Oh…
“I’ll keep my hands off him, don’t you worry,” I said. “He’s all yours.” I still couldn’t quite believe it. “A Royal!”
“I know!”
And we giggled together as she told me more about him.
We returned to the city for lunch, and Dove sent a message to her guy saying she wished to meet him at this ball. Then, we spent the afternoon shopping for a gown for me. We settled on a flowing affair of crimson silk, which looked amazing on me. It even had an exposed mid-section, which was perfect. The top was form fitting silk brocade with a golden-threaded pattern over the underlying crimson. It clung to my chest and arms, with long sleeves, showing off the needlework. A swath of material then ran down from below the chest, twisting around the left side to above the buttocks all along the back, leaving my belly and right side uncovered. The skirts were waves of silk, with trimmings of brocade at the hem and over the lower back of the dress, over my buttocks.
One of Dove’s friends, a longtime member of Pegasus House named Lady Willow, helped me with my makeup and hair, which I was not used to doing, while Dove got ready. She, of course, was stunning in white, with her fair skin, hour-glass figure, blue eyes and pale-blond hair. As much as I thought I looked good in my dress, I still couldn’t imagine anyone seeing anything but her at this party.
We took a carriage across town to a massive estate, the sprawling four-story manor house somehow diminished by the lavish gardens on the extensive plot of land at the edge of the capital.
I still cringed a little when the herald announced me as “Lady Legs.”
And I was right, people did look my way, but far more looked when Dove was announced. I probably imagined it, but I even thought a hush fell over the crowd as they took in her beauty.
Then a massive form came out of the shadows, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. But he went to Dove, and she threw herself into his arms… and wow what arms they were. If this was Hale — and by Dove’s reaction it certainly seemed to be — he was a sight indeed. He was taller than Ant by half a head, but just as massively built. The pale-blue silken fabric of his shirt strained over huge shoulders and thick arms. Though it was the massiveness of his forearms which stunned me, nearly as big as my head! He had to pick Dove up to kiss her, but that didn’t seem a challenge at all. He had a bull neck, with a thick mane of blond hair and striking amethyst eyes.
“Legs, this is Hale!” Dove said, once she’d been set down. She was just a bit breathless from the passion of the kiss he’d laid upon her, and in public no less.
He turned to me, and those violet eyes looked me over. He extended a meaty hand, easily three times the size of mine and smiled. “A pleasure to meet you. Dove has told me so much about you.” Though… there was something in that dark gaze, a feral hunger. I suddenly felt like prey cornered by a predator.
“The pleasure is mine,” I said with a bit of a curtsy… though I really had no idea how to curtsy.I should learn.
He raised my hand to his lips, but didn’t actually kiss it. Just a motion of respect. Then his gaze was back on Dove, and I felt freed and lighter.
Wow, that is an intense man.
Agreed,Auwei said in awe.
He swept Dove easily into his arms, like she was weightless, and carried her the rest of the way into the large hall, as she laughed and playfully beat on his massive chest to be put down. He finally kneeled, and set her gently on the floor before asking for a dance. And as they swirled into the crowd of dancers, I was left otherwise alone, though with Hale’s size it was easy enough to keep tabs on him.
“I sense danger in him,” Midnight whispered in my ear, and I nearly jumped to the high-vaulted ceiling. When I looked she wasn’t there, of course.
“Oh?” I whispered. “You don’t say. Danger other than the fact that he could casually snap me like a twig?”
A soft chuckle. “There is that, but yes, something more.”
And he was dating my sister. Great.
“I’m going to mingle and listen in. I’m assuming you’ll do the same?”
“Yes, but I’ll try to remain close.”
Then… she was gone. I only realized then that I had sensed her presence if not seen her. I really needed to get a handle on using my avatar abilities all the time. Though that did seem… exhausting.
“Might I have this dance?”
I turned to the voice and was surprised to see Creek standing there. He’d been my height back at Silverveil but was now a half-head taller and had filled out rather splendidly. His golden hair was perfectly styled, those dark eyes sparkling as he smiled at me. He lowered his voice to say, “You look stunning, by the way. You’re… one of my biggest regrets from Silverveil.”
Regrets?
You turned him down.
Oh, right.
He is handsome and might be pleasant to dance with. Perhaps he has news?
