Charm Kills Quicker than the Blade

"My Queen, my vast apologies." Lanshu began as he bowed with Destiny at his side.

Queen Adelaide looked as though she were going to silently pull the man's head off, but she smiled despite the death-glare on her face. "I'm just glad we've seemed to finally find you, my ward. I see you brought company with you as well." Her voice was as silky as the blonde hair that neatly sat upon her flawless face.

Queen Adelaide was the most beautiful woman in the entire world. Rumor had it she was crafted that way by her parents, and some even suggested she had never actually been born - but created in the very labs she resided over in her ivory tower.

No one dared to say that to her in person, though. Everyone just complimented the bombshell, and tried to stay on her good side. With all the resources and power Adelaide had accumulated for the past thousand years, no one dared to cross her - and everyone wanted to be her ally.

In fact, it was her who nearly single-handedly kept peace amongst the realms, for no one wanted to fight the ferocious Chimera armies, or be on the opposition's end of their magical weapons. When it came to R&D, Adelaide was centuries above the rest.

For these reasons, Destiny gave the Queen a respectful, full bow from her waist before she addressed her with those same fingers that flowed so well. 'I am so sorry, Queen Adelaide. I took your wards company. I wanted to be the one to apologize since I distracted him.'

The way Adelaide replied to her shocked her to the deep part of her soul - for no one - /no one/ had ever replied to Destiny in the same manner she had communicated --- with her hands.

'My sweet child, you owe me no apologies. It is everyone here who should apologize to you. If you did indeed take my ward's time, then I find it well spent. It is a shame what Vincent has done to your honor this evening. Would you like me to say something?' Adelaide stood from her position and came to meet Destiny with a motherly air of affection around her.

....but for some reason, that affection felt as though it had thorns attached to it. The woman wasn't evil by any sorts, but in no way did Destiny trust her to make benevolent decisions on her behalf.

'That is most gracious, your majesty,' Destiny began. 'However, I do not deserve your support or words. Your nation is too powerful to speak up for a small capitol as mine.'

Adelaide looked very pleased at the young woman's response and smiled. This time, she spoke. "Lanshu, it is good you've spent your time wisely this evening. Your company is intelligent and lovely. However.... I do need to speak with you concerning a few things. I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I borrowed my ward from you for a bit?"

Destiny quickly shook her head as though she had asked Adelaide herself for Lanshu's presence. She didn't want to stir the 'nest' that was Adelaide's patience. It was said that one wrong word could earn you a slice to the neck - figuratively or otherwise. 'No, your majesty. I wouldn't dare have you ask for your own ward's presence. Allow me to take my absence.'

"You're a very sharp young lady, Destiny. I will be happy to tell your father of your behavior. Perhaps we can work a deal out in some way. This marriage of a Protean and a Succubus is a very dangerous union. Especially when that Protean is a half-bred Dragon. We can discuss that another time, however. I'll return Lanshu to your side briefly."

With how cordially and sweetly Adelaide spoke, it didn't do any good to settle Destiny's nerves and suspicions. In her experience, the nicer someone spoke to you - the more sinister their plans were. Adelaide was no different.

The night went back to that of a dull punishment as she watched couples dance and friends gossip. Hell, even the usually quite and reclusive Werewolf clan and come to celebrate, even with their Queen being pregnant.

It was an incredible sign of trust, so they must have been good friends with Vincent -- or Kalinda... but did it matter? It still crushed her to imagine that once, all of this was supposed to be for her, but the sadness washed away a lot quicker since she had met Lanshu.

Destiny barely picked at the assortment of foods, and completely avoided the sweets - however, the alcohol was beautifully crafted here, and unlike the wine she knew at sea which was briny and salted, this was sweet and earthy, and she couldn't get enough of the flavor.

One glass after the other she gulped down different colors and flavors of wine, as she had found that far more enjoyable than anything else available to her at the moment. Reds, whites, even a rose - they were all delicious in their own way, but she liked the 'earthy' tones the most. It was so opposite from her home that it felt the most exotic, and soon her stomach was filled with more alcohol than food, and she started to feel it slowly.

The lights looked brighter, and the sounds became louder - but best of all, she felt like she didn't care about this stupid fucking party, or any of these stupid fucking creatures. It emboldened her to leave again, this time without the need to sneak off. She briskly walked out to the garden again, and pulled her arms around her body again.

It would have been nice to have Lanshu's coat around her again - or more delightfully - to have his arms around her instead.

...Why was he on her thoughts now? They had only just met, and yet, she needed to be by his side again. There was something magical about his aura, and for whatever reason, she had felt so calmed by his laughter alone.

Maybe the alcohol was affecting her more than she thought. It was a silly little girl-crush that meant absolutely nothing. It was the night, the booze, the party -- anything but the dreadful thought that she'd found the comfort of someone she could never be with.

The breeze picked up and brushed her hair against her silky scales, and just as they started to lift and curl back, that same warmth came behind her, followed by the smell of ash, wood, and jasmine.

"You should have kept my coat," Lanshu's voice warmed her ear as his scent relaxed her.

Destiny turned around and smiled at her company's gaze. She must have looked glassy in the eyes, or goofy in the face - because he looked a bit perplexed and cocked a wry grin before he spoke.

"Have you been drinking?" He sounded like he was being silly more than accusatory. "I think you've been wine tasting tonight, haven't you?"

For the first time, her hands fumbled to reply well, and she made mistakes with the movements of her hands as she skipped letters and sometimes words.

'Who are you my? I can hab a drunk if I'd lake, you kno.' Destiny protested in the same mood he had approached her with.

"I want to laugh at you, but I feel it would be in poor taste," He teased and reached out to brush a long strand of hair from her face that had blown past her ear due to the cold wind.

Just as she was about to pout at his response, her lips did the opposite and curved upwards as his hand brushed against her cheek and curved his finger over her slightly pointed ear and soft fringe of webbing just behind the back of it.

Again, her skin tingled, and she had to push back the urge to kiss him in such a delicate, sweet moment.

"Is that offer to dance still on the table, or have I been too late to ask for your hand?" Lanshu wondered as he leaned down and let his red eyes pierce into her blue-green ones. The slits in his eyes mimicked hers, and for a moment she swore their pupils lined up perfectly with one another (but that had to be alcohol's influence).

Destiny smiled and then nodded towards the castle where music still played merrily and couples still danced on, even though it had grown a bit later in the evening.

"Excellent, I was worried my small Princess would be too drunk to enjoy my company." He answered with that same sly charisma he had from the moment they met.

'My' - why did he say 'my'? Did she mishear? Perhaps he had misspoken...but either way, her heart pummeled behind her chest and she longed for him to say it again.

 -- she longed for his tongue to do a lot of things....