A heavy silence descended upon the Hall, thicker and more complex than any mere quiet. It was the silence of hundreds of people holding their breath, waiting for the consequence of a single, unprecedented act. Daniella, back in her seat, felt the weight of every gaze but remained outwardly unperturbed, her hands still concealed beneath the sweep of her cloak.
Patrick, the Master of Ceremonies, finally cleared his throat, the sound like a stone scraping across glass. He adjusted his stance, visibly moving past the princess's defiance to regain control of the room. His blood-red eyes, fixing on a few of the still murmuring princesses, flashed with a displeased gaze.
"The Declaration is closed," Patrick announced, his voice regaining its customary crisp authority. "Now begins the Display of talent and power. The Princes and their families seek not just devotion, but competence. You will now present your skills, demonstrating the control and magnitude of the magic you hold. Since the chalices remain where they were declared, the central area of the floor is now yours."
He gestured to the vast, circular space around the still pool, which had, until now, only reflected the starry ceiling. It was time for the princesses to turn that reflection into a spectacle.
"Princesses," Patrick continued, a hint of excitement entering his tone, "step forward and show the kingdoms your worth. In the order of your declaration, your power will be your voice."
The first few princesses stepped forward with varying degrees of confidence. The princess who had bled for Prince Landon went first, a petite woman with the gift of Water. She walked to the edge of the pool, bowed, and with careful, delicate movements, drew water from the pool. It rose into a thin, shimmering ribbon that danced and twirled, twisting into the shapes of small, decorative birds before dissolving back into the main body of water. It was pretty, but clearly the magic of a novice.
Deacon had to hold himself back from the chuckle that threatened to escape. The girl displayed magic as if she were still in a classroom, learning the most basic of skills.
The court applauded politely, but the sound lacked any sense of enthusiasm. Next was a tall, stern-faced princess who declared for Prince Eric. She possessed Earth magic. Placing both palms flat on the gleaming tiled floor, she closed her eyes. With a visible strain across her face, a small section of the polished marble rose a few inches, cracking the expensive flooring. Her eyes bulged open as her nose began to bleed—a backlash from the lack of magic she had left to use. She had been careless, wasting a significant amount of her magical pool earlier that day.
Her poor performance earned a few sharp glares and disgruntled comments. Kings, queens, and dignitaries alike were annoyed by a girl who couldn't have enough foresight to leave behind a reasonable amount of magical power, at least in case of emergencies.
The disruption to the hall earned a few sharp, displeased looks from the King Elderion. He didn't care about a weak Earth conjurer, nor did he believe anyone should be so upset. She wouldn't last. Her blood would likely be spilled on the tile soon enough. There was no reason to upset oneself over something so insignificant.
Then came a princess who favored Fire, also declaring for Eric. She was far more skilled. Moving to the center of the floor, she held her hands out and summoned twin plumes of bright orange flame. The flames spun around her like a living cape, growing taller and wider until the heat forced the nearest maids to take a nervous step back. The display ended with a flourish, the flames disappearing without a trace of smoke, and she received an appreciative nod from Prince Eric.
Guinevere sauntered forward. Her dress swaying aggressively with every step she took. She bowed respectfully to the kings and queens before kneeling to scoop up some water from the pool in her hand. With a practiced flourish, she splashed the water onto the ground, rolling her wrist with her fingers moving as if weaving something in the very air. She breathed hard and heavy as a thick root pushed between the tiles, growing thicker with each inch it advanced. It grew to form a large-leaved glyventry, its fruits known for their healing properties, and commonly found in Prince Miguel's home Kingdom.
This was just another bold way for Guinevere to declare for Miguel. Not only had she forced the Earth to bend to her will, but she had left behind a gift and a glaring prize that no matter which Earth user went after her, they would be shaded by the glory of her creation. Her smile was not humble or demure; it was bold and unyielding. With another bow, she went back to her seat, her strides just as proud, if not more so. Of course, eager applause guided her back.
"She's quite interesting," Miguel said softly, knowing the other princesses would be able to hear him with ease.
"A little bit too aggressive for my taste," Landon spoke. He preferred softer beauties, the ones that were easy to yield to his will. This one had too much spirit.
"Was she not suitable to you, Prince Jasper?" Eric asked as they all watched a pitiful wind user try to impress them. The lot of them were forced to clap politely for a lackluster performance.
"Not quite."
Closing her eyes, Jaden took a few deep breaths before walking to the edge of the glimmering pool. Her water magic was better than most, but still nothing phenomenal.
Stepping onto the pool surface, her magic surged, forcing the pressure of the water downwards to create a tangible barrier for her to step on. Splitting her focus between keeping the adequate amount of pressure and her other hand, which focused on having the water splash around her to form a dome. She felt proud of herself; it was going well. Until she felt something disrupt the water.
She wasn't sure if it was a wind or water user, but one of them had messed with the surface pressure. That single interference had been enough for her to sink into the water.
Spluttering like a fool, she spat out water as she made her way to the edge of the pool. In a display of anger and power, her hands made a gesture from the top of her head downwards. All of the water left her body, slowly slinking back into the pool. Though it wasn't part of her performance, the display still earned the applause of the watching kingdoms. Though she felt embarrassed, she bowed in acknowledgment before going back to her seat.
The displays continued, the quality of the magic fluctuating wildly. Some women summoned gusts of Wind to perform aerial acrobatics with silks, while others carved intricate, if slightly crude, crystal Earth sculptures from the bedrock beneath the floor.
As the presentations went on, the air in the Grand Hall grew charged, thick with residual energy and the underlying anticipation of what power the bold, uncommitted Princess Daniella might command.
Jasper watched as Daniella stood from her seat, making her way to the edge of the pool. What would she do?
"Father, Princess Daniella doesn't have any—" Eric was planning on pleading with his father for Daniella to be skipped. But before his words could fully be realized, he heard the most angelic voice. Her song was a hauntingly beautiful melody that he'd never heard before. The words were completely lost on him.
"I'm driving your carriage with you... Sleeping in the seat next to you like a baby..."
He was lost in the performance. She still wore that cloak that covered her entire form, only allowing them to see her face. As the words passed through her lips, the tree that another princess had created had its branches lowered to make a seat for her to sit. Her voice slithered around the room.
It wasn't just Prince Eric; everyone felt it, as if her voice had been transported into each of their ears—a private performance just for them.
Jasper watched as she stood from the throne crafted from the tree. Its limbs retracted back into itself as the tree began to bear fruit.
Daniella let the cloak that had been hiding her form slip from her shoulders. The coral blue dress clung to her body like a second skin, one shoulder exposed as the other was hidden behind a claw that looked like water. Her hair wasn't done like the rest of them. It looked wet, gelled back to look as if it had never dried.
"Look at it go..."
Stepping forward in slow, languid movements, she stepped onto the pool that displayed the stars above, dancing amongst the stars while on the ground.
"Look at it dance over the sky like a rocket, a love machine, a cinematic dream..."
Landon felt his heart race in his chest. He wasn't sure why. He knew Princess Daniella could not perform magic; she was a well-known cripple. But as he watched her move in this enchanting light, as if she was a star herself, he felt a growing ache in his chest—a need to claim. The fur along his arms and back stood on end with the prickle of awareness he felt.
"So pure and it hurts..."
Jasper watched transfixed as she glided across the water as if it were still the stones she once stood upon. Her back arched, her face pointed towards the sky as her body began to lift. She straightened as her legs pointed, her bare feet, unburdened by shoes, looked as if she stepped on solid ground even as she floated into the sky.
"When the beauty is lost in the speed... 'Cause everything matters to me..."
He had barely noticed when the orchestra had started to play an accompanying piece of music to her movement. As she floated upward, suspended in the sky, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of a softly playing violin. When suddenly it stopped, Daniella's body dropped fast and hard towards the water surface.
More than a few gasps could be heard as her body toppled towards the pool at breakneck speeds. Some even stood from their chairs.
Jasper didn't move. He didn't breathe.
Instead of crashing into the pool's waters, it was as if the water didn't exist; it welcomed her home. No splash, no noise, no sound. For a heartbeat, there was silence.
"Quelque part avant l'aube... Quand la lumière veut nous voir..."
Eric couldn't see her. He could only hear her voice floating around the room. The sound came from every direction, but he couldn't see her; no one could. The pool reflected the sky above, and she was nowhere to be seen.
"Quelque part dans le monde... Un oiseau s'endort sans bruit... Toi et moi..."
As if she were a siren, her eyes could be seen at the top of her head peeking out from the pool. Those who did not have the best seats stood up to get a better look. They could hear her voice, but no one saw her lips. Slowly, she began to rise from the pool. Her hair still looked wet, but it didn't drip, and her clothing was just as dry as before.
Singing her last words, she stepped back from the pool's edge, ending in a deep, respectful bow. Her chest heaved with the effort.
It was silent in the hall. Daniella could hear a pin drop or a mouse squeak. She stayed in a low, respectful bow for a few more moments before standing tall. She didn't hold a large, proud smile like the other princesses, or a coy, demure one that spoke of shyness and propriety. No, hers was as it had been earlier—alluring, sultry, seductive. The smile of someone who knew that she was not ultimately a prize, but that she had decided to become the Hunter.
Both King Elderion and Jasper broke the silence at the same time, neither caring for anyone else's opinion, deciding to applaud her performance.
Unlike some, Queen Aurelia was not as easily swayed. She felt as if Princess Daniella was not simply trying to win the affection of the princes but conquer a king—something that just wasn't done.
"A charming little fable in motion, Princess," the Queen purred, her voice carrying easily through the silence. "You possess rare gifts for grace and melody, and it was certainly a captivating theatrical piece." She paused, letting the sweetness drain from her tone. "However, one might almost forget we are assessing magical prowess and not auditioning a courtesan." Her expression turned dismissive. "If you have any actual magic to present to the Princes, please do so. Otherwise, we can move on."
King Elderion did not agree with his queen. He thought that for a cripple or a commoner, she showed a miraculous ability worthy of praise, even if she didn't possess any magical acumen herself.
"You must have missed it, Your Majesty?" Daniella had expected a level of pushback. Not from the Queen specifically, perhaps one of the ruling kingdoms, someone more likely to be disgruntled. But she had to remember that this was Eric's mother, and she would know that her son had an infatuation with her.
"Missed what?" The Queen's words were clipped and hard. Her nails dug into the armrest of her chair. She was completely stunned that this cripple would dare speak back to her. She was lucky to even be allowed to enter this marriage market.
"I did show my magical aptitude." Daniella smiled politely, bowing her head once again, making sure not to come off too aggressively to any of the watching eyes that looked upon her.
"An enchanting melody and a pretty dance are not magical aptitude."
Her musical chuckle bounced around the room, as her maid still amplified her voice. "My Queen is quite humorous. You are correct: a pretty song and dance is not magic."
The Queen smiled, pleased that the young girl had finally understood her flaw—
"My talent, my magic, is manipulation. I have no ability to wield magic, yet in a single conversation, I am able to manipulate my maid's magic far beyond most of these princesses. I wielded the magic better than they could. Manipulation, my Queen. That is my magic." Bowing once more, she glided back to her seat, eyes following her every step, hateful glares from other princesses all falling upon her shoulders.
"There are over 200 other princesses, and you choose to offend them all!" Lola whispered to her princess, feeling quite uneasy.
"Was it not enough to insult them earlier, Princess? The marriage market is a deadly game." Idon said.
"It's a game, and it seems I'm the only one who is playing it."
Guinevere stared at the back of Daniella's head. The faintest of smiles at the corner of her lips. Her three maids all curiously watched her, wondering what the young princess could be thinking.
"She is far more deadly than she seems," Guinevere said, unable to help feeling a sense of respect toward Daniella. She had no magic, yet she seemed consumed by it. "I will need goalie weed, traxson, and Thorwood."
"Are you feeling unwell, Princess?"
"Not yet," she said, still looking at Princess Daniella with scrutiny.
"Yet, are you planning for a cold?" Her youngest maid laughed.
"Poison! That cripple poisoned all of us princesses. It was on her dress. It moved and targeted streams towards the princesses only." She laughed.
"Fortunate that you were able to notice her wicked scheme," her maid said before rushing off to go grab the ingredients she had listed.
Feeling a stare at the back of her head, Daniella finally turned to see who was staring at her far harder than anybody else.
Guinevere's light green eyes met her own.
With that look alone, Daniella knew she had noticed the poison. As if it was an admission of her crime, Daniella gave her a soft smile.
The poison wasn't the kind that Guinevere thought it was. Daniella's poison wasn't meant to kill. It was meant to weaken. To diminish. To slowly wither away at someone's magical core. She wanted to level the playing field.
Without a care for her retribution, Daniella smiled back—a bold, toothed, predator's smile.
Patrick had felt his own heart race as Daniella stood before everyone. He had been spellbound like anybody else who had witnessed her performance. His staff hit the gleaming tile floor without the same amount of vigor as it normally would. He still felt reluctant to break whatever spell Daniella had put upon himself and everyone who had seen her.
"Well done, princesses. You have shown your worth, your skill, beauty—" his eyes drifted to Daniella unconsciously—"charm! I wish you the favor of the prince you have declared for. Each Prince may come forward and choose a princess who has captured your eye."
Stepping back, he allowed space for the princes to come forward and choose the woman they would spend some time with after the closing of this first ceremony.
Prince Miguel went first. He stood from his throne. His eyes didn't roam around the various princesses who had all tried to capture his attention. His eyes drifted to the tree that Guinevere had made, then back to the woman herself.
"Princess Guinevere, you will accompany me." He was quick and to the point, sitting back down on his throne, his eyes forward.
Tapping his index finger on the armrest of his throne chair, Deacon was the next to stand. His shadow dragging far and longer behind him, seeming to be double his actual height. "There is one princess that I found to be formidable: Melisandra. Please join me tonight." The smallest of smiles played at the corner of his lips.
Melisandre blushed in her chair, her hands gripping those of her maids. She knew it would be her. She had been flawless. She had let the fire dance around her expertly. Her chin was held a little higher, her shoulders that much straighter. She sat in her seat, excited to enjoy company with Deacon.
Prince Eric couldn't help the way his eyes kept shifting over to Daniella. He'd wanted to choose her. He thought she would declare for him, slice her finger and make the right choice. But she had disappointed him. He felt the vein behind his eye bulge in irritation.
Standing to his feet, he gave a poised smile to all the princesses. "I was truly thrilled by every performance. No one lacked talent or charm. No matter who I choose, I intend to give my time to each princess—" his eyes, their blood-red orbs, lingered back on Daniella—"no matter who they have chosen to declare for, or if they remain undecided."
The silence stretched after his words, a gaggle of ladies all holding their breath in silent adoration and wistful imaginations playing through their minds.
Only Daniella's face was unchanged. On the outside, she looked just as regal and untouchable as always. But on the inside, she was seething. If only she could jab her fingers into his eye sockets and pull his blood-red eyes from his head, cursing him to see nothing but darkness for the rest of his life.
"Jaden, would you mind spending time with me?"
She couldn't speak, so she nodded her head vigorously. She was completely shocked. She hadn't expected to be chosen by anyone. She had completely messed up, not that someone hadn't made it worse, but she wasn't exceptional. But she was beautiful.
Maybe it was her beauty that swayed him. She touched her blue hair in delight. She may not be the most powerful of magic users, but she was stunning. And that was more than enough. No one was lucky enough to be great at all things.
Eventually, it was down to the last Prince, Jasper. He didn't stand from his throne. He stayed seated. "Daniella!" His voice was followed by utter silence.
"She hasn't declared. You must choose out of the declared women!" Queen Aurelia protested, unwilling to let Daniella have anything, not after her disrespectful words earlier.
"You are mistaken, once again, Your Majesty. I cannot choose a woman who is declared for anyone else, but Daniella has declared for no one, which means she is open for all. As she stated. I choose Daniella."
The air around them charged as the two sets of eyes met. Jasper's black eyes meeting Daniella's forest green. The clash of color and energy seemed to buzz with magic.
Jasper had planned to keep his distance, to slowly draw Daniella in. But she was causing too much of a scene to leave her out in the open. He would just need to be mindful of the curious eyes that would follow them. He knew what she wanted now. Daniella wanted to kill someone. Jasper felt it multiple times.