Lunch was a subdued affair and they returned to their room early. Both the girls spent the afternoon talking and discussing the events of the day and what the future might bring. They were ready to go for dinner by 6:45 pm. Cahira had chosen a navy blue mulmul kurti with chikankari embroidery paired with shorts and some kolhapuri sandals while Sukaya was in similar garb but in color pink. Soon Esme came to escort them and they crossed the courtyard to enter the VIP wing of the castle. There were guards spread all around from the entrance to the Suite inside where they were escorted by a Pixie servant.
It was a small but elaborate dining room with a long table that seated about 8 people. Prince Dae Bong was already seated when they arrived and he immediately stood up to welcome them. Esme and kaya bowed a little to greet him but Chaira was once again in a staring match with the Prince. There was something acutely familiar about him that she was missing and she desperately tried to find what exactly whereas Dae Bong was also stuck with a wave of Deja Vu. Both were bought out of their trance by a throat-clearing done by Esme who was glaring at Cahira.
“Cahira, manners please”
“yes I....I am Sorry. Your Royal Highness” Cahira muttered and was about to bow when in a swish Dae Bong reached her side and stopped her from bowing.
“Please No need for that. Esme I have told you so many times, You are like family you don’t need to do such frivolous things. Please come, let’s sit.”
Esme smiled and glared at Cahira at the same time. The look promised one more lecture and Cahira felt ashamed for her lack of manners. She didn’t understand what it was about the Prince that snared her to this extent. She felt his hand on her back and looked up at him. He was smiling expectantly at her gesturing her to the table but as soon as she saw him, she was stuck to her spot.
That smile, she remembered that smile, she has seen it in her dream but that was impossible. No way she was seeing the Prince whom she met that day in her dream. She once again tried to remember the Prince’s face but her mind drew blank.
Dae Bong was gazing into the green eyes of the young girl in front of him. Cahira had the same eyes but how was that even possible? He will have to check her magical essence, especially after the tingle of magic he felt in the morning while shaking her hands. He walked her to her seat and then took his own.
Dae Bong was sitting at the head of the table and Esme sat on his right. Sukaya and Cahira were seated on his left and the rest of other seats were empty. He waved his hands and pixies came in bearing soups and starters. Sukaya was giving glances to the Prince trying her best to shut up and eat but her curiosity got the best of her.
“So are you going to tell us about your race, Your Highness?”
Dae Bong smiled and said “ Ofcorse little one. How much do you know about Faes?”
“Well as I said earlier it’s a watered-down version. I know Fae’s are one of the most ancient and earliest races to inhabit the planet. I have read that you lot are the oldest and almost extinct, especially after the great reveal and the wars that followed. Only the Kingdom of Alturia remains with a handful of Faes.”
“Yes, You are correct. We are the oldest, sentient beings to exist on the earth. It is said that Faes of ancient had connections with the Divine realm and could traverse between the two realms. But changing and expanding world was not very kind to our race and a few accidents severed our connection with the Divine Realm to a great extent.
In old times when our numbers were spread over the whole world, our younglings tended to venture into the human realm and because of their appearance, they were termed Fairies by humans. We Faes are very peace-loving and non-confrontational creatures but that does not mean we cannot fight. We had some of the most deadly warriors before the Reveal. Unfortunately, we were the ones most badly hit during the war and some of our own kind teamed up with human hunters for which all of our kin paid the price for betrayal. I am not ashamed to admit that we owe our survival to The Vampire Prince and his coterie of warriors who were monumental in the war of Alturia.”
“Vampire Prince? But there is no vampire prince I have heard of. Supreme Leader king Drakon Allectius has one daughter Serra married to Werewolf King Gregory. ” Sukaya wondered loudly.
“Oh, are you talking about Prince Aemon? But I thought he is a werewolf.”
“I am talking about the second son of Serra and Gregory. You all must have heard about the Hybrid.”
Cahira felt her heart race a little and then settle again. She did not know why so she ignored it and focused on Dea Bong again. She had heard of the existence of a creature of two races, a first of his kind but never gave much thought to it. “The Hybrid, yes I read about him but there is not much info available on him .” She stated.
“And I don’t think it is public knowledge that he is a Prince” added Kaya.
“He was. He had long since forfeited his title and now he is the General of the Royal Army. That is all I am going to say on the subject as this is a tightly wrapped secret known to very few.”
The main course was served and the conversation continued around the table with Kaya asking questions and Dae bong replying. Esme gave her input now and then but otherwise, she simply sat and seemed to be enjoying the dinner.
Cahira kept glancing at the prince next to her only to find his eyes on her now and then. He did not give the princely vibes and was very easy to talk to. Sukaya was talking to him as if he was her friend rather than the High Prince of Alturia. Cahira could also feel a bond between her and the prince but she did not understand what it is. He seemed awfully familiar to her like she was missing a very important piece of a puzzle. Earlier when he had placed his hand on her back to guide her, she had felt something simmer in her, a pull a feeling of love like family or friendship. She did not know how to categorize that because it went away as soon as it came.
By the time dinner finished, Esme had downed a few glasses of wine and was laughing uncontrollably at even the littlest of jokes. Cahira excused herself to accompany Esme to her room. As soon as she left Sukaya turned to the Prince and felt the atmosphere in the room change.
“Impressive show of powers earlier little one. There are very few in this entire realm who can block my power the way you did, even if it was just for a second.” Dae bong lounged back in his chair and regarded Sukaya carefully.
“Why would you do that to Cahira? I don’t see any reason why you would use such magic on someone who you declared to be a family friend.” Sukaya asked in a calm voice.
“What exactly do you think I did eolini”?
“You performed Soul magic. You tried to extract a piece of Cahira’s soul and while I know you are a Prince of one of the most powerful race in the world even you are bound to Council Laws which clearly state that Soul Magic is forbidden.”
“You know I have known almost 5 generations of Suki Witches and while everyone was an exceptional witch or wizard in their own right, You, Sukaya Keiko Suki, have managed to grab my attention most impressively.” drawled Dae Bong in a very sarcastic way.
“Believe me that wasn’t my intention” Sukaya notes dryly.
“I know eolini but still you have.
Now, before I answer your earlier question I would like to ask one first” he tilted his head and his eyes changed from light blue to neon blue with golden rings so suddenly that it almost scared her. “why did you block it, and more importantly how? As I said earlier, very few can block my magic and I would like to know how a newly ascended Crystal Witch, a mere novice, even dared to do so.” he stated in a very calm tone like he was talking about the weather instead of almost threatening her.
Sukaya’s heart skipped a beat. He looked so ethereal, sitting there under a big chandelier that gave a soft light directly on his face. His platinum hair shone in the luminescence and his eyes glowed brightly. She was lost in those eyes when the golden ring in them faded and it brought her to the present once again.
“No need to sound so utterly threatening Your Highness. I assure you it does not suit the gentle, princely vibe you are trying to spread everywhere.” she snorted lightly.
“To be honest, I don’t know the why or how” She shrugged and turned to her long-forgotten desert. The ice cream had already melted and she thought for a moment to ask for another scoop but decided against it.
“What do you mean.” The Prince questioned.
“I mean exactly what I said. I don’t know how it happened. All I know is that one minute I was focusing on my favorite piece of chicken and in next minute my magic flared dramatically. I suddenly felt a strong gust of energy passing through me heading towards Cahira. I did not even get a moment to understand what was happening, my power flared to life and I used the first blocking spell which came to my mind. It was after my shield had absorbed the energy that it touched my core and I realized it was soul extraction magic. Since the magical signature was foreign and felt almost divine it was a natural choice that you were the one who cast it.”
Dae Bong silently regarded the girl in front of her. The day has brought too many surprises, a little too many for his liking. First the sudden announcement last week, of a meeting of all 7 kingdoms and a Gala in the Royal City. He tended to avoid such events but today due to an urgent matter his father The Fae king was unavailable so he had to take his place in the meeting. The mandate from the king came early in the morning and he had to leave instantly in order to make it to the City in time. Second was when he met Cahira and now this girl sitting in front of him playing with her food unaware of just how much powerful her core was.
When his magic touched her core, he accidentally tapped into it her essence was revealed to her. Crystal encased in a bud of an ancient flower Orrah, which was once found only in the temple of Typhon but is now extinct. This Child was blessed by Gods and that’s why she could block his magic.
“To answer your question earlier, little one, I did not perform soul magic. Though I can If I want because all Royal families have certain privileges, not that anyone can stop me from doing so if I am to be honest,” he spoke arrogantly.
“Then what was that? I distinctly felt it touching my core and the undertones of that magic felt like soul extraction.”
“What I did was much more basic and simple. I only wanted to check the magical essence of your friend. All the noble Faes have the ability to ascertain the magical essence of anyone they want given that the particular Oni’e is weaker than them. Before you ask, Yes I am aware of Cahira’s lack of power but I thought I felt something and just wanted to check. It was done with the good intention of helping a family friend.”
“So he too felt her magic, “ Sukaya thought. She remembered the High priestess’s words to Cahira to stay away from any royal so she kept her thoughts to herself and merely nodded. If what the prince said was correct about her blocking his magic, she needed to talk to her grandmother about it today. She excused herself and was about to leave the room when she heard him speak.
“One last thing Sukaya, Let this be a warning to you. I do not like to be interrupted. The next time you stand in my way, however unintentionally, it will not be good for you. While I respect witches and D’Lune Coven, even your High Priestess will not be able to save you from consequences.”
Sukaya’s heart thundered and she shivered at the coldness of his voice but she calmed herself and left without looking back.
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Hie everyone, thankyou for reading. I would love to have some feedback/review on the story so far. If you like it please like and comment. Now, some references:
eolini: little one
ns 15.158.61.12da2
