Finley Cai Aies Hall April 17th, 20XX

An unreasonably strong palm held my head in place and forced me still, compelling me to look her in her large bronze eyes. At such a close distance I couldn't help but notice that they had dulled, almost to the point of becoming brown or amber rather than the volatile metallic sheen they had borne before.

“ Just wait a moment. We’re engaged anyways so there shouldn't be a problem.”

Her voice was low as she leaned closer and aggression rolled off her in waves, as if she was seconds away from a large battle in which she had no intention of taking prisoners. I realizing that I wasn't strong enough to fight her off i stopped struggling and instead began to think.

What would be the right thing to do here? I could use one of the techniques Theodulus taught me to throw her off btu what happens after that? For one I would only be able to do so with the element of surprise, and afterwards she would be wary of me. As well, no fairy male would be able to throw off a general of one of the largest armies in the land…. how would I explain that later on?

I was trapped. completely and totally trapped. Even if I somehow managed to break away and call Cambridge and Corin I would be alienating the Ruan family, and there wasn't really any other family that was suitable to marry into the Royal family. Not to mention that even that was betting on the hopes that

Cambridge and Corin would get got here in time.

It seems I can only take this loss for the better of the future… it's not as if i plan on living with her anyways. Once she’s taken the throne I’ll just go back to the human world and live out my life there like i planned too.

As I mentally convinced myself I closed my eyes and resigned myself to what what about to happen when her grip on my face suddenly loosened and she pushed herself away from me.

The golden wall splintered due to the pure amount of brute strength she had used and a crash erupted from the other side of the room. Her body horrifically slammed into the pole on the other side of the large room and she rolled onto the floor like she had been fatally attacked.

She looked at me with fierce eyes and the metallic sparks that had dulled now sparked and shone with an uncomfortable and intense mixture of hostility, confusion and resentment.

“ You dare use a bewitchment spell on me!”

…...What?

I hurriedly shook my head and subconsciously stumbled closer to her in order to explain myself, cursing myself as it came out chopped and almost incomprehensible. The difference in scenario from now and not even 5 seconds was so drastic that it threw me into a mental panic.

As of now all I could think of doing was resolving this misunderstanding. The Royal family could NOT lose the ruan family.

Even though I wasn't overly attached to the fairy world I couldn't bear to let the queendom that my mother and cambridge and Corin had built up together crumble because of my mistake.

“ N-No ! I haven’t cast anything! I-”

A sharp stinging pain suddenly erupted from my cheek and i could only lift a trembling hand to my face to feel a slight surface cut on my face. It wasn't deep enough to bleed but it certainly made enough of an impact.

“ Don't move another step. whatever you have to say will be heard fine from over there.”

Her voice now; in contrast to the previous warm and heavy tone was now light but incredibly cold and gave off a proper regal air even as she stayed crumpled on the floor. I swallowed the saliva forming in my mouth and attempted to slowly wipe off the cold sweat forming on my brow as I began.

Still I stayed completely still, not daring to move a single step as I struggled clarify myself. To use a spell directly on another fairy was as good as declaring war. Even before when she had extended her strands of magic towards me they had not actually touched my person, instead hovering just close enough for me to catch and break.

“ As I was trying to say, I haven't cast a single spell! I can swear it on this queendom as my mother built it!“

Even after such a serious vow she still carried a wary expression on her face and growled her next words at me.

“ Lies! If none was cast then why would I act in such a way on our first meet-”

The icy look faded in her eyes and was replaced with an expression of one of inquisitive curiosity, as if she had just considered something extremely odd. She suddenly stopped talking and looked at me as if she wanted to open up my brain and peer inside it. Thankfully she settled with just muttering to herself like a psychopath.

How can one’s mood change so quickly?! Just pick an archetype and stick to it!

“ Could it be that it wasn't on purpose? but what caused it…...The halo!”

She stood in an incredibly graceful manner as if the awkward position she was just in never existed and bowed exactly once then rose into the air, flying out of the room faster than I could gather my thoughts.

“ I will see you again at dinner time, your highness.”

Without even a second glance at the me that was utterly lost she left the room and the door quietly clicked shut behind her.

I began to chase after her, wanting an explanation but not even a second after I took to the air I could feel my wings give out and my eyesight went dim.