The King And His Goddess Of War

Chapter 4: The Dance

I hung out with Tyson for the rest of the day and told him my story. I told him nearly everything. I told him about the fight, and how I won and then the illegal blows the man gave that I thankfully blocked.

There was only one thing I didn't tell him about.

Prince Zuka.

He didn't need to know anyway. It wasn't that important and I would rather keep those moments that I have with Prince Zuka private. I mean, women around here are going to try to attack me if they find out I have close encounters with the future King and their imaginary boyfriend. That's a war I don't want to fight at all. 

"So, that fight. I was told the story already," Tyson says as we walk down the hallway for lunch in the soldier's quarters. "By Colby."

"Oh really?" I say, raising a brow. 

"Yeah. Prince Zuka bragged about it pretty hard to him," Tyson explained.

My face was drained of any color. "Really?" 

"No need to leave out details, Ari," Tyson said, grinning. "The Princes have an interest in you, and they will brag about their encounters with you to each other and then Colby will come and tell me what happens. So, I know it all."

I smacked his shoulder and he winced, playfully shooting me a glare.

"Why would Colby tell you anything?" I ask, messing up Tyson's hair.

Tyson fixed his hair and started to respond, but if almost on cue, Colby appeared at my side, his smile bright. "Why do I tell Tyson what?"

"Nothing," I say, a smirk on my face.

Lunch was a bit awkward for me. Colby joined us like normal, but the strange thing was, so did Zuka. He sat beside me and I could see Tyson smirk as he held a napkin over his mouth. Colby just stared at his brother Zuka casually, occasionally looking up and sometimes letting his hand brush my arm or my leg. 

I ate my macaroni and cheese normally, trying not to pay attention to the Vargrum claimed human beside me or the younger prince in front of me who was glancing between us like there was something there. Tyson talked normally with me, knowing why I would rather not speak to the princes at the moment. "Are you going to the event tonight?"

Tyson had been asked by one of the nicer maids to go with her, but no one had ever asked me to go. You had to be invited by the royals or one of the maids since it was to thank the maids for their service. I, thankfully, had not been invited. "Nope," I say, popping the 'p'. "No one has asked me and I'm pretty sure no one will. I mean, the butlers here have wives or they're super old, and I don't have a dress anyway."

Colby's eyes locked with his brother's, challenge gleaming in their eyes. Tyson wiggled his eyebrows suggestively behind their backs, but then started to talk to some of the other soldiers. I scowled when I realized what he just did to me. He left me to fend for myself in the pack of wolves. 

"No one asked you?" Colby asked, taking a sip of water.

I shook my head no. "Nah, most men are pretty scared of me. I am not the most beautiful or delicate flower either. Most men would go for someone like your mother. Untouched, beautiful, delicate. No one wants a torn up petal that survived a storm and a lightning strike. Not graceful nor nearly elegant enough."

"On the contrary, Arianna, many men would love to go with you," Colby said, leaning forward to place his elbows on the table. "Like.. maybe someone would go with you right at this table." I knew he was gesturing to himself, but Colby wasn't that type of person. I knew he wanted me to go with him to make a relationship, but I wasn't that kind of person either. I didn't have that connection with Colby. It was like Tyson and I, best friends, never thinking anything more.

"I don't think I want to go," I laughed. "Formal events aren't my forte in the first place."

"Are you sure?" Colby asked, his eyes riddled with hope. 

"Maybe another time, Colby. I would rather spend time with someone outside of formal arrangements to really get to know a person," I suggested. "I would rather be myself than faking it. Besides, Alex is probably going to be there and I would rather not face him."

Colby smiled, satisfied with the outcome. "But, I would be there to protect you from him," Zuka muttered, his eyes flashing to mine. Cue the butterflies. "That bastard wouldn't even be able to get near you without me interfering."

"I don't need anyone to protect me, Prince Zuka. I am quite capable of protecting myself," I say, a smirk spreading across my face. "If I am able to fend you off, I can take on any challenge."

"Who said you were fending me off?" he smirked back, fiddling with the fork in his hands. "Maybe I was just teasing you? Maybe I just wanted to make you think you were fending me off?"

"Maybe I'll do something super gross to make you not like me anymore," I threatened, giving him a playful glare. I knew eyes were on us from all around the table. But the stares were neither friendly nor hateful. I felt jealousy. "Maybe I could.. I don't know.. Insult your dad so then I'll be kicked out."

"You wouldn't compromise your job," he chuckled, the smirk on his face holding.

"Maybe I could hang out with your brother more than you. You know this is my first day here," I suggest. His eyes darkened and he grasped my wrist. "Besides, your brother does seem to be very friendly."

His grip loosened and he glared at Colby. Colby held up his hands in surrender and his eyes shone with fear. Zuka stood from the table and took me outside with him, closing the door behind us and dragging me down the hallway. I was starting to be a little scared. What was going on with him and his brother? I nearly died when he took me up the stairs quickly and then stepped into a door down the next hallway, pushing me against the wall. His eyes were still dark.

"No one threatens me like that," he growled, the sound coming from deep in his throat.

"Again with the walls," I grumbled, trying to get free. "I was just messing around!"

"Look, Arianna, you are going to the Maid's Ball with me. Understood? No one else," he ordered, his gaze piercing mine with such ferocity that I felt I might have fallen over if it weren't for the wall. He sighed as his eyes regained their normal look, still staring into mine. "Sorry, Ari. Colby gets to me more than anyone else. My parents would give the whole kingdom to him if they could, and the way people love him hurts." His walls fell down right then and there, and I was the only one he actually showed emotion to besides maybe his parents. "Just don't be like the rest of them, too."

Then he did something unexpected. He put his face on my neck, his breathing slowing and his arms relaxing slightly around me. They made their way around my waist, hugging me closer to him. "It's okay, Zuka. Colby and I are friends, but you have surely pushed me out of my comfort zone just like Tyson did. I think you are more my friend than anyone else right now. Kinda, in a weird way."

His face lifted from my neck and he stared into my eyes again. "I'll see you at six." Then he left like he always did. Going out the door and back into the hallway, walking down the stairs and returning to lunch. I, on the other hand, had a problem. I had no dresses other than the one I wore yesterday. I was among royalty, and I couldn't wear the same dress twice. I would look like a poor child among the rich and wealthy. Even the maids were having makeovers and dresses made for them for this event. I at least had to look half as nice as they did.

The maids were helpful in my situation. They claimed the dress lounge would have the perfect dress I was looking for. They took me there and then abandoned me on my search. Well, I guess it was nearly four and they would have to be getting ready for the biggest night of the summer. I walked in, careful not to touch anything I wasn't going to affiliate myself with. 

Everything was dusty, like people haven't cleaned in here or even set foot in here for a decade or more. There were several doors and desks packed around the room, a layer of gray dust covered and made everything look like ash. I opened door after door until I found dresses like I was looking for.

Then there was one that I was actually willing to wear.

***

I walked down the halls, following a group of maids with their escorts. I strode confidently in black heels, and I didn't even know that I could walk in them before five minutes ago! Honestly, I'm pretty proud of myself.

I lingered outside the door awhile after the others went inside, just easing my nerves. I breathed in slowly and opened the doors, finding myself already in a crowd of maids wearing white dresses. Actually, mostly every woman was wearing a white dress and nearly every man was wearing a white suit. 

There were some here and there wearing faint blues and light purple, but I was the only one wearing black. A full black dress with black heels, brown hair, and gray eyes. Fanfuckingtastic. Now all eyes would be on me and I would stick out like a person with six arms. Just perfect.

I felt hands around my waist and someone tugging me backwards. I groaned in frustration because I immediately knew who it was without even looking at their face or hearing their voice. Prince Zuka. The arms covered in a black suit told me he wasn't wearing white either. We were the loners in the group of happy peppy people. His face made past my hair and lay on my neck like before, holding my back close to his chest. 

"Zuka, people are staring and I have only known you for a day and a half," I muttered, taking his arms off me. Zuka grinned into my neck. "Zuka, your parents are looking."

"Let them look, I don't care," he muttered into my neck. "Besides, I like you. You're nice."

"That doesn't give you the right to keep pulling me by my waist and putting your face in my neck unannounced," I snapped back. I felt his grin on my neck now.

"Nah, I can do that," he said. Now his chin rested on my shoulder. He had to lean down quite a bit to do that. My skin got hot all of a sudden as his hands found my waist. "Your face is getting red," he whispered before tugging me to the dance floor, not caring about the envious looks other women were giving me.

He grabbed my waist and pulled me to him once again, but this time for dancing, not to place his face in my neck. "Thank you for not touching me. That's very modest," I say sarcastically.

"Another reason I like you," he says. He looks down at me with a small smirk on his lips. "You're very funny."

"Am not!" I say, gasping and playfully hitting his shoulder. He chuckled and gazed into my eyes. Silence surrounded us besides the soft music playing and the small chat from the other people dancing. Why does this happen so often? The past two days have been.. interesting. Prince Zuka has been showing up frequently.

Someone cleared their throat into the microphone and Zuka and I looked up to see the King on the stage, smiling as always. "I would like to thank all the maids here for their service here at the castle. You will always be appreciated and loved here. But, I do need to see Prince Zuka backstage for a moment please." 

The King glanced over at us, his arms around me and my hands on his chest. His smile faded for a second but then returned, but this time, it was pretty damn fake. Zuka seemed to notice. He gripped my waist harder for a moment and then left my side in the center of the dance floor.

Well, this is happening more often than not.