Grim Goodbye (BALL)

OPEN

THE NEXT MORNING KNIGHTS ARE LEAVING FOR WAR. ALL THOSE FIGHTING ARE TO WEAR BLACK SHIRTS. THOSE ENTERING ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, THOUGH USUALLY THE ROYALS ENTER LAST, NOBELS AND KNIGHTS BEFORE THEM, VISITORS LATER, AND THEN CASTLE PEOPLE. BUT THAT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER NOW, DOES IT? BUT, YEAH...JUST A BIT OF INFO FOR YA. PLEASE POST AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE, NO THREE SENTENCE POSTS. HAVE FUN!

Reagan pushed his brown hair out of his eyes. He wore his best black shirt as instructed for all warriors to do. He walked smoothly down the stairs and entered the Grand Ballroom. The vast room was already full of people talking, but no one dancing. Reagan found it slightly crazy to celebrate for an occation such as this. But he guessed that loved ones would want to have a good memory to look back on if anything should happen. He was not sad about leaving, he did not dread packing up the next morning. His soul was restless like that. But he thought of Autumn and Kairi, his father and mother. They had so much to lose.

He winked at the ladies by the refreshment bar and shook hands with the nobles. Greeting everyone around him warmly, though he wished to talk to someone familiar. A girl walked up to him, holding a red rose, of which Reagan recongized as one from the jar of flowers on each dining table. A grin formed on the side of his mouth and her effort to get his attention just added to to his ego. He took the rose from her hand and placed it in her blonde hair. Then he took her hand and kissed the back of hit. Engaging into a conversation, he leaned his elbow against the wall and looked down at her, watching everyone that passed out of the corner of his eye.

Reagan starred the blonde up and down. She was quite attractive, and Regan smiled sweetly as he pretended to listen to what she was saying. Suddenly he felt a pair of arms being draped around his shoulders. Then he heard his name and his light eyes widened and fell upon a young women.

"Kairi?" he asked hugging her back. He looked at her once more before huggin her again. "Oh God, look at you! I could barely recongize your...Kairi...wow!" He was speechless. She was gorgeous. Not the innocent little girl he used to carry piggy-back around the castle. "No wonder you have two princes wanting your hand in marriage."

She dragged him to the middle of the dance floor and he pushed back his brown hair. "You want to dance?" his voice raised a few octives as he looked around at everyone starring. "My, I think I might have forgotten how...I haven't danced in forever...two years to be exact. The last time was at the Festival of Music in Grayson. That was when King Benjamin ruled. Mann, it was crazy." He loved telling about his past adventures (more like crazy actions that often lead to fiascos) but he would save her the details to keep the mood light and because she was his little sister he didn't feel like corrupting her innocent mind.

"So..." he said dancing slowly in the empty dance floor. "You are a great dancer...must have had a lot of practice with this Aidan I hear, eh?" he joked. "You must inform me on the events the past three years...I have missed so much..."

Aidan entered the ballroom from the back. He did not feel like making a big entrance, being announced as Prince Aidan still gave him an eery feeling. He looked good in his black shirt and black pants. He tried to smile at everyone he passed, but sometimes found his boots very interesting.

He grinned to himself when he noticed Kairi dancing with what looked like to be Reagan. He must have returned from war to go to war. Aidan had not seen him since he was a teenager. He remembered him well and wished to talk to him. But someone from Grayson pulled him to the side and began to speak about the economy of his country and what his goals where. Aidan answered his questions thoroughly and left him confident that his home country was in good hands, although he was not confident himself. He starred at Kairi from a distance, saddened and curious what her reaction might be when she saw him. Would she burst into tears, would she ignore the cicumstances completely? He went to the refreshments table and slowly sipped a mug of rum.

"Well, brother, you aren't such a bad dancer yourself." Kairi smirked, "No wonder you have all these girls in here staring at you. They must fancy your good looks."

"Yes, Yes. I do look quite handsome tonight, don't I?" he boasted. "It's the hair," he whispered in her ear. "The ladies love the hair." He winked at her playfully. She had grown up so much.

"Yes, I do remember Aidan. A good boy he was...but I still want final judgement before you two tie the knot," he smiled down at her. She laid her head on his shoulder and complained about Erec. "Yes, I refuse for you to marry him." he patted her head. "It will be okay...you have resisted this long, that has to weaken dad a little. Plus if you are forced to marry him...." he lowered his voice to a whisper. "There are many ways of getting rid of people, so don't you worry."

THey danced some more and then his eyes fell upon someone against the wall starring at Kairi. He pointed towards him and asked Kairi, "Is that the dear Prince Aidan there?" he asked jesturing for the man to come forward.

Autumn gracefully walked down the stairs as her name was being announced. She took each step carefully despritely trying not to make a fool of herself. Hand in hand she walked with Luke, her husband to be. She gripped his hand tighter as the thought of him leaving her again, but this time with an even greater chance for not returning. Her eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away. She smiled up at him.

She wore a silk navy dress and her hair was tied neatly in a bun. She smiled down at her subjects. Why was there a ball...to celebrate war? She was so confused. But she had to be happy. She had to provide Luke a good time before he went way.

They stood for a matter of seconds awkardly wondering what to do. "You want to dance?" she asked, knowing he should be the one too ask...but she wanted to hold him all night long. Her bright blue eyes gazed into his hazel. She felt safe and warm in his presence. She lead him to the middle of the dance floor. There, Kairi was dancing with a tall, handsome man. She moved closer to get a better view.

Aidan watched as Reagan moved Kairi along the dance floor. She looked stunning in her dress. His eyebrows raised when Reagan jestured for him to come near them. He sat down his mug and weaved thorugh the crowd.

"Reagan," he greeted offering his hand for him to shake. "Welcome back." He smiled. The ring on his index finger glowed bright red, a color in which he figured out appeared only when he was excited to see Kairi. He rotated it around his finger and then looked up and at Kairi. He gave a weak smile and then directed his attention to her older brother. "So, may I cut in?" He asked politely.

"So, may I cut in?" Aidan asked him. Reagan looked from his mesmorized sister to the young man standing next to him.

"Hmmm. Aidan Thatcher. I remember you well," he said giving him a stern look. Reagan released Kairi and stood in between the two. He jestured for them to move closer in which they did. But instead of moving on and mingling he remained there, rubbed his chin and watched the two sway to the music. HE placed on hand on Kairi's shoulder and the other on Aidan's and push them apart.

"Now I want you two to remain like this." He tried despritley to control his facial expressions and not to laugh. This was one of his many talents....a straight face. "Approximatley one foot apart..... and if I catch you otherwise...." he clicked his tongue. "You will just have to face an embarrassing lose in a joust." He grinned and looked at the bewildered Aidan and Kairi. "You don't think I'm serious...YOU DO!" He smiled showing his white teeth now, perfectly straight. He moved them closer together and shook his head. "It's fine with me, just don't get caught by Mister Shiny Shoes over there," he moved his head in the direction of Erec. "And avoid the closets, those are my spots....but other than that, the whole castle is yours...." he patted Aidan hard on the back and turned to walk away.

Aidan starred up at Kairi's older brother. He looked remarkably like Riley(probably because they were twins) but carried a mischievious look on his face always. Aidan gulped as Reagan moved them apart and repremanded thier closeness. He remembered him vaugley and wanted to be on his good side terribly. But he stood tall and starred him in the eyes, eyebrows only half raised. He looked at Kairi and noticed that her arms were drapped around his shoulder and just then noticed her warm touch. He kissed her hand and laughed when Reagan said he was joking. He was very relieved.

"Nice one, Reagan. I wouldn't suggest doing that to little children though, you might make them cry." Aidan laughed.

"It's fine with me, just don't get caught by Mister Shiny Shoes over there," Reagan moved his head in the direction of Erec. "And avoid the closets, those are my spots....but other than that, the whole castle is yours...."

Aidan rolled his eyes to Kairi. "Hmmmm, that's nice to know." He winked at her and watched Reagan turn to walk away.

Turning his attention to Kairi now, he smiled. Her hands were drapped around his neck and he could feel her body warmth. The hair on the back of his neck rose to attenion and then his muscles relaxed.

"Hello my lovley lady. How is thee on this grand occation?" He asked being as proper as possible. He laughed. "Wow, that was painful," he grinned. He swung her around the dance floor, avoiding Erec's way. In the silence he was reminded that he would be leaving tomorrow morning. "You can't cry, okay?" he said out of the blue. "I forbid you to cry when I leave." he gently grazed his hand over her cheek and tucked her head on his shoulder, quite heavy hearted.

"Nice one, Reagan. I wouldn't suggest doing that to little children though, you might make them cry." Reagan heard Aidan say as he walked away.

"Haha," he chuckled. "I make a lot of people cry. Especially the ladies." Reagan strutted to the refreshments bar. He propped his arm against the counter and grinned at the brunette beside him.

"Well, hello there," he took her hand and kissed it. "I am the one and only Prince Reagan. Who might you be?" But before she could answer he noticed a tall, curvy woman with long wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes. He smiled to himself. "Im sorry, my lady. You will have to excuse me. We will have to continue this later." He kissed her hand again. "You are just too gorgeous. And I refuse to let you slip by me tonight. Later beautiful."

With a wave good-bye, he walked to the middle of the dance floor. He approached his other little sister from behind and covered her eyes with his hands. He leaned to her ear and whispered, "BOO!" He took his hands from her eyes and faced Autumn. "How is it possible for you to grow this much. When I left, you were so young....like twelve...right?" He calculated the math with his fingers. She was beautiful. Her blue eyes were still filled with wonder and curiosity and he smiled down at her. "So, let me see this rock....your engagement ring...I cannot have my little sister going around here with a minature diamond on her hand," He said kissing her left hand.

Autumn walked to the edge of the dance floor. Luke was somewhere behind her, he must have been caught by someone he knew and engaged in conversation. She fidgeted with her dress and tried to adjust her corset without anyone noticing. Looking beautiful was painful.

Suddenly she felt someone's cold hands around her face. "Boo," a deep voice whispered in her ear. She jerked her head around and her jaw dropped. "REAGAN!" her high voice soared through the air but was covered by laughter and cheerful voices throughout the room. She wrapped her arms around him and smiled in amazement.

"So, let me see this rock....your engagement ring...I cannot have my little sister going around here with a minature diamond on her hand,"

Autumn held out her hand. "It's not big. But I wouldn't want it any other way." she paused starring up at him. "I could arley recongize your. Gosh, Reagan it's been so long!" she hugged him again. "I missed you soooo much! You know a girl needs her other big brother around. I have to tell you so much." She looked around to see that her father was busy talking to another nobleman, so she took Reagan's hand and led him into the deserted closet in the very back of the ballroom.

She closed the door and locked it. She took a deep breath and told him every detail of the night in which Luke, the werewolf, had bitten her. Autumn knew it was drastic telling him so soon but she had no other choice. He would be leaving the following morning. She needed him to watch over her love. Autumn bit her lip and starred up at him nervously.

Reagan looked down at the small ring and then back at Autumn. It was not suited for a princess, but it fit her personality well. It was very pretty and he guessed it was probably Luke's mother's. He smiled at her. "I guess it is not the ring that counts, it is the other stuff, like love and all that other gush."

After a moment of reminesing about when he was little and carried Autumn on his shoulders, she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the discreet closet in the back of the room, hardly visible by the decorations.

"Autumn! What are you doing? We are related remember?" He looked around at the dusty, empty, cobbed-webbed room. "Hey, I've never been in here.... I like this place." His eyes grew bright as he got ideas of that brunette he spoke to earlier. He looked at her serious face and changed expressions. "What's wrong?" he asked.

He listened intently as Autumn rushed through every detail of how she was bitten by Luke, who apparently was a werewolf. So now she was a werewolf. Reagan rubbed his forehead, suddenly getting a massive headache. "So my littlest sister is a werewolf. My second littlest sister is a vampire. And both of thier soul mates are going off to war with me tomorrow..." His brown eyes looked down at her sadly. "Wow, isn't it amazing how much you miss in a couple of years...well, I guess five year isn't considered a couple...." He hugged her. "It's gonna be ok....I promise. I'm your big brother, I'll take care of you."

There was a quiet pause and he released her. "Now GO!....Dance. Snog your husband-to-be. Have fun! Don't be sad. Sadness is for tomorrow." He patted her on the back and left the closet.