Sequel: Thicker Than Water ›
Status: Completed
Shattered Truth
V.
I flash Cecily a triumphant smile as I drench her in seawater. I notice the dark haired Lightning boy talking to two strange looking people and send a silent thank you to Felisha for directing me to town. He is quite handsome. I watch his two companions out of the corner of my eye curiously. I'm fairly certain tje hooded one is a girl; she seems too slight to be a man. I'm trying to come up with a reason to walk past the group when a strong gust of wind nearly knocks me over and pulls some of my hair loose from its braid. I scowl at her.
"Go home, you wretched twit," I snap. "You smell like a fishery." Cecily gives an outraged squeak and the wind blows so hard I nearly fall off the dock. Growing more and more frustrated, I start summoning up my ocean powers. I didn't even want to bring my petulant baby sister along in the first place, but mother forced me. I see the townsfolk hurriedly scampering away from the water's edge, accustomed as they are to mine and Cecily's spats. I fold my arms and smirk. Cecily keeps spluttering and warning me that I'll be sorry, but her words are cut short when a small pod of dolphins swarm up to the dock, and, just as Felisha did to me earlier, spit water all over her. Cecily emits a shriek that could wake the dead as I double over laughing. My drenched and mortified sister gathers her wet skirts and runs for home. I didn't even know her skinny little legs could move so fast. Seconds later, the docks are back to their regular bustle as people resume their earlier tasks, although now with rueful smiles on their faces. I glance toward the handsome boy again, but now he's leaning casually against the wall of a shop, alone. I catch his eye for the briefest of moments, and he winks before disappearing into the crowd.
***
"You two are downright incorrigable!" mother shouts at us later that evening. "You represent the House of Daggyrmir and you would do well to remember it!"
"Philippa," Father says calmly, "calm down. Please, my love. They're children. And no one in town minds their antics."
"I mind," Mother says tersely. I roll my eyes and she shoots me a warning look.
"Not a word out of you, Giselle. Now. There is a ball being hosted for all the Elemental Houses tomorrow night. I expect you two to be on your best behavior."
Cecily squeals delightedly as I groan. Well, at least there'll be lots of free food.
"Your final gown fittings are this afternoon, so you two had best get downstairs. Aggie is waiting for you."
***
I stare at myself in the mirror. And stare some more. Aggie and Mira have transformed me into someone far more glamorous and poised. They spent an hour piling my curls on top of my head in en elegant bun, with several wavy strands falling down around my face. My lips and nails are crimson, and my eyes are rimmed in dark teal and silver. The dress is strapless, a deep blue-black satin that clings to my body like another skin. A sheer, glimmering cape is atracjed at the shoulders, falling to the floor and trailing slightly behind me. The shoes are close toed, adorned in silver sparkles, and ridiculously high. I stand shakily, trying to adjust to an extra five inches.
"Goodness, Giselle. You look so grown-up," Aggie says lovingly.
"This is from your father," Mira adds with a smile, leaning over to fasten a silver necklace around my neck. It's a locket shaped like a seashell with a small pink pearl shimmering in the center. "He had it made ages ago, and decided to give it to you tonight instead of waiting four more months until your birthday," Mira explains. I smile and admire the locket nestled in the hollow of my throat. I definitely have the best father anyone could ask for.
I grip the handrail tightly as I make my way down the grand staircase. My heels are extremely daunting. Cecily bounds along in front of me in her pale lavander gown, her strawberry blond hair pulled back into a simple twist. I glare at her back. She got to wear white sandals while I got stuck with these torture devices. I wade into the sea of bejeweled guests, searching for a familiar face. Correction; a tolerable familiar face. I see Edward Talaos walking towards me and immediately turn away, pretending not to see his enthusiastic wave. I spend my evening skulking around the ballroom, trying, and sometimes failing, to avoid dancing with anyone. Some of the Elemental men are all right, but I find anything faster than a waltz nearly impossible in these shoes, and Elementals are fonder of fast rhythms than slow ones.
Just when I think the evening is going to be a complete waste, I see him. The tall Lightning Elemental from the pier. He's talking with his companions from earlier, but then he breaks off to go to the bar. I watch the girl, whose face is still hidden beneath a scarf, curiously as she walks away with the odd looking man. Then I shrug them off, making my way as swiftly as I can to the bar. Felisha gathered some more information about him for me, and I've been impatient to find him ever since. He's filling a small plate with shrimp and fruit salad when I lean against the table. "Since when do bounty hunters recieve invitations to formal gatherings?" I ask, keeping my voice low. He freezes for an instant, then turns to me with a look of surprise.
"I beg your pardon?" he says innocently.
"Now, don't play coy with me, Mr. Kingsley," I say lightly. "I have my sources." My use of his name makes him frown warily.
"Don't worry; I'll keep your little secret," I reassure him. "You're far more interesting than anyone else here tonight."
His lips twitch slightly. He leans toward me slightly. "You know my name, pretty girl, but I don't know yours. That hardly seems fair."
"I'll make you a deal, bounty hunter. You keep me company for the remainder of the evening and save me from my mind-numbing boredom, and then I'll tell you my name."
He arches an eyebrow. "Well I can think of worse ways to spend the evening..." he says, giving me an appreciative once-over. I roll my eyes. "Flattery must have gotten you far in life."
"I find it to be quite useful," he concedes. I find his crooked smile quite charming. He extends his arm, and I take it. We stroll around the ballroom, easily falling into conversation. He tells me about places he's been, and we take turns doing silly voices and making up conversations between couples we see. I'm practically in stitches when something across the room seems to catch his eye.
"I'm afraid I must go tend to my friends. But I would very much like to see you again. Please, don't keep me in suspense any longer." He places a hand over his heart dramatically and I giggle. "Tell me your name," he pleads.
I lean in close to him, til our faces are mere inches away. "Giselle," I whisper. Then I smile and begin to walk away.
"How will I find you again?" he calls.
"If you really want to, you'll find a way," I reply, throwing him a teasing grin before leaving him alone in the middle of the ballroom.
"Go home, you wretched twit," I snap. "You smell like a fishery." Cecily gives an outraged squeak and the wind blows so hard I nearly fall off the dock. Growing more and more frustrated, I start summoning up my ocean powers. I didn't even want to bring my petulant baby sister along in the first place, but mother forced me. I see the townsfolk hurriedly scampering away from the water's edge, accustomed as they are to mine and Cecily's spats. I fold my arms and smirk. Cecily keeps spluttering and warning me that I'll be sorry, but her words are cut short when a small pod of dolphins swarm up to the dock, and, just as Felisha did to me earlier, spit water all over her. Cecily emits a shriek that could wake the dead as I double over laughing. My drenched and mortified sister gathers her wet skirts and runs for home. I didn't even know her skinny little legs could move so fast. Seconds later, the docks are back to their regular bustle as people resume their earlier tasks, although now with rueful smiles on their faces. I glance toward the handsome boy again, but now he's leaning casually against the wall of a shop, alone. I catch his eye for the briefest of moments, and he winks before disappearing into the crowd.
***
"You two are downright incorrigable!" mother shouts at us later that evening. "You represent the House of Daggyrmir and you would do well to remember it!"
"Philippa," Father says calmly, "calm down. Please, my love. They're children. And no one in town minds their antics."
"I mind," Mother says tersely. I roll my eyes and she shoots me a warning look.
"Not a word out of you, Giselle. Now. There is a ball being hosted for all the Elemental Houses tomorrow night. I expect you two to be on your best behavior."
Cecily squeals delightedly as I groan. Well, at least there'll be lots of free food.
"Your final gown fittings are this afternoon, so you two had best get downstairs. Aggie is waiting for you."
***
I stare at myself in the mirror. And stare some more. Aggie and Mira have transformed me into someone far more glamorous and poised. They spent an hour piling my curls on top of my head in en elegant bun, with several wavy strands falling down around my face. My lips and nails are crimson, and my eyes are rimmed in dark teal and silver. The dress is strapless, a deep blue-black satin that clings to my body like another skin. A sheer, glimmering cape is atracjed at the shoulders, falling to the floor and trailing slightly behind me. The shoes are close toed, adorned in silver sparkles, and ridiculously high. I stand shakily, trying to adjust to an extra five inches.
"Goodness, Giselle. You look so grown-up," Aggie says lovingly.
"This is from your father," Mira adds with a smile, leaning over to fasten a silver necklace around my neck. It's a locket shaped like a seashell with a small pink pearl shimmering in the center. "He had it made ages ago, and decided to give it to you tonight instead of waiting four more months until your birthday," Mira explains. I smile and admire the locket nestled in the hollow of my throat. I definitely have the best father anyone could ask for.
I grip the handrail tightly as I make my way down the grand staircase. My heels are extremely daunting. Cecily bounds along in front of me in her pale lavander gown, her strawberry blond hair pulled back into a simple twist. I glare at her back. She got to wear white sandals while I got stuck with these torture devices. I wade into the sea of bejeweled guests, searching for a familiar face. Correction; a tolerable familiar face. I see Edward Talaos walking towards me and immediately turn away, pretending not to see his enthusiastic wave. I spend my evening skulking around the ballroom, trying, and sometimes failing, to avoid dancing with anyone. Some of the Elemental men are all right, but I find anything faster than a waltz nearly impossible in these shoes, and Elementals are fonder of fast rhythms than slow ones.
Just when I think the evening is going to be a complete waste, I see him. The tall Lightning Elemental from the pier. He's talking with his companions from earlier, but then he breaks off to go to the bar. I watch the girl, whose face is still hidden beneath a scarf, curiously as she walks away with the odd looking man. Then I shrug them off, making my way as swiftly as I can to the bar. Felisha gathered some more information about him for me, and I've been impatient to find him ever since. He's filling a small plate with shrimp and fruit salad when I lean against the table. "Since when do bounty hunters recieve invitations to formal gatherings?" I ask, keeping my voice low. He freezes for an instant, then turns to me with a look of surprise.
"I beg your pardon?" he says innocently.
"Now, don't play coy with me, Mr. Kingsley," I say lightly. "I have my sources." My use of his name makes him frown warily.
"Don't worry; I'll keep your little secret," I reassure him. "You're far more interesting than anyone else here tonight."
His lips twitch slightly. He leans toward me slightly. "You know my name, pretty girl, but I don't know yours. That hardly seems fair."
"I'll make you a deal, bounty hunter. You keep me company for the remainder of the evening and save me from my mind-numbing boredom, and then I'll tell you my name."
He arches an eyebrow. "Well I can think of worse ways to spend the evening..." he says, giving me an appreciative once-over. I roll my eyes. "Flattery must have gotten you far in life."
"I find it to be quite useful," he concedes. I find his crooked smile quite charming. He extends his arm, and I take it. We stroll around the ballroom, easily falling into conversation. He tells me about places he's been, and we take turns doing silly voices and making up conversations between couples we see. I'm practically in stitches when something across the room seems to catch his eye.
"I'm afraid I must go tend to my friends. But I would very much like to see you again. Please, don't keep me in suspense any longer." He places a hand over his heart dramatically and I giggle. "Tell me your name," he pleads.
I lean in close to him, til our faces are mere inches away. "Giselle," I whisper. Then I smile and begin to walk away.
"How will I find you again?" he calls.
"If you really want to, you'll find a way," I reply, throwing him a teasing grin before leaving him alone in the middle of the ballroom.