Unmasked || Dreamwastaken (On Hold)

I • Unwanted Invitation

  I used my sword to block the vicious stab that Techno aimed at me. I used it to push him away and aim a strike of my own, which he quickly parried. The sound of metal clashing against metal filled the gardens in fierce repetition.

  The two of us danced around each other and blocked every swipe taken at us. I was beginning to feel my arm growing tired as we had been at this for hours, but I wasn't giving up until I had him pinned to the ground. I pushed through my exhaustion and payed close attention to the way that Techno's feet were shuffling. He had taken on a rhythmic pattern.

  I tried to use this to predict his next step and knock him over, but he saw it coming and whacked the hilt of his sword against my back as I went to take him down, effectively sending me onto the ground.

  "Ow." I groaned and rubbed the area of my back that would definitely have a bruise. "You didn't have to do that."

  "Get better and I won't." Techno stood over me and looked down.

  I rolled my eyes and took on a mocking tone as I pushed myself up from the ground. "Get better." I mocked his words. "Yeah, no shit. I'm trying."

  Techno had a small smile ghosting his lips once I stood up to face him. "I think we're done for the day."

  I frowned. "We're not done until you're the one on the ground."

  He let out a quick laugh. "We'll be here for days, Aly."

  "Lady Aletheia!" The dreaded voice of my advisor knocked me out of my daydream. "Are you listening to me?"

  "No." I looked over at Edmund, upset to be brought out of my blissful reminiscing. "What do you want?"

  "You've received an invitation to a masquerade ball in a nearby kingdom." He announced excitedly.

  I grimaced. "No thanks. There's no way you're getting me in a dress."

  His excitement fell and his impatience kicked in. "My Lady, this is a wonderful opportunity to create better relations with surrounding kingdoms. It's not often that Gione is recognized."

  I let out a sigh. He was right about Gione not being recognized by others. We were a small kingdom that could easily be overlooked, but we had a rich history and strong assets. I believed that many did not associate with us because of said history. Not many people wanted to mess with a supposed curse. "Who's holding this masquerade?"

  Edmund began to read from the letter that he held in front of him. "The Kingdom SMP."

  I immediately turned to look at him in confusion. "Why would SMP invite us to anything?"

  "Perhaps to fix old relations." He suggested. My great great grandfather and the old king of SMP had gotten into quite the squabble when the curse had been placed on Gione. Supposedly, my great great grandfather had upset a sorceress that the kingdom SMP had been allied with. She was believed to be a mistress of the king, but I had always believed that to be propaganda from when we had turned against one another. Nothing came of the conflict because our king died not long after, but it had created a rift between us that had lasted generations.

  "Who is the current ruler?" I questioned as I went to the shelf in my room to find the book I was looking for.

  "I'm not sure his name. He's a young ruler, like yourself." Edmund seemed to be trying to pull anything from his mind to tell me.

  I felt the frown on my face deepen. "I'm not the queen, Eddy."

  "Not yet, but you know it's approaching, my Lady." He seemed about as excited as I was for my coronation.