Seven Deadly Sons

Ameline. (20)

 The ballroom is exceptional, and perfectly on theme.

The lesser creatures from an inch to a foot tall are all dressed and serving as woodland animals; bees, rabbits, ladybugs, a turtle (? Confusing, I agree), foxes, hornets and more. Some of the courtiers and nobles dress up in costume while others go for glamour and more still choose to wear as little as possible. The walls are decent and dewy, some parts are covered in trees with sap pouring down into puddles and ponds across the floor, one wall has every pink flower imaginable growing and the ceiling has been completely redecorated to look like soil. Bits of earth occasionally fall to the ladies delight, and when I lick a crumb off my top lip I am greeted by chocolate. Roots trail down, giving the impression of plant and a world above.

Although the room should be dark without the excessive skylights, its remarkably bright. Light seems to emit from everywhere, from the people themselves, much like in the carriage. None of the royals have arrived yet, but I recognise a multitude of nobles and some distant cousins of royals with the title of Duke or Viscountess. I notice lady Branán dressed in another peacock outfit, it seems to be her signal for this solstice. This one is in traditional white that shines in iridescent blue under the glowing gold lights, it must be another of Tierneys designs.

Speaking of Tierney, he hadn't been waiting in my rooms to escort me — amongst the many dressers still there, whom I suddenly realised I didn't know — and he didn't appear to be here now. I hope he was okay. I hope I hadn't upset him even more. I was so hopeless.

Soon enough, the room erupts and midnight nears. The dress fits like a glove and the silhouette and smell of my humanity draws many men and women to speak to me. They all want to know how I can look so ælfin but smell so human. This comment is usually followed by a long smile or sniff of my hair when they go in for a kiss goodbye. I notice many lick their lips after and I hope to be saved by anyone.

Oliver is, as expected, asleep in his bag after a long afternoon running through the undergrowth and smelling everything there was to be smelled. His little legs must be all run out, and I cup a hand over his little head protectively, so that if anyone goes to grab him my hand is already their as a shield.

Many others have arrived with their own pets, many more match their owners skin. Black cobras wrap around black spindly women, green baby dragons perched on green children heads and yet more albino creatures perching on their owners body parts. Anyone with grey or muddy green skin or worse, pale lime skin, usually don't have their own familiar unless they're extremely powerful, so they have normal animals as pets on leads. Nothing lingers behind these animals eyes, no sign of intelligence beyond what should be possible.

I walk while the creatures glide; their ethereal grace mocking me incessantly. I want Tierney to help me, to be here with me — but equally, I didn't deserve his kindness after what I had said.

I pretend to eat the hors d'oeuvres, crushing them in their small napkins and dropping them onto the next tray; I take crystal champagne flutes filled with edlince and let the liquid drip down the groves under my mouth, only wetting my tightly pursed lips. Any of these drinks could have tricks played on them, some might even be specifically for me so I dance or sing or smile for the rest of time. The solstice was not a safe place for a human.

And I do see humans; I see them laugh and dance with giddy joy, I watch men drink gallons with conviction and then drop to the floor in elation. Most of them will be dead after this first night; if not now then in a weeks time. If by some miracle they survive longer, they'll probably become pets, like Oliver is to me.

A man in a fox mask (that may just be his face, I can't tell) asks me to dance, and because it would be terribly impolite not to I do.

He spins me at the edge of the floor, and after a moment of pretending I know how to dance, I notice him laughing at someone over my shoulder. On our next spin, I go on my tip toes to peek who it might be and quickly drop to the soles of my feet again.