When one would speak of the Demon King, or when she thought of him. She imagined this viking/barbarian man…big, tall and dark and smelled like the corpses of his enemies. Somedays when the power of her imagination was stronger, she imagined him as barbarian who saw nothing wrong in wearing the skulls of Elverians as ornaments in his black fur robes.
But he was nothing like that, this Demon King…not the one from her imagination, was strikingly beautiful, because handsome didn't seem like the word which çcould do him any justice, even more gorgeous than the women fighting for his affection to become Queen. He had such red eyes and long silver hair pulled back into a low pony tail, pale skin which looked soft and smooth, a chiseled jawline but some how a feminine look to his face, and plump pink lips.
And no, he didn't wear human skulls on his fur robes, he wore the standard royal robes for the King along with golden rings and amulets. He didn't look like a demon at all, a god was what he looked like. He looked like a deity the Light Priest would go and on about.
He had the audience mesmerized as he walked through the ballroom, people scrambling to make way for the King, one even bumped into Victoria in their haste to clear a path for him. Even as he sat down on his majestic red and golden throne on the pedestal overlooking the Ballroom.
There was nothing but silence as he did and stared at the crowd of people watching him like he was the center of the universe and they were all just pawns for his use and disposal. With a nice that didn't quite reached her eyes he said simply in a sultry voice. "Continue."
Almost immediately the music resumed and Victoria had to force herself to look away from him and calm her beating heart and blushing face, never in her life had she seen someone so good looking. She needed a drink, a strong one.
She met Gwen at the buffet table who was speaking to a random aristocrat about the increasing crop produce. Victoria poured herself a large cup of wine and drank until she felt her hyper senses get dulled and her beating heart calm down. There was no way in hell that she was blushing over someone responsible for the demise of so many people she cared about!
Gwen turned around when the aristocrat excused himself and caught sight of Victoria drowning herself in the expensive sweet tasting alcohol like she needed it to keep staying alive. "Um? Lady Victoria? Are you alright?"
Victoria nodded, "of course!" She squeaked and poured herself another goblet.
The dark skinned girl gave Victoria another look and poured herself a drink as well and took an elegant sip, the opposite of what Victoria was doing. "The King is really attractive, isn't he? Makes the rest of us girls look like goblins compared to him."
Victoria hesitated, she still wanted to be in denial. "...he's alright."
Gwen laughed, "I can see why Lady Freya is so obsessed, I'd let him part my leg–"
"So!" Victoria interrupted Gwen, "When is the ball ending?"
Gwen replied, "not until midnight."
Victoria couldn't wait till midnight…she needed to get out of here and rearrange her braincells.
The music stopped less than thirty minutes later. And Stefan's father went to stand at the bottom of the the King's pedestal.
"Introducing the Ladies taking part in The Selection, I present you, Your Majesty…Lady Katherine of Wellerton!"
Katherine walked up to the pedestal and curtsied, "greetings to you, Your Majesty."
The King nodded, and Katherine straightened up and went to stand at the side.
"It has already begun?!" Gwen exclaimed, and began smoothening her already perfect dress, while Victoria rolled her eyes and took another mouthful of wine.
"Next is Lady Gwenivere of Stohmount!"
Gwen gasped and immediately composed herself as of she had pressed a switch, and gracefully walked over the King and curtsied herself.
Victoria kept the goblet of the buffet table and tried to prepare her swirling mind for her introduction. She wasn't about to humiliate herself in front of a hundred snotty nosed rich people. She caught Freya's eyes who flashed her a mocking smirk. Victoria turned away from her and scoffed.
"Lady Victoria Everhart of Elveria!"
Victoria took a deep breath, feeling many pairs eyes on her filled with disdain, some lean over to their companions and whispered in their ears, she was from their enemy land, they hated her as soon as she walked towards the King. She knew all what was going through their minds as she went, but didn't feel bad…she hated them as well, it was only fair if she got the same treatment.
She curtsied as gracefully as she could, trying her best not to maintain eye contact with the Demon King. "Greetings, Your Majesty." She mumbled. She wanted to painted herself as this timid, completely harmless woman in his presence. So that he could underestimate her, therefore making him drop his guard around her…he would never see the fact that she might drive a dagger through his heart coming.
She could feel his piercing gaze on her, and this time she let herself blush furiously, convincing herself that she was doing this for the plan.
When she straighted up, she went towards where Katherine and Gwen stood.
"Lady Freya of Silvercrest!"
It was obvious Freya was born for something like this, she walked up to the King like she was practicing for walking down the aisle for her wedding with him. She greeted him and went to stand with them with unmatched elegance.
"Now, Ladies…" Freya whispered, somehow Victoria, Gwen and Katherine could hear her clearly. "that's how you greet your future husband."
Victoria glanced at Katherine and Gwen, Katherine was looking down at her clasped hands, Gwen kept her green eyes straight ahead.
"You do realize the only one competing with yourself, right?" Victoria questioned, "from what I gathered, Lady Gwen and Lady Katherine don't really care as much as you do."
Freya chuckled, "not my fault if they already know very well that I'm the better choice. You, sadly…don't have that common sense."
Stefan's father voice boomed round the ballroom once again. "Now, His Majesty shall who he will have the first dance with!"
The King got up and walked down the pedestal, he went towards where the Ladies stood and watched them for a second. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Gwen trying not to sweat, she kept her head down and stared at the hem of her dress reminding herself that she needed to keep up the act–
"Lady Victoria, may I have this dance?"
Now, Victoria was ready for a lot of things…death, murder, blasting Freya's face with a fire ball. But she definitely wasn't ready for having the first dance with the Demon King himself. But she found herself saying after a huge gulp.
"Most certainly."