The King's Possession ✔️

FORTY

Word Count: 2586

Preparations for the ball took less than a day to set up. Jessa getting me ready felt as though it took longer.

My hands are clasped behind me, my palms damp. I've decided that this is the furthest from what I would ever be interested in. I stand in the corner of a room in Tai's estate that I've never ventured to, watching people I've never met dance and drink around me, paying me no mind.

I haven't seen Tai since this started, leaving me absently standing by the expensive wine, wondering if I should risk a drink to breeze through the rest of the night. Knowing I've never drank in my life, I turn away from it, instead concentrating on the figures around me, all a mix of local folk who are either wealthy or well-known for something I couldn't care less about.

This morning I woke to a dress draped over the foot of my bed, which once I finally dragged onto my body, had Jessa gushing over for hours.

Admittedly, it is pretty. The fabric is light and breathable unlike what other appear to be adorning. In fact, it hardly passes as formal in comparison. Tight sleeves cover my arms, coming up meet the rest f the dress below my collarbones where it hugs comfortably enough. Behind me, the fabric falls away, revealing more of my bare back than I would like, but after Jessa's insistent begging, I relented. The bottom portion of the dress is light and billowy, brushing close to the floor.

From what I glanced of Tai before he was pulled away by a group of unknowns, we are dressed to clearly match. My dress is a deliciously dark blue, matching features of the King's attire which I haven't gotten closer to examine properly.

"You look beautifully strong and powerful," someone says from beside me, making me flinch.

Zavian, Tai's friend. I hadn't expected to see either him or Arnix since I have tried relentlessly to steer clear of them.

Admittedly, I prefer Zavian out of the two. These are the first proper words he has said to me without being prompted. His words warm my skin, although I don't dwell on them too deeply. He is likely attaining my favour to keep Tai's.

"I didn't know a dress could do so much for me," I admit, giving him a sideways glance.

He looks down into his glass, swirling the wine around mindlessly. "Taius is a very lucky man."

I watch him for a long moment before glancing away. He is dressed simply, not impressed by the state of affairs going on before us either. The music currently beats incessantly, echoing between my temples, trembling across the marble floor.

"How long have you been friends with him?" I ask, genuinely curious. Tai has been reluctantly to speak about them too deeply, although he has been occupied with other issues currently.

"Since our childhood. My father was one of his fathers Nobles," he informs me, looking at me with those icy blue eyes, similar to Marek's, although they are missing that compelling pull, that sense of unmissable darkness. "That was, until he tired of him. However, Tai never tired of me."

I shiver, remembering the quiet wrath of Tai's father. I thoroughly dislike the man, and by the stiff tone Zavian offers, as does he. I silently pray his words don't insinuate that Kailor killed Zavian's father when he mentions the term bored.

Searching for Tai in the crowd, I find nothing. "Aren't you lucky."

"I pity him, you know," Zavian admits, tone softening. I glance at him, trying to read his expression, although his youthful features give away nothing. Just from looking at him, I would have assumed there was something innocent, undisturbed about him. It appears that perhaps I'm wrong about that. "He's young, for a King. It has its difficulties."