"It's okay Loki... I'll be fine. Just one ball. One night. I'll be back before you know it." I said a bit awkwardly.
"I know," Loki said sounding only half convinced.
He was probably still worried about me. Before I had become this me... before when I was just Cecilia and not this spliced existence, Loki was supposed to protect me. But I had fainted.
This truly has nothing to do with him. I had just fainted.
Though now, he was more caring. More concerned. It was sweet but all in all useless.
No one was after my life. I was unimportant. Even in the future while I would be engaged to the first prince I didn't really matter because I was quiet and "weak". I was not an eyesore. Just someone that was just of use to insult and gossip about. Someone no one cared about.
Well... almost no one.
I gazed at Loki.
"You'll be picking me up tonight?" I said with a smile.
Loki smiled back.
"Of course my lady."
***
Duke Ashington, Shahira and I left the house shortly after my talk with Loki.
They both had to attend the ball. The current king was going to attend after all and he was very close to Duke Ashington.
They had grown up together as friends and they remained friends ever since.
I guess it was to be expected that I and the first prince, Rudo, would one day marry. Or at least get engaged, since, in the game, I did die before our engagement could be fulfilled.
"Dad... will I have to get married?" I asked simply.
The old Cecilia wasn't the kind of person to ask questions so Duke Ashington was caught off guard.
"...Not if you don't want to." Duke Ashington said slowly, then, sighing he approached, "I would never force you to do something you don't want to do."
Hearing this, I felt a darkness creep into my heart and throat. I remembered his voice. It rang in my ear.
I touched my neck slightly and I bit my tongues.
"I know dad..." I said in a low voice.
***
Once we arrived at the palace, Kyril was waiting at the entrance.
"Hey dad," he said first as he walked towards us. His off white suit dimmed in the night and illuminated at the back from the castle lights.
Kyril stopped in from of us.
"Hey mom, Cecilia," he said softly.
The boy, which I hadn't seen in a long while, had turned into a man in the blink of an eye.
Back then, he was just a child, the same height as I was, give or take a few inches with a young pubescent face.
He was cute back then. I had to admit. But now, he was a man. One head taller than me.
Looking at him I smiled awkwardly. I felt as if I needed to be polite to him. I felt no connection to him, so it was the least I could do. But Kyril didn't keep up with the niceties. He just clicked his tongue and then he said,
"Let's go."
Without a word I took his arm and he accompanied me inside. It remained silent the whole time. He didn't even try to catch up with me despite us not speaking in years.
I wanted to try. I really did. But seeing as how Kyril didn't even make an effort to look at me, I felt anger grow within me so I gave up without trying.
Either way, I had other things to think about.
Walking inside, a few people turned to look and Kyril and I. I felt my body tense but since I was being dragged forwards by Kyril I forced my body down the long stretch.
I felt instantly sick.
While I was as dark as my mother, Kyril was fairly light-skinned. He really just looked slightly sun-kissed.
Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at Kyril's face. It was stone cold.
Something told me that Kyril had argued with Duke Ashington about my accompaniment.
"Why can't Loki take her!" I could almost hear him scream.
For a second I wished Loki was here. If there was something I missed it was his presence.
A wry smile appeared on my face as I began to calm down.