Pangaea: A New Universe

Chapter Five. Voices.

-Prince Isaac's P.O.V.-

"Listen Isaac," one of the voices said to me, sticking out above all of the others, "something is going to happen tonight that will change everything, that will alter your perception of what the universe is. You need to be strong for her, for her kingdom and the relationship that is blossoming again between you. Her parents need not die in vain, they know that their time has come, and they are willing to sacrifice themselves to better protect Amermoon's existence- it's life source- it's power. Things will get very hard for you in the coming weeks so live tonight while you can and fall in love with the small moments in life, the little things. Fall in love with the things the voices in your mind tell you to notice. We are not all, as you think, of a bad breed." the voice finished before it faded into just another dull whisper. 

"Prince Isaac, the first guests have arrived for the ball and your parents have requested you to meet them by the front of the Grand Ballroom Entrance so you arrive together"  a servant told me, startling me so that the whispers in my head diluted down into a gentle, roaring hum. I stood up, gathering my legs underneath me and fixing the medals on my coat once more before turning to face the short man at the door. He smiled graciously, much more earnest than the servants I usually met. 

"Thank you very much" I said, wishing internally that I could always have someone to distract me from my thoughts. There was something I did learn from them for once, though: not everything my brain decides to tell me is something worth shutting down my senses for. On that note, there is something else important to know- something bad is going to happen tonight, and my mind had admittedly told me that more than once since I've been here. My dream of Amaya had warned me that her parents were going to be killed, and now my consciousness is telling me that I should expect nothing less. I am going to be ready for whatever happens. 

"I presume you are now well fed?" my father asked as I approached him and I nodded my head. He gave me a smile and clapped my shoulder underneath his bear-like paw. 

"Yes, very much so. Amermoon's food filled me up rather quickly" I replied as the doors to our right opened and the man standing there announced our arrival as the "most esteemed royalty of Suneuro". Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I walked with my mother and father flanking either side of me, descending the great marble staircase. There were many people surrounding us as we reached the bottom- too many faces to count- but my eyes could only be bothered to search for one. 

Where was she? I could see her parents standing with the Neptaustran Royalty, most likely avidly discussing war plans to kill even more soldiers to 'celebrate'... but Amaya was nowhere to be found. Maybe she was trying to avoid the ball, maybe she knew the same thing that the voices had told-

"Amermoon would now like you to raise your heads in welcome of our beautiful princess, Miss Amaya Paige Morpheus" the man announced gruffly as my head turned to look up at her. That man had lied viciously, beautiful was an understatement- a word that fell so undeniably and terribly short of how Amaya looked tonight. 

A puffy deep blue underskirt was subdued by a charcoal gray lace that connected with a bodice of the same hue. Small cerulean and silver gems were plastered at the top: edging her chest in a waterfall design. She was not beautiful. She was beyond that, she was... breathtaking, I realized as my breath again hitched in my throat and I suddenly found myself wishing that my fingers were worthy of brushing that stray strand of hair that fell in her face. 

I couldn't dream of taking my eyes off of her, and it wasn't even like I wanted to. Her eyes met mine and her lips stretched into a wide grin as the crowd parted for her and she made her way to me. 

"Hello again, Prince Isaac" she said lightly as she gave me a curtsy and my body automatically replied with a bow. 

"You look.. well, to be completely honest, I don't think my vocabulary is expansive enough to even begin to define a word to describe how wonderful you look tonight." I told her easily. Her cheeks tinted a soft, rosy pink and I smiled, "How about a dance?" I asked as I offered her my hand and she took it slowly, cautiously.