown man told me imperiously.

'It seems to me that my name is none of your business, don't you think?' I said, looking up at him, and then, out of pure vengeance, I planted my booted foot on his own, pretending it was a mistake. He didn't seem to mind though, and only tightened his hold on me, 'and loosen your hold, I can't breathe,' I added poisonously.

He ignored my last words.

'I wish to know your name. Tell me. I told you mine, you can tell me yours. I need to call you something other than "girl". Well, I could call you Beloved.'

'Don't you dare,' I snapped.

'I would dare anything. Your name, beloved.'

'Emerald.'

'Ah, Emerald. I do indeed love it. And it goes very well with me, doesn't it?'

I didn't have a clue what he was talking about, but I wasn't concentrating either. I couldn't help myself, and asked:

'Listen, where did you get your sword?'

'Cleantha, you mean? She was my father's; we have been knights for twelve generations, father to son.'

'You're a knight?' I asked, my interest snapping back to him.

'Oh indeed. One of the wooden one. I am lucky enough to stand between the Azure Court and the Crimson Court unharmed.'

'What?'

He looked at me in surprise, and I hastily corrected myself:

'I mean, how did you do to satisfy both?'

'Well, we protect the Azure Court's woods, but don't bother the Crimson Court in any way.'

'So, you would be more in favour with the Azure Court than the Crimson's, as you provide help for the Azure but not the Crimson?' I asked, trying desperately to draw details.

'Well,' Sir Lavonn seemed uncomfortable, 'we do provide the Crimson Court with some…things.'

'Things from the wood, or from the Azure Court?' I asked, and even though I'd say it at random, the question seemed to hit him where it should have.

'Well…listen, don't tell anyone, I trust you with my secret, so please…' he looked quickly around, then pressed me closer to him, to that he could whisper in my ear, 'the Azure Court sometimes needs to get rid of some…unwanted persons. We pretend to take care of it nicely and quietly, and give those…unwanted persons over to the Crimson Court.'

'Who need it to…' I encouraged, eager to know and to be able to pull free of his embrace.

'To satisfy their needs. They love human blood, and the faeries become useful spies.'

Faeries, blood—what the hell was he talking about?

The dance, however, had come to an end, and before I had time to ask Sir Lavonn another question, I felt two hands, gloved in what seemed like rough leather, grab me by the shoulders and steer me clean away.

'And your name?' yelled someone behind me.

'Rub—Emerald,' I said.

The hands led me through the room:

'Obviously, I shall have to beat you. You have green eyes. You must be a knight—well, we shall see, by Titania's holly wings!'

The person had let go of my shoulders, and had seized my waist, pushing me forward until we reached a small arena the crowd had formed. All those persons, women in cream and scarlet gowns, men in blue and white armours, girls with long, blond hair that nearly reached the floor, small men looking shrewd and piercing—all raised theirs eyes to me when I entered the circle, in the middle of which stood two chairs, high-backed and velvet-cushioned, with between them a small table, on which lay a chess-board, with the white army facing the black army, ivory versus ebony.

'You take the white, of course. Ladies first, my tutor always used to tell me…'

He pushed me into one of the chairs, and flung himself on the one facing me. He was exceptionally tall, with long, lank dark hair hanging down his thin, colourless face and large, black, fanatic eyes. He was dressed in a silver-velvet tunic and black breeches and boots, all of them crumpled and old-looking. He looked as if he hadn't had a good hot shower in months.

'Do start! I need someone to beat me! Do you even know how to play?' he asked, menacingly, glaring at me with such furious anger that I was nearly scared.

'Of course I know how to play!' I snapped at him, 'keep your head on, and tell me your name, and I'll start.'

'I'm Count Blaine, but it doesn't matter! Start!' he yelled.

I moved my knight, and it shocked so much he was silent.

We played, and he was, I discovered after five moves or so, an exceptionally good player. However, his impeccable strategy was a little bit thrown off balance by my own reckless playing. I often left my king and queen unprotected when I was set on taking a knight or even a simple pawn from him, and by the end of the game, we were only left with several pieces each. The game was extremely tight, and everything around us both had vanished, even ourselves—there was only his king ad my king, and our queens battling to kill them.

'Demoiselle Emerald?'

I shook my head and blinked up at the person who was calling me. It is was young boy with a frock coat, huge hands and feet and glittering golden freckles on his cheeks.

'What?' I said, nearly yelling at him in my rage for having been interrupted.

'Lord Karayan wants you,' the youth told me mildly.

'I don't care!' I told him furiously, 'tell him that he'll have to wait! I'm busy right now! And don't you dare interrupt me ever again, especially for something like this!'

I imperiously waved the boy away and reported my attention back over the chessboard. Count Blaine was looking at me with bewilderment, and all the other spectators seemed flabbergasted by what I had just done.

The Count took my queen from me, then my last remaining knight, and his last pawn mutated to a second queen. With two queen, a bishop and his own king, he finally got me trapped. My only remaining option was to trap him into a stalemate, but I lost, and when he said 'Checkmate,' he said it triumphantly, glaring at me gleefully.

'You did play well,' I admitted kindly, and rose, and he rose with me, seized my hand and kissed it, forcefully, pressing thin dry lips to the back of it.

I glared at him, indignantly snatched my hand away from him and marched away. I hadn't had time to do anything of my own choice—from the time since I'd left that table with the silver fruits, I had been masterfully dragged here and there. I decided it wouldn't go on like that, and headed back towards the table.

The plate of silver fruits had apparently been refilled, because it was as full as when I first found it at the beginning of the evening. Gleefully, for the bittersweet taste was still making my mouth water for it, I grabbed one, and held it up to my lips. The first bite was heavenly, and soon I was eating a second one, then a third, and a fourth and a fifth.

I had just grabbed my sixth one when I had to drop it, and clutch the table, my head spinning, my legs weak and no longer strong enough to support me. I staggered, held up a hand to my eyes, at the same time as releasing my hold on the table—tipped off-balanced, I tottered back, then snatched up another fruit and bit into it, persuaded that if I did, maybe I would feel better. I was going to bit a second time into the soft silver flesh when someone grabbed the fruit from my hands.

'Gimme!' I cried, furious.

Blindly, I made a lunge for my silver apple, and fell over, on the floor. I wondered what to do, being too dazed to stand up or even try to—but then I felt two hands slip under my arms, and prop me unceremoniously up.

'So, you are neither a Crimsonside, nor a faery…'

'Prove it,' I said, without thinking, and tried to pull away.

'Stop struggling. I can prove it.'

'Even if you do, I don't care. Lemme go.'

The voice was silent, but kept leading me forcefully through the crowd, out of the ballroom, across the corridor and into a small, dark chamber, lit only by the pale moonlit filtering though ancient muslin curtains. I started protesting, but the door was locked behind me, and I was thrust on to a long, velvet-covered couch which stood majestically in the middle of the small room, right under the long arch of moonlight from the window.

I rubbed my eyes, which seemed still glazed, and looked up at my captor: he was tall, and dressed all in black, making me think of a shadow. His mask was plain and black, masking the top of his face to his nose, revealing thin, unnervingly red lips, and the alluringly pure line of his jaw, dazzlingly white against the black of his mask, and his hair was just as black, silky and ragged down and over his invisible face. A black cloak doubled with red silk hung around him, partly hiding his long, white flannel shirt, which was puffed with lace at the neck and cuffs, long black breeches and pointed boots. I couldn't even see his eyes, because he stood in the darkness, and it was like facing a shadow, really.

'And your name?'

He asked, and I couldn't help wondering how weirdly people at Thornwing asked your name.

'None of your business,' I said, feeling suddenly giddily defiant and reckless.

'It happens to be my business. As it happens, I am your host.

'Oh,' I said, surprised, 'the Prince? Your dwarf-door told me about you.'

'Ah, Eitri is indeed the master of "doors",' said my mysterious host, a tiny edge of sarcasm bordering his words, 'I still do not know your name.'

'Why should you know? Or rather—' I cut his answer off, 'what use would it be, given that I'll tell you a false name?'

'I want to know your name, so that I may address you in a more proper way, and not as if I was holding a conversation with the wall. And I know that you are a human. Only humans can be so obtuse. However, most humans who live in these areas are frightened to come near Thornwing. Therefore, you are new, therefore you are either Lady Aurora's niece, or her niece's friend.'

'Nice piece of thinking,' I said, doing my best to smooth my amazement under aloof coldness.

'Isn't it?' he replied, just as coldly, 'I sometimes amaze even myself.'

'Amazing,' I said, and before I could quite stop myself, I giggled, stuffing the insulting sound behind my fingers, as I looked up half-fearfully half-mockingly at the scrape of shadow with which I was having such a conversation.

'I do not like you at all,' he announced, solemnly, and silencing me at once, 'your eyes are too green.'

What the hell? I thought.

'What are you talking about?' I said, more politely, though my tone couldn't be called polite at all.

'If you haven't already understood, than you won't be able to anyway. Tell me your name now.'

'Emerald,' I said, and narrowed my too-green eyes, wondering if he knew my real name.

'This is not your real name, and you know it. What's more, I suspect you also know that I know. Tell me your real name, or else, you might be sorry.'

'I am rarely sorry of anything,' I said, gently.

'Well, this will be an occasion for you to experience this feeling. And if I might permit myself to say: being sorry is hardly an agreeable feeling.'

'How do you know?' I asked, curious in spite of myself.

'I do not fancy it is any of your business,' he said, and for a moment, even though I hardly could detect any tone in his voice, I discerned an ephemeral touch of sharpness.

'If you tell me, I'll tell you my name,' I said, recklessly, and thinking that given that I was going to give him my name anyway, I might as well try to get something from him in exchange of it.'

'You are a queer human,' he said, and then was silent.

My dizziness seemed to have subsided, and my vision had focused back to its usual sharpness, of which I often prided myself. I peered into the darkness, and it seemed to me that I could catch a glimpse of ruby-deep crimson, but it was only a fleeting glitter in the silvery gloom, and I wasn't very sure that I had seen well.

'I really hate your eyes,' he said finally, and it made me jump, as if I had forgotten that he had a voice, 'they are so green.'

'Their colour is called emerald,' I said mildly.

'Emerald in deep and full of serenity, but your eyes are just like green filled with angst, sorrow and a deep, deep hatred. Your eyes frighten me. Hide them.'

'I wish they were what you said,' I announced and it was true, I wish my eyes could be scary, I wish they could kill with a glance or petrify with a gaze.

'Hide them' he ordered, louder this time.

'No. No, wait: let me see your eyes and I'll hide mine.'

'Is all your life only bargaining one thing for another?' he said, and this time he seemed obviously angry.

He stepped from his veil of shadows, so abruptly and quickly it made me start backwards. He now stood in full moonlight, silver streaming over him, and I could see his eyes: black, but like a rose, really deep red. Like a ruby hidden behind black silk.

Crimsonside—who needs blood and have red eyes. Vampires.

'Are you going to kill me soon?' I asked, and my voice sounded so frail and brittle that I was afraid it might actually break.

'No. Not you at least. Hide your eyes.'

'How can I? How can know that you aren't going to kill me anyway?'

'A bargain is a bargain.'

I veiled my eyes with my hands.

'Take me out of here, please,' I asked trying not to sound scared.

I had never been scared once in my life before.

'No. Actually, yes. Take my arm.'

I rose, and took his arm, my own hands trembling.

'How many people have you killed?' I asked.

'Too many to count.'

The vampire led me back to the ballroom, where another waltz, slow and led by the piano, played by a tiny man in a long, silver cloak which looked far too large for him. He placed one of my hands over his shoulder, took my other in his, and grabbed my waist, clutching me to him so hard it knocked my breath out of my chest.

'You should be careful. It is dangerous here, and persons of your beauty and weakness are easy preys.'

'I'm neither beautiful nor weak,' I said, forcefully, and frowned at him.

'Lower your eyes!' he snarled, and pressed me even closer to him, all the time leading my feet on the dance.

'Loosen your hold, and I'll look down. I can't breathe.'

'Stop bargaining!' he ordered, sounding more angry than he had sounding all the time I had talked with him.

'Life is made of bargains, pal,' I said, recklessly,' I'll stop bargaining if you stop—'

He stopped in the middle of the dance-floor, and slammed a palm over my mouth. His hand was gloved in black silk, and felt both soft and hard against my lips.

'Never cross a Crimsonside,' he said, slowly, intently, glaring at me deep in my eyes.

He looked at me so long and hard I felt he could even see my soul and mind.

He finally released my hand, and I said:

'Especially not a prince.'

I honestly thought, for a moment, that he was going to slap me.

'Especially not a prince,' he agreed, and his voice was dangerously smooth.

We started dancing again, and only to annoy him, I stepped on his feet as many times as I could.

'Midnight,' he said, as I stepped hard on his foot a twelfth time, 'is not a time to crush your companion's feet with yours.'

'Midnight!' I exclaimed.

'But rather to press your lips to his, don't you think?' he went on.

I felt I was going to slap him, but I was shared between the indignation at what he had just said, and the anxiousness at knowing I should have gone to meet Breena by the fountain.

'Whatever,' I said, and broke away from his hold, taking him off-guard.

'Come back!' he hissed, catching my arm as I started to dart through the crowd o dancers of all size and colour.

'Let me go!' I spat at him furiously.

'Very well.'

He still held me by the arm, and said, looking hard at me:

'You who love bargains so much, here is one for you: Kiss me and I shall let you go.'

'Well, you can both dream on and stuff your bargains where it hurts,' I snarled, and tore my arm from his clutch.

I ran away from him, and he ran after me, and caught me as I was about to cross the threshold.

'If you go on acting like that, I'll hit you cold, and both take a kiss and keep you.'

'You wouldn't dare!'

'Wouldn't I?' he said, coldly.

'If you want a kiss, you'll have it over my dead body!' I cried.

'Fear not—for what I want I most usually have.'

'Well, after having experienced feeling sorry, you'll have to experience having a caprice denied,' I snapped, and broke from him a third time.

He went right after me, so, without thinking, I grabbed a nearby candelabra, and stuffed it in his arms. Surprised, he took it, and I took my chance, gathered my skirts and ran down the corridor, down the step and to the fountain.

Breena wasn't here.

'Stupid girl!' I yelled into the night air.

I cupped my hands, plunged them in the icy water, and drank. The fruit and animated conversation had made me thirsty, and I rank long, and when I was finished, I plonked myself down unceremoniously over the fountain's thick rim, and sighed.

The vampire prince caught up with me, and sat beside me.

'So, who failed to meet you?' he asked me, politely.

'This is none of your business. I am sick of you,' I said hostilely.

'I know you are. I don't mind,' he said.

We were both silent.

'It was a very dangerous thing, coming tonight. Does Lady Aurora know?' he asked, after a long pause.

'Why should I tell you?'

'I like her nearly as much as you do. You can trust me.'

'I don't trust you,' I snapped.

'This is better for you, believe me.'

'No, she doesn't know. And you are right, it was a stupid and dangerous thing to do, to come tonight. But when we came, we didn't know that faeries and vampires exist.'

'So, now you know.'

'Now I know, and I am not going to do anything about it. If there are two enemies living near from each other, there must be a war, if there's a war, I want to be in it.'

'On which side?'

'The side who can offer the best bargain,' I said, and rose.

'Goodnight, Prince of the Crimson Court. If I am ever to come back, I'll bring a knife with me.'

He rose too, and took both my hands.

'Goodnight, Lady Emerald of the Anonymous. I hope the next time we meet, you will be wiser.'

'I'll try to.'

'Good luck. Watch over your friend, and…know that you will not stay together long. Now, go. She'll soon rejoin you.'

'Is this a threat?' I asked, and I felt such a cold, hard jolt of fear inside me I thought I was going to be sick.

'If you want to know, give me a kiss.'

'No. I'll never give you that. You might as well hold it for said.'

'Very well.'

He kissed both my hands, softly and his lips were so cold it gave me a shock.

'Sweet dreams,' he murmured.

'You too,' I said, snatched my hands away from him, whipped around, and tore into a run, away from the courtyard, and back to Edgerise Hall.

A/N Sorry it took so long to update, Ruby (who wrote this chapter) had been extremly busy! Also, sorry for any mistakes, it was an awfully long chapter, and I am not that good at beta'ing! - Moonlight Enchantments