The Mating Games

Chapter Six:

ELOISE:

I slam the piece of paper down onto the table in my room.

“UUUHHH!”

In all of my twenty years in Zenox, I have NEVER been in the trolls. I have NEVER been the center of gossip and I have prided myself in avoiding the contents of such petty attention. I come to Apreez and in the space of a day, I have already received more limelight than in all my life. A cringy shiver rolls over my spine and I lift the edge of the paper again to read it one more time.

(Troll Newsletter)

That time of the year has begun and this marks the first troll as the annual Mating Games has begun. Set in Apreez, all the biggest and best of Zenox appeared and hoped to put their best feet forward in gaining the affections of someone for Equinox. Usually, this first event sets the tone for the whole game forward, and the simple “meet and greet” is filled with interesting dynamics and this year it did not disappoint.

The men looked absolutely dashing in their best attire. This year each chaste wore their unique colors (Did anybody see how fabulous the wolf princes' junk looked in brown?) and sported some formal wear to win the hearts of each lady. One particular man caught almost every swooning flower’s eye and caused many a petal at the party to feel juiced. This was thanks to none other than Prince Zion, the hulky and dreamy witch prince who stole the light away from every other poor gentleman. It was even rumored that Lord Peter of the Vampires had to compel the girls to stop looking at the witch!

Every girl wore their best and most glamorous dresses and gave us a good peek into who our vixens, tomboys, and princesses may be. The trolls put together a small tally and it was a tough call, but Lady Pamela had to be the most regal looking in her sleek, red gown that positively glowed against her dark skin. This was in complete contrast to the hideous, green number that Lady Eloise frocked around in. Did she really think that wearing pants would be acceptable or even desirable for that matter? Perhaps the fairy should stick to growing flowers and keep away from the fashion line.

The hot question making its way across Zenox is “Did anybody see Lady Sabrina’s dress?” and we have the answer for you. No, nobody saw it because she wore such a see-through number that it hardly could count as being dressed. Nice titties, Lady Sabrina! Maybe next time you can show us your…

But enough of that. Despite her hideous choice of outfit, Lady Eloise seems to have gained the eye of the dreamy Prince. Do we smell fireworks there? Also, did everyone else enjoy the little show that Prince Ares and Lady Sabrina put on? That finger slide up Sabrina’s inner thigh was utterly scandalous! If this is how high his fingers are tracing already, imagine what we may see in a week’s time? Just a few inches more from quite a show, if you ask me. The Mating Games have started and we enjoyed watching the couples meet.

Stay tuned for more news.

(Troll Newsletter ends)

“You really shouldn’t listen to what the trolls say, Eloise. Your outfit was stunning. They are just a bunch of gossip-mongering leeches who look for a reason to make anybody and everybody feel like s**t!”

My eyes hover over to Kiko, who is leaning against the door frame and watching me. I put the piece of paper down again and close my eyes. All I can envision is how Prince Are’s finger trailed so, impossibly high that even my heart rate heightened. That prince makes my blood boil, yet I cannot get him out of my thoughts. I shouldn’t care at all that he has a thing for that blonde bimbo, yet I do. Why do I?

“May I go outside today? I could do with some time away from the castle and all these people.” I ask and Kiko smiles and nods.

“Eloise, you are a noble lady. You can do whatever the hell you want to do!”

I smile at this.

“Do you want to come?” I offer.

“I, on the other hand, am not permitted to wander around during my working hours. I have to go scrub the marble after all your heels caused scratching.” Kiko snickers and then winks at me.

We both laugh at her remark.

“Surely you’re allowed to do that later? At home, we always give the staff the next day off after a party. I mean…”

“Being a maiden here is probably different to where you come from, Eloise. In Apreez, being a maiden is considered a little lesser and we have a place in the kingdom. I have to earn my keep here, else I may be forced to go rogue.”

Her words make my eyes widen.

“Banish you for missing a day of work?” I ask and Kiko nods again.

“Wolves are strict, Eloise.”

“That is too strict. What if you are sick or something?”

Kiko shrugs.

“Magical don’t really get sick, do they?”

I think about what she says. I guess they don’t get sick, but still. Staff should be treated fairly. Everybody deserves some time off every once in a while. Kiko quickly makes my bed and I get dressed into a simple, plain, beige dress. I quickly put my hair up into a messy bun and slide on some ballerina pumps. I am only going for a walk outside, so no need to dress up or anything.

“I will see you later?” I say and Kiko nods before I exit with a smile.

*~*

My feet guide me over the little pebbles of a creek in the forest. It bubbles and splashes gently as small fish wave between the bigger rocks. Back home we don’t really have any moving water masses. We pride ourselves in the large, lake that just sits and boasts its reflection of the rolling hills. I smile at how the freshwater feels between my fingers and my nostrils let in as much air as possible. Just next to the creek is a large, pine tree with a thick trunk and a bed of moss just begging for me to lie on, so I make my way there before pulling out a book from under my arm. It has felt like a crazy past few hours, so this little piece of silence is exactly what I need. I pull my ballerina shoes off and place them on the side before lying down against the trunk. The moss is a little damp underneath my dress, but no matter. I flip open the first page and allow the words of my romance novel to consume me. I have never been in love or even kissed a boy before. I remember one of the boys kissing my cheek in school with his slimy lips and I sucker-punched him for daring to do so. The guys and girls in these books always sound so in love. Imagine feeling something like that? I smile at the thought. I will probably never have something like that. Wolves are pretty lucky in that they have their mates. Even the vampires have intended, but the rest of us are different. Sure, we can fall in love and have a special bond with another, but it’s something chosen and thought through. It requires attention, time, and patience.

“And then when she saw me taking another sip of punch, she almost spat out her drink! Can you believe that, Nate? Me? Being pregnant? Why would the ladies even think such a thing?”

Some distant talking distracts me. When I look up, I see a couple walking on the other side of the creek.

“Oh, Linda, I doubt they meant…”

The male lifts his nose and sniffs the air before shooting his gaze in my direction. His eyes meet mine quickly and make me squirm a little. I try to straighten myself, noticing I got a little too comfortable against the tree. My dress has ridden up and my hair is messy.

“You there!”

I start getting up to stand. All of a sudden my little haven of peace doesn’t feel like my own anymore. I am, after all, not in my own homeland.

“I am so sorry, I was just…” I start to fumble and the couple gets closer. I see the man is a really tall, lean yet strong male with a handsome face and piercing brown eyes against pale skin. His girlfriend comes forward with a bright smile. She also looks toned and strong, yet she has a softness in her light brown curls. Her eyes are also brown, so they are both wolves.

“No need to apologize. We were just taking a stroll. You didn’t have to get up on our account.”

The girl swings her arms around in the air whilst she speaks.

“My name is Linda. This is my mate, Nate. After all the huzz-buzz at the castle, we thought to get away and enjoy the quiet a bit.”

I smile at her warmth. It would seem the lovely couple has also tried to escape the craziness of the games. They may not need to participate, but judging by the armory and badges on their clothes, they are ranked pretty high in the royal guard and are probably up to their necks in duties.

“You can say that again!” I blurt out and there is a small echo of silence.

“Sorry. My name is Eloise.” I offer my hand and they both shake it and nod. The guy seems to flash a smile of recognition.

“Ah, the lady who wore pants…” Nate jokes and Linda nudges for him to stop. They share a weird look while Nate rubs the side of his body. His eyes seem to gleam with a questioning “what did you do that for?” but the smile on his lips says more of a “goddess, I could kiss you right now!” I clear my throat and look away. A small rustle in the bush nearby has my insides turning.

“I had better get back.”

“Or, you could stay and tell us about Shraya? Not all fae have your eyes. Is that a special family trait?”

I look at the girl questioningly but see that there is no malice in her words.

“I have no idea why I have these eyes, to be honest. I was born with them this way.”

The two look at me curiously and in the height of the most awkward silence, an enormous, dark brown, and brooding wolf appears almost knocking me over and back into the trunk of the tree I once called a sanctuary. A small scream escapes my mouth, but as much as I want to feel petrified, I feel oddly okay. It is as if I know this wolf. As if the wolf…

“Who let the dogs out?” The guy, Nate howls, and the large wolf twists and turns morphing its body into a tall, pale, and finely sculptured version of the wolf prince. Every bit of common sense that once resided within gets thrown out of my mind as my eyes trail all the way down from his smirk, to his broad chest, to the distinct rises and dips of his abdomen, and then down, down, down…

“Like what you see?”

I gulp and look away as my cheeks turn a few shades darker from embarrassment. I can’t believe I was looking at the wolf prince’s junk! Seriously, Eloise? Nate is still whistling at his friend and Linda has is covering her eyes and making gagging noises.

“I thought wolves are used to nudism?” I lift my eyebrow and both guys smirk.

“We are. I love catching a glimpse of my best friend's royal steed every now and then!”

Nate is such a clown that I can’t help but smile at his remark. I look to Linda who is biting her lip and trying not to laugh as she looks everywhere but where the prince is standing proud and naked. He has a pretty defined butt too. The Prince starts making little clicking noises in response to Nate’s remark. I honestly don’t know where to look, what to say or why I am even still staring at his naked body.

“Some of us have mates and don’t want to go around looking at other guys' bits!”

Nate and the prince laugh while I see Nate throwing a pair of shorts his way. I nod and slowly start to walk away, deciding once again that this isn’t really my space to be in. It is not that I am shy or even nervous. I just know how uptight I get when people come into my special bubbles in Shraya and I feel like the three of them are a tight little group who don’t need me hanging about. I shrug and skip over a small branch, pulling my book close to me and smiling as I think about the characters and their love for one another.

“Where are you going, little fairy?”

I feel his warmth behind me before his voice comes out and nothing can stop the goosebumps that dance all the way from the nape of my deck, down to the very bottom edge of my back. I look behind me to see his dark eyes taking me in as he towers over me.

“I am not a fairy, wolf.”

A smirk lifts on his lips and he eyes me up and down, his gaze hovering a little too long over my breasts before lifting to meet mine on stare.

“Like what you see?”

I decided to throw his words back to him before turning with a smile and continuing my walk. That ought to shut him up.

“Very much so, Eloise. I like what I see very much so.”

My feet stop walking and my body stiffens instantly. When I turn, I see his reflection at a decent distance from me. The crease on my brow deepens. How did I hear him from here? His frame gets closer and the laughing of Nate and Linda starts to catch up.

“What’s this?”

The prince grabs my book as soon as he is close enough and I try my best to snatch it back, but his hands are too quick. His fingers pull open a page and his eyes take it all in before I become a hot shade of red at the way his lips are twitching with a smile. When his eyes meet mine, I know I will never hear the end of it.

“What book is that? Didn’t know you read, Ares.” Nate howls.

The prince looks up to me with an even darker gaze and the most dangerous smile I have ever seen.

“A romance, Eloise?”

My cheeks redden even more.

“Give it back.”

His eyes glaze over to the words on the page once more.

“And he took a fistful of her hair in his hand before crashing her delicate petals against the roughness of his mouth. Never before had he tasted such sweetness. Never before had she wanted a man to devour her body, heart, and soul…”

Everyone becomes quiet as the prince reads each word slowly. Could the ground just crack open and swallow me whole, please?

“My, my, Eloise…”

Nate booms with laughter and Linda hits him and gives me an apologetic smile filled with pity.

“You boys are like a bunch of kids! I have that very book on my shelf at home!” Linda says and Nate gives her a wide-eyed questioning look. They start to squabble, but all I can focus on is the razor-sharp smirk that the prince is giving me right now. I hardly notice the two shadows running along the pathway of the forest, leaving me alone and feeling rather emotionally exposed to the royal wolf.

“Give me my book back, please. I do not need to explain my choice of novel to anybody. I am a grown woman.”

The words seem desperate, but what else am I supposed to say in such a situation? I only meant for the situation to deflate, but every word seems to add a new sparkle of interest in the prince's eyes as he looks at me with even more amusement and gusto.

“And what will you do if I don’t give it back to you? Say I threaten to drop it right here, in this little puddle of mud…”

His words infuriate me. Not because I am into his empty threats or so smug as to think that the prince is playing mind games with me, but rather because of my love for the little square of paper and craft in his hands. My feet act before I can and my hand reached forward with a speed I didn’t know existed as I try to reach for the book I so love. My eyes zone in on the red, ribbed edges of its spine and the little flicker of golden thread holding the pages together. The prince seems to predict my little move and just as quickly as I find myself rushing forward, do I feel myself falling forward. My eyes widen in horror as I see the thick mud of the forest approaching my face and I hardly have any time to swing my hands forward to protect myself. I may as well close my eyes and accept my dirty fate. I suck in a deep breath, waiting for the impact, waiting for the cold sludge to hit me and the pain of falling to come, but it never does. Instead, a thousand whispers of warmth take over me as a hard chest presses against my soft one. A feeling so difficult to describe starts to seep into my body. It is as if a million butterflies have swarmed into my stomach and small, tingling pricks of electricity start to run from the lower dip of my bag to the very top of my spine. I smell the subtlest, most faint drafts of musky bark in the morning time…

“Look at me, Eloise.”

His voice knocks the wind out of me and my haze lifts as a panic starts to seep in. When I open my eyes, I see the prince staring at me with a small smile and curious eyes. He seems to have questions running through every emotion of his gaze, but I cannot make them out and the hand against my backside isn’t helping. I clear my throat as a sign for him to let me go, but it never comes.

“I do not doubt that you are a grown woman, Eloise. I can tell by the way your chest rises in the softest and most delicious way…”

His grip on me tightens and my mouth runs dry as his eyes travel down to my cleavage.

“By the way, your hips fit perfectly under my hand…”

My breathing stops as his fingers squeeze into me from on top of my dress. No man has ever held me in this way. No man has ever touched me there or looked at me in the agonizingly lustful way that he is. Why is he looking at me like this? More importantly, why do I like it so much? I feel myself squeezing my thighs together as the thoughts roll through my head.

“And even, by the way, your n****e welcomes me from underneath that very thin material. Goddess, Eloise, are you not wearing any undergarments? Is that what you want, Eloise?”

His question sets a new fire inside me to become alight and with every, a single ounce of courage and strength, I manage to push his body away from mine. My own strength surprises me and for a moment I need to close my eyes and take deep breaths.

“Why are you pretending to be so self-righteous, Eloise? Women reading books like this are far from it. Don’t pretend that you don’t feel it. Besides, isn’t this what you want?”

His questions are too much for me.

“For a man to reach down and kiss your most delicate flower. I can smell…”

“STOP SPEAKING!” I shout a little louder than I want, catching the prince off guard. My eyes connect with his with promise and fearlessness.

“How dare you speak to me that way? How dare you pretend to know who I am and what I want? You don’t know me. You don’t know what I like or even don’t like AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I FEEL.”

Silence follows my words and the prince just stares at me with a cold, stoned expression.

“I am not some girl, waltzing around and looking for a banging. I know it is spring…”

“You know, any girl would be lucky to have me even stand here and talk to them the way I am with you, Eloise. Don’t forget your station! I am the prince of the werewolves and my bed hasn’t been cold in a very long time!”

His words sting me more than I like to admit, but I refuse to let it show. I refuse to let him treat me as if I am just supposed to fall at his feet.

“Well, I am not sure why you are so worried about me then. You could just go pick up one of your ladies instead of fussing over me.”

“You are right. I could go get a beautiful woman. Someone who is higher ranked than you. Someone of a more suitable standard. Someone prettier…”

“Then why are you standing here speaking to me? Why both yourself with me when you could go be with someone prettier?”

I see an unexplained emotion flash across his face and my eyes well up a little.

“Eloise, I am sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

“I don’t care, Prince Ares. You may think every female wants every part of you and I will admit that there may have been a part of me in the past that wondered what the fuss was about, but now that I have met you…”

I snort as I think about what an asshole he is and my eyes scan over his rigid form.

“Now I just feel sorry for ANY woman who may have you. Goddess help whoever your mate is!”

The words are spat out and I fling my body around to walk away. I refuse to allow a man to belittle me like that. I hardly know this prince, so why do his words feel so heavy to me? A tear rolls down my cheek as I walk very hastily along the path. Only halfway back do I realize that I even forgot my book with the asshole. Seriously? I know I am not like the other girls here. My boobs are far lesser, my skin more pale, my hair a very average shade of brown, and my body hardly sexy, but this doesn’t mean I need to feel anything but grateful for being alive and well and healthy. The whole way back to the castle I find myself becoming tearful and grating myself over the exchange. It was so odd. Everything from the way his pupils dilated at my touch, the smell of his scent when he was close, the unnatural tingles across our colliding skin…

I shake my head.

“Eloise, there you are!”

I see Mrs. Tatum standing in a panic by my bedroom door. Her eyes inspect the layers of mud across my dress and I can see the disappointment in her eyes as she watches my feet leave prints across the castle floor. Not lady-like. Not “pretty” once again.

“Eloise…”

“Please, Mrs. Tatum, not now!”

Her expression watches mine for a bit and I can tell she sees the slight glisten in my eyes.

“Fine, but we have to get you ready for the next event.”

Great. Another event. Another time to see the prince of assholes.