In the moment that is blue eyes and my green eyes met, I knew we would never be friends. Falcons and loup never get along. There is too much rivalry with magic and fighting ability, as well as the worshipping of the loup, which they called untrue and almost barbaric. "Nicias, this is Princess Sivvet, of the Reqiunne pack." Oliza turned to me. "His parents are Kel and Andreios, friends of my mother." I nodded shortly. "I know." I said coldly, my eyes sweeping over to meet those of the girl, Hai. Her eyes, shockingly, were as red as Salem's, her skin the same shade of pale fairness. "This is Hai." Nicias said, his voice as frosty as mine. "Her father was the Diente's brother, and her mother a falcon."
I nearly recoiled at that. A mongrel, living among others? The falcon rarely even regarded them as human, much less allowed them off the island. My skill as a diplomat took over, though, and I nodded once more. "How are the loup these days?" Nicias asked, his voice falsely sweet. "Any run-ins with humans?" The falcons looked down on our human ancestors, believing them unworthy of shape shifters. "Nicias!" Oliza cried, obviously startled by his rudeness. "Not recently, no." I said, my voice pleasant and level, another result of years of training to keep my expressions neutral. "Pleasure meeting you." Oliza and I drifted away, chatting briefly with others before she went to sit with the crow she was courting, Marus.
The lights dimmed, signifying the impending start of the dancing. I strode to my seat beside Salem and lowered myself into it. In loup society, we did not have many chances for frivolities liked dancing and such, although we did enjoy singing. We spent most of our time learning as children, and working as adults, with very little time between to develop things like music and dance. The opening strains of flutes filled the air, sweet and haunting. Then the drums joined in, steady and insistent, pounding underneath the high, clear melody of the flutes. Then lutes flowed with the rest, rich and baritone and as silken smooth as honey.
Salem leaned towards me, a twinkle in his crimson eyes. "Beautiful, isn't it?" I nodded slowly, wanting only to hear the lingering strains of the engaging music. The dancers came onto the dais, bodies clad in various combinations of gold and green gauzy cloth. This was Maeve's dance of the Keisha'Ra, the seduction of Leben. The bodies of the dancers rocked in mimicry of worshippers. Then a willowy, young woman with black hair danced on, her hair unbound, he dress long and rippling. Sighs came from the audience at her pure beauty. The music became suggestive, seductive, and syrupy.
As the dance wore on, I became ever more enraptured by its grace and utter splendor. Never had I danced, or performed in front of anyone but Mendres, my mother, and my brother. The sheer purity of the dance nearly brought tears to y eyes. I suppose Salem saw it, because he touched my shoulder sympathetically. I couldn't look at him. I was terrible at close relationships. After a certain level, I felt nervous, trapped, and I drifted away from those who considered themselves my friends. His gentle hand on my shoulder only reminded me of that, only made me think that this was as much as he'd ever see of the Princess Sivvet, cold hearted future monarch of the loup.
As the dancers ended their last number, bowing to the audience, skin glistening with sweat, chests swelling with pride and fatigue, the entire audience rose and cheered, many voices becoming one as they shouted their encouragement and delight. I was with them, although I did not shout, merely clapped, a small smile playing over my lips. The lights came up, and the audience mingled further, drifting to the table laden with confections and drinks, mainly alcoholic, but with several that were not, for the enjoyment of the younger guests, many of whom had parents who prohibited alcohol until a certain age.
"Would you like something?" Salem asked, gesturing towards the foodstuffs. I shook my head pleasantly. 'No thank you, sir. I shall eat something when I get back to my rooms." I answered gratefully. I turned to leave, but he caught my arm lightly. "Why are you leaving?" he demanded, garnet eyes searching. "I have work I need to get done." I answered, pulling as softly as I could from his grasp, only to have him tighten it.
"Do you really disapprove of our society that much, Princess?" he wanted to know, sitting down and pulling me after him into an adjacent chair. "I don't disapprove, sir." I returned as diplomatically as I could. "I'm merely not one to mingle." Salem shook his head. "My dear Princess, you need to go out more." I narrowed my eyes. Never had anyone but Mendres questioned my quiet, almost antisocial ways. Now this man, almost a stranger, did it without so much as a by-your-leave. Salem grinned- grinned- at my reaction. To say the least, I was shocked. Once again, another first in my years as a mature person. He had challenged, without words, but all the same, my persona.
"It is the truth, sir." I told him, rising once more, followed closely by Salem as he rose with serpentine grace from his chair. "You may call me Salem, Princess Sivvet." I don't know whether I visibly trembled or not, but inwardly I did. Already we had gone beyond any sort of alliance I had ever had with anyone else. Already he seemed to care beyond the thoughts of anyone else I knew. All I know is that my heart twisted at the look of mild concern he had in his eyes, and it was all I could do to not allow my defenses to break down there and then. "I must leave…. Salem." I said quickly, hurrying away, and leaving him standing there, a look of mild bewilderment on his handsome face.
I sat at the edge of my bed, my hand wrapped about the emerald pendant my mother had given me before I left. Suddenly, my nail caught, and I glanced down at it to see why. It was a locket, I saw, and I opened it. My stomach seemed to drop, my heart to clench and slow its beating. In the locket were miniaturized paintings of my mother and the father I barely remembered. For a moment I could feel his arms about my child's body, whispering in my ear that though he left, he'd still be with me, in the moon. Now I saw that his words were true in to ways. When I sang to the moon at night in both human and loup form, I could imagine him singing back from the golden moon. And now I knew that he lived inside my necklace, too.
Too tired to muffle them, I fell back onto my back, my sobs tearing from my throat and leaving it raw. "Sivvet?" came Mendres's soft voice from behind the door. "Yes, Menny." I said, sitting up and wiping roughly at my cheeks with the back of my hand. He opened the door and stepped in, his dark eyes alighting on my tearstained face and the glint of green in my hand from the locket. "Oh, Sivvet, you saw the portrait, didn't you?" I nodded, not questioning him about knowing before I did. My mother often trusted him with important things.