shy girl: Thank you so much! It means so much to have your support, especially on this especially controversial ship ;) I'm so glad you've enjoyed it!
*Author's Note: This story comes after the end of the war between the Neverseen and the Black Swan - I named it the Oed War. Tam and Biana were both master strategists in this war, and Tam was their most successful (and famous) spy.
The ball itself was a smashing success by both Biana and Marella's standards - namely, nothing went wrong that couldn't be fixed, they didn't run out of food, spirits were high and gossip was the main entertainment: mainly consisting of speculation on what Biana's big announcement would be.
Marella was asked countless times what she thought Biana's secret was, which annoyed her to no end. She amused herself by making up all manner of outrageous things, from the finding of a new alicorn to the opening of a school especially for Vackers. She knew it couldn't cause any harm - any rumors spread tonight would soon be silenced by the truth, which would be announced at midnight.
In the meantime, she joined Maruca in giggling over Linh and Wylie's awkward flirting, gave the food tables as much attention as possible, and danced every dance. Practically every young man in attendance (even those who had come with partners) took special notice of her, and most of them asked her to dance more than once. She enjoyed herself immensely and wasn't even angry when one overeager young man, rather tipsy with emotion and lushberry wine, tried to kiss her.
The one thing that ate at her giddiness all night was the knowledge that she was receiving this attention simply because she was beautiful. She knew that if she weren't wearing this dress; if she'd opted for her usual plain gown, most of these young men wouldn't even glance at her, let alone ask her to dance. Few people knew who she really was, and even fewer loved her for it. So she spent the evening with a wide smile on her face and a solemn look in her bright eyes, quietly hating the falsity of those around her even as they lavished praise on her.
Is there anybody who knows you as you know yourself? She asked herself. And if they love you… is it in spite of who you are, or because of it?
She looked across the room at Tam, who was standing beside Biana, and found that he was looking at her, too.
She looked away, blushing, and tried to clear the constant thought of Tam from her mind, which meant, of course, that she could think of nothing else.
"Lords and Ladies, please make your way to the ballroom!" The moment Lord Alden Vacker's announcement was heard over the loudspeaker, there was a general rush to the ballroom. It was midnight, and the anticipation had built all evening till the crowd was abuzz with excitement.
Biana Vacker, a name synonymous with "princess of the Lost Cities," was about to make her big announcement.
Marella knew there was no hope of making it to the front to stand with the rest of her group, so she made her way to the balcony reserved for Biana's closest family members. Up there, she would be unknown, unless she decided to shoot off a few flames for the fun of it.
She stood in a corner, half-shadowed as the feverish excitement grew and grew.
Biana made her way to the stage, smiling beatifically and waving like a princess about to be crowned. "Thank you all so much for coming!" she said, her melodic voice echoing through the room. The crowd grew silent. "Thank you all. It just wouldn't be the same without each one of you here."
The crowd roared their approval. Even the most cliche phrase seemed poetic when Biana was the one to say it.
Marella rolled her eyes but leaned forward as eagerly as the rest of them when the applause died down again.
Biana seemed to hesitate, glancing at her feet as her face turned pink. "I… asked you all to be here today because I wanted you, as my very particular friends and family-"
The crowd of four hundred people patted each other on the back and congratulated themselves on having made it into Biana's inner circle.
"-to witness something very important to me." Biana took a deep breath and turned to the stairway leading up to the stage. "I'd like to introduce you to my best friend, Tam Song."
Marella felt her stomach drop as cheers filled the room. That was no small name in the elven world: everyone knew the vital part Tam had played in the Oed war as both a spy and a strategist. In fact, lots of people in the Lost Cities had thought that Tam and Biana should get together because of their similar positions as strategists during the war.
So here she was, like a fool, watching it happen. She should've known. Everything was exactly what Biana wanted for a proposal: fancy clothes, fancy ball, and lots of people to watch, envy, and congratulate her.
She sank further into the shadows as Tam slowly climbed the steps to the stage.
Half of her wanted to leave right then; the other half needed to know what Tam was going to say.
But… she already knew what he was going to say. What else was there to say? He and Biana had obviously planned this. Thus the matching outfits. The fact that both their families were in attendance. And the possessive way Biana looked at him, talked to him, touched him. Like that kiss, when Biana had left Tam to practice the dance-
A realization hit her and she covered her mouth quickly to keep her gasp from escaping. He had known. He'd known before, during, and after the dance. And he still let me make a fool of myself, he still let me flirt with him. He still pretended to care about me.
She covered her face with her hands.
Through the blood rushing in her head, she heard a sound like a voice underwater- "Tam, I've known you for a long time, and all these years have only made my affection for you that much deeper and truer."
The crowd gasped with anticipation as she gasped with biting pain.
"I love you, Tam Dai Song. I always have. Now, all I can ask is… will you marry me?"
Covering her ears, Marella hurried out of the room and ran down the hallway. As she fled, she imagined Tam's certain response. Yes, Biana, I love you too, I will marry you, I will have children with you, I will spend my eternity with you, I will forget that a pathetic little girl loves me too - wait, I don't care anyway.
Marella moaned, dashed the tears from her face, and held up her home crystal to the light, letting it slice her into little particles, half-hoping that she wouldn't reform at the other end.