NIGHTS OF HALLOW

”May I have a dance with you?” Regan surprised Perdita as he stretched out his hand waiting for her to accept his request.

Perdita stared at the outstretched hand, and then at Regan’s face. She blinked twice and stared at him to know if she heard correctly or if her eyes and ears were deceiving her.

This man was the same person she had insulted in her village. And also, she didn’t forget what she heard that day when Daemon addressed him as a prince. This was the prince she insulted, and here he was asking her for a dance. Was this some trick to get her into trouble? Perdita questioned herself with a doubtful and suspicious look on her face.

If Regan was not embarrassed enough in the village of Woodbridge, then he was more than insulted in this ballroom, his very own home.

People were still dancing and enjoying the night unaware of what was going on. Only those standing near Regan and Perdita were the ones witnessing everything right from the start. They fully turned their attention to them when they noticed the friction between the two.

Those from the high society who knew and recognized Regan wanted to laugh at the prince who always claimed he was powerful. Also, the curiosity to know who the green-eyed lady was increased in their hearts. No lady will refuse to dance with such a handsome man even if the person didn’t know he was a prince. It made them question if she was a hidden daughter of a powerful Lord who decided to grace her presence at the Hallow ball.

As if keeping mute was not enough, Perdita added to the burning rage inside Regan. She carefully asked, ”Who? Me?”

This erupted some hushed giggles coming from those enjoying the show.

Regan gritted his teeth trying to keep his anger at bay, but it was slipping through his fingers because of the humiliation he was facing. He took a deep breath and tried to behave gentlemanly.

He smiled at Perdita as if he did take her attitude as an offense. He repeated what he said some minutes ago ”May I have a dance with you?”

However, instead of accepting the harmless invite to dance, Perdita shook her head in denial. This was no simple invite to dance. She told herself. If there’s one thing she knew about the high-class people, it is that they are always prideful and any insult thrown on them by anyone, was paid back with a harsher punishment. She looked up at Regan with her green eyes that shone because of the many lights illuminating the ballroom.

She said, ”I’m sorry but I can’t accept to dance with you” Especially someone like you, Perdita added in her head.

Regan’s outstretched hand slowly returned to his side. His red eyes dauntingly peered down at Perdita as if he will crush her that minute. How dare this lowly human refuse him?! He was trying to be nice to her, and here she was behaving like someone from his class.

Regan smiled. A smile that was turning his heart bitter every passing second.

”I see,” He spoke and nodded his head knowingly ”I guess you’re afraid and shy to dance with someone as handsome and high class as I am. You want to dance with someone from your class” the way he said it made it look like he understood the plight of Perdita because she came from a poor background. This made those who were questioning the identity of the green-eyed lady narrow their eyes on her.

Perdita chuckled. A small laugh that came and went as if it never happened. It made her look more beautiful and endearing in the eyes of the eager men wanting to have a dance with her.

She stared back at Regan with mockery eyes ”You misunderstood me, Mister. I haven’t danced with my special someone before I can dance with any other man” Perdita’s words were short but they hit the ticking anger in Regan that was about burst into flames. She was implying that Regan was not an important person she will dance with, rather it was her special someone.

Perdita watched Regan with a triumphant look on her face. She raised the wine glass in her hand and twirled it in a classy way before taking a sip. The way she drank the wine made it look seductive and the men followed the wine going down Perdita’s throat with their eyes. Some unconsciously licked their lips as if the wine she drank was more special and sweeter than the ones they were drinking.

The anger Regan had been holding in all the while finally burst with heavy invincible smoke puffing out of our ears, nose, and all the openings in his body. He took a step forward towards Perdita dauntingly.

”What are you trying to imply by that?” Questioned Regan in a hard voice.

Perdita on the other saw the coming danger and tried to run away. After all, she was a lowly woman who, at the words of the silver-haired prince, will not be heard of again. As fast as her tongue always rushed to retort, she didn’t want her neck to also fall under an axe.

Perdita took another sip of the sweet wine and innocently questioned ”By what?” Seeing her now, you will think she didn’t say anything rude, rather it was Regan who was forcing himself on her because she refused to dance with him.

Just a simple invitation that could have been rejected and settled peacefully was turning into a big problem because of their first awful encounter. Perdita cursed and stabbed Regan numerous times in her heart.

She didn’t want to dance with anyone, especially with men like Regan. She was not willing to give out her first dance with just anyone, that was the reason why she had said she was waiting for her special someone to dance with her.

It seemed as if luck always showed Perdita its face every time she was faced with a challenge. Someone equally dressed in his expensive attire walked to Regan and whispered something into his ear.

There was a change in Regan’s expression hidden behind his silver mask because of what the man told him. He hastily turned to leave with the man after casting a murderous look at Perdita.

The onlookers went back to enjoy the ball after their little show was over. Some were disappointed that it didn’t continue so they could have a good laugh.

Perdita released a sigh from her lips while internally thanking her stars. It was just the beginning of the ball, but she was already encountering mini devils on her way. It was not how she wished her night will go. Perdita drank the remaining wine in the glass and dropped the empty glass back on the table.

Walking away from there, Perdita decided to take a walk away from the many eyes watching her every move in the ballroom. The hem of her gown continued sweeping the already clean floor as she went to another part of the castle away from the ballroom.

She could hear the music drifting away in her ears as her feet moved on their own. Reaching the end of one of the corridors, she saw a garden that glittered with so many lights that were placed around it.

Her feet were quick to take her to the enchanting place filled with beautiful and nice-smelling flowers. The grass underneath her shoes was soft with its green luscious leaves tempting her to remove her shoe to feel its softness.

She took a deep breath, breathing in the evening breeze that felt cool and soothing on her body. This place felt more peaceful and relaxing than inside the ballroom that was turning suffocating to her.

A smile crept to her face at the heavenly feeling she was experiencing which was disrupted by a stern voice that spoke behind her.

”What are you doing here?!”

A/N: You can support this book with your power stones and gifts. Thank you and Happy Reading!