Hated by her lineage, Iliya Dalaminai dwells in self isolation, awaiting the day her cousin marries so she might escape the Throne.
Feared by the Gods, Sorein Chakrine's crown is mainly a relic put on display at royal ceremonies to ward off evil.
Wh...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
In a sea of piranhas, he knew he should have never left her alone.
After slinking into the crowd and giving the Princess some space, Sorein's thoughts wouldn't stop racing back to her side. This place was full of foolish, drunk royals and imbeciles, not to mention all the children.
Most of the men held drinks in their hands, different liquors and ciders shining in the firelight. He watched their laughter, their playful banter, and the way they hugged each other.
Sorein knew as much as she believed otherwise, her people didn't hate her.
His eyes had caught several Therian's pointing to Iliya, grinning, as if they hadn't seen their heir in so many years. One of the many things he'd been eager to distract her from.
It must've been years, other than the sporadic events inside the Estate. Iliya was respected by Chiori, just perhaps not the world.
So Sorein would do whatever he could to stall his protective instincts and give her time alone with a friend. Heavens knew she needed it.
He could pretend to look for his entourage as she so eloquently put it.
When in reality Sorein truly had no idea where Noah and Jeremy were, nor did he care. He'd told them where he'd be when evening came, if they needed him, he wasn't hard to find.
Even slouching, he was a good three inches taller than most.
"Mama! I told you the Prince was here!" A young boy screamed, yanking on his mothers gown. He was pointing straight at Sorein with wide eyes.
His mom was shrugging him off, old enough to be unimpressed.
Sorein looked at the boy and wondered if he was the child from the bulletwire. He looked awfully similar, from the sandy brown hair to his love for stripes, but there was no way to be certain.
So he ducked away from them and began walking a path beside the waves.
Training his focus, Sorein closed his eyes and listened. The fireworks hadn't started yet, nor did everyone have their lanterns.
Marshmallows and salt swept through the air, thick wisps of fog brushing over his cheeks. The festival wrapped him in a blanket, a warmth he normally only experienced after tasting spices from Draiwyld. The sky was strangely clear after the long morning of rain, stars blinking in and out of sight.
The summer heat lifted as night swallowed day, leaving only the warm sand and a refreshing breeze. For a moment it was the only sound he heard as the waters calmed themselves.
As if he could tune out the thousands of rowdy individuals swarming the beach.
His peace was shredded away as a scream erupted from the pavilion.
