Destructive Enchantment

Chapter 11: A Kiss From My Miss

POV: Emperor Zander Kruos

After the ball.

I sigh, running my hands through my strands, causing a few more to come undone from its slicked back state.

What an annoyance this was.

"Your majesty, have you decided on who will be selected to participate, yet?" One of the royal advisors questions, the rest looking at me expectantly.

When the servants began to escort the guests out, myself, my royal advisors, and the royal council immediately headed to the office room in order to discuss where to go from here. It was late, and I wished for nothing more than to get this over with.

Although, there were a few highlights from tonight that certainly made it somewhat enjoyable. A smile creeps to my lips at the thought of the feisty girl.

"Your majesty?" The same advisor questions my silence.

"I don't have much of an opinion on who is to be chosen." It was an honest answer.

After talking to the nobles tonight, I came to the obvious, well-established conclusion that the majority were after the same goal. Fame, wealth, status, the things that came with being Empress or being related to the empress. It was painstakingly boring listening to the same plain conversations.

Then, there was (y/n).

It was ironic, really. Nobles would act so sweet and kind to me, yet they would be the most vindictive, vile person to those around them.

Yet, she seemed to be the exact opposite. Kind to everyone but me.

I almost laugh at the contradiction. Out of all people to be kind and hospitable to, it should be me, yet she continues to surprise me.

I saw the way she spoke to others. The way she thanked the servants, the way she apologized to those even when she wasn't at fault, the way she spoke kindly even when being insulted.

Yet, when she spoke to me, it was as if she had turned into another person. After our first conversation in the hallway, I chalked her behavior up to not knowing who I was. I figured she would tuck, bow her head, and kiss the ground beneath my feet when she realized who I was.

Imagine, to my surprise, how she didn't, even when realizing that I was the emperor she compared to a goblin. When I held her in my arms and we danced, I wanted to see if she would elicit similar, amusing conversations.

I saw the fear within her eyes, yet it didn't seem to stop her from being so feisty. I felt the tremble in her body, yet it didn't stop her from being so witty. She stood her ground, despite knowing that she shouldn't have.

All the ladies I've talked to tonight gave the same boring, disingenuous conversations. "You're so handsome. We would go so well together," fawning over an idolized fantasy within their heads.

The real fun only occurred when I danced with a certain (h/c)-haired vixen. She made me laugh with her quite amusing words, and never once did that fire from her eyes die as I taunted her.

I craved that fire.

I wanted to see what other sides to her sweet little facade she had. I wanted to be the only one to see it.

My advisor opens his mouth to speak, though a weak knock at the door turns all of our heads.

"Come in." I spoke, wondering what someone could possibly need at this hour, knowing what is transpiring.

A small, feeble maid walks in, bowing her head before rushing over to me.

"Lady (y/n) wished to speak to you, but didn't realize you were not taking visitors. She kindly asked me to send her apologies to you on her behalf." She whispers to me so that only I could hear, shaking from all of the eyes on her.