The King Trials 2: Beyond.

Nine cycles ago.

The Third Equinox

Sahrul 1004

“I cannot believe it,” Seliah squealed, her arm tightly looped around mine.

She gazed through the scenery, her eyes sparkling with wonder. Everything was spectacular. The highborn crowd robed in majestic gowns and fabrics. The decoration was a phantasmagoria of colours that shone wonderful hues on the walls, floral garlands hung from the ceiling.

A jubilant ballad washed over the crowd, most of them instantly grouped up in pairs and whisked across the dance floor like the wings of a butterfly fluttering in the wind.

“Our first solstice ball” She shrieked another excited sequel.

“There are so many nobles I recognise! And ones I do not, possibly even royals.”

My eyes combed through the glittering masses. I recognised a few but none I would voluntarily greet, and I hoped they too felt the same way.

“Take a look at the star of the show,” she said, elbow digging into me.

I followed her line of sight to a thick clump surrounding a nobleman, noticeably young, an older adolescent, our age. He had dark luxuriant hair that reached his neck with one of those rare smiles, a prominent feature.

“That is Herem Vince-Esputo Ethane,” Seliah whispered in her gossip voice. “The eldest, heir to his Regnum and unbelievably handsome.”

He had enraptured those around him with his mere words. I observed his audience for a moment, mainly drooling noble girls and a few noblemen of an older age, most likely friends of his.

“Look how they are basically eating out of his hand.” She looked back at me with a thrilled look and quirked her brows at me. “What do you think of him?”

I looked back at her strangely. “Why does my opinion matter?”

“Do not act coy, Rorie,” she said with a tincture of reproach. “You and I will be of age soon, and you know your mother probably has a list of eligible candidates at the ready. She distraught father, harassing him to permit us to go as an excuse for husband hunting. The least we could do is have our own list of worthy inheritors.”

She snorted, and we both shared a laugh.

“That is a day I dread greatly but….” My gaze evaluated the popular Herem. “I refuse to judge before I had the chance to know someone, but I feel as if Herem Vince and I would clash. He’s too… gaudy, and a—”

“war-hungry Ethane? A bloodthirsty Emikrollian?” She scoffed; her tone soured. “Please do not tell me you believe in those outlandish stories meant to amuse. It may be true, but my beloved sister; a person can be more than their lineage.”

She bopped a shoulder. “I am living proof.”

“I know,” I said apologetically.

“Oo,” she chirped. Someone in the distance caught her gaze.

“How do I look?” She teased the neckline of her chiffon dress.

“Breath-taking.”

She rolled her eyes. “You are only saying that because you picked out the dress.”

I gaped at her. “That is because you said your breasts looked non-existent in the other, and all the other ones Pinta exhibited were of poor taste. Sometimes I forget who is the Hera between you and I.”

She freed a quick burst of scornful laughs, then she cut herself off abruptly. “The Domina will never let me forget it.”

She unfastened our arms to walk head of me, spinning around, walking backwards slowly.

“This is my new favourite obsession, the only colour I look best in.” She placed a flattened hand beside her mouth to cover it from the one side. “Wish me good fortune with Count Vermont’s son.”

She revolved and melted into the crowd, catching only glimpses of turquoise.

I milled around awkwardly. I soon felt a tap on my shoulder.

I revolved.

Valencia stared back at me with a provoking smile that just seemed threatening. She was one of the daughter of Domus Eilos, a sister to a Herem Markiveus.

She has three other standoffish lackeys behind her.

“Hera Aurora, I am both delighted and surprised to see you here, at a social event.”

I smiled uncomfortably. “As am I.”

Her eyes ringed with amethyst glisten with malice. “I see the one but not the other. Where is that half-breed sister of yours?” She looked past me dramatically, craning her neck from side to side. “How kind of you to embrace her so, and how bold of you to flaunt your Regnum’s shame alike to a charitable cause. I long for such confidence.”

Her head levelled, glaring at me with a venomous smile. “Though to an extent, you can never embrace her fully. For she will always be an outcast, a brand of disgrace. Borne out of desperation for a legitimate heir, as you are the sole pureblood descendant. How unfortunate for you both.”

Anger flared with every breath I took.

She cocked her head to the side. “Goodness, how she must despise you.”

I gawked at her, rendered speechless by outrage. “You—you know nothing of us. She does not hate me as I do not hate her—”

“Oh, she will not say a word about it, of course,” Valencia said with a flourish of her manicured hand. “She will be perceived to be a grateful, little hybrid. But inside, she bears a silent loathing. She was ripped from her true kin and people to be placed into a new world, a society that condemns bastards and spurns halflings.”

“Is that so?” I questioned.

She smiled back at me wryly.

I whipped around and took a brief moment to search until I found her. “Oh, look.” I point her out, conversing intimately with Vermont’s son, who looked utterly taken by her. “My sister, the halfling who enthrals all she meets. Magnificent. Legitimate. And does not require your validation.”

I turned to face her. “Though in your eyes she is inferior. She is worth a thousand of you.”

Valencia stepped forward but bit down on a retort as another drifted towards us.

“Heras,” the highborn greeted.

He was absolutely dashing, his golden mane the same hue of Achilles gold with enchanting blue eyes like pearls of the ocean. He wore his Regnums colours co-ordinated with an emerald sash embroidered with his Regnum’s crest on it.

He is from Regnum Cain.

Valencia powered on a charming smile; any hint of spite drained away. “Herem Solaris, what an honour.” She dips into a curtsey. “I was merely welcoming Hera Aurora; this is her first solstice ball I believe.” She glanced at me as if I was going to confirm it for her. “At least the first time I have seen her here.”

Her attention laced around him as her gaze explored him thoroughly. She perked up. “Oh.” She pointed a finger to the ceiling, then clasped her hands. “I adore this song, a rendition of Bakuna, a rising sun. Can I be as courageous as to ask, would care to have this dance?”

Herem Solaris shone a radiant beam. “I would love to.”

Her smile flourished.

“However.”

Her grin slipped off her face.

He looked at me, and my heart leapt. Whilst gazing deeply into my eyes, he said, “I already promised the Hera Aurora a dance.”

“When?” She blurted. She quickly covered her shock, amending her posture. “I only ask because she had just arrived.”

“The Hera and I are close friends; we have tea parties almost every day.” I smothered a laugh. He offered me his arm. “Shall we?”

I smile back at him gratefully. “We shall, dear friend.” I placed my forearm on his, our palms touching.

Herem Solaris led me towards the dancefloor, leaving a seething Valencia behind.

“Herem Solaris, you have my thanks.” I fixed my eyes forward. “You rescued me, a Hera in dire distress, I will never forget your heroics.”

He chuckled heartily. “Do not thank me, my actions were purely self-motivated.” He spared me a lustrous smile. “I heard murmurs of the Valwa half-sisters, the lone Hera. I wanted a chance to behold you for myself.”

“I hope the tales do not disappoint.”

“In a way.” He stopped us and reeled me close to him, grasping my hand to hold it aloft, his other rested on my waist. “The tales do neither of you justice, unable to measure the multitude of your splendour.”

Herem Solaris directed the dance, and I easily fell into step with him.

“Us both? Have you seen my sister before?”

He nodded;his eyes were a-glimmer with intrigue over his affable smile. “Only in passing. As I am certain that it is what it will remain to be. Fleeting.”

We were one with music, swaying to every strum, aligned with every change. His gaze never wavered. He spun me around and brought me back to him and before my back could hit his chest; he raised me into air. I gazed down at him and still our gaze never broke.

“I believe some jewels are meant to be kept, and others are only meant to be beheld.”

He set me back down and stared into my eyes like he saw some kind of truth in them.

“Rorie!”

His eyes reacted urgently to the sound, darting over my head.

I swivelled around to watch Seliah dashing towards me and before I knew she had flung her arms around me and pulled away to hold me at arm’s length.”

“He invited me to his summer estate to tour his gardens! He said that the blooms this season blossoms as beautifully as I!”

“I am very happy for you, but I was—” I rotated around only to see that the Herem had vanished. My gaze sifted through the romping throng, but he was truly gone.

I refaced Seliah; she examined me with a perplexed smile. “You were what?”

I shrugged slowly. Unsure of what had just happened.

“Nothing… I suppose.”