Rami internally grimaced at the sight before him. It was rather comical, the Montagues all on one side of the family and the Capulets opposite them. Heated antagonistic glances from every angle.

This was definitely not going to end well.

He looked across to Jurie who was sitting across from him. He tried to catch her eye to smile at her, but if her fiery eyes even glanced towards him the flitted away just quickly as they came. He sighed as he felt Raihana's hand slip through his.

"You seem tired." she whispered in his ear leaning in dangerously close.

That was true, he was tired. He also felt guilty, he felt as if it was his fault that Jurie had to suffer. The old depression had started to come over him. He wasn't able to protect her. Raihana's closeness and their upcoming marriage only seemed to add to that disdain and as a result he answered as if trying to control his irritability.

"Yes I am."

"If you want to leave the party early..."

He closed his eyes as if trying to block her out but she kept talking. He opened his eyes to see Jurie staring at him and Raihana. He gave her a slight grimace and despite herself Jurie gave a bemused smile, which quickly turned to a fearsome look of what? Anger? Jealousy? Hatred?

For some reason Rami felt as if he had committed infidelity which was impossible considering he and Jurie weren't in relationship. Yet the sweet phantom like menace of the memory of her lips against his told him otherwise.

At the head of the table King Louis stood up. He was a tall stout man, of admittedly large stature. He would have been handsome had it not been for all the dead weight on his body. But indeed there was certain charm that you couldn't overlook.

He held up a champagne glass and using a small spoon that was held finely between his plump fingers and chimed it. Silence fell over the room. Marie Antoinette, the Crown Queen stood beside him.

Despite the ridiculous fashion of the French court Rami thought that she was one of the fairest most beautiful women he had ever seen. Though her bright blue dress was large he found the colour brought out the beauty of her sparkling blue eyes. Her hair though piled up terribly high was of a fair ashen colour. She wore no makeup, indeed she was a natural beauty, neither did she wear any jewels. She didn't need them. Yet she looked very queenly. The whole room was enraptured by her.

She smiled at them all, and one could see a sweet innocence of her smile. Like she didn't know why anybody could hate her. Rami reckoned she barely understood court politics. He felt it was this innocence that made her so detestable to the French population and so usable by the shrewd nobility.

King Louis spoke in a loud thundering voice.

"My friends Montagues and Capulets. Long have you defended the sanctity of the people of the world and the Five." Raised a glass to both Rami and Jurie to acknowledge them. "Today we hold small dinner. Tomorrow is when the real party begins and where we honour the world's most bravest assassins."

~~~~~

Jurie watched the progressions of the dinner quietly, but her mind never wondered too far from the couple that sat across from her. She had not missed their stolen glances, and the giggling beauty beside him. Nor their clasped hands under the table.

Rami and his accompanying girl. Of course he already had a girlfriend. Of course. And she had been foolish enough to submit her first kiss to him. A surge of emotions crashed over her, dousing her with betrayal, sadness, jealousy and a hard dose of reality. Her already declining self worth dropped and she couldn't shake off the feeling that she had merely been his play toy during their missions to keep him entertained.

Clenching her fists Jurie swallowed the lump that had begun to form in her throat and closed her eyes, pulling over her calm, detached, poker mask once again. When she opened them again, Rami was the first person in her vision. Curling satisfaction scratched inside her as she saw him flinch at the coldness residing within her eyes. Slowly, ice crawled over her heart, until it encased away, all the feelings she had ever felt with the man before her, freezing any tender moment they had once shared.

Never would it ever happen again, she vowed to herself.

Feeling a slight tap on her clenched hands, Jurie turned to Kenji, toning down her cold stare.

His eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes narrowed. "Are you okay?" He mouthed.

Dipping her head slightly in response, the young Shadow Princess gratefully accepted the strong touch of her best friend. Her attention was quickly gyrated to the endless stream of servants, dressed in puffy dress shirts and tight leggings who held silver covered platters in their hands. And on signal of the King, they all stepped forward, placing a one in front of each guest, that was seated at the table, simultaneously lifting up the lids.

There on a glistening white plate sat a bowl of mouth watering soup, and beside several slices of freshly baked bread to be dipped and a silver spoon, meticulously placed in the perfect spot, to complete the perfect plating. Delicately Jurie picked up the soup spoon, bringing it to her mouth, taking in the delicious wafting scent of onion, tomato and slow cooked beef. The first mouth-full was heavenly, the soup had a rich, smooth texture that melted in your mouth. So good that Jurie found herself scooping the soup into her mouth, craving for more after each spoonful. She never really ha western cuisine much at home so she took the chance to savour it. I mean she would never know when she would be back to try the food again.

She was so engrossed in the food that she completely forgot her hatred for the couple sitting opposite her on the long table that was currently serving both the Capulet and the Montague family.