Fireheart [Fanfiction - Alternate Universe]

Bewildering Halloween

[Manon on the top image :D]

NOTE: If you didn't get to read the scene between Ress and Sam, it's been uploaded at the end of the previous chapter! You should go read it, they are super cuteee *-*

Rifthold's streets were all decorated according to the season, and it made the place look spookier than it normally did during the night. Riding over to the school while being fashionably late, Celaena sighed loudly.

"Are you okay?" Dorian asked from the driver's seat. "You seem a bit... Moody tonight. I'd thought you'd be more excited about this party."

"Oh, you know I love a good party, it's just... It's nothing, really."

Dorian arched a brow but didn't push her. It wasn't like they were a real couple, and talking about their personal lives was out of the question. They were together as a mere arrangement that benefited both of them, even if Celaena wasn't sure about what was in it for Dorian. For her, he was the perfect excuse for her late-night benders, disappearing all the time, and weird bruises showing up here or there that she hoped people interpreted as love-bite marks. As embarrassing as that could be, it was better than people finding out the truth.

There were only a couple of weeks left on the tournament, and Celaena hoped that after it was over, she'd be able to get out of her fake-dating deal with Dorian. She had been to the fights the night before, and after having the Blackbeak triplets confirm her suspicions that Maeve had indeed been at the masquerade, she had hoped to run into her there; but she hadn't been that lucky.

Celaena had worked with the triplets every day since Wednesday, asking for more information every time they delivered news for her. They were working on finding out who Maeve's escort to the party had been, hoping that way she'd have someone to get information from. Escorts were not required to sign in as guests, so the triplets had been looking at security footage instead, trying to find an identifiable face they could run through their systems. So far, it had proved harder than expected, as the building didn't have many cameras, and it looked like the security guard always had his back to them.

"Okay, we're here," Dorian jumped out of the car, and as usual, walked around to open up her door and help her out. It was an odd detail, but Celaena had grown accustomed to it, and she didn't mind it as much, especially when she was wearing heels as high as the ones she had at the moment.

She was wearing a golden dress, the bodice tightly fitting, decorated with thousands of equally golden beads. It had a low neckline, and a closed up-rear; even if she had dared wear spaghetti straps, there was no way she was exposing her back. She had a matching shawl over her shoulders, and her hair was pinned up, crowned with a spikey tiara that resembled the rays of the sun. Her heels were gold stilettos, followed by bare long legs as her skirt barely reached her knees.

Holding Dorian's hand to jump out, he looked at her up and down once more, the same way he had done at the lobby of the hotel.

"I know I'm being repetitive, but you look absolutely stunning tonight, Celaena," he said politely.

Dorian offered her his arm once she was out, and Celaena rested her hand on the inside of his elbow, letting Dorian lead her into the school.

As they walked in, heads turned their way. She knew her golden attire was drawing attention, but to be fair, Dorian by her side was a sight of his own. He had a midnight blue suit on top of a black shirt, and every inch of the suit was decorated with tiny specks of silver dust. If Celaena was the sun, Dorian by her side was the perfect incarnation of a starry night.