𝙰 𝚅𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜'𝚜 𝙶𝚞𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚂𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚕...

A Pawn Strong Enough to OverThrow a King

Alexia's P.O.V
A knock at the door startles both of us. Harley looks to me,
"You expecting anyone?"
I shake my head, but a voice calls, "Sorry I'm late, the head master had to talk to me about something."
Harley's eyes widen, mirroring in mine. "Alexia. What the hell is he doing here?"
I bite my lip, not knowing how I had forgotten, "He's here to pick me up."
"Well thank God I work fast. You're ready."
"Yeah maybe physically but—" she shakes her head, cutting off my verbal doubts
"But nothing. You've got this. There's nothing that pretty boy can throw at you that you can't handle and if you need rescuing just look for me, I'll provide a distraction so you can make your escape."
I smile, "What would I do without you?"
"Probably live a much safer life." She grins and I shake my head,
"I'd be bored to death. I really appreciate everything you've done for me Harley."
She smiles and gives me a quick hug, "Ditto. Now go, I'll catch up."
I nod and take a breath. I walk up to the door, my steps small yet heavy. I let my hand rest on the cold doorknob letting it centre me. Then, before my courage disappears I turn it and pull open the door. I step through and at first I don't see him but then he comes into view. He's leaning against the wall opposite me and is playing with a small flame, throwing it in between his hands like a ball. I feel my breath catch and it's not because of this cage disguised as a dress. As annoying as it is, that flame is the least hot thing about him. He's wearing a plain black tuxedo jacket and dress pants but instead of a bow tie, he has a dark crimson tie. A tie the exact shade as his eyes, the exact same colour as the top half of my dress. The suit is clearly personally tailored from the way it fits his lean athletic frame. His hair isn't even styled but it looks as perfect as always and I can smell his cologne from here. Its some spicy cinnamon smelling one which literally makes me want to pull him close just so I can smell it more. I cringe when I realize how perverted that sounded. I think he notices my movement because his eyes flick to mine. Widening as he loses control of the flame in his hands for a second and it blazes so brightly for a moment it looks blinding. It disappears soon though as his eyes catch on the colours of my dress and an expression I genuinely have no idea what to make of flashes across his face. He clears his throat and takes a few precise measured steps forward and I will my fire powers to calm the heck down so I can focus on not messing up. I take a step forward too which brings us about only half a meter apart. He offers me his hand and I take it slowly. I give him a smile which seems to shock him. For a brief moment, all is silent and then I hear the phrase
"You look stunning"
My eyes shoot to his, widening and he seems almost as shocked by his own words than by the smile I gave him a second ago. I take a breath, "um, thank you."
He nods and interlaces our fingers, making a shiver travel up my spine. "You're welcome."
He then looks towards the direction of where I assume we're having the dinner and looks back to me, his crimson eyes sparkling, catching the reflection of the shiny beads as he starts forward and since my hand is in his, I do too.
"Sorry if I was a little late, I started getting ready a little later than usual."
He shrugs but even that movement is graceful, "I was late too but besides that," he tosses me a glance that is making keeping my balance in these shoes harder, "it's not like you don't look worth the wait."
My mouth falls agape, two compliments in the span of two minutes? Gosh, Harley really did work magic with this dress! Aryn looks away and I rush to say something, "so what did the head master want to talk to you about?"
"Nothing special. Just reminding me that I'm opening the dance tonight."
I freeze, nearly tripping on the excess fabric swirling around my ankles. "Dance? But isn't this a dinner?"
Aryn grins, "Yes but most dinners do generally go hand in hand with dancing in the Royal circle."
"B-but then does that mean the person you're going to open the dance with is going to be," I look up hoping he will deny my next word, "me?"
"Well uh, actually no — apparently that pink haired girl's parents begged the head master that she be my partner in the first dance."
My eyes widen, "Kimberley?"
Aryn shrugs, "I think so. You don't mind, do you?"
Mind? Mind?! I could legit kiss the head master right now!! "No! She's perfect! Bless the headmaster, he was right to let her dance with you!"
Aryn smirks, "try not to sound too excited about it."
I cringe, "was I that obvious?"
"Only slightly. I mean it's not like your excited high pitched squeal or giant smile are major tells or anything."
I roll my eyes  and nudge him in the ribs slightly, "Oh whatever. It's not so much that I don't want to dance with you," lie. "It's that I don't want to dance in front of everyone else." Truth Actually, I hate dancing in front of audiences.
Aryn smiles as we approach the hall. "So you dont actually hate the prospect of dancing with me then? I wouldn't of guessed from our past experiences."
I scoff at the teasing glint in his dark eyes, "Nuh uh uh Aryn, let's leave the past in the past." I whisper as we come to the start of a grand staircase leading downwards.  I gasp as I see the scene below us. The freshly polished marble floors, the gold painted chandeliers and hundreds of little crystals embedded with lights in their grasps. A single round table, extremely similar to the ones in the cafeteria and King Arthur had stands in the middle of the room. It's laden with a silvery pearly table cloth that looks as if Tinker-bell had come and sprinkled pixie dust on it herself. Perfectly matched sets of China plates and carefully folded gold serviettes lie in front of each chair. The chairs themselves look expensive, each one seeming to be dipped in a thin coat of platinum coloured paint. On the right of the table, about ten meters away is a large empty space I assume is going to be used for the dance. To the left is a table with a huge chocolate fountain and next to it, is a champagne tower and an ice sculpture with the school's emblem on it.
"Alexia?" Aryn calls my name and I look to him but instead of responding with a civilized 'yes', I grab his arm and point at the fountain, "Oh my God, are you seeing this? They legit have a meter high chocolate fountain! Where are the strawberries and marshmallows that go with it? Can you see them 'cause I can't."
I narrow my eyes to try locate the very important fruit and sweet that make a chocolate fountain worthy of the fuss I'm causing but a small chuckle grabs my attention. I look to see Aryn, the chandeliers casting their usual glow on him, highlighting the sparks in his eyes. My eyes hone in on his mouth which seems to be doing this weird thing that actually looks like a full on smile. A smile I haven't ever seen on him. A smile I know I won't be able to forget even if I try. I smile I wish I had never seen at all.
"What?" I ask although even I can hear how breathless I sound.
He tilts his head at me and leans in to whisper, "You just look exceptionally beautiful when you talk about the things you like. Anyway," he leans back but I hardly catch the movement since my brain is still trying to make sense of his previous words, "I think it's almost time for us to take our seats."
I gulp, "you're right."
"Or," he shrugs, "we could just skip right now. I mean, my brother or someone else can lead the dance. I can guarantee there'll be a better chocolate fountain at the sweet shop about two blocks from the academy."
I scoff, "And when we get back and have to deal with a thousand detentions?"
Aryn smirks, "Don't  you know who you're with? I mean, if you're planning to get in trouble — I'm pretty much the best person to get in trouble with considering as conceited as this may sound," he shrugs, "they can't afford to punish me. I've skipped more than half of the school functions and even a few classes in the time I've been here. People have been expelled for doing less than what I've done and I haven't even got a single detention. It's corrupted as hell but it'll help now if you really do want to skip."
I can't help but laugh, "Are you serious?"
He nods, "Unfortunately, it's the curse I have to live with."
"Oh you poor little rich boy." I sarcastically reply and he smirks. I look away, focusing on the crowd of first set students and a few teachers milling about and finding their seats. "Anyway, we should go through. I'm sure they've already seen us."
Aryn shrugs and holds my hand a fraction tighter, "As you wish Princess."
I nod and we start to descend the stairs, every single pair of eyes turn to look at us.
"Uh, Aryn..." I whisper
"Mhmm?"
"Why are they all staring at us?"
I hear a soft laugh escape him. "I don't think I'm the one they're staring at."
I tilt my head at him, "Did I spill something on my dress or something?"
  He shakes his head and I try not focus on that magazine catalogue worthy smile he's been sporting all evening. "You look like an angel. You're easily the most stunning person in this room. People love beauty so they're all captivated by you. They're not looking at you because there's something wrong with you or your dress but  because they can't help look at anything else while you're here."
My eyes widen, and I blush at his words but rush to say something, "Well that's rather shallow,  huh?"
He laughs and nods, "We're royals, vanity runs in our blood."
I scoff, "At least you're honest."
He shakes his head, "Not completely "
"Oh yeah? How come?"
Aryn stops walking as we reach the bottom of the stairs and turns to me, the sudden seriousness in his eyes causing me to freeze too.
"If I was completely honest, I would tell you that I really wish I was dancing with you instead of Kimberly tonight." He comes a step closer,  "I would tell you that the dress and the make up are actually the least captivating things about you." He lifts his hand, the one not holding mine and brushes a few strands of my hair behind my ear, his eyes so full of charm, so full of something that makes me feel light headed I can barely focus on his words, "I would tell you that even though I'm pretty sure you acting like you do towards me is part of a plan to cause my downfall — you cause my demise every time you smile at me, wreck me every time you take my hand in yours so you really don't need to try so hard." He gives a smile but it's small, measured and vulnerable but it disappears in a second as he leans in, his breath hot in my ear as he whispers, "but since I'm not completely honest — I'll just have to ask you to save me a dance later and pray that you won't attract much attention from the other princes. I'll tell you that I'll see you soon even though I don't want to leave your side at all and I'll distract myself by looking at every overpriced and aristocratic decoration in this room to keep me from grabbing your hand and running out of this stupid hall." He slowly lifts my knuckles to his lips and places a soft kiss on them that makes me lose complete sense for a minute, "That's the tragedy of being taught to be polite instead of honest but I think I let my apathy towards that particular rule seep through. My apologies. Now if you'll to excuse me, " He gives a slight bow and then before I can even say anything in return or even try dissect his words — he turns around and starts walking  towards Kimberly.
***

Aryn's P.O.V

What the hell did I just say? I close my eyes, my heart racing like it always seems to in her presence and I mentally shout at my brain. Why did it let me say those things, it's normally so good at helping me keep my emotions in check. Is this dinner so utterly boring that my sanity escaped and that made me crazy enough to tell her exactly what was on my mind at that moment. God Aryn, get yourself together. You've never been the type to lose your sanity over a girl. Stop freaking out. Why do you care what she thinks of you? Just live like you always have, indifferent and invulnerable. Keep her at a distance, you know it's the safest thing to do. However I know that despite my brains crystal clear warning — I'm screwed and that's because it loses all that logic the second Alexia comes within five meters of me. There's no point in denying it anymore — she's someone who makes me do things I normally wouldn't and I genuinely don't know how to stop. I'm so used to being in control. Of having every person, every resource and every army within my grasp. I  catch my reflection in the glass. I seem the same. The same poor little rich boy who has everything in the world but no idea what to do with it. The same boy who is cold, heartless and selfish. My whole life people have been nothing but assets, playthings, which I could manipulate in order to achieve my goals. I have never cared about using people. In fact, I have never cared about people at all. I was raised to be a monster. A purebred , heartless monster. All my life I've been calculating my next move, treating life like a chess game. One where I am king and everyone else is simply pawns all under my influence.

For so long I had never found anyone worth caring about, no one challenging enough to change my mind. No one unpredictable enough to surprise me. No one strong enough to overpower me. No one clever enough to beat me. That is, until now. I look back at Alexia, that same thought bouncing along every corner of my brain and echoing through my neuro pathways. It fights through the chaos and fire, through the crowns and broken rubble that scatter my mind and eventually it's too loud to ignore. So I stop, take a breath and let it surface...

How unexpected, my crimson eyes flash as I remember her smile, her kiss and her sharp as a dagger wit , for me to finally meet a pawn... I remember that spark in her eyes, that bright fiery light and feel a smile edge its way onto my lips, strong enough to overthrow a king...

***