Get Out the Swords!
Darien suddenly stepped back as he saw Serena Larynce in person for the first time in his life.
She was very beautiful. She had black hair, and dark eyes, though he couldn’t tell what color in the dim light. He smirked…so she WAS as superficial as to dye her hair. But she looked gorgeous, nonetheless. She was very regal. Her figure was outlined in white, which emphasized a very shapely figure. She was an Ice Queen, and the way she looked made him think immediately of winter.
“Good evening,” she said, in a cold voice, which she practiced. After all, the Ice Queen couldn’t go around with her warm cheery voice.
That voice chilled his blood, and he felt the warmth drain out of his face. No one’s voice had EVER froze his heart before, but he felt it now.
Serena looked curiously at the young man before her. Strangely enough, her companion was apparently a sun king.
His hair was golden, a very light brown sun-streaked blond. His eyes were gold, underneath the gold mask he wore. His attire was also gold, a gold velvet tunic, golden velvet pants and golden leather boots, with a gold velvet cape with gold satin lining. It outlined a fit, very built body. His face was also a golden tan.
He was entirely too handsome, Serena caught her breath.
“Good evening,” he said, condescendingly. Darien had disguised himself well this time. He was aware of the destiny thing, and assumed that if the Larynce princesses all knew it was him, they’d go after him and try to end up at the end. For that reason, he dressed himself in gold, wore the gold contacts, put on tanning lotion, and a nice golden wig, that went in a full waving mass about his head under a gold crown. It was going to work, he determined.
“Darien!” Ken smiled. “You look quite royal-like. Sun king, cute. Just make sure you don’t insult her too much! I couldn’t really tell who you were until I noticed your stride.”
He saw the second of the two figures in the hall.
“Serena! The ICE QUEEN? Good choice! I wouldn’t have known you except for the fact that you’re standing in your doorway. You two are perfect complements of each other! Sun king and Ice queen! You two will have lots of fun tonight! I had no idea you guys already knew each other! I was going to introduce you when you started working together at the White House, but I guess that isn’t necessary!”
Serena felt a queer feeling in her heart. So this was Darien Dredsdale, no mistake. He was handsome, VERY handsome, and his name was Darien. There were not many other possibilities.
It was just as well he had chosen to be arrogant royalty! She inwardly sneered. *HIM, the SUN KING? Already assuming too much are we, Prince Darien? Ha!*
But her heart jumped some beats. He was FINE! She felt her cold white cheeks bloom into summer roses.
Darien, meanwhile, was trying to find a way to get away from the Larynce brat. The former first kid was undoubtedly some prissy snob, and her voice was cold enough to freeze his toes. But fearing he wasn’t being courteous, he offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
“Shall we what?” she asked, with a smile quirking in one of her mouth.
It was a kissable mouth. Very kissable, and though appearing cold looked soft ad inviting, with smooth curves. “I only offered my arm for fear you may trip yourself…” *over that ego!* he completed in his mind.
Serena was determined not to show that she cared for who he was, and determined to show him that Serena Larynce would not be led around like other women. She wanted to walk away from him, coldly snubbing him. However, he was offering his arm, and as a matter of courtesy and pride, and somewhat intrigue, she took it. “We shall,” she said, in her smooth, icy queen tone.
The evening was a far cry from perfect.
Serena despised Darien. He was snobbish, arrogant, and too handsome.
It was obvious to every female in the room who he was and when he had entered. Serena couldn’t deny the fact that her partner was more handsome than any other person in the room. *But he still doesn’t beat Dare! Dare is handsome AND sweet!*
As she drank punch with him and danced with him, she saw the way the other Larynce princesses wished her death. She wasn’t blind. And because she pitied him only for that reason, she kept on dancing with him. Besides, Darien was a good dancer, and if Darien didn’t dance with her, then she’d end up dancing with Melvin Morris, who was looking at her in that weird way again. *He dances horribly, my feet are always blistered when I stop dancing with him, and he gives me these weird goggle-eyed looks!*
There was also a matter of pride, and because she was NOT going to let Darien Dredsdale triumph over her, she stuck to him. If he chose to be a cold arrogant partner, then she could just as easily be one to. *Just remember who started it, Dredsdale!*
Darien, meanwhile, was not about to let Larynce triumph. She was gorgeous, and she knew it. That cold beauty, the dark hair and dark eyes with the delicate look to her almost made him believe that she was not a witch underneath all that. He also saw the way the Larynce princesses wanted to get to him. Preferring this Larynce to the others, he decided to tough it out.
At least this Larynce had spirit. Lots of it. She was different, and separate from others, distinct. She had an attitude that bit him, but set her apart, in a good way, even though it made him think even worse of her ego. Darien thought, as he danced with her, that even though she acted like a two-year-old snob, she DID dance well, and her pride and character was, well, SLIGHTLY admirable.
They danced around the room, each trying to out-dance the other. They caught eyes, and the spectators all wondered when the “entranced” two were going to “come down from their cloud” and find other people.
Serena was scanning the room for someone that wouldn’t mind cutting in on them.
But Darien just HAD to look intimidating, didn’t he? With his thick, luxurious gold hair and his piercing gold eyes, he WAS the sun king. He could cast a spell on her if she let herself, but she wasn’t going to let THAT happen.
She had to admit though, that this man was a maverick. Not at all like the other men she’d danced with, dined with, and talked business with. Some of them were attracted to her, some of them weren’t. But they all couldn’t stay out in Serena’s storm very long. Men came by and looked, but they NEVER pushed it. She had the impression that Darien Dredsdale could and would. And the fact that they were going to work in the White House together made the prospect of attorney general a lot more, well, frightening, but very interesting.
Sure, she didn’t like his type, but there was nothing wrong with some harmless bantering and debating with a worthy opponent.
“So what office will you hold in Washington?” she asked, slowly, curiously.
“Surgeon general.”
“Nice,” she said, slightly surprised.
“And you?” he said, twirling her out and into his arms.
“Attorney general.”
He seemed quite surprised at that.
“Really?” he asked, almost skeptical.
“Um-hm,” she said, a little out of it. *WHAT WAS IT WITH THIS GUY?*
*She’s clever, intelligent, beautiful. And a shrew. Interesting.*
As midnight approached, Serena was still dancing with Darien, and having danced three straight hours after they last had a punch break, she should have felt tired, but she was not. In fact, she felt like she was dancing on a cloud. Though the company was not superb, the dancing was. He made her feel so light and dainty, like a fairy with his dancing. With his remarks, he made her feel like a bitter old maid who had nothing better to do than be unpleasant.
Darien was enjoying the beautiful woman dancing in his arms. She had a lot of spirit. And stamina. Three hours. He didn’t really feel tired, and in fact, he’d never felt better. This girl really gave him the workout.
And though they didn’t talk much, he enjoyed their bantering. They didn’t seem to agree on ANYTHING! But then again, he didn’t try to agree with her. She’d say something, and he immediately decided to peeve her by stating that his opinion was just the opposite. Evidently, he had to change his opinions on almost everything they had talked about.
On the other side of the room, a woman with a black velvet gown and a black sequined mask approached another woman dressed similarly. “Gail, I think they’re falling for each other.”
“I don’t know. They don’t really appear to be enjoying each other’s company. Only the concept of fighting for their dignity. They look like they’re dueling.”
“But they’ve danced for three hours!”
“Their pride wouldn’t allow for anything less. He’s determined to dance longer than her and her longer than him.”
“But that still doesn’t explain why I saw them talking this afternoon in the library.”
“I saw them introduce themselves. They’re Rena and Dare, not Serena and Darien. But I’d much rather that way, because as their true selves they are getting absolutely no where.”
“It was so perfect when they were younger. Remember, ten years ago, they had snuck off and kissed for the first time! Oh, I was so happy that night!”
“Yes, but we can’t just tell them that. Oh!” Gail looked at her pocket watch. “It’s time to unmask. Let’s see the expression on their faces when they realize that the person they’d been dancing with all night and despising is actually the person they had met this afternoon! This should be fun!”
“All right everyone!” Gail Larynce went in front of the orchestra, and said into a microphone. “It’s time to unmask who you’re with!”
Around the room there were squeals of delight and excitement as person after person removed their partner’s mask.
As Serena stopped dancing, she felt the true weight of her body, and her feet began to feel sore. She looked at Darien. *Should I bother?*
“Go on, Serena!” urged Mina, who stood next to her.
“Oh, all right,” she mumbled.
She carefully reached up to removed the golden sequined and jeweled mask. The face she saw was a familiar shape.
He reached to slowly remove her white mask. No, that angle of the cheek. It couldn’t be, could it?
“YOU?” two voices simultaneously stammered out.
