The Council's Grand Ball was a lavish affair, held every year, and always in the dead of winter, though none could remember why. Held in the Council's ballroom, only selected guests were invited, most of whom would only receive the invitation the night before. Ivar was always invited, and as much as he loathed it, he was forced to attend as a matter of tradition, being the Vampire King and ultimately the ruler of the Northern Empire. This year would not be any different, except that he would now be attending with Serena, his Queen, but he wasn't yet sure that this would make it any less tedious.
Just as they entered the magnificent ballroom, he leaned toward her and whispered softly in her ear.
"Do not leave my sight under any circumstances"
Serena smiled and nodded, her violet eyes lighting up when they met his, startling him with her ethereal beauty, as if he were seeing her for the first time.
Viscount Linley was the first to greet them, his face lit up with a smile, that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Good evening Your Majesties, we are honored by your presence"
"Viscount Linley", Serena acknowledged him with a small nod.
"Linley, have you taken up permanent residency here in the Northern High Council?", Ivar questioned him.
"Not at all, Your Majesty, I am simply here in my capacity as Councilman", Linley replied with a small smile.
"Of course, I had forgotten that the seat had been left vacant due to your brother's....untimely demise", Ivar emphasized the last two words while studying Linley's reaction.
"Rather large shoes to fill but I try", Linley's voice held a hint of smugness that Ivar didn't miss.
"Large? By whose standards, I wonder", Ivar responded dismissively, hoping the vampire would leave before he ripped out his heart.
Just then, Markus appeared beside Serena, his eyes twinkling merrily as he proffered his hand.
"Shall we?"
"Thank you but....", Serena didn't finish as Markus had already taken her hand and was leading her onto the dance floor.
He was a skilled dancer and moved with a grace and agility that belied his large, muscular frame. Serena loved to dance and found she was enjoying herself more than she had expected. When the music ended, she turned, smiling, to thank him, only to find Viscount Linley, standing ready to take his place.
"May I, Your Majesty?", his smile seemed somewhat sinister to Serena and she attempted to politely decline but he had already gripped her waist.
As they moved across the dance floor, she scanned the crowd, looking for Ivar, but couldn't find him, and a feeling of unease began to grow inside her. She noticed that Linley was leading her away from where she had left Ivar and she craned her neck, trying desperately to find him. Serena glanced at the other guests, dancing around them, but they all seemed to be intoxicated and oblivious to anyone else but their own partners, only adding to her growing feeling of disquiet.
Too late, she realized that they were fast approaching the windows at the far side of the ballroom, as Linley's grip on her waist tightened and he pulled her off the dance floor and through the tall, glass windows.
"Alone at last", Linley grinned wickedly at her, his hands painfully gripping her waist as he pulled her against him.
"What do you think you are doing? Unhand me at once!", she cried, trying to break free from his grasp.
"And if I refuse? What then my lovely Queen?", he whispered, his breath hot and reeking of alcohol.
"Ivar will have your head", she retorted, trying to push him away.
"But Ivar isn't here now, is he?"
"He's probably already looking for me", she replied, defensively.
"I somehow doubt that", he said slyly, grabbing her head and turning her to look across the terrace and into the garden below.
The garden had been decorated with fairy lights that were strung throughout the trees, bathing the garden in a warm, magical glow. In the garden's center stood a large tree, it's thick trunk surrounded by flowers growing in the lush, green grass at its base. It's branches twisted upwards, reaching for the night sky, covered in deep, green leaves that formed a dense canopy around it.
Beneath this tree, Serena saw Ivar, standing alone in the garden, his hands clasped behind his back as a gentle breeze ruffled his hair, causing a wayward lock to tumble across his face. His head was turned slightly away from her but she recognized his suit and the flash of diamonds in his royal cufflinks, as they reflected the lights in the trees. The memory of her putting them on earlier that evening, still fresh in her mind.
She opened her mouth to call out to him but her voice died in her throat when she saw Lavinia, appear from the opposite end of the garden, and rush toward him. Ivar immediately opened his arms and held her against him, before cupping her face and gazing into her eyes, as their lips met and he kissed her with a searing passion that scorched Serena's heart.
Serena's chest felt constricted and she couldn't seem to breathe, as tears welled up in her eyes and fell down her cheeks. She didn't want to see anymore but Linley held her head fast, forcing her to watch as Ivar continued kissing Lavinia, oblivious to everything else around him.
She fell to the cold, terrace floor, unaware that Linley had quietly slunk away, leaving her to weep alone. Her head bent and tears streaming down her face, she would have remained there on the terrace until the sun rose or she froze to death, if not for the cold hand that reached down to tenderly cup her cheek.
Raising her face, she found herself staring into the claret-colored orbs that belonged to Mikhail, the vampire High Councilor. She felt her face, still wet with tears, but she was beyond caring anymore and thought with, chilling finality, that she would resign herself to her fate, whatever it would be, at the hands of this vampire.
"Why do you cry?", his voice only slightly above a whisper.
"Do you not see, my Lord?", she replied tremulously, gesturing towards the garden.
"The garden is empty. Of what do you speak, child?"
Serena glanced back at the garden, and saw that it was indeed empty, only the fairy lights twinkling brightly on the flowers as they gently sighed in the cool, night breeze. Briskly wiping away her tears, she got to her feet while holding onto Mikhail's outstretched hand.
"I saw him....I...I saw Ivar....with Lavinia", she blurted out, fresh tears spilling from her eyes.
"Not everything is as it seems", his voice was so soft and reassuring and she knew that she shouldn't trust him but something inside her told her that he spoke only the truth.
She felt inexplicably drawn to him and she found herself wanting to tell him everything, even that she was hopelessly in love with Ivar and now her heart was crushed and broken. She was drowning in his eyes and she was powerless, unable to drag her gaze from his, as she heard herself speaking, telling him of her love for Ivar and how she was beyond despair after all she had witnessed in the garden.
Her tears continued to roll down her face as sobs wracked her body and she held onto his cold hand, like it was the only thing that she had left to hold onto. Only dimly aware that he had removed a silken handkerchief, the same shade as his eyes, and handed it to her to wipe her tears, she held it to her face and breathed deeply of its dark and exotic scent.
"I'll take it from here, Lord Mikhail", Rathgar's voice shattered the reverie she had shared with Mikhail, bringing her hurtling back to the present.
"You have become complacent, Lord Bane, if even an old man can get this close to the Queen", Mikhail hissed.
"That's quite enough, Lord Mikhail", Ivar said, appearing suddenly beside her and glaring at the High Councilor, who still held Serena's hand.
Slipping his arm around her waist, Ivar tried pulling her toward him but sensing resistance, he looked down at her, with a puzzled look on his face. Serena ignored him, instead smiling pleasantly at Mikhail and thanking him for accompanying her out on the terrace. Deftly avoiding his arm, she turned on her heel and swept past them, walking determinedly toward the front of the Council building with her head held high.
Ivar strode after her, catching up before long and falling into step beside her, he glanced sideways at her, confusion etched on his face. She attempted to quicken her pace and move ahead of him but he matched it easily, pulling alongside her and searching her face with his eyes.
"Serena stop", he said, reaching for her arm.
Serena snatched her arm away, losing her balance and falling backwards as he caught her and held her against him.
"Don't touch me!", she hissed, struggling to break free from his arms.
"What's the matter Serena? Why are you behaving in this manner?"
"You dare to question me concerning my behavior? And what of yours?", she spat vehemently, and not waiting for his answer, she turned on her heel and marched toward the carriage.