Spellbound

Chapter 10

    Back in the ballroom, Senya took a seat in an inconspicuous chair beside a pillar, content to watch the dancing rather than participating in it. She had gathered enough courage to refuse offers to dance, but it was mostly due to having Liane by her side. As inconspicuous as she tried to be, it was inevitable that her friend’s excited squeals and giggles would attract attention.

    “Liane!” Senya scrunched her nose at Liane’s blatant staring at a couple who was getting a little too close. “Give them some privacy.”

    Liane giggled. “Oh, Senya, Senya. And here I thought Veira was a prude. Is kissing too lewd for you? If they didn’t want anyone to see them, they should have taken it somewhere private.”

    “I think you’re trying to make them uncomfortable.” Senya snorted when the couple (who had just realized they had an audience) scooted away with bright red faces.

    Sighing, Liane leaned against Senya’s shoulder. “I can’t help it, Senya. It’s so romantic.”

    “For someone so invested in romance, I don’t understand why you don’t want to get in a relationship yourself.”

    “Oh, it’s much more enjoyable when I can watch from afar,” Liane insisted. “I won’t have time to fawn over other people finding their happily ever after with their soulmates if I have to handle my own romance. Like you, Veira, and Ellaine. I’ll be your matchmaker, okay?”

    “You know, if you really want…” Senya couldn’t believe she was even bringing this up. “I could talk to Relly for you. Maybe convince him to go on a few dates with you.”

    Liane threw back her head and laughed. “You’re funny.” She nudged Senya with her elbow. “I’m happy with the way things are now, Senya. You, Veira, Ellaine…you three are all I need, and if you’re happy, I’m happy.”

    Senya didn’t have the heart to say she was serious. Instead, she smiled and patted Liane’s head. It seemed Liane was more like her aunt than Senya thought. “If you say so.”

    “Senya.”

    Liane straightened. “Oh, it’s your mother.”

    As Liane observed, Misa was making her way towards Senya. Her dress was a modest silver gown with a pleated skirt and a subtle dip at the neckline. With her normally loose hair tied up, Misa was almost unrecognizable. Senya stood, shooting Liane a look to confirm her friend would be okay on her own before she approached her mother.

    “Mom. What is it?”

    Misa smiled. “Come. I want to introduce you to Queen Sarala.”

    Senya balked. “Q-queen? Mom, you want me to meet the royal council?”

    “Don’t look so surprised.” There was a playfulness gleaming in Misa’s eyes. “Once you get to know them, you’ll see that they’re just the same as us. Now come. Sarala is quite eager to meet you.”

    Senya’s head spun. Her mother was on a first-name basis with a ruler of Plathea. It was so surreal that Senya couldn’t feel the gravity of what she was about to do. She lifted her skirt and followed her mother towards the dais at one side of the ballroom, where all five of the royal council members stayed, enjoying the ball from a subtle distance.

    Queen Sarala was speaking with a man who had to be a king based on his fuzzy cape and royal garments. She was even more beautiful up close, with dark hair hung in curls and smooth skin peeking from the heartline of her dress. In her slender fingers, she held a goblet of wine, and at the level of her legs, a little boy clung to her skirt.

    “Queen Sarala,” Misa called, catching both the king and queen’s attention. The king, with his stark, dark eyes and bushy brown beard intimidated Senya. Such angular features…Senya flinched when his eyes settled on her, studying, judging with his regal glower, and she felt as small as when her father was scolding her.

    “Misa Carpenter,” the queen greeted back. She lit up at the sight of Senya, though her expression did nothing to relieve the tension of the king beside her. “Ah, you must be Senya. You’ve grown so beautiful. Yes.”

    Senya offered a stiff bow. “N-nice to meet you, your majesty.”

    “At least she knows basic etiquettes,” the king grunted.

    “Papa!” a familiar grating voice shrilled. To Senya’s utter dismay, Pria skipped over and threw her arms around the king. This was King Rikar, then. “Tyrion left. I’m bored.” She noticed Senya and scowled. “What is she doing here, Papa? She’s only the daughter of a commander.”

    King Rikar coughed. “Pria! Don’t be so rude. Do you have any idea who that commander is?”

    Misa chuckled. “I see Pria hasn’t changed at all.”

    Senya gaped. Since when was her mother so close to the royal families? Was this what a witch in royal services did?

    “L-Lady Misa!” Pria let go of her father. She patted her dress down, straightening her shoulders, and beamed. “N-nice to see you.”

    “You seem to get even more beautiful every year, don’t you?” Misa chuckled. “And it feels like only yesterday when you were clinging onto your father’s legs.”

    Pria blushed.

    “How old did you say you were?” Misa glanced at Senya.

    “Nineteen, Miss.” Pria nodded. “I turned nineteen just last month.”

    “Nineteen, yes. The same age as my daughter.”

    “D-daughter?” Pria’s eyes widened, and she looked from Misa to Senya. Senya had the pleasure of seeing the color drain from the princess’s face. “She’s your daughter? So, the commander is…”

    “Royle Bentham,” King Rikar confirmed. “The one who managed to stop the mass poisoning at the First Treaty celebration.”

    Senya looked at her mother, puzzled. “Dad stopped a mass poisoning?”

    “Ah, it’s…” For a second, something flickered in Misa’s eyes. Pain? Sorrow? Fear? Senya couldn’t tell before Misa masked it with a smile. “It’s not something he likes to remember. Don’t bring it up to him, okay?”

    Senya couldn’t help but think there was more to it than Misa was letting on. It simply didn’t make any sense. She knew her parents had played a huge role in saving Plathea from complete destruction, but there must have been parts of the stories she was missing. Her father’s refusal to come to the palace, her mother’s almost familial relationship with the royal council…was Senya looking too much into it? She hadn’t thought much of it because her parents never liked to talk about how they saved Plathea, but now even their hesitation to tell their children was suspicious.

    “So, Senya,” the queen said, drawing her out of her troubled thoughts. “Do you have any magic?”

    Senya nodded. “Yes, my lady.”

    “Oh, that’s fantastic!” Queen Sarala smiled at Pria. “Pria, she may well be the witch you will request when you’re queen. Be sure to get to know her.”

    Misa wrapped an arm around Senya’s shoulders. “Perhaps, Queen Sarala.” She affectionately squeezed. “Senya, why don’t you escort Princess Pria back to the crowd? I’m sure you’re both eager to join your generation.”

    Senya knew it wasn’t a suggestion. “Princess, shall we go?”

    Pria frowned but didn’t refuse. “Sure.”

    The girls hurried away in awkward silence, neither knowing exactly what to say to the other. Senya wasn’t even sure if she wanted to be friends with Pria after the princess had unfairly insulted her for not having a wealthy family.

    To Senya’s surprise, Pria initiated the conversation. “So, you’re a witch?”

    Senya feigned nonchalance. “Yes.”

    “You can really do magic?” Was that a begrudging hint of wonder in her voice?

    “Yes.”

    Another awkward silence settled over them. Senya shifted her feet, antsy and wanting to go back to Liane. But, she wasn’t sure if it would be rude to just leave, and she had a vague hope that given enough time, Pria would apologize for her previous behavior.

    “Can you make potions?” Pria’s question caught Senya off guard.

    Senya frowned. “Potions?”

    “Yeah. Like love potions.”

    “Ah…” Senya let out an awkward chuckle. “My mother didn’t teach me anything about potions.”

    “Well, can you learn?”

    Senya squashed the annoyance that rose from the princess’s demanding tone. What the hell was her problem? “I don’t know, Princess.”

    “You’re going to be a witch serving me in the future, aren’t you?” Pria stomped her foot like a child. “So, you might as well start now. I want you to make a love potion.”

    Oh, this girl was pushing it. Senya didn’t bother to hide her irritation. “I might be a witch who will serve you in the future, Princess. Might, not will. I have every right to decline the job.” If Pria was going to be queen, Senya didn’t want to think what Plathea would be like. Thank the heavens one person didn’t have all the power. Hopefully, the four other royal council members would be more sensible.

    “Just because your parents saved Plathea doesn’t give you any right to act the way you want.” Pria glared at Senya. “You can’t live off your parents’ glory. If you want money, I’ll pay you. So just make me a love potion, witch.”

    Senya scoffed. “Excuse me?” She couldn’t stop the laugh that passed her lips. It was so unbelievably ridiculous that it was funny. “I don’t need your money, Princess. Even if I could make you a love potion, I wouldn’t. You can’t force someone to love you. It’s wrong.”

    “That’s none of your business!”

    “Maybe if you were less of a brat, Tyrion would actually like you. I don’t know why you would want someone like him to be your suitor, anyway. You’re both made for each other. Two entitled brats who think they can use their status to do whatever they want. If you’ll excuse me, Princess, I have better things to do than pamper your needs.”

    Having enough of the conversation, Senya stormed off. A noble approached her to dance before she reached Liane. Senya contemplated it for a second, then threw all rational thoughts out the window. When her mood was this foul, she needed anything to distract her, even if it meant dancing until her feet were blistered.