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Chapter 3 - White Introductions

Nereyda

"Princess?" His voice was filled with air, as if he'd just been running laps around the forest. For that matter, he looked like he'd been running too, what with the sweat covering every inch of his skin. His sculpted, golden skin that was completely bare and glinting in the moonlight.

"Hello." I really didn't know how to deal with the situation in front of me. He was bent at the waist with his hands gripping his knees, his eyes squinting slightly as he took me in.

"What- What are you doing here?" He straightened, running a hand over his mouth and swaying a little as he did. It was then that I realised what he'd been doing in the bushes. I cringed slightly.

"Are you okay?" The question left me before I could think to stop it but I just couldn't help my concern at the green pallor of his skin.

"Couldn't be better," He leaned back against the wall and my eyes fell to his sculpted abdominal muscles. "You didn't answer my question."

I knew I hadn't; I'd been avoiding it. The rational reasons behind my reckless behaviour were extremely limited and I was pretty sure that he wouldn't take simple curiosity as an explanation.

I looked up at him, not saying anything. He gazed straight back at me for a few moments before letting out his breath in a heavy exhale. Then he looked away, leaning his head back against the dirty white wall. His veined forearms rippled as he clenched his fists, he seemed to be struggling with something.

"What is your name?" I hoped my question would distract him from whatever thoughts he was having trouble with.

The only light on the street came from a glowing gas lamp on the opposite side of the road. The orange burn cast long shadows over the derelict street corner where we stood. I could just make out the defined lines of his face in the low light and the smattering of evening stubble covering his jaw. His sharp blue eyes seemed to glow at me, the intensity in them making my breathing stutter. He really was gorgeous.

"Braeden," His voice was low and rough as he answered my question.

"It is nice to meet you Braeden, I am Nereyda." I wasn't sure why I was pushing our conversation so hard, but for some reason I really wanted him to like me.

He didn't reply to my introduction, but stared up at the tall buildings around us. You could just make out a glimpse of stars peeking from behind all of the high rise flats. I could hear Braeden's breathing clearly, it seemed that he was deliberately taking slow, deep breaths.

I approached him slowly and his blue eyes flicked to my face as I moved. "What troubles you Braeden?" My voice was impossibly softer, I didn't want to come across as too presumptuous.

He frowned at down me warily as if he expected me to make a move to attack him at any second. His obvious distrust told me more about my city's citizens than anything else.

"It's stupid really," He looked a little sheepish now but he kept eye contact with me nonetheless. He seemed unable to look away.

"I'm sure it is not..." I left my statement open for him to continue with his explanation.

"I had to fight," He breathed holding my gaze, "and I hate it." He coughed quietly after he spoke and looked away from me. I saw a faint pink tinge slide up his neck, his jaw working as he ground his teeth.

"Then why did you fight?" I didn't see why he was so embarrassed.

"To survive," He snapped. I blinked and took a step back at his aggressive response.

I felt my forehead crease in a frown but I didn't bother to correct my features, knowing that this lower class man knew nothing of upper class propriety.

"I'm sorry if I offended you," my gaze was downcast. I hadn't meant to provoke him and I knew that in theory I should stop speaking before I embarrassed myself again. "And I'm very sorry that you had no choice but to hurt someone, that is awful." I continued on quickly. My hands were clasped in front of me and I found myself scratching my thumb with the nail of my index finger.

Braeden looked back at me in surprise but I couldn't meet his eye. "Thank you," he said. "I didn't expect you to understand."

My eyes lightened at his kind response and my lips twitched with a repressed smile. "I know what it feels like to be forced into doing something," My thoughts went to my engagement and all happiness died on my lips.

"Sorry," I apologised when I realised that I had been staring into the distance for several seconds. "I just-" Had no idea what to say. It was my first time holding a proper conversation with anyone outside of the castle staff and I was starting to feel the nerves. Was this how normal people spoke? Or was I being far too proper?

"Don't worry," he said, "it's fine." His full pink lips lifted into a smile and my heartbeats tripped. His smile morphed into a smirk and I realised that he could hear my erratic pulse. My face heated and I took a few steps back.

"We really need to get away from here now," He pushed off the wall. "The palace guards will patrol this area soon and we don't want to be caught out after curfew," He winked at me. "It was nice meeting you...Nereyda." He started walking away.

"Wait!" I grabbed his arm but immediately released it when a spark went through me. "Sorry," I didn't even know what I was apologising for anymore. "It's just..." He looked at me expectantly. Spit it out Nereyda! "Will I see you again?" I twisted my hands in front of me as I asked the question and found that I was scratching my thumb again.

He looked surprised by my words and his dark eyebrows lifted fractionally as he stared at me. "I don't know," his lips twitched with amusement and I realised that he was laughing at me.

My expression grew fierce and I abandoned all thoughts of etiquette as I slapped his arm lightly. My eyes immediately widened and I lifted my hands to my mouth in horror. He laughed loudly at my shocked expression, leading me to drop my hands and glare at him again. I was trying to be nice by consoling him and he chose to make a joke out of my concern.

"I'm sorry," He apologised, still chuckling as he took my hand. Another zing went up my arm and his eyes flew to mine. He must have felt it too, there was no way that something as powerful as that was one sided.

He shook his head slightly as he dropped my hand and moved back. "You'll see me again," He smiled one last time before turning and walking back inside the silent building he must have come out of.

I was left standing in the middle of a deserted road alone. I didn't particularly like using my leopard senses, they always gave me a headache but I reached out my hearing now, listening for the palace guard Braeden had described.

I heard him a couple of blocks away, his even, clicking steps immediately telling me who it was. I sighed silently before avoiding the guard and making my way back to the castle.

+++++

The soft silvery bell chimed the hour, telling me it was time for me to rise from my bed. I sat up and looked around the vast white chamber that I called my own. My head throbbed with the headache I knew was a result of using my leopard abilities the night before.

I had tried to personalise the room as much as I could, despite the one colour policy. White wooden carvings of flowers were hung up around the room and decorative glass ornaments lay around on the many blank surfaces.

There were two sharp raps on my door before my personal maids came in, their expressions clear as always. They helped me out of bed and proceeded to get me ready for my day. I left them outside whilst I showered before allowing them to help me lace my corset and many other layers of clothing. They then brushed and braided my hair. No one spoke.

I stood after they'd finished my hair, thinking that we were done for the morning as was our usual routine but Amberly, the maid on the left, curtseyed slightly, indicating that she had something to say.

"Yes Amberly?" They needed my permission to speak in my chambers. Everything in the castle was very restricted which I didn't necessarily like, but then, who was I to question the rules.

"You have a guest visiting today your highness," She bowed her head as she spoke. "Lord Oscar."

I sat back down at my vanity obediently and in shock. No one had informed me prior to today that I would be meeting my fiancee. Had I known, I most certainly wouldn't have been so reckless last night.

Staring at myself in the mirror I tried to make out if I had any dark circles under my eyes. I couldn't see any but that didn't mean that they weren't there.

"Amberly, please make sure I look fresh." I was pretty sure that she knew I had left the castle last night but, like Simon, she was very opposed to most of the palace rules and I knew that she wouldn't tell anyone. "And call for the physician please," I tagged on precipitously, my headache still pounding in the background.

"Of course, your highness." She curtseyed again and the other maid left to gather makeup supplies.

I sat still whilst another maid came in to help with the makeup. I only saw her on special occasions, Gwen I think her name was. She was an artist and the best at painting in the city. She could make the ugliest face look stunning if you gave her the right tools.

Before she could start on my face, the physician entered, a frazzled looking old man. He lead me through a check-up, not speaking but gesturing with his hands. He checked my eyes, my mouth and my gait before nodding and leaving to retrieve what I assumed would be some sort of remedy.

An hour later the maids were finished with my make up and the physician had returned to apply a clear ointment to my temples. My stomach had started to rumble but I repressed the hunger by force of will. I couldn't eat breakfast today, my maids would have to tighten my corset soon.

Just then my mother entered the room, swathed in trailing white robes. A glistening diamond tiara sat perched atop her red hair. She, like Oscar, was a tiger changeling. It was very important that a snow leopard mated with a tiger because the witches had declared that it guaranteed a higher probability of snow leopard children. Lord Oscar was one of the only eligible tiger changeling bachelors in the land.

My mother held herself perfectly still and I envied the way she seemed to hold her perfect posture and blank face with no effort whatsoever. I marvelled at the way she seemed to point her nose in the air in a haughty gesture but at the same time managed to make herself seem submissive in an utterly proper way.

She held a white jewelry box in her hands and I allowed myself a moment's excitement.

"Nereyda I can see your excitement all over your face," Her voice was exceedingly soft, despite her scolding words.

I quickly cleared my face and cast my gaze downwards. "I'm sorry mama." I felt like a small child, although in reality I was turning eighteen in one month.

The way she walked looked like she was floating on the air, beautiful and perfect. She floated over and placed the box on the table in front of me. I held my breath as she raised the lid.

Inside was my tiara. I'd never been able to wear it before today as you were only supposed to wear a tiara once you became of age. My parents must have figured that this was a special enough occasion to break it out early.

Her long white fingers teased the tiara out of its velvet lining and she placed it gently on my head. Immediately Amberly started securing it in place with various clips.

"You understand the importance of today don't you Nereyda," My mother spoke again.

I didn't understand how she could be so patronising when she spoke in such a soft voice. "Yes mama, I understand." I didn't look directly at her but I could see her towering over me in the reflection of the mirror.

"Good," She gazed at me for one more moment before sweeping out of the room. I knew she didn't like talking, she prefered to keep her conversation to a minimum. That was why she and my father got on so well, although I personally didn't see how they could be in love if they never spoke to each other. I hoped I could love with Oscar.

Another hour later I stood in the foyer of the castle, waiting to greet my fiancee. I took fast shallow breaths, my nervousness rearing its head and my corset restricting my breathing. I scratched my thumb in front of me.

"What is wrong with you Nereyda, must you be so rude as to fidget?" My mother chastised me lowly.

There were guards lining the walls leading up to the castle's main entrance and maids stood in a line at the back of the hall, all on hand and ready to serve the King's needs.

My father swept in then, his voluminous wolf fur robes trailing behind him. His white hair fell to his chin, framing his angular jawline and cheekbones. His facial features were hard and manly but I knew that when he spoke his voice would be as soft as a feather.

The doors opened then, sliding without a sound. A parade of people walked in, all standing in perfect formation. At the head of the crowd was a man with cropped auburn hair. His handsome face was completely blank. I could see why my father approved of him as a husband for me.

My heart rate sped up and I began to feel rather light headed. I struggled in vain to slow my shallow breathing. I would not faint, I would not faint.

Lord Oscar's procession made close to no sound as they swam into the centre of the foyer to face us. There was another red headed man standing just behind Lord Oscar. This one's hair was slightly longer and, upon closer inspection, I was horrified to see that his face had been badly beaten up. I was totally confused at this, what reason would an upper class aristocrat have to find himself in such a state of disrepair? He caught my horrified stare and I was shocked to see his lips lift in a smirk. He couldn't be from this city, he obviously didn't know the social etiquette.

"Welcome," My father's voice was like smooth velvet, low enough that I had to strain to hear him. People said he spoke so quietly because his beast was extremely close to the surface and therefore incredibly sensitive to noise.

"I'm honoured your majesty," Lord Oscar bowed slightly at the waist. "I apologise for my brother, he spends most of his time running after monkeys in the Annellian jungle." Oscar kept his gaze fixed on the floor as he spoke, showing his respect. However I thought his words hadn't seemed all that respectful, to my amateur ears at least.

My father waved his hand through the air, clearing Oscar's concerns. He then turned and quickly left the room. Typical.

My mother took over now, ever the perfect wife. "The maids will show your staff to their quarters." There was a bustle of movement as the maids led the servants away with all their luggage. "The good Lord's brother?" She directed her clear gaze at the beaten up redhead.

"The name's Deacon you highness," his lips twitched at something only he found amusing.

"I will show you to your chambers." She started to lead him up the left curving staircase that was perfectly symmetrical to the right one.

That was her leaving me alone with Lord Oscar. I started to panic slightly and, just before I disgraced myself by calling out to her, she turned around and said, "Nereyda would be delighted to give you a tour of the gardens, Lord Oscar." She then turned and floated up the staircase away from me.

I was sure my alarm was painted on my face. I tried in vain to restrain my features as I looked back at Oscar. "Hi," I squeaked. 

--- A/N ---

I recently edited this and managed to cut the word count by 400. I think it might still be quite waffly though, for which I apologise. I will have another editing/cutting session at a later date. Concerning the chapter; I wonder what Lord Oscar will be like? Will he be stoic and silent or will he be nice? Or will he be really mean and make Nereyda's life hell? Let me know what you think! - Love, Zoe ;)