Fantasy These Violent Delights

[vada]

| Vada & Kekse |

Spoiler: Prince Eirwen

Spoiler: Outfit

Eirwen sighed softly to himself, watching his small group of friends with an unamused expression. His silver eyes flicked from one of the three young men to the next, shaking his head in distaste. “You know she’ll kill you for that, don’t you?” He asked, watching the three fools attack his mother’s beloved roses with swords in their play fighting. The first among them to stop was Ernoullet, who paled visibly under the light of the moon.

“Ah…” The blond man said, immediately dropping his sword. There wasn’t much the knight was afraid of, but Queen Aurae certainly made the top of the list. “Apologies, I suppose I forgot myself for a moment there.” The other two followed suit once they realised their little game was over, their faces fallen and guilty.

“We’re just bored, Eirwen,” said Renard, a man with such shockingly bright red hair that Eirwen still couldn’t fathom he was actually an Unseelie. Ernoullet and Symon nodded their agreement and Eirwen found himself chuckling under his breath.

He could understand their restlessness. He, too, was itching for some action. Being the friends of a prince had its perks, of course, but he knew that oftentimes, there just didn’t seem to be anything to do. Eirwen’s life was not as action-packed as that of a soldier, a commoner, or even a king. It seemed, mostly, his life consisted of sitting around, reading, studying, or actively dodging his father’s wrath.

The four young men had already done all they’d been free to do without stirring up too much trouble. Raiding the wine cellars, prowling the local village for women, and now, duelling with each other in the castle’s gardens. If they didn’t find some entertainment soon, he was likely to call it a night and go to bed. The moons had barely begun their journey across the sky; it would be an embarrassment for him to retire this early.

“What do you have in mind?” Eirwen asked with an arched brow, opening himself to the opportunity.

“There was talk of a ball…” Ernoullet suggested, and Renard instantly grinned.

“Right, at the Seelie palace!”

Eirwen actually laughed aloud at that. “You’re not actually suggesting we crash the princess’s engagement ball, are you? My mother will definitely have your heads for that.”

Symon waggled his brows, teasing the prince. “Well if mommy says no, we’d better not…”

The other two cackled at this, and even Eirwen found himself laughing, shaking his head. “Alright, alright. But when, not if, we’re caught, I want you to remember, I am the only one here who can’t be thrown to the stocks.”

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✧ .⋅} ────── ⊰
​

As the carriage pulled up to the entrance of the Seelie palace, Eirwen adjusted the mask on his face, grunting quietly to himself. It was mildly uncomfortable, but that didn’t bother him as much as the very real possibility that they were all about to be captured and thrown in some Seelie somewhere. Where did the Seelie even hold their prisoners of war? He didn’t know and tonight certainly wasn’t the ideal time to find out.

“Don’t worry,” Ernoullet said as he patted his friend’s shoulder. “I’m not going to let these tree-huggers get you.” He grinned and winked a bright blue eye as he adjusted his own mask.

“Better hope not,” Eirwen muttered under his breath just as the carriage rolled to a stop and the four young men stepped out into the night. The palace itself was lit up and decorated in a stunning manner, surprising Eirwen. It instantly felt warmer, softer, and more welcoming than his own home ever had. Something stirred deep within his chest, an unfamiliar warmth, and with his three friends at his back, he made his way up the steps, feeling an inexplicable urge to be closer to that sensation.

 

[Kekse]

Spoiler: Aeidela

The day had finally arrived. No expense had been spared, and every surface glittered and glistened in the fading summer gold sunset. The castle walls sparkled with evening dew, each drop carefully placed. Flowers grew up the trellises and archways, their brilliant colors a stark contrast against the white marble which made up the walls. Soft music floated through the valley from strategically placed quartets around the kingdom proper, their notes rising and falling in perfect melodic harmony. Those helping with the decor flitted about, ensuring that every single detail would be perfect.

In the private chambers, Princess Melodae stood before a full-length mirror, staring at the folds of white fabric which hugged her form as they cascaded toward the floor. Her sisters pinned and fluffed and adjusted the garment until the eldest princess's eyes lit up with pleasure. "There, that's perfect," she chimed, her voice bright with excitement. "Prince Anai is going to absolutely wilt when he sees me looking like this!"

Princess Aeidela nodded, tripping slightly on the hem of her own white dress as she hurried to put away the pins and get out the sewing needle. Haina, the middle princess, shook her head at her youngest sister. "Are you sure you're even a faerie? I've never seen one as clumsy as you!"

"Well obviously you have, because I'm standing right in front of you!" Aeidela retorted, pulling a face and handing the needle to Haina. "If I'm the clumsiest, then obviously you should do the sewing."

Haina scowled, but she did take the needle and swiftly stitched the pinned places. She paused a moment to admire her work before nodding. "There. I think you're ready to go!"

"And not a moment too soon. You three need to get your butts down to the ballroom! Guests should be arriving any moment and it would not do for the ball to begin while the princesses are still up here playing dress up!" The firm voice of their childhood nursemaid filled the room and, out of some sort of ingrained habit, all three immediately jumped to attention and hurried out the door.

Really it wasn't a far walk from their private chambers to the ballroom; the princesses arrived just as the king and queen made their own entrance. "Hello, darlings," King Borom called, his face beaming with pride. The three princesses hurried to their father's side and gave him a hug before backing up and smoothing their dresses. "You all look marvelous. I'll be amazed if the three of you don't have multiple offers of marriage before the evening is through!"

"Now, now, dear. Don't scare the poor things," Queen Isabella intercepted, her soft voice as clear and pleasing as a bell. "Go along now and enjoy the ball. This is a celebration, after all. Our Melodae shall soon be married!"

The three princesses dispersed themselves through the room, mingling with the faeries who had begun streaming through the doors and into the ballroom. Excited chatter filled the air as the festivities began in earnest.

 

[vada]

As soon as the group of Unseelie walked into the palace, Eirwen’s supposed friends disappeared, melting into the crowd as they instantly sought out beautiful women and alcohol. Eirwen honestly didn’t know why he had expected anything else, so he simply rolled his eyes and found his own way through the masses of Seelie royalty and nobility. He didn’t recognise a single person here, which was at once a blessing and a curse.

For one thing, Seelies and Unseelies weren’t meant to mix company. It had been forbidden by some king so many centuries ago that it just seemed like it had always been that way. Of course, the two races did cross paths from time to time, but it never ended well. The rivalry was as deep and embedded as their very blood. So, for someone to recognise Eirwen would likely lead to his imprisonment, and eventually his death. For he doubted his father, who felt more disappointment toward his only son than anything else, would go to war with these Seelies just to save him.

Eirwen thought this over as he walked, masked, through the crowds. People began to shift and dance around him, lulled into the movements by the music that filled the ballroom. It seemed to carry on the wind itself, and as he watched, he realised that was exactly what was happening. Bubbles floated throughout the room, from where - he could not say - and as they popped, music was released into the air, filling the space so equally that none had to struggle to hear it. It was impressive, to say the least, and the magic momentarily distracted him from his progressively darkening thoughts and paranoia about being captured.

“How magnificent,” he mused aloud, then continued on his way, finally reaching the bar. Wordlessly, the tender behind the bar slid a shortlisted menu his way, and Eirwen picked it up, scanning the list of unfamiliar drinks. Everything was fruity and summery, and absolutely foreign to him. “Ah… uh… I’ll have the… Plum and Thyme Prosecco Smash… thanks.”

Taking a seat on a stool, he waited for his drink, turning slightly so he could still watch the festivities. There, in a far corner of the room, he spotted Ernoullet. The fiend was whispering sweet nothings into the ear of a Seelie girl, and she was giggling happily, her face a deep shade of pink. Well, that didn’t take long at all, Eirwen thought to himself, shaking his head to himself.

“Sir,” the tender spoke, and Eirwen returned his attention to the man, accepting the cold, fruity drink. Hesitantly, he took a first sip, allowing the alcohol to slip past his lips tentatively. It was surprisingly delicious, and he lifted his brows as it made its way down his throat, both warming and cooling his chest at the same time. “Mm… this is great,” he complimented, earning a grin from the bartender before he left to tend to his other patrons.

That left Eirwen to enjoy the cocktail, suddenly happier and more relaxed than he had been upon arriving at the Seelie palace. Gone were his worries of being recognised, or the deep fear of spending his days rotting in a cell somewhere. He was happy to sit there and drink, finding that he was enjoying this Seelie world more and more with each passing minute.

 

[Kekse]

The arrival of the princesses caused the crowd to erupt into a much more raucous chatter. Young men all over the room openly gawked at the beautifully clad girls as they left the dais and entered the crowd to mingle with their peers. Melodae remained close to her soon-to-be inlaws, laughing and sipping at a glittery pink drink that she held delicately in her right hand. Her dress glittered in the lantern light, the metallic threads that had been woven through the fabric sparkling like stars in a white firmament.

Aiedela slipped as far away from her parents as the room allowed, setting herself up in a corner with her two dearest friends and a gaggle of young faerie men. She could barely be seen through the crowd, which suited her perfectly. Her voice tinkled pleasantly amongst the other voices of the group and her face beamed at all the attention. The youngest princess had always been quite popular, and since it was highly unlikely that she would ever be called upon to take over the throne, she felt no need to reject the advances of literally any young man who looked her way. She had no obligation to marry for anything other than love, after all. So why not examine every possible route?

The middle princess was far more reserved than either of her sisters. She picked up a drink from the bartender and sat at a table in the corner, watching the hustle and bustle of the other celebratees. She adjusted her mask enough to allow easy access to her mouth and sipped at the fruity drink, scowling slightly at the burn of the alcohol on her tongue. "I should have ordered this without the fire water," she grumbled and sat the glass on the table.

A younger Seelie man sidled over and sat down next to the dour Haina, gesturing to her drink. "Done with that, already?" he asked, his eyes sparkling in the light. She nodded and he scooped it up, downing the remainder in a single gulp. For a moment he attempted to engage Haina in conversation, but the princess staunchly ignored him until his shoulders drooped and he slunk off into the crowd.

It did, indeed, seem that nobody remotely suspected that there were Unseelie enemies amongst them. Everyone was happy and excited, the sound in the room loud, but pleased. The music rose slightly in volume to remain heard above the sound of voices and maintain the atmosphere.

 

[vada]

Eirwen enjoyed his cool, fruity drink and then a second one. They were delicious, more than he could have expected, and he was lifting his hand to order a third when the princesses finally made their debut. Their entrance was made obvious by the booming announcement of their arrival, followed by all the ‘ooh’ing and ‘ahh’ing that filled the air for several seconds. It was easy to understand the enthrallment. The Seelie women were ethereally beautiful. All of them. But one in particular caught Eirwen’s attention more than the others. The sight of her stole the breath from his lungs, quickened his pulse, and filled him with a brave sort of stupidity that had him rising from his seat as if pulled up by a set of invisible strings.

On a personal level, Eirwen knew next to nothing about these Seelie royals. He, of course, knew the king by name and reputation, and had heard stories of the man’s beautiful daughters. Rumours made their way across borders easily enough, even in times of great political strife. But he’d never seen or met any of them before tonight. And while he’d had no intention of changing that upon arrival t, he now found himself marching right up to the princess and the small group of people surrounding her. This was the one called Melodae by the bellman, and the name suited her, as her laugh was melodious, the most beautiful music to ever reach his ears.

Eirwen bowed before the princess, resting a hand over his heart as he did so. His silvery blond hair fell around his shoulders, longer and more silky than most of the men in the ballroom. When he straightened, his silvery eyes settled on her face, seeing her and no other. As far as he was concerned, they were the only two people in the room, in the kingdom, in all the world.

“My Lady,” he said in a deep, warm voice as he extended a hand to her, palm up. “Would you honour me with a dance?”

 

[Kekse]

The unfamiliar masculine voice interrupted Melodae's discussion and she jumped slightly. She turned her head and froze as her eyes lit upon the owner of the voice. Though she had been reasonably sure she knew most of the young faeries her age, she was completely unfamiliar with this particular dainty face. His strong eyebrows and flowing silver locks caught her breath and refused to let it go.

Almost without thought, she nodded and extended her own delicate hand. It was completely dwarfed in Eirwen's warm palm, sending a shiver of pleasure down her spine. Her eyes remained fixated as the prince led her out to the center of the dance floor and they began to sway, their rhythm perfectly matching the rise and fall of the music. The voice inside her mind was screaming a thousand different thoughts; one half purred as the world faded away into his eyes, and the other screamed that she was a taken woman.

"What is your name?" Melodae finally managed. Her voice was breathier than usual, as if it were a great fight to speak physically with all the thoughts whirling inside her head.

He seemed particularly chilly outside the warm palms which pressed her hand and lower back; was it something in those silver eyes? Another shiver ran down her spine and she subconsciously stepped closer, their chests lightly brushing as they spun in time. Her own golden hair fell softly around her face as she looked up at the unknown man. Silver and gold, echoed the halls of her distracted mind. He's so much different than any of the faerie men I've met before, but I don't know why. We've barely even spoken!

 

[vada]

Eirwen felt a thrill of excitement race through him as the golden-haired princess agreed to a dance, slipping her hand into his with ease and grace. The touch was almost electric, an overwhelming sense of rightness settling over him as they moved onto the dancefloor and he pulled her in close, gliding along in time with the music. It was a dance he knew well, as all the faerie, Seelie and Unseelie alike, knew the dance of the Borealis.

Looking down into her eyes, Eirwen smiled an almost silly little smile. Her presence filled him with a warmth that he hadn’t realised he had spent his entire life looking for. Now that it was here, in his arms, he felt practically giddy with delight, and his smile turned into a charmed grin as she asked his name in a hushed voice that mirrored the fluttering he felt in his own chest.

He knew he shouldn’t tell her. It was dangerous to speak his name aloud in this place. It was impossible to know who was watching or listening, and they had already drawn the curious gazes of several party goers who had ended their own dances to watch them. But still… how could he not tell her when she was looking at him in such a way? He knew at that moment he would give her the world, if she only asked, and in comparison, what was a name? A mere token, easy enough to give, and give it he would, willingly.

Closing the small amount of space between them, he brought his lips close to her ear, murmuring in a barely audible voice that would not reach the ears of anyone around them. “My name is Eirwen, my lady Melodae.”

 

[Kekse]

Eirwen.

That name was familiar, for some reason. But she knew it was distinctly not a Seelie name. She squinted slightly and looked closer at her dance partner, sudden realization springing into her mind. A war erupted inside of her as her instant and intense affinity for this man sparred with the knowledge that this man was the enemy. The enemy who had snuck into her engagement ball, swept her off her feet, and caused her to feel emotions that were both strange and wonderful. She felt a shiver rush down her spine originating at Eirwen's hot breath on her neck.

He was so incredibly intriguing, like the forbidden pastry held just out of reach. This man was everything her fiance was not: mysterious, exciting, and dangerous. A far cry from the even-keeled and overly polite Prince Anai. Suddenly he seemed as plain as a dry cracker of flour and water. Melodae allowed herself to be pressed against the stranger's body, their warmth mingling in the slight space between them. It didn't take long for those around the pair to notice; she was the lady of the hour, after all. Whispers behind raised hands spread like wildfire through the ballroom. Do you see that faerie dancing with the princess? Who is he? Aren't they dancing a little too intimately? Does Prince Anai know?

It took less than a minute for the word to reach said prince, who puffed out his chest and parted the crowd. He strode directly up to Melodae and firmly, yet politely, placed his hand on her arm and pulled her toward him. "There you are, my love! Don't you look absolutely ravishing tonight? I have been looking everywhere for you. Come now, enough dancing with the riffraff of the kingdom. We should be enjoying this evening together!" Anai shot Eirwen a sharp, steely glare as he departed with his fiance. But Melodae couldn't help looking back at Eirwen, her doe eyes filled with a longing that she didn't understand.

 

[vada]

Eirwen watched the look of recognition bloom across Melodae’s lovely face, and he waited with bated breath for her to pull away in shock or disgust, for her to call for the guards, or even worse, her father. But none of that happened, and his heart - which seemed to stop dead in his chest, began beating once more, relief and excitement filling his pale, silvery features.

He wanted to whisk her away from here, to have her all to himself so he could hear her lovely voice more. He wanted to ask her about her life, to know every single detail there was to know about her. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one with that idea. Before he could mutter a single question, they were interrupted by an unfamiliar face; one who instantly broke apart their dance with a hand on the princess’s shoulder. Annoyance flared to life in Eirwen’s chest, and if he hadn’t been trying to conceal his identity, he might have taken the blade at his hip to remove that hand. What right did this pompous man think he had, to touch her in such a way? She was her own woman, and if she was happy to dance with him, why not leave her be?

The answer came soon enough as it was made clear that this man was, in fact, Melodae’s betrothed. Ah… of course. Of all the women at this ball, his heart cried out for the one who was to be married. Just his rotten luck..

Still, he didn’t return the glare Anai sent his way, for his gaze was fixed on Melodae, even as she was ushered away. Meeting her eyes as she looked back at him, he gave her a small smile, nodding his head once in farewell. It wouldn’t do to rush after her, to part the crowds and call out her name, to challenge her fiance for her hand. The only thing that would accomplish was his head ending up on a pike somewhere. He wasn’t actually sure if the Seelies were even capable of such a thing. They were supposed to be the fairer, gentler of the Fae, but he doubted even this lot would tolerate the Unseelie prince stealing the heart of their precious daughter.

His attention was pulled away from the retreating forms of the engaged couple, as Ernoullet was suddenly standing in front of him, blocking his view. His best friend carried the tension and expression of panic, instantly lifting Eirwen’s brow in concerned surprise.

“What is it?” He asked, his tone suspicious. “What have you done now?”

Ernoullet managed a strained smile, shaking his head. “Not me this time, Wyn. It’s Renard. He told one of the girls he’s… you know…” He looked around quickly for eavesdroppers. “They’ve taken him to the dungeons. We have to go. Now.”

Eirwen frowned. His heart rate spiked, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of his neck. Renard was a puppy. They often joked that some unfortunate Seelie mother had dropped him off at the Unseelie border as an infant. He didn’t have a dark, cold bone in his body. Eirwen had never even seen him perform magic, of any kind. He wouldn’t be able to protect himself. He would be killed, for certain.

The Unseelie prince swore under his breath, then pushed Ernoullet toward the exit. “Get Symon and go home. I’ll find him.”

His friend started to shake his head in denial, but the look Eirwen gave him pulled him up short. “Okay… okay. Be safe.”

Turning, Ernoullet made for the door, stopping long enough to whisper something into Symon’s ear. They both disappeared out the main doors a moment later, and Eirwen sighed heavily. This night was going to hell in a handbasket.

Quickly and quietly, he had to figure out where the prisoners were held, and get out of here before he was caught too. His heart ached terribly at the thought, knowing his moment with Melodae was all it would ever be - a single sun filled moment in a lifetime of darkness, but he pushed those thoughts aside. There would be time to grieve later. Right now, he had a life to save.

 

[Kekse]

Melodae kept her eyes on her new acquaintance as another dashing young male crept up with a worried look on his face, conversed a few moments, and disappeared into the crowd with Eirwen. So there are multiple of the here, hm? I guess that's not entirely surprising. She finally looked up to the fair features of her fiance and did her best to stifle a sigh. Was this...really what she wanted? Up until moments ago, she was absolutely convinced that her life was a fairytale. Anai was strong, handsome, and well-bred. But when faced with adventure and danger, he was so boring in contrast. However, Melodae turned her eyes to Anai's familiar brown ones and settled back into the life she had been given.

Meanwhile, two guards dragged Renard through the underground passageways that led beneath the lake to the concrete and steel world of the dungeons. They passed cell after empty, damp cell on their way to the deepest part of the darkness. The unseelie squirmed and begged, but the guards' hands maintained their iron grip on his arms as his feet flailed.

"Enough dramatics!" the larger guard, Marcain, snapped, his golden eyes flickering to Renard's face for only a moment. "You've brought this on yourself. The treaty has been in place for generations. There's no excuse of 'you didn't know you shouldn't be here,' so don't even try."

Marcain pulled a ring of keys from the wall and used the largest to open the final cell on the right. It contained little more than a mossy stone floor, a straw mat on a raised stone 'bed,' and a set of shackles chained into the wall. Haven, the smaller guard, pushed Renard into the cell and slammed the door. "Enjoy your new home," he chuckled, pausing long enough to light the torch next to the cell so the unseelie would not be forced to live in complete darkness. The pair of guards departed, leaving Renard with nothing more than the single flickering light as company.

Back at the ball, Melodae again felt a hand on her back. This time she turned to see the concerned face of her father looking back at her. He spoke in a soft voice, "Come with me, my dear. And you too, Prince Anai. It seems some unseelie spies have made their way into the crowd; we are unsure what their goal is at this time. But we need to get the pair of you out of danger while we find out. I'm sorry to upset your party, sweet pea, but as soon as we make sure the threat is gone, you can return." King Borom stood behind the couple and ushered them forward with his arms extended like a mother hen with her wings open protectively.

The princess soon found herself locked in the inner chambers of the castle with her sisters, who were clinging to each other fearfully. They jumped up when the eldest princess and their soon-to-be brother entered the room, rushing them and wrapping their arms around them. "We are so glad you are both safe!" Princess Aeidela whimpered, looking up with wide eyes at Anai, who smiled and ruffled the girl's hair.

"Yes, my little princess. Your sister and I are perfectly fine. There's nothing to fear, okay? The royal guard will find the intruders, put them out on their rumps, and we can get back to the celebration." Anai gave Aeidela a quick squeeze and sat down in a nearby chair. "It's actually kind of nice to be away from the noise and hustle and bustle with my favorite girls for a while."

Aeidela and Haina blushed and giggled, hanging on his arms and chattering away as they always did. Melodae sat quietly in another chair off to the side, watching her little sisters as they fawned over her fiance. The girls had always adored the prince, and it sent a pang of guilt through her heart when she even thought about taking him out of the picture. Though...why was she even thinking about these things? She wasn't likely to ever see this Eirwen guy again anyway, especially since he and his friends had been caught.

 

[vada]

The ball was suddenly crawling with guards, making it impossible for Eirwen to do much of anything without bringing attention to himself. The royal guard were moving about the crowd of dancers - who had all stopped dancing - and unmasking the men, searching for Renard’s accomplices.

Eirwen had to go. He needed to hide somewhere in this blasted castle until things died down and he could make his way to his friend. His friend who could be literally anywhere, and Eirwen knew nothing about this place. It would be a maze in even the best circumstances, and this certainly wasn’t.

As quietly as he could, Eirwen slipped away, through a servant’s entrance into the kitchen and then out into the corridors that led to the royal family’s living quarters. He didn’t realize this, of course, not being Seelie himself, but he eventually found an empty hallway with an empty room to hide in. He left the door cracked just enough to hear passersby and then all he could do was wait. And he did. He didn’t even know how long he stood there, with his back pressed against the wall in the dark room, barely moving or even breathing. It could have been minutes or hours, but he didn’t dare move a muscle.

Finally, at long last, the tension that had built up in the castle seemed to dissipate. The chatter he heard in passing was lighter, more jovial, the panic having melted away from the tones of the people he couldn’t see. And then, he heard a pair of familiar voices, the melodious voice that spoke directly to his heart, and the tool that had stolen her from him. Melodae was passing by the room he was currently hiding in, most likely on her way back to the party. Her engagement party. Unable to help himself, he wondered briefly if she loved the man she was marrying, then remembered the way she looked into his eyes during their shared dance and decided she couldn’t possibly love another.

It was the stupidest decision he could make at that moment, but he knew he had to speak to her again. Aside from the longing he felt literally pulling him toward her, maybe she could help him reach Renard. Once they were down the hall, Eirwen slipped out of the empty room, slowly following the couple and the other giggling princesses he’d seen, back to the party. Supposedly, the Unseelies had been captured or run off. Hopefully, that meant no one would suspect him and if he played his cards right, he could steal another moment with Melodae.

 

[Kekse]

"Alright, your majesties. We found two more unseelies and removed them, so you should be safe to return to the party. We apologize for the interruption of your joyful day, Princess Melodae." Morgan, the head guard, bowed low until the princess gestured for him to rise. He turned toward the door and led the princess and prince through the hallways, all of them seeming to feel quite at ease. The younger princesses hung on Anai's arms and he patiently humored them, listening to their chatter with a smile on his face.

But Melodae still couldn't help but feel a bit ill at ease. The unseelie boy she had met seemed perfectly polite and she wasn't sure how she felt about him and his friends being immediately demonized and kicked out of the kingdom. She knew they were most likely enemies for good reason, but nothing she had been taught seemed to give her that reason as she thought on the topic.

And there was still that feeling in her heart. What was it? Surely just curiosity, right? Interest in experiencing something different?

She was lost in these thoughts when she thought she heard the soft sound of a footfall behind her. The princess turned her head to look behind her and thought she saw a shadow disappearing around a corner. Probably just a servant, she reasoned as Anai took her hand. "You seem distracted, my love?" he murmured questioningly. Melodae smiled and shook her head, giving his hand a squeeze.

They stepped back into the ballroom where the dancing had already resumed. Haina and Aeidela dispersed into the crowd, immediately being swarmed by young seelie boys eager for a dance. Anai chuckled as he watched them go and wrapped his arm around Melodae to take another dance, eyes firmly fixed on each other. The music swelled around the couple until it reached a crescendo and the princess pulled away. "I'm feeling a bit unwell," she murmured. "I'm going to go to the garden and get a little bit of air. Why don't you let some of the girls who have been drooling over you have a chance at a dance while I relax? I think the excitement is just starting to get to me."

Anai frowned, but gave Melodae's hand a squeeze. "Of course, my dear. But stay where the guards can see you, okay? We already had one scare tonight. I wouldn't want any missed unseelies harming you in the night." He gave the princess a kiss and stepped into the crowd, immediately disappearing as he was mobbed by eager girls. Melodae hurried through the hallway from the ballroom toward the dimly-lit gardens where lightning bugs floated peacefully.

It was much quieter here and the princess immediately felt more at ease. Here she could think without anyone questioning her facial expressions as she worked through this complicated evening.

 

[vada]

Eirwen remained unnoticed by the guards and Seelie party-goers. He fit here, he belonged - at least, that’s what they all seemed to believe. It was foolish, really, with his shockingly white hair; he practically screamed Unseelie. But no one pointed or recoiled, no called out for security. He supposed that with his friends either tossed out of the kingdom or locked away somewhere, the rest of the Seelie believed the threat to have passed. Not that there was ever a threat in the first place. Eirwen and the others hadn’t wanted to hurt anyone - they were just looking for a good time… some music and dancing, a bit of flirting with the fairer sex. But all that had gone down the drain in a matter of moments, and now he was left wondering how he was going to fix everything.

Quietly, he followed Melodae and the others back to the ballroom, keeping his distance from the princess while she was on the arm of her pompous betrothed. It baffled him, really, to see the prince flirt and charm other women, even with Melodae so close by. How could he have eyes for another other besides her? It wasn’t something he could comprehend, so he didn’t even try. Instead, he made his way back to the bar for another drink. He needed to bide his time, wait for Melodae to be on her own again. It didn’t seem that would happen any time soon, not when she and the prince made their way onto the dancefloor. Sighing, Eirwen settled on a barstool and sipped at his drink, keeping the engaged couple in the corner of his vision.

He finished the fruity drink about the time he noticed Melodae pulling away from Anai, and his attention perked up, silvery eyes following her as she exited through a pair of doors that led to the gardens beyond.

Setting his empty glass on the bartop, he nodded a farewell to the bartender, and slowly made his way outside, looking around once to make sure no one spotted him as he stepped through the doors and into the cooler night air.

It was easy enough to spot Melodae there among the flowers and fountains, a soft glow being cast upon her skin by the light of the fireflies hovering in the air. She was the most radiant woman he’d ever laid eyes on. The image of her made his heart race, and he felt that pull toward her again, magnetic and electric all at the same time.

And yet, she looked conflicted, her expression pulled tighter than he had seen it upon their first meeting. Concern bloomed in his chest, and he wondered what would have her so unhappy. “Princess Melodae,” he said in a low voice, not wanting to startle her or cause her more distress with the surprise of his appearance. “Are you alright?”

 

[Kekse]

So deep was the princess in her thoughts that Eirwen's voice caused a strangled squeal to claw through her throat. Melodae flung her arms in front of her body and cowered away from the man. It wasn't until she had a moment to collect herself and return to the present that her muscles relaxed and she sat back up straight. "Oh, it's just you, Eirwen. I'm fine, I'm just...wait. How are you still here? The guards had insisted that they turned you and your friends out of the gates!" She narrowed her eyes, though they were more filled with mischief than displeasure.

Against her better judgement, Melodae scooted over and patted the bench she was sitting on. "Well, since you're here, you might as well sit down. I don't think anybody will come looking for me since I told Anai I needed some space." She didn't really know why she did it. But for some reason...it seemed like the right thing to do. "I really should call the guards," she giggled as she kept her eyes on his silvery eyes, "but if I'm being honest, something about you has really caught my attention. What are you and your friends doing here, anyway? Trying to cause trouble? Because that's what I was told, but you seemed perfectly gentlemanly when we danced."

The princess leaned back against a tree behind the bench and looked up at the lighted streams of a nearby fountain. A firefly landed on her hand and she brought it close to her face, observing the delicate construction of the strange creature. "You know what's interesting? I've seen fireflies from afar and heard lots of things about them. But I've never had an opportunity to observe one this close before." She turned her head slightly and gave Eirwen a meaningful glance. "They are even more beautiful close up than I imagined."

 

[vada]

Eirwen’s eyes widened in shock as the princess suddenly screamed and recoiled from him in fear, his head whipping around toward the doors to see if anyone had noticed and come running to save her from the big, bad Unseelie. But then she relaxed, and no army of guards swooped down upon them.

A nervous chuckle escaped his lips as she reached a hand back to rub his neck sheepishly. Walking over to join her on the bench, Eirwen simply took a moment to admire her beauty, even more enraptured by her in this soft lighting. He more than understood her words of foreign beauty finally witnessed up close. She really was breathtaking. His own personal sun in a world of shadow.

“Trouble?” The prince shook his head. “No, we weren’t here to cause trouble. Not any real sort, anyway. Maybe a bit of mischief.” He chuckled again, but his eyes were worried. “We just wanted to cure our boredom. Eat good food, dance with pretty girls. Harmless rule breaking.”

Even as he spoke, his hand seemed to have a mind of its own, reaching up to lightly graze the backs of his fingers along her cheek, as if to see if she really were as warm as he remembered. She was, and it pulled a low sigh of satisfaction, and also of longing, from his pale lips.

“Two of my friends were removed, yes, but I had to stay behind. I hid. One of us, Renard, he was taken by the guards, somewhere… else. I think they intend to interrogate him, to find out why we were here.” The concern in his eyes grew, and he dropped his hand to find hers, taking it with a pleading sort of firmness. “I need your help. He is foolish, but harmless. If they hurt him.. Or worse.. I won’t be able to live with myself.”

Looking into her eyes with earnest affection, he brought her hand up to place a soft kiss on the back of her knuckles. “Will you help me find him?”

 

[Kekse]

Despite his foreign looks and cool skin, Melodae was struck by just how normal Eirwen was. His tale didn't sound any different than the Seelie boys who went about causing minor mischief out of the same motivation: boredom. He was genuinely concerned for his friend. She could tell. Knowing this set her world view on its side and made her question what other things had been untrue in her life. If Unseelies were able to form normal friendships and treat others with respect, she certainly needed to amend a few of the standard teachings in their schools.

But she also had a hard time believing that her guards would take anyone captive. As far as she knew, the dungeons had been unused for the better part of a century. The key hung on the hook and gathered dust, never seeming to move. She opened her mouth to tell him such, but found something entirely different coming out. "We should go find him, then." She obviously knew exactly where the dungeons were, despite their hidden nature and lack of use. On a whim, she grabbed Eirwen's hand and began leading him through the garden to a much darker area near the back wall. She slid her hand along the wall until she found a small wooden gate, unlatched it, and pulled the Unseelie through.

"We will need to be quiet," the princess murmured, holding her finger to her lips for extra emphasis as she led him through the thick trees which now surrounded them. "There will be plenty of guards between us and where they would put someone if they did take them captive. We can at least check there before I swear that all of your friends were just kicked out of the city." It felt like they walked through the dark for an absolute age in near-total silence before they approached a massive boulder at the foot of a cliff which burst from the earth and soared out of sight into the blackness. She pulled him around the back and scuffed her foot around the dirt a little until a soft click announced that she found the secret lever. A crack appeared in the boulder and Melodae put her shoulder to the now-recessed area, pushing until it slid back about a foot and she could slide it to the left.

She gestured for the prince to step in ahead of her and followed closely, looking around once before sliding the stone door back into place. Two things immediately struck her: a torch actually already burned in the nearby sconce, and footsteps had disturbed the thick layer of dust. Melodae's stomach dropped and her hands grew cold. Why would the guards have lied to her about turning out all the Unseelies? But she shook her head slightly to dislodge the thoughts and picked up the torch to light their feet.

"I would say it would be a rough task to figure out which cell your friend is in, because this is a natural series of tunnels that we converted into dungeons in the fifth century during the wars. But I guess all we actually have to do is follow the footprints and listen for any guards who might be down here."

 

[vada]

Eirwen was surprised by the princess’s easy willingness to help him, but he knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth, so as soon as she took his hand, he rose from the bench, following her quietly. She knew her way around, that was obvious from the purposeful way she led him through the woods and toward the hidden entrance to the dungeons.

With an arched brow, he watched as she activated the lever and then pushed the door open, dirtying her dress and hands. She had a surprising amount of strength in her petite body, and he was impressed. But he was also a gentleman, so he stepped forward to help her, and then took the lead at her beckoning, not wanting her to walk into a dark tunnel ahead of him.

Melodae was right. In the dust beneath their feet, was a clear path of booted footprints, leading deep into the darkened tunnels. Eirwen’s jaw set as he took her by the hand once more, leading the way. He moved carefully, slowly, quietly, just in case whomever had dragged Renard down here was still lurking in the shadows.

By some miracle, they didn’t encounter a single guard, though Eirwen never released his firm, protective grip on Melodae’s hand. Not even when they found themselves standing outside an iron cell, Renard on the other side of the bars.

All of Eirwen’s breath rushed from his lungs as soon as he saw his friend was alive, breathing and seemingly in one piece. “Ren!” He hissed in a low voice, getting the younger man’s attention so he snapped his head up to look at them.

“Eirwen!” Standing, Renard hurried to the bars, not touching them with his hands. “I’m so sorry.. I don’t know what happened. One minute, I was talking to one of the girls, and then they were hauling me off!” His attention shifted to the princess then, eyes widening in disbelief and worry. “Eirwen?”

The Unseelie Prince squeezed Melodae’s hand reassuringly. “It’s okay. She helped me find you. Now let’s get you out of here, yeah? Before they come back and relieve your shoulders of your head.”

 

[Kekse]

"I can't believe my guards lied to me," Melodae grumbled as she wandered slightly down the hallway and removed the keys from their hook. She quickly returned and slid the master key into the lock and turned. It took some force; the moist underground air and disuse had made the lock stiff and slightly rusty on the inside. However, a bit of wiggling and strength popped the lock with a click. It fell open and she cracked the door to allow Renard to pass. "We need to get you guys out of here. Are there any others? If so, we need to make sure they get out as soon as possible as well. If they lied about locking up your friend...I don't want to find out what else they'd lie about."

The princess squeezed Eirwen's hand as well before pulling away and leading them back down the path to the entrance. She held her hand up at the end and poked her own head out, searching for any sign that the guards had noticed her disappearance. With no lights or anything anywhere nearby, the princess waved the men out and closed the door behind them. "How did you get here? Do you have a carriage or anything that we need to get you to?" Her head remained on a swivel, alert for the inevitable response to her disappearance from the garden. This was far from the first time she'd disappeared, after all...

They crept quietly back across the courtyard and toward the front gates, where the Unseelies should be moderately safe. "If there are more of your friends here, how can I recognize them? It would be safest for me to seek them out and remove them from the crowd covertly. Perhaps some sort of sign I could give them that I'm a friend and not a foe?"

Melodae led the two Unseelies along the wall to the right of the main gate, into a thicket of brambles and sagebrush. "I definitely shouldn't be seen exiting the gate, so I'm going to trust you with the knowledge of the secret gate. If it's used against us later, I'll know exactly who told." She shot both Eirwen and Renard a severe look before stopping in a particular place and brushing away the fallen leaves. Beneath was a wooden trap door, which the princess lifted to reveal a set of stairs. "Just follow this tunnel and the stairs at the other end. You'll find yourself exiting into a large, hollowed out tree. The path away from the Seelie land will be to the east. I'll send any of your compatriots left at the party out through the main gate. If they've gone this long without being caught, they should be able to casually leave through the gates safely as long as they don't act suspicious."