Chapter Ten — Part 3
“My choice,” She began, “is made.”
My bones grew cold as she reached out and took Fluff’s hand, drawing him into her arms. Out of seven Elfin warriors, one fairy scholar, and a human first mate she had chosen my angel. My heart missed a beat, then raced violently as I realized that Fluff wasn’t protesting.
The King’s voice filled the ballroom with its loud, bass vibrato. “Is there a person present who can give good reason to protest this union?”
I started to bawl out a protest, but mama’s hand, placed gently over my lips, stopped me.
“If he doesn’t want her, he’ll protest it himself, then you’ll know the truth of it.”
But Fluff didn’t protest. He just stood there while the festivities drew onward. My love for him destroyed me when he started to dance with her. My beloved, soon to be a Prince, had chosen that older, taller, more beautiful woman in place of me. The music had already started again, and Fluff was dancing with her, dancing on air, it seemed, his face aglow with what I had felt for him.
I ran from the dance floor, trailing tears. I was headed back toward the portal to my ship, but stopped, seeing the food trays. Tiffany had followed me for a short walk, but Papa kept her near him with harsh toned words. Mother and Father danced together around the ballroom while the Professor and Rusty danced with respective female courtesans. I stood alone, a wallflower, dumped by the man I had chosen to love.
The Elf who had been next to us before, his catlike eyes glistening with a pride that matched my own, was the only one not dancing. I looked at him and he at me.
“It appears that your lover has been chosen by the woman I love, and he has made a choice to keep her.” He said, his voice a parody of control.
“You’re very obtuse.” I said, trying not to cry, I grabbed the leg of some unknown animal and chewed on it half-heartedly. “But so was I, to think anybody could want little old Bit when they could have a goddess like her.”
He took my hand, squeezed it once, and then walked quickly into the crowd. In moments his body was lost, mixed in with hundreds of others, and I felt utterly alone. At that point I stationed myself behind a table stacked high with food and proceeded to eat myself into oblivion. At some point, after I’d consumed six platters of alien cuisine, Fluff managed to disengage from the dance to come back to talk to me. I wasn’t the most courteous person to him.
“What the hell do you want?”
Fluff bowed his head. “I don’t know how this happened, but I have to be with her now.” He said. “She needs me.”
“That amazon doesn’t need anybody.” I said savagely.
“Yes, she does. And this is a part of the thing called destiny, my duty to protect her. I don’t know why I fell in love with her, but I did. I don’t know how, but I am, and that’s all that matters.”
I let my heart stop beating for a moment, wishing that I could die right in front of him — just to spite him.
“You are hereby relinquished of your duties as first mate, and decommissioned from all officer’s privileges aboard the Persimmon. Should you wish to travel on my ship, it will be as a guest, and at a price.” I looked past him, into the crowd.
“I wish we’d never come here. Then maybe you wouldn’t be crying right now.” Fluff said, turning away.
Leaving me in my solitude, leaving me in my despair. Leaving me to eat four more platters of food. I sat there for what seemed an eternity, eating everything that wasn’t moving. A massive thunderclap announced an unwanted visitor. I could tell right off that this visitor, for all of his power, was no super good Prince here to take my heart and make me the envy of that battle-ax that’d stolen my man.
I looked over a pile of empty plates, knowing I was responsible for about half of them. I saw the looks of fear on the face of the King and Princess Lotus as the Elf walked defiantly into the room, his black armor shining in the lights. He pushed his way through the crowd, drawing as much attention to himself as possible. His voice was like a cracked bell, harsh, loud, and discordant.
“I, Prince Wastik, do now and forever contest this unholy coupling.”
“Oh brother, it’s a bad man with a really bad opening line. Are we in for it now.” I grumbled, taking one last bite of sweet, fattening meat.
For once I wish I hadn’t been so right.
