Charlotte walked into the huge ballroom with her silky black gloves that go just below her elbows and huge, lacey, black, sparkly ballgown that just meets her feet. Her hand was in Oliver's, as he wore a black suit.
Adira followed along the two wearing a light pink dress that goes just above her ankles. She has white gloves on, the same as Charlotte's. A white crown was placed on her head.
Esma and Darby walked in together, matching in red and black. Esma's dress has a layered design on the black skirt that touches the floor, with a red trim for each layer. She has long black sleeves, which were mainly lace. Darby wore a black and red suit.
Evie and Amanita walked in with all dark green dresses. They were just basic, floor-length dresses. They had shoulderless black lace at the top of them.
The rest of the men came in wearing basic black and white suits.
Everyone surrounding Clay made a pathway so he could get through to his throne. Something caught his eye. Someone. A woman with strikingly long black hair and a short black dress. He stopped walking and called her up to him. Everyone now formed a circle around the two, as if they were watching a fight go down.
"Adelaide?", Clay whispered. The woman stared at him. "Clay...", she whispered back. Clay took someone's wallet and said, "I'll pay for whatever I break", to them then threw the wallet at the woman. Everybody gasped.
"You liar! You faked your death right in front of me and left me with years of scarring trauma, making everyone think that you had died?! Are you insane?!", he yelled. "Guards! Take this imposturous woman out of here!", he ordered then continued to walk towards his throne.
Traditional dance music started to play and everyone started to slow dance, nervously.
"What do you think that was about...?", Charlotte whispered to Oliver. "I'm not too sure...", he whispered back. "Let's just enjoy this moment, Charlotte. Just me and you.". She smiled then kissed him on the cheek.
Behind them were Adira and Jasper, dancing together. "I hope you know that this all doesn't mean anything.", Adira told him. "What do you mean...?".
"I mean that it doesn't mean we're dating or anything. Just because we kissed-",
"Made out.". "Yeah, whatever. But that doesn't mean we're something. I still have feelings for Axel, you know...?", Adira stated. "Why?! That asshole rejected you! He said he doesn't feel anything for you!", Jasper snapped. Adira stayed silent.
Blade bumped into them. "Fuck, sorry.", he apologized then went to the other side of the ballroom. He leaned against the wall and watched everyone else dance with one another and sighed. A lady in a sparkly, short, plain violet dress walked up to him.
"You must be Blade. I'm Iris. I've heard so much about you from so many people. Everyone fears you, but you don't scare me what-so-ever. I just don't think that a guy like you could even hurt me. Look at your face. You look like an innocent little toddler.", Iris scoffed.
"So, uhm, did you just come all the ways over here to insult me or did you have to say something that's actually worth my time?". "No. I came here to make a deal with you. I'm Anastasia White's cousin. And I want to help you. Would you like to possibly be free and not be an assassin? I can set you free! Only if you promise to get me a higher role in the mansion on Hickory Hill. That's the only open applications for a nearby kingdom I can find and I know that you're kind of with them right now temporarily. But trust me. I can set you free.", Iris offered.
Blade rolled his eyes. "I already am free-",
"No! No you're not! You can't go out in public anymore! When's the last time you've ate what you wanted...or went to a store...or went to a restaurant without getting dirty looks? Or just going to a restaurant in general?!", she questioned. "Leave me alone, Isis son of a bitch.". She squinted her eyes at him then stormed off. Blade shortly laughed.
He glanced at Charlotte and Oliver for a second, then Adira and Jasper. He realized that everyone has someone but him. He peered at Darby and Esma.
They looked each other in the eyes like there's nothing in the world but the two of them. Their hands latched onto each others as if they were holding on for their lives. The gaze in their eyes is magical. The shine in their eyes is as shimmery as the ocean at midnight.
Nothing could come between them and this moment. The stars aligned for them.
Blade looked at his feet and sighed. He went to go find Iris in the sea of people. "I'll take your offer.".
Clay stared at Cordelia with a bored expression. "What? Stop staring at me!", she snapped. Clay chuckled. "Why did you set this ball up in the first place?", he asked. Cordelia narrowed her eyebrows. "I wanted to find Dean without it being complicated. And I can navigate where he is right now, since we're on thrones. We're higher than the rest of them. The only problem that I have is...Ryder and Anastasia. They aren't here. Hey! Speaking of them...I order you to go find them.".
"I will do anything but! You need to take your own actions into your own hands! I'm one king! The one way I shall ever take part in this is if you find one and I find another.", Clay proposed.
"Fine. I'll find my son, you find the unicorn.", Cordelia sighed. They both got up and went opposite directions.
Clay walked up to Darby and Esma. "I need the two of you to help me.".
Esma lifted her head off of Darby's chest then looked at Clay. "What is it, Master?", they both asked. "Princess Anastasia and Prince Ryder have not showed up and Cordelia is losing her head. She wants me to help her find them. But we only have to find Anastasia. She's finding Ryder. So, let's go. I think I know where she is.", Clay said.
Later on:
Esma held onto Darby's arm as Clay creaked open the huge doors to the Cloud Nine mansion. Emma and Maddox were waxing the staircase until they noticed the three of them standing at the doorway. Clay let himself inside and walked up to them.
"May we help you?", Maddox sneered. Emma slapped her thigh and said, "Sorry about her. What may be the issue?", Emma asked with a slight smile. "We would like to look upstairs. No. We are going to look upstairs.", he insisted. "Darby, Esma. Split up. We all go different directions.".
"What's going on here?!", Maddox shouted. Emma elbowed her then continued to wax the staircase.
Upstairs:
Darby opened a door and it led to a dark hallway. He flipped a light switch and walked down to the only door at the end of the hall. There was light peering from under it. He opened that door and couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Anastasia and Ryder were both strapped up to the wall, knocked out. Blade was sitting on the floor, smiling.
"When people say you look completely innocent, they aren't wrong. Now...uhm...what in the fuck are you doing?", Darby scoffed.
"Look. I know what this looks like. But it isn't what you think it is. There's this-",
Blade got cut off by being dragged by his leg into the darkness. "Fuck!", Darby exclaimed then grabbed Blade's hand. "What the fuck?!".
The hand let go of his leg. Blade stood up. "Ugh! What the hell, Iris?!", he groaned.
"Iris? Who's Iris? Just come downstairs and explain everything.", Darby said. "I...I can't. I had a deal with this lady. I can't tell you.". "Yes. You can. What can that lady to do us? Nothing. You're the strongest person I know. Come on. Tell me.", Darby remarked.
"I said I can't!", Blade shouted. Esma came up from behind Darby. "Huh?! Wha-what happened to them?! Are they ok?!", she panicked.
Blade stood up. "Well...you know...maybe I can tell you.", he said then kissed Esma's hand. Darby narrowed his eyebrows. "Blade, get your hands off my damn girl.".
"Uhm...Darby? Can I talk to you outside?", Esma asked.
They both walked into the hallway. "Darby, I love you with my heart and soul but... I'm going to have to play along to be able to get answers from him.", Esma whispered in his ear.
Darby brushed his hand across her face. "Do whatever it takes, Ez.", he whispered back then gave her a quick kiss. She smiled then went back into the room Blade was in.
"Esma...ok, ok.", Blade sighed. He pulled her in by the waist and she grunted. "So this is what happened...".