The Offering

Chapter Forty Five - Daella

All the gossip for the last two days had been surrounded by the guest staying at the palace, Prince Arden from Nievenyth.

I couldn't understand the fascination, he was a visiting Prince from a faraway fae Kingdom that up until now has been at war with this Kingdom. And yet it was all the chosen seemed able to speak about at any spare moment.

And now here we all stand, being paraded about in our finery.

Aeris had been more upset about Prince Arden's visit then Alvaryn, he didn't tell me why exactly he was so upset about it, just that he didn't trust him and the long lived war between their Kingdoms made it difficult to see him as an ally. Alvaryn didn't seem worried about it at all, but then again his mind has been so focussed on finding proof of a polyamorous marriage in the past as he had called it so he could convince the King to allow us to marry that I wasn't sure he had even given Prince Arden's visit much thought at all.

I watch as he is introduced by King Harwyn and we all curtsy politely as he stands in his dark emerald suit, hair the exact colour as Aeris and Queen Marlia only making me turn to Aeris even though I told myself I wouldn't.

He smirks back at me once before returning his stare ahead. Alvaryn beside him catches my eye but doesn't smile or show any sign but I know he sees me. Then Demwyn, I don't meet his eye, don't want to find him staring back at me and finding out my secrets. I had told him I would stay away from his brothers, and I had, for a few days, the most miserable days I had spent here. I had tried, but then, then all my plans failed and now, now I don't know what will happen, I don't know if Alvaryn will be able to convince his Father, I don't know what will happen if he can't. Our very future is unknown but all I know is I am happiest when I am with them. And Fynley was right, it is worth it, to be able to spend whatever time I have here with them then to not have it at all.

As King Harwyn finishes his welcoming speech and the music begins to play the room begins to move as couples are formed and fae and humans start to mingle.

I am counting down the minutes until I can be done with this night and back in my rooms until someone stands in front of me.

"Excuse me, Miss?" I look up to find Prince Arden standing in front of me smiling down at me and I blink.

"Daella." I answer with a curtsy.

"Prince Arden." He nods in return. "I see you have no partner yet, can I have the first dance?" He asks holding out his hand.

"Of course." I smile, taking his hand as he leads me to the dance floor. I have the urge to look back over my shoulder to find Aeris or Alvaryn but instead I look ahead and try my best to maintain my smile completely confused as to why he has asked me.

"So, how does it feel to be so close to the selection?" Prince Arden asks as he stands in front of me waiting for the song to begin.

"I am excited for the Selection, it is an honour to be one of the chosen." I answer, the words I had memorized like lines in a play come easily as I have said them many times over.

He smirks, looking down at me like I said something funny. "Surely there must be more than just your excitement, you don't seem like the kind of woman who sits around patiently waiting to be chosen by some High Lord."

The song begins and he bows as I curtsy taking our places in the dance.

"I'm not sure what you mean, you don't know me at all, how can you know what or who I sit around and wait for." I reply, my tongue getting the better of me. Just keep it short and polite, use the lines, use the pleasant remarks that seem to make the other High Lords happy, smile and seem content. It always works, surely it would work with him as well.

"Of course not, you're right, we just met, however, I just get this feeling that perhaps there is more to you than meets the eye. Perhaps it is just me but I did notice you were a little less reluctant to meet with the High Lords than the other chosen, standing towards the back of the queue perhaps wanting to seem removed from the group." He returns and I look at his jacket lapel trying to think of a response. How did he notice that? Why did he notice that? It was something I always did, but I didn't think anyone noticed, well at least no one had said anything, until now.

"I am always happy and honoured when one of the High Lords asks me to dance."

He smiles again, a smile I can't quite believe to be genuine. It comes too easy and doesn't really seem to say anything or convey and real emotion. More like a reflex or a mask.

"What a very polite and endearing response. As a chosen, picked from her home in the human kingdom you must be overwhelmed by all the splendour, beauty and wealth this Kingdom has. Not to mention the very idea of being wife to a High Lord or even a Prince would make any chosen happy." He turns me and I see Alvaryn in the near distance watching the dancers with a serious expression before I am faced with Arden's smiling face again.

"Yes, we are all very blessed to be here and be treated as honoured guests." I force another smile.

He suddenly steps in close, his mouth close to my ear. "Here is what I think, you aren't as happy and excited to be here paraded around like the others, but you know there is no way out. So instead you smile and dance and behave just as you have been told because you are smart enough to know it is your best option. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, but then again, maybe there are already some who have noticed." He steps back in time with the dance and turns me around, my mind too frantic and trying my best to keep my smile in its place while my thoughts scream and scatter through my practiced replies.

"I'm not sure how you could have gotten all of that from me standing at the back of the group of chosen. I am happy to be here, and while the transition from my old home to this new one may not have been as smooth as everyone else I am still glad I was chosen for this offering." I return as his hand touches my waist, guiding me in step and time. It is the truth, a truth I had only recently discovered, but I have found my daylight.

"Well I am glad you have found a reason or reasons to be happy here, I'm sure the change would have been very difficult for you, but at least now you have something to make you want to stay." He smiles as the song comes to an end and we stand facing each other. I curtsy as he bows.

He takes my hand, kissing the back of it as he stares at me. "It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Daella, I'm sorry I won't be here for the Selection but I'm sure it will be a memorable day." With that he turns and leaves and I am left staring blankly in confusion and concern.

I don't know where all of his words and assumptions and ideas came from or how he had me figured out like he knew me or had watched me or studied me. I had become proficient in my acting, I had learned all my lines and perfected my moves. He shouldn't have been able to see through all of it so easily.

Why did he phrase his wording and questions so specifically to me? Like he could see into my thoughts? I mean I knew he couldn't, the gossip among the chosen was that his magic was something to do with nightmares, some dark strange magic that he only used on his enemies.

He couldn't tell truth from lie like Alvaryn but something about the way he spoke and the accusations he made felt like he did know something, know some truth he shouldn't.

I didn't like this feeling. I didn't like the idea of him knowing something he shouldn't. I mean it was impossible, right? I should just put it out of my mind, he was just a guest, he would be gone before the selection.

Onlywhy didn't that help ease the dread in the pit of my stomach?

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