The Vixen Trials

The Opening Ball

"What strange ideas you have niece."

Keilah

"Here it is," her Baba announced with a smile that transformed her wrinkled face into something more youthful.

A gasp escaped Keilah's lips. The white fur and crystal trimmed gown had ribbons of two blue shades to match her eyes woven into the bodice.

"I feel magnificent," she breathed. Then a worry crossed her mind. "Can I even dance in this?" It would be a shame to have to sit out the dances because she couldn't move properly.

Silsa let out a giggle and her Baba frowned. "Of course you can. Haven't you learned by now that anything can be achieved if you set your mind to it?"

Keilah gave her a weak smile. Sure, anything. Except the most important things, like transforming. She'd been trying every night when the house was quiet to no success. It was becoming painfully obvious that even though she looked Wayvolkan on the outside she wasn't at all like them in capability and even in character. While she dutifully drank the blood she secretly felt squeamish and longed for the Trials to be over so she could stop.

Alyssia had just finished dressing her hair when her Uncle strode in trailed by the Hattavah and Malek.

Thankful she was modest except for the flesh exposed by her dress, Keilah said, "I'd prefer you knock next time Uncle, I might be dressing."

His lips twisted upwards. "What strange ideas you have niece."

Before she could protest, he added "Another of your strange ideas is bringing the Hattavah with you tonight. It might have been possible before your silly escapade to the cake shop, but since he killed that Lord now it isn't. The Prince has made that clear."

Cold gripped Keilah's heart. She'd been counting on Dakkoul.  Silsa was quite capable of abandoning her but Dakkoul would have stuck near her. He'd have known everyone in the room and reminded her who they all were before introducing her. She'd pictured herself dancing with him...

"You'll take Malek instead."

Her eyes sought Dakkoul's and she saw a sad resignation in them that made her incline her head towards her uncle. "Malek will be an adequate substitute." She was comfortable with him after all their sessions alone but she still couldn't shake the feeling he disapproved of her. Malek was not the same at all. Dakkoul was a celebrity slave with unusual privileges. Malek would have to stay by the walls unless she summoned him. She swallowed her disappointment and sent Alyssia to get her new diamond earrings.

The flurry of ball preparations took over and it wasn't until she was alighting from the carriage that she took a moment to grab Malek's arm and pull him towards her. "Did Dakkoul mind? He seemed so desperate to come."

"He's fine, my lady," Malek said staring at her hand on his arm until she released it. Was he uncomfortable with her touch? She didn't mean anything by it. "He's explained what I need to do."

"As a faithful brother, I'm sure you'll fulfill whatever it is just as well as he would," she trilled as excitement tugged her attention towards the music and light spilling from the now open doorway. Malek stammered something she didn't quite catch as she swept up the stairs and was announced. The magnificence of her dress still held against all the others if the gazes that riveted her way could be relied on. But it was the Prince who got to her first.

"Quite stunning," he intoned, before giving her his arm and thrusting her into the first dance. To her relief she found her dress did not hamper her movements and she was even able to gaze into his intense eyes. A shiver ran down her spine. They did match outwardly so well. What if it was fate that she won the Vixen Trials or the She-Fox herself made it happen somehow?
She pictured their white-blonde haired blue bi-eyed children growing up in a society that revered them and it almost made her grin except she thought she saw Dakkoul in the corner of the room.

Startled, it took a second for her to realize it was Malek but the damage had been done. She was glad when the Prince passed her off to another Lord and found herself most distracted during her next dance. A child with Dakkoul would look quite different to a child with the Prince. It was a deliciously subversive thought she had to force herself to dismiss.

When the Prince seized her elbow again she found herself blushing. Over the din of the music and the crowd she could hardly hear him and she wasn't surprised when he drew her away and out of the room. Malek was nowhere to be seen. A servant of the Prince followed them and that reassured her.

"Come with me, oh fox-fair one," the Prince said in a tone that put her on edge somehow. Her hand was in his and he was pulling her along corridor. It was clear he had a specific destination in mind because they wound up alone in a sumptuous red room dominated by a large fur covered bed.

"Finally we can have our chance for fun," he laughed. "I would never have believed it would take so long but you've proved very inaccessible what with the shunning and all."

Keilah's shuffled back even as her voice frosted.  "We are not joined."

The Prince guffawed. "Your village humor is delightful, but we mustn't waste time. I must still favor the other vixens with a dance."

Ice stiffened Keilah's resolve but her eloquence had definitely failed her. "No."

The humor slipped from the Prince's face. "No? What do you mean no?"

Keilah found her words. "My mother made me swear I wouldn't. She regretted all her times with slaves and the casual flings she'd had. She wished she'd waited until she met father."

"Your mother is dead. A promise to her is no longer binding."

She choked back a cry at the harshness of his words. His hands were now on her, stroking her. As if that would persuade her when she wasn't even sure if she liked him or just his position and looks. She pushed him away.

He looked astounded then a grim shutter went down over his face erasing the anticipation she'd seen before.

"It's because of him," the Prince spat. "You're having fun with him and you've grown attached. Don't you realize he's just a sleck who must please you. He's not someone you can ever form
a real relationship with."

She bit her lip. How could he jump to the wrong conclusion like that and ignore her words. His eyes were blazing, the darker blue on the right the most piercing. She pulled herself free and backed towards the door. "Believe it or not I haven't been with anyone and certainly not the Hattavah. I hardly even see him." A sob raised leaked from her lips at the disbelieving look anchored on the Prince's face and she turned to run almost bumping into Malek. Relief ran through her. She was not alone.

The Prince snarled behind her. She pushed through Malek and ran through the corridors back to the large dancing hall, only pausing when some other people were in sight.

"Are you okay, my lady?" Malek whispered.How she wished he was Dakkoul.

"I want to go home," she said but knew she couldn't. Silsa wouldn't be ready and an early return would be remarked on. "Did you finish that matter for Dakkoul?"

"I did, my lady. He'll be pleased."

"At least something good has come of this awful night," she murmured to herself, although on reflection it seemed good also that she'd an unguarded view of the prince and now knew for certain she did not want to marry him. "Don't leave me again."