Finally her ceremony is here. Penelope had quite outdone herself for the decor of the ballroom that looked absolutely glamorous. She didn't listen to Cleo's wants, but did it her own way. The traditional way.

For the Elemental of Fire she used shades of orange and reds and blended them with hints of black—  evident in the thick cotton curtains that blew around from the open floor-to-ceiling windows;  looking like a tornado of red, orange and a little black swathing the busy ballroom into a sea of colour.

Then the tables that lined either side of the room were also filled to the brim with desserts, snacks and drinks. Just spotting a moon cake from where she stood made her stomach grumble reminding her that she hasn't eaten all day. And it was already nearing sunset.

She curls her bare feet beneath her long dress and rubs her stomach in circles before passing her people from the Village that has been dying to speak with her, to which she responded their questions with fake smiles; and  continued to the snacking table.

There are many many many, villagers. She didn't realize this was how many people that liked and adored her. It almost made her smile. And them coming all the way here just showed how dedicated they were and, believed in her and in this legacy that has been going on for many years. If Cleo herself were a villager, she would not give a shit about any of this and live her life freely in the Village. So this... It had to be important for them.

She swallows hard.

The women in particular looked riveting in their absurd yet magnanimous gowns, some intricately woven with so many colours and materials they could surpass as a rainbow and some just looked down strange with far too revealing dresses— with cleavage and breasts that were practically spilling out from the corset right into the open. Cleo struggled to stray her gaze away from it, no matter how disturbing they looked. She didn't know that one breast could be bigger than the other. She better check hers again.

Then there were some others that looked ten times more attractive than she did. She was a little concerned about the woman dressed as a peacock. The hat seemed overly large for her small head.

The men on the other hand... Ugh.

She did appreciate the looks she received from some of them. Who knew Village men could be handsome? She even managed a few flirtatious looks right back, causing the younger ones in particular to blush.

Then the children. Don't get her started. They are like babies that cling to you for dear life and never let go. How could you manage that on your own? The only child she liked, appreciated and would most likely take care of, would be Thane. He didn't compare to these overly dressed kids as well.

She also noticed a few sour and dissatisfied looks towards her. Cleo gave those one's her neutral face. Why come in the first place if they didn't like her? It could have made this unceasingly rambunctious room less deafening. The noise made her ears ring and buzz, just the way it did at the Demon tower.

The noise of chatter, gossiping and laughing and glass clinking drifted out through the large windows as the hot dry air wafted in blowing apart her low bun she asked the maid for, at the nape of her neck. The atmosphere was something mixed. Containing joy and excitement and also holding dread and anguish. She couldn't decide which one was the most prominent in the room, but from simply walking around the room in her barefeet certainly did its work at allowing her to feel what the environment felt like...

Drenched of emotion.

Some could be waiting for her crowning to be successful. Whilst others could be awaiting her death.

She was awaiting both.

She inhales another moon cake, relishing in it's phenomenal taste before grabbing a glass of wine from a servant that passed her by with a tray. His blue eyes glimmers so much she thinks she mistook it for a wink.

She gulps that down too, throwing her head back and allowing the alcohol to burn her throat and slowly do its work to make her feel a buzz shortly after a few more glasses. Now where was that cute servant?

"Miss!"

She turns around to face the servant that never stops frowning.

"Yes?"

She leans down to palm her knees as if she had to run a hundred yards to find her. Her eyes are huge with embarrassment before she collected herself gave a small bow and met her eyes.

"Landon, requests you come back to greet your people at the doors, as that gives a good first impression and an instant warmth for the ceremony to come."

"I already did."

"You were there for five minutes."

"That's more than anything I have ever done. Landon should be proud."

She grimaces and shrugs her shoulders. "I think you should go back Miss. For Landon's sake."

Cleo smiles at the girl and left after that. Right after finding a new glass of wine of course. Two to be exact. She could say the other was for Landon.

Right after she squeezes between two women that were fanning themselves, she goes to exit  the ballroom to head towards the foyer a few hallways from here to greet more of her people.

She rolls her eyes at the tiresome and unnecessary gesture she had to uphold. As she walks down the quiet hallway with too much sunlight, she takes a sip first from the one glass and then the other; alternating between the two. This worked much better and faster than just the one.

She tilts her head back again emptying the one glass, but decides to keep the other for the greetings she had to make. She feels that she will need it desperately then.

As she slowly brings her head down from the glass, she barges right into a soft person.

"Oh excuse me, I apologize. I am so silly tonight-"

Mira if she was not mistaken. She looks flabbergasted like they were meeting for the first time again and holds her cream shawl tightly against her chest.

"My apologies."

Cleo replies before giving her a once-off; nearly feeling jealous that her dress looked somewhat more beautiful than hers, but remembered that she hated her dress as well so she feels nothing towards it. Her hair is done in a simple bun and her silver dress went exceptionally well with her eyes. Why did it have to fit her figure so well?

Cleo wrinkles her nose.

The girl is still shocked so she says nothing. She didn't even blink.

Cleo can't really believe that this was Jezio's sister. The annoying and busy-body prick. She based her decision on how Mira is as a person, entirely on her emotions. She still didn't approve of her. She also didn't like that they were so close.

Thinking back to when she saw Jezio kiss another girl made her blood boil inside of her. Why couldn't anyone just like her?

Cleo hands the empty glass to Mira to which she took without hesitation, before turning her back to her after seeing those honey-coloured eyes solely focusing on her arms and left.

She doesn't know why she came along. Did that mean that Jezio would be here? Not that Cleo had a problem with it. She had Kaleb here for her anyway. She was definitely not going to ask Mira anything about Jezio.

Jez can go kiss her ass.

                                                     °°°

Mira felt like her chest was tightening with each second she spent in the presence of her. She could at least breathe after she turned around and left. She practically gulped down fresh air from the open windows in the hallway and held her hand to her chest feeling her thundering heart.

Even seeing her made her feel more sick. Her belly roiled and spasmed. It felt nearly like how she would feel on her cycle. Even her mouth tasted foul. Her throat is as dry as stone and her dress feels like plastic wrapped around her, suffocating her lungs — making it harder to breathe.

She was having the symptoms of a panic attack. And also guilt.

She made it to the ballroom faster than the speed of light and could almost kiss an old man's feet that a servant trot by with a tray of filled red wine glasses. She places the empty one that the Elemental gave her onto the tray and takes a filled one in its place.

The wine is like the cure for her. She washes down the taste in her mouth, and the tumult in her belly fast; not even taking note of the people and the beautifully decorated ballroom.

She swirls half of the wine that was left facing the open  back doors from where she entered for any indication of Crawford. He said she had to go first and show her invitation and he would join in after a few. Act natural. Drink wine. Talk with a few people and don't seem suspicious. That's what he whispered in her ear just before they got out of the carriage.

He also told her that the plan would fall into place. She didn't even know what the plan was. She had no idea what was going to happen with her here, only hoped that it went right.

She looks away after seeing more people enter in their fancy clothing and this time listens to the mage by making herself look comfortable and to fit in. She sends a few fake smiles to some gossipy women and more to some men that wouldn't stop gawking at her.

The place was beginning to get packed. The entire ballroom was already as it is, but it suddenly looks smaller with all the people filling up nearly every empty spot. And the noise is loud too. But she was used to this, waking up to this sound each and every morning was something to get used to. Living in Court must be so peaceful compared to the Village.

The tables that lined the room on either side was made of spotless glass, Mira took steps closer and couldn't help herself by rubbing her finger over the smooth glass and linen that covered it. The entire Court screamed wealth and riches. How could anyone turn this down? No wonder Adelaide wanted to be here so bad.

When she glances to the ceiling, she physically gasped at the resplendent chandelier that shown diamonds hanging from above with a few spots of golden glitter shining like stars over the entire ballroom. It reminded her of her eye colour.

Mira then remembers something and scans the room even though she was too small to properly look for hints of Adelaide and Zalaena. Instead her gaze got caught to the front of the ballroom, where a circle was kept separated from the rest of the room by vintage candelabrums which was probably where the Elemental would be crowned. The place remained open with no evidence of a crown or anything like that. All she saw was the long table that faced the crowd which must be where all the elite courtesans would be dining tonight.

She can't really make out anything past all the people swarming about, but she could have sworn she saw Kaleb. The thought of him made the ache in her body dissappear. Including the ache that Lucian left behind.

She then spots him for real this time. He stood against a wall with his one hand on the pommel of his sword and he was searching the crowd, like he was looking for someone;  or he could be doing his guard duties, Mira wasn't certain.

He stood a little bit odd to her, even his figure from the last time she saw him, seemed more lean. She wondered what happened in the Court. It could not have been the agriculture problem, since the food offered here was more than one could ever ask for. The last time she heard from him, was at the tavern where he held her and did those investigations — which has also probably gone down the drain by now.

She keeps her eyes glued to him, loving the high she receives from seeing him. The blood flow to her cheeks, the way her heart beat faster and how her hands became clammy indicating nerves or excitement. She had a bit of both.

She takes a sip of the cool wine, cooling her frisky hot body inside before glancing back his way, just to see him already watching her.

Their eyes locked for a few moments, deeply staring into one another's eyes and it felt like the world stood still around them. It was just them. Her heart beats even faster until she could hear her loud breathing, and the blood shattering in her ears.

She swallows and raises her chin to him. He nods to her, clenches that beautiful jawline but doesn't turn his gaze away from hers. He begins to frown at her and shook his head, but just as she was going to frown back and maybe even walk towards him; a cold hand roughly grabs her wrist, circling their fingers around it.

"Finally. I made it past."

She knew who it was before turning to face him. Those cold cold rings. She grimaces and tugs her hand to her chest, sending Crawford and his hideous elongated face a disgusted look.

He rolls his eyes. "She was giving me a tough time, even threatened to use her power along with her guards to kick me out." He clicks his tongue, narrowing his eyes as he searches the sea of villagers, nearly the same way Kaleb did.

"Until I told her that she would regret that decision. And I needed to be here, because she sure as hell is going to need me."

Mira ignores him and even takes a step away from him, not interested in the least about him and the Elemental. She then swathes her gaze back to where Kaleb stood but he was gone.

She stands on her tip toes, her turn searching for his face in the crowd. But there was no sign of him, nor Adelaide and Zalaena. She didn't know whether to be grateful or disappointed about that.

"Mirabella. Come, we have things to do. It's time for the show to begin."

Crawford smiles brilliantly with a hint of mischief as he held his hand out for her his pale skin looking even more sickly in the bright room. She was hesitant at first. But she remembered why she was doing this, and if it costed the death of the Elemental. So be it.

She places her warm clammy hand into his icy cold one, and he led her deeper within the crowd, right  toward the heart of the room.