BALCROFT VILLAGE
Capell's (Griselda's) Home.
A knock is heard on the door. Mrs. Capell makes her way to open the wooden door, which makes a loud creak as she slowly opens it. She's wrapped in a shawl holding a lantern, she lifts the lantern at a shoulder level peering at the stranger's face.
"Who are you?", she asks with a voice laced with slight annoyance.
"Kayden!" Alan shouts before walking over to the door, holding a bag in his hands.
"Let's go." Alan mutters before being pulled back by his mother.
"Alan! Where're you going at this odd hour?" She asks with a quivering voice.
"And why do you care?" Alan asks with an irritated voice.
"Because you're my son Alan!" She says with her palm placed on Alan's cheek.
Alan shrugs off her hand, "Really?" He asks with a chuckle.
"Because last time I checked, you sold my sister for a measly amount... I won't be here to let history repeat itself, who knows how much you'll sell me for? Twenty gold coins doesn't sound bad, right?"
Tears trickle down her face as Alan says this.
"Alan, you know..." She begins but is cut off by Kayden.
"We have to leave now, Alan." Kayden says with impatience.
Alan takes a long look at his mother before swinging his bag over his shoulder and walks off with Kayden.
She slumps on the floor sobbing. Her husband walks over, shuts the door slowly, takes away the lantern to hang it on the wall which illuminates everywhere and sits beside her enveloping her in a hug.
"We should've told him Mark, the truth about Griselda. We should've told him." She says with a voice choked with tears.
He slowly disentangles himself from her, looking at her with furrowed brows.
"Then what? We tell him the truth about that girl then what?!" He says angrily.
"It might have salvaged the situation. Now Alan despises us for selling her off." She says.
"It's much better he despises us rather than the truth about that witch coming to light, Leah. The secret should stay that way, it's much better she's away from us!" He says in a huff and angrily walks away.
THE ROYAL CASTLE.
Zelda's POV.
I sit silently by the window still staring at the guests till the door opens to reveal Aidan.
He's already dressed in a Royal blue tuxedo which fits him perfectly and exudes his masculinity. His raven black hair is combed perfectly to the back with a few strands settling on his forehead.
He takes slow steps towards me with his eyes roaming all over my body. I feel anxious and I tighten my grip on my enormous gown flays which I feel whenever I move my elbows.
His sea blue eyes pierces mine and I just notice how the colour of his eyes are somewhat similar to that of his outfit. He stretches out and take my hand in his.
"Don't grip the dress tightly, you'll rumple it." He says calmly.
I nod with a bowed head feeling too anxious to speak.
Holding my hand in one, he lifts up my face with the other and stares at me intently. He lowers his gaze to my cleavage, lingers his gaze a little then lifts his eyes to meet mine.
"You look ravishing." He says in a whisper. He leans forward and brushes his lips against mine which makes my heart skip a beat.
"Not only tonight though… Zelda." He says against my lips. He kisses my forehead which conveys deep unspoken words.
I shudder at his words and exhale when he steps back a little. He adjusts his cufflinks and places his hands before me like a gentleman asking for a dance.
I place mine in them, he holds them lightly and we make our way out of the room to the hallway, escorted by two guards.
We walk through a series of hallways, which is unusually long due to the my heavy dress that slows my steps. Aidan doesn't rush but calmly helps and lifts my dress when needed.
We arrive at the staircase that leads to the event hall. Chandeliers are hanging at specific places which emanates bright lights illuminating everywhere.
The hall is a large one decorated in tasteful designs. Large paintings and statues are placed at different corners exuding the affluence and aura of the Royal mansion.
Servants dressed in a white shirts and black trousers walk around the hall with trays littered with glasses containing blue, orange and red liquids.
What strikes me most is the stark contrast between my dress and others.
Most men here are dressed in black or red suits, while most women here are putting on red extravagant evening gowns, accentuated with heavy jewelries and makeup.
My eyes bulge at some of the women's dresses. Some, the cleavage is left open to the navel, with little or no material left to cover their chest while some are putting on high slit gowns which I consider enchanting and beautiful.
"Is there an official dress code for this event." I ask.
"No. Why ask?" He asks with his eyes unnoticeably roaming over everyone.
I wish to say something but end up muttering, "Nothing."
He chuckles, "If you're indirectly asking me why your dress is different from the rest, then here's my answer."
I keep staring at him for an answer until I slowly realize the joke, 'He isn't going to give me one.' I laugh slightly at this which makes him smile.
"It's going to be a big night, ready?" He asks looking at me.
I then realize that we've been standing at top of the staircase overlooking the hall for the past few minutes.
I sigh balling my fists and nod slightly.
Gripping my hand calmly we make our way down the stairs with most heads turning and facing us.
As we arrive at the end of the stairs, Aidan leans a little and straightens out the badly ruffled ends of my flay. I'm utterly embarrassed by this act of his.
We walk further into the hall till we're enveloped by people who mostly talk to him, only sparing me a glance or a nod of acknowledgement before they walk away.
Feeling utterly left out and bored beside him greeting the guests, I loosen my hand and try to free my hand from his grip, but he casts me a glance while talking to a man who looks much older than him. He tightens his grip on mine and curtly ends his discussion with the man leading me away to a less crowded space.
"Bored already?" He whispers in my ears and I couldn't help but sigh and nod. He chuckles lightly, takes a glass containing a red liquid from a servant and pulls me over to a cushion, it has other cushions as well surrounding it which forms an 'O' shape with a glass table at the centre.
He crosses his legs, holds my waist lightly and pulls me closer to him. Unable to say a word, I look at him with wide eyes, attention has been unnecessarily drawn to me and I don't wish to make it worse.
He settles comfortably in the seat and swirls the content of his glass not drinking it.
"Cold." He mutters under his breath.
Immediately, a woman in a high slit red gown walks over. Her dress has a perfect description of what I noticed earlier, 'a perfectly exposed cleavage' and it doesn't help the fact that she is endowed with large bosoms.
She's truly beautiful with her long brown hair which cascades down her back, her eyelids having a smoky look, her face heavily dabbled with powder, and her heart shaped lips which is splashed with an alluring red lipstick that corresponds with her dress.
She walks over to the cushion in elegant strides, taking a seat directly opposite Aidan, she leans over to the table to take a knife and a glass neatly placed in a tray. This act of hers make her bosoms more visible and seducing.
She leans back in her seat and crosses her legs which reveals her perfect smooth thighs. Her bosoms almost exposed and her thighs visible, she looks like a seductress right now. It'll be utterly impossible for anyone not to drool over her.
But Aidan acts with indifference as he squints his eyes at her. I almost gasp when she slashes the knife against her wrist, bringing the glass below her wrist, the blood drops and seeps inside the glass. She remains in this position until the glass is half filled. Taking a towel from a servant standing behind her, she wipes her wrist and hands the glass over to Aidan.