King Oscar and Queen Hosianna stood side by side before their golden thrones as they watched and welcomed their honoured guests. Crown Prince Ishtan greeted many of them with his lovely wife and two sons. Within the next ten years Oscar expected to happily abdicate to his son…state of the nation pending.

Nights like tonight the royal family had to keep up appearances as to not worry the ton, and by extension, the rest of Oscaria. King Oscar didn’t like that even his sweet Heloise had learned that the peace they displayed on the surface was masking turmoil on the horizon.

“Ah, here comes Heloise and Lady Bellbow now.” The Queen smiled and nodded as the two women came down the stairs arm in arm. “It’s about time. It’s not like her to arrive late to royal events?” They walked down to the bottom step, where Prince Ishtan greeted them both fondly.

“Does she seem a tad pale to you?” Oscar asked, but his wife never got the chance to confirm his assessment.

All light flickered out and the wind howled around the hall. An oddity in itself, since all the high arching windows were closed. The flames of the braziers and chandeliers roared back to life and drew all eyes to a sight that wasn’t there moments before.

A man unlike any other.

He stood tall and perfectly still in the middle of the ballroom. His skin was as white as snow and his eyes were yellow with orange irises with black triangular pupils. His hair was fiery red, long, with a black pointed crown on his head. His brows were thin and his thin lips had an orange tinge to them. His cheekbones were defined and he had a square jaw. His boots were black, as were his trousers and slimming tunic. The shoulder pads held spines to match his crown, lining the V shape of his neckline. His cloak was long and his gloves reached his elbows. He was as elegant as he was terrifying. Especially with the fathomless expression he wore as he slowly turned on the spot to look around the ballroom.

You would have heard a pin drop, it was so quiet as lords and ladies looked on at the terrifying sight of the Wraith King.

“I have been invited by Princess Heloise.” He raised his right gloved hand and opened his palm to allow the golden fabric seal to hang down from its trapped position between his fingers. He continued to turn slowly, his orange and yellow eyes haunting everyone they laid upon. Heloise’s heart raced in her chest like the wings of a humming bird, and her hands felt clammy. She was not the only one to notice when all eyes turned to look at her with both curiosity, and confusion. The gaze of the ton focused on her was as good as pointing at her on a line-up. Singling her out to his seeking gaze. The Wraith King followed the invisible trail and began to walk towards the princess. Heloise inhaled and braced herself for her first meeting with the terrifying Warlock. She even opened her mouth to force a polite greeting from her lips, but then Crown Prince Ishtan stepped into her line of sight.

“Your Dark eminence.” Ishtan smiled and seemed perfectly at ease as he approached and greeted the eerie specter. “Welcome to Oscaria and Castle Salkire. Thank you for accepting our family’s invitation.” Heloise frowned and resisted the urge to worry her hands together over her front. Her brother was taking over, as he had been trained to do so. Arlette also tried to maneuver her out of a dangerous situation and tugged on her arm. Coaxing her to please stay away from the Warlock that quelled armies with a single word and a flick of his wrist.

Heloise saw her moment slipping through her fingers. Her brother was smoothing over the sudden appearance of the Wraith King like it was planned, so the rest of the ton were starting to gather in their social pockets to gossip about this accordingly. The King and Queen were making their ‘coincidental’ way around the ballroom towards Heloise.

If she hesitated a moment longer, she would never see the Wraith King again.

“Your highness, let’s-” Heloise took a deep breath, took her arm away from Arlette. With as much grace as she could muster whilst forcing herself not to shake like the quivering mess she was on the inside, she walked towards the Wraith King. She did so with the eyes of the royal court and the haunting gaze of the Wraith King watching her every step.

“-curious for quite some time about the possibility of trade between our-” Ishtan’s blue eyes widened and he looked down to his right at the appearance of his sister.

“Good evening.” Heloise lowered into an elegant curtsey with her head lowered with respect. “I am Princes Heloise. Thank you for accepting my invitation.” As she lifted her head she looked him right in his unnatural eyes and nervously smiled. “By which title do you prefer so I might address you to your preference? Your Highness? Or your dark eminence?” There. I’ve started our first conversation. The hardest part is done.

Or so she thought.

“I prefer Master, actually.” His voice was softer than she’d been expecting, and lighter too. Somehow, that was far creepier than if he’d had a deep booming voice. “But as I am your guest, you can refer to me as your highness.” His eyes were like fire, and his vivid ginger hair also reminded her of flames. The heat of his presence was a contrast to the chill of his wispy voice. Both sent goosebumps across her arms and the hair at her nape stood on end.

“Ah, dear sister, our King and Queen are looking for you.” Ishtan put his hand on her lower back and tried to guide her away from the conversation and to the safety of their parents.

She couldn’t allow that.

“They can see where I am.” Heloise sidestepped away from her brother and offered her hand to the Wraith King. “I am sure you have business and motives of your own, your highness, but I should be very pleased if you would spare some of your time for me. To converse and perhaps even dance?”

He chuckled. His eyes literally glowed when he laughed and she thought for sure real sparks would come forth. Ishtan threw their parents a look that clearly asked for reinforcements.

“I am sure you have your own business and motives, but I am agreeable to both converse and dance with you, Princess. Though, unless times have changed drastically, I thought the burden of asking for such things rested with the gentleman?” He lifted his left hand palm-upward to capture her offered right one. His fingers in his leather gloves were warm as they wrapped around hers.

“Normally, yes.” She blushed and knew she would be reprimanded greatly later on from the way her family were looking at her. She cast her worries for later out of her mind, and came to heel as the Wraith King walked her to the middle of the dance floor. “You are the first man I’ve ever approached myself, but had I not, I would have lost the opportunity to speak with you directly, your highness.”

“I don’t doubt that.” He chuckled and led her away from her family and to the middle of the dance floor. “Now tell me, Princess, since you are apparently taking the lead, shall we be dancing gracefully or provocatively?”

“Gracefully, of course.” Heloise flustered and poised herself in frame for a ballroom dance. “A-and I am quite content for you to lead, your highness.”

“Oh good.” He teased. “I am afraid I don’t relinquish control very easily, so I am also quite content to lead.” She resembled a timid little mouse pretending to be a lioness as she timidly looked up into his fiery eyes. “It has been quite some time since I have danced in civilized society. Let us discover if I still remember how, shall we?”