Crown of Faeries

24 | Amalgamation

I could feel Weston's eyes boring into my back as I pushed through the crowd. Couples danced in jumping swirls of fabric and limbs to the music as the song changed yet again to a faster upbeat, almost electrifying, rhythm. My heart soared through the room as I searched for Reighton's broad shoulders and naturally white blonde tips.

But as I was walking hurriedly through the crowd, everything seemed to slow down and blur into a fast time lapse. My mind felt like it was expanding in a ringing bubble as the world around me flashed in a vivid golden light to reveal the most surreal scene before my eyes.

People--no, Faeries--were dancing round and round in circles and changing partners every other step. Their smiles and laughter echoed all around as the natural music flowed through the large ballroom.

A stage, a large platform, floated to and fro several feet above the crowd. Musicians, their dark skin glowing against the candles placed in the twinkling chandeliers, played and twirled around all sorts of instruments. Their musicality and way of twisting a tone to be like a breathy and airy voice, almost made tears flow down my cheeks as I viewed everyone's wide smiles and the jovial twinkle in each persons eyes.

The scene whirled around and around, like a spinning chamber. And I was so engrossed in trying to capture everything at once, I'd missed my mother's ghost of a memory pass right through me.

Gasping as I finally saw her queen-like gown, the wide hip framing and long train of fabric that dusted the floor as she walked. Her hair was curled and twisted up, almost identical to my own hair style.

Those tears that I'd been holding in a while back fell at the sight of her. I missed her, all too much. And here, in this light, she looked so gorgeous and elegant--the way I remembered her.

"I can't believe this is the way you all throw a ball." My mother's shy voice rang out as I watched her shoulders curl a little forward as she stood before some large frame.

The whirling image cleared up a bit as Aldrin became in focus. "It's not always like this. But with you here, it'll always be like this." He placed a soft smile on his lips as he looked down at my mother.

In a wave of confused and loving emotions, I felt what my mother felt when she heard his words. "Aldrin, I don't plan on staying here forever." She whispered towards him as a couple passed them. Aldrin stepped closer to her and took her hand in his. "This is all lovely, but I do have a life outside of here. I have a family to make."

"And why can't I be the one to help you make your family?" Shock vibrated between my mother and I as we looked into those hazy grey eyes of Prince Aldrin.

My mother almost stepped back and away from him, but he scooped his hand around her back and placed his palm on her lower middle back. The touch sending firecrackers through my mother's body. "You've told me over and over that us having a family would never work. You've pushed me away before Aldrin, and then you magically meet me in the night after months of not hearing from you--"

"I'm sorry," Aldrin sighed as he pressed my mother closer. "I wanted to come, but I just couldn't."

My mother narrowed her eyes at my father. "And who's to say that won't happen again when we do have a child?"

Aldrin seemed annoyed by this question as his face set and his eyes darkened a bit. "You keep too many secrets from me. I've told you basically everything about me. What are you hiding? I love you, I would never leave you."

"You would if you knew." Aldrin spoke in a darker tenor as his eyes drifted back and over my mother's head.

"Are you seeing someone else?" My mother asked with a small crack in her voice.