The Offering

Chapter Eighteen - Daella

I sit drinking tea with Rue, Elsie, Layla, Millie and Isbeth. Pretending to have a conversation. Well I'm pretending to have a conversation. Mostly I just smile and nod as they talk about the different lords and ladies they have met.

I couldn't match the faces with the names they used. Were these the lines I needed to rehearse? Paying attention when I dance with lords, remembering their names. I wouldn't make a very convincing actor if I couldn't remember their names.

"You've spent time with each of the Princes Daella, care to share what you know about each of them?' Isbeth asks making me blink trying to think of her question, something about the Princes.

"I haven't spent that much time with them." I reply, setting my tea cup on it's little gold rimmed plate and holding it steady.

"Still, you must have learned something, what they are like?" Isbeth insists and I look at her, her black hair always reminding me of the ravens that used to hang around the house.

"I know Prince Demwyn has magic, he can manipulate the air." I say thinking its really the only thing I've learned about any of them and no idea what else they would want to know.

"Of course he does, all of the princes have magic, they are high fae." Isbeth smiles at me like it is common knowledge and maybe it was I just hadn't been paying attention, too worried if I was sipping my tea correctly, or chewing my meals like a lady. "Demwyn can manipulate air, Alvaryn has a type of mind magic, he can tell when someone is lying or telling the truth. And Aeris can manipulate fire. They are all extremely powerful, among the most powerful in the kingdom." Isbeth explains, the other girls nodding along with her.

"I didn't know." I say quickly. But it explains why Prince Alvaryn was so adamant I hadn't been telling him the whole truth, how he just seemed to know.

"What about Prince Alvaryn? What did you speak about with him?" She asks eagerly, sipping from her cup.

"He likes reading books." I answer with a shrug.

"He is the smartest one out of the three of them, I suppose that would require reading a lot of books. I danced with him at the ball, he complimented my dancing, said I danced like a true fae." She smiles.

"You are the best dancer among us." Elsie smiles. "I spoke with Prince Alvaryn at the garden party, well, Layla and I were there and we were introduced, he is very quiet compared to the other High Lord's"

I sit and listen as they continue talking about the Princes and High Lords, sipping my tea slowly.

"Is that why you spend so much time at the library?" Rue asks me quietly.

"What?"

"You always go to the library in the afternoons, is Prince Alvaryn there as well?" She asks excitedly.

"He's been there a couple of times, but it isn't the reason I go there. It's just nice and quiet and a good place to read." I explain.

She nods and smiles joining in with the other girl's conversation.

As our afternoon dance class comes to its end I let out a small sigh of relief. I had only been corrected twice during the lesson and while I could feel her eyes still watching me, the Mistress hadn't resorted to calling me useless.

"Ladies, there will be a formal dinner tomorrow evening with the High Court and the Royal Family, another event that will allow you to spend time with the High Court." The Mistress announces before letting us go for the day.

I had been waiting to go to the library, not knowing if Alvaryn would be there, but hoping he would be. I had thought about what it would be like to have a friend here, I didn't know what it would mean considering he was a prince but he was right when he said we had things in common. I think it was more than just a like for the same books. He had genuinely tried to understand why I was so angry, that he had never stopped to think about what the Offering meant to the humans. I had made him question his own beliefs. I wanted to believe that meant being friends would mean I would have someone I wouldn't have to pretend with. Not that I was very good at pretending whenever I was with him, or Aeris if I think about it.