A Queen and Her Seven Servants {BTS}

Chapter Sixteen ~

The chandeliers were all lit and bright. The dance floor was cleared and the same tables that were set up last night were pushed back to let the guests dance freely without fear of bumping into a candle. A long table full of small trays of snacks and empty glasses were set up. There was an assortment of wines to choose from and it all just looked so tempting to indulge in. Everyone was dressed elegantly, the women with sparkly dresses and the men with stiff, fitted suits. An emerald colored one hung on my shoulders and the heavy bun on my head weighed me down.

"Ah, there's the life of the party," a warm voice snickered behind me.

I shrugged. "I would beg to differ, but this is your moment. I will try not to ruin it."

Blaine smiled and stood beside me. "You can ruin anything you like." He looked around at the people conversing with one another and the small orchestra playing in the corner played background music to the merry beginning of the ball. "It's weird to think that everyone was getting drunk last night and now they're all swaying to soft music."

"That's not what concerns me," I said. "What concerns me is who you invited. Do you know half of these people?"

"No," Blaine sighed. "Not really. That queen from Garveet – she's an acquaintance of my mother's. With my parents being gone on some trip, they told me to invite some people they know so I wouldn't hurt our kingdom's relationships."

I nodded. "Understandable, but there's an easier way to it."

"And how's that?" he asked.

"To not host anything at all," I quipped. "I do work, you know. I don't waste my time with getting anything like this together."

Blaine chuckled. "You're going to have gray hair by the time your twenty."

"Only two years away," I replied.

"Exactly." Blaine moved to where he was in front of me. A playful grin was painted onto his face and he placed his hand in front of me, his palm facing the ceiling. "Queen Evangeline, may I have the first dance?"

"Where's your girlfriend?" I asked.

"You know we're not together yet," he gasped. "Please? Don't make me go with Deirdre."

I took it and he pulled towards the cleared floor and the orchestra started up a little energetic waltz. I felt my head spin as I realized everyone watched us and I wanted to run and hide, as always. I noticed Hoseok and Jungkook together by the wall, grinning as they watched me being pulled off to my doom. "Jackson, I swear, if you make me into a fool-"

"Eve, trust me," he whispered. "I'll make you look more like a queen. One that can dance, too."

His arm went around my waist and his other hand gripped mine. My dress swished around my ankles and my feet stumbled to keep out of my partner's way. He smirked. "You're doing great. Just loosen up a bit."

"Loosen up?" I hissed under my breath. "I can't dance and I'm the only one out here."

Blaine only ignored me and twirled me around and around. I felt special, yes, but then again I felt embarrassed and awkward.

"Ah," Blaine suddenly spoke. "Your guard was conversing with one of mine – said a strange man kept gazing your way."

"Oh, yes," I said, copying his feet movements so I wouldn't stumble.

"I can't quite figure out who he is though," Blaine sighed. "I looked through everyone that I invited and the attendance that my servants kept but I couldn't come up with anything. Don't squeal, alright?"

"Huh-" but before he could tell me what was going on, I was lifted off my feet gracefully and then put down again.

"If I'm going to dance, I must do it correctly," he snickered. "Anyways, if I see anyone that looks like what my servant described, I'll let you know and talk to him. I don't want you to be uncomfortable here."

"Of course not," I muttered, dazed over what just happened. This is why I never did partake in learning how to ballroom dance – because I couldn't.

The two of us continued to dance and when the song came to an end, Blaine politely bowed. "Don't bow back," he muttered as he went down. When he came upright he smiled. "I must go off to talk to my guests. I'll see you later, darling."

Once he scurried off, another soft hand grabbed mine and I was pulled into another's embrace. I looked up to see a face, kind with a perfectly chiseled jawline. I realized who he was and I instantly froze up.

Baekhyun beamed. "It's been awhile, Eve."

"Oh, uh, it... it has," I murmured. I noticed his movements and mirrored them, for it was a more of a slower paced song.

"Two years?" he asked. "Too long, if I say so."

"Yes, I assume so."

Baekhyun of Caradot. He was just recently crowned king. His mother had passed when he was six when she was fatefully poisoned. His father remained king, however he died about six months ago from a dreadful illness. He got diagnosed with it just a few hours before he passed. We had been good friends, Baekhyun, Blaine, and I, and then around the time I turned sixteen, his father felt like it was dangerous for him to visit us all the time.

It's not the fact that it's been so long since I've seen him that made me freeze. It was because I had a crush in him for so long. It was odd to see him again and I brought back my embarrassing memories of when I was head over heels for him.

And it was even more embarrassing since he liked me, too, back then.

"My, haven't you gotten prettier," he gushed. "Two years makes a lot of room for change."

"Yes, it has," I choked as I seemed to be having short of breath from this meeting.

"I met your um, what do you call him? He said his name was Namjoon," he stated.

"Professor Kim," I answered. "He also drives my coach."

"Ah, yes, him," Baekhyun recalled. "I recognized Aaliyah's emblem on his vest. I was down in the basement with my servants because one isn't doing too well but I trust him more than anyone. I asked him if he was here with you and he said he was." A smile crept onto his face as he remembered the meeting. "I don't think he wanted to say too much."

"He's not supposed to," I said. "What's wrong with your servant?"

"He's ill," Baekhyun sighed. "Well, not sick, but he has really bad aches and pains. We give him a lot of medicines, but nothing seems to do the trick."

I nodded. "That's... terrible."

"It is," he responded rather sadly. "I heard you only have seven to keep you company."

"Seems to be the talk these days," I sighed.

He chuckled. "I find it rather daring. Some people think it's strange but if you've lasted two years with them, I think you found a good set. Uh, where'd you get them?"

My lips pressed into a line. "Just... found them. They wanted jobs, I guess..."

He smirked. "Seems like someone's lying."

"I don't have to tell you if I don't want to," I stated.

"Alright, alright," he breathed. "Hey, let's go sit and catch up. Dancing has never been my strong suit, you know."

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lol, y'all were expecting some crazy stuff to happen right

no, i just had to give Eve a love interest because i felt bad for her