Ariadne studied Lena. The princess of Altoria. Water Fae and Kallen's sister. She wondered just who Lena's father was. It couldn't have been Kallen's, because his skin was pale where Lena's was a rich tan, almost olive. There were other subtle differences, but that was the most noticeable.

Ariadne smiled weakly, and dipped into a deep curtsy.
"Your highness, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Lena smiled like a fox, and Ariadne shivered. Fae were dangerous, but she had a feeling that Lena was more dangerous than the others. Ariadne would have to tread with caution. Even more so than before.

Kallen appeared from nowhere and stood by Lena's side, a hand casually sat on her shoulder; Lena didn't seem to mind, in fact she smiled.

"What are my two favourites talking about?"

Ariadne didn't hesitate.
"How beautiful Altoria is... It's-it's breathtaking."

"That it certainly is-for some people," Lena sang.

Ariadne took a step back and looked at Kendra, or she would have if Kendra had been standing there. She had disappeared. Ariadne scanned the room, and found her newfound friend stood all the way back by the doors, with the rest of what she presumed were the other servants. Kendra smiled weakly and barely nodded her head once, encouraging her.

Ariadne tilted her chin up and faced the Princess.
"Tell me about this dance, I wish to know more," she swallowed back the fear that kept creeping up her throat.

"What can I say... It's a ball really. There's dancing, debauchery... Food, wine," it was the Prince that answered.

"Sometimes there's a death or two," Lena smiled.

Kallen scowled at his sister, his eyebrows carving out a path of their own on his forehead.

Ariadne thumbed the necklace beneath her clothes again. God's she wished her mother was here. Lena's eyes swept to Ariadne's fingers, and Ariadne let go of the ring. Lena tilted her head at Ariadne.

"What's this? I spy something shiny," Lena stepped towards Ariadne.

Ariadne braced herself for the hands around her throat that did not come. She opened her eyes, she didn't know when she had closed them, but she had.

Kallen was looking at her, his brow once again marred with a frown.

"My sister is somewhat a magpie. Please excuse her," Kallen laid a hand on his sisters bare elbow.

Lena tugged at Kallen's hand, but he would not let go. Lena seethed at him, her turquoise eyes swirling with barely contained anger.

Ariadne looked between the pair. They were complete polar opposites. One was shadows and darkness, the other, light and raging fury. Ariadne knew which one she would choose to surrender to. Almost too easily, too quickly. It would be Kallen.

His darkness called to her, soothed her fear. Her heartbeat slowed as she glanced at his hand holding back Lena.

She glanced at Lena. Her face was still calm, but her eyes...

They raged like crashing waves.

Ariadne felt the anger rolling off of her, it crested over Ariadne's skin; and she took a step back. Wave after wave kept on coming. It ebbed and flowed like a tide, before it rushed again.

Ariadne had reached her limit.

"ENOUGH!" She cried.

The lights in the chandelier broke, as glass cracked and tinkled as it fell, hitting the floor in a musical cascade of shards. Ariadne stared at Lena, meeting her anger with her own. It was fire, the blazing touch of the sun.

Lena flinched.

Kallen let go of Lena's elbow, and she retreated to the wooden chair next to the larger one, no doubt Kallen's.

Ariadne took in a deep breath and held up her hands, surrendering. She took a step towards Kallen. He smiled, wryly. Ariadne took to a Knee, bowing her head.

"Please excuse me your majesty. I have... Anger problems sometimes, sometimes it gets the better of me," she mumbled.

She felt a hand under her chin, and slowly, so tantalisingly slowly, her eyes met his.

"Do not apologise. You are my guest here, and as such should be treated with respect. I owe you a life debt after all," he glanced over his shoulder to Lena.

Lena glared at her brother, but said nothing, instead she rolled her eyes.

"Fine! I apologise, just... Just tell your pet, no more shinies," she sighed. Bored.

Kallen reached out a hand for Ariadne to take.

She took it, slowly, unsure of herself. No, unsure of him.

Kallen let his hand fall, and watched as Ariadne stood up. Her face met his briefly, he saw it then. The unveiled fire flashing in her eyes. He smiled.

Ariadne's hands went behind her neck, and she unchained the thin threads of gold. It fell into her hands, and she carefully clasped it closed again. The chain dangled from her fingers. Lena's eyes immediately zeroed in on the ring. So did Kallen's.

For the first time, Lena frowned at Ariadne, her fingers drummed out a static beat on the arms of her throne. Kallen's face was blank, unreadable. Ariadne supposed that's what you got when faced with a king.

This was wrong, all wrong. Ariadne just wanted to go home.

Tentatively, Ariadne approached the king and handed him the necklace.

"Please look after it. It's the only thing I have left of my father," she pleaded quietly.

Kallen nodded and placed it in a pocket hidden somewhere in his impeccably tailored jacket. Lena's eyes swept sideways and Kallen noticed. Lena flinched like she had been electrocuted and slumped ever so slightly in her chair.

"You have my word, it will NEVER leave my side, I'll look after it until my dying breath," the king proclaimed.

Ariadne shivered as cold fingers danced down her spine. The shiver of truth, her mother called it.

Kallen snapped his fingers, making Ariadne jump. A third, finer chair, more ornate than Lena's appeared next to the Kings side on the left.

It had a high back, made from intricate lattice work, complete with carved wings spreading out from each one of the arms. They swept back and up in a graceful echo of a bird in flight. It was eerie and beautiful at the same time. The legs were slim but sturdy as Ariadne settled her weight into the chair.

For a chair made wholly of wood and without a single cushion, it was rather comfy. Ariadne leant back into the chair all the way and turned her head to face Kallen.

Kallen's eyes were already on her, watching her. Waiting.

"I like this chair," Ariadne smiled.

"Good, it's yours," Kallen replied.

Ariadne fumbled with her next words.
"W-what do you- wait a second. What do you mean?"

"I say what I mean, and what I mean is... That chair is yours and yours alone. I had it made for you," Kallen whispered quietly.

Ariadne thought nothing of it, until she looked sideways at Lena. Her nails dug into the wood, and Ariadne could mentally hear the wood screaming in her mind. Ariadne forced herself to block it out. She winced ever so slightly when Lena finally removed her nails from the arm of her chair.

A ghost of a smile lit up Lena's mouth.

Ariadne ignored it.

"How long does this ball go on for?" Ariadne asked, curious.

It was not the king who answered, but Lena.

"Several days. Some years, it's lasted months," her voice was laced with venom.

Ariadne could taste it on her tongue like sour apples.

"What has been the longest one?" Ariadne swallowed, fear crept back up her arms.

Silence filled the room. She looked at Kallen, his jaw was tight, unmoving. Had she said something wrong. She went to apologise but was cut off by Lena speaking again. Her voice was quiet, almost nonexistent.

"Two years..." Lena sighed, it was one of pain.

"It was before the nine day war that broke the courts apart. Tore brother from brother, turned mother against son..."

"Because he wanted her, and he wouldn't have anyone else, bloody fool!" Lena spat the last words.

Ariadne sat back. Her mind was shockingly quiet as she absorbed the information. Her fingers crept to the empty space where her necklace should be. She remembered she'd taken it off and handed it over to the king. She felt its loss, like she'd lost a limb.

Hollow...

Two years...

Nine day war...

God's, Ariadne hoped that this ball. This dance of the damned as it was called would last remarkably less than that. She hoped with every fibre of her being it would only last a couple of hours.

She would have to wait and see.